Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

A small yacht with unusually personal guiding and active days.

A Galápagos Cruise on board the Monserrat

65 Reviews

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What we love about the Monserrat

Two guides keep shore visits to about eight guests per guide.

Included kayaks, paddleboards and wetsuits make active days easy.

Single and triple cabins help solve real Galapagos rooming puzzles.

+31

Monserrat is one of those yachts we like because the practical details work for real travelers, not just for brochures. She carries 16 guests, but the guiding setup is unusually personal: two naturalist guides on board mean shore visits and snorkel outings can feel closer, calmer and easier to follow. That matters in the Galapagos, where a good guide can turn a quick glance at a marine iguana, frigatebird or lava field into the moment you remember most.

The ship has a relaxed, active rhythm. Between island walks and panga rides, you can use the included kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, wetsuits and snorkeling gear, then return to a sundeck, lounge, dining room and Jacuzzi-style deck space that feel informal rather than showy. The cabin layout is also genuinely useful: two triple cabins can work well for families or friends, while two lower-deck single cabins can be a strong option for solo travelers when available.

Choose Monserrat if you want a small Galapagos yacht with good guiding density, flexible cabin options and plenty of ways to be in the water. She is not the right match if you want a very polished luxury catamaran, private balconies everywhere or a quiet adults-only feel. For travelers who value access, activity and a friendly onboard atmosphere, she deserves a serious look.

Dates & Prices on board the Monserrat

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Amenities on board the Monserrat

Wetsuits

Internet/Wifi

Butler Service

Sundeck with jacuzzi

Travel for good: Each booking supports Ventura's Conservation Project.

Air conditioning & private bathroom

Kayaks on board

Standup paddle boards

Single cabin without supplement

Triple cabins

Snorkel gear (free of charge)

Transfers to and from ship

Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices

All meals

English guides

-15% for children ≤ 11

Food & Drinks on board the Monserrat

Food on Monserrat is part of the friendly, informal rhythm of the yacht. Expect full-board meals after active landings and snorkel sessions, with the added charm of onboard cooking and cocktail demonstrations. We like this because it makes dining feel less anonymous: meals become a moment to compare wildlife sightings, ask questions and settle into the small-group atmosphere.

Sustainable Tourism

Monserrat’s sustainability strength is scale and behavior rather than a high-tech eco label. With only 16 guests, two naturalist guides and included low-impact activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling, the ship keeps the Galápagos experience close to nature and carefully guided by park rules. It is a small-yacht way to travel respectfully, with visitor-site discipline at the center.

Cabins categories on board the Monserrat

Upper Deck Twin/Mat Cabin

Type:

Double/Matrimonial (convertible)

Max. occupancy:

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Lower Deck Double Cabin

Type:

Double

Max. occupancy:

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Lower Deck Triple/Double Cabin

Type:

Double/Matrimonial (convertible)

Max. occupancy:

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Upper Deck Double Cabin

Type:

Double

Max. occupancy:

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Technical details of Monserrat

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Type

Small Yacht

Main Engines

2x Detroit Diesel

Beam

6.6 m / 22 ft

Draft

2.2 m / 7 ft

Capacity

16 Electricity

110 V

Cruising speed

12 noeuds

Length

30 m / 91 ft

Reviews of Monserrat

Kimberly L

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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Our 3 night cruise was an incredible experience on the Monteserrat. We loved our boat crew and our guides Javier and Yaz were energetic and personable. We were so impressed by their knowledge of the Galapagos species and history. I would highly recommend Cristina who was a super helpful travel planner through Galapatours! It’s difficult to choose just one activity because each island was beautiful in its unique way. Snorkeling is the so much fun and we were able to see so many sea lions, sharks, rays, and turtles.

kaethe S

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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Everything was organized perfectly. The boat was nice not super fancy, but comfortable and clean. The food was healthy and tasty. My only complaint is that I ate too much ! I loved Genovesa island and the diversity of the birds there. I also loved the giant tortoises. There was plenty of snorkeling, and one of the highlights was seeing a hammerhead shark. The second snorkeling highlight was swimming for probably half an hour with a playful sea lion. The guides were great as was the staff. If you are susceptible to sea sickness, I would recommend a lower cabin. We did not have one and my daughter did not feel well most of the trip. It is very rocky at night while the ship is moving and you are trying to sleep. We used scopolamine patches and wore Relief Bands and that seemed to help a lot. https:/reliefband.com Overall fantastic trip.

Marcin L from London

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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We had a great experience on board of Monsserat with jam packed itinerary for hiking and snorkelling every day. Do not bother to book single days for excursions. Cruise is the way to explore Galapagos and especially on boat of Monserrat. We did A and B and it was totally amazing, especially itinerary A. Thank you Pablo, Javier, Naldo, Chef Daniel , Ricky, Janina, Kevin, El Capitan, Alina, Giovanni for your hospitality! Knowledgeable guides made this trip very informative especially Pablo and his passion for birds and animals in general was amazing. Javier was amazing in the water spotting variety of marine life. Thank you again team Monsserat! Cynthia from Galapatours made booking easy and I wanted to thank her again for great service.

Luca A

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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Amazing trip in Galapagos Islands. Many activities: snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, cooking class. All of these on board on the beautiful Monserrat.

Sandra L of Eagle River

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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The Galápagos Islands are so natural. There are sea lions, birds and iguanas everywhere. Our guide was from the islands and was very informative. All transfers from the ship are by dinghy to the islands and it is an easy process with lots of help. Plan to get lots of exercise between hiking on somewhat uneven terrain and snorkeling. Snorkeling was nice in some areas and a couple of times it was poor with little to see and lots of current. Kayaks were nice. The ship Monserrat was excellent with amazing staff, good food and friendly guest. Don’t overpack as you can rinse out your cloths and hang them on a line on the upper deck. Hitomi Kamimura was our travel guide and provided more than excellent service! She was available by email to answer all questions and make suggestions as needed. Her responses were detailed and timely. The trip transfers were very smooth. We used Wyndham Hotel near the airport in Guayaquil for the before and after accommodation. They provided transport to and from the airport and had excellent rooms and guest service. The trip was very educational and a place I am glad we were able to visit and experience the culture. Sandy from Wisconsin

L.Rodríguez

Monserrat Galapagos Cruise

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Great Staff, guides, service. All the team did a great job. We felt safe and enjoyed the experience fully.

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