Galapagos holiday cruise options

country:	Galapagos Islands
location:	Galapagos Islands
departures:	This trip can be tailor made throughout the year and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary
price:	From US $2245 - US $5695 (8 - 15 days) excluding flights
more info:	Prices depend on departure date and cruise type, please enquire for more information. Prices include on board accommodation in double/twin cabin; all meals; water, tea, coffee and juices; wet suits and snorkeling gear; all excursions; qualified naturalist guides; transport within the Galapagos.
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

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the amazing things you'll be doing

Choose from a variety of Galapagos cruises. Make the best possible choice of boat as you learn what to look out for when considering your Galapagos Islands cruise. We carefully select smaller and mid-sized Galapagos boats which are run responsibly. The following Galapagos cruise boats are listed alphabetically with comfort levels shown against each boat.

galapagos cruises

Alta Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $4450 - US $4695 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: Premium comfort and easy for activity
Take a Galapagos cruise aboard the most elegant of the island's sail boats. A very good Galapagos cruise route takes you to outer islands including Genovesa, Espanola and Fernandina. Lots of opportunity to walk, snorkel and sea kayak on each day of your trip. Travel with an expert naturalist guide trained and certified by the Galapagos Islands National Park.

Angelito Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $2245 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: Standard comfort and easy for activity
Explore on board one of the Galapagos islands’ friendliest boats. Enjoy a varied route taking you to some of the furthest flung parts of the eastern islands. Walk, swim and snorkel to get close to the islands’ wonderful wildlife. Sail with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority.

Beagle Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $3117 (15 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Take a Galapagos cruise on board one of the best loved sail boats in the Galapagos. Follow the most comprehensive of all Galapagos cruise itineraries over the course of two weeks. You can also choose to board for just one week. Enjoy walking, swimming, snorkeling and sea kayaking to get close to the islands’ wonderful and varied wildlife. Track evolutionary changes in the wildlife as you travel from the oldest to youngest islands over the course of the journey. Just thirteen passengers travel with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority. A particularly good choice for charters and groups of friends or families.

Cachalote Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $2438 - US $2709 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Explore the unique Galapagos Islands on board one of the Galapagos islands’ most charming small sail boats. Enjoy a great Galapagos cruise route taking you clockwise around the outer islands for the greatest possible diversity of animals and landscapes. Get close to the wildlife as you walk, swim and snorkel during your twice daily excursions onto the islands. Track evolutionary changes in the wildlife as you travel from the oldest to youngest Galapagos islands over the course of the week. Sail with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority to get the most from your Galapagos cruise holiday.

Eclipse Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $4600 - US $4850 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: Premium comfort and easy for activity
Take a Galapagos cruise on Eclipse, arguably the most comfortable of small ships. Follow the ideal cruise route taking you to outer islands including Espanola and the western side of Fernandina. Lots of opportunity to walk, snorkel and sea kayak on each day of your trip. Smart Voyager certified for a sustainable and low impact experience. Four expert guides plus a cruise director look after the 48 passengers.

Ecoventura Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $2635 - US $3225 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity

Cruise the Galapagos Islands on board one of the three identical sister boats, Eric, Flamingo and Letty. Follow a very good Galapagos cruise route which takes you to the outer islands including Genovesa, Espanola and Fernandina for great diversity of animals and landscapes. Enjoy walking, swimming, snorkeling and sea kayaking to get close to the islands’ wonderful and varied wildlife. Track evolutionary changes in the wildlife as you travel from the oldest to youngest islands over the course of the week. One guide for every ten passengers. Travel with two expert naturalist guides trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority. A particularly good choice for friends or families as there are triple cabins available.

Evolution Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $4250 - US $5695 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: Premium comfort and easy for activity
Cruise the Galapagos Islands over seven nights aboard Evolution, the most elegant of small ships. A very comprehensive cruise route taking you to outer islands including Genovesa, Espanola and Fernandina. Lots of opportunity to walk, snorkel and sea kayak on each day of your trip. Travel with two naturalist guides plus a Galapagos cruise director to explore in small groups and get the most from your island visits.

Journey II Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $3860 - US $4360 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Explore the unique Galapagos Islands on board a first class motor catamaran. An excellent cruise route taking you to a wide variety of islands including a trip along the full western side of Isabela. Lots of opportunity to walk and snorkel each day of your trip. All cabins are all on the main deck and all have windows you can open. Enjoy the comforts of one of the newest boats in the Galapagos.

Mary Anne Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $2600 - US $3900 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Explore the unique Galapagos Islands on board one of the Galapagos islands’ largest and most striking sail boats. Enjoy a great route taking you clockwise around the outer islands for the greatest possible diversity of animals and landscapes. Walk, swim, snorkel and sea kayak to get close to the islands’ wonderful and varied wildlife. Sail with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority.

Nina Galapagos cruise holiday

From US $4390 - US $4850 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: Premium comfort and easy for activity
Want to know more about a Galapagos Islands cruise on board Nina? Detailed reviews and expert opinion from the Pura team as well as a full itinerary, map and photos. Special offers, current prices and discounts are also listed. This page should provide you with all the information you need to make a decision about a Galapagos cruise holiday on board Nina catamaran. Enjoy the comforts of what is currently the newest boat in the Galapagos and one of the most comfortable small boats available for a Galapagos cruise.

Sagitta Galapagos cruise holiday

From US $3470 - US $3650 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Explore the unique Galapagos Islands on board one of the loveliest sail boats in the Galapagos. Enjoy a great Galapagos cruise route taking you clockwise around the outer islands for the greatest possible diversity of animals and landscapes. Track evolutionary changes in the wildlife as you travel from the oldest to youngest islands over the week. Sail with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority. A particularly good choice for solo travellers as well as couples, friends and families.

Samba Galapagos cruise holiday
From US $2300 - US $2400 (8 days) ex flights
Graded: First Class comfort and easy for activity
Cruise the Galapagos on board one of the Galapagos islands’ most charming small boats. Follow an ideal Galapagos cruise route taking you clockwise around the outer islands giving you access to the greatest variety of wildlife. Walk, swim and snorkel to get close to the islands’ wonderful and varied wildlife. Track evolutionary changes in the wildlife as you travel from the oldest to youngest islands over the course of the week. Sail with a grade II or III naturalist guide trained by the Galapagos Islands National Park authority.

how this holiday makes a difference

The boats:
In all cases we pay for you to become a benefactor of the Galapagos Conservation Trust for a full year. The GCT issues guidelines as to the sorts of tourist visits which have least impact on the site - those guidelines are that small boats offering full 7 night cruises, owned and operated locally, are the best bet for the preservation of the Galapagos. This is advice which we follow with all of our boat choices. In general, the boat owners and most of the crew come from the islands which makes the enterprise sustainable. Most of our boats are SmartVoyager certified.

Eric boat - On top of that Eric has been converted, as of late 2008, to operate largely from its own solar panels and a couple of small wind turbines. It is the first hybrid boat in the Galapagos.

Ecoventura (the owners of Eric, Flamingo and Letty) were the first to gain the SmartVoyager environmental certification – and have kept it ever since. They have set up a scholarship scheme on the islands to educate the children of fishermen, giving them the chance to move out of the fishing industry which challenges the marine balance in the Galapagos Islands.

Ecoventura are also working in collaboration with fishermen to help set up micro-businesses, again with a view to moving them away from depleting fish stocks. Ecoventura is a carbon neutral company, offsetting all of its emissions from the boats and from its offices.

Sagitta boat (also applies to Mary Anne, Samba and Beagle) - The owners of this boat, the Angermeyers, are truly passionate about the Galapagos Islands. Born and raised in Galapagos, and acquiring his skills firsthand from his father Fritz – a boat builder – Fiddi Angermeyer is a genuine pioneer of the Island’s tourist industry. Their boat operations are all SmartVoyager certified.

The Angermeyers also work with the Galapagos Foundation to recycle garbage in the Islands as well as taking to the continent what cannot be recycled. In addition they promote the coastal cleaning among the fishermen, as well as the manufacture of handicrafts using recycled materials.

Social responsibility projects are key to the Angermeyer operation. Currently they are working with an organic farmers’ association on the islands, a bakers’ cooperative, two different artisan projects and a micro-business support scheme. Finally, 25% of profit was donated to the Galapagos local government for capital projects in 2008.

Environment:
We work with a selection of boats in the Galapagos, carefully chosen for their sustainable credentials. The owner of our favourite superior first class boats, for example, was the first to gain the SmartVoyager environmental certification – and has kept it ever since. The company is carbon neutral, offsetting all of its emissions from the boats and from its offices.

The Cachalote, the first class boat we use for our charters, is also SmartVoyager certified. Boats are only able to gain this accreditation by meeting a set of strict conservation standards for protecting the environment & wildlife. The extensive list of criteria include:

Reducing, where possible, negative environmental impacts. This includes ensuring that all machines used on the boat (motors, generators, desalinators, air conditioning, hot water tanks) function at the optimum threshold for energy consumption and that no paints containing lead or TBT are used on the boat.

Lowering the risk of introduction and dispersal of exotic species by ensuring all cargo is transported in authorized containers.

Visitors can play a vital role in the conservation of the Galapagos Islands. We actively encourage you to follow these guidelines while on your trip:

Be careful not to transport any live materials to the islands, or from island to island. This includes making sure you clean your shoes before re boarding the boat after any excursions.

Although you will often be able to get extremely close to the animals, you should not touch or handle them. A sea lion pup will be abandoned by its mother, for example, if she smells the scent of a human on her young. The same applies to chicks of birds.

Plants, rocks, animals or their remains, such as bones, pieces of wood, corals, shells, or other natural objects should be removed or disturbed, as this may damage the islands ecological conditions.

You should try not to disturb or pursue any animal from its resting or nesting spot. The nests should be approached carefully, keeping a distance of at least one to two metres. If disturbed, the bird will flee and abandon its egg or chick, which is then vulnerable to the sun and predators.

You should stay with your guide throughout your time on each island and follow his/her instructions and advice. Never leave the path, which are clearly marked by small black and white posts.

Keep all rubbish such as film wrappers, chewing gum, bottles etc in a bag or in your pocket and dispose of them on board the boat. Do not throw litter on the islands or overboard.

Bring a water bottle with you to the islands rather than using disposable bottles.

Do not buy souvenirs made from plants or animals native to the islands, such as sea lion teeth, turtle shell, black coral. This is the best way to discourage the trade.

Community:
The owner of our favourite superior first class boats have set up a scholarship scheme on the islands to educate the children of fishermen, giving them the chance to move out of the fishing industry which challenges the marine balance in the Galapagos Islands. They are also working in collaboration with fishermen to help set up micro-businesses, again with a view to moving them away from depleting fish stocks.

Conservation standards for protecting the well being of workers and local communities include the following:

Helping to promote education into responsible behaviour by contributing to training courses for guides and technicians.

Ensuring just working conditions for all employees by meeting or exceeding national minimum wage, providing medical services, insurance and a working environment free from discrimination.

Using, where possible, food grown on local farms which adhere to responsible farming practices.

Supporting local communities by encouraging visitors to engage in social, economic and cultural activities.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.