The True Definition of Luxury Cruises in the Galapagos

What makes an experience luxurious in the Galapagos?  

Luxury. What do we consider as being luxurious? Years ago, a hot plate of rice and beans and access to a bathroom in the “middle of nowhere” was more than enough for a Galapagos cruise to claim the title of being a luxury cruise. Then, bit by bit, amenities such as a courtesy toothbrush in your bathroom or a TV in your cabin with cable were added to the concept of being aboard a luxury cruise in the Galapagos.   

Nowadays, all of that simple fare is just standard. The definition of a luxury cruise in Galapagos has, in many ways, followed Darwin’s theory and evolved. Therefore, just as fashion and technology change, luxury is consistently being challenged and refined over the decades. Endorsed by the pioneers of tourism in the Galapagos (with over 60 years of experience), Metrojourneys proudly invites you to redefine your concept of luxury cruises in the Galapagos Islands. Journey with us in this blog to explore our ships and see what, exactly, makes them the most luxurious expedition vessels of today. 

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #1: It’s all about the itinerary 

Swallow-tailled gull soars above a beachside on the Galapagos islands

What good is a luxury cruise if it doesn’t go anywhere? The modern-day definition of a luxury Galapagos cruise depends tremendously on how spectacular the itinerary is. After all, you’re not just moving from point A to point B – you’re experiencing every morsel of the adventure in every activity done and sight seen.

But, with so many different Galapagos cruises available with their distinct itineraries, how exactly do you decide on an itinerary? How do you, in essence, choose the best luxurious, top-of-the-line Galapagos itinerary? Well, you’re in luck! 

At Metrojourneys, we’re just like you. We’re travelers and also want our guests to experience the best so we create our itineraries to not only match but also soar above your expectations. Our aim here is that your experience becomes unquestionably greater than anything you’ve read about in any book or seen in any documentaries.

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #2: The Number of Islands You Visit + Unique Species of Wildlife Witnessed 

Sea lion with Santa Cruz II Cruise in the background

The level of luxury you experience in the Galapagos will be based on just how much you get to see and experience. From the number of islands you visit, to the amount of wildlife your eyes and ears absorb, no trip to Galapagos is complete without significant exposure and coverage in terms of what the islands have to offer.

It’s also important to note that this should be done as efficiently as possible. To cover a wide variety of the archipelago’s excellent diversity, our vessels sail at night. At night, you can go to sleep after having experienced the “older” eastern islands and then, in the morning, embark on a trip to the “younger” islands that are on the western side of the archipelago. But even more importantly, this dynamic of moving throughout the archipelago gives you the chance to tick off a huge amount of the unique wildlife from our BIG15 list of iconic species in the Galapagos. 

That’s why we’ve created varied 4-night itineraries as the bare minimum for each of our vessels. Why? Because, through guest and crew feedback, we’ve established that that’s the minimum number of days needed to guarantee that you will experience everything and have an extraordinary time. None of our vessels ever fall below this minimum tour length. 

Warning: Certain Tour Operators in the Galapagos offer itineraries that are as remarkably short as 3 nights.

While these do offer a slightly smaller dent to one’s budget, calling these tours “luxury” is a slight overstatement, as they just offer a handful of rushed encounters with a few iconic creatures on the main islands. With these shorter itineraries, you are almost always guaranteed to be left wanting more – like a starter plate at a premium restaurant. Our tours aren’t just the starter – they’re the entire meal! 

At Metrojourneys, we endeavor to go beyond our guests’ expectations and send them back home with an unforgettable experience that keeps them retelling their Galapagos stories for years. You can rest assured that, with this factor in mind and by  Galapagos standards, anything over 7 days would be regarded as a highly luxurious experience in the Galapagos.

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #3: Having Select Visitor Sites All to Ourselves 

Yacht Isabella II guests next to some sealions in the Galapagos

With our carefully designed itineraries, about 80-90% of the time guests will be treated to visitor sites that are devoid of any other boats besides ours. With other boats, an encounter with nature (and the information supplied by your guide) is often interrupted by tourists from other boats jostling for the perfect picture – but not with us! This is luxury in its most distinctive form, as enjoying a personal, intimate sliver of this wild and wondrous paradise is a tremendous source of delight for our guests.  

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #4: Providing the Perfect Number of Ways to Appreciate the Biological Complexity of the Galapagos  

Visitors explore the coast of Rabida Island on a Kayak in the Galapagos

Nature-oriented activities enhance our guests’ experience in this magical world. The more nature-oriented experience they have, the closer that brings us to satisfying and going beyond the expectations of our guests. Today, luxury means offering a wide array of options. We can do this as each of our ships is a multi-guided expedition vessel, meaning we can offer more than one activity at a time. Single-guided vessels in the Galapagos only provide one activity per part of the day, so be careful! You can find out more about the difference between single-guided and multi-guided vessels by clicking here. 

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #5: Service & Insight 

Dining on a Luxury Cruise in Galapagos

We have a crew that is exceptionally trained in hospitality, which turns our vessels into small floating palaces. Another interesting fact? Only expedition vessels have Hotel Managers who ensure everything runs smoothly aboard and make sure that all of your requirements are taken care of. We take pride in making you feel at home. 

Also, our knowledgeable expedition staff don’t just want to recite their script and be done with it – they are truly passionate about their home (The majority of our crew and staff are from the Galapagos) and are willing to answer any questions. And, to be perfectly frank, we don’t want you to just leave the  Galapagos feeling like you’ve just ticked it off the list to move on to the next thing. We want you to leave knowing more. This is the definition of Academic Luxury in Galapagos.   

Galapagos Luxury Cruise Factor #6: Food 

Delicious seafood dish by our onboard chef in the Galapagos

Let’s think back to that plate of rice and beans for a second. It’s always important to understand that true cuisine in the Galapagos is a challenge. True luxury in cuisine is appreciating just how far away you are from everything on a boat while being presented with a dish worthy of royalty.   

Note: The Galapagos Islands aren’t just “off the coast” of Ecuador – they are actually VERY far away. To put it in perspective, TWO more Ecuador-sized nations could fit between the Galapagos and mainland Ecuador! 

Metrojourneys makes the Galapagos a place where every bite taken, every encounter experienced, and every smile from a staff member is pure luxury, where everything is effortlessly delivered.