Our expectations were surpassed! The beauty and wonder of the Galapagos were extraordinary. The amount of flora and fauna we saw was mind-blowing, and the way we experienced them was incredible. Our time onboard the Celebrity Flora was phenomenal: friendly and knowledgeable naturalists, varied excursion options, luxurious cabins, delicious food, a beautiful ship, and stellar service throughout. It was one of the best trips our family has taken!
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Wasn't informed of correct embarkation time; waited a few hours at airport. Had we known about the later embarkation time and that we had to wait for the Celebrity chartered plane to land, we would have taken a later flight into Baltra. Once there, however, we spent our time in a VIP waiting area and there was someone there to help with the Galapagos immigration.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food was delicious, specialty lunch buffets were incredible, well-stocked bar - impressive offerings for a small ship; service was excellent
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
This is a small ship designed for the Galapagos. There was a hot tub and a tiny pool, an observation lounge with the some board games and books, and a laboratory. They have a small but well-equipped fitness room and a spa that offers massages. There was also an overnight glamping option that included dinner for two.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
There was one talented musician on board. Evening entertainment included a presentation of the next day's excursion options (with pictures of wildlife) and the showing of a different movie each night.
Children's Programs
There were no children's programs offered, plus I don't have young children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service on the Flora was stellar! Room stewards, servers, bar tenders, naturalists - everyone was pleasant and overly attentive. It's a small ship, so most staff know your name by the second day, especially those who are interacting frequently with guests
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was made for travel throughout the Galapagos Islands, and they thought of everything! There is an elevator, but you don't need it. Cabins are located on decks 5 and 6; restaurants and lounges are on decks 4 and 7. Tenders were specifically made for easy transfer between ship and land. Common areas were extremely well-maintained and kept immaculately clean. Beautiful design and decor throughout; floor to ceiling windows; sturdy beautiful furniture inside; comfortable seating outdoors with sun and shaded options. Tenders left from deck 3, where your wetsuit and snorkeling equipment were stored. It all ran so smoothly.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin was spotless. The bed was extremely comfortable. The AC worked well and was easy to adjust. The bathroom was gorgeous, large, and had plenty of towels and toiletries. The cabin was spacious because we chose one with the retractable window; our veranda space was incorporated into our cabin. It was great because we had more room in the cabin, and if we wanted fresh air, all we had to do was open the window. If we wanted to lay out in the sun, we just walked up one deck.
Ship tip
Select an infinite veranda cabin for more space; you can always get fresh air opening a window and sunbathe one deck above
Did the beach walk and snorkel excursion - great first stop to see sea lions, iguanas and crabs; snorkeling was fair. Our sons took the kayak excursion and thoroughly enjoyed that.
Took the excursion with the long, difficult walk on rocky trail; saw a lot of wild life - blue-footed boobies and the mating dances were incredible, as were the albatrosses
Another great stop for viewing wildlife and seeing flamingoes. We also did deep-water snorkeling which was fantastic - lots of sea lions and sea turtles
Each island is different, offering more spectacular sights and experiences. We did the walk only this time and skipped the beach snorkeling; it seems that the deep-water snorkeling offers a better experience
We took the long walk excursion, and it was great until the end, when we had to walk through a "mess" of iguanas. They stunk. By this point, we had seen more than our fair share of iguanas. We also opted for the deep-water snorkeling, and that was another fantastic experience. We had sea lions swimming with us during the snorkeling and also had sea turtles swim right below us. It was amazing!
The only excursion offered was a tender ride, and it was excellent. We saw our first penguin out of the water. There was an option for deep-water snorkeling again, but we had enough with the morning outing.
There was one excursion option for everyone on board: plant Scalesia trees as part of the re-forestation program; visit a tortoise refuge; and partake in a cultural lunch and show. It was all fantastic.
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