Galapagos Luxury Cruises and Tours (2023)

IATE GRACE QUASAR

8 and 15 Day Cruises | 16 PEOPLE

Timeless elegance with a true history. Sail around the Galapagos Islands aboard Grace Kelly's luxury honeymoon yacht.

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QUASAR EVOLUTION YACHT

8 and 15 Day Cruises | 32 PEOPLE

Experience the Galapagos Islands in spacious comfort and privacy aboard a luxury cruising yacht that follows in Darwin's footsteps.

explore evolution

download thisESSENTIAL GUIDEto avoid the mistakes that 90% of travelers make when visiting the Galapagos Islands.

1. What is the best month to visit Galapagos?

When choosing the ideal month to visit the Galapagos Islands, there are three things to consider: the weather, the crowds, and the wildlife.ClimateUnlike many wildlife sanctuaries around the world that can be found in the vast expanses of our planet, the Galapagos Islands are conveniently located right at the center of our globe, on the equator. Areas near or on the equator receive a lot of sunlight due to the tilt of the earth. Because more sunlight falls in these areas, this part of the world has only two seasons and the Galapagos Islands enjoy very stable air and water temperatures year-round. This makes them a great year-round destination for travelers from all over the world, and there really is no 'best' or 'worst' time to visit the islands when it comes to the weather. In all the years we have been offering luxury Galapagos cruises, we have never had a guest return home and say they wish they had visited the islands a different month than they did. Visit our Galapagos weather and climate page for a detailed chart of air and water temperatures for each month of the year.crowdsThe peak travel season generally lasts from mid-December to January and June to August, which coincides with the general public holiday and vacation months of the Northern Hemisphere. If you plan your Galapagos cruise in the "popular" holiday months, we recommend that you book your trip at least 6 months before your desired travel date, if possible even earlier. If you plan to travel during the Christmas or New Year weeks, book at least a year in advance, if not two. For those who are flexible with their travel plans, we recommend traveling during the months of January, February, September and October. These months fall right after the 'popular' holiday months, meaning you'll see fewer visitors to the national park but still enjoy incredible weather and spectacular wildlife encounters.Fauna SilvestreAs for the fauna of the Galápagos Islands, there is no "best" or "worst" time to see the animals that are considered the islands' "main attraction". Since almost all of the animal species you see on the islands came here by floating on logs or plant beds or being blown by the wind, they made the islands their permanent home and did not migrate. This means iconic must-see species such as the Galapagos penguin, flightless cormorant, marine iguana, land iguana, blue-footed booby, Galapagos hawk, furry sea lion, California sea lion and many others year-round spend in the Galapagos Islands and can be seen at any time of the year. Some species in the Galápagos are migratory, meaning they are not found on the islands year-round. These include whales, wave albatrosses and some petrels and tassels. To see these species, we recommend traveling between August and October. You can continue reading our When to Visit the Galapagos Islands page for a detailed monthly breakdown of weather and wildlife.

2. Which cruise lines go to the Galapagos Islands?

From the time the Galápagos Islands were declared a national park in the late 1950s and until about 2010, all ships in the Galápagos Islands were operated by local Ecuadorian companies (although some were operated by international cruise brands). In case you didn't know, the Galapagos Islands are part of the state of Ecuador. However, around 2010 major international cruise lines began to take an interest in the Galápagos Islands and companies such as Celebrity, Silversea, Disney and Hurtigruten have already started offering cruises in the archipelago. All of these major cruise lines operate 100-passenger vessels, which is the largest vessel size allowed in the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve. For those of you who have sailed on major cruise lines, 100 passengers may sound like a very small number and seem like an intimate experience, but in the Galapagos, these ships are equivalent to the 1,000 passenger ships on other popular cruises. Ships. . Destinations For the best Galapagos experience, we recommend choosing luxury yachts with 36 passengers or fewer.

3. Where do Galapagos cruises depart from?

Galapagos cruises depart from 3 locations within the archipelago: Baltra Island, the port city of Puerto Ayora (on Santa Cruz Island) and the port city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (on San Cristóbal Island). Galapagos cruises do not depart from mainland Ecuador. You must first take a domestic flight from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos. When you book your cruise with Quasar Expeditions, you don't have to worry about the logistics of getting to the Galapagos Islands and your cruise. We will make all the arrangements for you and take care of everything from your landing in mainland Ecuador to your departure. As a reference for those wanting to understand where and how Galapagos cruises depart, here's how it works. If your cruise departs from Baltra Island or the port city of Puerto Ayora, you will need to fly to Baltra Airport from the mainland (airport GPS code). Most Galapagos cruises today depart from Baltra Island and your guides will usually meet you at the airport to take you for a short coach ride to the bay where your Zodiacs will be waiting to transfer you to your ship. For boats departing from the port city of Puerto Ayora, to get here from Baltra Airport you need to take the airport bus (free) to Canal de Itabaca, cross the canal by ferry (US$1 per person) and then take one Bus ($3-5 per person) to Puerto Ayora or a taxi ($25) for the remaining 1 hour drive to the port. If your ship departs from the port city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (often called San Cristobal Island), you will need to fly into San Cristobal Airport (SCY code) and then take a short bus ride to the pier from the city to board. Zodiac guiding you to your ship.

4. How much does it cost to sail in Galapagos?

5. Are Galapagos cruises worth it?

More than 97% of the Galápagos Archipelago is a national park, completely beyond the limits of human habitation. Only 3% of the islands are inhabited by people on which hotels can be built. If you think about it, exploring the Galapagos Islands on a cruise really is the only way to explore the 97% of the archipelago that is closed to human habitation. So for those of you wondering if a Galapagos cruise is worth it, the answer is: absolutely! Galapagos is a natural paradise that simply cannot be missed. They are the best place on earth for children and adults to safely get up close and interact with wild animals. Although a Galapagos cruise is considered an expensive cruise destination (see cruise cost question above), it ranks among the best cruise experiences in the world.

6. What's the best way to explore the Galapagos Islands?

There are two different ways to visit the Galapagos Islands: on a liveaboard that travels around the archipelago, or by staying in a hotel in one of the port towns and taking day trips from there. Choosing between staying in a hotel or visiting the Galapagos aboard a yacht is an easy decision once you understand how the Galapagos National Park is structured. 97% of the Galapagos Archipelago is a national park and closed to humans. Only 3% of the archipelago are human inhabited areas where hotels can be built. Most of the sights around the islands are only accessible aboard a boat that takes you on a cruise across the archipelago. The hotels are located in metropolitan areas, which are the only locations outside of the park. From here you can only visit the nearby places when the best ones are far away (due to less human presence throughout history). There are more than 40 national park landing sites on the islands where travelers can disembark or snorkel to see the animals up close in their natural habitat. More than 70% of these are not accessible when staying in a hotel. Only a few drop-off points are accessible from the hotels, mostly by day boats. All hotels compete for places on the day boats. If you're lucky enough to get a day boat, start the day with a speedboat ride to the drop-off point. These can be 2 hour journeys each way. Not great and really a waste of a good chunk of your day. Approved yachts that are allowed to live on board, on the other hand, arrive at your first landing spot before you wake up and you have the option to disembark and visit two different sites for up to 2.5 hours each, along with snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. by Panga. . Zodiac Tours Inter-island crossings operate at night when you sleep. You wake up refreshed with the next website visitor right on your doorstep. On our cruises this means you can see the inner and outer islands and the full spectrum of what Galapagos has to offer including many island landing sites beyond the reach of day boats. You spend the day on land or in calm water.

7. How long is the boat trip from Ecuador to Galapagos?

Unlike many island cruise destinations like the Galapagos, cruises in this part of the world do not depart from the mainland and then sail to the islands. The Galapagos Islands are 600 miles (1000 km) from the mainland which means it takes 2-3 days to get there from the mainland. This distance makes it impossible to sail from the mainland for a cruise, meaning all Galapagos cruises depart directly from the Galapagos Islands. You must first catch a domestic flight from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands before boarding your ship. If your ship departs from the islands of Baltra and Puerto Ayora, you must fly into Baltra Airport (GPS code) or San Cristóbal Airport (SCY code).

8. What should you pack for your Galapagos cruise?

Knowing that you have all the clothing and gear you need before you depart, that it works and fits well, provides peace of mind during your unique Galapagos cruise adventure. Remember to pack as lightly as possible so you can travel around Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with peace of mind. To view a full list and download a packing checklist:Galapagos Packing List

9. How many days do you need for Galapagos?

To answer this question, you must first understand how the Galapagos Park handles cruise itineraries. Before 2012, all Galapagos tour boats visited the same places week after week. This took an ecological toll as multiple ships visited the same locations at the same time. Luckily, the Galápagos National Park came up with the idea that all boats have to wait 2 weeks before returning to the same place. This not only reduced the environmental impact and spread ships evenly across the islands, but also reduced the number of crossings and passengers at each location. Today, all boats licensed in the Galápagos make a two-week trip to the islands, divided into itineraries of varying durations of 3, 4, 5, 8, and even 15 days. This begs the question, how many days should you plan your Galapagos itinerary? If you have the time and the means, you can stay on the same yacht for two whole weeks and see almost everything there is to see, both on land and at sea. However, most travelers cannot do this, so here are alternatives. On the other end of the spectrum, the biggest mistake travelers should avoid is not having enough time to experience the islands. It's a long road and a fair effort to get there. Much of the first and last day of each itinerary is spent traveling between the mainland and the Galápagos Islands, and when you arrive make sure you step inside the park where all the animal action happens. As an example, we refer to a 3-day trip to the Galapagos Islands as “the airport tour”. The reason to visit Galapagos is not for the airports or even the port towns, but to encounter all these amazing animals in the national park. If you don't leave enough time, you must leave just as you begin to relax and appreciate the wonderful wildlife experiences the islands have in store. Our 36+ years sailing the Enchanted Islands has shown us that an 8 day safari style yachting experience is ideal and receives rave reviews. It offers many opportunities for maximum animal encounters and relaxation. For more information on this and related topics, visit our blog: Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Galapagos Cruise.

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