Santa Cruz II Galápagos Cruise

• Purpose-built adventure vessel, perfect for Galápagos;
• One of the most family-friendly cruises;
• Cordon-Bleu trained chefs offer some of the best cuisine afloat;
• Exclusive excursions - visit places other boats simply can’t.

The Santa Cruz II is a large, modern and purpose-built ship for adventurous travel to remote places. With only 50 cabins spread over 5 decks she’s one of the top 5 vessels in the region for passenger space, and this means you can have all the modern amenities of a larger boat and yet still have an intimate and personal adventure. With a 3:2 guest to crew ratio and an enviable reputation for superb food, you’ll experience the very best levels of service on board. This also extends to your excursions, where the Santa Cruz II typically takes guests in groups of 11 or 12 per naturalist guide, rather than the Galápagos standard of 16. On Santa Cruz II you simply get more of everything.

Modern Sophistication The Santa Cruz II is simply stunning. Her contemporary decor is heavily influenced by Scandinavian design - clean lines, light-colored woods, bright neutral fabrics can furnishings. Despite taking a maximum of only 90 guests, the Santa Cruz II looks and feels like the quality you’d expect from a full size cruise liner.

The Panorama Bar and Lounge is filled with light from floor-to-ceiling windows along all sides allowing you to relax with a pre-dinner drink in comfort and still see everything the Islands offer. The Expedition Lounge and Library is an oasis of calm, with cozy leather sofas and rich decor for you to sink into. The beautiful teak-decked solarium features 2 superb Jacuzzi hot tubs and offers breathtaking views and a place to soak up the sun or gaze at the stars. Even the ship’s gym has stunning wood paneling and amazing views.

Ultimate family friendly adventure If you want to travel as a family we don’t believe there’s any better choice than the Santa Cruz II. Every expedition hosts dedicated children’s events in an open multi-purpose room at the starboard side of the ship. Every young adventurer gets to join the “Pirates Aboard” program which includes their very own kit with multiple family-friendly activity ideas. The ship’s library contains several family games and puzzles, and child-sized meals are served to a kid-friendly schedule.

But beyond that, Santa Cruz II offers the chance for younger explorers to get fully involved. Children have an opportunity to learn to snorkel thanks to the extra naturalist guide on board. The ship also lays on special panga rides just for the youngest adventurers. And for the best behaved, the Captain will give a guided tour of the bridge!

Fine dining in fine surroundings Aboard the Santa Cruz II food is an experience, not just a fuel. Her dedicated Director of Gastronomy Byron Rivera (a graduate of the Cordon-Bleu school) guides the preparation of delicious and elegant Ecuadorian and international cuisine. The menus always feature fresh local fish and locally grown fruit and vegetables. As much of the food as possible is sourced locally, and where possible it’s organic. The chefs are all passionate about what they do, and that’s reflected in the beautiful presentation. You have the option of enjoying your meals indoors in the tasteful Beagle Dining Room or outside in the ocean air on the Panorama Deck.

Activities and excursions for a lifetime of memories Santa Cruz II’s team of experienced Guides build fantastic itineraries to make sure that you always see the very best of the wildlife and local habitats. Snorkeling and sea kayaking are available, as are trips on the ship’s own glass-bottomed boat. Land excursions include some exclusive destinations not available to 99% of the other boats in the Galápagos fleet.

Home away from home A range of cabins and suites are available, including single occupancy cabins. All feature picture windows, air conditioning, en suite bathroom with shower, hair dryers and Scandinavian-inspired decor. Family cabins are also available. Generous suites offer more space, double windows and luxurious fittings and furnishings, with extra touches like bathrobes and slippers for your comfort.

Our comment The experienced crew is led by Captain Christian, who we discovered worked for many years in Germany previously. Looking after your every need will be hotel manager Macario, one of the most experienced in the Galápagos with over 10 years operating on cruises. Heading up the kitchen is chef Marco, from Austria, we leads a brigade of 7, including a dedicated pastry chef! Marco's team serve up delicious breakfast and lunch buffets, and for dinner you will have a choice of up to 4 options per course from the menu.

You get lots of extra facilities on this vessel including two clothes dryers for guests to use and, unusually, internet connection is available for $46 per device - although worth noting that premium cabins include this service in their pricing. When we were there, they had just finished converting the sun deck into a beautiful and bright lounge area.

One thing we did like is the fact that guide briefings are held in different languages, each with its own room. You can choose one in your language and not have to wait for everything to be translated 2 or 3 times as happens on other boats. A nice touch.

For family adventuring, this is the ship to choose. Younger members of your party will be treated like princes and princesses and they will have plenty of space and activities to keep them happy all day. For couples or solo travelers, the Santa Cruz II offers unbeatable amenities, wonderful food, exclusive adventure excursions and superb service levels. Our favorite of the larger boats in Galápagos.

At Galapatours we love and respect the pristine ecosystems and fascinating wildlife of the Galápagos Islands, and we insist that our cruise partners do too. To protect the archipelago all our cruise vessels must have sophisticated water filtration systems, modern efficient engines, and strict maintenance schedules to minimize pollution.

The Galápagos National Park authority also defines exact cruising routes that dictate which ships can visit highlights at specific times, as well as limiting passenger numbers. These measures ensure that animals and habitats are not disturbed by too many visitors.

But at Galapatours we like to go even further. We voluntarily offset all the CO2 emissions of every cruise we sell - at no cost to you. And you can also play your part by traveling responsibly and following our Eco Guidelines during your stay. Click here to find out more about these guidelines, our commitment to sustainable tourism, and the Galápagos National Park rules.

The food on our Galapágos Cruises is among the very best you will find in South America. Most of the on-board chefs are internationally trained and have prior experience working in the best hotels and restaurants in Ecuador and indeed around the world.

You can expect a first-class selection of food, including a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, locally sourced poultry and fish/seafood, rice and pasta dishes. Most boats will always include some typical Ecuadorian dishes on the menu during your cruise. If you have specific dietary requirements then these can usually be accommodated by the chef providing you have given advance notice. Please make sure you tell us about any allergies or dietary requirements you have at the time you book with us. If you leave it until you arrive at the dockside, then it may well be impossible to accommodate your needs.

Most boats serve a range of options at meal times in a relaxed buffet-style. At the first class and luxury end of the market, some boats have more formal dining where you will be served at your seat. However the atmosphere is always relaxed on board our cruises, and never stuffy or formal.