1. Join a dedicated family cruise

Some ships organize dedicated family departures, usually coinciding with northern hemisphere school holiday periods - Christmas, March break, summer vacation.  

Joining a dedicated family departure means that your naturalist guides will be primed to adapt the delivery of their messages to a younger clientele, and will also engage them in more young spirited activities when opportunities arise.

On family dedicated cruises, you'll be sharing the experience with other families, and your children will most likely engage with other children in their age range, freeing up parents to enjoy some time among adults as well. 

A very few ships try to go the extra mile, organizing family departures specifically targeting either teens, or children under 12, in an effort to ensure a good age-range match on board.  

2. Charter your own ship

If you're thinking of having the extended family join a cruise, or if you're planning something with other family friends, why not consider chartering a ship?  

Ships can accommodate a range of passenger number, from as low as 12 to as high as 100.   16 passenger ships are most common, with a few in the 20, 32 and 48 passenger category.   

When you charter a ship, you can tweak some of the trip elements to ensure an experience that will be more personalized and more tailored to your interest.  And of course, CNH Tours will work with you to maximize the group experience throughout your trip.

3. Join a regularly scheduled cruise

There's nothing wrong in joining any other regularly scheduled cruise either. 

You may not find a cruise to your liking in the family cruise list of availabilities, or you're just as happy to stick together with your own family, or maybe you're traveling at a time of year when no family departures are on offer.

We can help you find a ship most suitable to your needs (e.g. with interconnecting double cabins, or with triple cabins...).

Day 1: Arrival

Evening arrival at Quito airport - private transfer to your hotel.   We can help you find a hotel appropriate to your needs - a high end exclusive boutique establishment, a larger international style hotel, or a quaint locally operated inn rich in local colour.

There are many very nice hotels in Quito, suitable to all travel styles.  

Check-in, and settle down for the night.  

Day 2: Colonial Quito, Gold and Volcanoes

Colonial city day tour - Quito is the prettiest national capital in Latin America.  Visit the fabulously ornate 16th century Jesuit church - much of it covered with dazzling gold leaf; explore mom & pop food shops, selling strange herbs, odd fruits and fragrant spices; take the cable car up the still active Pichincha volcano; marvel (and buy?) beautiful Andean textiles at high end shops; have some hot chocolate and do some people watching on a 400 year old colonial square...

Day 3: Off to Galapagos

Early morning transfer to the airport, and flight to Galapagos. Board your ship in time for lunch, and start your 8 day excursion that afternoon with a walk along the shore, observing baby sea turtles emerging from their sandy nests, trying to avoid being turned into lunch for herons and frigate birds.  Watch spotted eagle rays mating in the shallow waters, and go for a pleasant swim off a pristine white sand beach.

Days 4-9: Exploring the archipelago

Aboard your ship, you awaken shortly after (or before if you like!) dawn for a cup of coffee on the deck, watching the sun rise over the Pacific.  Your days will consist of slow morning and afternoon hikes, allowing you to take in the islands, its ecosystems and their inhabitants, close up.  Hikes will be interspersed with at least one snorkeling or swimming opportunity each day - you chance to spot penguins zipping by, or cavorting sea lions, sea turtles, rays, even sharks, among colourful fish.

The ship will typically sail from one visitor site to the next at midday, while you're having lunch and enjoying a bit of down time (siesta?).  The sun sets quickly on the equator - happy hour is short, but sweet, as you admire the sun set among volcanic peaks. 

Day 10: One last visit - and back to Quito

On your last day, you'll be taken on a final visit ashore, perhaps at Black Turtle Cove, North Seymour Island, or you may get to circumnavigate Daphne Major island, famous for hosting the "Beak of the Finch" authors for 30 summers in a row.  Following breakfast, you will be taken to the airport for your flight back to Quito and transfer to your hotel, arriving in late afternoon.

Day 11: Departure

Usually, you'll need to get up early to catch the usual morning international departures.  A light breakfast and a transfer to the airport.