TL;DR The Aqua Mare is the Galapagos Islands’ first true superyacht: a 164-foot, 7-suite, 16-guest Italian-built vessel operated by Aqua Expeditions, refurbished in 2021 by designer Francois Zuretti. It carries 14 crew plus 2 naturalist guides for a 1:1 crew-to-guest…
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…
Quick Summary The Calipso is a 115-foot First Class motor yacht refurbished in 2019, carrying 16 passengers in 10 cabins, and the only vessel in the Galapagos fleet that rotates weekly between dedicated naturalist itineraries and dedicated liveaboard dive itineraries.…
Quick Summary The Cachalote Explorer is an 88-foot First Class motor yacht originally built in 1988 in Vancouver, Canada for the rough waters of the Pacific Northwest, converted to a Galapagos passenger vessel in 2017 and refurbished in 2018. That…
Quick Summary The Beluga is a 110-foot steel-hulled Superior First Class motor yacht carrying 16 passengers in 8 cabins, one of which converts to a triple for families. At 12 knots it’s one of the fastest vessels in the Galapagos…
Quick Summary The Anahi is a 91-foot First Class motor catamaran built in Ecuador in 2006, carrying 16 guests in 8 cabins: 6 standard main-deck cabins with large portrait windows and wood floors, and 2 upper-deck suites at 25 square…
TL;DR The Galaxy Orion is a 96-foot, 12 to 14-passenger first-class motor yacht, 100% renovated in 2022, operated by Galaxy Expeditions – a locally owned Galapagos family operation with 15+ years in the fleet. Eight en-suite cabins across three decks…
TL;DR The Estrella del Mar is a 75-foot, 16-passenger tourist-superior motor yacht built in 1990 and fully renovated in 2023, operated by G Adventures as part of their Galapagos fleet. Eight bunk-style en-suite cabins split evenly between upper and lower…
TL;DR The Bonita is a 16-passenger motor yacht built in 1991 and fully refurbished in 2019 and 2022, now one of the most modern-feeling tourist-superior vessels in its price range. Nine en-suite cabins across three decks, all with A/C and…
TL;DR The Beagle is a 105-foot English-built steel brigantine from the 1970s, named after Darwin’s ship and carrying 12 to 14 passengers in 7 en-suite cabins at first-class pricing. Family-owned by a local Ecuadorian family, Smart Voyager certified, and the…