Celebrity Flora Cruise Reviews - Reviews

It lives up to the hype. Mom and I went on this bucket-list trip and are we ever glad we splurged to take it on the Flora. The remoteness of the islands and the magical innocence of the animals - who have no fear of humans, thanks to the consistent and rigorous restrictions on visitors - make for a fantastic week of "Wow" moments. Great to have such camaraderie with the other passengers, since we share such a common interest.

This was the most extravagant and magical cruise ever. A once in a lifetime experience. Made all the better on Flora, made all the better by its incredible staff. Regardless of the stars here, it's 5 stars all the way.

Our Galapogos adventure was beyond expectations. Stay curious and open to the beautiful surroundings - which are like none other on this planet! Challenging to put into words what you will see & do. Our delightful naturalists demonstrated an absolute love of their heritage, their lovely country, and, of course, their marvelous national park: The Galapogos Islands. We will never be the same. Spiritually graces you. Blessings!

I love the Galapagos but wish I had more time on the islands themselves. The tenders are great as are the naturalists that escort us.

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!

We have multiple cruises under our belt and have been all over the world. This cruise experience is like no other. Service and professionalism has taken a back seat ever since COVID except for this cruise. From flights, transportation, organization, attention to detail and service this cruise has been the pinnacle of all my cruises.

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.

We are experienced travelers and can say that this was the most amazing trip that we have ever taken. The only negative is that it was a very expensive trip.

This cruise delivered an unforgettable experience. We saw so many unique and wonderful animals in these unspoiled islands. And we did it in comfort

We have been on 2 CelebrityX cruises in the Galapagos. Flora is a great ship. For sure, get a balcony cabin. As far as Inner Loop vs. Outer Loop, that is a tough question. Each has some outstanding stops, and each has some less outstanding stops, with fewer animals. I’d like to do a 14 day cruise on Flora and do BOTH. For me, the snorkeling excursions were the highlights.

This was the most fabulous trip we have ever taken! Every day was another amazing experience. We got to know most of the people on board because the number of passengers is so much smaller than most other cruises. This created a lot of fun and laughter. We would recommend doing the package deal to include Quito, Ecuador before and after the cruise. This was a first-class trip from start to finish. We couldn't recommend it more highly.

Overall excellent experience. Wish we had more vegetarian options.

Go. Sail on the Flora. You’ll not regret the experience.

This was an incredible small ship experience in a magical location. Highly recommend!

This is a specialty cruise on a luxury ship. It is not your typical, laid back cruise. So don’t expect lots of glamour, glitz or specialty dining and entertainment. This is a once in a lifetime experience that really can only be enjoyed if you participate in the excursions. This was a wonderful and exceptional cruise. The Flora is an amazing ship. It is minimalistic in its design, making it very pleasurable and enjoyable. None of the Avant Garde and extreme designs that the newer ships like Edge have but really don’t add any functionality. The Flora is extremely functional in its design, and provides a very pleasing environment for the passengers. The rooms, being suites, are exceptional. Tremendous amount of room and storage. There are two negatives for the rooms. First, there are limited outlets, especially on one side of the bed (none). Bring a multi-socket adapter for charging your cameras and phones. Second, the glass between the bathroom and bedroom is mostly clear, with some minor opaqueness at the bottom. That means that if your suite mate turns on the bathroom light, it will illuminate the entire bedroom. It needs a night shade to prevent waking up the other occupant if the light is turned on (no way to turn on just dim lighting in the bathroom unless you turn on the entire set of bedroom lights first). OK, the pros and cons of the trip. The total experience is amazing. From arrival in Quito, Celebrity is there every step of the way to get you to the hotel, take you on local excursions, and then deliver you to the Galapagos. Totally amazing service. The excursions with the naturalists are exceptional. So much information is provided that it is almost overwhelming. Seeing the wildlife up close and personal is an experience you will never forget. The currents sometimes cloud the water up limiting visibility for snorkeling, but you still get to see some of the underwater life. Wet shoes are a must as several excursions had wet landings (slippery) or wet treks. If using hiking or tennis shoes, a second pair would help. The casual environment means not having to pack formal clothes or anything special. Since luggage is limited to 44 pounds, this certainly helps. We probably took over 1000 photographs and are still sorting them out, so make sure to have plenty of storage. Even the sunsets at night are spectacular. The food is good, but nothing spectacular. A variety of ceviche was common each night, and it was excellent. There is a huge variety of food at the lunch buffet, so even the person with dietary restrictions should find plenty of choices. Service in the evening is via menu, and the staff provides excellent recommendations, and not just pushing a dish. Choices are more limited than big cruise ships, but no one should leave hungry. There were some glitches on the Flora. Weather on the TV in the rooms is for Quito and not the islands. They need to show current conditions where the ship is, and not Quito because it will be 20 degrees cooler there, and the weather is completely different. The sound for the Celebrity presentations was intermittent the first couple of days on the TV (not the other channels, only the Celebrity videos for the Galapagos). Also, the vacuum suction for the toilets quit working a couple of times and the system had to be reset. The pool was closed at first, then opened, then closed again. Not a big deal (use the whirlpool), but it was somewhat surprising for a new ship to still have these problems after six months. The navigation map (TV) never shows the current position of the Flora. It does show the intended stops at the various islands, but there is no real-time position display (like airlines show, or Google Maps). Also disappointing is that the navigation map doesn’t even show the names of some of the smaller islands that the Flora is visiting. These are actual excursion stops, but the island name is not displayed. The navigation display really needs to be updated. It is also the same display that is shown in the Discovery Lounge, so after a week of the same thing over and over, it gets to be pretty repetitive. One of the best features of the cruise is the staff. I think we saw the Captain every single day, intermingling with the passengers. Amazing! Every single staff member goes out of their way to make sure your needs are met. They get to know you and your requests by the end of the week. The personal touch makes the Celebrity Flora cruise so very special.

Best cruise yet based on level of service and destination. If the food was better it would have been THE perfect vacation!! Other disappointment was fellow cruisers sharing what they paid and we felt Celebrity treated us unfairly when we booked a year in advance...makes us not trust the marketing and will only travel with Celebrity last minute. If a credit was offered for the difference that might change how we feel about Celebrity.

The staff went out of their way to make you feel welcome and at home

GALAPAGOS REVIEW We just returned from the August 25, 2019 Inner Loop sailing on the Flora. It was a trip of a lifetime and Celebrity exceeded our expectations!!! From the minute we stepped off the plane until the minute we flew home, they were right there taking care of all the logistics...ticketing, transfers, documentation, luggage, etc. It's also the first time on a cruise that we had a ZERO balance on the last day!!! For our experience, I found that my Chaco sandals were good for the beach hikes, but was very thankful to have trail shoes (Columbia trail running shoes) to navigate the rocks and lava fields. Plenty of people wore regular sneakers, which was OK, but they did slip on dusty rocks at times. There were 2 times they recommended long pants/sleeves, but I'm not really sure why? It was not necessary. The naturalists and the tender drivers stay covered head to toe at all times to protect from the sun. I'm from Georgia and don't like to be cold, but had the attitude that I could withstand it for a 45 minute snorkel!!! One time, I had to talk myself off the ledge because the cold water took my breath away upon entry. Once I regained my composure, it was totally worth it to see the turtles feeding on algae! I felt good about my clothing choices. No one cares what you wear. I would say most were dressed "nice" for dinner, but I did see some in jeans and even one couple in gym clothes. I usually wore a sun dress or pants with a cute top. Men wore jeans or slacks with a shirt. I also felt like I needed to look the part of adventurer, but that is not the case. The dry wicking shorts are nice and I used a PFG long sleeve shirt as my top layer. If you go straight from a hike to snorkel, wear your swim suit as there is nowhere to change!!! I'm sure it would be frowned upon, but we figured out to take a washcloth with us to brush the sand from our feet after a wet landing. As for the underwater camera...I had a Fuji, but it filled with water on day 3. Before that, it took great pictures. I'm sure it was user error as many people had the same camera. One thing I realized is that I was freer to enjoy the snorkel without worrying about the perfect shot. At the end of the cruise, they do give you a USB with pictures from the week. Travel and tourism in the Galapagos is HIGHLY regulated, so you cannot just jump in the water anytime you want...or walk anywhere either. There were a couple of times, when we didn't have far to cruise, that we would just sit until it was our appointed time to disembark. We sat looking at nice calm water with a white sand beach in the distance but were stuck on the ship. By the time we snorkeled, the water there was choppy. That is my only complaint and Celebrity has nothing to do with it!!! The "deep water snorkel" is the best and you don't have to be super experienced...you just can't touch the bottom. They do give you a talk the night before each island to discuss excursion options and level of difficulty. Obviously, this is subjective, but we felt they might have put a little too much emphasis on "strenuous" or "fitness walk." I'm 51 and in decent shape. I walk a lot for exercise and found all the walks easy. My 81 year old mom would not agree. According to my Fitbit, the hike that went by Darwain's Lake was 33 flights of stairs. The one on Bartolome was 402 stairs plus some incline. All of the hikes had stops along the way for the naturalists to talk and point out critters. A disappointment for us was there was no snorkeling the last 2 days. The Darwain Tortoise Center was good, but I could've breezed through there and then snorkeled. I did not need all of the allotted time to shop. As stated the food is good. The breakfast was basically the same everyday, but yummy. The Grill is great for lobster, but I did hear someone say they will bring it to you in the MDR if you ask. The french fries are not worth the calories. I enjoyed the cultural food and different ceviche everyday. There was a family on our cruise with 4 kids ages 9-15. They were wonderful and added a great touch of fun to our week. I did hear that the week before had some challenging kids. As with any cruise, you never know what people will be there. We had a great group by week's end. There were those who kept to themselves and others who formed connections as the week went by. Celebrity provides you with a water bottle, poncho (needed once), lip balm and a string backpack. As noted, you must have your bags out the night before the cruise and the last night of the cruise. I wish I had had a bigger backpack or carry-on for this purpose. Hope this helps!! Have a great trip to the Galapagos. You will NEVER regret it or forget it!!!!

Love the Galapagos . Have much respect for the people who put their hearts into the conservation of their homeland

Overall the Flora and all of the Excursions on all of the Islands was Spectacular. We met a great deal of nice people who were so excited about biding the Galápagos Islands. The major Flaws were the toilets that would not flush and the floor drains in the bathroom overflowing. We travel Celebrity quite often and the Employees and Management did not come up to the Celebrity Standards. All employees need to be adequately trained before they come on the ship to serve the Guest. We all paid Big $$$s to go in this cruise and most of us felt we did not get the Suite Service we were told to expect. The food quality was Not up to Celebrity Standards. We had huge shrimp one night and they were mushy and taste terrible. I had the Executive Chef come to my table and take the shrimp away and see the problem. He returned and told me the shrimp were bad. He never replace them or brought me something else. These staffing & food quality problems can be easily solved with proper management.