Galapagos Custom Cruises

Considerations when Choosing a Trip

There are over 60 ships plying Galapagos waters. The vast majority carry 20 or fewer guests, while a small handful will carry from 32 to 100. Smaller ships tend to be more versatile, able to change course to follow a pod of whales, or stop and allow guests to jump in the sea while a large group of dolphins swim by. Larger ships, particularly the 100 passenger vessels, will ride the chop a little better, and will have more on-board amenities.

Some ships cater to a more adventurous crowd – those willing to get up before sunrise so that they may be snorkeling early enough to spot hammerhead sharks as they break away from their nighttime slumber (see our Active Galapagos trips for more information on these). Other cater to those whole, while keen on enjoying Galapagos, are not averse to sitting out the occasional excursion from some down-time on board.

Ships have distinct itineraries. While most itineraries visit many of the same sites, some are more adventurous, some follow more circuitous routes, some spend a bit more time in and around human settlements, some are comprised of two shorter itineraries, involving the embarkation / disembarkation of guests…

Considerations when Looking for a Ship

1. Comfort and Class

Ships come in different comfort classes. You generally get what you pay for, but there are some notable exceptions.

2. Ship Size

Ships range in size from 12 to 100 passengers. We generally recommend smaller ships, allowing you to develop a greater sense of intimacy with Galapagos and with your ship mates. We recognize that larger ships might appeal more to those not used to being on the sea, or for a variety of reasons may not wish to participate in each shore excursion. In the middle, there are 4 or 5 ships that fall within the 21-59 guest range – the advantages and disadvantages for those lie in between those identified for the smaller and larger ships.

3. Itinerary Quality

Number of visitor sites: Over the same period of time, some itineraries have you seeing more visitor sites than others.
Reach: Some are more adventurous, taking you to more remote parts of the archipelago, while others tend to not venture far from settlements and airports.
Continuity: If you are on a 7 night / 8 day itinerary that is composed of two shorter segments, your trip may feel interrupted halfway through due to the need for the ship to drop guests off/pick up guests at the airport.
Visitor site quality: Some visitor sites are considered more impressive than others, or they may offer better rewards during certain seasons.
Circuitousness: Some itineraries follow very circuitous routes, resulting in more time underway, leaving less time to linger.
Settlements: Some ships will include 2 or more stops in human settlements on an itinerary. We consider these lost opportunities to spend more time among the islands.

Finding the Right Ship for You

CNH Tours has forged positive long-term working relationships with most ship owners in the Galapagos. We are familiar with the majority of ships, but beholden to none. Whether you prefer a higher end ship with a lot of attention to details, or if you’re keen on a small more budget friendly one we can work together to find the one most suited to you.

Best trip of our lives and we’ve traveled extensively! This trip was a lifelong dream of mine and it far exceeded anything I could have imagined! – Gail (Canada)