Warm inside
Classic lounges
Armchairs and tables
- Good forLong stretches
- NearbyThe bar
- ViewBig windows
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Life on the El Calafate glacier tour boat, deck by deck
Gourmet full-day glacier cruise on Lago Argentino
★ 4.8 · Rated by 342 guests
The short version
The El Calafate glacier tour boat is a 37.5 m catamaran for 180 passengers with heated lounges, open decks, a bar and a playroom, boarding at 8:30 and returning at 17:00.
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Reserve a spotWhat the day on the El Calafate glacier tour boat is like from the inside: the catamaran, where to stand, what you eat and when the glaciers come into view.
Editorial team, elcalafateglaciercruise.com · Updated November 9, 2026 · Read in 7 min
The boat: a big catamaran built for a long day
The Marpatag cruise from El Calafate runs on the company’s flagship full-day catamaran, the María Turquesa, which came by sea from a shipyard in Buenos Aires and then by road from Puerto Santa Cruz to the lake.6 The operator gives its length as 37.5 m and its beam as 9.6 m, with room for 180 passengers and a top speed of 20 knots.1
Those numbers explain the feel of the day. This is a large boat with room to move around, twin hulls joined by a broad deck, built to cover the long distances between the arms of Lago Argentino in a single day. It is a social boat, more a floating lounge than an expedition ship, and that suits a day of moving between glaciers.
The company behind it is Argentine and says it has more than 20 years of sailing on Lake Argentino, with full-day cruises and overnight programmes.7 All its trips into the national park leave from its own private port, La Soledad, at Punta Bandera, which is where the listing we book meets you.8 The port sits on the shore of the lake itself, so the sailing begins the moment you step aboard.
The boats in figures
The day catamaran and the overnight one
| Feature | María Turquesa | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Full-day cruises6 | Overnight cabins14 |
| Length | 37.5 m1 | 40.5 m14 |
| Passengers | 1801 | 3814 |
| Speed | 20 knots1 | 19 knots14 |
| Inside | Lounges, bar, playroom2 | 19 double cabins14 |
Figures as the operator publishes them for its catamarans on Lago Argentino.1,14
Decks, lounges and the best place to stand
Its spec sheet counts three decks, a galley, toilets, a bar, a pair of classic saloons furnished with tables and armchairs, a playroom for children and a premium lounge with its own balcony.2 Inside, the lounges are climate-controlled; outside, panoramic decks give the open views, and you will use both.11 Expect to spend the long stretches inside and the glacier stops at the rail.
For photographs, the outer decks are everything. As the boat turns in front of a glacier, the side facing the ice changes, so the trick is to be free to move rather than to hold a single spot. Leave bags at your seat, keep a camera and gloves in your pockets, and step out early when the guide announces the next glacier.
The upper deck gives the clearest view over other heads, and the bow the most direct one, but both catch the full wind. A hat that stays on and a jacket that closes at the neck matter more there than anywhere. When the cold wins, the large windows of the lounges still frame the ice, and a drink from the bar makes the waiting easy.
Lunch, the bar and the Premium Lounge
Food is part of the name of this cruise. The park’s list of operators describes it as a full-day trip with gourmet food on board, and the listing we book names lunch on board.16 The park’s own route description calls the lunch service optional, so check the option you choose shows a meal before you pay.9
The operator publishes its add-ons in pesos. From 1 October 2026 the packed lunch, which comes with dessert and something to drink, costs ARS 50,000 on its price list.4 The Premium Lounge, a separate space with a 4-course menu and drinks included, is listed at ARS 320,000.12 Between meals a bar serves during the sailing, so a drink is never far away.15
Is the lounge worth the extra? It buys a quieter room with a balcony of its own and a long, plated meal, which suits a celebration or a traveler who would rather not queue at the bar.2 Unless it is a special occasion, the classic lounges and the box lunch do the job: the glaciers are the same from every deck, and the money could pay for the walkways the next day.
Plan your lunch
How to handle food on the glacier day
Pick the line that fits your appetite and budget and see what to book.
If I want lunch sorted with no extra fuss
An option with lunch
The listing names lunch on board; check your option.
If I want a long plated meal and drinks
The Premium Lounge
A 4-course menu with drinks, ARS 320,000.12
If I want a simple meal at a set price
The box lunch
A box with a drink and dessert, listed at ARS 50,000.4
If I only want coffee and snacks
The bar on board
Drinks from the bar while the boat is sailing.15
If I want to end the day on the walkways
The walkways landing
Get off at the Moreno and ride back, ARS 105,000.13
Where to spend the day
Lounge, deck or the premium room
Best photos
Open decks
Panoramic views
- Good forGlacier stops
- BringHat and gloves
- ViewAll round
Paid extra
Premium Lounge
A room with a balcony
- Menu4 courses
- DrinksIncluded
- PriceARS 320,000
The day on board, from the port to the last glacier
The operator’s schedule has guests aboard from 8:30 until 17:00, 8 hours in all.3 Our listing names La Soledad Port at 8:30 AM as the meeting point, and its total length of 8 - 12.5 hours depends on whether your option includes the ride from town. Allow time to park, buy the park ticket and find a seat before the boat leaves.
Following the park’s outline, the morning belongs to the Seco, Heim and Spegazzini up the northern arm, and a stop on foot at Puesto de Las Vacas breaks it up.9 Next you gaze up the Upsala Canal at Upsala and Bertacchi, and the iceberg channel then carries the boat down to the Perito Moreno, which it meets on its northern side.9 Between the stops, the open water is where you eat, warm up and catch up on the commentary.
This makes it a Perito Moreno Glacier tour boat with a difference: the Perito Moreno comes last, after a full day of other ice. For an ending on foot, the listing lets you step off at the footbridges, and the operator charges ARS 105,000 for that landing plus the drive home.13 It gives you the glacier from both sides, the water first and the walkways after.
Price the day
Cost the gourmet day for your group
Put in your party size and line up the gourmet cruise against its variants.
Side-by-side: 3 options
Cost the gourmet day for your group
Put in your party size and line up the gourmet cruise against its variants.
- Gourmet full day8 - 12.5 hours · per person starting at $225
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View - Gourmet plus footbridges12 hours · per person starting at $251
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View - All-glaciers day10 hours · per person starting at $243
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View
These from-prices come from GetYourGuide and are converted using the ECB reference rate; the exact price shows at checkout.
The timetable
A day aboard, from boarding to the Moreno
Guides, commentary and staying in touch
A live guide speaks Spanish and English on board, and an audio guide is offered in both languages too. With both languages on one large boat, it helps to know where the guide is. If English matters to you, sit near the speakers in the lounge and ask the guide the questions you care about at the rail, where conversations are easier.
The operator says free wifi works throughout the trip, which is handy in a corner of the park far from any town.5 It is handy for sending a photograph home from in front of a glacier, but do not count on it for streaming. Download maps and music in El Calafate the night before, and charge a spare battery for the camera.
Packing advice from the operator is practical: warm clothes, a waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, thermal socks, trekking boots or waterproof trainers, sunglasses, sun cream, a camera with a spare battery and binoculars.17 The national park adds that a light waterproof windbreaker is the best friend of anyone visiting Patagonia.18
Video
What to expect on a glacier boat in Los Glaciares
LaineyHula Adventures on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
On board, climate-controlled lounges, panoramic decks, and gourmet dining allow you to enjoy every view in comfort, accompanied by personalized service.
Children on board
The María Turquesa has a children’s playroom, and the listing describes a play area decorated with drawings of the park’s animals.2 On a long day it is a real help: small children can play while adults watch the shore, and the guide’s talk about condors and glaciers lands better after a break. Bring a small toy or a book of animals to match the drawings on the walls, and the hours between glaciers pass quickly.
Fares are kind to families. Kids up to 4 ride for nothing, and those from 5 to 15 get 30% knocked off, by the operator’s rules.22 The park, for its part, waives entry for every child aged 0 to 6.23 Enter every child’s age when you book so the price shown matches the price you pay, and carry their passports: the park gate sets each category from a document.24
Plan the day around their energy. Pack snacks and a change of warm clothes, keep small hands away from wet rails, and use the walk at Puesto Las Vacas to let them run. The operator describes the cruise as suitable for all audiences, and with a bit of planning a full day on the lake is a fine day out for a family.19
Getting aboard: pickup, parking and access
If your option includes a transfer, the operator says the pickup round of hotels can take up to 45 minutes and that the driver waits 5 minutes at each stop.25 Be outside on time, with bags ready and the park money in your pocket: a missed pickup is a missed cruise, and the bus may not come back for you. The operator lists its return bus from El Calafate to Puerto La Soledad at ARS 65,000 from 1 October 2026.4
Driving yourself is simple. The operator offers free parking at the port, though its terms say there is no vehicle security service there.26,27 You buy the park ticket yourself, on the dock or on the internet, ideally with peso notes as the operator advises.20,21 Arrive early enough to sort out the ticket before boarding, not while the crew is calling passengers aboard.
Anyone who moves with difficulty should contact the operator first; it invites exactly those questions.19 A boat with three decks has stairs, and the landing at Puesto Las Vacas involves a walk ashore.2 Ask how the crew handles boarding, which deck has the easiest access and whether the walk ashore can be skipped, and keep the reply by email.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
How big is the gourmet glacier boat?
37.5 m long.
The catamaran is 37.5 m long, 9.6 m wide and carries 180 passengers.1
Is lunch included on the cruise?
What time does the cruise board and return?
8:30 to 17:00.
Boarding opens at 8:30 and the boat docks again at 17:00, per the published timetable.3
Is there wifi on the boat?
Yes, free.
The operator says free wifi works throughout the trip, useful for a quick message home.5
Is the cruise good for children?
Sources
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Tarifas ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Administración de Parques Nacionales (argentina.gob.ar) · Parque Nacional Los Glaciares: Actividades ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Tarifas ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Tarifas ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · About Us ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Administración de Parques Nacionales (argentina.gob.ar) · Parque Nacional Los Glaciares: Concesionarios ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Terms and Conditions ↩
- Administración de Parques Nacionales (argentina.gob.ar) · Parque Nacional Los Glaciares: Panorámica ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Terms and Conditions ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Administración de Parques Nacionales (argentina.gob.ar) · Derechos de acceso a Parques Nacionales ↩
- Administración de Parques Nacionales (argentina.gob.ar) · Derechos de acceso a Parques Nacionales ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Terms and Conditions ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Gourmet Glaciers ↩
- Cruceros Marpatag (crucerosmarpatag.com), operator of the Glaciares Gourmet cruise · Terms and Conditions ↩