If you’re reading this right now, you’re one step closer to having the best trip of your life. The Galapagos Islands are the bucket list trip of a lifetime. Just like you, I wondered if I should book a cruise or figure it out when I got there.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either option, but there are some definite PROS and CONS that may sway your decisions.
IF YOU BOOK A CRUISE
PRO: Set the trip and forget it. All your excursions, meals, and equipment will be taken care of by staff.
CON: You won’t have flexibility in your schedule. You eat, sleep, and snorkel from the ship.
IF YOU PLAN AS YOU GO
PRO: You lessen your chances of being sea sick and have a variety of restaurants to dine from.
CON: You will have to shop around for excursions and highly trafficked excursions may already be full.
If you wait until the last minute, you might be able to get a discounted cruise. Typically cruises are significantly more expensive online and you will always get a lower rate in person.
If you’re a scuba diver, you may want to swim with the whale sharks and you’ll want to do a cruise, as there are no flights to any of the uninhabited islands.
I am so glad I did not book a cruise for my the first time to the Galapagos Islands – we were free to plan our schedule as we saw fit. I would definitely consider taking a cruise for another trip as there are many islands I would love to see and I would cover more ground with a longer cruise (1-2 weeks). Any trip under 5 days, I recommend planning the trip yourself.
We saw all the animals we wanted to see: sea turtles, land turtles, marine iguanas, land iguanas, blue footed boobies, sharks, orca whales, and so much more!
Do you want to go to the Galapagos Islands? Have you been before? Would you recommend a cruise or planning it yourself? As always, let’s keep the conversation going on Twitter!
