The M/Y Grace

As elegant as the Princess she was named after...

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Review

The Grace is steeped in history and offers Old World charm combined with modern-day technology. The yacht was built back in the 1920’s and boasts a remarkable sequence of chapters in her life; from a party-boat for the super wealthy to being utilised by the British Navy during WWII (Churchill’s feet have also graced the decks); and of course taking Grace Kelly on her honeymoon with Price Rainier of Monaco! The Grace was purchased in 2007 and underwent a 2-year restoration to tailor her for sailing the Galapagos, including a specialist stabilizing system for smoother transit. The yacht has been beautifully renovated, maintaining the vintage feel - the original Ship’s wheel is on display - paired with today’s mod-cons (such as air conditioning). Picture Sean Connery at the end of a Bond film, as 007 sails into the sunset on a quaint yacht, and you have a good idea of how it feels to be on the Grace!

Deck layout

The Grace has 4 decks. The Lower (Carolina) Deck houses 4 cabins: 1 x triple, 2 x double and 1 x twin/double. These are the standard (also called ‘Premium/Deluxe’) cabin types. The Main (Monaco) Deck features the lounge/bar area, briefing room, library, al fresco dining area at the stern and the Jacuzzi on the bow. The sumptuous Grace Kelly suite is the only cabin on this Deck.

The Upper (Albert) Deck has the four remaining cabins. There are 2 Suites (twin/doubles) and 2 spacious Master Suites (doubles). The outdoor lounge area is located at the rear of the deck. Finally, the Sundeck offers an ideal spot to take in the equatorial sun in peace.

Itineraries

The Grace offers 2 itineraries, both 7-nights/8-days in duration. Itinerary A runs from Isla San Cristobal to Baltra and includes the southern loop (Floreana & Espanola).

Itinerary B runs the other way – from Baltra to San Cristobal – and includes the north-west loop (Genovesa and Isabela). Both options include visits to San Cristobal and Isla Santa Cruz (and some of the smaller surrounding islets).

Cabins

All cabins on the Grace are en-suite and have air-conditioning, safety deposit box and storage to unpack your gear. The Premium/Deluxe cabins on the Carolina Deck have porthole windows only; whereas all the other cabin types feature large windows. The 16m²/175ft² Grace Kelly Suite (which we recommend as the pièce de résistance for a honeymoon) provides a larger en-suite and more closet space, plus six windows. This is the actual cabin (albeit refitted) where Princess Grace stayed during her honeymoon back in 1956!

Features & inclusions

All land and water activities, led by two on-board experienced naturalists, are included. This is one of the best guide-to-passenger ratios available in the Galapagos. The Grace have sea kayaks available for use. There is also the option to do a days’ SCUBA diving on the day of your visit to Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz. However, this is not included and must be paid for in addition to your cruise; plus it will mean missing out on the included activities for that day. All meals are served on a buffet basis, with soft drinks. For alcoholic beverages, a tab can be set up. Alternatively, it is possible to pre-pay an additional charge, that then permits an ‘open-bar’ policy. Please ask for details.

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