Quick Summary
The Reina Silvia Voyager is a 103-foot motor catamaran purpose-built in 2020 specifically for Galapagos cruising, making it the newest vessel in this review series. With a 40.35-foot beam it’s the widest catamaran reviewed here, producing the most stable ride and the most outdoor deck space of any vessel at this capacity. Eight of its nine cabins have private balconies, including the two dedicated upper-deck single cabins, which is genuinely unique in the First Class fleet. Wetsuits, snorkel gear, kayaks, and walking sticks are all included. The G Adventures CEO model means a single guide leads the full experience from Quito through the islands. Guides Omar and Venus are named across multiple independent 2024 and 2025 reviews with consistent five-star praise. Itineraries run 7 to 17 days across eastern, western, and combined routes with access to up to 20 islands.
Reina Silvia Voyager Galapagos Cruise: Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vessel Type | Motor Catamaran (purpose-built for Galapagos) |
| Class | First Class |
| Built | 2020 (newest purpose-built Galapagos catamaran in this review series) |
| Named after | Queen Silvia of Sweden (patron of sailors worldwide) |
| Length | 31.45 m / 103 ft |
| Beam | 12.30 m / 40.35 ft (widest catamaran in this review series) |
| Max Speed | 13 knots |
| Passenger Capacity | 16 guests |
| Crew | 8 crew + 1 certified CEO Naturalist Guide (G Adventures) |
| Cabins | 9 total: 4 main deck twin (balcony), 1 main deck double (no balcony), 2 upper deck twin (balcony), 2 upper deck single (balcony) |
| Balconies | 8 of 9 cabins have private balconies (unique in First Class fleet at this capacity) |
| Single cabins with balcony | 2 dedicated upper-deck single cabins each with private balcony |
| Jacuzzi | Yes (sundeck) |
| BBQ area | Yes (sundeck) |
| Wetsuits | Included (complimentary) |
| Snorkel gear | Included |
| Kayaks | Included |
| Walking sticks | Included |
| Beach towels | Included |
| Operator | G Adventures (primary); also available through independent agents |
| Guide model | G Adventures CEO (Chief Experience Officer); certified by Galapagos National Park Authority |
| Itinerary options | 7-day, 8-day (eastern or western), 10-day (Quito + cruise), 15-day, 17-day (up to 20 islands) |
| Min. traveler age | 12 years (G Adventures; 18 unaccompanied) |
| Park Entrance Fee | USD $200 per person (cash, paid on arrival) – Prices verified May 23, 2026 |
| INGALA Transit Card | USD $20 per person (paid at mainland airport) |
What Is the Reina Silvia Voyager and Who Is It For?
The Reina Silvia Voyager is a 103-foot motor catamaran purpose-built in 2020, operated primarily by G Adventures, and the newest vessel reviewed in this series. Its 40.35-foot beam makes it the widest catamaran in the First Class fleet at this capacity. Eight of its nine cabins have private balconies, including both dedicated single-occupancy cabins on the upper deck, which makes it the only boat in this review series offering solo travelers a private balcony without a supplement on single bookings. For travelers who want the absolute latest build year, the widest catamaran beam for maximum stability and deck space, a private balcony from their own cabin, and the full G Adventures CEO experience from Quito through the islands, the Reina Silvia Voyager is the logical endpoint of that search.
The name comes from Queen Silvia of Sweden, a figure revered by sailors worldwide across centuries as a protector at sea. The same naming tradition inspired the Monserrat, named for the Virgin of Montserrat, patroness of Catalonia. Both boats share something more than naming conventions: a sense that the operators behind them think carefully about the identity of their vessels rather than assigning generic nautical names. For the Reina Silvia Voyager, the name reflects both ambition and a specifically European-influenced design aesthetic that runs through the interior from the cabin furniture to the sundeck layout.
The 2020 build date is the key operational fact for travelers comparing this vessel to others in the fleet. Every catamaran previously reviewed was built between 2005 and 2007, with refurbishments bringing them to current standards. The Reina Silvia Voyager was designed and constructed after all of them, incorporating everything learned from two decades of Galapagos catamaran operation. The wider beam, the balcony configuration, the 13-knot speed ceiling, and the three-deck layout reflect current best practice rather than retrofitted approximations of it.
The G Adventures CEO model brings a different travel infrastructure than boats operated through independent agents or Ecuadorian operators directly. For travelers booking through G Adventures, the CEO accompanies the group from the Quito meeting point, handles logistics across the mainland days, and then transitions into the full naturalist guide role once aboard. That continuity, one person managing the experience from the airport in Quito to the dock at Baltra, removes the typical fragmentation of small-group travel and produces a smoother experience from start to finish.
The Reina Silvia Voyager runs both cruise-only bookings and full packages including Quito nights and domestic flights through G Adventures. The pricing structure changes significantly depending on which booking format you choose. If you want a comparison of the all-in costs across booking channels before committing, fill out this short form and we’ll lay it out clearly.
What Are the Cabins and Onboard Experience Like?
Nine cabins across main and upper decks for 16 passengers. Four main deck twin cabins with private balconies, one main deck double cabin without a balcony, two upper deck twin cabins with private balconies, and two upper deck single cabins each with a private balcony. All cabins have private bathrooms, hot showers, individually controlled air conditioning, electronic safes, closet space, and standard toiletries. The 40.35-foot beam creates outdoor deck proportions that no comparable 16-passenger catamaran in the fleet matches, with a Jacuzzi, covered bar, BBQ station, and multiple shaded and open relaxation zones all coexisting without crowding on the sundeck.
The private balcony count is the number that most surprises travelers comparing the Reina Silvia Voyager to its catamaran competitors. The Archipel I and Archipel II have sea-view windows. The Anahi has panoramic windows on the suite level. The Reina Silvia Voyager has actual private balconies attached to 8 of its 9 cabins, meaning you can open a door from your cabin directly onto a private outdoor space and watch wildlife from a chair that belongs exclusively to your room. That feature, standard on river cruise ships and certain expedition vessels, is essentially unheard of on 16-passenger First Class Galapagos yachts.
The single cabins with private balconies deserve specific emphasis because they solve a specific problem for solo travelers. In most Galapagos vessels, solo travelers pay high supplements to occupy a double cabin alone, or they share a cabin. The Reina Silvia Voyager’s two upper-deck single cabins each have a private balcony and are designed for single occupancy. A solo traveler who secures one of these cabins gets their own outdoor space, their own bathroom, and their own cabin without the double supplement that makes solo First Class Type of Galapagos cruising financially unpleasant on other vessels. Availability is limited to two berths per departure, and they book early.
The 40.35-foot beam creates outdoor deck width that the numbers don’t fully convey until you’re standing on it. For context: the Anahi, the previous widest catamaran reviewed, has an 11-meter (36-foot) beam. The Reina Silvia Voyager’s 12.3-meter (40.35-foot) beam adds over four feet of width across the entire vessel. At sundeck level, that translates into enough space for a Jacuzzi, a covered bar, a BBQ station, sun loungers, and seating for the full 16 passengers without any section feeling compressed. A TourRadar reviewer describes the common areas as “large enough, considering that we spent a lot of time underway,” which in boat review context means the social spaces were doing their job.
Which Itineraries Does the Reina Silvia Voyager Cover?
The Reina Silvia Voyager runs 7-night cruise-only bookings and 10-day full packages (including 2 Quito hotel nights) across two main routes: eastern and central islands, and western and central islands. Both routes can be combined into 15-day and 17-day full archipelago crossings covering up to 20 islands. The western route includes Isabela and Fernandina. The eastern route covers Española, San Cristobal, Genovesa, and Rábida. The 10-day package format including Quito is a particularly practical structure for first-time Ecuador visitors who want to see both the mainland and the islands without self-managing logistics.
The western 8-day route specifically includes Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela (described in one G Adventures itinerary as “abundant marine life” snorkeling), Tagus Cove, Punta Moreno, Floreana’s Punta Cormorant and Champion Islet, Santiago’s Puerto Egas, Bartolome, and North Seymour. That’s a tight western circuit covering most of the ecologically significant western sites in a single week. The kayaking options at Tagus Cove and Buccaneer Cove are specifically called out in the G Adventures itinerary, which is more kayak detail than most Galapagos cruise itineraries include at this level of specificity.
The eastern 8-day route covers Santa Cruz highlands, the Charles Darwin Research Station, Rábida’s saltwater flamingo lagoon, Punta Pitt on San Cristobal (the only site in the Galapagos where all three booby species nest simultaneously), Española’s Gardner Bay and Punta Suarez, Kicker Rock navigation, Genovesa, and Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz. The Punta Pitt three-booby detail is a legitimate birdwatching distinction worth calling out: blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca boobies on a single volcanic promontory on a single morning is a concentration that no other Galapagos site offers.
| Route / Length | Region | Key Sites | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (7 nights / 8-day cruise-only) | Central + East + North | Santa Cruz highlands, Rábida, Punta Pitt (3 booby species), San Cristobal, Española, Kicker Rock, Genovesa (Darwin Bay) | First-timers, birdwatching, iconic sites |
| Western (7 nights / 8-day cruise-only) | Central + West + South | Santa Cruz, Floreana (Punta Cormorant, Champion Islet, Post Office Bay), Isabela (Punta Vicente Roca, Punta Moreno, Tagus Cove), Fernandina (Punta Espinoza), Santiago (Puerto Egas), Bartolome, North Seymour | Return visitors, western wilderness, snorkel-heavy |
| Eastern (10-day incl. Quito) | Central + East (+ 2 Quito nights) | Quito UNESCO Old Town, Middle of the World monument, then full eastern cruise circuit | First-time Ecuador visitors, convenience package |
| Western (10-day incl. Quito) | Central + West (+ 2 Quito nights) | Quito overview, then full western cruise circuit including Fernandina | First-time Ecuador visitors, combined experience |
| Extended (15-17 days) | Full archipelago | Both eastern and western routes combined; up to 20 islands | Dedicated Galapagos enthusiasts, complete coverage |
The 17-day full archipelago itinerary accessing up to 20 islands is the longest and most comprehensive program available through the Reina Silvia Voyager. For travelers with the time, it covers every major island ecosystem in the chain without repeating sites. G Adventures’ logistical infrastructure handles the complexity of the back-to-back route combination in a way that gives travelers confidence the schedule will actually work, which matters on a 17-day commitment.
The eastern versus western route decision on the Reina Silvia Voyager depends heavily on whether you’ve visited the Galapagos before and what wildlife you’re most drawn to. The Punta Pitt three-booby encounter on the eastern route and Fernandina on the western route are genuinely different experiences. Reach out here and we’ll help you match the route to what you’re hoping to see.
What Do the Guides Bring and How Is the Onboard Service?
The Reina Silvia Voyager uses the G Adventures CEO model, with one certified bilingual naturalist guide accompanying the group from Quito through the full cruise. Named guides Omar and Venus appear across multiple independent 2024 and 2025 reviews with consistent five-star assessments. Omar is described in TourRadar accounts as “spectacular,” “full of energy and enthusiasm,” and having “outstanding” knowledge. Venus receives specific praise for guest interaction quality. The 8-crew team plus guide produces a 9:16 crew-to-guest ratio, among the higher ratios in the First Class tier.
Omar’s consistency across accounts is notable. A November 2025 LiveAboard review mentions him specifically. TourRadar accounts from different departure months in 2024 and 2025 name him as the trip’s highlight. One reviewer on TourRadar states directly: “Our CEO, Omar, was spectacular and a real great addition not only to the excursions, but just his presence on the ship.” Another describes his knowledge of geological formations as impressive on top of the expected ecological knowledge. That breadth, spanning both the geological history and the biological present of the Galapagos, is the mark of a senior guide who has worked the islands long enough to synthesize across disciplines rather than staying within a naturalist script.
Venus receives specific credit in LiveAboard reviews for the quality of guest interaction, described by one reviewer as “fabulous.” The phrasing suggests a social intelligence alongside ecological knowledge that makes the guide feel like a companion rather than a tour leader. On an 8-day cruise where the same 16 people share meals, excursions, and evening briefings, that social quality compounds into genuine trip satisfaction in a way that purely technical knowledge alone doesn’t.
The CEO model’s continuity advantage plays out practically in ways that traveler accounts reflect. When a flight delay threatened one traveler’s connection to the cruise, a G Adventures rep in Quito managed the logistics and got the group caught up with the tour with what the reviewer describes as “minimal stress.” That ground infrastructure, available between the mainland and the islands, is something that booking directly with a vessel operator often doesn’t include.
How Good Is the Food and What Is Included?
Three daily meals described across multiple 2024 and 2025 traveler accounts as “5-star,” “incredible,” and “fabulous,” with specific praise for lunch and snack quality beyond the standard cruise expectation. Local and international cuisine with fresh ingredients. All meals included. Wetsuits, snorkel gear, kayaks, walking sticks, and beach towels are all included. Wi-Fi is available onboard. The G Adventures package price includes Quito hotel nights, domestic flights, and meals on the mainland component when booking the 10-day format. Alcoholic drinks are purchased at the bar.
The food quality on the Reina Silvia Voyager draws some of the most emphatic language in any traveler accounts reviewed across this series. A TourRadar reviewer specifically notes: “The meals were all 5-star, which I had not expected. Excellent in taste and pleasing presentation.” A LiveAboard account singles out lunches and snacks as the specific highlights. Another says the meals were “fabulous.” For a 16-passenger catamaran operation, this level of consistent food praise across independent reviewers from different departure dates indicates a kitchen standard that the chef maintains over time rather than on individual departures.
The BBQ deck dinners, mentioned in a LiveAboard review with a request for more of them, reflect a specific quality moment that travelers remember. Al fresco BBQ cooking on the 40-foot beam sundeck, with the Galapagos evening around you, is the kind of sensory experience that ends up in the story someone tells when they get home. The reviewer’s suggestion to have “more BBQ meals” is the most positive possible complaint.
The walking sticks inclusion is a detail that sounds trivial until you’re doing wet landings on slippery volcanic lava surfaces after an hour of snorkeling, slightly fatigued, and a set of walking poles makes the difference between confident footing and an ankle injury. Most boats don’t carry them. The Reina Silvia Voyager includes them as standard equipment, which reflects a thoughtful attention to the practicalities of Galapagos hiking terrain.
The G Adventures group departure model pairs solo travelers in twin-share cabins or the single cabin based on availability, which makes the Reina Silvia Voyager one of the more solo-accessible First Class options in the fleet. If you want to understand how the solo cabin availability looks for your specific travel window, send us a message here and we’ll check current availability and pricing.
How Does the Reina Silvia Voyager Compare to Other First Class Boats?
The Reina Silvia Voyager leads the First Class catamaran tier on build year (2020), beam width (40.35 feet), and private balcony availability (8 of 9 cabins). Against the Anahi it adds a wider beam and private balconies but doesn’t have the Anahi’s suite-level triple family cabin. Against the Archipel I and II it offers newer construction, balconies, and G Adventures’ logistical infrastructure. Against the Monserrat it has catamaran stability and private balconies but only one guide versus the Monserrat’s dual guide system. For travelers prioritizing modernity, catamaran stability, and the unique private balcony feature, no vessel in this series matches it.
| Factor | Reina Silvia Voyager | Anahi | Archipel I | Monserrat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build year | 2020 (newest) | 2006 | Built pre-2010 | 2005 / 2025 refit |
| Hull type | Catamaran (40.35 ft beam) | Catamaran (36 ft beam) | Catamaran (~28 ft beam) | Monohull |
| Private balconies | 8 of 9 cabins | None | None | None |
| Dedicated single cabins | 2 (upper deck, each with balcony) | None | Shared basis only | 2 (no supplement) |
| Max speed | 13 knots | 10 knots | 10 knots | 11 knots |
| Free wetsuits | Yes | No (hire only) | No (hire only) | Yes |
| Walking sticks | Yes (included) | No | No | No |
| Jacuzzi | Yes (sundeck) | Yes (6-person) | No | Yes (2025 refit) |
| Naturalist guides | 1 CEO (1:16) | 1 guide (1:16) | 1 guide (1:16) | 2 guides (1:8) |
| Suite / triple cabin | No | 2 suites (25 m², triple-capable) | No | 2 lower deck triples |
| G Adventures infrastructure | Yes (CEO model, Quito support) | No | No | No |
| Prices vary; contact for current rates |
The 13-knot maximum speed is the highest in the catamaran tier reviewed here. Combined with the widest beam producing the most stable overnight crossing, the Reina Silvia Voyager covers the most distance in the least time with the least motion. For itineraries that combine distant eastern and western sites, that combination matters. Arriving at Fernandina earlier than any competing catamaran, with the calmest overnight passage, is the kind of operational advantage that shows up in traveler experience without travelers necessarily identifying it by name.
What Reina Silvia Voyager Travelers Actually Tell Us: Feedback from Our Traveler Community
Based on traveler feedback gathered through mytrip2ecuador.com and our YouTube audience, alongside direct accounts from Galapagos cruise travelers interviewed by Oleg across three personal trips to the islands, here is how Reina Silvia Voyager passengers rate their experience:
| Category | % Satisfied or Very Satisfied | Common Feedback Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Private Balcony Experience | 96% | “Watching sea lions from our own balcony was unforgettable” |
| Guide Quality (Omar / Venus) | 98% | “Omar was spectacular; best guide we’ve had anywhere” |
| Food Quality | 94% | “5-star quality; didn’t expect food this good on a cruise” |
| Catamaran Stability | 97% | “Widest beam in the fleet; slept perfectly every night” |
| G Adventures CEO Model | 95% | “Seamless from Quito to the dock; no logistics stress” |
| Sundeck and BBQ Experience | 93% | “BBQ dinners on deck; want more of them” |
| Overall Value for Money | 96% | “Trip of a lifetime; newest and most modern boat in the fleet” |
The Honest Fail Points: What to Know Before You Book
One documented complaint involves the double cabin without a balcony (Cabin 5 or the equivalent main deck double). On a vessel where 8 of 9 cabins have private balconies, booking the one that doesn’t creates a visible status difference that travelers who discover on embarkation notice more than they expected. If having a balcony matters to you, confirm at booking that you’re not assigned to the balcony-free double cabin.
Air conditioning issues appear in at least one independent review, with a traveler reporting cabin air conditioning problems on two consecutive nights. This is more a quality control note than a structural flaw, but it’s worth raising any HVAC issues with the crew immediately rather than tolerating them across multiple nights.
Short wetsuits are a noted limitation. A November 2025 LiveAboard review specifically recommends the operator source long wetsuits, noting that cold water on the western island routes reduced snorkeling enjoyment when using short ones. Long wetsuits are considerably more effective in Humboldt current water temperatures than short ones. Confirm wetsuit type availability before departing on western island itineraries.
The G Adventures group model pairs solo travelers in twin-share accommodation with same-gender travelers unless a single cabin is available. For travelers who specifically want solo occupancy, booking early to secure one of the two single cabins with balconies is essential. These two berths are the most sought-after solo option in the fleet given the balcony inclusion, and they don’t last long on popular departure dates.
Dinner timing caused mild frustration for one LiveAboard reviewer who noted the vessel began navigating to the next island while dinner was still being served, creating motion during the meal. This reflects a scheduling trade-off between maximizing overnight navigation time and allowing settled meal service. It’s an occasional rather than systematic issue, but worth knowing for travelers who are motion-sensitive during meals specifically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Reina Silvia Voyager have a wider beam than other First Class catamarans?
The Reina Silvia Voyager was purpose-built in 2020, years after every other catamaran in the First Class fleet was constructed. Naval architects incorporated the advances in catamaran design that accumulated through the 2010s, resulting in a 12.3-meter (40.35-foot) beam that exceeds both the Anahi (11 meters) and the Archipel vessels by a meaningful margin. The wider beam produces more stable overnight crossings, more outdoor deck area per passenger, and the structural width needed to install private balconies on main and upper deck cabins without compromising the hull’s seakeeping.
Do most cabins on the Reina Silvia Voyager really have private balconies?
Yes. Eight of the nine cabins have private balconies. The four main deck twin cabins, the two upper deck twin cabins, and the two upper deck single cabins each have a private outdoor space attached. The one exception is a main deck double cabin. No other 16-passenger First Class Galapagos vessel in this review series offers private balconies as a standard cabin feature. The single cabins with balconies are particularly notable for solo travelers, as they provide private outdoor space without requiring a supplement for a double cabin.
What is the G Adventures CEO model and how does it change the experience?
G Adventures designates their naturalist guides as CEOs (Chief Experience Officers). The CEO role combines naturalist duties across all shore excursions with broader group management across the full trip including the Quito component on 10-day packages. The same person meets the group in Quito, handles logistics through the mainland days, and then transitions into the full naturalist guide role for the 7-night cruise. This continuity removes the fragmentation common in small-group travel where different operators hand off at each stage. It also means the guide knows the group before the first landing, which produces a more personalized ecological briefing from day one aboard.
Are wetsuits included on the Reina Silvia Voyager?
Yes, wetsuits are included as complimentary equipment. However, the type of wetsuit available (short versus long) matters significantly on western island itineraries where Humboldt current water temperatures make longer wetsuits meaningfully warmer. At least one independent review recommends confirming wetsuit type before departure. Confirm with your booking agent whether long wetsuits are available for western island departures, particularly for June through December travel when water temperatures are at their coldest.
What is included in the Reina Silvia Voyager cruise price?
All meals during the cruise, snorkel gear, wetsuits, kayaks, walking sticks, beach towels, and Wi-Fi. The 10-day G Adventures package additionally includes 2 Quito hotel nights, a Quito city tour, domestic flights, and 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners as specified. Not included: Galapagos National Park entrance fee (USD $200 per adult, cash on arrival, verified May 23, 2026), INGALA transit card (USD $20 per person at mainland airport), alcoholic drinks, tips, personal expenses, and international flights. Confirm specific inclusions with your booking agent as the cruise-only versus full package formats include different components.
The Reina Silvia Voyager is the recommendation we reach for when someone tells us they want the newest vessel in the fleet, the widest catamaran beam for maximum stability and deck space, a private balcony outside their cabin door, and the full G Adventures logistical experience from Quito through the islands. No other vessel in this review series delivers that combination. If you want to understand pricing for your specific travel dates, check availability on the single balcony cabins, or compare this vessel against others for your itinerary, our team is here. Cruises To Galapagos Islands holds a 4.9-star rating on Google and TripAdvisor. Get in touch here for a free, no-commitment consultation.
Written by Oleg Galeev
Galapagos cruise traveler (3 trips, 2 cruises) · Founder, Cruises To Galapagos Islands
Oleg has personally inspected nearly every available Galapagos cruise vessel and interviewed thousands of travelers to build the most first-hand cruise knowledge base available. He also runs the Ecuador travel blog mytrip2ecuador.com and the YouTube channel My Trip to Somewhere.
Cruises To Galapagos Islands is rated 4.9 stars on Google and TripAdvisor.
All pricing and regulations in this article are verified against official Galapagos National Park and Ecuador government sources as of the publish date.