When you are exploring the Galápagos islands with us onboard the MS Santa Cruz II, you will enjoy a relaxed atmosphere in high quality surroundings. The small size - with a guest capacity of maximum of 90 allows for a cozy yet classy environment. You'll easily feel at home on board.
This sleek, spacious ship has a layout that allows you to enjoy your cruise from start to finish. Enjoy delicious food in the elegant restaurant, increase your knowledge of the Galápagos Islands with your fellow travellers in the Science Centre or maybe mingle out on the multiple decks.
While exploring the Galápagos, you'll have the ability to actively engage in activities and encounters. After a day in Darwin's footsteps, you will enjoy coming home to a casual atmosphere with the best service there is. MS Santa Cruz II's amenities easily appeal to all world explorers.
An HX Hurtigruten Expeditions trip includes everything from daily excursions and activities to our onboard Science Centre, meals, gratuities, drinks* and more. All designed to give you the expedition experience of a lifetime.
Onboard the ship, there are fifty cruise cabins that provide ample space for each and every guest. Each cabin has a private bathroom. There are options available for single travelers, couples, groups and families.
The best accommodation on our expedition ships. Spacious, private, and with wide windows to watch the world drift by, suites are comfortable and calm havens at sea.
Mouthwatering meals and creative cocktails await you aboard MS Santa Cruz II. With creativity and dedication, our cheerful staff draw inspiration from everything from the weather to the region’s flavours and local ingredients.
Your ship gives you everything you could wish for in a home away from home: places for stimulation, relaxation, and meetings with your fellow guests. With a Scandinavian-inspired décor and all modern conveniences, MS Santa Cruz II does it in comfort and style.
Whenever you feel the need to get your body moving, exercise facilities are on hand to get your pulse up. And whether you’re relaxing after a day of fascinating lectures, or a long hike, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to relax your body and mind. Our fitness center is equipped with yoga mats, set of weights, 2 treadmills, 2 stationary bikes, and an elliptical trainer for those guests who do not want to let their routine slide. For a nice relaxing time our two hot tubs with capacity for 5 guests each. Located on the Expedition deck are ideal.
We do welcome children onboard. However, HX Hurtigruten Expeditions doesn't allow children under the age of 5 to travel with us to Antarctica and South Georgia. For safety reasons, children under 12 years of age will be considered for participation in excursions at each landing.
For those travelling to the Galápagos on Santa Cruz II only - Parents with children below the age of 6 need to present at embarkation a release form signed by their parents or guardians to board a Galápagos cruise. If children between the ages of 6-18 are accompanied by one parent/legal guardian, a minor consent form signed by the other parent, or both parents if the minor is accompanied by a legal guardian, must be presented on boarding.
30m2 - Suite
17m2 - Outside
15m2 - Outside
14-15m2 - Outside
15m2 - Outside
The Expedition Launch Pad can be found on Deck 1.
We offer a rich and varied programme of included and optional shore excursions run by third-party providers in many areas we sail to. In many ports, we offer an included excursion, which can be reserved for no additional charge. In some cases, the included excursion can be combined with other optional excursions in the port. Most excursions can be pre-booked, but may also be bookable onboard if capacity remains.
We advise that you book well in advance in order to avoid disappointment due to the excursion being fully booked. Please note that registration is binding, and once on board the Expedition Team will advise you of booking deadlines for excursions still available. Our excursions have English-speaking guides unless otherwise indicated and other languages cannot be guaranteed unless specified. Excursions are subject to change and possible cancellation due to weather conditions. They are also dependent on the number of participants.
In addition, the Expedition Team also arrange a variety of activities during the cruise. These will depend on location and season but may include hiking, snowshoeing, and kayaking. These activities are booked on board and subject to availability.
Specifically for guests onboard Santa Cruz II - We offer every day, in addition to the core activity (generally, nature walks, a variety of activity options approved by the national park: Snorkeling, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Coastal explorations (aboard our inflatable dinghies, otherwise known as pangas), Glass-bottom boat rides, Biking (on Santa Cruz Island only).
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Children below the age of 6 cannot take part in cruises with MS Santa Cruz. For children under the age of 12 that board MS Santa Cruz a release of responsibility will need to be signed by the parents or guardian of the minor upon arrival to the vessel since cruise facilities are not adapted for children and there are no child-care facilities nor child-minders on board.
Our ships are wheelchair accessible with some operational requirements. Guests have to bring their own wheelchairs, which must be no wider than 60 cm for ease of movement. All mobility aids must be declared and safely carried onboard. Wheelchair users can only be accommodated in accessible cabins to ensure safe evacuation in emergencies. You can find our complete policy here: Accessibility for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility | HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
An English-speaking physician and nurse are always on board, with essential medical equipment and medications for small emergencies. For serious cases, the nearest hospital will be contacted. Medical consultations and medications will incur charges.
All guests must have travel/health insurance. If you rely on medication, please bring enough to cover unforeseen delays. Keep medication in your hand luggage with clear instructions. In case of illness, quarantine may be required, and instructions from the ship's physician and captain must be followed.
Shorts and loosely-fitting tops will see you through the warm season, and natural materials, like linen and cotton, will help you to stay dry and cool. Protect yourself from the intense sunlight with sunglasses, a cap or a wide-brimmed hat, and generous amounts of sunscreen. The warm season is also the rainy season, so make sure to bring a light waterproof jacket.
In the cool season, a southerly wind blows, and low clouds often shelter the islands from the sun. During these cooler months, the temperature can drop to 20°C at night, so a light jumper or cardigan will keep you comfortable in the chilly evenings.
No matter what time of year you’re visiting, you’ll likely have lots of fun activities planned. On a Hurtigruten cruise to the Galápagos Islands, you can explore the archipelago on excursions and landings, and see the best that these islands have to offer. You’ll need sturdy shoes or sandals for hiking, and swimming gear for snorkelling and kayaking.
Regardless of what time of year you visit, a good pair of walking shoes is recommended for the hikes. Trails around the various islands vary in difficulty, but most are of volcanic nature. In some trails, and for wet landings, some guests appreciate aqua-shoes - or those that they don't mind getting wet.
Lightweight, breathable cotton trousers, convertible to shorts have proven to be useful for all seasons. Along with a broad-rim hat, polarised sunglasses and sunscreen.
Make sure you bring one or two bathing suits, to make use of the on-deck pool and hot tubs, as well as on various activities (snorkelling, paddle-board, etc.). For the cooler months, wetsuits (2mm shorties) are available for rent at a cost of $17 USD + tax per guest for the entire cruise.
When traveling in high altitudes (Quito and Cusco), the weather can be a bit cooler so we recommend bringing a warm sweater, gloves, scarf, and rain jacket.
Only drinks from the ship’s restaurants, bars, or cabins may be consumed. Alcohol bought in ports will be stored by the crew and returned on the last day. Santa Cruz II charges corkage fees for wine/spirits brought aboard.
The use of passenger-operated drones is not permitted during your voyage. This is for general safety as well as the protection of vulnerable wildlife and other guests’ personal security.
Drones are not allowed in Galapagos. Flash photography is not allowed on wildlife in the national parks. Professional video photography requires a special permit of the National Park Directorate.
On many of our expedition cruises, we are landing in areas covered with snow. The terrain might be muddy, uneven, wet, and very slippery. The weather may be inclement and cold. This is part of being an explorer.
For settlement landings in Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Norway, and other locations it is highly recommended to bring your own proper sturdy footwear. In Antarctica, South Georgia, and Svalbard, it is mandatory to use rubber boots for all landings as well as on nature landings in Arctic Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. In sailing areas where boots are mandatory for landings, they will be provided on board during your expedition free of charge.
Boots are rinsed and declared clean from seeds and other biological material after every landing to avoid unintentionally spreading invasive species into fragile environments. We carry sizes from 32 to 50. If you need a smaller or larger size than this or prefer to wear your own boots, you are welcome to bring private rubber boots, but please be advised that our Expedition Team will have them checked before going ashore, to make sure they are suitable for landing.
We also lend out walking sticks on board. If you are more comfortable using your own walking sticks, bring them along with you, but bear in mind that they must be properly cleaned and disinfected after every landing.
For those guests onboard Santa Cruz II equipment includes sit-on-top kayaks, paddle boards, a glass bottom boat, and snorkelling gear (mesh bags, masks, fins, tubes, and buoyancy vests). The use of all these is free of charge. These activities are regulated by the National Park and must always be under the supervision of a licensed naturalist guide.
Guests must attend a short safety briefing before these activities are held. Safety briefings and release documents are mandatory for participation in these activities.
Wetsuits are available in all sizes, from XXS to XXL.
All gear provided by the ship is cleaned and disinfected under the medical officer´s supervision. A brand-new mouthpiece is given to each snorkeler when using the ship´s gear.
WiFi is available, but coverage and speed can be limited on remote expeditions. It’s ideal for browsing, not streaming. For mobile phones, expect limited or no coverage in places like Antarctica, Arctic Canada, and Alaska. For MS Santa Cruz II, WiFi is available but intermittent. Please keep your phone on airplane mode during trails.
The working language on board is English. Announcements and written information are also given in German, and may also be given in French and Chinese on selected departures. In order to be able to accommodate lectures in a language other than English, we offer an “in-ear” translation into German. Lectures will be streamed into the cabins.
Whilst Santa Cruz II sails under the Ecuadorian flag; Announcements for guests are given in English, and may also be given in German, French, Spanish, or Italian depending on the guests traveling. Lectures and other presentations are held in different languages in different rooms.
Laundry is included for suite guests. Self-service isn’t available, except on MS Santa Cruz II, which has washers/dryers for guest use.
The ships comply with international safety standards and are equipped for sailing in icy waters. A mandatory safety briefing will be provided before departure, with a Safety Notice posted inside your cabin.
MS Santa Cruz II also follows Galapagos Biocontrol Agency and ISPS regulations, including luggage screenings before boarding. For MS Santa Cruz II, a safety briefing and boat drill are conducted on the first day, followed by additional briefings for activities like snorkelling and kayaking. Special lifejackets are provided for landings, and safety guidelines will be explained.
On board, smoking is only permitted in designated areas on outside decks. Smoking is not permitted in cabins or private balconies. Throwing cigarette butts overboard is strictly prohibited. A cleaning charge of approximately 150 EUR will be applied for smoking in a cabin/suite, to cover the cost of cleaning linen and curtains to return it to a non-smoking standard. E-Cigarettes, according to Norwegian law, are the equivalent of tobacco cigarettes, and therefore smoking these is only permitted in the designated smoking areas.
When the ship is refuelling smoking is prohibited. Announcements will be made on board accordingly. Smoking is not allowed during nature landings in AECO and IAATO areas, except for city landings.
For those on board Santa Cruz II - smoking is only permitted at the Sky Deck, where ashtrays are available. Smoking is not permitted in cabins. Throwing cigarette butts overboard is strictly prohibited. Smoking is strictly prohibited while ashore within the Galapagos Islands National Park.
If you have special requests (e.g. dietary or medical), please inform us as soon as possible, and no later than 12 weeks prior to your cruise departure. We will do our best to meet such requests but cannot guarantee to do so, and under no circumstance will any such request be accepted by us so as to form part of a contractual agreement.
Welcome greeting
On embarkation day, all guests will receive a complimentary Galapagos wildlife book and a reusable water bottle. Suite guests will receive an additional welcome gift in their cabin.
Turn-down service
Suite guests will receive a daily turn-down service, including fresh towels and chocolate or similar on the pillow.
Wi-fi
Suite guests will receive limited complimentary Wi-fi access. Additional wi-fi is available for purchase, but due to the Galapagos’ remote location, please be aware that internet connection is intermittent and low-bandwidth.
Wetsuit rental
Wetsuit rental is complimentary for suite guests on request.
Guests are respectfully reminded that our expedition boats enable both water-based exploration and safe landings in Galapagos. Should the ocean conditions be rough, our Expedition leader and the Officer on duty may do a scouting of the landing site to determine the safety of the programme. In the very rare event of a change in programme, the Expedition leader will announce the best alternative to all guests via PA system.
You will need to be fairly agile to board the Expedition boats, but there is otherwise no need to worry about travelling in them. The crew will show you what to do and, as long as you follow their instructions, after a few times it will become second nature.
For our glass-bottom boat outings, guests will transfer from the Expedition boats (pangas). Please follow the instructions of the expedition team to ensure everyone´s safety.
In some sites, snorkelling is done from the expedition boats (pangas) into the sea. To come back, a ladder is placed over the boat´s pontoon. Follow the instructions of the expedition team, as for all activities.
Visits to Galapagos may have one of these 3 possible landings:
NO LANDING: There is no trail on shore. Visitors are restricted to the expedition boats (pangas). You may wear water shoes, sandals or go barefoot.
WET LANDINGS: This type of disembarking process is commonly made right on the edge of the beach, with the panga operator moving the small craft up against the sandy shores to have guests slide off the pontoons near the stern of the zodiac. Consequently, guests will almost always get their feet wet in the process. Some guests prefer to wear water shoes for this type of landing, dry their feet at the beach with the special beach towels we provide (free of charge) and put on the sturdier footwear for the trail. Upon return the process is reversed.
DRY LANDINGS: There is a dock or solid surface available for our guests to step off the dinghy without getting their feet wet. you’ll always count on the helping hands of the naturalist guides and/or the dinghy operator to safely disembark at the visitor site. You can wear your sturdy footwear right out of your cabin.
Due to the fragility of the archipelago, guides will request all guests to knock-off any dirt attached to the soles of your footwear or dip them in the water before boarding the zodiac. Upon boarding Santa Cruz, this will be enhanced with the fresh water hoses available at the stern platform.
You can hand in mail at reception for forwarding, but delivery may take time. MS Santa Cruz II has mailboxes at Baltra Airport and Puerto Ayora.
The HX app is your digital companion while onboard. You can use it to view the daily programme, book excursions, and lots more. While the app is only available for use on board, we recommend downloading it before boarding, as onboard WiFi may be limited in remote regions. You'll receive login information during embarkation.
We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Aune restaurant. Suite guests can dine at Lindstrøm (additional charge for non-suites). Fredheim offers casual dining and takeaway (except on some ships).
Included: still/sparkling water, soft drinks, house wines, draught beer, coffee, and tea. Premium drinks are extra. On MS Santa Cruz II, meals are buffet-style, with complimentary house beer, wine, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner.
tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and soft drinks are free all day, with refill stations available.
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and soft drinks are free all day, with refill stations available.
Wine, beer, and spirits are included, but premium drinks (cocktails, champagne) are extra.
The cruise card serves as your cabin key and payment card. It’s activated with a valid credit card. Debit cards can be used to pay the final invoice but not for activation.
For MS Santa Cruz II: MS Santa Cruz II does not provide cabins keys or a cruise card. Cabins can be locked from the inside, and each cabin is equipped with a safety box. The corridors are monitored by closed-circuit cameras. Upon check-in, a shipboard account (SA) will be opened, and we do not register credit cards at the start of the cruise. Final payment will be requested on the last night of the cruise. Accepted credit cards in Ecuador include Diners Club, Visa, American Express, and MasterCard. ATMs are available at mainland airports, as well as at Baltra Airport and in the towns of Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Exploring our blue planet for more than a century has taught us the importance of sustainability efforts.
Meaningful Change
As a result, we are now supporting 41 environmental, cultural and social projects in 11 different countries. These range from helping endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest and protecting Galápagos seabirds, to securing safe spaces for vulnerable Greenlandic children and enabling community storytelling for the Itquamavit elders in Canada’s frozen north. We hope that the ripples we create today will one day turn into the waves of the future.
Saying goodbye to unnecessary single-use plastic
We announced our war on plastics in 2018 when we were the first expedition company to ban non-essential single-use plastic throughout our entire operation. That means items like plastic cups, plastic straws or plastic cutlery are banned from our ships. You also won’t see our shops selling microplastic-made fleeces but stocking natural wool clothing instead.
Absent too are plastic water bottles. We provide all our guests on an expedition cruise with a complimentary high-quality reusable bottle for use at water refill stations dotted around the ship. This simple act saves at least 1,000 plastic bottles a day on some of our larger ships.
Inspiring Environmental Ambassadors
Witnessing the beauty of our planet is sure to leave a lasting impression on you, and you’ll talk enthusiastically about these stunning destinations with friends and family for decades to come. To make sure you can speak informatively when you return home, every one of our expedition cruises has a focus on the environment.
The Expedition Team give lectures that raise awareness of climate change, ocean plastic, and the measures we can all take to help ease these issues. It is our hope that engaging with nature on our expedition cruises will inspire you to do all you can to cherish and protect the precious world we all share.
Connecting With Communities
We are dedicated to supporting the local communities we visit, and to creating beneficial ripple effects that continue long after we’ve left. By trading locally and sourcing services such as food produce and excursions from local suppliers, we contribute to the livelihood and welfare of people.
We strive not only to connect with these communities, but to share genuine friendship with them while always respecting their values and customs. As guests in their home, our emphasis is on appreciating their unique culture and ensuring our interactions are positive and upbuilding for all. You can therefore enjoy authentic experiences knowing your visit is doing good, both for you and for them.
A Footprint We’re Proud Of
You’ll likely encounter a range of wildlife during your expedition, doing so from a safe distance. We’ll be sure to never get too close to them, out of respect for their welfare as much as yours. By not disturbing wildlife with our presence, you’ll be able to observe their natural behaviour, in their natural habitat. We want to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures!
Working Together As One
Sustainability efforts aren't something we can do alone. Everyone in our industry needs to work together for a more sustainable future. We are therefore founding members of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). These trade member organisations work to establish sustainable tourism in polar regions, fighting mass tourism by limiting ships and shore visits, and creating guidelines that protect fragile environments and rare wildlife.
Serving Plant-Based Food
Our menus offer an array of delicious plant-based dishes, designed to promote healthier living, and give you the chance to try tasty vegan and vegetarian cuisine. We’ve also put in place food management waste programmes on all our ships, and in 2023 saw a 22% decrease in food waste per guest.
Investing in Greener Tech
Building our two new hybrid-powered expedition ships, MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, represents the biggest investment in our almost 130 years of history. They are packed with state-of-the-art technology, such as battery packs, heat recovery systems, and a cutting-edge hull design. These innovations combined reduce carbon emissions by more than 20 %, compared to other cruise ships of the same size.
We stopped using heavy fuel oil more than a decade ago and campaign for its worldwide ban.
Doing Your Part
There are a range of simple things you can get involved in during your cruise to do your bit. Help out on a beach clean-up where the refuse we collect is brought back onto the ship to be recycled. Citizen Science projects get you to observe our natural world closely and contribute to current research.
Even hanging a tag on your cabin door to say your towels and bed sheets don’t need changing can help save energy and water. You also have the option to donate to the HX Foundation which funds projects around the world.
We are trying to build a more sustainable standard for expedition cruising. You can be sure we will continue with our commitment to sustainability; leading the way with greener tech, working towards protecting our planet, supporting local communities, and inspiring more to action.
