On a fully-crewed, overnight Galapagos Islands yacht charter, experience the archipelago’s iconic wildlife in a tailored and exclusive way. Read on for details on booking a Galapagos charter cruise. Here we include important considerations like terms, timing and other selection tips, plus reviews from our charter clients.
Or skip straight to filter our selection of charter yachts, including catamarans, each uniquely suited for 36 or fewer guests. Let our firsthand experience help you find and book your group’s ideal private Galapagos boat charter.
ON THIS PAGE – Galapagos Islands Yacht Charters:
What to Expect on a Galapagos Charter
Selection Tips & Favorites
When to Book
Charter vs. Group Booking
Galapagos Luxury Charters
Savings & Deals
Charter Terms & Conditions
View All Galapagos Charter Yachts
Galapagos Yacht Charter Reviews from Our Clients
Sample Itineraries
What to Expect on a Galapagos Islands Yacht Charter
A full-boat private charter in the Galapagos Islands offers an exclusive, flexible vacation tailored specifically to your group’s interests. Think more time to snorkel with sea lions, extended kayaking tours, scuba diving or glass-bottom boat tours, longer hikes, specialty meals, additional naturalist guides. Whatever experience your group wishes, we can find you a match among our large selection of Galapagos cruises.
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All of our Galapagos charter yachts are outfitted with an experienced and professional captain and crew. Note that bareboat charters in the Galapagos Islands are not a feasible option, as permits and guides accompanying you are required for shore landings in the national park. So don’t expect to explore the Galapagos fully as you please. This highly sensitive, wildlife-rich region has permitting in place to preserve the fragility of this important archipelago.
But booking a Galapagos boat charter can certainly allow for more time exploring towns on your own, eating at local restaurants or other inclinations for your group outside the national park.
We may also be able to add custom experiences like SCUBA diving, surfing, meeting with a group of local kids or taking a behind-the-scenes tour at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. Read a review of AdventureSmith founder’s private yacht charter in the Galapagos Islands to see how he customized the trip for his family: Expert Review: My Family Galapagos Charter.
Tips on Selecting Your Galapagos Private Cruise
Our Galapagos charter clients typically select their ship first. This is an important consideration as you survey the makeup of your group to ensure the cabin selection and common spaces will be suitable for everyone in your party. Considerations include interconnecting cabins, private balconies, butler service, accessibility, windows and indoor/outdoor lounge and dining spaces. Are there any must-haves from your group? Let us know and we can help narrow down the selections.
Among our traveler favorites for charter, the following ships frequently top the list:
- 16-guest Grand Majestic
- 16-guest Natural Paradise
- And the luxury Galapagos charter yachts mentioned below
Galapagos cruise yacht itineraries are set in advance by the Galapagos National Park. Thus, it is also important to align your interests and dates with the ship and its scheduled route during your travel. Our Galapagos private cruise experts are intimately familiar with the islands and the various itineraries and can help you select the perfect route.
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When to Book Your Galapagos Yacht Charter
Galapagos cruise charter dates are typically contracted at least one year in advance of the cruise departure. But as long as space is available, private charters can still be booked at any time. A Galapagos Islands yacht charter over a holiday—including Christmas, New Year’s and Easter—should be booked two years in advance.
Learn more about the best time to visit Galapagos to hone in on other insights that might help time your trip for the interests of your family or group of friends.
Galapagos Islands Yacht Charter vs. a Group Booking
A private yacht charter in the Galapagos Islands secures an entire cruise ship for one group. On the other hand, a group booking typically secures a discounted rate for a group of 10 or more travelers on a cruise that will also include other guests.
Be sure to weigh the cost and experience difference. While group bookings offer savings, they won’t have the privacy or customization of a charter. Sometimes it’s worth adding a few travelers to your group to be able to charter the whole boat. This also typically saves you more than a group booking. Our team can help you pencil out the costs case by case.
Consider a Galapagos Islands yacht charter if your group is large enough and you want the intimacy of a Galapagos private cruise. Otherwise, consider a group booking if you don’t mind sharing common onboard spaces and off-ship activities with others.
Galapagos Luxury Charters
Galapagos luxury charters feature the most upscale service. Think private balconies, deluxe amenities, the finest cuisine, top-rated naturalist guides, excellent crew-to-guest ratios and even butler service. Select luxury yachts such as Endemic and Elite, both 16 passenger, automatically include an additional private naturalist guide for their Galapagos charter cruise clients. While others already include a second guide for the same capacity.
For more details on the level of luxury you can expect, see our selection of Galapagos luxury cruises, all of which are available as Galapagos luxury charters. Or simply use the filters below to view all charter yachts by their level of luxury, including some of our traveler favorites: Hermes, Galapagos Horizon, Galapagos Infinity and Origin, Theory & Evolve.
Galapagos Private Cruise Savings & Deals
In addition to exclusivity, price is a big advantage of a Galapagos yacht charter. Typically, each guest will save 10-30% off the regular per-person rates reflected on our site. Combine these savings with charter-specific offers among our Galapagos cruise deals for an even better rate. Our team is adept at finding the latest available deals and discounts to get your group aboard.
Galapagos Yacht Charter Terms & Conditions
Terms and conditions can be more strict for a Galapagos Islands yacht charter. Expect to pay a charter rate that remains the same, whether or not you have enough travelers to fill your boat. A nonrefundable deposit and tiered payments as the cruise date approaches are also common.
Some Galapagos private cruise agreements place responsibility with one person. Group travel insurance policies are highly recommended when considering a Galapagos cruise charter. Our experts will ensure your booking process is seamless and transparent.
Trip Extensions & Other Customizations
There’s so much more to visiting the Galapagos than the time you will spend on the ship. Our experts can help look beyond your Galapagos boat charter to arrange exclusive experiences and private transfers for your group.
We can arrange things like ground transfers, flights between mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, paying the Galapagos National Park Fee and INGALA tourist card in advance, pre- and post-cruise hotel bookings and group rates. Our custom travel planning can also extend your trip to mainland Ecuador, Peru or the Amazon.
MORE GALAPAGOS RESOURCES:
Galapagos Small Ship Cruises
All Galapagos Cruise Ships
Galapagos Cruise Deals
Galapagos Luxury Cruises
Galapagos Family Cruises
Galapagos Diving
Galapagos Island Hopping or Cruise?
East vs West: Comparing Galapagos Itineraries
Best Time to Visit Galapagos
How to Get to Galapagos
Galapagos Islands Animals
Galapagos Trips
Galapagos Land Tours
Galapagos Cruise Reviews
Galapagos Travel Guide
More Options for Your Galapagos Islands Yacht Charter
Search the Galapagos charter yachts and Galapagos catamaran charter options among the list below. Or view all Galapagos ships for larger vessels. Our Galapagos 2025 cruise page details the latest about what’s new in the archipelago each year if you want to hone in on the latest and greatest.
Our team has sailed aboard nearly every first-class Galapagos private yacht. Trust us to be your best resource for booking a private yacht charter in the Galapagos Islands. Contact us for a free quote on Galapagos charter yachts, or to see more sample itineraries.
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