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calipso

Calipso Galápagos Cruise

A wonderfully refurbished classical yacht

A Galápagos Cruise on board the Calipso

29 Reviews

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What we love about the Calipso

Fully refurbished in 2019

Stunning modern cabins

Extensive naturalist itinerary

Single cabins available

calipso
calipso
calipso

Calipso has just completed a stunning refit. Not only has she been refurbished, her interior has been virtually rebuilt! Her owners wanted her to offer something different, and she is now the only ship that alternates between naturalist and dive cruises throughout the year. The advantage for non-divers? More space to enjoy the wonders of the Galápagos from above the surface!

Calipso now has ten extremely comfortable cabins, accommodating up to 16 guests. Of course, taste is subjective, but we think her new décor is some of the chicest and most stylish found on any Galápagos cruise ship today. Each cabin has beautiful modern wooden furniture combined with contemporary decor and fantastic panoramic windows. This is more hotel suite than boat cabin!

The en suite bathrooms are beautifully contemporary with rainfall showers and porcelain taps. Plush linen and high quality toiletries complete the luxurious feel. Each cabin is individually air-conditioned, with accent lighting and plenty of power points for charging your devices, including dedicated USB points. You'll also find a TV in each stateroom.

Calipso's common areas have been designed with the same stunning attention to detail as her staterooms. Beautiful contemporary wooden flooring is complemented by light colored furniture, and the neutral color scheme makes the boat feel light and airy. There are wonderfully comfortable sofas in the main saloon, as well as a relaxed dining area and a chic bar.

Outside, take advantage of the stunning dive deck even when you're not diving! This is the perfect place for some quiet time away from it all as you take in the sights and sounds of the Galápagos on your cruise.

For uninterrupted views of the islands and remarkable Galápagos wildlife, head up to the huge sun deck. Here you'll find plenty of comfortable sun loungers, an alfresco bar and barbecue station, and an additional dining area. And what better way to watch the equatorial stars come out than from the comfort of the Jacuzzi hot tub you'll also find here?

As stunning as Calipso is (and it is stunning!), it's the Galápagos wildlife that is the star. Calipso offers a range of three, four and eight day naturalist itineraries that have been cleverly designed to give you a real insight into the Galápagos.

Their bilingual guides are some of the most experienced in the Galápagos fleet, and their knowledge and passion for the islands will really help to bring you closer to the wildlife, geology and people of the archipelago.

Activities that you will enjoy include snorkeling, panga rides, an excellent variety of wet and dry landings, walks and excursions. Another benefit of choosing a Calipso cruise is the complimentary use of snorkeling equipment, wetsuits and even an underwater camera!

We can't believe Calipso's transformation. She hasn't been refitted, she's been reinvented! The quality of her interior and facilities now matches the quality of her Galápagos itineraries, which were already excellent. We particularly love her spacious sun deck with alfresco bar – it's the perfect place to watch the sun set at the end of another amazing day on your Galápagos adventure.

Dates & Prices on board the Calipso

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Amenities on board the Calipso

meal

All meals

oxygen

Nitrox (free)

EN guide

English guides

jacuzzi

Sundeck with jacuzzi

snorkeling

Snorkel gear (free of charge)

footprint

Travel for good: Your Each booking contributes to Ventura’s Conservation Project.

scuba diving

Scuba outing possible

wifi

Internet/Wifi

children

-10% for children ≤ 11

wetsuit

Wetsuits

kayak

Kayaks on board

air conditioning

Air conditioning & private bathroom

shared bedroom

Single travellers can share cabin

drinks

Water, Coffee, Tea & fresh juices

Food & Drinks on board the Calipso

The food on our Galápagos cruises is some of the best you will find in South America. Most of the chefs on board are internationally trained and have experience working in the best hotels and restaurants in Ecuador and around the world.

You can expect a first class selection of food including a good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, locally sourced poultry and fish/seafood, rice and pasta dishes. Most boats will always have some typical Ecuadorian dishes on the menu during your cruise. If you have special dietary requirements, these can usually be accommodated by the chef, provided you give advance notice. Please make sure you inform us of any allergies or dietary requirements at the time of booking. If you leave it until you arrive at the dock, it may not be possible to accommodate your needs.

Most ships serve a variety of options at mealtimes in a relaxed buffet style. At the first-class and luxury end of the market, some ships have more formal dining rooms, where you are served at your table. However, the atmosphere on board our cruises is always relaxed and never stuffy or formal.

Sustainable Tourism

At Galapatours we love and respect the pristine ecosystems and fascinating wildlife of the Galápagos Islands. To protect the archipelago, all Galápagos vessels must have sophisticated water filtration systems, modern, efficient engines, and strict maintenance schedules to minimize pollution. In addition, the Galápagos National Park Authority sets exact itineraries that dictate which ships can visit which highlights on which days and times, and limits the number of passengers.

Our commitment extends beyond the mandatory environmental standards for cruise vessels in the region: A portion of your trip price now contributes to our Conservation Project. This initiative empowers local communities to protect their territory, engage in reforestation, and prepare for long-term environmental stewardship. This way, your trip contributes to environmental protection and truly shows how travel can be a force for good! You can also do your bit by travelling responsibly and following our eco-guidelines during your stay. Click here to find out more about these guidelines, our commitment to sustainable tourism and the Galápagos National Park regulations.

Cabins categories on board the Calipso

Double matrimonial
Standard Double

Type:

Double/Matrimionial (convertible)

Max. occupancy:

2

More about this cabin

Technical details of Calipso

Category
Premium
Type
Small Yacht
Capacity
16

Reviews of Calipso

client

Alexander O from London

Calipso Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Our trip on board the Calipso was fantastic. Every need felt catered for, with great staff, a great guide, comfortable rooms and lovely food! We especially enjoyed the snorkelling, particularly around cormorant point, seeing sea lions, sharks, turtles and more!

client

Steven Franks

Calipso Galapagos Cruise

Premium

May 2025

We loved it, our trip on board Calipso exceed our expectations

Len

Calipso Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Amazing experience aboard the Calipso My wife and I recently returned from the Calipso Naturalist cruise Jan. 30 - Feb. 6, 2020. We reserved well before this rebuilt boat had sailed, because we were attracted by the diverse itinerary of 10 islands. The boat has a capacity of 16 passengers though only 12 were on this cruise. The age range was from 12-70 (we were the 70) and everything in between. We wanted a small boat experience. Overall, the cruise exceeded our expectations. We were met by cruise staff in Guayaquil and San Cristobal who helped with check in and transfers in both places. The crew was wonderful-friendly, helpful and always safety-conscious. Since all of the landings (wet or dry) are by dinghy, as were all of the snorkeling trips, getting up and down, in and out safely was a regular issue. Our naturalist guide, Martin, was extremely well informed and no question was too silly or insignificant. The cabins were of good size for a small boat as were the bathrooms. Unfortunately, as a smaller craft, when seas got even slightly choppy, the boat rocked or bobbed. We did use sea sickness meds on two occasions but it was never really a problem. Most of the time, seas were calm. Food was quite good and varied, served buffet style. Lots of fresh salads and delicious fruits, as well as freshly-squeezed juices. Seafood, chicken and various meats for the main meals. There is a small bar and drinks aside from pure water cost extra. Except for one beer drinker, our group did not use the bar! The Galápagos is, of course, iconic and we loved the animals and the often stark landscapes. The itinerary allowed us to experience a wide variety of all of them. The snorkeling was really good and the water pretty clear in February. The boat provided equipment including wet suits and floatation vests at no cost. Overall, we thought the trip was moderately strenuous and could be managed by anyone in reasonably good physical condition however those with physical issues should consider a different boat Overall, we give this boat a high rating for what it offers at a reasonable (for the Galápagos) price point. Source: TripAdvisor

Diane K

Calipso Galapagos Cruise

Premium

Calipso Cruise My husband and I were on the maiden voyage on Calipso August 8-14, 2019. We were in Ecuador for 9 days prior to boarding the ship. We had an awesome time. The boat was brand new (refurbished) and they were still unpacking. The crew was very nice. Two main dive guides at the time. One was excellent the other was safe and all but did not know how to interact with the passengers and was not as good as pointing out sea life as well as the other. He was knowledgeable but lacked in people skills. I reviewed him on their site after our trip. The food was great. Our room was fine. The diving at Wolf and Darwin were the best dives of our lives. The ship was comfortable. I would not hesitate to tell you to check out Calipso. Now that is from my trip in August 2019, I would hope that they have kept up this level of service or have been growing as any new organization would. We had a great group of people on our boat. I believe everyone was very happy. This review is short and sweat, I’m fussy about my dive trips, bottom line, they were fine on the first ever trip with real paying customers in the Galapagos. Source: TripAdvisor

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