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For breaking travel news and details on the Galapagos Islands, please go to this excellenet blog site: http://sangay.wordpress.com
[NEW - March 12,
2008] Last
month the
Government of Ecuador issued a decree increasing the cost of diesel
from $1.29 per gallon to $2.79 per gallon. This measure will come into
effect from the beginning of June 2008 and applies to those tourist
vessels in Galapagos that take on more than 4000 gallons per
month.
The step came as something of a surprise to Galapagos Tour operators
and efforts were made to seek a reversal of the decision, but
regrettably to no avail.
The majority of live-aboard
cruise
operations will be affected by the
increase. It is therefore with regret that we will be obliged to
apply
a fuel
surcharge to all passengers travelling from the 1st June/08 onwards.
The amount of the surcharge vary from yacht to yacht, and depending on
the length of cruise. We will be contacting all clients with
existing
bookings in order to
coordinate payment and will be adding the surcharge to all new bookings
for departures including and beyond the June 1st 2008.
We thank you in advance for your
cooperation and understanding and
regret any inconvenience that this significant and unexpected measure
may cause.
GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCE FEE COSTS
US
$100
|
Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age |
US
$ 50
|
Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age. |
US
$ 6
|
National
Tourists or Foreign Residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age. |
US
$ 3
|
National
Tourists or Foreign Residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age. |
US
$ 25
|
Tourists
non-resident foreign students registered at one of the National
Universities of Ecuador. |
TOURIST
CONTROL CARD (TCT).
"Tarjeta de
Control de Transito" or TCT card costs $10.00
per person (regardless of age or nationality), and is now
required by every visitor to the Galapagos Islands. Presently,
this card can only be paid upon arrival into the Galapagos
Islands. This fee is in addition to the Galaapgos National Park
entrance fee. With the TCT card, INGALA, the institution
that controls migration to the islands, will be better able to regulate
the flow of all arrivals and departures to Galapagos. Go to www.ingala.gov.ec for more details.
CHANGES IN GALAPAGOS
BOATS etc
- CHANGES
IN GALAPAGOS BOAT CLASSIFICATIONS:
- CORAL
I & CORAL II have
been upgraded from
FIRST class to DELUXE class;
- BELUGA
has now been classified as
FIRST class (previously DELUXE class);
- NEW
GALAPAGOS BOAT ADDITIONS in 2009 TO
SELECT FROM:
- YOLITA
II (TOURIST SUPERIOR
CLASS)
- GALAXY(FIRST CLASS)
- GALAPAGOS
VOYAGER (FIRST
CLASS)
- NAUTILUS(EX- SEA CLOUD
FIRST CLASS)
- QUEEN
OF GALAPAGOS (FIRST
CLASS)
- LA
PINTA (DELUXE CLASS)
- GALAPAGOS
ODYSSEY (DELUXE
CLASS)
- GALAPAGOS
BOATS NO LONGER OPERATING in 2009:
- SPONDYLUS(TOURIST SUPERIOR
CLASS)
- YOLITA
(TOURIST CLASS)
- PARRANDA (FIRST CLASS)
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