Tell All About the Galapagos

Just getting started planning a cruise to the Galapagos. Any information you can provide would be helpful. Which ship? Which route? Which season? Any tips? We're seasoned =X= sailors who have no clue about the best way to organize this trip.

Just getting started planning a cruise to the Galapagos. Any information you can provide would be helpful. Which ship? Which route? Which season? Any tips? We're seasoned =X= sailors who have no clue about the best way to organize this trip.

We are eagerly awaiting our November sailing, which we booked two years ago; 15 day package with extension. (We added the extension later, after researching many other private tour options.)

I'd recommend you start here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2069149

That thread is "Part 3".

I did actually go back and read part 1 & 2. It took quite awhile, but there was a wealth of information.

Be aware that the Flora is taking over the Xpedition routes next spring, and the Xperience and Xploration will be taken out of service. The prices on Flora seem outrageous to us, but I imagine many will be attracted to the new ship.

Ask away on that thread - previous cruisers have been so helpful.

We are eagerly awaiting our November sailing, which we booked two years ago; 15 day package with extension. (We added the extension later, after researching many other private tour options.)

I'd recommend you start here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2069149

 

That thread is "Part 3".

I did actually go back and read part 1 & 2. It took quite awhile, but there was a wealth of information.

 

Ask away on that thread - previous cruisers have been so helpful.

Agree 100%. Galapagos is a very different cruising experience. Hiking and climbing in and out of zodiacs requires a good amount of physical mobility. We sailed Expedition last summer and started planning a year before. The provided link (plus parts 1 & 2) were of invaluable assistance.

I've done it on Xpedition.

The 3 parts thread is very very useful and thoroughly enhanced my experience.

My advice --arrive at least 3 days ahead of the cruise to Quito.

I arrived late on Thursday night for a cruise which started on Sunday, with a Saturday before organized by X.

I was still jet lagged and Saturday was a very long day with X, with early start on Sunday for the flight to Galapagos.

Give yourself time to adjust. It is a very EXPENSIVE cruise..... but worth every penny if done right.

Thanks so much for the link to the three parts thread. That's where I'll start the research. You're correct dani, it is an expensive cruise, so I do want to do it right.

We're aboard the Millennium at the moment. Is there anything I need to be aware of if we decide to book on while on board?

We booked onboard for our Galapagos cruise and received a very generous OBC $500 at that time, for use on the current cruise, which at that time we were able to cash in via the casino. We also received 5% off the cruise portion of our trip due to our Captain's Club status, so be sure to ask if you're eligible for this. When we arrived home we transferred our reservation to a big box TA who gave us a gift card valued at 8% of our cruisetour cost. Right now Celebrity is also offering $1000 off your cruise fare if you book your flights through Flights by Celebrity (Choice Air), plus you can still transfer to a TA for the additional OBC or $. We usually find the best flight rates using Choice Air for international flights. When you look at booking your flights be sure to compare the round trip rates to two one-way flights in each direction. Sometimes the two one-ways end up being less than the roundtrip rate. As mentioned by a prior poster, arriving a few days early will allow you to see a bit of Quito and surrounding areas before the Celebrity portion begins. This was one of our best vacations yet!

That is a shame that they are retiring the Expedtion. I would suggest that you read up on the 2 seasons that this area has. One is the wet season and the other is the dry season.

Each season will offer you different opportunities for wildlife viewing. I was so lucky to visit this magnificent place. I chose the dry season, and went at the end of February in 2010. I know that was 8 years ago and things have changed. What we saw on our trip now takes basically 2 trips, due to regulations.

I would add on the pre-cruise package if they still offer it. You travel on a charter plane from Quito to Baltra. Some people have wanted to save money and meet the ship there and travel on their own. It is very hard to get these flights. As for as flying to Quito, you could go early if you wanted to venture away from the city for extra day trips. The pre-cruise package will put you up at the Marriott.

It is a lot to think about, and if the ship offers any books I suggest you really read up on the wildlife that is important to you.

Dancing Shoes,

The good news is the Xpedition is not being retired. It is being overhauled and will carry fewer passengers on the itineraries currently being served by the Xploration and Xperience. Those ships are being taken out of service with X.

I can highly recommend to take the X add on, which includes a stay at Marriott and the flight to Baltra.

As for itinerary --

North Seymour Island and Elizabeth Bay were the highlights of my cruise.

I didn't care for the stops which included lava fields or lava tunnels, those can be seen in other places not so expensive and far away.

I've paid top $ to approach and see wild life "eye to eye"....

We went on the Xpedition back in Dec 2015 and had a great time!!! So much fun we're planning a family cruise in July 2021. It's interesting to hear about the Xpedition overhall and with the heavy cost associated with the Flora, it will be interesting to see how they will compete with Silversea and their Silver Galapagos.

Celebrity’s new “ Flora” ship will be the only vessel worldwide to be commissioned specifically for one destination only . Galapagos . Mind you, with only 100 rooms on board , all suites , god knows you will need to remortgage the home !!

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Celebrity’s new “ Flora” ship will be the only vessel worldwide to be commissioned specifically for one destination only . Galapagos . Mind you, with only 100 rooms on board , all suites , god knows you will need to remortgage the home !!

 

 

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Are you saying the Silversea Silver Galapagos cruise ship, capacity 100 guests, which is there year round is going somewhere else? I hope not. As far as the soon to be "overhauled" Xpedition, where is it going to be reported if it doesn't go back to the Galapagos?

Celebrity’s new “ Flora” ship will be the only vessel worldwide to be commissioned specifically for one destination only . Galapagos . Mind you, with only 100 rooms on board , all suites , god knows you will need to remortgage the home !!

 

 

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Far less than 100 rooms; the passenger capacity is 100.

As far as the soon to be "overhauled" Xpedition, where is it going to be reported if it doesn't go back to the Galapagos?

As I mentioned above, the Xpedition is taking over the itineraries of the Xploration and Xperience, still in the Galapagos. The Xploration and Xperience are reportedly being taken out of service.

Licenses to operate in Galapagos are very limited. The total passenger capacity currently (Xpedition, Xploration and Xperience combined) will be equal to the combined capacity of the Flora and Xpedition.

I've done it on Xpedition.

The 3 parts thread is very very useful and thoroughly enhanced my experience.

My advice --arrive at least 3 days ahead of the cruise to Quito.

I arrived late on Thursday night for a cruise which started on Sunday, with a Saturday before organized by X.

I was still jet lagged and Saturday was a very long day with X, with early start on Sunday for the flight to Galapagos.

Give yourself time to adjust. It is a very EXPENSIVE cruise..... but worth every penny if done right.

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Just getting started planning a cruise to the Galapagos. Any information you can provide would be helpful. Which ship? Which route? Which season? Any tips? We're seasoned =X= sailors who have no clue about the best way to organize this trip.

We did the 10 day southern loop, which included flying into and out of Quito, in Dec 2015 on the Xpedition and had a great time. We want to do the northern loop the next time we go. If you fly into Quito make sure you bring extra aspirin and chocolate to deal with any altitude sickness symptoms that might occur like a headache. Other than that, they have everything.

Celebrity’s new “ Flora” ship will be the only vessel worldwide to be commissioned specifically for one destination only . Galapagos . Mind you, with only 100 rooms on board , all suites , god knows you will need to remortgage the home!!

Are you saying the Silversea Silver Galapagos cruise ship, capacity 100 guests, which is there year round is going somewhere else? I hope not. As far as the soon to be "overhauled" Xpedition, where is it going to be reported if it doesn't go back to the Galapagos?

You missed the operative word in fizzy's post: 'commissioned.' Celebrity Xpedition was built as Sun Bay 1 in 2001, and acquired by Celebrity in June 2004. Silver Galapagos was built as Renaissance III in 1990 [in their first generation of ships, about a decade before the 'R-ships'] and acquired by Silversea in 2013. So neither of these ships was 'commissioned specifically' for Galapagos.

You missed the operative word in fizzy's post: 'commissioned.' Celebrity Xpedition was built as Sun Bay 1 in 2001, and acquired by Celebrity in June 2004. Silver Galapagos was built as Renaissance III in 1990 [in their first generation of ships, about a decade before the 'R-ships'] and acquired by Silversea in 2013. So neither of these ships was 'commissioned specifically' for Galapagos.

That's for clearing that up. Maybe one day her prices will come down to a point where we might be able to enjoy her. I'm sure there are plenty of unique offerings to enhance the Galapagos experience the other ships lack. However, $1,600 per person per day for the cheapest cabin for a July 2020 7 day cruise is a little too steep for us.

That's for clearing that up. Maybe one day her prices will come down to a point where we might be able to enjoy her. I'm sure there are plenty of unique offerings to enhance the Galapagos experience the other ships lack. However, $1,600 per person per day for the cheapest cabin for a July 2020 7 day cruise is a little too steep for us.

Oh I agree with that completely. If we were to go back to the Galapagos, we would book Xpedition again. She was great at 100 pax, and would be even better at 64! Flora is too over-the-top – especially price-wise. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if Celebrity transfers her to Silversea [this is totally a guess, not even a rumor].

An advantage to being in the central time zone- time difference is about an hour at most! Sometimes none!

Of course, but pls. keep in mind that more than half the passengers came from as far as India, Singapore, HK, Europe (even I from the Middle East), and ... Canada :D

The OP was from the US. So saying jet lag could be a huge issue for them is not as relevant. I think most people will realize the time difference if any, from their home.

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The OP was from the US. So saying jet lag could be a huge issue for them is not as relevant. I think most people will realize the time difference if any, from their home.

Not only the OP is reading this thread. It has more than 1000 views right now, so I assume not only the OP is reading it.

The advices I've received from this forum thoroughly enhanced my cruising experience, and I try to reciprocate as much as I can. Even if only one reader takes into account the jet lag issue, I've "earned my keep:D "