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Tierra Verde operates Galapagos cruises aboard two intimate 16-guest yachts: Fragata and Golondrina. This page brings both vessels, their ship profiles and departure dates together so you can compare them before choosing a route. We are independent Galapagos specialists and know the practical differences between these two classic yachts as well as the wider fleet. Ask us about cabins, onboard atmosphere, comfort level, sea conditions or itinerary. You receive the same published fare as booking directly, with independent advice, help arranging flights, hotels and mainland extensions, and the additional safety of booking through a German tour operator.
Tierra Verde's owned and operated fleet consists of two small Galapagos yachts, each carrying up to 16 guests. Fragata is the more spacious tourist-superior option, with eight air-conditioned cabins, a full upper sundeck and a brighter, more polished onboard finish. Golondrina is the simpler tourist-class choice: compact, informal and often attractive to travelers who would rather prioritize the islands and itinerary than extra onboard refinement. Both offer private bathrooms, a bilingual naturalist guide and the social atmosphere of a genuinely small yacht. Compare route and cabin as carefully as category; the more comfortable ship is not automatically the one visiting the places you most want to see.
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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 Tierra Verde, while gaining an independent Galapagos specialist on your side. That independent comparison is useful because these two yachts aim at different comfort priorities. We compare Fragata and Golondrina with one another and with the wider Galapagos fleet, so you can judge the route, cabin, comfort level, deck space and atmosphere on their merits. We can also arrange flights, hotels and mainland extensions around the cruise. Your booking is made with Ventura TRAVEL GmbH and includes the financial protection explained here. Prefer to talk through both yachts? Book a free video consultation.
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Founded in Quito in 1998, Tierra Verde Tours remains an Ecuador-based company. It is licensed by Ecuador's Ministry of Tourism, belongs to the Pichincha Chamber of Tourism and identifies Fragata and Golondrina as the two Galapagos yachts it owns and operates. It also works as a wider Ecuador travel agency, but the fleet shown on this page is deliberately limited to those two operator-owned vessels.
Both yachts follow the protected visitor-site system of the Galapagos National Park, where permits and fixed site schedules shape every cruise. The meaningful difference is therefore not simply which company name is on the booking. It is the combination of route, cruise length, cabin and ship style. Fragata provides a little more space and finish; Golondrina keeps the experience simpler and more budget-conscious. Both keep guest numbers low enough for the vessel to feel social and informal.
Start with the visitor sites and number of nights that matter to you, then choose between the yachts. Our guide to choosing the right Galapagos cruise length explains why short and longer voyages feel fundamentally different. To compare beyond Tierra Verde, use our complete Galapagos cruise search.
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