The large, comfortable cruise ships offer private bathrooms, bars and sundecks and carry up to 100 passengers. The smaller boats vary greatly from fairly simple 6 passenger vessels to comfortable, modern yachts and launches carrying 12 to 16 passengers. As standards vary, the smaller boats are now classified to indicate the facilities they offer. The smaller vessels probably provide a more exclusive and adventurous experience. Most crew members are Ecuadorian and invariably work hard to please their passengers.
Meals are usually excellent and include plenty of fresh food.
Guides Each cruise or day trip is accompanied by a guide who is licensed by the GNPS, and no tourist is allowed on land in the park without one. There are several categories of guides, the most knowledgeable of which are naturalist guides who are also likely to have good language skills. A good guide who knows Galapagos well can make a big difference to your trip. The guide is responsible for ensuring that all tourists respect the National Park rules, which stipulate among other things that all visitors must stay on the set trails, and that no animal may be touched. There is always something interesting happening in Galapagos, whatever the time of year, and there is no off-season.