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Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

West & North Galápagos Cruise

9 Days Galápagos cruise on board the Santa Cruz II

Price: Upon request

West & North Galápagos Cruise

9 Days, Max. 90 passengers

15 Reviews

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A 9-day Expedition Cruise

15 Reviews

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The Trip Highlights

Snorkel with Hammerheads at Darwin Bay

The best snorkeling in Galapagos: Vicente Rock Point

Thousands of Marine Iguanas at Espinosa Point

Scientific insights at C. Darwin Research Station

Galapatours 'Plus' Experience

Excursions that no other ship offers

Amazing experience for children & families

English-speaking guide for all activities

Lectures in the evening

Get to know the highlights of Galápagos with this Naturalist cruise on board the beautiful Santa Cruz II! On this Expedition Cruise, you will discover the incredible wildlife of the Galápagos Islands: Fernandina, the youngest island, will blow your mind with its rugged lava landscapes. The youngest island in the archipelago, it is still being formed by volcanic eruptions and makes for a wonderful, otherworldly contrast to the other islands. During our visit to Floreana, you will have the opportunity for some great dinghy rides, extensive snorkeling, and learning more about the fascinating human history of the Galápagos. On Genovesa, breathtaking dinghy rides, stunning views and close encounters with the most iconic birds of the Archipelago await you. Blue-footed Boobies, Red-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies and many more species can be seen here. Isabela, the biggest of all islands in the Galápagos, offers you fantastic hikes, views and arguably some of the best snorkeling spots in the Archipelago. During your time spent on Rábida, you will have the opportunity to watch wild Flamingos and walk on a blood-red sandy beach. During your time on Santa Cruz, you will have the chance to observe the famous Galápagos Giant Tortoises in the wild and learn more about the preservation and scientific study of these amazing animals. On Santiago, an island formerly inhabited by pirates, you will be able to enjoy hikes and dinghy rides.

Your ship: Santa Cruz II

  • 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 … Read more about Santa Cruz II

Amenities

transfer

Transfers to and from ship

gym

Gym on board

fish

Glass Bottom Boat

snorkeling

Snorkel gear (free of charge)

single bed

Single cabin without supplement

FR guide

French guide possible

footprint

100% CO2 carbon footprint offset

scuba diving

Scuba outing possible

kayak

Kayaks on board

air conditioning

Air conditioning & private bathroom

doctor's suitcase

Doctor on board

connected cabins

Interconnecting cabins

drinks

Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices

DE guide

German guide possible

triple

Triple cabins

EN guide

English guide

children

-25% for children ≤ 12

jacuzzi

Sundeck with jacuzzi

wifi

Internet/Wifi

meal

All meals

Food & Drinks

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.

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise
Baltra
Isabela

Reviews

Ricky Smith

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Great ship and staff Excellent staff and cabins..........great time..........did the 5 day, 4 nights April 2017........plan to return in the future for a longer stay...If you want a great ship and staff book the Santa Cruz II........... Feedback from: https://goo.gl/hRBSdh

Sarahy

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Fabulous cruise! I highly recommend this cruise. The staff and naturalists are outstanding. The food is top notch all 3 meals per day and some of the dinners were truly works of art--coconut fish and crab stuffed fish, for example. The desserts were not at the same level and way too heavy on the mouses, but the meals were so satisfying, it didn't matter. The Galapagos are a treasure and seeing the wildlife was unforgettable. The excursions are well organized and there are often several options (panga ride vs kayak vs snorkel). You really can't get the most out of the trip if you can't walk on uneven ground (including climbing large stone steps, hopping over lava crevices, and dealing with loose gravel) and/or snorkel. This is not a criticism of the cruise, just a warning for those with mobility issues that this might not be the optimal choice. For those of us lucky enough to still have 2 good knees, it was a blast. We saw birds and animals present nowhere else right up close and had plenty of time to take it all in. I hope to come back someday!

LDEE

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

A Grand Adventure As anyone who has travelled on this vessel can tell you, this is not a traditional cruise. It is a port intensive, early wake-up call, adventure to some very unique islands. First, embarkation does not involve issuance of your cruise card -there are none. Instead you are transferred to the dock by very helpful ship-based staff members. Once at the dock, you don your life jacket and head to the ship via "panga." Pangas are zodiacs boats- rubber vessels with flexible flooring and an outboard motor. These pangas, you will soon learn, are an essential part of the cruise. Virtually all the islands lack docks or even approachable landing areas other then some rock formations that allow for a rubber boat to beach. Without the pangas, there is no cruise. In fact, all the ships supplies, and your luggage as well, will be transported via panga. The adventure begins within hours. Each time we boarded a panga in groups (by language) and headed ashore with our naturalist who walked us through the trails and let us know what we were seeing. Each shore visit lasts from about 2.5 hours to about 3.5 hours and there are no bathrooms on most of the islands. Meals are served in the main dining room, buffet at breakfast and lunch, and waiters at dinner. The captain and his staff always have a table in the dining room as well. There are several choices at each meal. At about 300 feet with about 100 cabins, the Santa Cruz II is one the largest vessels in the Galapagos, but you can be back in your cabin from any part of the ship in a matter of seconds. There are no elevators and the stairs are quite steep. Hold on please! Now the magic. Since the animals in the Galapagos are protected by law from people, and since they have no natural predators and are isolated, they have absolutely no fear of people. As a result, the seal will lie in your path and not move. The iguanas will not bite you or even pretend to be aggressive. The birds will not fly away on your approach.

Peter Knight

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Unser Urlaub war etwas ganz Besonderes Der Besuch der Galapagos Inseln war eines der lang ersehnten Once-in-a-lifetime Erlebnisse für mich. Die Crew und der Naturreiseführer von Santa Cruz II haben es zu einem ganz besonderen Urlaub gemacht. Sie haben sich stets bemüht, dass es Allen gut geht und jeder das Beste aus der Zeit auf Galapagos, einem ganz außergewöhnlichen Ort auf dieser Welt, mitnhemen kann. Quelle: https://goo.gl/XEau6E

Peter Knight

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Santa Cruz II made our trip special Visiting the Galápagos Islands was one of those significant and pivotal lifetime events for me and the staff, crew and naturalists of the Santa Cruz II made it all the more special. They went out of their way to ensure everybody got the most out of every aspect of the cruise and this very special part of the world. Feedback from: https://goo.gl/XEau6E

Adam Coulter, UK

Santa Cruz II Galapagos Cruise

Premium

CruiseCritic Review Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015. The five-deck ship looks and feels brand new, from the public areas to the cabins and bathrooms, all of which have been given a stylish, contemporary design by experienced ship designer Richard Nilsson. Santa Cruz II is an expedition ship, not a "cruise" ship in the traditional sense, so do not expect a cruise director, a show every night or a casino. The emphasis is on what you see and experience off the ship. Having said that, you certainly won't be roughing it; the ship offers very high comfort levels, superb food, outstanding guides and excellent facilities. One of the real stand-out aspects is the service, which is unfailingly polite and friendly. It might be a cliche, but the atmosphere is like that of an extended family that welcomes you in. It's not surprising: Most of the crew have been with the company for 10 to 20 (and in one or two cases, 30-plus) years, and all served onboard Santa Cruz. The ship's eco-credentials are second to none. Metropolitan Touring pioneered recycling both on land and at sea, with a program set up in 1979. The environmental message is emphasized at every briefing, there are different bins for recycling in all the public areas, water is all recycled and you are encouraged to reduce and reuse as much as possible.


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