Superb in every way

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 47

Review summary

The whole Celebrity Flora Galapagos experience was superb, from pick-up at the Quito airport to drop-off at the end and everything onboard the ship (except swallowing sea water and getting the runs from the plankton but the doctor took great care of me).  One of our best vacations ever. We did back-to-back sailings to get both itineraries, first outer, then the inner loop. The outer loop was notable for the abundance of wildlife, the inner for the geologic features, though it too had amazing wildlife.  Only the Santa Cruz visit on Saturday is repeated for both itineraries.  The first sailing had just 67 passengers and 84 crew members.  The second sailing had 96 passengers and 83 crew members.  The second sailing was the first one since the resumption of trips post pandemic shutdown (July 4, 2021 sailing) with a full complement of guests though covid protocols were still enforced.  We noticed a big difference in the time it took for meals (no self-serve at the buffet and overworked waiters for dinner) with the full load and the noise volume was quite noticeable.  But all other aspects of the two sailings were top notch. Cabin: We had a standard balcony room, cabin 503. The cabin is relatively spacious and the bed very comfortable.  There were plenty of thick towels and it was nice to have a filtered water dispenser in the bathroom to refill our flasks.  The one major flaw to the cabin is the big window between the bathroom and the bed area.  Light spills into the bed area from the bathroom at night, making it too bright if someone is trying to sleep.  They should have added blinds that could be lowered at night.   Regarding electrical outlets in the cabin, there are two US type outlets in the bathroom, one by the desk and two on just one side of the bed.  Luckily I had brought a 6 foot extension cord which just about reached the other side of the bed  and with the charging cable for the cell phone it just reached. Sun screen is provided in your cabin in approximately 4 ounce tubes.  You can ask for more if you use them up. Ship: The ship is very spacious and well appointed.  There was plenty of comfortable seating indoors and out.  Some areas seemed to never be used, such as The Observatory at the front of the ship on deck 7.  There was an abundance of public areas.   Breakfast and lunch were buffet with a number of Ecuadorian specialities available in addition to standard fare.  Due to covid protocols, there was no self-serve.  Staff walked with you through the buffet, filling your plate.  Even the Executive Chef helped out during peak times.  Dinner was served from a daily menu.  We enjoyed the fish (especially the ceviches) and the soups.  They will happily accommodate special requests.   The room service menu is limited but they will try to make what you ask for (such as fresh made applesauce for my upset tummy) and delivery is very prompt.   The Ocean Grill has outdoor dining at lunch with hamburgers, guacamole, quesadillas, grilled chicken and fish and other items.  It becomes the Dining Under the Stars venue for dinner.  The menu is the same every evening and you must make reservations.  We ate there once, eating under the stars was fabulous and the night we were there the ship passed close to the active volcano and we were able to see the glowing lava.  This was on the Inner Loop on Monday night. The naturalists were all phenomenal.  They were knowledgeable and entertaining.  They really enjoy showing their islands to the guests.  They (and the islands themselves) were the highlight of the trip. Getting there: We booked the package which included transportation to/from the Quito airport on arrival and departure and a tour of Quito.  After exiting baggage claim at the Quito airport it was very easy to find the Celebrity representatives. The entire trip was very covid-safe.  They transported each couple separately in 12 passenger vans from the airport to the J.W. Marriott hotel, a 45 minute drive away. Then everyone was given a pcr covid test on arrival at the hotel. The rooms were very spacious.  Meals were included in the hotel’s casual restaurant.  Breakfast and lunch were buffets (but no self-serve) and Saturday night dinner had a set menu.  The food was good and there were plenty of options.    Some people had trouble with the altitude in Quito.  Most got headaches.  Those with lung problems did have trouble breathing.  The hotel did have oxygen available for those that needed it.  The altitude is very drying so make sure you drink lots of water.  They provided bottled water and warned us not to drink the tap water.  If you book the package, in your hotel room in Quito there will be two metal water flasks. Don't leave them behind as they are essential for keeping hydrated on excursions during the cruise.   The Feb. 13, 2022 sailing (package started on the 11th) had a two-hour Saturday afternoon tour of Quito's old town instead of the full-day tour.  Omicron was still surging in Ecuador and Celebrity wanted to maintain a covid-free bubble so we were requested not to leave the grounds of the Marriott except for the brief tour Celebrity provided.  Likewise for going home, the city was still pretty much locked down.  Those that had red-eye flights were brought to the EB hotel near the airport instead of back to the Marriott.  We arrived there after our flight from the Galapagos at almost 6 p.m.  We were given an antigen covid test for entry back to the US, ate dinner at the restaurant at the EB, rested up and then were transported back to the airport. They boarded just 10 people in an entire bus for the city tour and also the next day for transport to the airport for the flight to the Galapagos Sunday morning we were given antigen tests and our oxygen levels and temperatures were checked before being taken to the Quito airport for the flight to Baltra.  The two hour flight was on an Avianca airline chartered flight.  Lunch was served on real plates with metal utensils and cloth napkins.   Final note, the official currency of Ecuador is the US dollar.

Embarkation

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

Onboard Activities

Service and Staff

Ship Quality

Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Baltra, Galapagos

Cormorant Point, Floreana, Galapagos

Daphne Island, Galapagos

Urbina Bay, Isabela, Galapagos

Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz, Galapagos

Gardner Bay, Espanola, Galapagos

Punta Espinoza, Fernandina, Galapagos

Bahia Post Office, Floreana, Galapagos

Punta Suarez, Espanola, Galapagos

South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Galapagos

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galapagos

Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela, Galapagos

Punta Moreno, Isabela, Galapagos

Disembarkation