La Pinta Galapagos

The 1982-built La Pinta yacht is a year-round Galapagos-based expedition cruise ship owned by the Ecuador-based company Metropolitan Touring Galapagos. This luxury vessel exceeds basic travel expectations, introducing well-off yet unpretentious travelers to the region's unique landscapes and wildlife.

The ship (IMO number 8112897) is currently Ecuador-flagged (MMSI 735058068) and registered in Guayaquil.

Since 2022, La Pinta has been seasonally chartered by UnCruise Adventures.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

La Pinta was originally built as a Bahamas-based casino ship. In 2008, she underwent a complete drydock rebuild and was transformed into a modern expedition vessel. Onboard amenities include outdoor showers, a public-use dryer, a complimentary basket with Dramamine, snorkeling gear (wet suits, masks, snorkels, fins), sea kayaks, a glass-bottom boat, a briefing room with audio-video equipment, and a crane for deploying three pangas (inflatable water taxis) to uninhabited islets.

Additional touches such as Wi-Fi, a glass-bottom boat, and in-cabin showers enhance the experience. After a day of trekking under the equatorial sun or snorkeling in the Pacific, guests can relax in the top-deck hot tub or enjoy cocktails in the lounge before dinner while swapping photos and stories.

The La Pinta Galapagos experience is highly structured, with a precise schedule designed to maximize time on shore. Guests who participate in every activity will have only about two hours of downtime daily and may feel both delighted and somewhat exhausted by the time of disembarkation. A casual post-cruise stay—such as a beach retreat—offers a welcome counterbalance to the ship’s tightly organized pace and helps ease the transition back to everyday life.

La Pinta has a total of 24 staterooms, including 20 Double Outside cabins (180 ft² / 17 m² each) and 2 Triple Outside cabins (235 ft² / 22 m² each).

The vessel features 5 decks, of which 3 are passenger-accessible and 2 contain cabins.

Key facilities are located on Deck 2 (Restaurant, Lobby/Reception, Shop, Infirmary/Doctor's Office) and Deck 4 (Observation Bar Lounge, Library, Gym, Sundeck). Most cabins are situated on Deck 3.

The Dining Room Restaurant accommodates all passengers at once. Nearly all meals are served indoors. Breakfast, starting at 7:30 am, is buffet-style with a daily omelet station. Lunch offers light salads, soups, and hot dishes. Dinner, beginning at 7:30 pm, is the only non-buffet meal and features four courses: appetizer, soup, a choice of entrée, and dessert.

The Boutique offers a selection of essentials and souvenirs.

The Observation Lounge & Bar also serves as the Lecture Room, featuring 270-degree panoramic windows and one of the ship’s two TVs (the other is in the lobby).

The Natural History Library has two computer terminals and a coffee machine, along with jars filled with cookies, crackers, and tea biscuits.

The Exercise Room is equipped with Lifestyle-brand machines (exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical), as well as free weights and dumbbells.

The aft Sundeck features a Jacuzzi (hot tub for 6 passengers), a sunbathing area with padded loungers, and shaded seating with tables and garden sofas. This deck is also served by the Outdoor Sky Bar.