• Fernanda,
  We cannot thank you enough for all the help and assistance you gave us over this trip. >From my very first email you seemed to understand exactly what we wanted and then did everything you could to see that we got it. The whole organisation of the trip was superb, the drivers were always there when planned and were very helpful. Everyone was so friendly and helpful to us. We were made to feel very special. This feeling was topped when you rang us when we were on the bus in the Galapagos going to the airport. All the people who had been on our Galapagos trip were impressed by that level of service. You made us feel that nothing was too much trouble for you. The trip to the Middle of the Earth was really fun and Santiago was a real treasure, full of stories and information on what we were seeing.
  Both the Kapawi lodge and the Seaman II lived up to, and exceded, our expectations and the trips themselves were wonderful; but all this was made so much better for feeling like we did not have to worry about anything. You drivers went out of their way to make sure we knew where we were going and that our luggage etc. was taken care of.
  We have recommended you to all our friends since we came back and we would not hesitate to use you again in the future. Thank you.
  Emily, UK, June 2008

• Dear Fernanda,
  The trip was great, and I can't thank you enough for arranging everything so well. I had a wonderful time. Thank you, thank you!
  Warm regards,
  Mike, USA, May 2008

• Hi Fernanda,
  My week in the Galapagos went very fast and was like to be in a real dream...!
  Everything were better than expected......as you know to travel South of the tropic some"glitch" are expected, but at my great surprise it wasn't any "glitch", all went perfect., as "advertise" all went very smoothly.
  Your company provide a great, great service, thank you very much.
  The Beluga was a nice yate, the crew was perfect and the guide Monica was great, I believe without her the cruise wouldn't have been so memorable.
  If I have the chance to go back to Ecuador, or if some friends want to go to the Galapgos I will certainly tell them to contact you.
  Thank you again.
  Anita de Villegas, Belgium, May 2008

• Fernanda,
  We had an excellent time. The guides were nice and all the hotels were excellent. We really enjoyed visiting Ecuador.
  Regards,
  Steinar, Holand, May 2008

• Fernanda,
  We arrived home this morning, had a great time,all the arrangements you made worked perfectly for us and greatly contributed to the enjoyment of our holiday.
  Machu Picchu was special and enhanced by the excellent guide provided,Galapagos was fantastic, the Queen of Galapagos I would recommend to anyone,a quality boat,well run with a friendly crew,the cabins are spacious with good views.
  Feedback that may be useful would be in relation to Patio Andaluz hotel in Quito,the rooms have no external windows,are somewhat cold and gloomy,not the quality you would expect from a 4 star hotel, staff are good however.
  Again many thanks for the excellent job you did organizing the holiday,I would recommend you to anyone looking for a holiday in S America.
  Regards,
  David, Australia, May 2008

• Fernanda,
  Our trip was quite wonderful. Thank you for taking care of the details.  We were met at all the airports and hotels, on time.  The guides throughout the trip, in Ecuador and Peru, were quite good.  (Maria, in Peru was very knowledgable and extremely pleasant, but was a bit difficult to understand her English at times - quite good regardless.)
  We will gladly recommend Haugan Cruises to our friends.  We especially liked the boat size and the freindly crew. Thank you for helping to make our trip fantastic.
  Best regards,
  Stephen Shopoff, USA, March 2008

• Hi Christian,
  For your information I have just recommended the Athala to some friends in the US!
  The trip was fantastic and we really enjoyed the Athala, the Galapagos and the fantastic crew and our guide Kike.
  We would do it again and probably do the 8 day trip next time, as we missed not seeing the Western islands. The company on the boat was also very enjoyable, so we have absolutely nothing other than praise and appreciation for the whole trip.
  You made all of this feasible with a minimal effort from our side, and we really appreciate your support and responsiveness.
  Best regards,
  Henrik Schroder, Sweden, March 2008
  
  
• Christian,
  Our cruise aboard the Athala was fabulous!!! Our stay in Quito at the Plaza Grande was outstanding! We thank you so much for all you did to help us make it all such a wonderful experience!! We have many pictures to help us remember how much we both enjoyed it.
  Pat Sheehan, Alaska USA, March 2008
  
  
• I would like to let you know that my family and i had a terrific time in peru. the schedule was hectic but fun. the pick up and delivery was prompt and courteous at each juncture. the guides were excellent and the hotels beautiful. we were very pleased with the itinerary and will be happy to recommend your services to our friends. thank you.
  Michael Baumrim, USA, March 2008
  
  
• Dear Fernanda,
  The trip was great !! We would recommend Haugan Cruises to everyone. The Athala in the Galapagos was perfect, the day tours in Quito were wonderful - the guides and the crew were all so very knowledgeable and helpful... thank you so much for your help with this trip also. You made the planning with the details of hotels and transfers easy. Your service is excellent, we did not have one experience where we thought the service could have been improved.
  Thanks again,
  Kim and Craig Burns, USA, March 2008
  
  
• Oh my gosh, it was the best!!! We had a great time. Thank you for all you did to set it up.
  Debby, USA, March 2008
  
  
• Hello Fernanda,
  I just wanted to thank you for all of your assistance over the past year to make our trip aboard the Athala last week a very memorable one! The four of us had a remarkable time and were overall very satisfied with the entire experience!
  Quito was a wonderful city with great food and sights along with a day trip to the Otavalo market and a drive through the Andes.
  Best regards,
  Douglas Cowan, USA, March 2008
  
  
• Dear Christian,
  I am so sorry that I did not write sooner. I intended to but have been quite busy and also have been out of town a couple of times since I have gotten home from the Galapagos.
  Thank you for everything and for being patient with me.
  Everything was wonderful!!! Everyone was so nice and helpful. Everyone was where they were supposed to be when they said they would be. We enjoyed the boat so much. It was so clean and the meals were wonderful. We enjoyed the islands and all the wildlife. Everything was just perfect. We could not have asked for anything more.
  Thank you again. I will certainly recommend you and your company.
  Barbara Prokosch, USA, February 2008
  
  
• Christian,
  Mike and I wanted to thank you for the excellent service we received on our trip to Ecuador. We do a lot of travelling and it was nice to have no worries in regards to transports, hotels, etc. Everyone we met from your staff was exceptional. Thank you also for straightening out the confusion at the hotel on our return.
  We own a service business and so often we only hear about the things people are not happy with, so we wanted to make sure to commend you on the wonderful trip we had.
  Julie Kienast, USA, January 2008
  
  
• Hi Fernanda
  Just a quick note. Our stay in Ecuador was brilliant we really loved it. The services you offered were impressive always there when we landed etc. and getting us through the airport controls really quickly. Cuyabeno was tough trip but Luis told us that when we met him. I would not have changed it for the world. Athala was brilliant we had a really good week.
  Anyway we will definitely recommend your agency to anyone travelling to Ecuador you could not have done more for us and we would both like to say a big Thank You to you!
  Must go time in the cafe is running out!
  Judy and Kevin, UK, January 2008
  
  
• Hi Christian
  We are now back home, and i just wanted to thank you so very much, we all had a wonderful time in Ecuador, we loved your wonderful country, every one was so friendly. Thank you for orgarnising it so beautfuly, it was effortless for us , thanks to you.
  The Swissotel, was great, very comfy and efficient and friendly, the Athala was perfect, the crew so nice and delicious food.
  We will spread the word about your and the company and the Athala. Also thank you for recommending and arranging our dinner at the opera House, it was superb. Mark and Lois join us in send a HUGE thank you, and we very much hope to do buisness with you again in the future.
  Yours,
  Pippa & Robin, USA, January 2008
  
  
• Hi Christian! Sorry, I can’t even distinguish a “best”…..everything was absolutely perfect (except the chaos at the arrival at Baltra, but that was unavoidable). All your arrangements worked perfectly, the pick-ups, the hotel (thanks, really liked the room and the wine!), the tours, the Athala (wonderful crew, each and every member out-doing themselves to ensure that we had a great time), the food and the guide (Whitman Cox was just great!). I could not have been happier! Thank you, Christian, for all the arrangements! It was obviously expensive but one doesn’t mind when it is really First Class, which it was! We now have wonderful memories and 1000s of photos! And we will be back at some point (maybe 5 years?). And I will definitely be able to send more Bermuda-based people your way.
  Kind Regards,
  Jens, Sweden, January 2008
  
  
• Fernanda - Matt and I returned from Peru yesterday afternoon. I just wanted to write to thank you for helping us arrange a wonderful trip. And a special thanks for the lovely bottle of champagne that was in our room in Cusco with a welcome note from you. That was a nice surprise. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to see two places that we have wanted to visit for a long time: The Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu.
  The logistics of the trip were beautifully handled. There was not a transfer or pick-up that was not on-time and efficient. The boat was fabulous, and we had great luck with a group of people on the boat we enjoyed and found most interesting.
  Louis and Matt Myers Washington DC, USA, December 2007
  
  
• Hello Fernanda,
  Thanks so much for arranging our cruise. We had a wonderful time and appreciate all of your help.
  We are glad we had a chance to meet you and visit Columbus Travel.
  Happy New Year!
  Paul Neubert, USA, December 2007
  
  
• Hi Yoyi
  Just a quick note to say thank you for your help in making our holiday so good. We really enjoyed our stay on the boat. everything was excellent, food, cabins, trips ashore, and (best of all for me!) snorkelling. Your were very efficient with the organisation, so everything went very smoothly, and all the other crew were also good at playing their part. I will put a note on-line on the Thorn Tree Forum to say you were great....I will also put the word round among other cruisers, and you may well get some business from them. We wish we could have another week in the Galapagos, but will have to wait a bit and save up!
  Thanks again for your help and friendliness.
  
  
• Hi Cristian
  Just a quick note to say thank you for your help in making our holiday so good. Your were very efficient with the administration, so everything went very smoothly. We really enjoyed our stay on the boat – everything was excellent. I will put a note on-line on the Thorn Tree Forum to say you were great (though I suspect you won’t get much business from there as it is mainly back-packers. But good publicity anyway.) I will also put the word round among other cruisers, and you may well get some business from them – I am writing up some notes on the trip and will include Haugan Cruises and your name among the ‘highly recommended’. We wish we could have another week in the Galapagos, but will have to wait a bit and save up!
  Thanks again for your help,
  David and Lin Thorley, United Kingdom, November 2007
  
  
• Hi Maria Elena
  I just wanted to thank you again for doing such a fabulous job of organizing our holiday and for taking such good care of us when we were in South America. We had a wonderful holiday aboard the Athala in the Galapagos, and our Peru extension was excellent as well. We were very impressed with the level of care we received. There was a representative to meet us every step of the way, and we always felt as though we were in good hands. We wish you continued success with Columbus travel, and we would be very happy to provide an excellent recommendation should you ever require one.
  Best regards,
  Catherine and Bryan Clake
  
  
• Maria Elena,
  I just wanted to thank you again for a wonderful trip on the Athala. Your oversight made everything run perfect and we appreciate it. Bicho and Lobo were excellent guides and our families are still talking about the trip. We have traveled extensively around the world, but I do believe this was my favorite vacation of them all. In fact, we are having an Athala reunion barbeque this weekend at our house to share our photos and stories. Once we pick out a few favorite photos, we’ll send them to you. Please give our best to the crew and thanks again for an amazing vacation.
  Regards,
  Kurt von Emster
  
  
• We recently took your Galapagos Island cruise on Athala II. We thought the trip was fantastic, one of the best we've ever taken--and we've traveled all over the world. We wanted to give a special thanks to Fernanda Borja for all her help in planning and scheduling this trip. She is a true asset to your organization. We found the boat to be extremely comfortable, the meals were all quite good, and the crew outstanding and very helpful. We also want to compliment you on your choice of Jimmy Iglesias as tour guide. He is extremely knowledgeable, was helpful to each and every passenger and was especially aware of passenger safety. Besides all this, he has a wonderful sense of humor. and the trip would not have been nearly as enjoyable without Jimmy.
  Sincerely,
  Gail and Ted Neher, Colorado, USA
  
  
• Dear Fernanda:
  I wanted to take a moment and tell you how absolutely amazing the Galapagos Island cruise was. First of all, the Athala II is a beautiful ship with comfortable and well-appointed rooms. I couldn't believe the size of the bathroom! We were treated very well by the crew. The little touches also made quite a difference as well. We had lovely chocolates in our room at night and our towels were decoratively displayed upon our bed each day. The chef, Darwin, created the most delicious meals for us at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am surprised that the boat did not sink with all that we ate! Also, after each dive or walk, we were welcomed back on board with hot chocolate or some other snack. Not a detail or small pleasure was forgotten. Our guide, not to be left out, was also first rate. We spoke to many of our fellow travelers to the Galapagos and everyone raved about what they saw on land and in the sea. None, however, raved about their accommodations and food like the passengers aboard the Athala II. Thank you very much for such an amazing way to see such an amazing place.
  Regards,
  Lesley-Jane and Brad, United Kingdon
  
  
• We are home in Pennsylvania safe and sound and I wanted to email you and tell you that we had a fabulous time in all our travels in Ecuador. Thank you for all your input and correspondence over the last 8 months! I was a little worried about booking everything online, but all was perfect! …The Athala II, is an awesome boat, the crew, the food, the itinerary were perfect. Yoyi and Juan were so much fun and accommodating, I would highly recommend this boat and cruise to everyone. We were the 1st, 8 day cruise and it was perfect!
  Denise Eddinger, Pennsylvania, USA
  
  
• Hello Bertha and Fernanda, I just wanted to thank you both for all your help and to tell you that we had a fabulous trip on the Athala (with Haugan Cruises). The Athala is a beautiful, luxurious boat; the crew was fantastic and the food delicious. I have attached pictures of the crew in their sparkling white uniforms and one of the Athala too. Our chef, Darwin, was superb; Omar (bartender) served us juices and hot appetizers when we came in from snorkeling; and Camillo, Freddy, Jose, and all the crew members were always kind and helpful and lots of fun too. We were treated like queens & kings ..... the best I have ever experienced. It was quite a treat (and the crew was so proud of their ship too). Thank you again.
  Sharon Allen, USA, July 2007
  
  
• I really can’t imagine a better level of service.
  Yolanda, Ottawa, Canada
  
  
• It really was a trip of a lifetime. We had a wonderful time. The Athala 2 is a beautiful boat and the staff & crew were fantastic. Thank you again.
  Maura, USA
  
  

Yolanda, Ottawa, Canada
Posted on: 5:11 pm, May 30, 2007

We just got back from one week on the Athala 2 and it was outstanding. It is a beautiful new boat with a great itinerary (go for the full week, we had others on the boat that went for either 3 or 4 nights and missed out on a lot). The itinerary was aggressive, but well worth it – I can’t imagine having missed out on any of the sites we took in. The boat was very spacious – it fit very comfortably the 16 passengers, 10 crew members and 1 naturalist guide.

I would recommend cabins on the main deck as they have private balconies – a real treat. We often sat out on the balcony early in the morning or late evenings to watch sea lions playing just a few feet away from us. The cabins are spacious with a lot more storage than we ever needed, the beds were comfortable, great Aveda bath products and there was always a lot of hot water. Excellent food (and lots of it) thanks to our fantastic chef Darwin – we were even greeted with fresh juice and snacks after our excursions!

The one thing that impressed us the most was how truly phenomenal the 10 crew members were. They were each of them professional, friendly, patient and accommodating. They really made this trip outstanding for us. (Especially Camilo, Martin, Freddy and Omar!! – we just loved them!) There is also a dedicated cruise manager on board (Yoyi) who was equally excellent – she really did everything to please the passengers – if someone made a suggestion for an improvement it was implemented right away. I really can’t imagine a better level of service.

Prior to arriving on the Athala we had been in a long string of high-end hotels before finally ending up in the Galapagos for our final week and never received a level of service that even came close to the Athala 2. We really will remember all 10 of them extremely fondly – they were absolutely fantastic.

Our naturalist was good (and very popular with the other passengers) but there doesn’t seem to be one permanent naturalist on board. There was a different one scheduled for the week after we left. We would not hesitate to go on the Athala 2 no matter who the naturalist was – if the crew was the same that would be all we’d need to ensure an awesome trip!


Meg_np, Boston
Posted on: 8:52 am, June 01, 2007

I just want to second Yolanda's review. I was on board the Athala II at the same time for the 5d/4n portion and had an exceptional time. The boat was spacious and immaculate and the service superb...all of it surpassed my expectations. It truly was an amazing trip and the crew of the Athala 2 had a huge role in making it so.


ChicagoILGirl, Chicago
Posted on: 1:28 pm, June 05, 2007

The crew - they consistently went out of their way to ensure the customer's comfort… And the islands themselves were something new each day - where else can you snorkel with penguins, sea lions, turtles and sharks, then hike to see marine iguanas sprawled in the sun?

All in all, a great vacation that I would recommend (and have recommended) to any who are interested in going to the Galapagos. From looking at the other boats we encountered on our trip, I would not have wanted to be on a different boat (and particularly not on a larger one, as the islands became somewhat overrun when they offloaded).

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