Complete list of expenses

Here's every major expense. This ignores pocket money and meals not covered by the tour.


Here is a complete list of your expenses:
• Your travel insurance policy
• Airfare from home into Quito
• Transportation to/from the Quito Airport when you first arrive and when you leave Ecuador
• Metered taxis are $25-35 depending on traffic. Uber is also an option.
• $20 per person Transit Control Card (TCC) at the Quito Airport – similar to a visa (cash)
• Your Galapagos cruise package
• $100 per person park entrance fee paid at the Galapagos airport upon arrival (cash)
• Tips for the boat crew and your tour guide

Optional Expenses:
• Alcoholic beverages consumed on the boat (cash bar)
• Additional nights’ accommodation before/after your tour package
• Land tours taken before/after your tour package.
• Meals and spending money when you are not on the boat.

Guest Information & Payments

The tour company collects a lot of information from you before you go.

Information is collected in three stages.

First, GreenGo will send you a link to their form for basic travel information. This form is 21 pages long but you only fill in about five pages per guest. This includes general contact information, passport number, meal preferences, etc. You will receive a custom link from GreenGo similar to the one you see below.

Superior Cruises Form
https://www.greengotravel.com/gps-superior-cruises-travel-form/

Second, you will email pictures of your passport photo pages to GreenGo travel. You can easily do this using your mobile phone.

Third, you will fill out the slightly longer ‘Good to Go’ travel details. You will receive a custom link from GreenGo similar to the one you see below. You will access it using your date of birth.

Mr Joseph W. Traveler
https://www.gadventures.com/goodtogo/qQvxVKqbj29

This longer form includes eight sections:
• Your passport details
• You contact information
• You preferred name (if different from your passport)
• Your international flight information (from the US/Canada to/from Quito)
o This includes connecting flight details
• Details about your travel insurance policy
• Medical information – conditions and allergies
• Emergency Contract information
• Your participation waiver

After all three steps and after you have paid in full for your tour:

Your electronic airfare tickets and your official travel voucher are provided by the boat operator usually 15 days prior to the departure of your tour (Example – August 12, 2019 for a cruise departure date of August 26, 2019). We will have them forwarded to you as soon as we get ahold of them, and include other documents with instructions and details to your tour. We will try have them expedited ASAP.

There is a tiered cancellation policy but once you're less than 90 days out nothing is refundable.

PAYMENT DETAILS - Available payment methods for your booking are:

WORLDWIDE WIRE TRANSFER: The easiest, cheapest and most convenient to pay for your travel services from abroad worldwide. Our Miami bank in the USA is the perfect location for receiving wire transfers worldwide. A flat fee of $25 applies per transaction (bank fee for incoming payments).

USA CHECK (US residents only): No additional fees, if you are a US citizen or have a USA account that can mail checks. This payment method is not available for last minute bookings. Given the nature of mailing a check, it can take a few days (3 to 5) to clear in our account.

ECUADOR WIRE TRANSFER: The best method if you are currently traveling in Ecuador, you can wire your payment directly to our local account. A flat fee of $50 applies for incoming payments from aboard. No surcharge applies for direct deposits in Ecuador.

CREDIT CARD:  Easily pay for your tour services online. A surcharge of *3.9% applies for (VISA & MASTERCARD) / **4.9% applies for (AMERICAN EXPRESS). Please keep in mind the *3.9%/**4.9% consists of bank fees & local taxes (Bank fees & local taxes are not charged by GreenGo Travel). Credit card surcharges are not limited to GreenGo Travel, but applicable to all travel agents processing your payment through a local bank in Ecuador.

Credit Care Note 1: A very limited number of cruises manage to have your credit card payment charged with no surcharge: (Yolita, Monserrat, Estrella del Mar, Xavier III, Daphne, Grand Queen Beatriz). These cruises circumvent your payment from been processed through and Ecuadorian Bank. In most cases they hold a foreign branch, your payment is routed through a US or other foreign banks where no fees apply.

Credit Care Note 2: One American couple recently used an AMEX card to book on the Estrella del Mar. GreenGo travel had the office in Chile call their US cell phone number to take the credit card details. It was processed successfully without any additional surcharges.

Helpful Hints - On the Boat

A few other things I learned on the boat:

• It's really difficult to dry out clothing. I mentioned in another post that our sun deck has a few clothespins and some rope. There wasn't nearly enough space for everyone on the boat to dry clothing. 
• I had some long-sleeve shirts to dry. I was able to tie the sleeves in a knot around the railing and get them mostly dry. You have to account for rain and spray from the ocean. 
• I remember thinking that it would be helpful to have a few lengths of cord about a meter long. You could slip the cord through both sleeves of a t-shirt and then tie it to a railing. I had a similar thought about those adhesive wall hooks. If I had them I would have installed a few in our cabin. 

• You absolutely need ear plugs on the boat. The boat's engine runs 24/7 to keep the bilge pumps running and the electricity on. Raising and lowering the anchor rattles through the whole boat. You'll wake up regardless of whether or not you have ear plugs. 
• The captain tries to to the long trips (navigation) at night. Some people find the rocking of the boat great for sleeping and some find it challenging. For me it was a mix. The rough seas were hard to ignore. 
• My hunch is that a wider double-hull catamaran would rock a bit less left to right when the ship is moving but I don't know. The Estrella Del Mar was a narrow boat.
• Most people brought along something for sea sickness. Dramaine is available on the islands but it'll cost you double so bring it from home. 

• Some people used the sea sickness patch that goes behind your ear. It works but it can play tricks with your eyes. It can actual dilate the closer eye or give you blurring vision. 
• Bring a waterproof bag for your camera. Or, at minimum, keep a zip lock bag in your day pack. When you are on the dinghy you can encounter waves and the spray can put your camera at risk. 

Helpful Hints - Quito

A few other things I learned in Quito:

• Quito is 9,350 feet above sea level. Someone flying to Quito from sea level experiences an elevation change of nearly two miles in a matter of hours. Abrupt changes in elevation such as this sometimes have ill effects on travelers. Altitude sickness usually manifests itself in insomnia, headaches, and/or nausea.
• In my own experience, I had a mild headache for about the first 10 hours upon arriving in Quito. It wasn't terrible and it passed quickly enough. 
• We never quite figured out how tipping works in Ecuador. I read that a 10% tip is customary in a restaurant and that sometimes it is added to the bill. Sometimes we would see a line item on a bill for 'Servicio' and assumed it was a tip. One or two waiters told us that that tip was for the kitchen staff and a separate tip should be left for servers. 
• I hate getting cheated so hopefully the explanation of tipping was true. However, $700 USD is considered a good monthly salary in Ecuador so I don't mind leaving a little extra money with the locals. 
• Ecuador uses US currency. I used $100 bills to pay our national park fee at the airport in Baltra but basically you don't want to carry anything larger than a $20. Restaurants and coffee shops will not be able to change a $50 or $100.
• There seems do be a mix of US and local coins given with your change. They have local coins for 50 cents and 25 cents. 
• Most tours are packaged with a hotel night before you fly to the Galapagos and a hotel night when you return from the islands. 
• The free airport/hotel transfers are for your entire group on a small bus. 
• We were able to get our two hotel nights back-to-back before our trip islands. We arrived on Saturday night and stayed in the Hilton Colon Saturday and Sunday before departing for the islands on Monday morning. 
• Your hotel stays will likely include the breakfast buffet so be sure to ask before you go out and pay for breakfast elsewhere. 
• When we returned from the islands we rode the bus with the group back to the Hilton Colon and then took a taxi to our Airbnb.
• We saw plenty of good Airbnb options in Quito for about $30 USD per night. 
• You need earplugs for sleeping. Quito gets quiet but there's always a motorcycle zipping through the streets or a barking dog. 

Drinking Water in Quito

We did not have any issues with the water. We drank bottles water but used tap water for brushing teeth, etc. I'm not an expert but I don't think the water is as dangerous as it is in parts of Mexico.

The night we returned to Quito from the islands we all arrived really hungry because we missed the chance for lunch in San Cristobal. When we returned to the Hilton Colon we immediately walked two blocks to the nearest McDonald's. I ate a burger that had lettuce and tomato on it and I drank a fountain Coke Zero. I had no issues.

This is information I found from other websites:

It's a well-known fact by every traveler and any health department or organization that food and waterborne diseases are the number one cause of illness in travelers worldwide. This is equally true for travelers in Ecuador. Knowledge is the best weapon against illness and prevention is the best medicine. Relatively mild stomach and intestinal tract problems (diarrhea and occasionally vomiting) due to eating or drinking food contaminated with bacteria or parasites, that foreign immune systems are not accustomed to, are the most common problems but travelers may contract other, more serious, diseases as well. Some stomach irritation can be expected while visiting developing countries, but if symptoms are extreme or last more than a few days, consult a doctor. Educate yourself and follow these precautions to stay healthy on the road.

While in Ecuador, especially during your first 2 weeks, eat only well-cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself, do not eat un-pasteurized dairy products, refrain from eating food sold by street vendors, eat only in restaurants that seem clean, and avoid ice in drinks. It's also a pretty bad idea to try the seafood, although really tempting, as it is one of the most common cause of food poisoning. That includes river shimp and fish from the rainforest. Drinking tap water is not advisable anywhere in Ecuador, so drink only bottled or boiled water or softdrinks. Remember also that water should be boild about twice as long in the Andes because of the altilute (it's boiling but it's not as hot as you think). If you are unable to find bottled drinks or to boil water, you can make water safer by both using a water-purifier that removes both bacteria and viruses and adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. Water-purifiers can be found in most camping/outdoor supply stores. Before you buy a purifier make sure it removes both viruses and bacteria. If it does not, your water may look clean but there will be enough little critters swimming in there to make you sick.

Travel Insurance

Our booking agent at GreenGo Travel told us that travel insurance is required. He said that the tour guide would ask to see a copy of the policy when we arrived on the islands. That didn't actually happen but I think it was required and it's always a good idea.

We recommend that your travel insurance cover the following:

• Trip & flight cancellation and interruption coverage
• Medical coverage - including coverage for emergency evacuation up to $200,000 USD
• Baggage loss protection

NOTE: Your cancellation coverage will likely cover situations where a medical issue before (yours or your travel partner’s) or a death in the family prevents you from traveling. Ask before you purchase. 

What you actually book is up to you. If you are from the United States some policies will be secondary coverage to your existing medical insurance. World Nomad functions this way but it lowers the policy premium considerably. 

We bought our policy in June of 2019 so that it covered any cancellation reason in the two months before our trip. The 15-day policy from World Nomad for $183 total. This included the following (secondary) medical coverage:

Medical Expense/Emergency Evacuation:
Emergency Accident or Sickness Medical Expense........ $100,000
Emergency Evacuation or Repatriation of Remains......... $300,000
Emergency Dental Treatment........................................... $750
Hospital Advancement....................................................... $500

FOR TRAVELERS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA:

World Nomad (Lonely Planet)
Tel: (844) 207-1930
Web: www.worldnomads.com

Travel Insurance Services
Tel: (800) 937-1387
Web: www.travelinsure.com

International Travel Insurance
Tel: +1 617-964-4849
Web: www.internationalbenefits.com

Travelex Travel Insurance
Tel: (800) 228-9792
Web: www.travelexinsurance.com

Travel Guard International
Tel: (800) 826-1300
Web: www.travelguard.com

Travel Insurance International
Tel: (800) 243-3174
Web: www.travelinsured.com

Global Care Insurance
Toll Free USA: 1.800.872.0067
Web: www.globalcarehealthinsurance.com

Dinghies, Wet Landings, and Dry Landings

Our boat never tied off on a dock. Every time when went on or off the boat we used a dinghy.

All excursions off the boat where either a dinghy ride, a wet landing, or a dry landing.

We had two dinghy rides where we just stayed on the dinghy for about two hours. One was so that we could see birds on a rock cliff. The other involved seeing turtles and sea lions in the mangroves.

A dry landing means that your feet don't get wet. The crew member points the front of the dinghy (the green rope netting) against the dock or dry rocks and gently revs the engine to hold the dinghy in place. There is always crew member to grab your arm and assist you.

A wet landing happens on a beach. The crew gets the dinghy into shallow water. You hold your shoes and socks and swing your feet over the side. The crew later provides towels so that you can fully dry your feet before you put your shoes on. If you're wearing long pants it helps if you roll them up to knee height. My REI hiking pants have snaps to hold them at this level which was very convenient.

Some excursions like the giant turtle preserve or the Charles Darwin Center as near one of the inhabited towns. In those cases you are never far from a toilet. On the uninhabited islands or on the dinghy rides there are no toilets. You are rarely away from a toilet for more than two hours but plan accordingly.

Taxis and Uber in Quito

We used both yellow taxis and Uber in Quito. When we returned from the islands we stayed in an apartment booked through Airbnb. Our Airbnb host recommended Uber over taxis. He said Uber was safer but didn't elaborate.

Obviously when you're using Uber you know who your driver is and you are told the price up front. There's always the risk that a taxi driver who doesn't speak English drives you all over town to run up the fair but we definitely did not have this experience.

Before I got into a cab I would use Google Translate to explain what I was doing. I would then save a screen shot on my phone so I still had access to the message when I was no longer on a WiFi.

I was somewhat limited in Quito because I did not have a local sim card. Unfortunately my phone is on the Verizon CDMA network and therefore I can't drop in a GSM sim in other countries. When we used Uber from the Airbnb I was on the WiFi. I then used Google translate to send a message to the driver with details on how to find us.

One interesting note, Uber is actually not legal in Ecuador. It's widely used but the driver can face a steep fine if he or she is caught. For this reason, you won't see the typical Uber sticker on the car. The Uber app still shows you the driver's picture and a partial license plate. Also the driver will likely ask you to sit in the front seat. Two gringos in the back seat being driven by a local draws the attention of police.

Last point, when I was there in September 2019 the Uber app did not allow you to add a tip after your ride so be prepared to tip in cash. 

Tips for the Guide and Crew

We recommend that your travel insurance cover the following:

• Trip & flight cancellation and interruption coverage
• Medical coverage - including coverage for emergency evacuation up to $200,000 USD
• Baggage loss protection

NOTE: Your cancellation coverage will likely cover situations where a medical issue before (yours or your travel partner’s) or a death in the family prevents you from traveling. Ask before you purchase. 

What you actually book is up to you. If you are from the United States some policies will be secondary coverage to your existing medical insurance. World Nomad functions this way but it lowers the policy premium considerably. 

In June of 2019 an American couple bought a 15-day policy from World Nomad for $183 total. This included the following (secondary) medical coverage:

Medical Expense/Emergency Evacuation:
Emergency Accident or Sickness Medical Expense........ $100,000
Emergency Evacuation or Repatriation of Remains......... $300,000
Emergency Dental Treatment........................................... $750
Hospital Advancement....................................................... $500

No plastic bottles, please

There is a great emphasize in the Galapagos on limiting the human impact on the islands. Part of this effort is focused on reducing plastic waste. Before we left Quito our tour coordinator gave each of us one of these reusable water bottles. Bonus points for being purple!

On the boat there was water filter system that provided endless clean drinking water. Below the aircon unit you can see the two urns for coffee and tea. Next to that was the filtered water station.

When we arrived on the islands I remember seeing a sign at the Baltra airport saying that the following items were prohibited.

• Plastic beverage bottles
• Plastic straws
• Styrofoam food containers
• Plastic shopping bags

I had one plastic bottle with me that I ditched at the airport when I saw the sign. I had my water sandals in a plastic bag in my luggage. That kind of thing doesn't show up on x-ray so no one said anything but I made sure that I took it off the island with me.

As with all travel, my toiletries were in zip lock bags in my luggage. No one said anything and it wasn't a problem but again, I made sure that they all left with me.

Pro Tip: During our boat tour I kept my insect repellent in my day bag. It was a pump spray bottle not an aerosol can. When we returned Quito I unintentionally left it in my day bag. There is no 3-1-1 TSA fuss at the airport for domestic flights so no one noticed. Anyhow, during the flight to Guayaquil it leaked all over my day pack.

Clothing and Sunscreen

How you dress on the islands will depend greatly on your tolerance for the sun. The sun is intense in the Galapagos and the UV Index is 10+ every day. I burn easily so this was a big deal for me. Other people will wear a tank top and flip-flops and enjoy getting a tan.

On our dingy and land excursions I wore long pants (thin REI hiking pants) and a long-sleeve t-shirt. I wasn't always comfortable but I wasn't going to let a bad sunburn disrupt my trip.

20-30 minutes before leaving the boat for an excursion I applied sunscreen so that it had time to soak into my skin. In the US I use SPF 30 but I brought along a second bottle of SPF 50 for this trip.

• Sunscreen is very expensive on the islands. A 4-ounce bottle can be $24 USD so bring it from home. 
• I brought two full-size bottles of Coppertone Sport (one SPF 30 and one SPF 50). I didn't use it all and ended up giving away the unused SPF 50 but I don't regret bringing extra. 
• The only sunburn I experienced was on my head and it was from our snorkeling trips. My hair is a bit thin and I felt a slight burn on my scalp. After that I just put a t-shirt on my head before applying my snorkel mask. It looked silly but it worked. 
• The first time I applied sunscreen for snorkeling I focused on the back of my legs. Then we got in the dingy and I realized that my knees and the tops of my feet were exposed. After that, I applied the sunscreen to pretty much all exposed skin. 
• Out snorkeling excursions where planned for one hour but due to the colder water none of them lasted longer than 45 minutes. This was well within the 80-minute window for water resistant sunscreen.  

Everyone should have a wide-brim hat with a neck cover. I had a hat and improvised a neck over using a t-shirt.

Most of the people in my group did not dress for sun protection quite like I did. That said, some of them got burned once or twice. Our guide's required uniform was long pants, long sleeves, and a hat similar to what you see above. That made me take it more seriously.


I was a little disappointed to learn on the boat that they offered 'short' wet suits like the one that you see below. A full-body wet suit certainly would have helped with the cold water in August and September but this also left me with more exposed skin while snorkeling.

I ended up wearing a long-sleeve t-shirt under the suit to cover my arms. If i had known to expect a short suit I probably would have brought along a full-body suit liner to at least have the additional coverage on my legs. Given how cold the water was, I might have considered just bringing a full-body wet suit. 

Traveling from Quito to the Galapagos Islands

The travel days between the mainland and the Galapagos Islands are long days. We arrived at the hotel at midnight on Saturday and left early, early Monday for the islands. That gave us all day Sunday to explore Quito and settle in.

Our tour group had a 20-minute briefing in a hotel conference room that Sunday at 5 PM. Some members of our group were not able to attend. At the meeting were given luggage tags with the tour company logo and our boat cabin number on them.

On Monday we set the alarm for 3:30 AM. By 3:45 AM were in the lobby to check out. We left our bags with the tour organizer and went to breakfast. The Hilton Colon opened super early with a limited version of their full breakfast buffet. By 4:15 AM we were on the bus and heading to the Quito airport.

The Quito airport is small but very modern. It has approximately 10-12 gates. Half are used for international flights and half for domestic flights. On the bus, our tour coordinator collected everyone's passports and $20 USD cash. This was for the migratory cards you need when visiting the Galapagos.

At the airport, we went into a queue to have our bags put through x-ray. They are very serious about plants and seeds not being brought to the islands. After you bag is checked they put a sticker on it. Then our tour coordinator stood in line to get the migratory cards. After that, we went in the Avianca queue to check in our large luggage and then it was off to security.

Side note, I travel with a backpack but I put it inside a cover when I check it so that the straps don't get caught on luggage movers. My sticker was put on the backpack and not on the cover. It wasn't a big deal, I just had to open the cover and show the airline employee when I checked my bag.

Second side note, the domestic flights are not subject to American TSA-style rules. I brought a full bottle of water through security. The water at the airport is probably filtered and OK but I didn't want to chance it.

Our flight:

• We boarded around 5:40 AM for a 6:20 AM departure. 
• The flight from Quito to Guayaquil is 35 minutes.
• You remain on the plane in Guayaquil while passengers shuffle on and off. 
• For some reason while you are on the ground the staff does not want you to wear your seat belt.
• The flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos is about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

We arrived in Baltra. At the end of the tour we left from San Cristobal. Upon arriving in Baltra we each paid $100 USD cash for our national park permit. Luggage was put through an x-ray machine again. The whole process is very efficient. About 30 minutes after we landed the whole group was assembled with luggage and ready to get on the bus. I barely had time to find a restroom and apply sunscreen. 

In Baltra you take a 10-minute bus ride to a water taxi then a 5-minute water taxi (basely 300 meters of water to cross) and then get in another bus for a 40-minute ride to the town of Puerto Ayora. In Puerto Ayora you take a short walk to the pier and get your dingy to your boat.

Leaving from San Cristobal was much easier because the airport is located right there in the port town. 

Pro Tip: Bring a power bar or some other snack. We were luck to have the 4 AM hotel breakfast but we didn't eat again until our first meal on the boat at approximately noon. The same goes for your return flight. We were supposed to have 90 minutes in San Cristobal before our flight but due to a painfully slow airport check-in process we had to remain at the airport. When went through security expecting to find a snack bar or restaurant and there was nothing available. Luckily I was able to bring a full bottle of water with me. 

Our arrival in Quito

We took a Delta flight that left Atlanta at 6 PM US Eastern time and arrived in Quito at 10:25 PM. Note - Quito is on US central time and the Galapagos are actually one hour behind Quito.

The process for customs and claiming luggage was pretty simple.

• There is no form to fill out for US citizens and no visa fee. 
• No one asks to see an immunization card unless you're from a known yellow fever country.
• At customs they have the technology to capture your fingerprints but it is not used all of the time. 
• I distinctly remember someone handing me a card about protecting their bananas by not bringing in seeds or bananas but I didn't pay much attention. 
• All luggage is put through an x-ray machine before you leave the airport. I think their primary concern is seeds and other food products. 
• The customs and airport staff were all very friendly. 
• We were curbside with luggage by about 11:15 PM. There is a taxi line outside the airport so we had no trouble finding one. 
• I was told that a taxi should cost $25-$35 on the meter. The driver offered us $25 off the meter. I clarified that it was $25 total and not person (I've seen that trick before) and it was. I tipped him $5. 
• Our tour package had us staying at the Hilton Colon. The cab ride was about 45 minutes and we were checked in by 12:15 AM. 

A typical day on the boat

Every evening you will gather for a briefing on the schedule for the following day. Blow is an example. This one was an early start. Most days began with breakfast at 7 AM.

Pro Tip: Start every day by taking a picture of the day's schedule. Then, when you get home, you'll be able to remember where you were when you took each picture.

We had plenty of downtime each day. As you can see above, we had lunch at noon and departed for the breeding center at 2 PM. Most people used this time to nap, sunbath, or read books. Our boat did have a TV and DVD player but I didn't see anyone using it.

There was no WiFi on our boat. I assume that's true for most boats. WiFi is available in the four towns where people live. Quality varies greatly.  I really enjoyed the digital detox.

Life on the Boat

We booked the Estrella Del Mar which is consider a 3-star (superior?) boat. It was comfortable enough and functional but definitely not a luxury yacht experience. Remember, your there to see the animals.

Some things to expect:

• You never wear shoes on the boat. You can bring flip-flops or some other footwear for the boat but the shoes you wear on land come off as soon as you return to the boat. 
• The boat provides coffee, tea, and filtered drinking water pretty much all day. 
• All of the boats operate a bar with some rather expensive drinks. A bottle of Pilsener beer was $5 (probably $2 on land) and a full bottle of red or white wine was $40 ($15 on land).
• Our boat allowed guests to bring their own wine on board. This came up because they actually ran out of red wine. Literally the same bottle they sell for $40 can be found for $15 in a shop. I doubt all boats go along with this but you might as well ask.

• I have a bad back so the bunk mattress was a bit of a struggle for me. 
• Our boat's cabins were not designed for tall people. I'm 5'9" tall and I could feel my hair touching the ceiling in our bathroom. Anyone who is 6-foot or taller may want to investigate. 
• There is no laundry available on the boat. Everyone did some amount of sink laundry. Our sun deck had a limited number of clothespins and rope where you could try to hang something. Getting anything to truly dry was a struggle. 
• We were each given a towel an our linens were changed every day. There was body wash soap in the shower but nothing else in terms of toiletries. Bring a small hotel soaps to wash your hands and anything else you need. 
• Our cabin had a lockable drawer but we did not have a key to lock the door. This allowed crew members to come in and change the linens. We put our passports and cash in the draw but never bothered to lock it. 
• Our guide spoke fluent English but none of the crew members did. Most of them knew essential words and it wasn't a problem.

Our boat.

Our cabin with two bunk beds.

All meals were buffet style. This was a typical breakfast.

Which tour should I book?

This is the million-dollar question. Which tour is the best tour? How can I see it all.

First, there is a fleet of approximately 65 boats that serve the Galapagos tourism industry. They range some actual sailboats to comfortable-ish motor yachts to luxurious catamarans. Thankfully there are no large cruise ships. The largest two accommodate 100 passengers.

I booked through GreenGo travel but I really don't think it matters. All of the booking agencies have access to the save database of boats and availability. Once I arrived I learned that the Estrella Del Mar is actually operated by G Adventures so I probably could have saved a few dollars by booking with them directly. Once you land on the particular boat and dates that you want you can probably search on good for 'real owner or operator of boat ABC' and try to see if there's a direct booking option.

When you start looking at booking agencies you will have to start filtering your options. The prices are per day - these tours are expensive.

Having done this here are my thoughts:

• Don't overthink the tour plans too much. Every one of these tours is designed to show you amazing animal life on the islands. 
• When we booked, our biggest constraint was vacation time. We had two weeks blocked off from Saturday to Saturday. We then filtered for all of the tours that fit in our window and then immediately filtered again by price. 
• If you must see a certain animal then let that guide your choice. For example, if you are a penguin fanatic and you just absolutely need to see the penguins then pick a tour and time of year that fulfills that need. If, like me, you just want to experience the islands then don't overthink the specific tour. 
• When I booked I was somewhat drawn to tours that go to Isabella Island. Basically, I was thinking that the largest island must offer more to see. My assumption was incorrect. Basically, all of the animal life you see is within 50 meters of the waterline. On the snorkeling outings where were within 50 meters of the beach/rocks and on our land hikes we stayed close to the shore. All of higher land on the islands is dry and uninhabitable. 
• Your budget will determine which tour you take. We did an 8-day/7-night tour. My wife and I agree that this was an ideal length of time. There are 4-day/3-night options but I think that would feel rushed. By the end of our week I was very ready to get off the boat. I would not have wanted to do a full 15-day tour even if I could afford it. 
• Once we booked our tour (the Estrella Del Mar) I stopped reading anything about the tour itinerary or the Galapagos in general. I just wanted to see it and experience as much first-time wonder as possible. 
• I do not recommend arriving in Ecuador the night before your Galapagos cruise. First, you'll miss the kickoff meeting at the hotel. Second, you'll make a short night of sleep extremely short. You're already going to wake up at 3:30 AM. We had 1-2 people arrive at the hotel at 1 AM and that left them with a 2-hour nap before getting up to fly to the islands. 
• Use a similar guideline for booking your return. We landed back in Quito and got to the Hilton Colon right around 7 PM. A few people in the group then had 2 AM or 3 AM wake-up calls to catch their flights home. If you're going to have less than 12 hours between landing in Quito and departing Quito you might consider a hotel or guest house out by the airport, even if you have to pay extra. The airport is at best 45 minutes from the downtown hotels with no traffic. 

This is one example of a tour map.

Here's another.

Theoretically you can fly to the islands, stay in hotels and book day trips to see the animals. I didn't investigate this option but some people do it if they are really opposed to doing a package boat tour.

Of the fifteen islands only four have a fresh water source and those are the only four where people live. In my opinion they are pretty typical beach towns. There are a lot of half-finished cinder block walls and t-shirt shops. You certainly don't go to the Galapagos Islands to see the towns.

Also, there is a way to fly to the islands and hop on a unfilled tour at a slight discount. One guy joined our group this way. I don't know how much money it saves. 

When to Visit the Galapagos Islands

This is an important decision. The tour booking agencies will tell you that 'there's never a bad time to visit'. In a way that's true because the wildlife is always available. However, you do need to consider what's going to be most enjoyable for you.

As you can tell from the name, Ecuador is on the equator. A major of the islands are just south of the equator as is the capital city of Quito. This location means a few things:

• There is essentially no fluctuation in daylight throughout the year. The sun rises at 6 AM and sets around 6 PM. 
• The UV Index is INTENSE. In the US we track the UV Index on a scale of 1-10. As they say in Spinal Tap, this one goes up to 11. 

The table below shows some year-round temperatures. As you can see there isn't much fluctuation in the air temperature.

The rainy season is December through May. My trip Galapagos trip was from August 26th - September 2nd. We did very well in terms of rainfall and air temperature but definitely encountered the colder water on our snorkeling trips.

Water temperatures. My guide said rather definitely that September is the worst month for cold water. He's been at this for 13 years so I trust him.

Ecuador Basics

Most visitors to the Galapagos Islands pass through the capital city of Quito on the way in and the way out. Here are a few basic things to know about Ecuador.

• The Ecuadorian people are awesome. We found everyone to be very friendly. Also, we were pretty much left alone. Only a handful of people approached us about anything on the street.
• They speak Spanish and not much English. The nicer hotels will obviously have English-speaking staff but not so much in the coffee shops and restaurants. 
• Ecuador uses US currency. They made the switch back in 2009. This obviously makes it very easy for US tourists. 
• Ecuador uses 2-prong 100-volt electrical outlets. Again, another convenience for Americans because we don't need to bring a travel charger. NOTE: I saw very few three-prong outlets though most people don't travel with anything that requires a 3-prong grounded outlet. 
• Like most of South America, in Ecuador you do not flush toilet paper. Toilet paper goes in the bin next to the toilet. This is true in the nicer hotels, all of the homes, and when you are on your Galapagos boat. I did notice that at the airport in Quito a sign specifically said it was OK to flush paper but that is a very modern facility.