Just back - Celebrity Flora - Galapagos / Machu Picchu 16 night trip

[Barwick Cruiser]

7 minutes ago, Shiba_Lover said:

Here's the details for Peru.  One note... On the Sunday we moved from Quito to Lima, it was the day of presidential elections and we had a later flight.  They gave us day rooms at the EB hotel near the airport.  We were told they don't always do that, so I think it may have been because of the elections/ extra caution.  Oh and on arrival in Lima, it was really late.  I don't think anyone ate dinner, but it was available (as room service or in the restaurant).  

I’m very interested in this info but can anyone tell me how to flip the pictures so they’re right side up? 
Thx, OP for posting them! 

[Shiba_Lover]

1 minute ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! I thought it might. That's the main reason why we booked the "cheaper" Sky Suite with Veranda cabin.

yeah - I booked a "guarantee" suite.  (figured there were no bad rooms on this ship) for significantly less.  I really wanted a proper balcony - oh well - I knew I may not get one, and I didn't.  Have a great adventure!  Let me know if other questions

[Shiba_Lover]

3 minutes ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

I’m very interested in this info but can anyone tell me how to flip the pictures so they’re right side up? 
Thx, OP for posting them! 

I don't know why they are sideways - they were right side up when I posted.  Maybe click on the image and open image / edit and rotate in your photo software?  If someone can tell me why they posted sideways - I can repost too.

[Ken the cruiser]

5 minutes ago, Shiba_Lover said:

I don't know why they are sideways - they were right side up when I posted.  Maybe click on the image and open image / edit and rotate in your photo software?  If someone can tell me why they posted sideways - I can repost too.

When I run into that issue, I go back into the photo gallery on my iPad where I loaded them from, go into "crop" mode, spin each applicable photo at least 3-4 times, then save them again. Usually, the next time I upload the photo(s) into my CC post, the photo(s) are upright. 

 

Edited November 16, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Shiba_Lover]

[Shiba_Lover]

[Shiba_Lover]

[Shiba_Lover]

[Shiba_Lover]

43 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

When I run into that issue, I go back into the photo gallery on my iPad where I loaded them from, go into "crop" mode, spin each applicable photo at least 3-4 times, then save them again. Usually, the next time I upload the photo(s) into my CC post, the photo(s) are upright. 

 

Ugh - thanks for the tip.  I tried this several times.  No go.  I just got on my laptop instead of the phone and did a copy/paste to get them upright.

[Barwick Cruiser]

4 hours ago, Shiba_Lover said:

Ugh - thanks for the tip.  I tried this several times.  No go.  I just got on my laptop instead of the phone and did a copy/paste to get them upright.

Thank you @Shiba_Lover, very much appreciate the effort to flip the photos. The handwritten notes are also helpful! 

[gardenbunny]

Just like the other Live poster, thank you for the much needed Machu Picchu info!  

Good packing info also - take a few clothes and send out to wash.  

We are cabin 605 - May 10-26, 2024

[Shiba_Lover]

16 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Thank you @Shiba_Lover, very much appreciate the effort to flip the photos. The handwritten notes are also helpful! 

Just to point out the notes are from me taking notes as the guide talked.  Each day, the guides give you more detailed info about the itenerary.  (Some days a separate sheet).  I wrote down some notes on our general sheet if I didn't have a more detailed page.  Your time may vary.

[lakeside42]

Thanks so much for all the great information! 

We are on the Flora in mid November followed by Machu Picchu, can't wait! 

Did you find that you had any elevation sickness at any point during your trip?

Regards,

Kelly

 

[traveler55g]

I was interested in the Celebrity Flora, however my hesitation in booking comes from the zodiacs.

How difficult is it maneuver on and off the ship and land? It is our major reservation.

Thank you for sharing your trip with us.

 

[Poconolady]

12 hours ago, traveler55g said:

I was interested in the Celebrity Flora, however my hesitation in booking comes from the zodiacs.

How difficult is it maneuver on and off the ship and land? It is our major reservation.

Thank you for sharing your trip with us.

 

I’m very interested in this too. We are booked on the Flora and I’m concerned that I might have difficulty with this. 

[mahdnc]

I know that @Ken the cruiser had very positive things to say about Flora's zodiacs in terms of ease of entry and exit.  Here is one of his posts from his recent Dec 2023 Flora sailing: link.  The photos in his "Live" review show the zodiacs very clearly (one photo is reproduced below) and I can see how they are a better design than Xpedition's.

 

[Shiba_Lover]

22 hours ago, Poconolady said:

I’m very interested in this too. We are booked on the Flora and I’m concerned that I might have difficulty with this. 

The actual Flora zodiacs are fantastic.  they have stairs with a railing built in which raise and lower.  Makes it super easy to adjust to the height of the ship marina and on islands where the is some form of a landing"dock".  The naturalist also helps you.  The thing that can impact this is waves.  If it is very rocky, the ship and the tender are bobbing up and down.  The naturalists will either hold you back from boarding or advise "go now" if this is the case.  Of all of our days ( and you get on/ off multiple times per day), we only had once where it was really a big issue.

[Poconolady]

2 hours ago, Shiba_Lover said:

The actual Flora zodiacs are fantastic.  they have stairs with a railing built in which raise and lower.  Makes it super easy to adjust to the height of the ship marina and on islands where the is some form of a landing"dock".  The naturalist also helps you.  The thing that can impact this is waves.  If it is very rocky, the ship and the tender are bobbing up and down.  The naturalists will either hold you back from boarding or advise "go now" if this is the case.  Of all of our days ( and you get on/ off multiple times per day), we only had once where it was really a big issue.

Good to know, thank you!

[mfitzge5]

On 10/23/2023 at 4:02 PM, Shiba_Lover said:

Just back from the 16 night Celebrity Flora Galapagos / Machu Picchu 16 night trip.  Here's a few notes and some packing tips.

 

We were on the 16 night package.  Note if you book cruise only and not a package - transportation, charter flight, park entry, other flights, etc may not be included.  Also - this was for Flora, so some things may be different on the other 2 ships.

 

We left a day early for the trip (which officially started on a Saturday with a tour of Quito).

we flew out on a Thursday and arrived in Quito around 11:30 PM.  Celebrity picked us up and transferred us to the JW Marriott, which is the hotel where you stay if you have booked the 10 /11 or 16 night package.  We booked the extra night on our own.  You can have Celebrity tie your personal reservation to the one they make for you so you won't have to actually change rooms.  If you want to book your own room of the same type - just be sure which type of room you are booked into by Celebrity (it will depend on the type of cabin you have on the ship).  We had an infinite veranda on the Flora, so we had a deluxe room in the hotel.  If you are in a Royal or Penthouse on the ship, you get a pretty big suite in the hotel.  Your TA can help you with this or the Galapagos desk can help you - Celebrity Galapagos desk is 1-888-751-9303.  If you are arriving a day or more early - you will also need to make sure they know about it so they can pick you up early.

 

We did a private tour on Friday on our own - the Telerifico cable car, and some city sights and foodie stops (small bites) and an artisan/craft market.  It was great.  The tour guide was named Gabriella through Tours by Locals.  she arranged things not to overlap with what Celebrity does on their tour on Saturday.

 

Saturday - The Celebrity tour started.  They split everyone into groups of 10 - 16ish people each with their own bus and guide and "guard".  Not really a guard, but someone to watch from behind to make sure everyone is together and keep lookout for pickpockets, I think.  The tour went Itchimbia park, with great views over the town, including a great photo opportunity in a Quito sign, old town Quito, the Equator museum - which has some really interesting presentations, a church, and a few other things.   After some time back at the hotel, there is a dinner provided at La Gloria restaurant in town and they will transport you to/from the restaurant.  You will need to take your CHECKED luggage downstairs sometime Saturday night (around 10PM) and you don't get it back until it is in your cabin on the ship.  So you pack up everything you don't need after this time that's in your checked luggage.  It is to do with agriculture inspection (seeds/nuts/fruit is forbidden - you will get more info).  You can keep carry on luggage and your toiletries/electronics/valuables - those will be hand checked at Baltra.

 

Sunday - depart for the Galapagos.  You will be given your boarding passes for a private charter flight to Baltra.  You CAN take your liquids on the plane.  There are some weight restrictions 44 pounds for checked, 22 for carry on, but these are not super stict.  They said they can be a little over.  It is a regular plane, like a 737 or something similar.  You are seated with one empty seat in the middle.  They serve a lunch, but then there is an embarkation lunch onboard, so you may want to skip the plane meal.  If you have priority pass, you can go into the airline lounge in Baltra.  At some point, we are also given the Galapagos park entry tickets and exit tickets.

 

After arrival in Baltra, you go through an agriculture inspection for hand luggage.  You board a bus to the ship, and get on tenders.  Then you are onboard!

 

There's a safety briefing, distribution of snorkel equipment (mask, fins, shortie wetsuit - don't worry - they WILL have your size) and embarkation lunch.  Lots going on.

 

I won't go into detail on each day - but just a summary.

 

Each morning is a breakfast buffet with hot and cold items, cereal, cold cuts, yogurt, and an egg/omelet station.   They also have some pastry set up in the bar area where you can get that very early (before breakfast starts).

 

Every day lunch is served as a buffet in the dining room which changes theme (Italian, Mexican, Asian for example) or outside as a grill with chicken/burgers.

 

Every night dinner is served in the dining room with a menu that changes (posted each day) or outside as dinner under the stars with the same menu.

 

Each evening there is a briefing explaining the next day's excursions.  There are excursions in the morning after breakfast and then again after lunch.  Nobody is allowed on the islands from noon to 2PM or from 6PM to 6AM(Galapagos regulations).   You sign up for the excursions you want at this time.  Don't worry about it "selling out" - its not a problem.

 

We did snorkeling, kayaking, tender rides and walking.  The long walks are not very long, and the advanced deep water snorkels are not too difficult.

If you are in doubt about anything - just talk with the guides about it and they can help you decide if you can do it.  

 

Is there a lot of downtime?  Yes and no.  You start pretty early - but there is about 3 hours in the middle of the day.  lunch is pretty quick because it is a buffet or a burger/chicken from the grill.  And you may want a shower and to change from morning to afternoon.  But it all goes pretty quick.  When you get back from the afternoon, there is time to change/clean up before dinner, and head to the bar to have a drink before the presentation starts.  Also - you will make some ship friends pretty quickly, especially if you were on the package and assigned to one of the busses - so you'll be meeting up with them for lunch or drinks.  So there's not a lot of "down" time.

 

One thing to note - you can do a bridge tour.  Sign up for this at guest relations.  The ship must be "anchored" to do the tour.  Be sure to sign up early if you want to do it.   You can take all the pictures you want, sit in the captain's chair, meet the captain if he's there and ask him questions (he was on our tour), etc.   (NOTE - I know it doesn't typically anchor, but I mean it can't be in motion, it must be still)   

 

Flora - ship is really nice.  It is in dry dock now for a refresh of interior and of course all the maintenance stuff.  Food was good - with exception of the beef, staff were really nice, service good.  The naturalists were all fantastic.  Just go with the understanding it is a SMALL ship with food regulations in place due to restrictions set by the Galapagos.  You won't find 10 choices of appetizer and 10 choices of main course.   The beef must be raised in the (I think they said the islands??) - everyone that had it said it was tough and not very good.

 

Disembark day - you will be out of your room and onto the tender ride to the airport.  You are given boarding passes and a bus ticket for the bus back to the airport.  Don't forget to have your park exit ticket handy.  Once you get back to the airport, you need that.   You will take the charter flight back Quito.  We were going on to Lima for Machu Picchu and we had a late flight to Lima so we were provided a day room at the EB Hotel in Quito.

 

Packing Tips

I would suggest 

2 swimsuits (sometimes there are opportunities for morning and afternoon water activities)

2 rashguards

water shoes

then pack as light as you can 

You do get to do laundry twice, with up to 20 items for each person

 

I did not take hiking boots only tennis shoes and I was fine.  However, I only took one pair of tennis shoes.  I did tear the side of them on a lava rock.  They were still usable, but it made me think what if they had been damaged more.  There's really nowhere to obtain more shoes.  So just consider bringing 2 pairs of shoes.  Next time I do something like this, if there is no opportunity to purchase shoes, I will bring 2 pairs.

 

Dressing for dinner - some people dressed in the same types of clothes they were for touring the islands, some people dressed up.  Just do what you are comfortable doing.

 

If you are going to Machu Picchu - you start out staying at the Westin Lima.  That's the first 2 nights.  You also come back there before you fly home.  You CAN leave a bag there so you don't have to take it along on the Machu Picchu portion.  

 

I'll skip the Machu Picchu portion since it's not "cruise related" - but it was fantastic - highly recommend doing that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the detailed post.  I didn't see it, did you do the inner or outer loop?  And how was the weather during your trip? Was it dry season?

 

[Shiba_Lover]

10 hours ago, mfitzge5 said:

Thanks for the detailed post.  I didn't see it, did you do the inner or outer loop?  And how was the weather during your trip? Was it dry season?

 

We did outer loop.  I thought the water was great.  We did not have rain.  It was not too hot, but the sun was it, so sunscreen is a must.  I need a sweater in the ship dining room at night ( I'm often cold), but it was nice outside at night.  It was humid, but not too bad.