Travel guide · Cruises & Tours
First-class Galápagos cruises: what you get, what it costs
The first-class Galápagos yachts and catamarans we sell, their fares per night and what changes against mid-range and luxury: guides, cabins, hulls, extras.
Photo: David BritoFirst class is the middle of the Galápagos market and the class with the most departures in our schedule: 1,906 departures on 15 boats as of October 2026. This page is about those boats only: which ones they are, what their operators include, what the fare per night is, and what really changes when you move down to mid-range or up to luxury. Every fact about a boat comes from its operator’s own pages or terms, and every fare from our live schedule.
The classes we use
Our cruise finder sorts every boat into one of four categories: Luxury, First Class, Mid Range and Diving. There is no separate “tourist superior” category in our system; some agencies use that name for boats that we file under mid-range or first class, so compare the boat, not the label. Economy boats are not in our system at all: we do not sell them, and the reasons are in budget cruises.
Published fares per person per night, in a shared cabin, across every departure in our live schedule:
| Class | Boats | Departures | From | Median | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-range | 3 | 519 | US$510 | US$815 | US$1,425 |
| First class | 15 | 1,906 | US$475 | US$1,000 | US$1,800 |
| Luxury | 23 | 2,998 | US$605 | US$1,500 | US$2,965 |
The ranges overlap: a first-class cabin in a low month can cost less than a mid-range cabin at Christmas, so the median is the fairer comparison. What the rest of the trip adds (flights, the park fee, tips) is itemised in cruise costs explained.
What changes from class to class
| Economy | Mid-range | First class | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do we sell it? | No | Yes: Archipel I, Bonita and Galaxy Orion | Yes: the 15 boats listed below | Yes: 23 boats, listed in luxury cruises |
| Guests per boat | 14 to 16 | 16 on every boat except Coral I (36) and Coral II (20) | From 12 on the Galaxy Stella to 100 on the Legend | |
| Hull | One catamaran, two motor yachts | Five catamarans; the rest are motor yachts | Catamarans, a trimaran, motor yachts and four expedition ships of 32 to 100 guests | |
| Guide | One naturalist guide | One naturalist guide on the 16-guest boats; several on the Coral yachts | Two guides on some boats (the Aqua Mare and the Infinity list two), several on the expedition ships | |
| Cabins | Twin and double cabins; ask per boat | Cabins; balcony suites on the Grand Queen Beatriz and single cabins on the Solaris and Monserrat | Suites on many boats, a private balcony in every cabin of the Horizon | |
| Food and drink | All meals; drinks extra | All meals; alcoholic drinks extra on all the first-class boats we sell | All meals; wine and beer included on six boats, such as the Grace, the Hermes and the Origin, Theory and Evolve | |
| Wetsuits, kayaks | Included on the Bonita and the Galaxy Orion | Varies by boat: see below | Included on most |
The Economy column is empty on purpose: we do not sell those boats, so we have no operator terms to quote. Stabilisers are not mentioned on any of the first-class operator pages we checked; if stability matters, the hull matters more, and two hulls roll less than one. Our catamarans vs monohulls guide explains why.
The first-class boats we sell
These are the 15 first-class boats with departures in our schedule as of October 2026:
| Boat | Type | Guests | Operator | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anahi | Catamaran | 16 | Unigalapagos | Built in Ecuador in 2006; jacuzzi, desalination and sewage treatment on board |
| EcoGalaxy | Catamaran | 16 | Galaxy Cruises | Eight cabins; built with recycled materials and half the wood of a conventional boat; wetsuits, kayaks and paddleboards included |
| Seaman Journey | Catamaran | 16 | Latin Trails | Shares cabins between solo travellers of the same sex on some departures |
| Tip Top II | Catamaran | 16 | Rolf Wittmer | Round-trip flights to Galápagos included in the fare; the Wittmer family has been part of Galápagos for over 57 years |
| Treasure of Galapagos | Catamaran | 16 | Oniric | Pairs solo travellers of the same sex, and the fare does not rise if no roommate appears |
| Beluga | Motor yacht | 16 | Enchanted Expeditions | Wetsuits included; 6- and 8-day routes that join into 15 days |
| Cachalote Explorer | Motor yacht | 16 | Enchanted Expeditions | Same routes and inclusions as the Beluga |
| Calipso | Motor yacht | 16 | Royal Galápagos | Royal’s yacht for nature and diving; kayaks, wetsuits and underwater cameras to borrow |
| Coral I and Coral II | Motor yachts | 36 and 20 | Go Galápagos | The largest boats in first class; Junior cabins with picture windows |
| Galapagos Angel | Motor yacht | 16 | Royal Galápagos | Built in 2024; kayaks, wetsuits and underwater cameras to borrow |
| Grand Daphne | Motor yacht | 16 | Intrepid | 38 m, sailing since 2021; one naturalist guide and nine crew |
| Grand Queen Beatriz | Motor yacht | 16 | Intrepid | 41 m, in service since 2018; balcony suites and a jacuzzi on the sundeck |
| Monserrat | Motor yacht | 16 | Via Natura | Two single cabins; wetsuits, kayaks, paddleboards and internet included |
| Solaris | Motor yacht | 16 | Oniric | 36 m; eleven cabins, five of them single cabins on the main deck |
| Tip Top IV | Motor yacht | 16 | Rolf Wittmer | Round-trip flights to Galápagos included, like the Tip Top II |
Every departure of these boats, with its route and fare, is in our cruise finder filtered to first class, with a year of dates already set.
What a first-class fare includes, and what it does not
Every first-class boat we sell includes the cabin, all meals, the guided excursions with a naturalist and snorkelling gear. The rest depends on the boat:
- Wetsuits: included on the Beluga, Cachalote Explorer, Calipso, EcoGalaxy, Galapagos Angel and Monserrat; rented on board on the Solaris, Treasure of Galapagos, Coral yachts, Grand Daphne and the two Tip Tops.
- Kayaks: listed on the Solaris (at designated sites), Calipso, EcoGalaxy, Galapagos Angel, Monserrat, the Coral yachts and the Tip Tops; paddleboards on the EcoGalaxy, Monserrat and Tip Tops.
- Flights: included only on the Tip Top II and Tip Top IV. On every other boat you buy them separately, and we book them with the cruise.
- Fuel surcharge: Galaxy includes it on the EcoGalaxy. Royal Galápagos (Calipso, Galapagos Angel) and Via Natura (Monserrat) add a fixed surcharge that appears as a line in our quote. Enchanted Expeditions, Go Galápagos, Latin Trails and Rolf Wittmer may add one if fuel prices rise. Oniric and Unigalapagos say nothing about it in their terms.
- Not included anywhere in first class: the park fee and the TCT card, alcoholic drinks, tips and travel insurance.
Travelling alone? The Solaris and the Monserrat have single cabins at no supplement, and most of the other first-class boats let you share a twin; the rules are in our guide for solo travellers.
First class or mid-range?
We sell only three mid-range boats, so the choice is narrow. Choose mid-range if one of those three sails your dates and route at a lower fare. Choose first class if you want more choice of routes and dates (the class has by far the most departures), a catamaran (five of the fifteen first-class boats are catamarans), wetsuits or kayaks in the fare, or a single cabin.
First class or luxury?
The national park and its visitor sites are the same in every class. What luxury adds, on some boats, is a second guide, suites with balconies, drinks in the fare and the stability of a large expedition ship. If those matter, compare the specific boats in luxury cruises; if you will spend every daylight hour ashore or on deck, a first-class boat gives you the same islands for a median fare of about US$1,000 a night against US$1,500 in luxury.
How we book a first-class cruise
- Choose dates and a route in the first-class cruise finder, or tell us your dates and we suggest the boats that fit.
- We check the departure with the operator and place a free hold, usually for 5 to 7 days.
- Our written offer states the cabin, what the fare includes on that boat (wetsuits, kayaks, fuel surcharge, flights) and that operator’s conditions.
- Every cruise booked with us includes complimentary nights at Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa in Mindo Cloud Forest, usually 2–3, more on request; the details are in the complimentary nights guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a first-class Galápagos cruise?
In our system, first class is the category between mid-range and luxury: 15 boats, almost all of them 16-guest yachts and catamarans, with published fares from US$475 to US$1,800 per person per night and a median of US$1,000.
How much does a first-class Galápagos cruise cost per night?
On published fares, US$475–1,800 per person per night in a shared cabin, with a median of US$1,000, across 1,906 departures in our schedule as of October 2026. Flights, the park fee, the TCT card and tips are extra.
What is the difference between tourist superior and first class?
“Tourist superior” is a label some agencies use; our system does not have it. We sort boats into luxury, first class, mid-range and diving, so ask which boat a “tourist superior” quote refers to and compare that boat’s guide, cabins and inclusions.
Which first-class boats are catamarans?
The Anahi, EcoGalaxy, Seaman Journey, Tip Top II and Treasure of Galapagos. The other ten first-class boats we sell are motor yachts.
Are flights included in a first-class cruise?
Only on the Tip Top II and Tip Top IV, whose fares include the round-trip flight to Galápagos. On every other boat the flight is separate, and we book it with the cruise.
Do first-class cruises include wetsuits?
On some boats: the Beluga, Cachalote Explorer, Calipso, EcoGalaxy, Galapagos Angel and Monserrat include them; on others you rent them on board. Our written offer states it for your boat.
Related reading
How to choose the length, the route and the class is in how to choose a Galápagos cruise; the class below and above are in budget cruises and luxury cruises; the whole-trip budget is in what a Galápagos trip really costs; and the hull question is in catamarans vs monohulls.
Sources
- Live cruise fares and departures, Galapagos Dana Tours
- Oniric Cruises, Solaris and frequently asked questions (shared cabins)
- Galaxy Cruises, EcoGalaxy
- Go Galápagos, Coral yachts
- Intrepid Travel, Grand Daphne and Grand Queen Beatriz
- Yacht Anahi
- Rolf Wittmer, Tip Top fleet
- Via Natura, Monserrat
- Payment, cancellation and fuel-surcharge terms of Royal Galápagos, Via Natura, Enchanted Expeditions, Go Galápagos, Latin Trails, Rolf Wittmer, Oniric and Unigalapagos (sent to agents; not all online)
Last verified: October 2026
After the islands, the cloud forest: Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa, Mindo Cloud Forest, included with every cruise we book.