For most travelers, the Galapagos is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and a Galapagos cruise aboard the Evolution offers one of the finest cruise experiences available. At nearly 200 feet and only 32 guests, the Evolution is a spacious and luxurious yacht with a high crew-to-passenger ratio, qualifying her for our curated list of Galapagos luxury cruises. She has all the modern amenities and loving attention to detail in her design, yet retains the adventurous atmosphere and charm of a Roaring Twenties small boat. The carefully selected professional and friendly naturalists aboard Evolution are the most knowledgeable in the region, with an average of 15 years of experience guiding on the Islands.
Evolution operates two 8-day Galapagos cruise itineraries, which can be combined to create an all-encompassing 15-day cruise. Look for special family departures with Kids Club activities like stargazing and movie nights, plus child-oriented guides, making Evolution a great choice among our Galapagos family cruises. We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today to inquire about a specific Galapagos Evolution itinerary or to learn more about Galapagos Evolution small ship cruises.
Experience the full spectrum of Galapagos wildlife that made the Islands famous and inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Many Galapagos cruises avoid the long navigations to save costs, but Evolution believes that a true Galapagos experience involves visiting the most remote islands as well. Amongst these is Genovesa Island, found far north on the archipelago. Visit this “Island of Birds” and be amazed at the variety of bird life that inhabits this partially submerged volcano.
The 8-day Footsteps Back in Time itinerary highlights include: Stopping at all the important visitor sites that have shaped the Galapagos islands through history and evolution. Experience all the wonderful flora and fauna of the region while visiting nine islands of this enchanted archipelago, including San Cristobal, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Mosquera, Santiago, Genovesa, North Seymour, Santa Fe and Floreana.
The 8-day In the Steps of Pirates itinerary highlights include: Visiting nine islands of this enchanted archipelago, including Baltra, Isabela, Fernandina, Bartolome, Santiago, Santa Cruz, Rabida, Espanola and San Cristobal. Regular opportunities to snorkel, kayak, swim, hike and enjoy panga rides mean interaction with endemic Galapagos species is accessible to travelers of various activity levels.
Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about an AdventureSmith’s Galapagos cruise and all our Galapagos trips.
The 32-passenger motor yacht Evolution is a luxury expedition vessel featuring modern staterooms and suites as well as attentive service and up-close interaction with the environment. This small ship cruising in the Galapagos accommodates 32 passengers. Her artful combination of size and amenities results in a yacht that offers excellent service, accommodations and attention to detail, while causing minimal impact on the environment.
AdventureSmith Explorations’ Evolution review includes a detailed description of the small ship including deck plans and a photo gallery. Our expedition cruise experts have been aboard nearly every first-class Galapagos cruise ship. Please read our Evolution review below then contact our experts to compare the Evolution with other small cruise ships, yachts and catamarans offering Galapagos cruises.
Choose the Evolution if you are seeking an upscale Galapagos vessel with spacious accommodations that offers Galapagos luxury cruises. The food, service and guides aboard the Evolution receive especially high praise from the ship’s travelers. This unique small ship has all the modern amenities and loving attention to detail in its design yet retains the adventurous atmosphere of a smaller boat. A complete 2017 refurbishment renewed Evolution’s cabins, from floors to drapes, paint and walls, to furniture and bathrooms. A new noise insulation system was added to the engine and generator rooms as well.
Evolution is also an ideal ship for Galapagos family cruises, with special family departures that feature Kids Club activities like stargazing and movie nights, plus child-oriented guides.
Evolution features a lounge with a bar and facilities for lectures, slideshows and films. The lounge also contains a library with a wide range of books, movies and board games, including a Sony Playstation system and a 60″ TV. The yacht features both inside and al-fresco dining areas and a sky deck lounge on the Albatross Deck with a bar and nautical-themed furniture. The bow of the yacht features the hot tub with lounge chairs for sunbathing and wildlife viewing and ample outside deck space.
There is a boutique on board for purchasing amenities and souvenirs and a reception area where the cruise director can always be found. The yacht features a fully-equipped infirmary with a doctor on board at all times.
The Evolution is plastic free thanks to her state-of-the-art water filtering system; no more plastic bottles. She boasts a complete wastewater treatment plant on board as well as an oil-filtering system geared towards making a positive difference regarding waste.
All meals are served in either the inside dining room or the equally elegant al-fresco dining area at the stern of the yacht. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, while dinner is served a-la-carte, all prepared by specially trained chefs. Meals are served in healthy quantities and in a variety of menus with tropical exotic fruits always available. Vegetarian, lacto-ovo-intolerant and other special menus are available upon request. On family-oriented departures, special children’s menus are also offered. Hors d’oeuvres are normally served along with local juices as a welcome treat twice a day upon return to Evolution following daily Galapagos Island visits and snorkeling outings.
Water (sparkling or still), soft drinks, juices, and non-premium wine, beer and signature cocktails are available free of charge. A self-service coffee and tea station is open between 6:30am and 11:00pm. Cookies, crackers, chocolates and instant coffee are available 24 hours a day.
Sea kayaks, snorkeling gear and shortie wetsuits are available on board free of charge. A professional crew of 18 plus three naturalist guides, one doctor and one cruise director ensure attentive service. The three onboard dinghies can accommodate all 32 guests at once. The aft Boarding Deck enables easy loading and unloading for off-vessel adventures via the dinghies.
For family cruises, the Evolution offers a Kids Club with activities like stargazing and movie nights. On these departures, child-oriented guides organize learning activities and provide children with a kids expedition journal for their entertainment.
Evolution’s staterooms and suites all feature a private bathroom with walk-in shower, vanity kit, hair dryer and biodegradable shampoo, conditioner and soap; air conditioning; safe box; telephone for internal communications; ample space for clothing and luggage; 2-4 USB charging sockets; and 3-4 electrical outlets of 110 volts, 60 cycles (USA Standard 2- or 3-prong flat), plus 2 in every bathroom.
The 16-passenger Galapagos Grace was a wedding gift from Aristotle Onassis to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, and it was on board this vessel where they spent their honeymoon getaway. Cruise back in time and lay back in luxury, enjoying one of the finest Galapagos luxury cruises available in the Galapagos Islands. The Grace boasts a high crew-to-passenger ratio, spacious cabins and stylish lines. The carefully selected professional and friendly naturalists aboard are the most knowledgeable in the region, with an average of 15 years of experience guiding on the islands. Travelers comment that the service on board this ship, coupled with the true feeling of a safari experience, is unlike anything that is currently offered in Galapagos.
Grace operates two unique 8-day Galapagos cruise itineraries, which can be combined into an all-encompassing 15-day cruise. We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today to inquire about a specific Galapagos Grace itinerary or to learn more about Galapagos Grace cruises.
Experience the full spectrum of Galapagos wildlife that made the islands famous and inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Follow Darwin’s Trail along a West Galapagos Islands route, or go Beyond Darwin’s Footsteps along an East Galapagos Islands route; each itinerary has a bit of it all to visit a varied selection of islands. Both itineraries begin and end in Baltra. While landing sites are different, both trips also visit Santa Cruz, with opportunities to swim, snorkel, kayak, hike and enjoy panga rides.
Beyond Darwin’s Footsteps itinerary highlights include: Take in views of Kicker Rock. Leave (and take) a postcard from the barrel at Post Office Bay before hiking into a lava tube that leads to a swimming opportunity in a subterranean grotto. Spend a morning at the Charles Darwin Research Station to view giant tortoises and an endemic scalesia forest before free time in the port city of Puerto Ayora. Experience Floreana Island’s Peace Asylum and Devil’s Crown; San Cristobal’s Punta Pitt, Lobos Island and Kicker Rock; Santa Cruz’s Dragon Hill and stops at the islands of Santa Fe and South Plaza. Cap this Galapagos small ship cruise with a visit to Black Turtle Cove.
Following Darwin’s Trail itinerary highlights include: Be surrounded by the bustle of great frigatebirds and their puffball chicks, yellow-crowned herons and lava herons at Genovesa, known as “Bird Island.” Snorkel the nutrient-rich waters of Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Take in the green algae of Tagus Cove and hike around Darwin Lake for spectacular views. See the Monk and Elephant Rock tuff formations of Espumilla Beach. Spend time in the capital port town of Puerto Ayora and visit the giant tortoises and lava caves nearby. Search for the tropics-exclusive waved albatross. Immerse in Bachas Beach and Los Gemelos on Santa Cruz Island, and Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno on Isabela Island. End the trip with a visit to Los Gemelos with their surrounding scalesia forest, an excellent place to view some of Darwin’s famous finches along with the elusive and dazzling vermillion flycatcher.
Choose between two excellent 8-day itineraries, combine them for the complete 15-day tour, or consider making your own itinerary. Live like Princess Grace and charter the whole boat; at only 16 guests, she’s one of our favorites for private Galapagos yacht charters.
Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Galapagos cruises and Galapagos trips.
This 16-passenger Camper & Nicholsons yacht has traversed the waters of this world under many names, but has been rechristened with a name that takes her back to her history, to the very best of her times. Named after her late owner, Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, the name is a representation of her elegance, beauty and prestige. Grace is the ideal yacht for the traveler who seeks a true explorer experience, complemented with excellent service, superb accommodations and fine dining. All who travel aboard this yacht will be part of a unique mission: to bring to life the natural living legacy of the islands through an experience unlike any other in Galapagos.
AdventureSmith Explorations’ Grace review includes a detailed description of the small ship including deck plans and a photo gallery. Our small ship cruise experts have been aboard nearly every first-class vessel in the Galapagos Islands. Please read our Grace review below then contact us to compare the Grace with other Galapagos cruise ships and upscale yachts offering Galapagos luxury cruises and private Galapagos yacht charters.
The Galapagos is a competitive market for small ships, and it can be difficult for vessels to stand out. But the Grace does. Formerly owned by Princess Grace of Monaco, the ship is a historically significant and luxurious platform with outstanding service and guides. Motor Yacht Grace’s stellar past includes ownership of royalty, millionaire tycoons and a stint in the British Navy. Due to her small size and iconic elegance, we often recommend the Grace to clients seeking a high-end experience aboard a ship as unique as the Galapagos Islands. Book the Grace Kelly Suite aboard to stay in the same suite that Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier did on their honeymoon. This yacht was a wedding gift from Aristotle Onassis to the Prince and Princess of Monaco. Read more details on the History of Motor Yacht Grace.
Choose the Grace if you are seeking a combination of luxury, history and exploration. Travelers comment that the service on board this ship, coupled with the true feeling of a safari experience, is unlike anything that is currently offered in Galapagos. Refit and reconstructed during several stages of her past, the ship has always maintained her graceful and stylish lines. The Grace has begun a new era in her rich history. The level of service on board, coupled with her beauty and luxury, are highlights. She has becom an icon in the Galapagos and her best years are surely yet to come.
Grace features a main salon equipped with a bar, TV/video system, stereo system and plenty of electrical outlets. Passengers can choose to eat inside in the interior dining room, or outside in the al-fresco dining area. The sundeck has a bar and plenty of space to be in the open air. Guests can also relax in the front of the boat where the Jacuzzi and sun chairs are located. Guests can also enjoy a topnotch Ecuadorian coffee in the coffee lounge. Finally, the onboard boutique offers travel essentials and souvenirs.
Grace offers intimate and personal expedition experiences in the Galapagos, where guests can truly interact and gain a wealth of knowledge from a real Galapagos expert. Grace features a Jacuzzi, sea kayaks, snorkeling gear and wetsuits on board. A Kid’s Club with activities like stargazing and movie nights is available for special family-oriented departures. Child-oriented guides who organize learning activities and provide children with a kid’s expedition journal, are placed specifically for departures with children. A wide variety of books are available in the library as well as various board games and movies for children.
All meals are served in either the inside dining room or the equally elegant al-fresco dining area at the stern of the yacht. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served buffet style and prepared by specially trained chefs. Meals are served in wholesome quantities and in a variety of menus with tropical exotic fruits always available. Children’s menus, vegetarian menus and other special menus are available upon request. Hors d’oeuvres are normally served along with local juices as a welcome treat twice a day upon return to Grace following your daily Galapagos Island visits and snorkeling outings. Water (sparkling or still), soft drinks and juices are available free of charge throughout the duration of your cruise. Wine and beer are offered with meals and added to your bar tab. There is a self-service coffee station that is open 18 hours per day. It opens at 6:30am with fresh-brewed coffee, tea or herbal teas and typically closes at 11:00pm. Cookies, crackers and chocolates are available at the coffee station 24 hours a day, as well as instant coffee.
M/Y Grace offers suites and staterooms of up to 200 square feet with private facilities, individual climate controls, safe boxes, USB ports, telephones and plenty of storage space for clothing and luggage. Bathrooms feature a walk-in shower, vanity, shampoo, conditioner, soap and hair dryers. During your visits to the islands, your cabin will be cleaned twice each day.