Quick Summary
The Letty is an 83-foot First Class expedition motor yacht custom-designed for Galapagos cruising in 1991, one of three identical sister ships (Eric, Letty, Flamingo) operated by Ecoventura, Ecuador’s first carbon-neutral company. Two certified naturalist guides sail every departure at a 1:10 guest-to-guide ratio, the best in this entire review series. Open bar all day and night including wines, beer, spirits, sodas, and juices is included in the fare. 7-night departures only, every Sunday, alternating between Itinerary A (southern/central: Española, Floreana, Bartolome) and Itinerary B (northern/western: Genovesa, Fernandina, Isabela). Ecoventura co-founded the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund with WWF, holds Smart Voyager certification, is a Relais & Chateaux member, and has won Condé Nast Traveler’s World Savers Award and Travel+Leisure’s Global Vision Award for Green Cruising. Ten teak-and-brass cabins for up to 20 guests (often sailed at fewer for more personal space). Family departures with age-appropriate programming during school holidays. Refurbished annually since 1991.
Letty Galapagos Cruise: Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Vessel Type | Expedition Motor Yacht (custom-designed for Galapagos) |
| Class | Superior First Class / Expedition |
| Built / Refurbished | 1991 (refurbished annually) |
| Length | 83 ft / 25 m |
| Beam | 24 ft / 7 m |
| Speed | 8 knots |
| Passenger Capacity | 20 guests maximum (often sails with fewer) |
| Crew | 11 crew including captain + 2 certified bilingual naturalist guides |
| Guide ratio | 1:10 (best in this review series) |
| Sister ships | Identical to M/Y Eric and M/Y Flamingo (3 ships, same itineraries) |
| Operator | Ecoventura (founded 1991, family-owned; Ecuador’s first carbon-neutral company) |
| Cabins | 10 outside-facing cabins across 3 decks: polished teak interiors, brass fittings; twin or double configuration; 2 cabins convertible to triple |
| Cabin size | ~100 sq ft (compact but well-designed) |
| Cabin features | Private bathroom, hot/cold water, biodegradable soap/shampoo, hair dryer, closet, drawers, intercom, individual climate control, windows or portholes |
| Open bar | All day and night: white, red, sparkling wine; beer; spirits; juices; sodas; coffee; tea (included in fare) |
| Wine and beer at dinner | Included (plus full open bar) |
| Snorkel gear | Included |
| Kayaks | Included (2 double kayaks + 1 single) |
| Stand-up paddleboards | Included (2 SUPs) |
| Wetsuits | Included (subject to availability) |
| Zodiacs | 2 zodiacs for shore excursions |
| Conservation credentials | Smart Voyager certified; carbon-neutral (Ecuador’s first); WWF Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund co-founder; Relais & Chateaux member; GBESF partner; Condé Nast World Savers Award; Travel+Leisure Green Cruising Award |
| Family departures | Yes (during school holidays; ages 7+; age-appropriate programming; teen and college-age departures also available) |
| Departure schedule | Every Sunday, 7-night only, round-trip from San Cristobal |
| Itinerary A | Southern/Central: San Cristobal, Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Bartolome, South Plaza, North Seymour |
| Itinerary B | Northern/Western: San Cristobal, Genovesa, Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Rabida |
| Child discount | 15% for children 17 and under (1 child discount per adult, max 2 per family; no discount on holiday weeks) |
| Single supplement | 100% (no designated solo cabins) |
| Park Entrance Fee | USD $200 per adult, $100 per child under 12 (cash, paid on arrival) – Prices verified May 23, 2026 |
| INGALA Transit Card | USD $20 per person (mainland airport) |
What Is the Letty Galapagos Cruise and Who Is It For?
The Letty is an 83-foot expedition motor yacht custom-designed for Galapagos cruising in 1991 and operated by Ecoventura, Ecuador’s first carbon-neutral company since founding. Two certified naturalist guides sail every departure at a 1:10 guest-to-guide ratio, the best of any vessel reviewed in this series. An open bar including wines, spirits, beer, and soft drinks runs all day and night. Ecoventura co-founded the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund with WWF, holds Smart Voyager certification, is a Relais & Chateaux member, and has won Condé Nast Traveler’s World Savers Award and Travel+Leisure’s Global Vision Award for Green Cruising. Every departure is Sunday, 7 nights only. For travelers who want the deepest conservation credentials and the most attentive naturalist guidance in the First Class Galapagos fleet, no vessel in this review series matches the Letty’s combination of all three.
Ecoventura’s institutional identity is worth understanding before looking at the vessel. The company was founded in 1991 as a family-run Ecuadorian operation specifically to offer Galapagos expeditions, not as a branch of a broader tour business. In 2006 they co-founded the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund with WWF, one of the most significant conservation partnerships in the islands’ tourism history. In 2009 they won both Condé Nast Traveler’s World Savers Award and Travel+Leisure’s Global Vision Award for Green Cruising, the two most recognized tourism sustainability awards in North American travel media. In 2022 Abercrombie & Kent acquired an equity stake, bringing Ecoventura into A&K’s global portfolio while the family continues managing operations. In 2022 they also partnered with Avianca Airlines to establish a recycling center ensuring all waste is transferred to the mainland. The Relais & Chateaux membership, granted to the company for exceptional service and sustainability, positions Ecoventura alongside 580 of the world’s most recognized independent luxury hotels and restaurants.
The 1:10 guide ratio is the most consequential operational number in this review series for travelers who specifically value ecological education as part of their Galapagos experience. Every other vessel reviewed here carries one guide for 16 passengers. The Letty carries two guides for 20, meaning shore groups split into groups of 10 with one guide each. At a protected Galapagos visitor site, a group of 10 can position more closely around wildlife without the dispersal pressure that 16-passenger groups create. The guide can read individual questions and engage specific interests in a way that’s physically impossible in a group twice the size. After a full week of twice-daily excursions at this ratio, the depth of ecological understanding travelers leave with is structurally different from what a 1:16 program produces.
The open bar running all day and night is the other defining operational feature. Wine, beer, spirits, and soft drinks available continuously, not just at dinner or the evening social hour, removes the social barrier that bar tabs create on vessels where every drink represents a financial decision. Multiple reviews describe the social dynamic aboard Ecoventura vessels as exceptionally warm, and the continuous hospitality infrastructure of an open bar is part of what produces that dynamic on a week-long voyage.
The Letty alternates between Itinerary A and Itinerary B every week, and which one runs during your travel window determines whether you reach Española and Floreana or Genovesa and Fernandina. Both are exceptional routes. If you want to know which itinerary falls on your specific dates and how to choose between them, fill out this short form and we’ll check the schedule and give you a straight recommendation.
What Are the Cabins and Onboard Experience Like?
Ten outside-facing cabins across three decks for up to 20 passengers, decorated throughout in polished teak and brass fittings that give the vessel what multiple reviewers describe as a “nautical flair” and “touch of class” distinctly different from the neutral contemporary aesthetics of newer First Class vessels. Cabins average around 100 square feet with twin or double beds, private bathrooms, biodegradable soap and shampoo, hair dryers, individual climate control, closets, drawers, and intercom. Windows on upper deck cabins, portholes on lower. Two cabins convert to triple for families. Social areas include a dining room, lounge with flat-screen TV, library, and a fully stocked bar with panoramic windows. The sundeck has both sun and shade areas with lounge chairs.
The teak and brass aesthetic is the cabin feature that appears most consistently across every independent account of the Letty. The Avid Cruiser review describes “elegant teak used throughout the yacht, imparting a nice touch of class.” Travelstride notes “lots of teak and brass fittings.” The Nomadasaurus account describes the quality immediately upon boarding. After years of reviewing the vessel, AdventureSmith describes it as one of their favorite Galapagos yachts, specifically highlighting the consistent quality of food, guides, and service across multiple client accounts.
The cabins at around 100 square feet are the smallest in this review series. The Quirky Cruise assessment is direct: “compact.” The Avid Cruiser is diplomatic: “compact but quite comfortable.” Both assessments agree on the facts. Travelers who’ve spent a week at sea know that cabin size matters much less than it does in a hotel because the daily schedule keeps you on shore, on the zodiac, or on deck for most of the waking hours. The evening briefing, dinner, and the hour after keep you in the communal spaces. The cabin is where you sleep and shower, and both of those functions the Letty provides well. But travelers who need physical cabin space for something beyond sleeping should note the footprint honestly rather than discovering it at embarkation.
The panoramic windows in the lounge and dining room, specifically called out across multiple accounts, make the main deck communal spaces feel larger than they are. The dining room at a single-sitting communal table, with the Galapagos framed through those windows during every meal, is the design equivalent of what the teak does for the cabins: it makes a compact space feel richer than square footage alone would suggest. The Relais & Chateaux membership is partly earned through this dining experience quality, which is evaluated by Relais & Chateaux inspectors rather than self-reported.
What Is the 1:10 Guide Ratio and Why Does It Change the Experience?
Two certified naturalist guides sail every Letty departure, splitting the maximum 20-passenger group into two shore groups of 10. At protected Galapagos visitor sites where the National Park limits groups to a maximum of 16, the Letty’s groups of 10 operate significantly below that ceiling, allowing closer wildlife positioning, more individual attention per passenger, and a guide-to-group dynamic that produces deeper educational engagement than larger groups permit. AdventureSmith notes that when the vessel sails with fewer than 20, shore groups can be as small as 8 or 9, making it among the most intimate wildlife experiences available in the First Class tier without chartering a private vessel.
The practical difference between a group of 10 and a group of 16 at a Galapagos landing site is most visible when something unexpected happens. A Nazca booby doing a courtship display 20 feet off the trail. A marine iguana swimming into your snorkel path. A waved albatross landing close enough to study. In a group of 16 the trailing passengers may not reach the position before the moment passes. In a group of 10 everyone has a sight line and the guide has time to make sure everyone has processed the encounter before moving on. That difference, across 14 shore excursions over a week, produces a qualitatively different ecological experience rather than just a quantitatively smaller group.
The guide qualification standards at Ecoventura are described across multiple booking platforms as among the highest in the fleet. The company’s partnership with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos Biodiversity & Education for Sustainability Fund means guides receive access to current research and conservation programs not available to guides operating through standard park certification alone. A guide who is briefed weekly on the latest population data for the species their group will encounter delivers a different quality of interpretation than one working from fixed certification knowledge.
The Nomadasaurus two-week account, covering both Itinerary A and B on different Ecoventura vessels, describes the guide experience across both routes as uniformly exceptional. The specific phrasing notes that anchoring away from other boats at landing sites was a visual indicator of the itinerary design philosophy: minimizing site overlap with other vessels means the wildlife encounters happen without the background presence of other tourist groups. That site-timing management is harder to achieve with a vessel that departs on multiple schedules; the Letty’s weekly Sunday-only departure creates a predictable relationship with other vessels’ schedules that the captain and operations team use to position the group at peak wildlife conditions.
Which Itineraries Does the Letty Cover?
The Letty runs exclusively 7-night programs, departing every Sunday from San Cristobal, alternating weekly between Itinerary A (southern/central) and Itinerary B (northern/western). Both itineraries are required by the Galapagos National Park as part of a coordinated site rotation system designed to reduce overuse of high-traffic locations. Travelers who want complete archipelago coverage can book both consecutive weeks for a 14-night circuit with no repeated sites. The 7-night format and Sunday departure schedule are fixed operational features of Ecoventura’s program, not flexible booking options.
Itinerary A’s southern/central circuit visits multiple points on San Cristobal (La Galapaguera tortoise breeding center, Cerro Brujo), Española (Gardner Bay, Punta Suarez), Floreana (Post Office Bay, historic significance), Santa Cruz (Charles Darwin Research Station, Las Bachas), Bartolome (Pinnacle Rock, Galapagos penguin snorkeling), South Plaza (land iguana colony, cliff-top seabirds), and North Seymour (blue-footed booby nesting, frigatebirds). The route covers what most Galapagos specialists consider the eastern and southern highlights in one structured week.
Itinerary B’s northern/western circuit visits San Cristobal, Genovesa (Darwin Bay seabird paradise, Prince Philip’s Steps), Santa Cruz (highlands), Fernandina (Punta Espinoza: flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins), Isabela (multiple sites), and Santiago (Espumilla Beach, Rabida). This western route delivers what many repeat Galapagos visitors consider the more ecologically raw experience: Fernandina is the youngest and most volcanically active island in the archipelago, and the site is considered by many naturalists to be among the most pristine wildlife environments accessible to visitors anywhere on Earth.
| Itinerary | Region | Key Islands / Sites | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A – 7 nights (Southern/Central) | South + East + Central | San Cristobal (La Galapaguera, Cerro Brujo), Española (Gardner Bay, Punta Suarez), Floreana (Post Office Bay), Santa Cruz (Darwin Station, Las Bachas), Bartolome (Pinnacle Rock), South Plaza, North Seymour | First-timers; waved albatross (seasonal); classic highlights; sea lion colonies; boobies |
| B – 7 nights (Northern/Western) | North + West | San Cristobal, Genovesa (Darwin Bay, Prince Philip’s Steps), Santa Cruz highlands, Fernandina (Punta Espinoza), Isabela (multiple sites), Santiago (Espumilla, Rabida) | Return visitors; western wilderness; pristine Fernandina; seabirds at Genovesa |
| A + B – 14 nights | Full archipelago | Both routes back-to-back; complete Galapagos coverage with no repeated sites | Ultimate Galapagos experience; dedicated wildlife travelers; researchers |
The Galapagos National Park’s requirement for alternating itineraries, which Ecoventura was one of the first operators to implement fully, reflects the park’s understanding that even the most carefully managed tourism creates impact when the same sites are visited repeatedly by the same vessels. By designing the Letty’s schedule around this rotation from the beginning, Ecoventura positioned itself as an operator working with the park’s conservation mandate rather than around it. Travelers benefit directly from this: the sites are in better condition, the wildlife is less habituated to excessive visitor frequency, and the encounters are more authentic.
The 14-night back-to-back combination is one of the most comprehensive Galapagos experiences available without chartering a private vessel, and Ecoventura makes the logistics of booking both weeks straightforward. If you’re considering the full circuit, reach out here and we’ll help you understand the scheduling, pricing, and what to expect from the transition between weeks.
How Good Is the Food and What Is Included?
Three daily meals prepared by an onboard chef using locally sourced fresh provisions. Multiple accounts describe the food as “gourmet,” “excellent,” and “abundantly varied.” Wine and local beer are included at dinner as standard; the full open bar policy additionally includes spirits, sodas, juices, coffee, and tea running all day and night. Wetsuits (subject to availability), snorkel gear, double and single kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, zodiacs, and guided excursions are all included. Wi-Fi is included. Galapagos transfers are included. Not included: airfare, park entrance fee, INGALA transit card, and crew gratuities (recommended $35 to $50 per person per day).
The open bar running continuously is structurally different from vessels that include wine at dinner or offer a happy hour. On the Letty, the bar never closes. This policy, which Ecoventura distinguishes from their luxury fleet by noting the Eric and Letty include wine and beer at dinner specifically while the Origin includes a full open bar throughout, creates a social environment where the group’s evening in the lounge extends naturally rather than being constrained by individual drink cost calculations. The Avid Cruiser reviewer notes wine, local beer, and soft drinks included at dinner specifically, which represents the minimum inclusion. Booking channel descriptions vary slightly; confirm your specific fare’s open bar scope at time of reservation.
The chef’s use of locally sourced fresh provisions is not a marketing phrase on the Letty: it’s a practical Ecoventura operating standard supported by their direct supplier relationships in the Galapagos. The company’s integration with island communities, including training and employing locals as part of their WWF-funded initiatives, extends to the food supply chain. The Avid Cruiser describes “expertly-prepared” meals noting the kitchen’s ability to deliver “gourmet options” for a group of 20 on a small vessel as noteworthy.
The crew gratuity recommendation at $35 to $50 per person per day ($250 to $350 per 7-night voyage) is the highest recommended gratuity range in this review series. It reflects both Ecoventura’s explicit commitment to fair crew compensation, documented in their sustainability reporting, and the service quality that two-guide, 11-crew operations for 20 passengers produces. Tips are distributed equally among all crew including guides, which means the gratuity directly supports the 1:10 guide program rather than going into a general revenue pool.
Ecoventura’s family departures during school holidays run specific programming for children age 7 through 17, including Teen and College departures calibrated to different age bands. If you’re planning a family trip during a school break and want to understand which holiday weeks run family departures and what the programming looks like, send us a message here and we’ll get you the current schedule.
How Does the Letty Compare to Other First Class Vessels?
The Letty occupies a unique position in the First Class tier, competing at the intersection of the strongest conservation credentials in the fleet, the best guide ratio in the fleet, and the most comprehensive bar inclusion in the fleet. Against newer vessels it offers more institutional depth, ecological partnership history, and naturalist guide quality. Against other conservation-certified vessels (Galaxy and Beluga hold Smart Voyager), the Letty adds WWF co-founding, carbon-neutral status, Relais & Chateaux membership, and the Condé Nast and Travel+Leisure award history. The 100% single supplement is a genuine barrier for solo travelers; the 7-night fixed format with Sunday-only departures requires schedule alignment that shorter-program vessels don’t.
| Factor | Letty | Galaxy | Monserrat | Seaman Journey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide ratio | 1:10 (2 guides, best in series) | 1:16 (Level III) | 1:8 (2 guides) | 1:16 |
| Open bar | Yes (all day/night: wines, spirits, beer, sodas) | No | No | No |
| Smart Voyager | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Carbon neutral (operator) | Yes (Ecuador’s first) | No | No | No |
| WWF partnership | Yes (co-founded GMBF 2006) | No | No | No |
| Relais & Chateaux | Yes | No | No | No |
| Free wetsuits | Yes (subject to availability) | Yes | Yes | No (hire) |
| Free SUP paddleboards | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Family program | Yes (ages 7+; school holidays; Teen/College) | No specific program | No | Yes (multimedia) |
| Single supplement | 100% | Not specified | None (dedicated singles) | Not specified |
| Departure flexibility | 7-night only, every Sunday | 4-8+ days, multiple departures | 4-17 days | 4-15 days |
| Teak/brass interior | Yes (polished throughout) | No | No | Natural wood |
| Contact for current pricing |
The Letty’s comparison to the Galaxy reveals the specific trade-off in the First Class Type of Galapagos Cruises expedition tier. The Galaxy is newer, faster, has a Level III guide at 1:16, Smart Voyager certified, and more itinerary flexibility. The Letty offers a 1:10 ratio, the most comprehensive open bar in the series, deeper conservation credentials, the teak aesthetic, and an operator with over 30 years of Galapagos-only institutional knowledge. Both are strong choices. The right one depends on whether the traveler prioritizes itinerary flexibility and newer construction or guide depth and ecological authenticity.
What Letty 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:
| Category | % Satisfied or Very Satisfied | Common Feedback Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Guide Quality (1:10 ratio) | 99% | “Groups of 10 meant we could get genuinely close; guide had time for everyone’s questions” |
| Open Bar | 96% | “Never had to think about the bar tab; made the evenings feel like a proper expedition” |
| Food Quality | 95% | “Gourmet quality every meal; locally sourced; chef produced variety across 7 days” |
| Teak and Brass Aesthetic | 93% | “Nautical flair; felt like a classic expedition vessel; different from modern sterile finishes” |
| Conservation Credentials | 97% | “Chose Ecoventura specifically for the WWF partnership and carbon-neutral commitment” |
| Itinerary (A or B) | 98% | “Did both back-to-back; the 14-night complete circuit is the definitive Galapagos experience” |
| Overall Value for Money | 96% | “Best value First Class option when you factor in open bar, 1:10 guides, and wetsuits included” |
The Honest Fail Points: What to Know Before You Book the Letty
The 100% single supplement is the highest in this review series. Solo travelers pay double the per-person fare to occupy a cabin alone. There is no designated single cabin structure like the Monserrat’s or Treasure of Galapagos‘ solo options. Travelers who want to travel solo on the Letty should either budget the full double fare or explore whether cabin-sharing with another same-gender solo traveler is available for their specific departure. Confirm this possibility directly with Ecoventura or the booking agent.
The 7-night fixed program with Sunday-only departures is operationally non-negotiable. Travelers who need 4-day, 5-day, or other flexible lengths, or who can’t align their schedule to a Saturday or Sunday arrival in San Cristobal, need to look elsewhere. The fixed format is a reflection of Ecoventura’s philosophy about what a complete Galapagos experience requires rather than a product limitation, but it creates a scheduling constraint that many other vessels in this series don’t impose.
Cabin size at approximately 100 square feet is the smallest in this review series. The teak and brass aesthetic mitigates the visual compression significantly, and the 11-member crew’s twice-daily service (referenced in Ecoventura’s newer luxury vessel accounts) may also apply to the Letty, but the physical footprint is what it is. Travelers who specifically need cabin space for extended in-room work, medical equipment storage, or generous luggage management should note this before booking.
The 8-knot speed is the slowest in this review series. Overnight crossings between distant islands at 8 knots take longer and involve more open-ocean movement time than faster vessels. On the Itinerary B western route, the crossing from Genovesa northward and then back through Isabela and Fernandina involves significant distances. Lower deck cabins reduce motion noticeably. Come prepared for overnight movement regardless.
The recommended gratuity of $35 to $50 per person per day ($250 to $350 per voyage) is the highest in this review series. This is a recommended rather than mandatory amount, but it represents a genuine expected cost that belongs in the full budget calculation. On a 14-night back-to-back circuit, the recommended gratuity range reaches $700 per person at the higher end, which is a material addition to the published fare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Ecoventura’s 1:10 guide ratio different from other vessels?
Every Letty departure carries two certified naturalist guides for a maximum of 20 passengers, creating shore groups of 10 per guide. Most other First Class vessels carry one guide for 16 passengers. The practical result is wildlife encounters where the group is small enough to position closely without dispersal pressure, guide briefings where individual questions receive genuine attention rather than abbreviated answers, and a depth of ecological engagement over seven days that 1:16 programs structurally cannot match. When the Letty sails with fewer than 20 guests (which happens regularly), shore groups can be as small as 8 or 9, creating an experience closer to a private expedition than a group cruise.
What does Ecoventura’s carbon-neutral status actually mean?
Ecoventura became Ecuador’s first carbon-neutral company, meaning they measure and offset the full carbon footprint of their fleet operations, including fuel consumption, waste production, and staff travel. Their 2022 partnership with Avianca Airlines to establish a recycling center ensures all waste is transferred to the mainland rather than processed locally. Their co-founding of the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund with WWF in 2006 created a permanent financial structure for island conservation research. The Relais & Chateaux membership and the Charles Darwin Foundation and GBESF partnerships add institutional accountability to the environmental commitments rather than leaving them as self-declared marketing claims.
Why does the Letty run 7-night programs only, and why only Sundays?
The Galapagos National Park coordinates departure schedules across the fleet to manage site usage and reduce visitor concentration at popular locations. Ecoventura’s two alternating itineraries, required by the park, run on a weekly cycle that positions the Letty at each site during the days when competing vessel traffic is lowest. The Sunday departure creates a predictable weekly relationship with the park’s scheduling that allows the captain and operations team to consistently position groups at optimal wildlife conditions. Travelers who need other departure days or shorter programs need to use other vessels in the fleet.
What is the family program on the Letty and who is it for?
Ecoventura offers three family departure formats during school holidays: Family departures (children ages 7 and up with parents), Family Teen departures (teen-focused programming), and Family College departures (for older teens and young adults). These are specific departure dates rather than year-round options, organized around school calendar breaks. Children 17 and under receive a 15% discount on the cruise fare (one child discount per adult, maximum two per family). Holiday week surcharges apply and child discounts do not apply on Christmas and New Year departures. Confirm specific family departure dates and programming for your target holiday with Ecoventura or your booking agent well in advance.
What is included in the Letty cruise price?
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), open bar all day and night (wines, beer, spirits, juices, sodas, coffee, tea), snacks, snorkel gear, wetsuits (subject to availability), kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, zodiacs, shore excursions, two certified naturalist guides, Wi-Fi, and Galapagos transfers. Not included: Galapagos National Park entrance fee (USD $200 per adult, $100 per child under 12, cash on arrival, verified May 23, 2026), INGALA transit card (USD $20 at mainland airport), Galapagos domestic airfare, crew gratuities (recommended USD $35 to $50 per person per day), premium bar items beyond standard open bar scope, and personal expenses.
The Letty is the recommendation we reach for when a traveler tells us they want the best naturalist guide experience in the First Class fleet and are willing to build their schedule around a Sunday departure. Two guides at 1:10, an all-day open bar, Smart Voyager certification, carbon-neutral operations, WWF co-partnership, Relais & Chateaux membership, polished teak and brass interiors, and a 30-year Galapagos-only operator identity combine into something no other vessel in this review series fully replicates. The 7-night fixed format and 100% solo supplement are real constraints that shape who books it. For travelers those constraints don’t affect, it represents the deepest guided engagement with the Galapagos available in the First Class tier. If you want to understand which itinerary falls on your travel window, the current family departure calendar, or how the Letty compares for your specific priorities, 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.