This itinerary is a "sample" itinerary. Also, since this is not a fixed program with fixed departure dates, because we do not charter Galapagos yachts, this program is "customized" for each passenger. In other words, you choose the yacht you prefer, and we will build the land touring around the cruise. You join standard tours out of Quito (so you'd be with different people on each tour) and you join a group of other people who will be on the yacht with you. This gives our passengers much more flexibility, both in price and choice of yacht. Since there are so many choices of yacht, and people have their own timetable, we have found this works much better than fixed departure dates. The order of the itinerary may change. The cruise itinerary below is a common one, but not necessarily the same for all yachts.

You can view  photos and information on all our yachts by choosing the yacht class links below, as you scroll down through this document.

Not included: Galapagos National Park Fee and port fees ($100) payable in US dollars on arrival in Galapagos, airport departure tax ($25 from Quito or Guayaquil), tips to guides and yacht staff, lunches & dinners in Quito. Air Quito-Galapagos-Quito ranges from $334 to $391; from Guayaquil it’s slightly lower. These rates are subject to change.

Note: cruise schedules are determined by the Galapagos National Park authorities bearing in mind the conservation goals of the park. Your actual itinerary may vary from the printed version. While yachts typically follow a pre-assigned and predictable schedule, we cannot guarantee that any specific island is included in any specific cruise.

The only way to get to the islands is by air. You fly from either Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra or San Cristobal airport. Service is provided by TAME and AEROGAL Airlines. Rates for air depend on which gateway in Ecuador you fly from or to, and whether you fly during the high or low season. As with every other aspect of operations in Galapagos, the gateway port is subject to change. Check with us for current rates.
 

Description - What to Expect: A Galapagos cruise is very different from "cruising" as you may understand it. This is not like a Caribbean cruise or any cruise from a major cruise line where life centers around the boat, where you're there mostly to enjoy all the amenities and partake of all the activities these boats offer; where your accommodations, comfort and ship style are of the utmost importance.

A Galapagos cruise is more aptly named a "naturalist cruise." The purpose is to view the spectacular wildlife of these vibrant islands. The yachts themselves take on a much less important role. Even the word yacht takes on a different connotation in the Galapagos. While most of the expensive and "luxurious or deluxe" Galapagos yachts may be beautifully appointed with dark woods and pleasant décor, and are roomier than other classes of Galapagos yacht, some cabins are still on the small side; few yachts (except the larger yachts) offer "activities" apart from evening slide presentations of your next day’s island visits; some of the larger vessels have a pool or hot tub, one or two have a boutique. The largest yachts hold 100 passengers. Most yachts range from 16-40 passengers (small yachts compared to cruise ships.) Levels below "Deluxe" offer cleanliness and comfort, but are smaller, fairly plain, with few frills. It’s really important to understand these differences and to appreciate that the emphasis is on the nature and wildlife experience rather than the boat experience. Below are explanations of the class categories:

• Small: yachts from 8 to 22 passengers, 66 feet to 140 feet in length. Most yachts fit into this category.
• Medium: 32 - 48 passengers, 166 – 237 feet long. There are several in this category: The Eclipse,
  The Evolution, The Isabela, and the Rembrandt van Rijn. The new Mary Anne is scheduled to begin cruising in January 2006.
• Large: 90 - 100 passengers, 238 – 293 feet long. There are 3 in this category: The Galapagos Explorer, the Santa Cruz, and the Galapagos Legend.

Decide whether you like the intimacy and coziness of a small yacht, or if you prefer more space to roam. Families with children usually prefer (and we recommend) the larger yachts since they have more space and variety of common areas. There are pros and cons to each. Smaller yachts can anchor closer to the beaches and require fewer panga (dinghy or Zodiac) disembarkments. You tend to feel more motion in wavy seas. Common areas are fewer and smaller. But there’s a sense of intimacy, a family-feel, shared with the other passengers and the crew. Small yachts are excellent for small group and family charters.

The medium to large ships will have a doctor or infirmary on board. Smaller boats would have a medical kit and someone trained in CPR. On larger boats you hear less engine noise, and feel less motion from the waves. There are more amenities such as a library, VCR, many decks for different viewing vantage points, on-board activities, hot-tub, swimming pool, the best guides. With more passengers, disembarkments may take longer (however they go very quickly,) the dining room is fuller. Whatever size yacht, the largest group size per naturalist guide is 16 people. On the larger yachts, you break down into groups of 16 for disembarkations and all the island excursions.

We have divided our yachts into four different classifications: Tourist, Superior, Superior-Plus and Deluxe. Please note, these are not the same classifications used by the Galapagos yacht operators.