The 46 cabin M/V Santa Cruz, built exclusively for Galapagos Islands cruising - was completely renovated in 1998, having been redesigned and refurbished inside and out. The SANTA CRUZ has gained worldwide recognition for its excellent standards, including superb service, expert crew, the most knowledgeable multilingual naturalist/guides and menus that feature the very best international cuisine and celebrated Ecuadorian dishes. Its capacity is for ninety guests.

Our Expedition Team consists of a Chief Naturalist and five Naturalists. All will delight guests with diverse natural history explanations, superb on-deck talks, and eye-catching lectures regarding natural history issues. Their multimedia presentations and recaps will complement the day's activities. Together with the Captain, they will plan the day's program. They are masters of Galapagos' knowledge. Soon enough, our Naturalists will become the highlight of your voyage. At night, when pitch-dark starry skies are seen, stargazing is an amazing nocturnal activity. The southern skies are beautifully arranged with exuberant constellations.

On the Boat Deck, there are two master suites with double beds (plus a sofa bed for a child) and a private balcony, and two junior suites with twin beds (plus a sofa bed for a child). Six Superior-Class cabins have twin or double beds, that together with the remaining Standard Cabins on the Upper and Main decks offer a variety of accommodations, all meeting the same high standard for comfort and style. Family guests have ample choice among single, double, triple and quad accommodations.

The Sun Deck features a bar and Jacuzzi, along with the observation platform for dolphin and whale watching. The dining room, lounge and bar are elegantly appointed, as is the well-stocked library/reading room. As an alternative to snorkeling, the glass-bottom boat offers another opportunity to observe the marine life.

The entire ship is air-conditioned. A carefully planned itinerary includes the Galapagos' main highlights plus a flexible program allowing guests to enjoy several alternatives for their daily activities. In essence, an expedition to the best National Park, aboard the only ship exclusively built for exploring the Galapagos.

Vessel information:

Construction - Bilbao, Spain, 1979
Reconstruction - Talcahuano, Chile, 1998
Category -  First Class
Gross Tonnage -  1675
Capacity -  90 guests
Length -  72.35 meters (237.3 feet)
Beam -  11.85 meters (38.86 feet)
Speed -  13 knots
Electricity -  110 Volts in the cabins with  220 Volt sockets available in Reception and Dining area.
Engines -  2 Sulzer engines, 1620 BHP each
Navigation Gyrocompass, auto pilot, radar, echo-sounders,
Equipment -  GPS and Radio Director Finder
Safety Classification -  ABS classification +A1E +  AMS #7907 853 SOLAS (safety of life at sea)
ISM certificate Complying with the IMO resolution 
A.788(19) Automatic fire controls
Life Jackets -  In each cabin
Lifeboats -  Two 66-man, two 25-man,
Life Rafts -   Two  16-man, two 10-man
Zodiacs -  5 for ship to shore transportation
Boston Whaler -  1 with glass-bottom with for underwater observation
Owner -  ETICA / Metropolitan Touring
Decks -  4 (Sun deck, Boat deck, Upper deck, Main deck)
Crew -  52
Naturalist -  6 multilingual (includes Chief Naturalist)
Medical Officer -  Permanently on board

Other services:

• Bar - Lounge, Boutique
• Gift Shop
• Email, radio, telephone, and Fax communications.
• PA system.
• Snorkeling Equipment
• Multimedia natural history lectures
• Stargazing Program
• Glass bottom boat
• Jacuzzi
• Reading Room and Natural History Library
• Air conditioned throughout
• Aromatherapy Center