Size isn´t everything!

She weighs more than 80,000 family cars or 32,000 adult elephants and at 1,112 ft, and is longer than 37 double-decker buses, but if you don’t fancy rubbing shoulders with 3,999 other passengers (imagine the scrum for the deckchairs), a holiday aboard the brand new 160,000-ton, 15-deck Independence of the Seas - the world’s largest cruise ship, may not be for you.

Tailor-made specialist, Trips Worldwide, has opted for more bijou vessels, Coral I & II (both around 108 ft. long) for its four night Galapagos wildlife cruise, part of a longer two week itinerary that includes a stay at Huaorani Ecolodge in Amazonian Ecuador.

Corals I & II graciously accommodate up to 24 passengers and are customised to fulfil the expectations of the most demanding of guests. Whilst there may not be onboard ice-skating rinks, boxing rings or theatres with a capacity for 1,320 people, these vessels offer the ultimate in luxury cruising around the Galapagos Archipelago, the world’s most exclusive wildlife reserve. Days are spent on the islands observing the wildlife, with time to dive or snorkel for those who wish to.

The holiday also includes a stay in Huaorani Ecolodge, which is owned and operated by the indigenous Huaorani community of Yasuni NP in Amazonian Ecuador. The lodge is committed to preserving the region by minimising negative impacts from oil exploitation, and maintaining the traditional ways of the Huaorani tribe. A range of activities is offered at the lodge including dugout canoe and hiking explorations. Other highlights of the holiday include visiting Cotopaxi NP for a canopy tour and mountain biking, and Otavalo’s famous indigenous market, for some great souvenirs.

The holiday costs from £3,150 p/p including all flights, transfers, Galapagos cruise, hotel and lodge accommodation and some meals (full board on cruise). A Galapagos tax of US$100 is paid locally.

For more information, visit tripsworldwide.co.uk.