How to Choose the Right Cruise in the Galápagos Islands

In the Galápagos Islandsyou will find wildlife unlike anywhere else in the world and ideal weather year-round. And what is the best way to explore this area of the world? By taking a fantastic small-ship, expedition-style cruise. But with dozens of cruise options, deciding which is best for you can feel daunting without an expert to parse the differences. I am the founder of Knowmad Adventuresa tour operator specializing in custom travel to South Americaand here is how I help travelers choose the perfect cruise for themselves.

What Class of Ship Should I Take?

In the Galápagos Islands, there are three different classes of ship to consider: luxury, first, and tourist superior. To simplify, you could compare it to five, four, and three-star hotels. Luxury cruises generally have the most spacious cabins (many with balconies), excellent on-board dining, a low passenger-to-crew ratio, and superb customer service and guides. Generally, prices range for an experience like that range from $900 to $1,500 per person, per day, though they can occasionally dip a bit lower than that.

Next, there’s the first class option. This is still an excellent experience, but there can be slightly less focus on the food, along with smaller cabins and common spaces. You can generally expect to pay between $700 and $900 per person, per day for this type of trip. Finally, tourist superior experiences consist of a comfortable, mid-range yacht with more modest cabins and common spaces. These will usually cost between $500 and $700 per person, per day.

How Long Should I Stay?

Eight days is considered the traditional, full-length Galápagos program for most companies. This duration, however, can also be too long for those who struggle with multiple days of scheduled routine, or who do not want to do any in-the-water experiences like snorkeling or diving. Shorter trips are definitely doable. Typically, five days is the minimum duration for an immersive experience, and is a great choice if you’re saving time for mainland Ecuador or Machu Picchu.

Golden Galapagos has some of our favorite luxury, 16-passenger catamarans. The company offers a variety of itineraries (ranging from four- to eight-day trips), and have two different price points within the luxury class. The experience is incredible, with expert guides, detailed itineraries, high-quality boats, and delicious cuisine. There are also two new vessels joining its fleet in 2026.

How Many Passengers Are on the Ship?

A cruise through the Galápagos is different than a typical cruise experience. There are three ship categories to choose from: small vessels with 20 passengers or fewer, mid-size ships with 30 to 50 passengers, and larger options with 90 to 100 passengers.

For the active traveler interested in snorkeling, the smaller vessels offer a more personal experience where you can forge connections with your guide and the crew. Hermes is the new boat of this size that everyone’s talking about, with two guides on board for 16 passengers, plus a cruise director and two butlers offering additional service. Cabins are extremely spacious and well designed, and there’s also a spa on board, which is very unique for a smaller vessel.

If you’re less interested in snorkeling, then I recommend the mid-size or large options, which have multiple guides and offer alternative activities. These larger boats are also less prone to choppiness if you’re concerned about seasickness. Pinta has long been my favorite mid-size ship. With 48 passengers on board and multiple guides, travelers can split into smaller groups. This is great for families, those with mobility concerns, or anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much time in the sea, as there is a glass-bottom boat.

Once you’ve chosen the class, duration, and size of vessel for your trip, consider partnering with a travel company to run an availability check on cruise options in your date window. You’ll receive the same or better pricing through them as you would through direct booking, but they’ll also be able to offer objective advice and discern between the different available options so that you have the perfect Galápagos experience.

Jordan Harvey is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and specializes in trips to the Galápagos Islands and South America. You can create tailor-made itineraries by contacting him at (email protected).