Cruise the Galapagos Islands on an Ecuador tour! The Galapagos Islands are Ecuador’s world-famous wildlife destination. There is a bewildering variety of cruise itineraries of the Galapagos Islands! The general rule is that all itineraries include a good amount of variety and will include several islands. The shortest Galapagos cruises are three nights, the longest is 14 nights. For most travelers we’d recommend a cruise of four to seven nights, you’ll be sure to see plenty of the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands on a cruise of this length. There are so many things to do while on a Galapagos Cruise. You can study wildlife close-up while snorkeling, hiking, and relaxing on the islands. You will also, typically, make a couple of island landings and embark on small guided tours. The tours on a Galapagos Islands cruise typically include short walks, snorkeling, and sometimes kayaking. See all of our fully customizable Galapagos Cruises below.
Click or Tap your preferences: Destinations & Activities. Be as specific or general as you like – or click Help Me Decide! We’ll spice it with hidden gems & personal tips to create your perfect trip. Need assistance? Contact an expert at 
(888) 900-5060
Major cruise lines do not operate much in the Galapagos Islands. Most ships are Ecuadorian owned and operated. A more important consideration than the cruise line is what size and style of ship are you looking for. There are ships as small as sixteen passengers up to ones as large as over 100 passengers. A range of standards exists from simple but comfortable to very exclusive. Some of our favorites top Galapagos ships include the M/C Petrel and Camila. Some of the best value Galapagos cruises include the MY Coral I and II.
There is a huge range in standard and style of the ship as well as the length of cruise. For an approximate idea, budget from US$450 per person per day upwards, this includes meals and excursions. Expect to pay about US$500 for return flights from mainland Ecuador. Galapagos Park fees are US$100 per person.
All cruises start from either Santa Cruz or San Cristobal Islands. For cruises starting from Santa Cruz, you fly into Baltra and are taken from the airport on a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island from where your cruise departs. If your cruise starts from San Cristobal, you fly into San Cristobal and are driven to the ship. Some cruises start and end and at the same point, others start in one port and end in another.
It is possible to simply stay in a hotel on the Galapagos without any tours. However, this really isnt something wed recommend. You would be restricted to one island and just one part of the island so youd not see much variety and would miss out on expert guiding.
All Galapagos cruises start and end in the Galapagos Islands. The journey from mainland Ecuador is made of air. It is a two-hour flight from Quito or Guayaquil to the islands. Your flight will arrive either at Baltra or San Cristobal.
Thinking of traveling to South America? We take your South American travel dream and make it a reality. Every fully custom South America trip is planned by your own expert personal Travel Consultant.
"*" indicates required fields
