Royal Galapagos Reviews 74

Great staff, from Lorena (in Sales in Miami) to the crew on the boat (who were all from the Galapagos).
Luxury, yet informal. Private bathrooms & balconies. Great food, including personalized meals for lactose- and dairy-allergic passengers.

I do not recommend booking a cruise with Royal Galapagos.

We had a very terrible experience with the boat MY Passion for our 5 days 4 nights Galapagos cruise recently. The crew, the naturalist and the itinerary were great but the boat was in a terrible state.

They changed the boat two weeks before our departure. And it was a big downgrade compare to what we initially booked with. We were supposed to be on the Horizon boat but then they put us in another boat, MY Passion (I presumed it’s a chartered boat as it’s not part of their fleet). At this stage we can’t cancel the cruise trip as we have already had scheduled flights, tours, and hotels booked. They didn’t offer any compensation or anything until I told them (via our agent) that we were very upset about the change as it was our wedding anniversary trip. They just offered us bar credits onboard.

We definitely did not get what we paid for. We were supposed to have balconies in each cabin. That was the main reason that we booked Horizon, as I have issues with confined spaces without window openings and good ventilation. MY Passion was exactly that. Our cabin has no open windows as we were at the bottom of the boat. That’s not the worst yet.

The cabin we were in was full of motor fumes, that on the first night we were wearing masks to sleep. And then we woke up in the middle of the night choking with the fumes. The next day, our masks were fully black. I used a CPAP machine, the filter was completely black too. I should have taken a photo. It was shocking to know what we were breathing in. The next day we told the naturalist, she came and denied there was any smell. We were pretty upset about it and we asked another fellow passenger onboard to come to our cabin to ask if she can smell it too. She totally agreed with us. The crew then tried their best to fix the problem, it did reduce the smell of fumes but it was still there. Then we found out it’s coming out from the bathroom so we closed the door at all time. Even so, you can still smell it. We had a terrible 4 nights sleep onboard. Some other cabins had issues as well. We were not the only ones. They had issues with their bathrooms with really bad musky smell,etc.

If it’s not because of the magical Galápagos Islands and the excellent crew onboard, who tried their really best to be hospitable and professional, we would be very upset about this whole Galapagos trip. It was meant to be a trip of a lifetime. However, because of Royal Galapagos, we now have tainted memories of this trip. It was supposed to be a ‘luxury’ class boat, but it was far from it. The hot tubs on the ship weren’t working too.

Since we booked this cruise through Galapagos Travel Centre, we couldn’t have direct communication with Royal Galapagos. I would recommend to book directly with the boat provider rather than an agent just for ease of rectifying issues.

Staff and boat were AMAZING

Booking our cruise with Royal Galapagos was very easy and a pleasant experience. Lorena was very responsive to my many questions and the cruise was exactly as advertised. I would use them again and would recommend Royal Galapagos to my family and friends.

The entire crew was fantastic. It's both size is small enough to feel intimate, but we had great size room rooms and the balcony made it so wonderful even though there's only 16 passengers. The food was phenomenal, homemade and they always had a great variety!! All the excursions were great. I would never do a land base Galapagos tour. It was so easy to get around. If you're at all prone to motion sickness however, make sure to get a patch. They had an herbal patch that we used that was really helpful in some of the unremitting currents. Beautiful trip!

We loved the Royal Galapagos boat THE INFINITY! The experience from when we landed at the airport to our trip back couldn’t have been better. We were a large group (9 people) and all went perfectly.

Our Galapagos experience was outstanding. The staff on the boat the food and Jocelyn are naturalist guide were fantastic. We felt like the crew and the other people on board were family and had so much fun with so many adventures and experiences with the animals and the plants and the islands. Best family trip ever definitely a must do

We chartered the entire Grand Majestic yacht for a celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary with family and close friends. 8 nights, itinerary 8B. The experience was as close to flawless as one could imagine, from Captain Pedro and crew to the expert guide Andres. The entire team put us in excellent position for viewing wildlife on land and in and on the water. Onboard experience was superior due to the expertise and diligence of the chef and hospitality crew. We never went hungry and enjoyed the variety of food.

Royal Galapagos provided us with fantastic communication, guidance, and service for our 8-day cruise in the Galapagos. We would definitely make arrangements through them again for another Galapagos cruise. From our initial inquiry up to the trip itself, the communication from their representative, Carolina, was fast, thorough, and courteous. The trip itself was the trip of a lifetime for our family of four, including our teenage sons. All of the time on the boat is utilized effectively between activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, & hiking and having "rest time" when we can just relax and enjoy the spectacular views. I felt the timing of everything was very well planned... I never felt like I was wasting any time or, conversely, being over-scheduled. The meals were delicious and the accommodations in perfect condition. The crew were constantly cleaning and polishing the boat itself to keep it beautiful! Our naturalist guide and all the crew made the trip seamless, educational, and, mostly, fun!! They took care of us from our arrival at the airport to our departure. Just cannot say enough good things.

The crew of the MY Infinity provided us an extraordinary vacation experience in and among the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. From the moment of our airport arrival until our departure a week later they attentively guided the 20 guests through outings, excursions, presentations and meals. The attention to detail was exceptional. On return from snorkeling, they draped a warm towel on your neck. They placed wet shoes in the engine room for rapid drying. They kept the coffee fresh all day long. The cabin attendants tended to each guest room at least 4 times during the day.

This is an activity-based cruise. Every day aboard the Infinity the guests embarked on 3-5 different group excursions, typically in two groups of ten, each with a guide. Often, we hiked on an island, returned for a snack, snorkeled in a cove, and then had lunch. Some days the boat would move locations mid-day and we would hike and snorkel in a different location in the afternoon. By evening, we were typically exhausted after a Naturalist presentation and a late dinner.

Dining aboard the yacht was marked by delicious food, beautifully presented and served with a gracious smile. Often featuring seafood fresh-caught that day, the menu always included choices intended to satisfy all diners. The fresh tropical fruits and juices were always delicious and refreshing. Over the course of dining at the two tables, the guests all quickly became friends.
The Infinity yacht itself is a wonderful floating hotel. The guest rooms are large and the individual balconies are private. The covered outdoor bar is comfortable as is the sky deck where we could relax in the hot tub, dine alfresco or gaze at the Milky Way. The yacht is large enough that no place was ever crowded.

Several notable events during the week highlighted the crew’s attentiveness to the individual guests. At the time we first crossed the Equator, one of the guests missed seeing the compass change hemispheres. So, the captain turned the boat around and crossed the Equator again so the guest could get a good picture. Later that day we spotted a school of dolphins jumping through the water. The captain changed the yacht’s direction so we could follow the dolphins for several miles. Midweek, when one of the guests experienced gastric distress, the Cruise Director, Edison, swiftly intervened with treatment and a modified food plan such that the guest was well the following day. (Thanks!)

The Infinity cruse was so much more than we expected, we can’t imagine how any other boat would compare.

Naturalists Juan and Harry aboard the Infinity MY
It is amazing how much the interaction between the naturalists and the guests affects the pleasure of a cruise through the Galapagos. I’m not sure it could be any better than the experience we had with Juan and Harry aboard the MY Infinity in early May, 2025. Both of them shared their love of the islands and their knowledge of the environment with all of the guests. Every day for a week they enthusiastically introduced and ran excursions from the boat. When hiking they helped us locate and identify animals and birds. While snorkeling in the ocean, they identified the myriad fish and reptiles swimming with us. Harry’s frequent call “To the Infinity and beyond” always brought a smile to everyone’s face. Juan’s descriptions of the animal habitats and the history of their preservation helped everyone understand just how special the Galapagos are. Between their education (graduate degrees) and experience (more than fifty years between them), these are two of the Galapagos’ finest. Anyone fortunate enough to have either of these naturalists lead their trip will have an incredibly wonderful experience.

The Galapagos is an amazing destination and the Grand Majestic team and crew from Royal Galapagos were fantastic. Our Trip Advisor, Andrea Erazo, was very helpful and extremely responsive in the planning of our tour. Booking the tour, setting up the hotel and transfers, and assistance on the ground were all done well and made it easy for us upon arrival in Ecuador.

Our guide Marvi was great. He was very knowledgeable, personable and fun to be with each day. The crew was all genuinely nice and accommodating throughout the week. The captain spent time with us, the chef created delicious dishes and accommodated special diets, the "hospitality manager" was super nice and helpful in making drinks, serving meals, and making sure we were always in good care. The lady who tidied our cabin, and so many other duties, was kind and accommodating. The Zodiac captains were amazing, ensuring each activity was safe and navigating us for close encounters with the amazing wildlife.

We were also blessed to be surrounded by a great group of guests. My wife and I chose the Galapagos for our once-in-a-lifetime wildlife adventure to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. It was a great choice for us.

We highly recommend using Royal Galapagos for this top dream location for lovers of wildlife and avid photography hobbyists.

Don and Janet

I had a great time with Royal Galapagos on my cruise with them in late March. I went alone on the 5 day "A" itinerary cruise on the Galapagos Angel. The boat itself was very nice, the rooms were spacious and it was very new and in good condition. Service from the crew and guide was excellent. Food was served for all meals, and lots of extra snacks including a snack after each excursion. Sailing took place mostly at night and was not bad, except for one night where we hit some rough seas when going to Genovesa Island, but overall it was fine. Excursions were excellent, we saw so much wildlife and had ample opportunity to walk around and see things with our guide who was great. Highlight for me was seeing the penguins. There was snorkeling, though I wasn't a big fan of that in general. I would have preferred a non-snorkeling option. Overall I had a great time and would highly recommend Royal Galapagos for your Galapagos trip!

We found that Royal Galapagos is a first rate company.
Natural Paradise and its crew are the best.
However, my wife and I found out that we are a bit too old for such an active cruise. I had a bad fall on the lava rocks on one of the first days out and was out of commission for snorkeling until my wounds healed over. Snorkeling twice a day was a bit too much for this 79 year old. And with only one naturalist the crew is too small for activity options. Perhaps you should warn people interested in trip "8B" that this is a very active cruise suitable for young guests.

We had an absolutely wonderful time aboard The Angel. The crew were fabulous, so friendly and helpful and the guide was outstanding with his knowledge and experience.

Very professional and attentive service, both while in Quito and during our transit to and from the Galapagos Islands. The Infinity tour booked through Royal Galapagos was excellent and met all of our expectations. An amazing trip overall!

We sailed on the Natural Paradise for 8 adventure-packed days on the B itinerary. The itinerary itself was well thought out and was a good mix of walking, boating, and snorkeling adventures. We got to see a nice variety of island habitats. The crew was friendly and ever helpful. Food was wonderful - especially if you like fresh fish. We stayed 2 nights in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno at the end of the trip and enjoyed some beach time in a lovely little town on San Cristobal. We would do this trip again! Special shout out to Lorena who worked with our large group to get everyone sorted out.

This was a fabulous cruise! The people that helped us and the wildlife were all spectacular. The accommodations on board were very comfortable and the food was always delicious. I can't think of anything that would need improvement. Well done!

Great Experience: Crew and Nature Guide were top notch. Meals were great, rooms were clean, equipment provided was working. Nothing failed to meet our full expectations. Highly recommended.

Amazing vacation! Well organized. Staff were very knowledgeable.