Galapagos cruise - Boat selection - Page two

Galapagos boat type

small yacht issues

continued from previous page

More
small yacht
issues

Slow

The typical small yacht is relatively slow. So traveling between islands may take you much longer than you would like.

Hot

Some small yachts are not air-conditioned. This can be uncomfortable during the hot months of January to May.

Zodiacs

Some yachts have such small Zodiacs that they must make two ferrying trips to land a single shore excursion group.

Cruisemates

You risk being trapped in a small boat with strangers who rub you the wrong way for an entire week without any chance of escaping them. On a spacious cruise ship, you can physically avoid such cruisemates.

Naturalist

Chances are you won't have one of the top-rated naturalists (the luxury cruise ships hire them). This means your naturalist's English may not be good enough for you to clearly understand him all the time.

Language

And some crew members may not speak English (or, at least, not sufficiently).

Food

If you have an educated palate, the meals may seem boring, not stimulating.

Noise and vibrations

Most Galapagos boats travel between islands at night. Because cabins on small vessels are usually close to the engines, the noise and vibrations could disrupt your sleep, which your body craves after actively hiking and snorkeling during the day.

Islands

You may not be able to visit the acclaimed western Galapagos Islands of Isabela and Fernandina because they will likely be beyond the range of your small yacht. (On the other hand, small yachts can visit some small sites where larger ships cannot go.)

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Small yacht issues (cont)
Small yacht positives / Sailing ship negatives
Luxury ship positives