Anyone here been on Celebrity Xploration to Galapogos?

[waterbug123]

We are booked with friends on Xploration in spring 2024.  As it's such a small vessel, there are very few reviews and personal accounts from pax who have been on it.  Please let me know if you've been on it.  I'd love to ask you a few questions.  Thanks!

[dardan]

We are going May of 2024!

[Buckwheel]

We have an Xploration Galapagos cruise scheduled for October 2023

[waterbug123]

On 4/15/2023 at 3:39 PM, dardan said:

We are going May of 2024!

That's when we're going. May 4 of '24

[dardan]

On 4/22/2023 at 8:41 AM, waterbug123 said:

That's when we're going. May 4 of '24

We are May 11. Can’t wait. 

[dardan]

On 4/19/2023 at 3:34 AM, Buckwheel said:

We have an Xploration Galapagos cruise scheduled for October 2023

Hoping you can share your experience when you return. 

[rfbrian8]

Good Evening we just got back from our cruise on the xploration last Sunday. I can answer any questions you may have. It was a group of 6 of us (3 rooms) my wife and I, her 12 and 9 year old and her parents.  

[dardan]

21 minutes ago, rfbrian8 said:

Good Evening we just got back from our cruise on the xploration last Sunday. I can answer any questions you may have. It was a group of 6 of us (3 rooms) my wife and I, her 12 and 9 year old and her parents.  

What were your thoughts?  How was the experience?

[rfbrian8]

Experience was amazing and unbelievable, nothing like any other cruise.  It feels very intimate and the personal level of service is exceptional.  Unfortunately we had very rough seas the first couple nights(we were on the south loop) heading south. They said this was unusual but due to the strong winds/currents from South America and start of El nino.  Again the food and service was amazing along with the guides and constant activities going ashore for hikes, snorkle, kayaking, etc.  You are exhausted and afternoon naps are key!

[Src4]

Just got back from the Northern Loop! As noted above, experience was unreal and we're still trying to process everything (did I really snorkel with a hammerhead shark 5 days ago???). We also had some rough seas, but the Captain was great about explaining what was going on and we all adjusted pretty quickly. We had fantastic food, service, and naturalists and were amazed by everything we saw. There were only 13 of us on the boat, so it was fun to get to know everyone and feel like a family by the end. It feels like it's probably hard to make a wrong choice about a Galapagos cruise, but this was perfect for us. Happy to answer any specific questions about route, cabins, activities, etc.!

[StuckiTribe]

I was actually looking at the Galapagos cruises this morning on Celebrity and trying to figure out the difference between the inside loop, northern loop, and southern loop and if one is preferrable over another. Also looking at best time of year to sail. Would love to hear others' experiences!

[waterbug123]

On 6/23/2023 at 8:34 PM, rfbrian8 said:

Good Evening we just got back from our cruise on the xploration last Sunday. I can answer any questions you may have. It was a group of 6 of us (3 rooms) my wife and I, her 12 and 9 year old and her parents.  

 

On 6/27/2023 at 7:23 PM, Src4 said:

Just got back from the Northern Loop! As noted above, experience was unreal and we're still trying to process everything (did I really snorkel with a hammerhead shark 5 days ago???). We also had some rough seas, but the Captain was great about explaining what was going on and we all adjusted pretty quickly. We had fantastic food, service, and naturalists and were amazed by everything we saw. There were only 13 of us on the boat, so it was fun to get to know everyone and feel like a family by the end. It feels like it's probably hard to make a wrong choice about a Galapagos cruise, but this was perfect for us. Happy to answer any specific questions about route, cabins, activities, etc.!

 

Excited to hear from both of you!  We are going with friends next May.   A few questions off the top of my head....

1. I realize you both went a little later into the summer than we are going, but what was the weather like?  Air temp?  Water temps? Was it cool on deck in the evenings or still quite warm?  What about Quito- did you spend time there before or after and what were the day/evening temps like?  We expect cooler since it's at elevation.

 

2. I believe the boat provides wet suits for snorkeling, is that correct?

 

3. How was the space in the cabin?  Room under bed for luggage like on regular cruise ships?  We have one of the junior suites.

 

4. Did you get to see Galapagos penguins?  Flamingos?  I know one of you said you did northern loop, which is what we have booked.  We are excited about the wildlife there, and birds in particular as I'm an avid birder and actually have a birding day tour booked for one of the days we're in Quito as well.

 

5. Did you book air/hotel through Celebrity or on your own?  We've booked all on our own- air from US, then hotel and then Avianca flight into Baltra.  My understanding is that despite arriving in Baltra on our own, we will meet a Celebrity rep at the airport for transfer to the boat, but I'm not 100% positive.  Do you have any info on that?  What about at the end?  Does Celebrity get you back to the airport or do you have to arrange something on your own? 

 

6.  Clothing and shoe-wise, what were you most happy you packed and is there anything you wish you'd left at home?  We are planning pretty much all active wear in quick dry fabrics, Teva or similar sandals, tilly hats and such.  Should we pack our hiking boots or are sneakers fine?  Open to any advice/suggestions. 

 

7.  Anything else you care to share that you think would be helpful would be most appreciated.  This is a very unique type of cruise, due to the location/itinerary as well as the small boat, so we are eager to hear as much as possible!   Thank you!!

[Src4]

16 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

 

 

Excited to hear from both of you!  We are going with friends next May.   A few questions off the top of my head....

1. I realize you both went a little later into the summer than we are going, but what was the weather like?  Air temp?  Water temps? Was it cool on deck in the evenings or still quite warm?  What about Quito- did you spend time there before or after and what were the day/evening temps like?  We expect cooler since it's at elevation.

 

2. I believe the boat provides wet suits for snorkeling, is that correct?

 

3. How was the space in the cabin?  Room under bed for luggage like on regular cruise ships?  We have one of the junior suites.

 

4. Did you get to see Galapagos penguins?  Flamingos?  I know one of you said you did northern loop, which is what we have booked.  We are excited about the wildlife there, and birds in particular as I'm an avid birder and actually have a birding day tour booked for one of the days we're in Quito as well.

 

5. Did you book air/hotel through Celebrity or on your own?  We've booked all on our own- air from US, then hotel and then Avianca flight into Baltra.  My understanding is that despite arriving in Baltra on our own, we will meet a Celebrity rep at the airport for transfer to the boat, but I'm not 100% positive.  Do you have any info on that?  What about at the end?  Does Celebrity get you back to the airport or do you have to arrange something on your own? 

 

6.  Clothing and shoe-wise, what were you most happy you packed and is there anything you wish you'd left at home?  We are planning pretty much all active wear in quick dry fabrics, Teva or similar sandals, tilly hats and such.  Should we pack our hiking boots or are sneakers fine?  Open to any advice/suggestions. 

 

7.  Anything else you care to share that you think would be helpful would be most appreciated.  This is a very unique type of cruise, due to the location/itinerary as well as the small boat, so we are eager to hear as much as possible!   Thank you!!

I had lots of similar questions! Here are my thoughts:

1. Most of our days were warm and sunny and it generally stayed warm at night, but we typically spent the evenings in the dining room rather than outside (except for 2 nights when we went to the top deck to stargaze). I had a light hoodie I usually wore but definitely didn't need anything warmer. Quito was pretty warm as well, but we just had the one day there so it might vary. We traveled from northern California in our usual fleece jackets, but we didn't use them again until we flew home. The water was a little chilly, but fine with the wetsuits. 

 

2. Yes, and you can choose short or long sleeved, or even full body. We were fine with the shortie option. You'll get fitted for them on the first morning along with your mask and fins and then it will be ready on the deck for you each snorkeling trip.

 

3. There was no space under the bed, but there was a closet as well as several drawers. I was able to put my carry on rollerboard under the desk/vanity area, but I'm not sure where something larger would go.

 

4. We saw penguins (including in the water with us) but not flamingos. The birds were amazing though, especially on Genovesa Island the last day.

 

5. We arrived on our own, but we flew to Baltra a day early and stayed on Santa Cruz for a night because we didn't want to risk missing the departure if we had flight delays. We actually did have some issues leaving Quito because we were confused about getting our tourist transit cards and getting luggage screened, but we ended up making our flight just fine. The other solo travelers did the same thing. Once back at Baltra, the Celebrity reps were there and they reimbursed us for the cost of the transit card and park entrance fee (it's included in the Celebrity pricing, but they can't pay it for you if you aren't on the pre-cruise tour). They got us back to the airport as well.

 

6. We were fine with trail sneakers instead of full hiking boots. I used Keen water sandals on wet landings, but I used sneakers for all the dry ones. We otherwise just wore long sleeve hiking shirts or rashboards and long hiking pants everyday, as well as our sun hats. I brought shorts and short-sleeve tops, but I only wore those on the boat when I could be in the shade. I was also happy to have 2 swimsuits because we usually had 2 snorkeling activities per day and I hate getting into wet swimsuits. I brought a clothing line with clips to dry clothes each night, but it was tricky to find a place to hang it. 

 

7. I'm sure you will have a fantastic time! 

 

[waterbug123]

19 minutes ago, Src4 said:

I had lots of similar questions! Here are my thoughts:1. Mo

st of our days were warm and sunny and it generally stayed warm at night, but we typically spent the evenings in the dining room rather than outside (except for 2 nights when we went to the top deck to stargaze). I had a light hoodie I usually wore but definitely didn't need anything warmer. Quito was pretty warm as well, but we just had the one day there so it might vary. We traveled from northern California in our usual fleece jackets, but we didn't use them again until we flew home. The water was a little chilly, but fine with the wetsuits. 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this, it is very helpful!  Interesting about lack of underbed storage, but good to know in advance!  Glad to get confirmation on wet suits and Celebrity transfers.   Can you tell me any more about the transit cards?  I had read something similar about Celebrity reimbursing and it was confusing, but it does make sense that you have to do it yourself and get reimbursed.  So this is something you do at the airport when you fly from Quito to Baltra?  And I think you said something about park entrance fees too?   When and where do you buy those?  An additional details or clarification on those things would be a great help.  We are going with friends who are also apt to hear all kinds of things, so if I can share a firsthand account from someone who's been there, done that it will be much appreciated!  

Edited July 5, 2023 by waterbug123

[dardan]

2 hours ago, Src4 said:

I had lots of similar questions! Here are my thoughts:

1. Most of our days were warm and sunny and it generally stayed warm at night, but we typically spent the evenings in the dining room rather than outside (except for 2 nights when we went to the top deck to stargaze). I had a light hoodie I usually wore but definitely didn't need anything warmer. Quito was pretty warm as well, but we just had the one day there so it might vary. We traveled from northern California in our usual fleece jackets, but we didn't use them again until we flew home. The water was a little chilly, but fine with the wetsuits. 

 

2. Yes, and you can choose short or long sleeved, or even full body. We were fine with the shortie option. You'll get fitted for them on the first morning along with your mask and fins and then it will be ready on the deck for you each snorkeling trip.

 

3. There was no space under the bed, but there was a closet as well as several drawers. I was able to put my carry on rollerboard under the desk/vanity area, but I'm not sure where something larger would go.

 

4. We saw penguins (including in the water with us) but not flamingos. The birds were amazing though, especially on Genovesa Island the last day.

 

5. We arrived on our own, but we flew to Baltra a day early and stayed on Santa Cruz for a night because we didn't want to risk missing the departure if we had flight delays. We actually did have some issues leaving Quito because we were confused about getting our tourist transit cards and getting luggage screened, but we ended up making our flight just fine. The other solo travelers did the same thing. Once back at Baltra, the Celebrity reps were there and they reimbursed us for the cost of the transit card and park entrance fee (it's included in the Celebrity pricing, but they can't pay it for you if you aren't on the pre-cruise tour). They got us back to the airport as well.

 

6. We were fine with trail sneakers instead of full hiking boots. I used Keen water sandals on wet landings, but I used sneakers for all the dry ones. We otherwise just wore long sleeve hiking shirts or rashboards and long hiking pants everyday, as well as our sun hats. I brought shorts and short-sleeve tops, but I only wore those on the boat when I could be in the shade. I was also happy to have 2 swimsuits because we usually had 2 snorkeling activities per day and I hate getting into wet swimsuits. I brought a clothing line with clips to dry clothes each night, but it was tricky to find a place to hang it. 

 

7. I'm sure you will have a fantastic time! 

 

We are 10 months out. This is very helpful. Am glad to see I don’t need to bring my wetsuit, but will probably bring my own mask.

Were you able to eat dinner outside? The deck looks like a great spot to dine. Glad to hear about all the snorkeling. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. 

[Src4]

3 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

Thank you so much for this, it is very helpful!  Interesting about lack of underbed storage, but good to know in advance!  Glad to get confirmation on wet suits and Celebrity transfers.   Can you tell me any more about the transit cards?  I had read something similar about Celebrity reimbursing and it was confusing, but it does make sense that you have to do it yourself and get reimbursed.  So this is something you do at the airport when you fly from Quito to Baltra?  And I think you said something about park entrance fees too?   When and where do you buy those?  An additional details or clarification on those things would be a great help.  We are going with friends who are also apt to hear all kinds of things, so if I can share a firsthand account from someone who's been there, done that it will be much appreciated!  

The transit card you get at the Quito airport and they will check in when you board (but not at security,  which is how we got to our gate without them and had to go back out to the terminal).. There's a desk near the airport entrance that issues them. You can apparently put the information in online in advance, but either way you havr to go to the desk to pay ($20 each I think) and get your card. Then there's a luggage screening area (kind of hidden behind a wall) where you go next. We weren't checking bags, but still had them screen and tag them in case we had to gate check. The park entry process happens when you land in Baltra ($100 each, cash only!!), and you'll be routed through that before you can exit.

[Src4]

44 minutes ago, dardan said:

We are 10 months out. This is very helpful. Am glad to see I don’t need to bring my wetsuit, but will probably bring my own mask.

Were you able to eat dinner outside? The deck looks like a great spot to dine. Glad to hear about all the snorkeling. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. 

Others definitely brought their own masks, and one couple did have their own wetsuits. We didn't eat outside, although sat in the 2nd deck bar area before and after dinner. Most nights we were moving locations and there was a lot of motion, so that might have made it more difficult to set up meals outside for our group.

[waterbug123]

1 hour ago, Src4 said:

The transit card you get at the Quito airport and they will check in when you board (but not at security,  which is how we got to our gate without them and had to go back out to the terminal).. There's a desk near the airport entrance that issues them. You can apparently put the information in online in advance, but either way you havr to go to the desk to pay ($20 each I think) and get your card. Then there's a luggage screening area (kind of hidden behind a wall) where you go next. We weren't checking bags, but still had them screen and tag them in case we had to gate check. The park entry process happens when you land in Baltra ($100 each, cash only!!), and you'll be routed through that before you can exit.

Thanks again, I really appreciate getting the details.  Not knowing exactly how little things like that work makes me very anxious, so happy to understand it all better!!

[waterbug123]

18 hours ago, Src4 said:

 

Oh, another question I thought of- I have read that we may be required to show proof of travel medical insurance before the flight to Baltra or before boarding the vessel.  Did you find that to be the case?

[Src4]

2 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

Oh, another question I thought of- I have read that we may be required to show proof of travel medical insurance before the flight to Baltra or before boarding the vessel.  Did you find that to be the case?

Nobody asked us for them, but we did have print outs of our policy in case we needed them. I was injured on a trip in Peru a few years ago and needed full medical evacuation (luckily all covered by our insurance!), so I'm definitely a strong advocate of having it for these kinds of trips!!

[waterbug123]

55 minutes ago, Src4 said:

Nobody asked us for them, but we did have print outs of our policy in case we needed them. I was injured on a trip in Peru a few years ago and needed full medical evacuation (luckily all covered by our insurance!), so I'm definitely a strong advocate of having it for these kinds of trips!!

Thanks, we have evacuation insurance through Med Jet, but have always self-insured for actual medical costs.  But I don't want to be caught unaware if they ask for it!