FAQs about Galapagos: Will there be time for snorkeling?
During your cruise, you will have magnificent opportunities to enjoy snorkeling in the most fantastic underwater scenarios within the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve as well as other wonderful activities to complement your experience in the Archipelago.
On Luxury and First class cruises snorkeling equipment (snorkel, mask & fins) are included and on Midrange and Economy class cruises they are available for rent. Some Luxury class cruises also include Wet suits while on First, Midrange and Economy class, Wert suits are available for rent.
Other related frequently asked questions
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.
Traveling to the Galapagos is considered more expensive than taking trips on Mainland; the cost of a trip depends of many factors like taking a cruise or a land-based program. A Cruise is more expensive but definitely a more complete experience in comparison with a land-based program.
Prices vary depending on cruise/tour category: Luxury, first, Midrange and Economy Class and the differences are mainly due to type of cabins (accommodations), level of service, social areas, amenities, cuisine and guide’s experience.
Also, take into consideration the additional expenses for your trip like: domestic flight tickets, Entrance Fees, personal expenses, tips, drinks, equipment rental, etc. Please contact us for guidance on how to choose the right type of trip to Galapagos based on your Budget.
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.
For cruises and tours, we have flexible payment policies:
- Tours booked from 91 days or more, small 30% deposit is requested to pre-confirm, 70% balance is needed 90 days before tour dates.
- Tours booked 90 days or less, complete payment is needed to confirm your trip.
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.