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Tour boat companies often partner with private agencies, organizations, or individuals to organize chartered tours that fulfill particular requirements or requests. Charters provide autonomous institutions with the flexibility to tweak itineraries, to focus tours on a specific activity, to control the composition of a tour group, or to plan special events. The crew and naturalist guide—oftentimes specialists in the activity of choice—are also more easily accessible and accommodating of a single group's needs and desires. Because charters require a significant amount of pre-planning and demand for cruises stays high, it is important to contact boat owners, Ecuadorian tour agencies, or foreign affiliates and reserve your tour at least six months to a year in advance. Although prices for charters are dependent on the specific cruise vessel desired, they tend to be a bit less expensive per capita than individual cruise tours, if the charter is filled to at least 80% capacity. The most common charters are targeted at families, students, scientists, or special interest groups.
Family tours come in two basic forms: those promoted by boat companies to parents with younger children and those organized by an individual family unit for a reunion, gathering, celebration, or special occasion. Family tours that are arranged by the boat company usually offer unique activities for kids, specially selected guides possessing experience with younger visitors, and most importantly, a concentration of playmates for youngsters. A tour organized by an individual family can take any shape or form—the grandparents' 50 th wedding anniversary, a couple's wedding-vow renewal ceremony, a child's graduation from university, or the annual family get-together with an oceanic twist.
Student groups and research teams can also charter boats for educational or investigative purposes. Since they tend to have the most advanced ecological sensibilities and primarily learning-focused objectives, these charters are most often given permission by the Galápagos National Park to tour restricted island visitor sites.
Finally, a wide variety of organizations sponsor chartered tours to the Galápagos, the most common of which include: ornithological societies, photography guilds, alumni organizations, philanthropic groups or foundations, or local dive shops. Any aficionado wanting to stimulate a special interest or hobby in the Galápagos can either contact the local branch of any of the aforementioned organizations or coordinate with others holding the same interest.
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