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Fragata Yacht

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Fragata Yacht - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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You want to be physically fit - Fragata Yacht

• South America    
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• Fragata Yacht

We had a fantastic 5-day Galapagos cruise on the Fragata. The guide and crew were all wonderful... read more

It was a great experience. The crew was very kind and friendly. Very good treatment on board and... read more

You want to be physically fit

This is a trip of a lifetime. Be sure your legs are up to climbing the steep and narrow steps on the ship and all the rough lava that you will be hiking on. There is snorkeling 1-2 times daily. If it is cold you can rent a wet suit for $15. They also carry snorkel equipment for rental at the same price. All the meals are included. There was a good variety at each meal. We didn’t have a full ship so there was plenty of food. The water provided is kept in the dining area. We had to fill our water jug daily which is a challenge as your berth is either above or below that floor. We heard that the lower floor is noisier due to engine noise and noise from the anchor. They have larger bathrooms than the upper floor. Be prepared for microscopic bathrooms. You can’t flush your toilet paper and no sand is allowed in the shower. We had a small closet but only 1 hanger so if you want to hang things you might want to bring some hangers. There were 3 sets of small drawers to place our things in which was adequate for what we brought. The naturalist on board was knowledgeable. He didn’t prefer to linger with us while on ship. He ran a tight schedule which is necessary as each ship has assigned times at each destination. There are no clocks on ship and my I phone watch didn’t work. So bring a regular watch. There is no cell service or internet available. The nature is amazing! Bring a camera, you will want to capture all of it. Be prepared to go to bed early and rise early. Be sure your flight will arrive with plenty of time as there is no way to catch up with the ship. Most of our group was delayed and was almost a big problem. Enjoy this trip! Your friends and family will be envious of you!

Dear fourbeesplus3, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip overall, we work really hard to improve our services and meet your expectations. Thank you so much again for your feedback, and we look forward to seeing you again! Greetings from our Enchanted Islands :)

I gave a qualified rating and an overall rating of four stars as much as anything because of the staff and particularly our guide Roberto. The guide is really critical to the experience and all of our excursions were well thought out, we had great insights into the wildlife environment and he went out of his way on snorkelling trips to point out the unexpected, including a shark. The boat is recently refurbished but is done to an okay standard, or three star and four-star hotel. Boats are cramped so not the easiest with a family of five although we had three cabins. Food was good, some of the meals were excellent, lots of fresh fruit. We had a great number of other travellers with us and it all worked very well. If you're looking for luxury possibly not the right boat but is an all round way of seeing the Galapagos would definitely recommend. If you have young kids best to bring wetsuits with you we had to have our 10 year old have a specially ordered wetsuit as they don't have specifically children sizes.

Dear ejbennet, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. It is really important for us to receive feedback so we can improve our services. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the trip overall as well as our Enchanted Islands. We hope to see you soon!

It was a unique adventure and an unbelievable time. Expectations were exceeded. The crew of the boat was helpful and warm. Food was delicious and enough, cabins were small but efficient and clean. The english of our guide Andre was excellent. Unfortunately briefing in the evening for next day was cancelled most of the time. And in the 2. of our cruises there was a young english girl he liked. So his eyes looked only after her and the group was just incidental. But this was the only drop of bitterness. Booking of our tours directly at the owner (Tierra Verde Tours) via email was the best we could do. Laura was very friendly and she answered every question quickly. There weren't any problems. Because of our two cruises (11 nights) we had an excellent price.... and the best - they booked us on Fragata although we paid for Golondrina. Laura told me that it is for booking directly. And finally our group was the best one can imagine- just singles and couples from the USA, Australia, Cape Verde, France, UK and Germany. It took just one or two days - and we all talked and laughed together. All this together with the beauty of nature and the incredible wildlife made our trip the best holiday and experience ever.

Dear Manuela, Thank you so much for your feedback, we are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip overall. We really hope to see again in the future. Fragata Team :)

My wife and I travelled on the last cruise on this yacht just before it went in for Major refurbishment so I won't waste time rating the interior and maintenance problems that I am sure have been dealt with. The crew is excellent and very attentive. Particularly the waiter Ramon. He was very enthusiastic and helpful. Food was pretty good but snacks were minimal and soft drinks non-existent despite being promised. We booked a last minute deal at a knock down rate but still felt our money would have been better spent island hopping rather than on this cruise as the itinerary was not very good with the stops concentrated too close to Santa Marta and mostly stops you can do on day trips from land. Also the guide was totally inept. Information was not given unless questions were asked and even then he made people feel like they were annoying him when asking questions. His attention was fully focused on one particular female passenger. While the guides don't remain on the same ship all the time, you should make sure to know their name and research them too. We had a guy called Andreas. The islands themselves are amazing so it's always going to be a great experience regardless of the way you do it.

Dear briangl0412, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review, and share you experience with other travelers. Indeed, Fragata Yacht is being improved and renovated in all its internal and external infraestructure. We have taken your valuable comments and turned them into opportunities to serve you better. Unfortunately, due to external factors we can't change our itineraries. All Galapagos cruises make the same journeys and routes. Fragata Yacht has 5 different itineraries in order to give you the best possible experience. We would also like to thank you about your recommendations and feedback about our guide Andreas. We will make the necessary corrections about his customer service. We offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused to you, Fragata Manager

My husband and I travelled on the Fragata in early April - itinerary C. This was 8 days/7 nights. Some 8 day cruises are potentially split into two shorter cruises so that time can be wasted in the middle of your trip dropping off and picking up new passengers. This was not the case with our cruise. There were 16 passengers and we were lucky to have a really nice group. We booked this fairly last minute and got the last berth. Our cabin was on the lower deck and obviously fairly small but we were prepared for this and did not find it difficult. There was reasonable storage space. The shower was roomy enough and with plentiful hot water. We were really only in the cabin to sleep and spent most of our time either outside on the covered deck or in the lounge/bar area. I thought there was plenty of room. The food was surprisingly good and varied with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. We were frequently offered drinks and different types of snacks on returning to the boat after excursions. I never went hungry. We were given fresh towels every day. The staff were all friendly and polite and our guide, Jorge, was knowledgable, entertaining and enthusiastic. We had to undergo a safety training drill when we first got on the boat and were encouraged to always wear life vests on the pangas. The only negatives I can think of were the following: - Engine noise - we were prepared for this but the noise in the cabin was really very loud and a lot of travelling is done at night when you are trying to sleep. However because it is a constant noise we did get used to it and slept pretty well. - One of the other passengers was vegetarian and I noticed that a lot of his meals were the same as ours but just with the meat/fish removed. He didn't seem to mind though. - while some of the wetsuits looked new, quite a few were fairly worn out and could do with replacing. - the air conditioning was actually a little too cool for me but I just rugged up when inside. On our first night we actually became quite cold in our cabin until we realised that we could adjust the air flow into the cabin and after that it was fine. Overall we had a brilliant time. The Fragata is not a luxury boat but it met our needs and expectations.

Dear aus5, Thank you so much for your review and for taking the time to share your experience. We appreciate your feedback, and we are going to do our best to improve our services. We are pleased to announce that Fragata Yacht is being improved and renovated in all its internal and external infrastructure, and will be ready soon to continue sailing in our beautiful islands. We have taken your valuable comments and reviews, and turned them into opportunities to serve you better. Please help us spread the word! :)

The ship isn't anything fancy, but it comfortable and clean. The advantage to being in one of the upper decks are obviously that the cabins have windows. However, if you are in one of the lower cabins you feel less motion and there is considerably more storage space for your things. Especially in the 2 forward cabins. The itinerary, if you do a back to back (5 day and 8 day) for a total of 11 days was amazing! If you like land animals (birds and iguanas) the eastern older islanders are a better bet (8 day). If you enjoy the aquatic animals (seals, penguins, etc) .. the western, younger islands are a better bet. Not that you can't see both in both places, just a greater chance. The pace of the tour is constant activity with very little down time unless you skip an excursion. Most days have a minimum of 3 excursions (2 snorkel / 1 land hike or vice versa). One of the most physically active trips we've ever taken. The crew was attentive and kind. The food was plentiful and wonderful! Tips: Bring a sweater/jacket for the evening talks. The aircon in the common rooms was very strong and kept very cold (young and old alike needed to bundle up). Bring clothes pins for the clothes lines on the top deck - you will definitely need to dry your clothes / bathing suits between snorkeling. If you are a taller or larger man/woman .. you may want to bring your own wetsuit. Overall, very, very pleased with this trip. It may seem a bit pricey, but worth every penny.

Dear floridamsey, Thank you so much for this amazing review. We appreciate your feedback, and we are going to do our best to improve our services. We are pleased to announce that Fragata Yacht is being improved and renovated in all its internal and external infrastructure, and will be ready soon to continue sailing in our beautiful islands. We have taken your valuable comments and reviews, and turned them into opportunities to serve you better. Please help us spread the word! :)

World-Adventurer

A journey to every country in the world.

A Galapagos Experience with Fragata Yacht

Choosing a cruise to take is a daunting task for any tourist new to the Galapagos islands. There are several classes of tours on different sized boats doing different routes. When searching for a comfortable first class tour that did the route I wanted to take, I came upon the Fragata Yacht.

Using galapagoscruiselinks.com I was able to contact the yacht company directly to get their best pricing (including last minute availability) instead of going through a third party tourism website which is often more expensive.

They also offer to book your roundtrip flights to the Galapagos islands which is often much less expensive than booking the flights directly (as they can get group pricing with their airline partners). I actually booked last minute separately before I knew about this option and could have saved a bit.

With a tour booked, I arrived in Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island, the main hub of the Galapagos. Staff from the boat were easy to find at the airport and organized a bus to take our group directly to the boat launch.

The company that operates the Fragata Yacht, Tierra Verde has several boats in its portfolio. The Golondrina was a sister boat that did the same cruise route so we saw those passengers along the way.

I took the 5 day 4 night cruise, which may be a different route displayed on their website. Tour companies apparently book the route with the Galapagos authority to make sure that there are a limited number of boats at each island which is an excellent initiative to minimize the environmental impact and at the same time deliver a more personal experience for the visitors.

The boat sleeps 16 passengers and has several room types. I stayed in a lower room with two beds and a bathroom. There was running hot water in the shower, closet space, and even a safe.

The boat had four levels with rooms on the one level down and the second level. The main level had the restaurant, common area and loading space in the back. The top deck was a popular hang out to relax between excursions.

After our pick up the first day of our tour started with a small stretch of beach called Mosquera Island . The highlight here and one of my highlights of the trip was swimming and playing with sea lions. That evening and night, we drove to our next destination.

On Day 2 we woke up at Vicente Roca Point with many sea turtles popping up around the boat to greet us. We toured the area by boat, birdwatching and looking for sunfish. Then we snorkeled and again encountered playful sea lions.

That afternoon we moved to Espinoza Point on Fernandina Island where we snorkeled with many sea turtles and I had the lucky chance to witness penguins circling and hunting schools of fish. It was quite amazing to see them flying underwater!

After that we took a walk around the island which holds the largest population of marine iguanas in the Galapagos. There were also a group of flightless cormorants.

Day 3 started with a walk at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island where we discovered giant land tortoises and land iguanas. Large hermit crabs scurried along the beach. Unfortunately snorkeling wasn’t ideal as the water was pretty rough.

In the evening we hiked up the crater at Tagus Cove on Isabela Island to see the naturally formed Darwin’s Lake in the crater. Then we snorkeled the surrounding area and again saw penguins, sea turtles, and many other species of birds.

On Day 4 we started at Chinese Hat , an name given to an island that supposedly looks like a Chinese hat. Here we had a chance to see rays, sharks and sea turtles.

From there we moved to St. James Bay on Santiago Island to see baby sea lions waddling in the shallow pools and fur seals which are unique to this area. During the night we relocated to Santa Cruz.

Our last day was bittersweet as we departed our home for adventure and visited Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island. Here a breeding program keeps the tortoise population healthy. There are also several reserves where large tortoises roam. I had a chance to visit that separately from the tour before catching my flight back to Quito!

The experience of course was unforgettable. The Fragata team did a great job by creating a fun and comfortable atmosphere. Milton our guide was really passionate about the Galapagos and knowledgeable on all the unique animals.

Dining was casual with buffet style meals and menus that varied daily. The group tables allowed you to meet and get to know the other guests. By the end of the trip you feel like a small family. http://world-adventurer.com/galapagos-experience-fragata-yacht/ http://world-adventurer.com/galapagos-experience-fragata-yacht/

Overall I was very satisfied with the Fragata Yacht. The crew helped create an experience to remember, the facilities were comfortable, and the excursions were excellent!

The Galapagos photo set coming soon!

Contact Fragata Yacht by Tierra Verde Tours Address: Juan León Mera 1574 y La Pinta, Quito, Ecuador Telephone: (593.2) 290.5331 / (593.2) 255.7013 / (593.2) 250.9610 Website: http://www.fragatayachtgalapagos.com Email: [email protected]

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Fragata, Galapagos

• 8.9 Fabulous 14 Verified Reviews
• from ₽ 49,400 / day

Excellent diving and guidance “The wildlife and the guide’s expertise on where to find what. Busy schedule with just enough down time to relax. Only 8 guests of …” Amy B, United States

• Intimate yacht with 16 guests
• Amenities: bar, library, music system
• Snorkeling and land excursions to see wildlife

The Fragata yacht caters to just 16 guests in 8 air-conditioned cabins. Each cabin is carpeted with a private en-suite bathroom with a shower, hot water, and sink and offers a choice of double or twin beds. Onboard amenities include a comfortable living room with a bar, library, music system, TV and DVD player, a dining area where freshly prepared menu meals will be served, and a sundeck with loungers. The experienced crew is on hand to create a memorable experience and offer attention to detail.

The Fragata yacht offers a choice of 4 exciting Galapagos itineraries, ranging from 5 to 8-day tours, designed for guests to experience the diversity of the Galapagos Islands. Complimentary activities include trekking to see amazing volcano views, snorkeling with sea lions and marine iguanas, and dingy rides around the islands. Whichever tour you choose, the memories will last a lifetime.

Join the Fragata yacht for a Galapagos small ship cruise to remember. Book online today to reserve your space.

Choose your departure date adventure cruise | snorkelling only

Included: VAT, Fuel Surcharge, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Cabin Towels.

Required Extras: National Park Fees (100-200 USD per trip), Visas and Fees (20 USD per trip).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Local Flights (520 USD per trip), Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Snorkel Gear (25-35 USD per trip).

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

Pay by bank transfer or online with Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

• Daily housekeeping
• Audio & video entertainment
• Air Conditioned saloon
• Aircon Cabins
• Indoor Saloon
• Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
• Warm Water Showers
• En-Suite bathrooms
• Non-Smoking Rooms
• Seaview Cabins
• Snorkeling Equipment
• Naturalist Itineraries
• Dedicated Local & International Crew
• Naturalist Guide
• Leisure Deck

Food & Drinks

• Vegetarian Options
• Buffet style
• Beer available
• Snacks All Day
• Vegan Options

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English and Spanish.

Gear Rental

There is equipment available to rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. You will need to pay for the rental gear on board of the boat. Show prices .

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Accommodation.

Double Cabins

Superior Cabins

Boat specifications.

• Length 75 FT.
• Cruising speed 9 KNOTS CRUISING
• Engines 2 X 240 H.P. DETROIT DIESEL 8V-71
• Max guests 16

Boat Navigation and Safety

• Depth Sounder
• Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
• Emergency Rafts
• Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
• First Aid Kits
• Bilge pump alarm
• Emergency flares

Fragata Reviews

• 8.9 Fabulous
• 14 Verified Reviews
• Activities 9.6
• 8.0 Very good

Crew was best part

The wildlife and the guide’s expertise on where to find what. Busy schedule with just enough down time to relax. Only 8 guests of the 16 that generally book meant a reasonable amount of space to enjoy the boat.

Spectacular experience

The walking activities were easy and we saw plenty of wildlife. snorkeling was spectacular and so great for a first timer. I felt safe all the time and Roberto pointed out so many interesting sights. The food on board was lovely and refreshing. The waters were quite rocky (August) and a few in my group had bad sea sickness. We still enjoyed it a lot though! Cabin-wise, it was a bit dated and we were all places in the basement. So it was Stuffy and we had to sleep with open doors. Ventilation did not improve despite fixing.

• 8.8 Fabulous

wonderful trip

snorkling, hiking

Great hospitality from the crew!

Obviously the guides were on a strict schedule with other vessels. Our guide handled this well and I never felt rushed. His nightly next day activity briefings were excellent.

• 10 Exceptional

Worlds best nature experience

Playing with sea lions during snorkling. Watching breeding blue footed boobies, fregat birds, albatrosses and much more.

• 9.6 Exceptional

Tour of a lifetime!

Traveling with the wonderful members of the tour. Experiencing firsthand the beautiful landscape. Visiting the Darwin Research Station. Photographing the avian life.

• 8.4 Very good

Many animals, fish and birds we have seen

Being on the Fragata was amazing.

Being on the yatch and using the dingy for day trips. Meeting new people at meals and becoming friends. Seeing the amazing array of animals and learning about their habitats. We have traveled a lot and this experience ranked right up there at the top. Terrific!

Great guide, great itinerary, great food!

All the excursions - the walks and snorkelling

The Galapagos is a magic place to visit.

When we saw the dolphins swimming by the boat early morning.

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There is equipment available to rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. You will need to pay for the rental gear on board of the boat.

• Snorkel Gear 25-35 USD per trip
• Wetsuit 25-35 USD per trip

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• 1 double bed
• Central aircon
• Ensuite Bathroom
• Max 2 guests

4 double cabins (matrimonial or twin beds) located on the lower deck. All cabins are carpeted and have private bathrooms with a toilet, shower with hot water, sink and vanity.

• Aircon with control

4 double cabins (matrimonial or twin beds) located on the upper deck. All cabins are carpeted and have private bathrooms with a toilet, shower with hot water, sink and vanity. Upper deck cabins feature picture windows with sea views.

Rental Gear Prices

Enquiry - charters and groups.

Fragata Yacht

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

FRAGATA YACHT (Puerto Ayora) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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review on the Fragata Yacht - Galapagos Islands Forum

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review on the Fragata Yacht

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planing to book this yacht , does anybody travel with this ship ?

can someone give me good or bad feedback on the yacht before booking .

We have a totally different version of our staff and passengers who traveled on the same cruise , anyway we hope you have much enjoyed your stay in the beautiful Galapagos islands and that this problem has not spoiled your wonderful trip, we are always improving our work and service and your valuable comments only encourage us to be better every day, thank you and good day.

Tierra Verde Tours Staff.

You miss the point, Tierra Verde.

You cannot just thank the odd good review and then totally ignore the criticisms, complaints and bad experiences.

We've just done the Fragata. We paid for Golondrina but were upgraded. We chose the itinerary rather than the boat. Excellent itinerary including Genovesa and Espanola. We had a very knowledgeable guide, Alex. There was plenty of food but not much choice. Overall, we're happy with what we paid as we got a discount in La Mariscal . Plus we had a good crowd and the crew were fine.

We are very pleased you had a great time at the Galapagos dear friends, as we said before, all the good and the bad comments just make us try even harder, thank you for your time to write about your experience to the community.

Tierra Verde Tours.

The Fragata crew couln't have been more nice and friendly. (Try to learn a few convesational Spanish phrases and converse with the crew. I think they appreciate the effort.) The guide Julio was very good; Everyone of my fellow travellers was impressed with him and had only good things to say about him. I also lucked out with a great group of travellers to be "stuck" with for 8 days on a yatch. We all had a great time being around each other.

I thougt the Fragata was a very nice yatch for its classification. The food was good. I'm generally not a big eater and rarely went back for seconds, so I didn't have issue with not having enough food. We sometimes had snorkling sessions before breakfasts; On those days some guests requested something to eat before those snorkling sessions, and the crew usually provided tray of biscuits whenever possible on those days. There were snacks provided after snorkling sessions that occurred later in the day. Generally you won't be able to stuff your face with food between meals like you're able to do at home. That was great for me because I came home 7lbs lighter than when I left :)

I did have trouble sleeping every night. I hadn't been on a yatch before, so the rolling back and forth motion as the yatch travelled at night bothered me. Plus I had a room below deck and could hear the engine. But overall it really wasn't that big of a deal for me, because I enjoyed the entire experience so much.

The itinerary was excellent. The islands' animals were of course amazing. I love the blue-footed boobies. Try to observe the male doing his mating dance to his partner; Great fun to watch. I also love seeing the sea turtles while snorkling.

We had snorkling everyday, sometimes twice a day. I didn't think I would enjoy the snorkling at all, but I really liked it. The 6AM snorkling at Kicker Rock was the most memorable snorkling, I think; Swimming through the channel framed by the two towering rocks was thrilling, as was seeing the spotted rays and turtles swimming deep below us. My fellow guest said that they saw a couple of sharks below also, but I couldn't spot any.

Initially I was a bit wary about being on a small yatch for 8 days with a group of strangers, but I'm so glad I did it. I had an absolutely great experience. It was actually one of the best travel experiences that I've ever had.

The Fragata experience gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me !

We are very pleased you had a great time at the Galapagos dear friends, thank you for your time to write about your experience to the community, spread the word!

Note that during 5 of the 8 days, the boat only had 10 out of 16 passengers, and in the last 4 days, there were only 6 passengers, so it felt like there were plenty of room for all of us on the small boat. It also helped that we got really great cruise mates so everyone got along well.

What we loved:

Rooms/Comfort: This is a First Class or Tourist Superior boat, so do not expect a fancy/luxurious boat. Expect that decor and bathrooms are slightly dated in the 80's decor, and that rooms and bathrooms are small, so do not bring luggage beyond mid-size. Moreover, bring your own toiletries and hair dryer. A pleasant surprise for us was that there was housekeeping daily with cleaned sheets, cleaned bathrooms with cleaned towels. We'd read other Fragata reviews and looked at YouTube videos of each cabin (posted by Fragata), and decided on cabin 8 on the upper deck because we prefer having large windows in our room so it doesn't feel so claustrophobic. Not much problem with noise, AC was working (except for 1 afternoon), the floor was very clean. Given how much time we spent outside and that we really only used our room to nap, sleep, shower and change, we felt the room was decent. As for the shower pump, I am usually cold so I only used the hot water this whole time and had no problems. My husband is usually warm so he mentioned that there wasn't enough cold water. I think another passenger so had the same issue with water being too hot. We had to keep our bathroom door open after shower because the bathroom got very warm and there wasn't enough space to move around inside.

Food: The food was excellent, amazing how the chef could crank out such well-made food in such a small kitchen 3 times a day. Breakfast: there's usually some type of eggs (changes daily), with toasts (both whole wheat and white bread options toasted perfectly), with fresh fruits, fruit juice (fresh but with sugar added), tea/coffee. Lunch & Dinner: There's usually a fish/meat/shrimp/pasta, with veggies, fresh fruits, dessert, fruit juice, tea/coffee. We discussed this with other cruise mates that the veggies were always cooked just right, pasta was al dante, the cake (when served) tasted freshly baked and delicious, and we all felt that there was plenty of food for everyone. In fact, what we had on Fragata was better than some of the food we had in Quito and Cusco. Moreover, everyone was given a bottled water at the beginning of the trip, and we could re-fill the water bottle with fresh water in the water tank in the dining room. We used the fresh water for brushing our teeth to avoid risk of stomach issues.

Guide: Our guide Julio was excellent! He spoke good English, very knowledgeable, and even though he's been doing this for years, he was still very enthusiastic when giving the tours and when pointing out the animals. Essentially, we got to see the same islands & animals as those on the the luxury boats. Since the guides are on contract each season, essentially we got the same guide as those on the luxury boats.

Crew: The whole crew was great, we felt that they really tried to make sure that everyone had a pleasant stay on the boat. And they were in good spirit all the time.

Itinerary: We were usually the first one's to arrive the sites every morning (sometimes after breakfast, sometimes before), which was great because at 6/7am, the sun is a little gentler on the skin. Moreover, at any time, we felt that at most there was one other group on the island (Fragata's sister (lower line) boat, Goloridina, that followed practically the same itinerary as Fragata). With the exception of Day 5 and Day 6 (which we felt a bit too much idle time on Santa Cruz, and visiting 2 Darwin breeding centers were a bit redundant), all other days were well utilized. There were activities in the morning and in the afternoon (usually 1-2 snorkeling trips, plus 1-2 other activities). For those who did not want to do snorkeling, another option was offered (i.e. either stay at the beach or take the dingy for other photo ops). The wet suit and snorkel gears can be rented on the boat, and we brought our own snorkel mouthpieces that we got for $2 on Amazon with us. When we went, water was unusually warm due to El Lino, so none of us wore the wet suit. The only animal on our list that we wanted to see but didn't get to see was the Frigate because it was only on North Seymour which was really close to Baltra airport, but not on itinerary D. North Seymour was also the breeding ground for the blue-footed boobies. We did notice when we were close to Baltra airport, there were many Frigates that were flying around our boat, and some even rested on our boat! But they would only mate on North Seymour so the red thing on the neck didn't puff out when we saw them flying . A highlight from our trip was seeing the lava river down Volcano Wolf. The volcanic eruption had occurred a few days before our cruise , so being on itinerary D we were lucky that our boat actually passed by Volcano Wolf (twice actually! both times at night) so we got to see the lava flow down the volcano and felt the volcanic heat!

Sun deck: There was a sundeck at the top level where 1/2 was covered from the sun and 1/2 was not, and there were ropes and clips where we could hang dry our swimming suits and cloths/shoes. I spotted some whales and dolphins up there! This was a good place to take afternoon naps with nice breeze, and a nice place to see the beautiful sunset when sky was clear.

To be desired for:

1) Communication between Terra Verde/Fragata with customers: we purchased our own return flight between Quito and Baltra so we were told by Terra Verde that our guide would arrive at the airport at 10:30am. At 10:30am, other cruises started to pick up their passengers but there was no one there for us. By 11:30am the airport had quiet down, and we got nervous and started to wonder if the last minute deal we found online was a scam. Long story short, we had to walk around to the other side of the airport to find our Fragata guide and crew who were sitting and chatting in the food court. Seemed they had no idea we had been expecting them since 10:30am (maybe they were not informed), and they were there to pick up passengers who arrived at 11:30am. All Terra Verde had to do was to tell us to meet at 11:30am instead of 10:30am, and since Fragata crew dropped off the last group at 9am, had they known about meeting up at 10:30am with us, all they needed to do was walk over and looked for us. Terrible communication here.

2) Scheduling:Terra Verde and Fragata didn't give a detailed itinerary with times of meeting, drop off, daily activities before hand or ever. At best, they informed everyone of the next day's schedule the night before. I think it's important for the customers to know so that we could plan our trip better. For example, had we known that that the cruise would drop passengers off at Baltra by 9am, we would have scheduled for another tour to North Seymour (which was close to the Baltra airport at South Seymour). Had we known that we would have so much idle time at Santa Cruz (to pick up new passengers) and that the boat docked at Santa Cruz overnight, we could have arranged for a separate tour out of Santa Cruz and return before cruise headed out again.

All in all, despite the few hiccups, my husband and I did have a memorable and wonderful time with Fragata cruise and crew!

Dear friends:

We are very pleased you had a great time at the Galapagos and of course on board of the Fragata, we take full notice of your recommendations and be sure we will improve them asap, thank you for taking the time of writing a review for it is very helpful to us all, kind regards!

Yacht Fragata, Itinerary C - June 2015

The Fragata Yacht and crew were exceptional. The efforts made to ensure comfort and hospitality was second to none. From pleasantries and help on and off the vessel on our many wet and dry landings, to smiles and customer service in the dining room and bar area. The team made a great effort and all our reservations prior to the cruise were laid to rest at the outset.

Food on the vessel was of a very good standard and concerns over quantity as per previous reviews should be taken as rectified. The chef cooked a wide variety of meals for all tastes and as fast as an activity was undertaken on an island, it was time to eat again. Plenty of swimming and walking ensured our calories were burned at regular opportunities. In addition to meal times, the crew would also provide snacks such as chips, chicken wings and appetisers to pick at. Thank you Darwin and Matteo.

Finally on the food, The Fragata does not provide an American style “All you can EAT” buffet , but for those who can socialise with 12 people and exercise a more than reasonable amount of portion control, no fears or apprehension is needed.

Our guide for the cruise was Julio who was well mannered, very educated on the islands, funny, passionate and respectful of the environment he was presenting. I would not hesitate to return to the western islands with Julio as my guide.

Just a moderate warning for those who get travel, motion or seasickness, the rocking of the boat at night can be uncomfortable between islands and the best nights sleep can be difficult to come by. I would advise you to bring plenty of medication if you are of this disposition.

The Fragata Yacht itself is not a luxury cruise liner as I hope the reader has already interpreted this from the price and size of the vessel, but what it lacks in sleek modern style, it makes up for in effort and customer service. It provides excellent value for money and a truly unforgettable experience in possibly one of the top 3 most beautiful places in the world.

Thank you for the memories

We are very pleased you had a great time at the Galapagos and of course on board of the Fragata, thank you for taking the time of writing a review for it is very helpful to us all, kind regards!

• Itinerary Galapogos 04:53
• Booking last minute 04:27
• Esim yesterday
• TCT Pre-Registration "Category"? 28 March 2024
• Flight to Isabela 28 March 2024
• Galapagos cruise itinerary 28 March 2024
• Recently Returned from the Galapagos 28 March 2024
• Booking trip (especially to Espanola) last minute 27 March 2024
• Bucket List Trip This Year Solo Senior 26 March 2024
• S.cristobal daily tour 26 March 2024
• Puerta aroya to baltra airport 25 March 2024
• Tour recommendations please 24 March 2024
• Are hiking shoes required? 24 March 2024
• Should I stay on one Island? 23 March 2024

Galapagos Islands Hotels and Places to Stay

• Why are the Galápagos Islands so special?
• How do I start planning my trip?
• Which should I do--a cruise or a land-based trip?
• How do I know what wildlife I'll see at different times of year?
• Which tour operators should I avoid?
• What class of boat should I choose?
• Which itinerary is better?
• What's the best length of time for a cruise?
• Can I take a cruise if I get seasick?
• Any tips for photography ?
• Where are the boat reviews?
• Some more boat reviews
• Land-based trip reports
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• How can I save money?

Budget-Friendly Galapagos Cruise

The Fragata is a spacious and comfortable budget-friendly Galapagos cruise. The Fragata is an owner-operated yacht which will accommodate 16 guests in cozy double and single cabins. All cabins are nicely decorated and properly equipped to provide guests a relaxing and informative cruise along the Galapagos Islands. Discover the pristine Galapagos Islands and encounter all the unique animals the islands have to offer aboard the M/Y Fragata!

What does the Fragata Budget-Friendly Galapagos cruise entail?

• All meals included
• Certified bilingual guide
• Comfortable accommodation
• Social areas to enjoy the Galapagos landscapes

Accommodation aboard the Fragata

The Fragata yacht accommodations have been equipped to provide guests not only with maximum comfort but also with extremely private coziness.

All our cabins have a private bathroom with hot and cold water shower, sink and dressing table.

Each and everyone of the Fragata Cruise cabins has air conditioning and full snorkeling equipment, including wetsuits, which are available for rent.

We want to offer you a wonderful environment, therefore you could live the experience of knowing the Galapagos Islands in a different and exclusive way due to the fact that for us and the Fragata Yacht, our passengers are our main priority.

Come and live firsthand the experience of a lifetime onboard the famous Fragata Yacht.

Fragata Itineraries explained

Fragata offers 5 itineraries to choose from for your Galapagos vacation.

8-Day C Itinerary

The 8-Day C itinerary of the Fragata is pretty cool. It’s a unique itinerary because it is a week-long itinerary heading to the Southeastern islands of Floreana and Española. The itinerary cannot be split into shorter 4 and 5-day itineraries as usually happens in Galapagos cruises.

It visits the Southeastern islands of Floreana and Española in style. You will get a chance to snorkel at the Devil´s crown which is hands-down the best snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands!

On top of this you will head north to Genovesa Island, aka ¨bird island¨, where you will be able to spot tons of birdlife and enjoy great snorkeling. Bartholomew island is also included where you can take the quintessential Galapagos pic with Pinnacle Rock in the background.

San Cristobal island will provide great visitor sites including Kicker Rock where you get another chance at some prime snorkeling.

8-Day D Itinerary

The 8-Day D Itinerary goes west to Isabela and Fernandina and makes stops at the central islands of Santa Cruz and Rabida as well. The itinerary is a bit lackluster because the boat has to return to Santa Cruz to pick up passengers in the midst of their western islands itinerary. If you take the week-long itinerary you will lose time sailing and going back and forth to embark more passengers.

4-Day A Itinerary

This shorter version of the D itinerary will take you to Isabela Island. The itinerary itself can easily be done on land. Travelers can take a speedboat from Santa Cruz to Isabela and overnight at a nice hotel there.

5-Day B Itinerary

The 5-Day B itinerary will do the better part of the D itinerary in Isabela and Fernandina islands. You will visit sites not accessible from land or on day tours. This is a strange but interesting itinerary for those travelers who don’t have enough time to visit the western islands and would like to do so in five days.

5-Day H Itinerary

The H in the H itinerary stands for Hotel. The reason for this is that you will arrive in Santa Cruz, will visit Tortuga Bay, and will overnight at a comfortable hotel in Puerto Ayora waiting to board the Fragata the next day.

Connoisseur Tip:

I would not hesitate and recommend the week-long C itinerary which visits amazing Galapagos highlights, you get to snorkel at the best sites in the archipelago and you get an uninterrupted Galapagos experience. Highly recommended!

Fragata Itineraries

Fragata, rates, inclusions, exclusions, important info, and specs

Important information, rates include:.

• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• Naturalist bilingual guide (English-Spanish).
• All excursions and visits detailed in the program (except for reasons of force majeure).
• Accommodation onboard and/or hotel of Puerto Ayora.
• Snacks after visits.
• Freshwater to drink, tea, coffee.
• Bus service between airport / Pier or airport / Itabaca channel and vice versa (it will be assumed only if passengers travel on our dates of operation)

Rates do not include:

• Air flight rate to/from Galapagos.
• INGALA transit card: USD $20
• Snorkeling gear (mask, tube, fins).
• Extra drinks.
• Personal expenses. Tips.
• Galapagos National Park Fee (USD 100 per passenger).
• In case the national government orders the increase of fees, such as the mandatory collection of Value-Added Tax (VAT), rates may be adjusted.
• Supplement for SUPERIOR cabins: USD 100 net per person.  Golondrina = main deck and upper deck with bunk beds.
• Guide in other languages USD 250 + VAT per day, please check availability.
• Single cabin supplement 80% over the rate.
• 10% discount will be applied for children from 0 to 5 years after checking availability and season.
• Supplement for special itinerary 10% on the rates.

Social areas aboard the Fragata

Aboard the budget-friendly Galapagos cruise Fragata, guests can spend a beautiful evening at our spacious dining room or relax at our leisure areas and enjoy the Living Room, TV, DVD, Bar, Music System and Sundeck because, in the Galapagos Islands, it’s all about relaxation and to feel at home at one of the most amazing places on earth.

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review on the Fragata Yacht - Galapagos Islands Forum

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review on the Fragata Yacht

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planing to book this yacht , does anybody travel with this ship ?

can someone give me good or bad feedback on the yacht before booking .

My wife and I were slightly put off right from the beginning by the $56 fee per person for not booking our flights with the yacht's company. On top of that, the nickle and diming tactic of charging for snorkeling gear and wet suits when those (at least the snorkeling gear) are pretty much essential to the experience, was very different from most of the other boats in their supposed quality level.

We arrived a day early so we returned to Baltra airport at the time we were told, 10:30am, for our tour only to be told that we would be waiting for people to fly in. We got started closer to 1. We were notified by the company the night before at what time we would need to be there. I'm certain by the night before they were well aware of the flight schedules of the people arriving the next morning. Our guild, Julio, proceeded to be quite rude to the last arriving guest who wanted to run to the bathroom, yelling at her that we were all waiting for her. The moment she rushed off, he turned to us and told us we would be waiting at least 15 minutes for the next bus to the harbor, which basically meant that he had yelled at the poor girl for no reason whatsoever. These were our first impressions of the boat and the company, and we had yet to set foot on the boat.

Boat: Once we arrived on the boat we were shown to our cabin, 6 which is on the upper floor, and were pleasantly surprised. It was clean, the bed was comfortable, and the bathroom was perfectly within reason for a boat. There were minor issues with stained pillowcases and whatnot, but I didn't make an issue of it and I think that they were clean, so it didn't really matter. As for the overall boat, it was in pretty good shape, the top deck was very nice, it's half covered by a sun shade, and was were I spent literally 3/4 of the time on the boat (I even slept up top one night because the stars were fantastic and the fresh air helped with my sea sickness). As for those of you who get sea sick: bring meds! It is to be expected on smaller boats that you can get sea sick and I would say around half of the guests were sea sick at some point or another, I was probably the worst off, but that is not the boat's fault. The quality of the boat was about where I expected for the price point, but I would not say it's a first class boat. The one thing I will say is everyone was very happy we were not on the sister ship the Golondrina as it looked much worse off than our boat.

Food: This was a big one. While there was usually almost enough, we ran out of more the half the items every meal time. We had only 12 people on the boat, but most of them were tiny girls. If we had more men and less women it would've been a serious problem, instead we just sorta made do with what we had, and everyone was polite and managed their portions. I would say that there was not a single meal where I had as much of what I wanted as I would have liked. The food quality was mixed. While the ingredients were decent, they were poorly prepared. Often the salads and fresh foods were over seasoned (as in salty) to the point of being inedible and the cooked fish, shrimp, and meats were all cooked like they were prepared half an hour or an hour early and left in an oven for the remainder of the time to keep them warm rendering them so overcooked as to be rather unenjoyable. It might sound like I'm a picky eater, but I'm really not. It was generally agreed on by the other members of the trip that the food was far too little and not well prepared.

The crew was friendly from the get go, although not a one of them spoke a word of English, which is generally fine, but if you're going to have a bartender on a yacht that caters to mostly English speaking clients, it might be nice if they speak a couple words in English... Overall we were really happy with our crew!

The guide: Julio started off poorly with his first impression, but he was very knowledgeable when pressed for information. The consensus from the people I spoke with on the cruise and my opinion, as well, was that he did the bare minimum a guide can do while still doing his job. He walked along the paths, pointed out the obvious animals, but really gave surface information. He ignored almost all plants, he ignored any birds that were not penguins, boobies, or the Galapagos hawk, which I understand are major players, but there are so many other birds on the islands. In the water he made a bit more effort and helped out one of the guests that had some fears and issues, which was very sweet. Overall he did recover from the first impression personality wise, but his lack of effort overall made it so we didn't even tip him in the end because we were that disappointed (which several other guests asked what to do, because they were torn over how little effort he put in).

The itinerary is the real reason we picked this tour. We had purchased our plane tickets before we arrived on the mainland so were looking for a tour within a certain time frame and this was the only itinerary that allowed us to get further away from Santa Cruz and do things that are not offered for free on the main island. It was a great itinerary, and we enjoyed that very much.

Snorkeling: This was the real highlight of this trip, we snorkeled often and the equipment was good enough. The zodiac would stick around close by giving a feeling of comfort to those who are not as good in the water/wanted to get out a bit earlier. My wife had hoped we would do more hiking, but I enjoyed the snorkeling and saw many more interesting things in the water than we often did on land.

Hikes: The hikes were all low stress, very easy. One involved going uphill for maybe an hour, but at a leisurely pace. Some of the ground around the volcanic areas can be quite uneven which could cause problems for much older people, or people with difficulties walking, but generally the boat's rocking would cause similar if not worse issues for people in those situations. Our group was fortunate that almost everyone was in very good shape and we could move at our desired pace, but it should be a consideration for elderly folks considering this trip.

Overall the islands are great and the wildlife viewing was amazing, but that has nothing to do with how good the boat was. While we were not upset with our tour for the money, we thought that all things considered we would try a different boat if we were to do things over again.

Warmest regards,

Heather Blenkiron

My experience at the Fragata yacht was the best. The facilities at the yacht are very comfortable and cozy. The crew is very friendly with their visitors. Because of the capacity is only for 16, the service is more personalized. The food was excellent, a varied cuisine with Ecuadorian and international gastronomy.

The crew and the guide did their best effort to give to the visitors the best experience on board.

Finally, about Galapagos islands, well, there is no words to describe how beautiful it is. If I decide to come back, I will definitively do it again at the Fragata yacht. I recommend it to all its services. Its an Ecuadorian company that provides services of international quality.

I traveled in the Fragata in late February with my cousin, we spend 8 days in it and I think we really got to know the Galapagos Islands thanks to good service good attitude of the crew and especially the vast knowledge of all animal species plants and the territory of our guide MIlton.

My cousin and I arrived at the airport in Baltra from where our journey began in the islands when we were received very friendly to take the boat, I think the service was espctacular. Once we got on the boat the crew took us to our cabin, 9, which is on the top floor, and were surprised. It was really nice , clean, the bed was comfortable, and the bathroom was perfectly clean as for the boat in general, was in very good shape, the upper deck was very nice, which is half covered by a sun awning, perfect to rest between activities or get a tan.

the food on the boat was for me a good sorprise as taste variety and quantity was always satisfying for us, the snorkeling experince that the Fragata yath offers is a unique experience and also the hikes were really nice, I think i achieve to see all the wildlife I had in mind when traveling to Galapagos.

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• Itinerary Galapogos 11:53 am
• Booking last minute 11:27 am
• Esim yesterday
• TCT Pre-Registration "Category"? Mar 28, 2024
• Flight to Isabela Mar 28, 2024
• Galapagos cruise itinerary Mar 28, 2024
• Recently Returned from the Galapagos Mar 28, 2024
• Booking trip (especially to Espanola) last minute Mar 27, 2024
• Bucket List Trip This Year Solo Senior Mar 26, 2024
• S.cristobal daily tour Mar 26, 2024
• Puerta aroya to baltra airport Mar 25, 2024
• Tour recommendations please Mar 24, 2024
• Are hiking shoes required? Mar 24, 2024
• Should I stay on one Island? Mar 23, 2024
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Galapagos Islands Hotels and Places to Stay

• Why are the Galápagos Islands so special?
• How do I start planning my trip?
• Which should I do--a cruise or a land-based trip?
• How do I know what wildlife I'll see at different times of year?
• Which tour operators should I avoid?
• What class of boat should I choose?
• Which itinerary is better?
• What's the best length of time for a cruise?
• Can I take a cruise if I get seasick?
• Any tips for photography ?
• Where are the boat reviews?
• Some more boat reviews
• Land-based trip reports
• More land-based trip reports
• What about dive liveaboard reviews?
• How can I save money?