In the tourist superior class you're paying mid-range rates for mid-range experience. You'll have more space and fewer passengers than an economy class ship. Roughly equivalent to a three star hotel. Often you'll find older first class ships find themselves in this category as newer first class yachts come onto the market.

Until recently I would have described the M/Y Monserrat as a first class Galápagos cruise ship, but as newer and fancier first class yachts have joined the market, I now prefer to describe the Monserrat as a tourist superior class option. Therefore it’s an excellent value, high quality cruise in this mid-range price bracket, and one I often recommend.

From 2025, the Monserrat has 10 comfortable cabins for up to 16 passengers, good on-board service, and even free wifi.

It offers a great selection of itineraries, ranging from a whopping 15 day cruise to all the islands, down to some good short (three and four night) itineraries which can be combined together to visit both the western and eastern islands.

The M/Y Bonita is another former first class Galápagos cruise ship that I’ve now relegated to tourist superior class, giving it great value for money. This is a lovely yacht with ten comfortable cabins and space for 16 passengers, spacious social areas and free internet access.

The Bonita yacht has convenient official "rack" rates and sometimes special discounts or offers including the flight ticket even months ahead of departures. There are no extra charges for upper deck cabins and rooms are distributed in a "first come first serve" manner. Because of this flexibility, I often recommend the Bonita to travellers who want to book their cruise well ahead of time without breaking the bank.

I find the six night itinerary A to the western islands is a great option for visitors who want to explore this region in depth but can't afford a seven night cruise.