Monserrat Galápagos Cruise

Equinox

\- Brand new refit for 2019; \- Great food buffets; \- All cabins have ocean view Equinox is an 88ft expedition Yacht, formerly known as "Galaven" that has just undergone a superb refit ready for the 2019 season. The beautiful yacht is a prime example of a mid-range vessel and represents excellent value for money. In fact, when still operating as "Galaven", the Equinox was our absolute bestseller! **Single traveler friendly **Equinox features 11 lovely double cabins, each with a private en suite bathroom and airconditioning. Unusually for a mid-range vessel, the layout of Equinox means that every cabin has an ocean view and is filled with natural light. Also, there are multiple cabins for single travelers! The decor throughout is timeless “ocean steamer” style and we always feel at home when we come on board, as you will. The communal areas on Equinox are excellent. The large, open-plan lounge and dining areas are charming and make relaxed socialising easy, and the traditional long bar is a focal point. There is good space outside, with a lovely covered sun deck - or for those seeking the sun or the stars you can move up to the open foredeck and drink in the endless skies. **Relaxed eating** The food on Equinox is delicious and plentiful! Served in an “all-you-can-eat” buffet style this really promotes the friendly onboard atmosphere and after a tough day snorkeling or walking it’s great to be able to load up with delicious food and eat in a more relaxed ambiance. Lots of typical Ecuadorian food is available, and always plenty of fruits, juices and vegetarian options. The crew will meet you back on board after excursions with light snacks and drinks, which is always very welcome. **Great guides and crew **With 11 crew for 20 guests you’re always well looked after. There are always 2 bilingual National Park guides on board to give you the benefit of their combined years of experience and they make good use of the large-screen projector on board to give excellent briefs about your trip and excursions. Snorkelling trips are a particular highlight, and Equinox can supply snorkel gear if you are unable to bring your own. **Our comments **The small groups are fantastic and make the Equinox one of our favourite mid-range vessels, even more now, after her 2017 refit. We love the decor with it’s clean yet romantic “days of steam” look. We always enjoy the relaxed atmosphere aboard and the large and comfortable lounge spaces make our trips very sociable.

Xavier III

- National flights + Hotels before cruise included; - Excellent value ship; - More spacious than most in class; - Free snorkel and wetsuit hire; - Highly rated crew. Sometimes choosing a Galápagos cruise that is more towards the budget end means sacrificing some comforts and making some compromises like bunk beds or no private bathroom. The Xavier III bucks this trend by offering spacious, comfortable accommodation and really pleasant surroundings at a superb price point. When you combine this with a really friendly crew who consistently get great feedback from guests, you’ve got a fantastic option to see the best of Galápagos. Cosy cabins with twin beds No bunk beds here! The Xavier III has eight lovely cabins, all with proper twin beds. You have a choice of lower or upper decks. Upper deck cabins enjoy large windows providing a lovely view, but for those prone to motion sickness we recommend the lower deck cabins where the ship’s motion is not felt so much. You don’t have to worry about the lower deck cabins being dark on a Xavier III cruise as they have traditional portholes that let natural light in. Like all the cabins, they are also well decorated in light color shades and have a really airy feel. Every cabin enjoys a private bathroom with hot shower, and each is equipped with air conditioning for your comfort. They all have storage for your clothes and personal items. Relaxed, comfortable, communal The rest of the ship has a lovely relaxed feel. The main lounge is edged by comfortable communal couches, and is the perfect place to relax with a drink and relive your Galápagos adventures with fellow guests, or to listen to an inspiring talk from your expert naturalist guide about the Galápagos islands, their wildlife and habitats. Outside there are two sundecks, one shaded on the main deck, and one open to the full equatorial sun on the upper deck. This last is an absolutely perfect place to come as darkness falls, and simply lie on one of the comfortable loungers whilst watching the stars come out in the stunning Galápagos night sky - a “must do” on any Xavier III cruise! Eat, drink and be merry Xavier III’s chef cooks a wide range of tasty and filling local and international dishes, all freshly prepared using local ingredients. You can enjoy your meals in the dining room, filled with light from its panoramic windows, as well as enjoying snacks on the sundeck. You won’t go hungry on this Galápagos cruise! The lounge also houses the ship’s bar, which is well stocked with local and imported beers, wines and liquors. You can even enjoy a cocktail or two. Snorkel masks, fins and snorkels are yours to enjoy at no charge, as are wetsuits - usually an additional charge item on most vessels of this class in the Galápagos cruise fleet. The wonderful Galápagos Of course all this is a bonus when compared to seeing first hand the wonders of the Galápagos islands themselves. Xavier III offers a range of cruise itineraries, including five and eight day cruises, as well as the very popular extended 12 and 15 day options, for those who want to make the very most of their time cruising the Galápagos. Your on-board naturalist guide will give daily briefings about the next day’s locations, their history and geology, as well as the plants and animals you are likely to encounter on your Xavier cruise. The various itineraries take in different parts of the archipelago, so if you need help finding the perfect one for you, simply contact one of our Galápagos experts today and we’ll advise you. Our thoughts We have a soft spot for a cruise on Xavier III. We really like that she doesn’t force you to choose bunks for your budget-friendly Galápagos experience, and her lovely lounge is one of our favorites among all the ships in this class. Guests frequently comment on the great service they receive on board, and unlike other ships in this price range you have a really good choice of itineraries, showing you the very best of the Galápagos. Oh and they have free wetsuit hire - something most of the first class and luxury boats could learn from!

Estrella del Mar

- Great value option; - Comfortable accommodation; - Great reviews for the chef; - Wide range of itineraries. Estrella Del Mar offers an excellent option for those who want to cruise the Galápagos in comfort, but are prepared to sacrifice some top end luxury for excellent value. Built in 1990, Estrella uses her space cleverly, so that she never feels crowded. Limited to a maximum of 16 guests, you’ll have a great experience as you cruise between stunning sites of interest around the Galápagos. Comfortable Cabins Estrella Del Mar has eight cabins, four on the lower deck, and four on the upper. All are set up as “twin bunk” type, and all feature en suite bathrooms and air conditioning for your comfort. If you are prone to motion sickness, then we recommend one of the four lower deck cabins, where the ships movement is felt the least. Despite being on the lower deck, these are light and airy thanks to larger than usual porthole-style windows and the well-chosen decor, and a lovely place to rest after a day spent exploring the Galápagos. The upper deck cabins feature larger windows offering lovely vistas when you wake in the morning. Whatever cabin you choose, the onboard housekeeper will make up your room several times a day as required, and as well as towels for use in your bathroom, all guests receive beach towels perfect for drying off after snorkeling and swimming as well as taking with you on beach excursions - a favorite part of any Galápagos cruise. Space to be Social Estrella del Mar’s communal spaces are all about relaxed socialising. The lounge area features beautiful polished wood decor and panoramic windows, but the centrepiece is the huge horseshoe-shaped communal couch. This is a perfect area for relaxing in comfort in the evenings, as well as listening to the fascinating briefings on the Galápagos islands and wildlife given by your expert naturalist guide. You’ll also find a cosy bar here, offering local and imported beers, wines and spirits, as well as cocktails. The dining area continues the beautiful wood theme, and is set up informally with comfortable tables each seating four guests. Food on board is a delicious mix of international and local dishes, served both buffet and menu style. The chef on board is consistently praised by guests, and uses only the freshest local ingredients to make sure you won’t go hungry during your memorable Estrella del Mar Galápagos cruise! Outside there is a pleasant sundeck that offers a shaded area, as well as comfortable lounging in the full glare of the equatorial sun. This is a perfect place to watch the Galápagos islands slide by, or to come to at night and watch the amazing spectacle that is the stars coming out over the Galápagos. Choice of stunning itineraries Estrella has a wide choice of seven day and ten day cruise itineraries, carefully chosen to allow you to experience the unspoilt wonder of many of the Galápagos islands and their wildlife. Estrella’s cruise crew includes a highly-qualified bilingual Galápagos National Park naturalist, who will guide you on every excursion, and can answer any questions you have about the geology, geography, habitats and wildlife you will see. Included in your Estrella cruise package is use of snorkeling gear on board, including complimentary wetsuit hire - an additional charge on most other vessels. Snorkeling and swimming with the Galápagos marine life are just some of the wonderful excursions you will enjoy, as well as wet and dry landings on some of the most unspoilt islands in the world. Our thoughts Choosing a Galápagos cruise on board Estrella Del Mar is, in our view, selecting the perfect mix between comfort and value. With lots of communal space and bunk cabins, Estrella feels a lot bigger than she actually is. We love the sun deck - it’s the perfect place to absorb the sights and sounds of Galápagos, and we can’t praise the chef highly enough - we think his cooking is better than some much more expensive Galápagos cruise ships we’ve visited! For travellers who are budget-conscious but don’t want to sacrifice some creature comforts and great service, this is the perfect option.

Fragata

This 75ft motor yacht is one of the few owner-operated vessels in the Galápagos fleet, and that means there’s a relaxed and family feel to cruises on Fragata. Although the islands and their wildlife are always the stars of the show, the crew make sure that you’ll have a wonderful time on board. Fragata’s crew take pride in their vessel, and this is reflected in her lovely bright and comfortable decor. The communal areas feature plenty of beautiful honey-colored natural wood blended with bright and fresh soft furnishing and fabrics. The main lounge area is made for socializing with three sides taken up with a huge, plush sofa - a perfect place to relax with a drink from the yacht’s bar, or to listen to wonderful talks from the yacht’s bilingual naturalist guide. There’s a large TV with DVD player and a music system for everyone to enjoy. The dining room is also designed to reflect this boat’s friendly ambiance, with two large oval tables meaning meals with new friends are the perfect way to share your day’s adventures. Cabins on Fragata are placed over two of the 4 decks and provide a choice of twin and double accommodation. All cabins have individual air conditioning, a private en suite bathroom with full-size shower, and are fitted with beautiful wood floors and fittings, and bright and airy wall finishes and fabrics. Sun-worshippers and wildlife spotters will appreciate Fragata’s full size upper sun-deck with comfortable loungers that you can place under the ample shade canopy or lie back in the full sun. Snorkeling in Galápagos is a must-do activity, and Fragata carries full snorkeling equipment for you to enjoy, with wet suit hire on request. She also benefits from a diving platform at the rear, which makes entering and leaving the water easy for everyone, and makes another perfect spot for relaxing and watching the world go by. With a maximum of 16 guests at any one time on board, Fragata’s 8 person crew gives everyone great levels of service. Her dedicated bilingual naturalist guide will take you on a fantastic variety of excursions on land and in the water and is on hand at all times to answer your questions and to provide expert insights into the marine and land ecology of Galápagos Fragata is a beautifully maintained owner-run yacht with one of the more experienced crews in the Galápagos with over 20 years experience. The boat always has a really friendly and relaxed feel and the crew always seem to go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience on board and during excursions. We think Fragata is a great value-for-money Galápagos cruise experience.