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Metropolitan Touring has been shaping organized travel in Ecuador and the Galapagos since 1953. It became a pioneer of organized Galapagos travel in the 1960s and is described in published histories as the first company to promote organized visits to the islands abroad. Today, Metropolitan Touring owns and directly operates its three Galapagos vessels: La Pinta, Santa Cruz II and Isabela II. The same group also owns and operates the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel on Santa Cruz, making cruise-and-land combinations unusually coherent.
This page brings the complete Metropolitan Touring fleet and its current departure dates together. We are independent Galapagos specialists, so we can explain the real differences between the three ships, compare them with the wider fleet and help you decide whether a small yacht, a larger expedition ship or a land-and-cruise combination fits your plans. You receive the same published fare as booking directly, with independent advice, help arranging flights, hotels and extensions, and the additional safety of booking through a German tour operator. At a glance, La Pinta and Santa Cruz II are Luxury vessels, while Isabela II is First Class.
Metropolitan Touring's three vessels cover two clearly different comfort categories. La Pinta is Luxury and carries up to 48 guests: choose her for generous cabins, family-friendly connecting options and a polished expedition setup. Santa Cruz II is also Luxury, but at up to 90 guests she offers the broadest choice of cabins, shared spaces and simultaneous activities. Isabela II is First Class and carries up to 40 guests, giving you a more intimate yacht atmosphere with a strong range of guided land and water activities.
The category is a useful starting point, not the whole decision. Compare the route, cabin, activity pattern and group structure as well. A larger Luxury ship can be the better fit for families or travelers who value choice, while a First Class yacht may suit someone who wants a smaller social setting. Ask us to compare all three with the rest of the Galapagos fleet.
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Booking through Galapatours does not add a markup. Our Best Price Guarantee means you receive the same published fare as booking directly with Metropolitan Touring, while gaining an independent specialist on your side. That independent comparison is especially useful here because the fleet ranges from 40 to 90 guests. We compare Isabela II, La Pinta and Santa Cruz II with one another and with the wider Galapagos fleet, so you can judge route, cabin, guide-group size, activity options and onboard atmosphere on their merits. We can also arrange flights, hotels and land extensions around the cruise. Your booking is made with Ventura TRAVEL GmbH and includes the financial protection explained here. Prefer to talk through the three ships? Book a free video consultation.
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Metropolitan Touring is an Ecuadorian destination specialist with more than seven decades of experience. Founded in 1953, it helped establish organized tourism to the Galapagos and has continued to build its own operation there. The company owns and directly operates La Pinta, Santa Cruz II and Isabela II, as well as the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel on Santa Cruz. That combination of ships, guides, hotel and destination infrastructure gives it unusually direct control over the guest experience.
Its stated philosophy has moved from simply reducing harm to regenerative travel: tourism should contribute to ecosystems and communities, not only extract from them. Metropolitan Touring says its operations have been carbon neutral since 2017 and currently combines emissions measurement and a regenerative fee with conservation, waste reduction, education and local sourcing. Its 2025 sustainability reporting states that 40% of food and provisions purchased for the Galapagos vessels and Finch Bay came from local suppliers, while 89% of the Finch Bay team are Galapagos residents. These are the kinds of operational details we look for when assessing a sustainability story.
The three ships still offer very different ways to experience the islands. Start with the route and the places you most want to see, then weigh Luxury versus First Class, guest numbers, cabin layout and onboard rhythm. Our specialists can compare Metropolitan Touring with the wider Galapagos cruise fleet, explain the trade-offs and help arrange the right combination of cruise, hotel and mainland travel.
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