Galápagos cruises for solo travellers

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

Every Galápagos cruise fare is quoted per person in a twin cabin, which works well until you travel alone. Then the price depends on how you sail: in a single cabin that costs no more than a shared one, in a twin shared with another solo traveller, or in a cabin to yourself with a supplement. We read each operator’s rate sheets and terms, so this page lists the boats where travelling alone costs the least, with each operator’s own rules and, where an operator says nothing, our written promise that a shared fare does not go up.

Your options when you cruise alone

That last range comes from the official rate sheets we checked: Galaxy charges 50%, Via Natura charged 75% in 2026 for one person in a Hermes King or Twin suite, Metropolitan 50% or 100% depending on the ship and the cabin, and Ecoventura publishes a separate single fare instead of a percentage.

Yachts with single cabins and no supplement

These cabins are sold to one person at the same per-person rate as the rest of the boat (on the Isabela II, at a lower fare of its own). There are very few of them, so book early.

All of them depend on availability. When we place your hold, which usually lasts 5 to 7 days, we confirm the cabin in writing, with its number when the operator gives one, before you pay anything.

Lower supplements for one

• Galaxy Sirius: cabin 1, on the main deck at the bow, is sold to one person with a 30% supplement instead of Galaxy’s usual 50%.
• La Pinta: on every departure, three Luxury cabins carry a 50% supplement for one person. The other cabins, and all of them over Christmas and New Year, carry 100%.
• Ecoventura (Origin, Theory and Evolve): it publishes its own single fare and from time to time a “Solo Travelers” offer on it; the last one took 25% off for bookings made by 31 October 2026. Ask us whether a new one is open: even with it, the fare stays well above the twin rate.

Sharing a cabin with another solo traveller

You pay the per-person twin fare and the operator pairs you with another solo traveller, normally of the same sex; the table shows where that is not stated or not guaranteed. On these yachts, if nobody books the other bed, your fare does not go up: you have the cabin to yourself at no extra cost, and we put that in writing when we confirm your booking.

Before you choose to share:

• Sharing means twin beds. Cabins with a double or queen bed are not shared.
• A yacht missing from this table may still allow sharing, but we have not confirmed it with the operator, so we ask before we promise anything.
• If you would rather not share at all, the single cabins above often cost the same as sharing would.

What a cruise is like on your own

Most Galápagos yachts carry 16 guests or fewer and seat everyone at shared tables, so you are rarely alone at dinner unless you want to be. On the bigger ships, like the Isabela II (40 guests) or La Pinta (48), it is easier to keep to yourself, and our small ship vs large ship guide compares the two. Every landing is done in a small group with a naturalist guide, so you never walk a trail alone.

If you get seasick, ask for a cabin low and near the middle of the boat; the seasickness guide explains why. General safety on the islands, on land and in the water, is in our safety guide, and travellers over 60 will find the landings and the panga rides described in Galápagos for seniors.

If no cruise fits the budget, island-hopping by land lets you pay for hotels and day tours one at a time; we compare both in cruise vs land.

Last minute and travelling alone

Reduced fares apply to 315 departures in our schedule (data from October 2026). They lower the per-person twin fare, but the single supplement rules on this page still apply unless the operator agrees otherwise. A last-minute departure that still has a single cabin, or a place in a shared cabin, is where the biggest savings are. The timing is in last-minute cruises, and the current list is on our last-minute departures page.

How we book a solo traveller

1. Tell us which you want: a single cabin, a shared cabin or your own cabin with the supplement. If you are flexible, say so: it opens more yachts and dates.
2. We check the departure with the operator and place a hold, usually for 5 to 7 days.
3. Our written confirmation states the cabin, whether it is shared and, if it is, that your fare does not go up if no roommate appears.
4. 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

Do Galápagos cruises charge a single supplement?

Most do. Fares are per person in a twin cabin, and a cabin to yourself usually costs 50% to 100% more. You avoid the supplement with a true single cabin (Solaris, Monserrat, Alya, Hermes or the Isabela II) or by sharing a twin with another solo traveller.

Which Galápagos yachts have single cabins?

The Solaris has five, the Monserrat two, the Hermes two Single Suites, the Alya its cabin 1 and the Isabela II one Standard Cabin. The Galaxy Sirius also sells its cabin 1 to one person at a 30% supplement, and La Pinta three Luxury cabins at 50%.

Can I share a cabin with a stranger on a Galápagos cruise?

Yes, on the yachts in the table above. Most pair you with another solo traveller of the same sex; Royal Galápagos does not say so in its terms and the Anahi does not guarantee it. You pay the per-person twin fare.

What happens if nobody books the other bed?

On those yachts your fare stays the same and you keep the cabin to yourself. We confirm it in writing when you book.

Is a Galápagos cruise a good idea for a solo traveller?

Yes. On a 16-guest yacht you eat at shared tables and every landing is guided, so it is one of the easier trips to take alone. Book the single cabins early: there are only eleven at no supplement on the yachts we sell.

Related reading

How to pick the yacht, the route and the length is in how to choose a Galápagos cruise; what a cruise really costs is in cruise costs explained; and the two ends of the price ladder are in budget cruises and luxury cruises.

Sources

• Oniric Cruises, frequently asked questions (shared cabins) and Solaris
• Galaxy Cruises, rates and conditions
• Via Natura, Hermes, Monserrat and the Monserrat’s single cabins
• Isabela II, decks and cabins and Metropolitan Touring’s 2026–2027 rates for agents (single use on the Isabela II and La Pinta; not online)
• Ecoventura, cruise rates
• Royal Galápagos, terms and conditions (PDF)
• Intrepid Travel, Grand Daphne and Grand Queen Beatriz; Latin Trails, Galápagos travel guide (Seaman Journey); Yacht Anahi, cruise deals and conditions

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.