What to Expect on a Luxury Galápagos Cruise

There’s no place on earth like the Galápagos Islands. Home to an incredible ecosystem and a stunning landscape, it is an unforgettable adventure. However, it’s not the best place for solo excursions.

The best way to see the Galápagos Islands is on a cruise!

On my trip, I took a luxury cruise with Ecoventura. A leader in sustainable travel with an ultra-knowledgeable team, this company checked all of the boxes. Its new vessel, the MV Origin, is the perfect spot to relax and explore the Galápagos.

Here’s what you can expect on a luxury Galápagos cruise!

Gourmet Meals

Forget about premade “travel” food. The expert chefs at Ecoventura only use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. There’s a great selection of food onboard and the open bar has local craft beers, wine, and all of your fave cocktails.

I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and I loved every meal!

Breakfast and lunch were both served buffet-style with beverage service and dinner was always a delicious 4-course meal with different options for every palette.

Luxury Onboard Experience

A luxury Galápagos cruise is like staying in a five-star hotel. The rooms are cleaned twice a day and there’s turndown service each night. Ecoventura offers fully loaded Apple TVs with a good selection of music and movies.

There’s a library to explore and educate yourself on the species and history of the Galápagos. It also has a good-size gym for catching a quick workout as well as a Jacuzzi for relaxing in afterward.

The other great thing is that the ship never shuts down.

You have twenty-four-hour access to snacks and beverages so you don’t feel like you’re confined to your room after a certain point in the evening.

Water Activities

Of course, you have to enjoy the water on an ocean cruise. Ecoventura is fully stocked with paddle boards, kayaks, and snorkeling gear, so there is always plenty to do. The Galápagos Islands are a dream location for exploring…

and you’ll definitely want to take every opportunity to get into the water.

We were able to snorkel with sea lions, sea turtles and all sorts of marine life nearly every day we were onboard. For those less eager to jump in the water, there are daily tours by dingy either to land or via sea to discover the wildlife of the Galápagos.

Adventure Filled

Ecoventura had a perfect mix of activities and downtime. We had activities throughout the day, so I always felt like we were maximizing our time in the islands.

We also had plenty time in the afternoon to just lie back and relax on the cruise, which was really nice!

Most of our mornings began around 7 am with dingy rides to the islands with our guides. We encountered all sorts of wildlife on nature hikes and typically had the option each day to enjoy different water activities.

Different Itineraries Each Week

Ecoventura is always changing things up. There are two routes offered so, each week, there is something new to see and experience. I was onboard the B itinerary exploring the western and northern route. The company is all about creating customized tours and giving people exactly what they want.

Before you book, research to see which route you’d be most interested in.

Incredible Island Destinations

Each destination had a new landscape and array of wildlife. I really hadn’t expected so much variety. Every day was something new, so there was always more to see and learn about.

Genovesa island had the most bird life I’ve ever experienced, Rábida Island was the first red sanded beach I’ve ever been to, and Isla Fernandina was a wild island with cracking volcanic earth and countless marine iguanas.

This is definitely the kind of place that you could spend a couple of weeks exploring!

Read More: The Ultimate Galápagos Islands Travel Guide

Wildlife

The wildlife was definitely the highlight of our adventure. You can expect to see marine turtles, giant tortoises, boobies, frigates, and more. 600 miles away from the mainland, the plants and animals of the Galápagos are truly unique.

You’ll witness endemic, indigenous and endangered species making this destination unlike anywhere else in the world.

I was most astounded by the curiosity of the wildlife here. I’ve never witnessed animals so unafraid and interested in humans. While we always kept our distance from all animals, we often had frigates, penguins and sea lions approach us to get a better look.

Expert Guides

Every MV Origin Ecoventura luxury Galápagos cruise has two level-three conservationists. They are incredibly knowledgeable and totally transform the experience.

While there are a lot of incredible sites to see in the Galápagos, it is really the learning experience that makes the trip so fascinating. The conservationists were experts who brought new meaning to everything that we saw!

Wine O’Clock

Each day at sunset, we ended our adventure with snacks, “sundowner” cocktails, and wine on the upper deck. It was an opportunity to chat with other travelers and the ship’s crew.

We always had a blast and it was the perfect way to end the day.

Check out my videos on The Galápagos!