What is the Best Galapagos Cruise or Tour?

What is the best Galapagos cruise or tour? Well that's a very subjective topic. For instance if you look at hotel ratings on Tripadvisor, sometimes 3* hotels are rated higher than 5* hotels. But people who normally stay in 3* hotels because of price couldn't compare it to a 5* hotel. So maybe the 3* they stayed in was excellent, compared to other 3* hotels they've stayed in, but if someone who normally stays in 5* hotels went there, they might not rate it as high. I would think that the same would apply to the 69 boats that are authorized to operate there.

But there are other things to consider besides looks.....

There are different levels of park-approved guides and of course the highest rated guides can command higher salaries, so the chances are slim that you are going to find one of them on a tourist class boat or on a budget hotel-based tour. Just like in the Amazon, a good guide can make all the difference in your tour. They can change it from a black and white experience to a technicolor one. 

Some people prefer to be on a smaller boat with fewer people while others want a larger boat with more evening activities.  People used to prefer the larger boats for stability, but there are many 16-20 passenger catamarans now that offer a very stable cruise.

What is the main reason for going to the Galapagos? To see all of the different species of animals. But every island does not have all of the species that all of the other islands have. So if you only go to one or two islands, you probably won't see as many as you would if you went to more islands. Though there are many different species on the islands, it has been determined that there are 15 iconic species, so for many people, the goal is to see as many of those as possible.

In the past, the cruise ships had the same routes every week. But a few years ago, to ease crowding, the park service changed the assigned routes up a bit. So now you can see some cruises offering a Southern Islands cruise one week and a northern Islands cruise another week and they may also have Eastern and Western Islands itineraries. So, if there are certain species that you want to see, you would want to determine the best itinerary for being able to see those.

Hotel-based tours have been becoming more popular lately, probably for those who get seasick easily and for those looking for something more affordable. 

Unless you mainly want to lay on the beach, just booking a hotel on one of the islands is probably not a good idea because only 3% of the islands are outside of the protected national park. There are some hotels that have packages that include excursions though.

If you book a hotel on Santa Cruz Island (where most of them are) + day trips on a yacht, you can get to some sites on other nearby islands via about a 1.5-2 hour boat ride (each way).

If you spend nights on at least 2 islands on an island-hopping itinerary, then you're not having to do a boat ride every day and you have more time to get into the interior of more islands, where the cruise ships don't get to. And if you like to be active, you can do more activities on a land-based itinerary than you can from a cruise, though some of the cruises do offer kayaking now.

There are many reasons a land-based tour is preferable to a cruise.

• Rest and relax in our comfortable hotels instead of on a cramped boat.
• Spend much less time moving from place to place, and more time having fun.
• Enjoy flexibility and freedom to do what you want, when you want.
• Have more time for each activity, which is great for active travelers.
• Don’t worry about seasickness
• Support the local economy and help provide gainful employment for Galapagueños.
• Get in touch with the unique vibe of each island and visit town whenever you want.
• Not have to deal with uncomfortable and time-consuming wet landings just to get off the boat.
• Experience more variety in your surroundings, activities, cuisine and interactions.
  
• Enjoy a smaller group size, meaning more personal attention and less environmental impact.
• it’s a much more eco-friendly experience, as you are not burning through hundreds of gallons of fuel every day to navigate from one destination to another.
  
• If you are traveling with a family, then this is definitely the option for you, with a great selection of kid-friendly activities and no stressful adaptations to living on a boat.
  

So what is the best cruise or tour? Personally, if money was no object, for a cruise, I would probably choose the Grace for a small boat or the Isabella II for a large one because I know they are operated by top-notch companies. For a hotel-based tour, I would pick the deluxe island hopping tour or the Wildlife Explorer. For those who are more active, I think the 7 Day Premium Multisport is best.

But, if money is an object, then choose the best that you can afford (we list some specials on our site, though not all). I would not recommend the cheapest boat or hotel. The cheapest boats have bunk beds and shared bathrooms and the less than the best guides.  The cheapest hotels are often dirty and sometimes not well-maintained.