Galapagos luxury cruise: get the best experience traveling to this paradisiacal place! Get to know this beautiful destination.
The Galapagos Islands locate off the coast of Ecuador. They are an isolated archipelago that is home to extraordinary marine and animal life. There are a variety of vessels to choose from. From luxury yachts to small cruise ships, for a unique luxury voyage through the Galapagos Islands.
LUXURY CRUISES IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
You can visit the Galapagos either by:
- Taking a luxury cruise.
- Staying in a luxury hotel or lodge or combining both options.
They allow you to cover greater distances. Generally joining points of the destination during the early morning. Luxury cruises allow you to improve the time uses in your itinerary. Longer cruises will allow you to visit even more remote sites. Even to visit islands where there is no human presence, such as Fernandina.
Luxury cruise options vary in length. Many cruises offer departures that are eight days long. Some cruises have shorter time options for people with a tighter itinerary. It may be possible to have durations of five, four or even three days. Aracari recommends, however, not to consider cruises with very short durations since you have to take into account the time it takes for a commercial flight from Ecuador to the Islands (a little more than two hours). The longer the duration of the cruise, the greater the variety of wildlife you will encounter during the trip. At Aracari we recommend, after a careful selection process, what we consider to be the best luxury cruises in the Galapagos Islands, offering a variety in both comfort levels and vessel size. We personally visit and inspect all cruises to guarantee an unforgettable experience.
NATURALIST CRUISES
Most of the cruises are “Naturalist” in the sense that they are for the generalist traveler who wants to learn about the wildlife in Galapagos. On all the cruises, chosen and inspected by Aracari, the guides are excellent: All are biologists and experts in the ecology of the region and have advanced language skills. The guide-traveler ratio is usually 16:1. Each cruise operates fixed departure times, rotating its routes. The reserve’s authority must approve the itineraries. This because it is an area with an extremely fragile ecology. Aracari can coordinate greater flexibility in route schedules through the rental of private charters.
GALAPAGOS DIVING CRUISES
Galapagos Diving cruises itineraries cover visits to appreciate the scenery and nature in the Islands. However, they are mainly for divers, who need to have completed PADI certification with at least 10 dives. These cruises are ideally suited for experienced divers who want to visit Darwin and Wolf Islands, two of the northernmost islands of the archipelago, where the greatest variety of underwater life can be found. We recommend the Galapagos Diving Sky cruise as the best option for this type of trip.
GALAPAGOS CRUISES FOR THE FAMILY
The larger boats allow for special “family outings”, where younger children will have special guides and age-appropriate activities to keep them (and their parents) happy and content.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT GALAPAGOS CRUISE SHIP
VESSEL SIZE
One of the factors that differentiate one cruise ship from another is the size of the vessel. Unfortunately, larger cruise ships are prohibited from cruising around the islands. However, there is a wide variety of sizes ranging from super intimate vessels to larger boats. We generally divide the size category into two: small boats, which accommodate less than 20 passengers, and large boats, for 20 passengers or more. The right choice will depend on our clients’ personal tastes and travel preferences. The ratio of guides to passengers varies slightly from boat to boat, but regardless of size, it is generally around 10:1, so you will enjoy excellent guidance no matter which option you choose. While smaller ships may offer flexibility and a more intimate experience, larger ships allow you to meet other travelers and become more cost-effective.
THE BEST ITINERARY
All Galapagos Islands cruise itineraries are carefully designed to visit as many areas as possible without having to revisit any that have already been seen. All routes are carefully managed to protect the natural environment at the same time.
CRUISES AND LAND TOURS IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Overnight stays in luxury lodges and hotels such as Pikaia Lodge or the Galapagos Safari Camp are an alternative to taking a cruise around the islands. Overnight stays on the islands can also be combined with a cruise itinerary.
