FAQs about Galapagos: Should I charter?
If you are planning to travel with your whole Family or with a group of adventurous Friends and you like to enjoy the privacy and comfort of a private cruise with personalized and dedicated service for your party, then chartering a nice yacht is a wonderful idea!
There are several options on different categories of cruises to choose from, especially for small yachts or catamarans with capacity for up to 16 passengers. Charter cruises are best if confirmed at least 9 months before your traveling period as all Galapagos cruises are always on very high demand and several are confirmed for charters with 12 and even 24 months in advance to guarantee the charter cruise. Please contact us if you are planning to charter a wonderful cruise for your party so we can guide you on how to choose the right cruise to enjoy a memorable experience.
Other related frequently asked questions
If you are taking a Galapagos Cruise or package, it is best if you book your domestic flights to/from Galapagos from Quito, Guayaquil or mixed route along with your cruise. This because cruises/tours must follow a pre-approved itinerary by the National Park’s Authorities, and all start their itinerary with specific arriving flights to the Islands, and cannot wait for stragglers arriving on different flights other than the one used by the rest of the group.
Catching a cruise when arriving on different flights that are delayed or arrive on different timings can be very expensive and in some cases, impossible, causing distress and unwanted non-refundable trip cancelations.
For this reason, all operators recommend booking your domestic flights along with your cruise or tour to align with the operation and avoid any issues. Get full details on logistics and traveling to the Galapagos.
Taking a Galapagos cruise is considered the best way to explorer the Galapagos as it gives you the opportunity to reach the remotest islands as you sail at night from site to site, which means more time to enjoy the location and day’s activities.
However, if you are susceptible to sea sickness the feasible alternative is taking a nice land-based tour with hotel accommodation on the populated Islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and/or Isabela; from here you can enjoy interesting day-tours to the nearby sites or Islands; you will also have the possibility to enjoy snorkeling and other activities while taking day-tours.
On a general basis, unless included on the given price for the confirmed cruise, passenger needs to bring enough cash on board to cover costs like Galapagos entrance fee ($100 p.p. in cash on arrival to Islands), mandatory Transit Control Card ($20 p.p. paid before check-in in cash), snorkeling equipment & wet suit rental (in cash on board), personal expenses, extras, soft & alcoholic drinks, tips for guide& crew and other expenses not specified in the itinerary.
Some Luxury and First accept Credit Card payments on board for on board consumption but Midrange and Economy require payments in cash only. It is imperative that you bring enough cash (U.S. Dollars) in all cases to cover your expenses while cruising the Galapagos.