Galapagos 2027 28 Cruise Itineraries Open For Booking

HX Expeditions is locking in its Galapagos strategy well into the next decade, extending its charter of MS Santa Cruz II through 2029 and unveiling a full slate of Galapagos 2027 28 cruise itineraries that open for booking on December 22, 2025. The program keeps the 90 guest expedition ship based in the islands year round under a long running partnership with Metropolitan Touring, while adding fresh marketing around two core routes and their Machu Picchu combinations. For travelers, this means a long booking horizon on a tightly regulated small ship product where cabins and air seats will disappear quickly on prime dates.

The new Galapagos 2027 28 cruise itineraries give travelers a clearly defined set of small ship options that start or end in Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, with some departures folding in a multi day overland loop to Machu Picchu in Peru, and the long lead time should make it easier to pair scarce expedition cabins with long haul flights and complex land add ons.

Background: Why This Charter Extension Matters

HX Expeditions has been operating carbon neutral expedition cruises in the Galapagos since 2022 on MS Santa Cruz II, a 50 cabin ship that carries up to 90 guests. The vessel is owned by Metropolitan Touring, one of the longest established operators in the archipelago, while HX holds a significant minority stake in the company and charters the ship for its own branded program. The original agreement was structured as a five year charter; the newly announced three year extension now carries that commitment through the 2029 season, providing rare continuity in a market where vessels and brands often rotate.

The Galapagos Islands, roughly 1,000 kilometers off mainland South America, are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with about 97 percent of the land area protected as a national park and surrounding waters designated as one of the world's largest marine reserves. Access is strictly managed through licensed operators, capped visitor numbers, and mandatory local guides on shore, so there are only a handful of ships in the 90 guest range that combine conservation credentials with year round service. That combination of small capacity, fixed infrastructure, and global demand is what makes a long dated charter extension newsworthy from a traveler planning perspective.

The Eastern Route: In Darwin's Footsteps

The first pillar of the 2027 28 program is the nine day Eastern Route, subtitled In Darwin's Footsteps, which HX describes as a reimagining of the inaugural Galapagos itinerary it launched in 2022. This route focuses on Santa Cruz, Espanola, and San Cristobal, three islands that together showcase much of the wildlife and geology that inspired Charles Darwin's work. Guests can expect a mix of giant tortoise encounters on Santa Cruz, seabird colonies on Espanola, and marine life around the coastlines, with daily landings by panga, guided hikes, and snorkeling sessions framed by the ship's onboard Science Center.

For travelers who want to combine the islands with highland archaeology, the 14 day In Darwin's Footsteps Plus Machu Picchu program couples the full Eastern Route with a five day pre cruise stay in Peru. These trips typically start in Lima, then continue to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu by rail before guests fly to Ecuador to join Santa Cruz II. From a planning standpoint, that structure shifts the long haul flight and altitude acclimatization to the front of the trip, which many travelers find easier on recovery and jet lag.

Northern And Western Route: Nine Of The Best Isles

The second core itinerary group is the 11 day Northern and Western Route, marketed as Nine of the Best Isles and operated round trip from Quito. It promises visits to nine islands across the archipelago, with a route pattern that can include Baltra, Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Floreana, Santiago, Rabida, Bartolome, and Genovesa on current seasons, although individual landings always remain subject to park permits and conditions.

This routing leans into variety and activity, with HX highlighting regular opportunities for kayaking, snorkeling, glass bottom boat excursions, and close up wildlife viewing from small craft. Because the ship is limited to about 90 guests, landings are typically broken into smaller groups, which helps keep trails quieter and spreads human impact more evenly across each site. Families and friend groups get some flexibility through 36 interconnecting cabins, a higher proportion than on most Galapagos ships, which helps multi generational parties secure side by side rooms.

Travelers who want the broadest possible itinerary can step up to the 16 day Nine of the Best Isles Plus Machu Picchu program, which begins in Lima, runs a similar highland circuit to Machu Picchu, then connects through to Quito and onward to Santa Cruz II for the full nine island cruise. It is a dense schedule with multiple flights, trains, and transfers, so it particularly rewards travelers who build in buffers before and after the packaged elements.

The Ship: Small Capacity And Science Forward

MS Santa Cruz II carries 90 guests in 50 cabins, with facilities that include a Science Center, a Discovery Room, a locally influenced restaurant, hot tubs, and multiple open decks. The ship was extensively upgraded in 2021 and operates Galapagos cruises under a carbon neutral framework that HX presents as central to its brand. In practice, that means a mix of fuel decisions, onboard waste reduction, and contributions to reforestation and biodiversity projects, coordinated in part through the HX Foundation and partners such as the Galapagos Conservation Trust.

For travelers, the key operational takeaway is scale. A 90 passenger ship is small enough that most guests can disembark quickly by zodiac when the park schedule allows, but large enough to support a full expedition team, multiple landing options, and a range of cabin types. In peak dates, you should still expect early morning wake up calls and strictly timed shore windows, because the ship is sharing sensitive landing sites with other licensed vessels on a tight grid.

Getting There: Gateways And Flight Planning

Most itineraries will route you through Quito or Guayaquil on the way to the ship, with some programs routing first through Lima for the Machu Picchu segment. Travelers flying into Quito will use Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), the main gateway for Ecuador's capital, while Guayaquil bound guests will fly through Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport (GYE). Machu Picchu combinations generally start via Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) in Lima before a domestic hop to Cusco.

Given how crucial on time arrival is for Galapagos flights and train slots to Machu Picchu, it is risky to attempt a same day connection from an intercontinental arrival into a domestic departure. A more conservative profile is to schedule at least one overnight in each gateway city before the first non refundable segment, and another night at the end of the cruise before any long haul flight home. That cushion can absorb weather related delays, missed bags, or short notice schedule changes without torpedoing the whole itinerary.

Seasonality, Pricing Signals, And When To Book

HX has not yet published detailed 2027 28 pricing by cabin category, but current 2026 versions of Nine of the Best Isles Plus Machu Picchu are already on sale, with multiple departures between April and December and occasional promotions such as savings of up to $4,000 off per booking. Those listings offer at least a directional sense of price bands and date patterns, even if final 2027 28 fares will reflect fuel, demand, and currency shifts.

Galapagos itself remains a year round destination with two broad seasons rather than a single peak. Roughly December through May brings warmer air and sea temperatures with more rainfall and greener landscapes, conditions many snorkelers and swimmers prefer. June through November tends to be cooler, with nutrient rich waters that can increase some wildlife sightings, but also choppier seas that sensitive travelers will feel more. With a long booking window, advisors can steer clients toward the mix of conditions that best fits their tolerance for heat, humidity, and motion.

Because bookings for the 2027 and 2028 seasons open on December 22, 2025, and cabin counts are limited, serious travelers should already be narrowing down preferred routes, cabin types, and time windows. When sales go live, it makes sense to place a hold quickly on a workable date, then finalize long haul flights and pre or post trip extensions within the airline and cruise line change windows to keep options open. Comprehensive travel insurance that covers supplier default, medical evacuation, and interruption remains prudent for complex, high value trips to remote regions.

Sources

• HX Expeditions Announces 2027-28 Galápagos Season, Standalone Brochure and Partnership Extension
• MS Santa Cruz II, Ship Specifications And Features
• HX Extends Galapagos Charter Deal
• HX Extends Partnership With Metropolitan Touring In Galapagos
• Galápagos Islands, Nine of the Best Isles Plus Machu Picchu