IGTOA is pleased to announce its new Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund Cruise Partner Program. Through it, IGTOA is partnering with some of the premiere cruise operators in the Galapagos Islands to provide funding to critical conservation initiatives in the islands. 

Participating cruise companies support IGTOA's mission to preserve and protect the Galapagos Islands by donating a minimum of $5,000 per vessel annually to IGTOA's Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund (GTCF). The four inaugural member companies are Haugan Cruises, Andean Travel Company, Andando, and Latin Trails (please see their profiles below). They have collectively committed $85,000 in funding to the GTCF this year: $45,000 by Haugan Cruises; $20,000 by Andean Travel Company (with four of its six yachts participating this year); $10,000 by Andando, and $10,000 by Latin Trails. 

One hundred percent of these contributions will go directly to providing much-needed funding for conservation, such as the work of Island Conservation, Ecology Project International (pictured in the image above), and the Charles Darwin Foundation. These funds will be combined with over $100,000 that IGTOA's members and travelers will contribute to the GTCF this year. 

Our GTCF Cruise Partners are some of the premiere cruise companies operating in the Galapagos Islands and they are putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to supporting Galapagos conservation. We hope you will consider supporting them when booking a Galapagos Islands cruise. To get started, visit IGTOA's member directory and get in touch with one of our member companies. 

Haugan Cruises

Haugan Cruises operates a fleet of three luxury yachts in the Galapagos Islands: the Ocean Spray catamaran, the Petrel catamaran and the Camila trimaran. All of these 16-passenger, private, motor yachts provide luxury accommodations. The Ocean Spray is a mega catamaran with a huge sundeck, Jacuzzi and spacious cabins, each with a private balcony. Itineraries on this ship range from a four-day introduction to the islands to a 15-day cruise, where you'll explore the Galapagos from end to end. The Petrel is like the bird that is its namesake: fast, sleek and quiet. It will be exceptionally stable during your four- to eight-day cruise; and it's outfitted with a roomy lounge, a Jacuzzi and large cabins all of them include private balconies. The Camila is elegant, swift and silent at sea. Guests on this motorized trimaran spend four to eight days traveling in comfort, accompanied by guides who are knowledgeable about the remarkable natural history of the Galapagos Archipelago, in addition to having excellent language skills and client reviews.

Andean Travel Company

Andean Travel Company calls itself "a group of people from different corners of the world, dedicated to running life-enriching travel experiences." In 2008, that diverse group of people started offering cruises in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth: the Galapagos Islands. Making guests eyewitnesses to evolution now happens on four distinctive Andean Travel Company yachts. What's special about the nine-cabin, 16-guest Galapagos Aqua is that it's not only adept at providing nature cruises but it's the ideal boat for diving safaris, with routes that include the best diving sites in the archipelago. The Archipel I, an eight-cabin, 16-guest motor catamaran specializes in allowing visitors to observe nature from the varied perspectives of Andean Travel Company guides at two visitor sites with at least two planned excursions per day. Considered among the most comfortable and spacious boats cruising the islands is the nine-cabin, 16-guest Galapagos Odyssey. And the modern, 11-cabin, 16-guest Galapagos Solaris motor yacht is a real standout: there are no single supplements on this solo-traveler-friendly vessel-making this corner of the world feel a lot more welcoming.

Andando

Galapagos resident Fiddi Angermeyer began a small family business more than 40 years ago to showcase the beauty of his natural and cultural heritage. Today, his Andando Tours has grown into a world-class tourism operation that provides travelers with unique experiences while embracing the challenges of sustaining the fragile environment of the Galapagos. Andando has two ships in the islands: the M/Y Passion and the S/S Mary Anne. While it could easily carry up to 40 passengers, the palatial-feeling Passion takes on only 14. Recently refurbished, this one-of-a-kind vessel retains many of its original features, such as rose-colored, marble bathrooms-with bathtubs-and teakwood decks. The steel-hulled S/S Mary Anne is a stable and imposing three-mast ship. It's the only one in the Galapagos Archipelago that can navigate by wind power alone. The sails are hoisted on every itinerary, allowing passengers to photograph this majestic and romantic sight from a panga. Taking to the waves by sailing ship means traveling without the sound of engines, often attracting dolphins and whales-and delighting visitors.

Latin Trails

For more than 20 years, Latin Trails has been providing high-quality, small-group trips for visitors to the Galapagos Islands. The company offers two live aboard vessels for experiencing its Galapagos travel itineraries: an award-winning, boutique cruise aboard the luxury class, 16-passenger yacht Sea Star Journey; and a first-class catamaran tour on the stable, 16-passenger Seaman Journey. There are seven spacious suites on the Sea Star Journey, and all are equipped with panoramic windows, private bathrooms and air-conditioning. The Seaman Journey has sizable social areas-which include lounges, resting areas and sundecks-that are perfect for family members who like to travel together.