Boat selection tips
Galapagos Islands

 

The most common mistake

Booking a yacht when a luxury cruise ship would better suit you - or vice versa.

Learn my candid tips and insights presented below before you choose your boat.

Yacht issues

Many vacation-planners get carried away with a mistaken romantic notion of what sailing on a small yacht in the Galapagos entails.

What you need to know
about small yachts

Note: They carry 8 to 25 passengers, with 16 being the average.

Small yachts rock noticeably more than large cruise ships - both when moored and when traveling on the open sea between islands. This could make you seasick, which would spoil your vacation.
Although catamaran yachts rock less than conventional yachts, they rock appreciably more than Galapagos cruise ships.
Cabins and public spaces are cramped, beds are narrow, bunks are a possibility, bathrooms are tiny, and toilets might have to be shared, and loss of electricity and hot water are not uncommon.
Cabin storage space is typically minuscule.
Open deck space for sunbathing or sitting and relaxing is minimal.
The typical small yacht is relatively slow. So traveling between islands may take you much longer than you would like.
Some small yachts are not air-conditioned. This can be uncomfortable during the hot months of January to May.
Some yachts have such small Zodiacs that they must make two ferrying trips to land a single shore excursion group.
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.
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.
And some crew members may not speak English (or, at least, not sufficiently).
If you have an educated palate, the meals may seem boring, not stimulating.
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.
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.)

Not booking a small yacht
when it would better
suit your needs

When a small yacht makes sense:

You want to focus on diving (dive boats are never large).
Your priority is snorkeling, not land wildlife viewing. Although most Galapagos ships and yachts provide frequent snorkeling opportunities (and sometimes the snorkeling gear), some small yachts focus most of their time on snorkeling.
Other advantages: Small boats create more of a sense of adventure. They can enter shallower waters. They usually (but not always) have fewer people in a shore excursion group. Their onboard activities are less regimented.
Most small yachts are considerably cheaper than cruise ships. If you can only afford their fares, go ahead and book one of those boats despite the disadvantages. It's better to experience the marvelous Galapagos Islands than never at all.

What some small yacht
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. Megaships accommodate 2,000 passengers, Galapagos cruise ships host 100 or fewer. Megaships cater to mainstream travelers, Galapagos cruise ships to sophisticated travelers. Megaships are onboard entertainment oriented, Galapagos cruise ships offer minimal entertainment.

Luxury cruise ship
advantages

They have roomier, more comfortable, and visually pleasing cabins and public spaces (dining room, lounge, and decks).
Cabins have considerably more storage space.
Cruise ships rock significantly less in the water than do other cruise vessels.
Your cruisemates will likely be better educated and well-traveled.
You will have top-grade (level 3) naturalists.
The crew in general will be more professional, accommodating, and fluent in English.
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).
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.
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?

Sailing boat
issues

They are narrow beamed by design. These means they rock easily. And cabins and public spaces (including outdoor decks) are small and cramped.
The Galapagos Islands are not sail friendly because it's normally not windy enough. Sails are used more for show than sailing - and sometimes they are unfurled only on the first day as you leave port. The propeller does the real work.

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©2010 HQP / Hillman Quality Publications