Lying 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of 19 main volcanic islands formed by the periodic eruptions of several volcanoes. Several of these volcanoes are still active and although the oldest islands are thought to be between 5 and 10 million years old, the youngest of the Galapagos Islands (Isabela and Fernandina) are still being formed, with eruptions of their volcanoes as recently as 2007.

Generations of backpackers have tried to find cheap ways to get to the Galapagos, but the fact remains that the only reliable and regular way is to fly from mainland Ecuador. Several airlines have daily flights to either Baltra or San Cristobal from Quito and Guayaquil.

Few cruises to the Galapagos Islands take in all 19 of the major islands and access to several of them is prohibited or restricted. Today even on the islands that tourists can visit as part of a cruise, there are strict regulations to control tour numbers in order to preserve the unique and fragile ecosystem. You should make sure when booking any cruise to the Galapagos Islands that you do so with a responsible tour operator so that not only you but future generations can enjoy them!

Galapagos cruises are generally of either 4, 5 or 8 days in length and each yacht has a slightly different itinerary according to the rules set down by the Galapagos National Park and, to some extent, the preferences of the captain. Obviously, the longer the cruise you decide upon, the more incredible wildlife you will be able to see.

There are several types and standard of boats operating cruises to the Galapagos Islands. One obvious split is between yachts and catamarans. A yacht is a traditional type of ship, with a single hull while a catamaran has two or more hulls and offers increased yaw stability at the cost of slightly more up-and-down motion. Generally speaking in the Galapagos, catamarans are being preferred at the higher end of the spectrum.

Within both types of ship, there are several classes, from quite basic boats to cruises offering absolute luxury. The grading system can be quite confusing, as every company providing cruises to the Galapagos islands seems to have its own system. At Real Ecuador Holidays, we have opted for a star system like that of hotels, which hopefully keeps things as simple as possible!

Generally speaking, a 3-star yacht will tend to have bunks rather than beds and the cabins may not be air-conditioned. Public areas will be well-equipped but may be a little dated - for example, offering a VCR rather than DVD. A 4-star cruise will give you proper beds, greater comfort levels and often some really nice facililites - jacuzzis, anyone? Finally, 5-star Galapagos cruises give you superb facilities, incredible comfort and boats with real character - a fantastic way to enjoy these fantastic islands.

All yachts have a trained naturalist guide as part of the crew and he/she will act as your tour guide on each Galapagos island. The rule of thumb is that the better the yacht, the better the guide, with 3-star yachts employing Level II guides, 4-star yachts, Level III guides and the 5-star cruises employing the best of all.

For those of you who aren't keen on taking a long cruise to the Galapagos Islands, there are other options such as staying on a hotel on either Santa Cruz or San Cristobal (the main islands) and taking day-trips out to some of the other islands to enjoy the wildlife there. This can be quite cost-effective and more comfortable if a cabin on the high seas doesn't sound like its for you. Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruzin particular has some excellent hotel accommodation, as well as all the restaurants, bars and other facilities that you could wish for.

Hopefully all this has been helpful for you if you are planning, or thinking of planning a cruise to the Galapagos Islands - there's obviously a lot to think about but the main thing is to know that whatever type of Galapagos cruise you decide on, you can be sure of seeing one of the most amazing places on earth and coming back with stories (and photos!) that will be the envy of your friends!