Galapagos Islands | Choosing your Galapagos cruise

Galapagos | Choosing your Galapagos cruise

Just as there is no 'right' time of year to visit the Galapagos, there is no 'right' kind of cruise. It's all a matter of personal preferences. Call us to talk through what type of boat might best suit you.

These are usually the main considerations:

Style and size of boat

There are several dozen boats plying the islands at any one time, of all types. There are large purpose-built 'expedition vessels', elegant schooner rigged yachts with well appointed cabins, sturdy practical motor yachts converted for the Galapagos, and conventional sailing yachts of the kind you wouldn't be surprised to find at Cowes Week. We have chosen good examples in each style. As conventional sailing yachts are usually cramped and tend to become the worse for wear rather quickly there are relatively few that, in our opinion, make the grade.

Larger boats tend to be faster than smaller ones. Speed can be a significant advantage because it enables boats to include the interesting outlying islands such as Fernandina (for waved albatross) and Genovesa/Tower Island (for red-footed boobies). Most smaller boats have to drop one of these two sites.

Larger boats also give a better ride. You might enjoy the thrill of being tossed around a little (sometimes a lot) in a smaller boat, but if your sea legs can be a bit wobbly then play it safe and go for one of the bigger boats.

You are ferried from your mother vessel to each site in a small tender, usually a sturdy motorised Zodiac or RIB (rigid inflatable boat). Larger boats form their passengers into small groups of up to sixteen for the landings, with each group usually going to a different landing site in the area, so neither you nor the wildlife should feel there is a crowd.

An important additional factor is whether a boat is run by owners and crew who have long experience of the islands and are committed to their conservation in the long term, or whether the boat really hails from elsewhere and is just trying to make a go of the tourist business in the Galapagos for a season or two. Our selection excludes the latter.

Number of days

The usual choice is between 3 night, 4 night and 7 night cruises.

If your budget will stretch to it and you are keen to see the islands fully, you should definitely go for a 7 night cruise. This allows enough time to see most of the interesting sites in the archipelago, each of which has something different to offer.

Some boats only offer 7 night cruises. The larger boats offer 3 and 4 night options which can be combined to make up a 7 night cruise. This works reasonably well, with the slight disadvantage that if you are staying for the full 7 nights you may find guides having to repeat themselves in the field for the benefit of people who have just joined.

A 4 night cruise comes second best, but is a perfectly viable option if you are less concerned about seeing 'everything' than getting a good sample of the Galapagos experience.

A 3 night cruise is really too short unless you are pressed for time or keen not to spend long at sea.

Whatever length of cruise you choose bear in mind the cost of the flight from mainland Ecuador (£200-220pp) and the mandatory National Park fee (approx £55pp), both of which are the same no matter how long your trip. Consider also that most of the first day of your 'cruise' will be taken up by the flight out to the Galapagos, travel from the landing strip to the boat, and safety drills and administration on board the vessel.

You should also consider staying at the Finch Bay Hotel, not only to make a short cruise more worthwhile, but also to round off a longer cruise with relaxation at the hotel pool or local beach.

Itineraries

Each boat has its own itinerary which is agreed with the Galapagos National Park Service to control visitor numbers at each site each day. Occasionally the National Park Service will insist on a temporary or permanent change in the itinerary, usually for conservation or safety reasons.

By and large, each boat has a well-balanced itinerary providing a good all-round experience of the islands. If you have a particular interest in visiting certain islands more than others, then you should study the boats' itineraries carefully to meet your needs. Even so, there is always a possibility that the itinerary you chose will be changed.

The boats typically move between sites before dawn and during lunch, making best use of the morning and afternoon for visits ashore.

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