Luxury
cruise ship
advantages

Facilities

They have roomier, more comfortable, and visually pleasing cabins and public spaces (dining room, lounge, and decks).

Storage

Cabins have considerably more storage space.

More stable

Cruise ships rock significantly less in the water than do other cruise vessels.

Cruisemates

They will likely be better educated and well-traveled.

Naturalists

You will have top-grade (level 3) naturalists.

Crew

The crew in general will be more professional, accommodating, and fluent in English.

Landings

Large cruise ships often offer their passengers a choice of activities and trail intensities during a single landing (on many small ships there is no alternative activity - everybody does the same activity).

Sleep

You sleep deeper and longer on a large cruise ship. This means you will likely be more alert and be in better physical condition to enjoy the next morning's shore excursion.

Amenities

Luxury cruise ships offer dozens of vacation-enriching amenities unavailable on small crafts. Enjoy them. After all, isn't this supposed to be your vacation?

Don't be misled by what
some small Galapagos yacht
owners and captains say
about luxury cruise ships

They pooh pooh Galapagos cruise ships to make their passengers "feel fortunate" for being aboard a small vessel. For instance, they paint the picture that being on a Galapagos cruise ship is akin to vacationing on a megaship.

There's no comparison:

Passenger count

Megaships accommodate 2,000 passengers, Galapagos cruise ships host no more than about 100.

Type of cruiser

Megaships cater to mainstream travelers, Galapagos cruise ships to sophisticated travelers.

Activity orientation

Megaships are onboard entertainment oriented, Galapagos cruise ships offer minimal entertainment. Their focus is nature.

Click for critiques

Small yacht issues
Small yacht issues (cont)
Small yacht positives / sailing ship negatives

Best 5 islands

Best Galapagos ships by category
Boat type - pros & cons
Itinerary tips
Cost and booking tips

Best time to go
Getting there tips
Packing tips
Snorkeling tips
Diving tips
Some more helpful tips

Top 5 land & shore wildlife
Top 5 birds
Top 5 marine life

Charles Darwin - Brief bio
Interesting Galapagos facts
Celebrity Xpedition

 

Ecuador Ministry of Tourism

 

World's Top 100 Wonders
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