We just came from a week on the Letty from May 6-13.
As you know, Malena is an outstanding guide/naturalist/leader and resource for everyone on the trip. I found her warmth, kindness and enthusiasm for her job to be central to our enjoyment of the trip. Her knowledge of wildlife is astonishing. When my husband and I let her know we love birds, she made a point of looking for small shore and land birds for us in addition to the larger and more famous bird species. She was very organized and gave us detailed and accurate information about what we would need for each day’s journey. I can’t praise her enough.
A second person who made a big difference to us was Luis, the panga driver. Although we could not communicate a lot with words, his warm eyes and smile were a warm welcome every time we got in and out of the boat. When we were taking wildlife journeys on the panga, such as in the mangrove area, he made a point of spotting turtles and rays and pointing them out to me. When we saw our first blue footed boobie and penguin, he expertly navigated the panga so that we could get close and take great pictures. He was always patient and helpful and would navigate expertly for the best viewing.
Luis, the server and bartender, as you know, has a huge job. I was amazed that he managed all of the meals , snacks and the bar by himself. He always delivered the right dish at dinner to each person, and remembered who liked red and who liked white wine. He brought me coffee in the morning the way I like it. I can’t imagine how exhausting his job must be, but he was always patient and efficient.
Finally, I would like to praise David, the naturalist, for the care he took of our small group on our departure day. At the airport, we learned our flight had been delayed three hours, and he made sure each of us got our bags checked, then accompanied us on the bus into town, showed us which restaurants would have good food and Wi-Fi and came and retrieved all of us when the bus was ready to take us back to the airport. He even told us when to line up for our flight. It was so helpful and reassuring to have him with us every step of the way.
And Paulina, was so helpful before the cruise, answering all of my questions very quickly and kindly. You have a very well run organization and excellent staff.
Thank you to all of your staff for making our trip so seamless and enjoyable.
Janice & Michael Ryan