Galapagos Luxury Cruises & Tours

Over 97% of the Galapagos archipelago is a national park, completely off limits to human establishments. Only 3% of the islands are human-inhabited, where hotels are allowed to be built. Therefore, the only way to access the majority of the visitor sites is on a cruise throughout the entire archipelago.

If you are considering a hotel-based visit, one major problem you’ll face is how to access the Galapagos National Park. There are roughly 70 terrestrial and 70 marine visitor sites throughout the national park where travelers are permitted. Only a handful of these landing sites are accessible from the hotels by day boat, usually at additional cost.

Hotels throughout Galapagos compete for spaces on day boats that take visitors to landing sites. If you are lucky enough to get a seat, landing site rides can then be 2.5 hours each way with a high possibility of getting seasick.

When it’s finally time for your Galapagos trip, the last thing you want is for your experience to be limited and your national park access restricted. While hotel stays are a wonderful way to relax before or after your journey, cruise boats have the edge when it comes to exploring the islands. Think of a yacht safari as an exclusive floating luxury hotel, complete with off-the-beaten-path adventure activities, rare wildlife encounters, personalized itineraries, and access to the authentic, uninhabited side of the islands.

Starting in 2010 when restrictions on non-local ships were lifted, larger international cruise lines started to gain interest in Galapagos. Organizations like Celebrity, Silversea, Disney and Hurtigruten now offer cruises in the archipelago. All of these major cruise lines operate 100 passenger ships, which is the largest ship size permitted in the Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

If you have cruised with a major cruise line before, 100 passengers may sound like a very small number. However, in Galapagos, these ships are the equivalent of the 1,000 passenger ships in other popular cruising destinations.

To get the top experience in the Galapagos, we highly recommend choosing Galapagos luxury yachts with 36 passengers or less. With much smaller tour groups, flexible itineraries, and dedicated naturalist guides, yacht safaris allow you to experience Galapagos away from the crowds.

Galapagos cruises depart from 3 places within the archipelago: Baltra Island, the port town of Puerto Ayora (on Santa Cruz Island), and the port town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (on San Cristobal Island). No Galapagos cruises leave from mainland Ecuador. Your adventure begins with an easy domestic flight from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos.

Guests traveling with Quasar will not need to worry about the logistics of getting to the Galapagos and to your cruise departure port. We will make all the arrangements for you, from the moment you land in mainland Ecuador until the moment you depart from your lifetime adventure.

We often get asked what the cost of a Galapagos Islands cruise is. The answer depends on the type of accommodations and experiences you are seeking.

Use the general guidelines below to book the premier Galapagos luxury cruise to fit your budget. Keep a lookout—Galapagos cruise offers are available from time to time, especially if you have a flexible travel timeline.

Extras: It’s important to factor in additional costs like alcoholic beverages, laundry, souvenirs, and gratuities for Guides and crew.

Simply put, absolutely! Galapagos is a one-of-a-kind destination that most travelers, and especially wildlife enthusiasts, have on their bucket lists. There’s no other place on earth where you can safely get up close to wild animals in their natural habitats.

There are over 40 national park landing sites throughout the islands where travelers are permitted to go ashore, enjoy adventure activities, and interact with the rare species that inspired Darwin’s revolutionary research. Over 70% of these landing sites are not accessible when staying in a hotel. A safari-style Galapagos luxury cruise guarantees an immersive adventure that follows in Darwin’s footsteps.

To get to the Galapagos Islands you must take a domestic flight from the cities of Guayaquil (airport code GYE), Manta (airport code MEC) or Quito (airport code UIO) in mainland Ecuador. All three cities offer direct flights to the Galapagos, although only Quito and Guayaquil currently offer them daily.

Direct flights from the cities of Guayaquil and Manta to Galapagos take between 1 hour and 45 minutes to up to 2 hours (depending on wind and weather conditions). Direct flights from Quito to Galapagos take about 2 hours and 20 minutes. However, it is worth noting that there are normally only 1 to 2 direct flights to the Islands per day from Quito, while there are about 6 to 8 flights to the Islands with a brief stopover in Guayaquil. Flying to Galapagos via Guayaquil is the most common way to get to the Islands when flying from Quito. These flights take around 3 hours 30 min to 3 hours 50 minutes, depending on the airline you choose and the length of the stop in Guayaquil. Stopovers in Guayaquil are normally not long (40 to 50 minutes) and you are not required to disembark the plane while the airplane refuels and the passengers from Guayaquil board.

Galapagos is arguably one of the safest and most magical destinations in the world. Crime is basically nonexistent in the islands, but there are some basic precautions that all Galapagos travelers must take, especially when visiting mainland Ecuador. Everyone who visits Galapagos must spend at least a day in the mainland, at one of Ecuador’s main cities. And just like any large city around the world, there are some basic precautions you must take.

Some Galapagos luxury cruise companies, including Quasar’s Evolution yacht, are equipped with an infirmary and a doctor on board for the added safety of its guests. Our crew and Guides are trained in safety protocols. In the event of an emergency, while rare, there are swift, safe medical evacuation options.

For anyone interested in visiting the Galapagos, there is really no better or worse month to visit the Islands. In part this is because the Galapagos archipelago is right on the equator; therefore air and water temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. In addition, almost all of the animal species in Galapagos do not migrate, which means you can see them any time of the year. The Waved Albatross is one of the few migratory exceptions and is best seen in spring and summer.

However, there is a high season for tourism in Galapagos which tends to be from mid-December to January and from June to August. This coincides with the general holidays and vacation months of the northern hemisphere and doesn’t have anything to do with weather or animal migration patterns in Galapagos. High and Low seasons are solely based on the travel trends of the Galapagos’ main market, North America, which represents about 60% of its international travelers. So, if you want to avoid the crowds in Galapagos, and perhaps even take advantage of a nice discount, travel in ‘the secret season’ which is from September through early December.

Unless you already live in Ecuador, making your way to the Galapagos is going to be a multi-leg travel event. You’ll have to take an international flight to get to Ecuador, and then you’ll need to take a domestic flight out to the islands. There are a few important things to remember when trying to get to Galapagos:

Galapagos cruise itineraries are often referred to as 'loops' due to the circular routes the ships take around the archipelago. Therefore, whether a company calls their offerings 'itineraries' or 'loops,' they are talking about the same concept.

We are pleased to report that selecting an exceptional Galapagos itinerary is straightforward, provided you are familiar with the destination and the Galapagos National Park regulations. Schedule a complimentary call with one of our Expedition Designers, and we'll explain the best cruise itineraries. You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the Galapagos Archipelago's layout, the National Park regulations, and why cruise companies divide their 15-day cruise routes into shorter 4, 5, and 8-day options.