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Galapagos Cruises offers an experience that is vastly different from your idea of a cruise. The advent of cruises around the Caribbean has taken over the world’s psyche: mention a cruise, and it’s hard not to immediately picture sweeping white sand beaches, turquoise Caribbean waters, and enormous ships with spiraling water slides. This reality does not apply when it comes to the Galapagos. These islands are protected areas – meaning that huge, all-you-can-eat cruises are strictly banned to reduce human impact on the fragile local ecosystem. However, the medium-sized local cruises that traverse the islands offer something more adventurous, personalized, and thrilling than anything a massive cruise ship could offer without compromising size.
What are the differences between Caribbean cruises and Galapagos cruises? Metropolitan Touring has the answers. Read on – you might be surprised with what you find!
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Diego Zapata
Rosa Mena
Sandy Lara
Diego Zapata
Rosa Mena
Sandy Lara
A Needle in a Haystack
One of the main differences you’ll encounter when booking a Galapagos Expedition Cruise is that you are no longer a needle in a haystack. Caribbean Cruises are enormous, building-like structures crammed to the brim with thousands of rancorous guests eager to play, dance, spend, and eat as much as possible. The same is different for Galapagos Expedition vessels, which tend to permit a maximum of 100 guests at any time. This translates into smaller ships with fewer amenities than you would find on a Caribbean cruise line: you can forget about the theater, cinema, double-decker casino, and multiple infinity pools! However, the medium size also allows you a series of benefits.
First, you will only sometimes feel like being herded like a ship through an obstacle course. Each guest has more space available on Galapagos’ medium-size ships, meaning finding a quiet spot for some privacy should be accessible on deck (Travel expert tip: ask about our guest-space ratio!). A mid-size ship also allows you to personalize your own experiences; you’ll be able to indulge in the sights and activities of the Galapagos Islands your way without being surrounded by hundreds of other people or having to compromise on the type of activities you experience in (an issue many smaller-size cruise ships often encounter!)
Freedom to Explore
Given that fewer people are in a Galapagos Cruise, you should expect to enjoy quite a few more freedoms when exploring the places you visit. Personalized trips to different island activities will be widely available to you: water sports, snorkeling, and trekking activities will be much easier to partake in and infinitely more enjoyable, given that fewer people surround you. When on deck in a Galapagos Cruise, you’ll also enjoy more liberties regarding what you do.
Amenities
One of the most noticeable differences is that Galapagos Cruise Vessels are smaller than their Caribbean companions (large cruises are kept from trailing the islands to protect their seafloor and natural ecosystem). Amenities such as on-deck Broadway shows or casinos will likely not be available here. Then again, the stunning beauty of the Galapagos demands that you spend as much time as possible exploring it and learning about its magical history and fauna. It’s important to remember that our expedition vessels travel mostly overnight: you’ll have the entire day to explore the islands and experience as many activities as your heart desires!
Living & Learning
Galapagos Cruises differentiate themselves from their Caribbean counterparts in one key area: learning. While the Caribbean Sea itself brims with a rich colonial history, replete with pirates, ancient American cultures, and ravenous conquistadors, most Caribbean Cruises ignore this in favor of more popular attractions. This means that, instead of embarking on a journey of relaxation and learning, Caribbean cruise-goers will encounter an experience exclusively devoted to white sand beaches, water sports, and port cities.
Many may find this attractive – but if you’re looking for something more challenging for you and your family, Galapagos Cruises offers what you’re looking for! The history of the Galapagos Islands is complex, intriguing, and mysterious. Its remarkable inhabitants have ranged from famous biologists to blood-thirsty pirates to greedy, lustful baronesses. Every cruise ship in the Galapagos proposes an incredible learning opportunity; you’ll comprehend history, biology, ecology, and sustainability, discover the sea floor in one of our glass-bottomed boats, and find the mysteries of the islands with one of our multiple available guides – all while relaxing amongst some of the most stunning sights of the Pacific Ocean. Do you dare venture deeper?
Javier Garcia
Eduardo Silva
Carolina Escobar
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Javier Garcia
Eduardo Silva
Carolina Escobar
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