Galapagos Ferry During the Holiday Season: Christmas & New Year 2026/27

Yes, the Galapagos ferry keeps running through the holiday season, with one exception: there are no ferries on January 1. The speedboats that connect Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela and Floreana sail on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, then pause for New Year’s Day and resume on January 2. So the real problem is not the service. It is the seats.

Holiday Ferry Availability: Why You Should Book Before You Land

Between December 20 and January 5, the inter-island ferry in Galapagos works at close to full capacity. Each boat carries roughly 24 to 32 passengers, and departures on the most requested days are usually confirmed weeks earlier. If your itinerary depends on hopping islands during that window, book online before you land in the archipelago instead of trying your luck at the pier.

Do Galapagos Ferries Run on Christmas and New Year’s Day?

On Christmas Day, yes. On New Year’s Day, no. The inter-island service operates on December 24, December 25 and December 31 with its normal high-season timetable, but there are no ferries at all on January 1. Service resumes on January 2.

• Standard departure times: 07:00 AM and 03:00 PM on Santa Cruz ↔ San Cristóbal and Santa Cruz ↔ Isabela (the Isabela → Santa Cruz leg starts earlier, at 06:00 AM).
• January 1: no departures on any route. Plan to spend New Year’s Day on one island and move on January 2 or later.
• On other public holidays: boats sail, but departure times can be merged or moved if demand is low or crews adjust their schedule. Reconfirm your exact time 24 to 48 hours before travelling.
• Port authority closures: on any day, sea conditions are the real reason a departure gets cancelled. If the Capitanía closes the port, trips are rescheduled or refunded.

What changes over the holidays is pressure on availability. Two forces overlap in this window: international visitors on Christmas and New Year holidays, and Ecuadorian residents travelling between islands to spend the dates with family. Residents hold priority on certain seats, which shrinks the pool available to tourists. The tightest days of the whole year: December 26–30 (travellers repositioning before New Year’s Eve) and January 2–4, when everyone who could not sail on the 1st leaves at once. If you can shift your island change to December 21–23, you will find far more room.

How to Book Your Inter-Island Ticket for New Year Without Getting Stranded

The booking process is short. What matters is doing it early and locking the direction that has the least flexibility.

1. Fix your island order first. Most travellers arrive at Baltra (Santa Cruz) or San Cristóbal airport, so build the route around the airport you fly into and out of. Remember that you cannot change islands on January 1.
2. Choose route, date and departure time on galaferry.com. Morning departures sell out before afternoon ones over the holidays.
3. Book both legs at the same time. Reserving only the outbound is the single most common mistake in this season — the return is what leaves people stuck.
4. Pay online with card. Payment is processed through WeTravel with international credit and debit cards, submitting your booking request instantly.
5. Keep your confirmation on your phone and bring valid photo ID (passport for foreign visitors). You will need both at the pier.

Main routes available in this window

• Santa Cruz → San Cristóbal and San Cristóbal → Santa Cruz — roughly 2 h 30 min, the main link between the two largest hubs.
• Santa Cruz → Isabela and Isabela → Santa Cruz — roughly 2 h 15 min, and the first route to sell out at New Year.
• Santa Cruz ↔ Floreana — fewer departures and limited capacity all year round.

All of these routes keep daily departures throughout the holiday season, except on January 1. Key reminder: there is no direct ferry between San Cristóbal and Isabela. That connection always transits through Santa Cruz. To do it in one day you must take the earliest morning departure, arrive in Puerto Ayora around midday, and continue on the afternoon boat — two separate tickets, both of which need to be secured in advance during the holidays. Don’t plan this double crossing around New Year’s Eve unless both legs are confirmed, and never for January 1.

Prices, Port Fees and Luggage Rules for December and January

Ferry fares are regulated, so they do not surge over the holidays. What varies is availability, not price. Budget for the ticket plus a small amount of cash for fees paid on the day.

• Ferry ticket: $60 USD per person, one way, on every main route.
• Water taxi: around $1 USD per person on each side. The boats anchor offshore, so a taxi transfer from the dock is unavoidable.
• Isabela municipal fee: around $10 USD per foreign visitor, paid in cash on arrival at Puerto Villamil.
• ABG biosecurity inspection: a mandatory bag check at the pier before boarding. It has no ticket cost, but it takes time — and it is the reason you cannot show up at the last minute.

Carry small bills. Isabela has very limited access to cash machines, and pier fees are rarely payable by card.

Luggage and check-in times

• Allowance: one suitcase up to 20 kg plus one carry-on backpack per passenger.
• Excess luggage: normally $10–$15 USD paid directly at the pier, subject to space on board.
• Arrival at the pier: minimum 45 minutes before departure under normal conditions. Between December 20 and January 5, aim for 60 minutes — the biosecurity queue is far longer with full boats.
• Waterproof your bag. Luggage travels on deck and spray gets in.

Ferry or Inter-Island Flight at New Year? Quick Comparison

Small aircraft connect the same islands in under an hour, but with very few seats per flight. Over the holidays they are the first thing to disappear and the most expensive way to fix a broken itinerary.

Criteria	Ferry (speedboat)	Inter-island light aircraft
Price (one way)	$60 USD per person	Roughly $180–$280 USD per person
Travel time	2 h to 2 h 30 min	30 to 40 minutes
Frequency	Two departures per day on the main routes, none on January 1	A few flights per week, by route
Capacity per trip	24–32 passengers	Around 9 passengers
Luggage	20 kg suitcase + carry-on	Strict limit, near 9 kg (20 lb)
Availability at New Year	Tight, but bookable weeks ahead	Very limited and quick to sell out
San Cristóbal ↔ Isabela	Connection via Santa Cruz, full day	Direct flight available
Best for	Standard island hopping on a budget	Tight schedules and the Isabela–San Cristóbal leg

For most travellers the ferry remains the sensible choice: cheaper, running throughout the holiday season except on New Year’s Day, and with enough seats to absorb the demand if you book ahead. The flight is worth its price mainly when you need to cross the archipelago in one morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Galapagos ferries operate every day during the holidays?

Every day except January 1. The inter-island ferries run on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, stop completely on New Year’s Day, and resume on January 2. On other public holidays departure times can occasionally be adjusted, so reconfirm your exact time 24 to 48 hours before travelling.

What should I do if every ferry shows as sold out?

Check the opposite departure time first — afternoon boats often still have room when the 07:00 AM is gone. Then try shifting your travel by one day, since demand collapses on December 24 and 31 themselves, when most people are already where they want to be. If the route is genuinely full, the alternatives are an inter-island flight or contacting us on WhatsApp so we can watch for released seats when a group booking is adjusted.

How far in advance should I book the ferry for New Year’s week?

Outside high season, 48 to 72 hours is normally enough. For travel between December 20 and January 5, book three to six weeks ahead, and as early as possible for the Santa Cruz ↔ Isabela route, for any morning departure and for January 2, which absorbs everyone who could not travel on the 1st. Changes and cancellations are allowed up to two days before departure, so booking early costs you nothing in flexibility.

Can I buy the ticket on the same day at the pier in December?

It is possible but genuinely risky in this window. Same-day seats depend on no-shows, and during the holidays there usually are none. Turning up at the pier on December 27 or January 2 hoping for a spot is how travellers end up losing a hotel night on the wrong island — or missing a flight home from Baltra or San Cristóbal.

Secure Your Seat Before the Boats Fill Up

The ferry sails throughout the Christmas and New Year season, with no service on January 1. Whether there is a seat left for you depends entirely on when you request your reservation. Ticket prices do not rise as the date approaches — overall seat availability simply runs out, and by late December the flexibility you had in November is gone. Check live schedules and request your inter-island transfer at galaferry.com. Bookings are risk-free: we confirm your space directly with local vessel operators, and if your chosen departure cannot be confirmed, you receive a 100% full refund within 2–5 business days.