Celebrity xpedition in Galapagos

Has anyone heard how things are going since the earthquake? I heard Quito Airport closed. We are booked in 2 weeks.

The reports I saw said the airports in Guayaquil and Manta had closed. No mention of Quito, which was further away from the center. Regular flights from Quito to Galapagos stop in Guayaquil, but the Celebrity charter flight is non-stop.

Today the Celebrity folks advised me of during the earthquake, some cruisers were in Quito eating a meal and did not know an earthquake had happened. We will be on the May 1st sailing. You?:)

Has anyone heard how things are going since the earthquake? I heard Quito Airport closed. We are booked in 2 weeks.

I received this today via newsletter/email from a travel agency specializing in South American travel...

On Saturday, April 16 Ecuador suffered a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the epicenter of which was in the coastal town of Pedernales. The quake caused serious damage to the coastal provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas, but the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism has confirmed that the country’s tourism infrastructure in the areas of Quito, Galapagos, and the Amazon were not affected and are operating as normal. This includes airports, accommodations, ground transport, and tour operations.

The port city of Guayaquil, which is one of the connections to the Galapagos Islands, has reported some damage to roads and other city infrastructure, but the airport and hotels are operating as usual. There may be slight delays in transit over the next few days as authorities review the entire road system for damage.

The Galapagos Islands, located approximately 600 miles from the mainland, were not affected by the quake and all tourism activities are running normally.

Fernando Alvarado, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism, issued the following statement: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who have lost loved ones. Ecuadorians are resilient and hardworking people and have joined forces to help their countrymen in their time of need. We are looking forward to collaborating with our tourism industry partners and friends across Ecuador and from around the world to help rebuild the areas most affected along Ecuador’s Coast and restore tourism to the region. Visitors traveling to Ecuador or planning a visit to unaffected areas can feel confident that their trip will not be impacted and feel secure to continue with their plans to visit our country.”