The following is a carefully compiled list of what we consider recommended (to highly recommended) Galapagos cruise vessels. As things change frequently in regards to Galapagos cruises, we attempt to maintain the list current and accurate. You may ask, “Why are they recommended?” Good and legitimate question!
The list of recommended options is based on the following aspects that, in totality, reflect upon the overall cruise experience:
- Reliability of the cruise operator – this entails not only the ethical & professional calibre of the operator, but to a great degree the mechanical reliability of the boat in question. A boat is much like a car .. if it is well maintained it is less likely to break down. That being said, there are no 100% guarantees – after all, are there 100% guarantees with any given car?
- Quality of naturalist guide – in our years of experience we have noted that the guide can figuratively make or break your cruise. Three principal aspects are at work here: (1) English language skills; (2) knowledge (flora, fauna, geography, history); and (3) customer service skills;
- Diversity of the itinerary – not all Galapagos boats have the same itinerary. Some have an itinerary that is more “attractive”, this is to say that it visits specific points in the archipelago that either have extremely unique wildlife not commonly found at most sites and/or a wide abundance and variety of flora/fauna;
- Safety & cleanliness – after all, you don’t want to get yourself on boat that is overrun with little critters?
- Value – basically boils down to the quesiton ” Is it worth paying X amount?”
RECOMMENDED GALAPAGOS TOURIST SUPERIOR OPTIONS
Updated: February 8th, 2010
| BOAT | IMAGE | SAMPLE (REAL) REVIEW / COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| ANGELITO |  |
... the choice of the Angelito was really perfect. It's a great boat to travel on. The crew is very polite and helpful. The boat is big enough to have enough space for 16 people, you don't have the feeling it's crowded. They also take into the preferences of the people on board. We could snorkel a lot, and the fact that they have wet suits on board is really good (the sea is not that warm ;-)). The food is also very good & varied. Really nothing negative to say about the boat trip! |
| SAMBA |  |
... My girfriend and I did a 7 night cruise on Samba and had an absolutely fabulous time. We chose the boat mainly because of the itinerary it took, it seemed to take in more islands than any other boats of touring for the same no of nights and in the same price range. As it turned out we think the itinerary was fabulous we saw so much and never felt like we were rushing it – making the effort to get over to Isabela and Fernandina is definitely worth the effort. In terms of the boat and crew we also were very pleased with it; the boat was spotlessly clean and we thought the berths were very comfortable (plenty of space for a couple and good hot water showers) and not at all noisy. The food was first class, three large meals a day as well as snacks and drinks available throughout the day, and the crew were friendly and accommodating at all times. |
RECOMMENDED GALAPAGOS FIRST CLASS OPTIONS
Updated: February 10th, 2010
| BOAT | IMAGE | SAMPLE (REAL) REVIEW / COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| ARCHIPEL I |  |
... This cruise on the Archipel was really great!!! I recommend it!!! Firstly we were just a small group, the cabins were very cosy, food EXCELLENT, but the best was the crew, sooo nice and helpful, smiling, the guide was really great, loved his job and always answering our thousands of questions with smiles and patience. |
| ARCHIPEL II |  |
... We had a wonderful time and the kids want to go back. I will definitely recommend you to any friends who are thinking of a trip. | The guide was very knowledgeable and responsible. he clearly wanted us to have a wonderful experience and we had minimal contact with other boats. At only one stop was there a large boat, but that was the time we got to swim with penguins. Some times there were two other small boats, some times we were the only ones on the islands. The itinerary seemed great with lots of different types of wildlife. The crew was very attentive and the cook/wait staff always accommodated the dietary restrictions of those on board. The rooms were clean and spacious (for a boat). We had a grand time. |
| BEAGLE |  |
... Just wanted to drop you a quick note to THANK YOU! I had an awesome time on board the Beagle. You were quick to respond to all my questions… and I don´t know of any other travel agent who gives out his personal contact information in case of an emergency. If any of my friends decide to visit the Galapagos, I will be sure to refer them to you. |
| BELUGA |  |
... The Beluga boat was comfortable and the staff was very professional. |
| CACHALOTE |  |
... Once aboard Cach[a]lote, the experience (seasickness and the need to develop "sea legs" notwithstanding) was marvelous. The boat and crew were grand. The food was superb, not fancy - but healthy, tasty and quite varied from day to day. The pace of the travel was just right - not too demanding, yet appropriately challenging to me (I'm not atheletic nor an outdoorsman, but I love wildlife). Our guide (Juan Tabia) was extraordinary, a 20 year veteran of the guide service. He knew just how to balance our pace so that everyone could get questions answered and pictures taken (plus he could sing and play guitar, as well as teach salsa dance after dinner!) |
| EDEN |  |
... I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our week aboard the Eden, and the itinerary. The crew was wonderful, the food superb, and the accomodations were sufficient (I put it like that because Bill and I somehow got the only single-bed cabin, and the bed was larger than a twin but smaller than a double, and the whole cabin width was just about as big as a queen-size mattress. Sufficient but very cozy. We all called it the Honeymoon Cabin.) |
| ERIC/LETTY |  |
... We were particularly glad to be on Eric. We liked the small size of the boat, and the guides were both brilliant. It may not be the most luxurious boat out there but it suited us perfectly. The experience was unforgettable. |
| GALAXY |  |
... was a wonderful First Class Yatcht. The chef did a great job on serving delicious meals. We had plenty of snacks and drinks daily and the Staff were so friendly, always there to make our stay most memorable. We had the best guide in the Galapagos, Carlos Carbo. He made our adventure to the Islands unforgetable. Each Island was distinctive with it's own characteristics. Who would ever dream of swiming with Sea Lions, hovering over sharks, colourful fish, manta rays, golden rays, sting rays and eagle rays not to forget the iguana's, penguins and sea turtles and all the beautiful birds. We chose the Galaxy because we liked the different Islands that it offered and we were not disappointed. We would recommend the Galaxy to anyone visiting the Galapagos. |
| GALAPAGOS VOYAGER |  |
... Just a quick note to thank you for all your help. It was a great trip! | I just wanted to say thank you for all your help arranging our cruise. Everyone had a fantastic time. The wildlife was amazing and the Voyager crew and guide were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you so much for your patience and making it all possible. |
| MARY ANNE |  |
... Updating |
| NEMO II |  |
... Just wanted to say a huge thank you for organising my trip on the Nemo II. The boat was lovely, and extremely well maintained and run. The crew were superb and our guide, Juan Carlos, was fantastic. I am delighted that I booked that second week out in the Galapagos, the land tours really were excellent. | The cruise was FANTASTIC. Can't even think of anything I would change. Boat is beautiful and fun, crew is great and works constantly to keep everything spotless and provide snacks/drinks etc. The Naturalist (Juan Carlos) was excellent - knew his stuff, loved the animals, was enthusiastic about everything and was friendly and fun. His briefings every evening were great. Food was excellent. Definitely gained some weight. The chef (Alex) went out of his way to accommodate Veronica's diet and one other traveller. The itinerary was great - every stop offered something knew and fantastic - by the end we felt like we'd seen it all; for anyone with a checklist in their head, they'd feel satisfied. Lots of snorkelling that was good and included some spots that were very good |
| SAGITTA |  |
... We toured the Galapagos Islands aboard the Sagitta on an 8-day cruise during the last week of July. Our cruise was an amazing experience. The Sagitta is a beautiful three-masted ¨motor sailboat.¨ The boat has several private cabins on two decks. Each cabin has a private bath and shower with plenty of hot water. We shared the boat with thirteen other passengers, a crew of six, and one guide. We thought the Sagitta´s teak decks added a touch of class and enjoyed many sea breezes relaxing in the comfortable deck chairs. The Sagitta also has a small library and video collection. (We read Darwin´s ¨Voyage of the Beagle¨ during the cruise.) Although the Sagitta uses its motor to travel from island to island, the crew did raise the sails for one of the longer inter-island trips and it made for some grand photos. During the cruise we saw about every animal the Galapagos Islands are famous for: tortoises, sea lions, frigate birds, humpback whales, blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, porpoises, land and marine iguanas, albatros, Galapagos hawks, penguins and pelicans. The animals were as fearless of humans as advertised, allowing for many close-up photos. The Sagitta generally travels from east to west through the islands, making stops on the western side of Isla Isabela as well as on Isla Fernandina. (Many other boats don´t make it to these areas.) As the youngest and most rugged islands in the archipelago, these are some of the more interesting places to visit. |
| TIP TOP IV |  |
... I was on the Tip Top IV in November. The accomodations were fine and the crew excellent. Not really luxurious, but newly built, clean and more than sufficient room for 16 passengers. I especially liked the huge windows for the cabins on the top deck - you don't get that on most boats. The bottom deck cabins have smaller windows but are a bit larger. The food was good. |
| TREASURE OF GALAPAGOS |  |
... Glen (Chef) prepared an array of delicious meals - a delight for the eyes and palate. Harry (guide) demonstrated his passion and profound knowledge of Galapagos while guiding in English, Spanish and German. The boat was spacious, comfortable and a nice touch to have a small private balcony off the cabin to enjoy a morning coffee watching the sun rise over the Galapagos. The dining room and living room were spacious and comfortable. Having a sundeck from which to enjoy the sun or simply get a good view was a nice advantage. The itinerary was interesting - especially Santa Fe & Devil's Crown for snorkeling, Espanola & Floreana. |
RECOMMENDED DELUXE GALAPAGOS CRUISES
Updated: February 4th, 2010
| BOAT | IMAGE | SAMPLE (REAL) REVIEW / COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| ANAHI |  |
... Just returned from Golapagos yesterday. The Anahi - Golapagos Journey I was a super boat and great crew. Exceeded all expectations. Everything went great. Thanks for your assistance to make this happen! | We just got back to Hong Kong and just wanted to drop you a line to say that the trip on the Anahi was very well organized and met all our expectations! Enrique was a great guide and the schedule was of a decent pace with many attractive sites. Many thanks for guiding us through the booking process. We will definitely recommend your agency to anyone who would like to arrange a trip to the G'gos. |
| ATHALA |  |
... We would like to make a special commendation to the Athala which we found wonderful. Nothing was too much trouble for the crew and our guide (Yvonne) was fantastic with a wide knowledge of the islands and an amazing enthusiasm for the environment there. We cannot recommend Athala enough and feel we were extremely fortunate to have experienced a week on such a beautiful boat. |
| GALAPAGOS ODYSSEY |  |
... the Galapagos Odyssey was superb - far more good things than I would have expected. |
| GRACE |  |
... updating |
| NINA |  |
... the boat tour itself was excellent. The Nina is an excellent ship and the accommodations were fully satisfactory. The naturalist Javier was excellent for the group we had--a rather active group. So we had a lovely 7 days on the boat |
| ISABELA |  |
... updating |
| SANTA CRUZ |  |
... updating |
| ECLIPSE |  |
... We could not fault the boat, accommodation, crew, food, service and especially assistance for my wife if any crew member saw she needed help. The Eclipse is a great boat to go on! / My wife and I had an absolutely excellent time on the Eclipse and would unhesitatingly recommend the vessel to friends. All aspects of the cruise were first class and the organisation, personnel and management superb / The Eclipse is a excellent boat. The naturalist guides and the food are excellent. Its a boat of aprox 40 clients which is good if you get sea sick. |
A: MAINLAND/GALAPAGOS
B: AMAZON RAINFOREST
SANGAY FACEBOOK
SANGAY LINKED IN
SANGAY TWITTER
