Galápagos cruise cabins explained

By David Brito, Galapagos Dana Tours · Mindo, Ecuador · Updated 30 October 2026

On a Galápagos yacht you spend the day ashore or in the water and come back to the cabin to shower, change and sleep while the boat sails to the next island. So the cabin matters less than the route and the guide, but it still decides how well you sleep, how much the sea bothers you and, on many boats, what you pay. This page explains the cabin types you will see on a quote, what each one means on a 16-guest yacht or a 48-guest ship, and the questions worth asking before you choose. The sizes and layouts come from the operators’ own deck plans, and only for boats we sell.

The cabin types at a glance

Fares on every yacht are quoted per person in a twin or double cabin. The names change from boat to boat (“Classic”, “Luxury Plus”, “Golden Suite”), so look at the beds, the size and the deck, not the label.

Twin or double

Most cabins on Galápagos yachts are twin or double, and many can be set up either way. Tell us which you want when we place the hold: on a small yacht there may be only two or three cabins of each kind. If you are two friends, ask for a twin; a double is not split for two people who are not a couple.

Single cabins and sharing

A cabin to yourself normally carries a single supplement on top of the per-person fare. A few yachts have real single cabins at no supplement, and many let two solo travellers of the same sex share a twin at the normal rate. The yachts, the supplements and the sharing rules are all in our guide for solo travellers. In short: sharing is only ever in twin beds, and single cabins are few, so they sell early.

Triple and family cabins

A triple is usually a double or twin with a third bed added, often a single or a sofa bed, so the cabin is the same size with one more person in it. Proper family cabins, or two cabins with a connecting door, are rarer, so book early if you travel in the school holidays. Some examples from the operators’ own plans:

• Isabela II: two Classic Family cabins for two adults and one child under 12.
• La Pinta: four Luxury Plus cabins of 23 m² that take three guests with a sofa bed, and eight Luxury cabins that connect in four pairs.
• Treasure of Galapagos: the master suite on the main deck can be converted into a family suite for four.
• Solaris: four cabins with a queen bed and a single, and two with a queen and a sofa bed.

What to ask: is the third bed a real bed or a sofa, is there space for luggage for three, and does the child rate apply on that boat. Each yacht sets its own child policy, as our Galápagos with kids guide explains, and the family itinerary shows how a cruise fits a week with children.

Suites and balcony cabins

On the newer catamarans and luxury yachts, the upper deck often has suites with a private balcony or wall-to-wall windows. A balcony is a pleasure at anchor in the early morning, but you will spend most daylight hours ashore, so weigh it against the guide ratio and the route, as our luxury cruises guide argues. On the Tip Top II, for example, the four upper-deck cabins have a 3.3 m² balcony each; on the Galaxy Sirius most cabins on the main and upper decks have one; and the Hermes’s two Single Suites, of 22 m², come with a balcony and a jacuzzi.

Upper deck or lower deck

This is the choice that most affects comfort at sea.

• Seasickness: a lower cabin near the middle of the boat moves least. An upper-deck cabin at the bow moves most. If you know your stomach, take the lower cabin and read our seasickness guide.
• Noise: ask what is next to the cabin. The engine room, the galley, the anchor chain at the bow or the bar can all be heard at night on a small boat. Yachts often sail overnight, so this matters.
• Light and view: lower cabins tend to have portholes or small windows; upper cabins have larger windows and sometimes a balcony.
• Price: where a boat sells several categories, the upper-deck cabins and the suites are the dearer ones, and the lower cabins the cheapest way onto the same itinerary.

The hull matters as much as the deck. Catamarans spread cabins across two hulls and roll less, while monohulls run cabins along a corridor; our catamarans vs monohulls guide compares the two. On larger ships the cabins are usually bigger and the motion smaller, with other trade-offs explained in small ship vs large ship.

Cabin sizes on some yachts we sell

All of these boats have departures in our schedule. The figures come from each operator’s own deck plan; where the operator does not publish a size, we leave it out.

Two things the table shows. On a 16-guest yacht a cabin of 12 to 18 m² is normal, so “spacious” on a brochure usually means the upper end of that. And the ships, with 40 or 48 guests, have more family cabins and connecting pairs to choose from, though a small yacht can have one, like the Treasure’s master suite.

What to ask before you choose a cabin

1. Which deck is it on, and is it towards the bow, the middle or the stern?
2. Twin, double, or convertible? If there is a third bed, is it a bed or a sofa?
3. What is next to it: engine room, galley, anchor chain, bar?
4. Window, porthole or balcony?
5. Does the cabin category change the fare on this boat, and by how much?

We ask the operator these questions for you when we place the hold, which usually lasts 5 to 7 days, and the written confirmation names the cabin type and, when the operator gives it, the cabin number. To see which yachts still have cabins on your dates, use our cruise finder. What a cabin category adds to the bill is covered in cruise costs explained.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a twin and a double cabin?

A twin has two single beds and a double has one bed for two. Many Galápagos cabins convert between the two, so say which you want when you book.

Are there triple cabins on Galápagos cruises?

Yes, on some boats, usually as a double or twin with a third bed or a sofa bed. On La Pinta, four Luxury Plus cabins take three guests; on the Isabela II, two Classic Family cabins take two adults and a child under 12.

Which Galápagos yachts have connecting cabins for families?

On the boats in our table, La Pinta has eight Luxury cabins that connect in four pairs, and the Treasure of Galapagos has a master suite that converts for a family of four. Connecting cabins are few, so book them early for school holidays.

Is an upper-deck or lower-deck cabin better?

For seasickness and price, the lower deck near the middle of the boat. For light, views and sometimes a balcony, the upper deck. If you are unsure how you handle the sea, choose the lower cabin.

Do Galápagos cruises have single cabins?

A few do, at no supplement: the Solaris, Monserrat, Alya, Hermes and Isabela II. Elsewhere a cabin to yourself carries a supplement, or you can share a twin. Our solo travellers guide has the details.

Is a balcony cabin worth it in Galápagos?

Sometimes. You spend most of the day ashore or snorkelling, so a balcony is used mainly at dawn and at anchor. Spend first on the route and the guide ratio, then on the cabin.

How big is a cabin on a Galápagos yacht?

On the 16-guest yachts we checked, from about 12 to 18 m², with balcony cabins a little more. The ships have bigger options, like the 23 m² Luxury Plus cabins on La Pinta.

Related reading

How to pick the boat before the cabin is in how to choose a Galápagos cruise; couples looking at suites will find the yachts that suit a honeymoon in our honeymoon guide; and travellers over 60 will find notes on stairs, landings and pangas in Galápagos for seniors.

Sources

• Isabela II, decks and cabins
• La Pinta, decks and cabins
• Rolf Wittmer, Tip Top II
• Oniric Cruises, Solaris, Treasure and Archipel I
• Galaxy Cruises, Galaxy Sirius
• Via Natura, Hermes

Last verified: October 2026