Nearly Live - Celebrity Xploration – 5/16-26/24

[habenicd]

4 hours ago, BrianPhx said:

Thank you!  Your posts are great and super helpful and answer many questions.  I booked a long time ago and have had back issues since so am a little concerned about the level of activity being ok for me. Also about the altitude. We cruise on June 1. Decided to go to Mindo forest instead of the Quito tour. It’s much lower. 

We booked about 20 months ago.  Similarly my DW has had significant back issues since. While she has passed on a couple of the longer and rougher hikes, she hasn’t missed a snorkel or panga ride. It’s all good.

[BrianPhx]

Thanks. Can you tell me the weather/temp now on your hikes?  And is it humid?

[habenicd]

Day 6 - 5/21

 

Well, we have been home nearly a week now.  The end of our trip was a blur with little to no time to post.  Upon returning home, real life came at us with its usual tenacity.  So here is Day 6 from the trip and I will try to finish this up this weekend.

 

This morning breakfast was at 7:00am as usual.  My DW was not up for a hike again, but I decided to go. They weren’t sure if the tide was high enough for a jetty landing or if we’d have to make a lava rock landing.  Lava rock landings are always wet, slick and treacherous.  The crew is very good about laying out damp towels on the lava rock which gives a surprising bit of steady footing.

 

This hike ended up being one of the best.  We did end up on the jetty for the landing after getting stuck on the rocks for a bit in the panga.  A little rocking back and forth and moving most of us to the bow of the panga freed us and off we continued in the shallows.  Anyways, back to the hike.  We made our dry landing and were met with multiple marine iguana carcasses.  The dry season had been hard on the iguana population this year and many had not survived.  Moving on we saw a couple of Galapagos hawks flying around and hunting.  At one point one flew by with an iguana hanging from its talons.  Circle of life and all.

 

We had not gone too far on the hike when I spotted a 4 foot long lava snake. They are venom less constrictors so I had no worries about the fact that is was only a couple of fee away from me.  If you have nit ever seen the Snoop Dog narrated nature video of the baby iguana running from the lava snakes look it  up on YouTube. Its pretty funny.  One of the other guests walked up beside me and I looked down in front of her to see another smaller snake that she had nearly stepped on.  The rest of the group came up and everyone was taking pictures when the snakes found a freshly dead baby iguana and proceeded to fight over it. It was an interesting spectacle but not for the faint of heart so I will spare you the details.

 

It was not all death and gloom on this hike however.  We had multiple interactions with sea lions and iguanas and the hawks overhead. Toward the end of the hike we were out on a lava shelf and found a couple of Galapagos fur seals snoozing out the morning.  We then saw a cute little baby fur seal too.

 

When we returned to the jetty there was a sea lion taking a nap right in the way.  We all got close up pictures with him while we waited on the panga.

 

Back at the ship we were given cold juice and just a few minutes to put on our wetsuits and head back out for a snorkel.  The cold juice or warm towels and tea depending on what we just finished were always a big hit with everyone.

 

This snorkel trip was off the pangas but much shallower and much warmer.  We were up close and personal with a multitude of marine iguanas and Pacific green sea turtles feeding on the algae on the rocky bottom.  An extraordinary snorkel with it ending with up close interactions with more sea lions too.

 

The lunches as I think I have mentioned have always been great.  Typically, there is a theme, seafood, Mexican, Italian but it’s all good.  Today Chef made a traditional Ecuadorian ceviche with fish, shrimp and octopus it was delicious.  There are always salad items, fresh fruit, cheeses, and meats available at all the meals.  By now everyone has settled into the 3 hour lunch time siesta and today was no different as we transited to our next location for more snorkeling and wildlife sightseeing.

 

During this transit we did spot a school of manta rays swim by.  All we really saw was the tips of their “wings” above the water, but it was the first time I have ever seen a true, large ocean going manta.

 

The afternoon snorkel ended up being a bust.  We were anchored along a seawall and the water dropped off from 60 feet down to hundreds.  We had hoped to maybe see the giant sunfish, more sharks and other deep water sea life.  I could tell by the visibility off the ship this was going to be interesting.  Being the intrepid adventurers we all are, we gave it ago.  We were never in danger or in peril or anything like that, let me make that clear now.  But, the visibility in the water on the point were we dropped in was maybe 3 feet.  The current from the depths was cold and bringing up all the small creatures such as plankton and krill and you just couldn’t see.  This is what happens at the season change in the Galapagos.  Add to that a surface with a swell and chop along the seawall we were snorkeling on and the typical 45 minute snorkel session lasted about 20 minutes.  Everyone took it in stride as this is part of visiting during the transition between the two seasons.  The cold life filled currents are what bring the penguins, whales and so many other types of life to the Galapagos.

 

Later that afternoon we all boarded the two pangas for rides along the coast and saw fur seals, turtles sea lions, penguins and many other birds.

 

During the briefing later this evening Capt. Again, told us we would have a rough transit to our next location.  It would not be as bad but he wanted to let us know that he wouldn’t start the transit until everyone was tucked in bed for the night.

 

Dinner was engaging as everyone visited throughout the meal.  Afterward there are several of us that linger at the table with a Johnny Walker or Chivas Regal as a night cap.  Capt. Was true to his word and after the last of us turned in we started our transit.  Another fabulous day all in all.

[mahdnc]

Thank you for posting your trip review. Good to read that you made it back home safe and sound with wonderful memories!

[habenicd]

Day 7 - 5/22

 

Let me interject a few things here. First, our crew: Capt Johnathan Revelo (the youngest Celebrity captain);  Hotel Mngr Johnathan Gutierrez; Chef Humberto Garces; Sous chef Carol Polit; Engineers Vicente Rosero and Rogger Candel; Pamga/Zodiac drivers Milton Barragan and Milton Silva; Bartender Christian Velasco; and Cabin Steward Martin Neito. Everyone of them have been exceptional and as kind and generous as you could ever hope.

 

I will say here that my favorite item at every breakfast have been the small cinnamon rolls in the bread baskets along with small crescent style rolls.  The cinnamon rolls are the perfect balance between sweet and savory.  I have at least one every morning.  The breakfasts always includes oatmeal, scrambled eggs, a breakfast meat, usually a potato of some kind and either pancakes or French toast. Made to order omelets are always available and brought to you when they are made.  As mentioned before there is always an assortment of fruits, cheeses and meats available too.

 

At 8:30am we headed out for a fairly long hike.  It was pretty but also a warm morning.  Here we did see land iguanas and a lot more birds such as the Darwin finch and yellow warblers.  By this time in the trip everyone has gotten comfortable with each other and our naturalists so there is a good deal of joking and kidding around between all of us.  This is why we love small groups and small ships. 

 

After the long hike, we had circled back to the shoreline and Big Milton brought our snorkel gear and wetsuits over from the ship for us. This may have been the best snorkel of the trip or tied with the one in the Genovesa caldera.  We had no longer than swam out to about 10 feet depth of water when a gaggle of sea lions came into play. Darting in and out between everyone and contorting their bodies into angles beyond belie. They are truly the puppies of the ocean.  During this snorkel we of course saw the usual fish and sea turtles too.  However, on this particular snorkel we saw a couple of 4 to 6 foot white tipped reef sharks and a more rare Galapagos shark.  Also, the water was at balmy 74 degrees and visibility was probably 25 to 30 feet.  All and all and excellent morning.

 

After lunch we transited to Buccaneer’s Cove for more snorkeling. We were anchored along with one of the Nat. Geo. ships.  The water was so much more clear in this slightly sheltered cove.  Here we had the adventure of snorkeling right off the ship.  Everyone geared up and jumped in off the starboard hull stern.  It was a good snorkel with more sharks and the regular fish.  The swim back to the boat was a bit rough as it was slightly against the current and surface shop.  Our ever present guardians, one of the naturalists and one of the Miltons, followed along in a panga and anyone that got tired or cold were gladly helped out of the water into the panga.  A nice reassurance to have.  Several did avail themselves of this benefit toward the end of this snorkel.

 

Later that afternoon many went on panga rides to see more wildlife.  Myself and a couple others stayed aboard and sat in the shade of the bar and sipped drinks and just enjoyed the afternoon.

 

Once again at the evening’s briefing, Capt. came to deliver news on the weather and adjustments to our schedule.  We are to go ashore on Santa Cruz Island to see the tortoises and other sights tomorrow.  A full day land excursion.  We were supposed to sail all the way around Santa Cruz tonight. However, due to the wind and rough seas, Capt. and JC have made arrangements for us to stay north of the island and in its shelter, make port on that side of the island and take a bus to the southside where Darwin’s Station and the tortoises are located.  All good to us as we would only have a couple hours of moderate seas this evening instead of a full night of rougher seas.

 

Everyone enjoyed dinner again and the Johhny Walker group enjoyed another night cap before shuffling off to bed.

[mahdnc]

Any further insight while you were on board about the lack of a 2026 season on Celebrity's website for Xploration and Xpedition?

[habenicd]

9 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

Any further insight while you were on board about the lack of a 2026 season on Celebrity's website for Xploration and Xpedition?

They were sure they will still be around.

 

Celebrity has a good thing going really.  The two smaller ships sail every Saturday and combined they aren’t quite what Flora handles. Flora goes out every Sunday.  That way the groups are divided and never large for the Quito excursions, hotels, airports and all the transfers.

Edited June 1 by habenicd

[mahdnc]

20 minutes ago, habenicd said:

They were sure they will still be around.

 

Celebrity has a good thing going really.  The two smaller ships sail every Saturday and combined they aren’t quite what Flora handles. Flora goes out every Sunday.  That way the groups are divided and never large for the Quito excursions, hotels, airports and all the transfers.

 

To me it would seem that Celebrity has an advantage in having a diverse 3 ship Galapagos fleet.  

 

However, Celebrity would love to transfer Xploration's 16 passenger Galapagos operating permit over to Xpedition to boost her permitted passenger capacity to 64.  It would save a lot of operating cost.  However the Ecuadorian government does not allow for that.

 

BTW, Xpediton's current captain (Nathaly Alban) was previously a captain on Xploration (press release).

 

[habenicd]

Day 8 - 5/23

 

Every night at the 6:45pm briefings, Orlando or JC go through what we are doing the next day.  The put up a power point on the two screens in the lounge and let us know what kind of landings we will have, what’s in store and most appropriately what to wear and what shoes to bring.  This has made planning for the next day so much easier for all of us.

 

On to our say on Santa Cruz.  We left the ship in the pangas at 7:45am on the pangas and headed into a small public dock.  The place was busy with folks ferrying over to Balta to work at the airport.  Yes, no one actually lives on the island where the airport is. Kinda odd.  We boarded our van and headed to the other side of the island.  The road was as straight as an arrow and headed up the slope of the extinct volcano.  The ride was scenic and Orlanda gave us history and information as we went along.  As we went up in elevation the terrain went from dessert like to near rainforest green.  On the other side, we headed back down into town and the Darwin Station passing shops, hotels and restaurants as we went along.  We arrived outside of the park and everyone got out for the last bit that needed to be walked.

 

Darwin Station was a delightful morning seeing both dome and saddleback giant tortoises.  The baby tortoises stole the show though.  We finished up at the gift shop, media center, café and had a chance to rest a bit and cool off.  Heading back to the bus we were given about 20 minutes to do some initial shopping at several shops around the bus stop.

 

After everyone boarded the bus we headed back up the volcano to a ranch where we would find wild dome giant tortoises, have a hike and then have lunch.  This was an excellent adventure.  We were all given Wellingtons (rubber boots) and off we tromped into the pastures and vegetation in search of giant tortoises.  They were everywhere and given their size, easy to find.  The hike ended with everyone hot and hungry.  We were taken to a private verandah area and served lunch with a several choices and a beverage.  Everything was delicious and most opted for the ceviche appetizer as that had become a group favorite.  After lunch we had a rest in the shade before heading back out to town for a final shopping spree.  Here is where my (and others) one bit of constructive criticism comes in.  They dropped us off in town and said meet at the other end of the main port street in a few hours.  All great.  However, the jewelry and high end craft shops were all closed for siesta.  Most did not open until it was nearly time to leave.  We all managed to find souvenirs and even some jewelry but the timing on this was not the best.

 

We all boarded the bus and headed back across the volcano and island.  Going back the bus driver was playing an 80’s play list and those of us of the appropriate age were naming songs and singers and singing along on occasion.  It was all great fun.

 

At the evening briefing, Capt. started again with a weather report.  The winds were up but for the first time in quite a while evidently, we could actually go to the Genovesa caldera.  It was 54 miles away and would take nearly 6 hours of a fairly rough transit.  Capt. had talked to a cousin who captains another ship and got the low down on the seas and when to leave.  Capt. said if you all are game we will leave right after dinner.  Of course, we were all game as Genovesa is where the rare red-footed boobies nest.  It was a “gotta go if the opportunity presents itself” moment. So, it was decided. We’d go!

 

A bit later as we were eating dinner and as the sun set Capt. came into the dining room and said, “ if you all don’t mind, come to the bow with me.  There is a full moon rising over the bay and its worth a look.”  Naturally, we all jumped up and headed to the port hull bow.  Indeed the moon rise was stunning.  As we all stood there admiring the view sous chef Carol started singing an acapella Ecuadorian tune.  It was magical.

 

The evening ended with the usual visiting around the dinning table and a sampling of scotch.  Capt. pulled us out of the bay about 9:45pm and the motion of the ocean began.

[habenicd]

Day 9 - 5/24

 

We arrived to the caldera of Genovesa in the wee hours of the morning.  The transit was indeed moderately rough but we had a following sea. It might be worse heading back to Baltra. For now however, we will enjoy the day in this remote and only recently reopened island.  We are here to see the much more rare red-footed boobies so a morning hike is in order. We will then have a deep-water snorkel before lunch. In the afternoon there will be panga rides along the caldera and the afternoon will end with some beach time.  A good day indeed.

 

For the hike we had a panga ride to a small ledge in the wall of the caldera.  Steps had been made into the lava rock with the addition of some concrete here and there to sure it up.  Off the bow of the panga, lose the life jacket and climb the stairs to the top of the caldera was the chore.  The top of the rim of the caldera was a bird sanctuary.  Everywhere there were frigates and both red-footed and blue-footed boobies mating and nesting.  Its here where we really got to observe the dance of the boobies.  The males do a strut like waddle that exposes their pretty feet to the females.  If that doesn’t get her attention they will fly circles around and then come in for a landing feet first to show off.  Its quite an amusing site.  The rim of the caldera also made for incredible views of the open Pacific as well.  All in all an excellent hike.

 

The morning snorkel was back at the base of the stairs where we had been for the hike.  The water was about 73 degrees and quite clear.  Sea lions and fish were everywhere and everyone enjoyed their last snorkel of the trip.  Getting back to the ship we relinquished our gear with a sad little whimper heard here and there from us and our new friends.

 

The afternoon was lazy with the panga rides and several of us decided against the beach trek opting instead to rest in the shade of the sun deck, visit, read and sip beverages.  Slowing the pace before our trip home.

 

Jonathan was dressed in full uniform tonight again and began the evening briefing.  The entire crew was present again for another toast and a show of appreciation for our patronage as we let them know how much their fun, friendly and excellent service for the last week meant to us.  Afterward Capt. said we would wait until 9:30pm to leave the protected caldera to transit back to North Seymour Island. He warned it would be rough but hopefully not as bad as he had first expected.  Regardless, all of us thought it was worth it for the day we had on this remote island.

 

Departure procedures were talked through for the next morning.  A hike at 6:45am.  Back aboard at 8:00am. Checked bags outside our cabins at 8:15am as we went to breakfast from 8:15-8:45am.  They needed us clear of our cabins by then so the Ninja could start turning over the rooms for the next guests.  The lounge would be open and a BBC Galapagos video would be showing to pass the time until 9:30am when we would head to the airport.

 

That’s when the big surprise was presented.  The Orlando and JC had been shooting video and pictures all week. They presented videos of our trip.  One for all the land activities and then one of all the snorkel trips.  They were both great!  Then they stated we would each get a USB drive of both videos in the morning before we disembark.  A very special gift indeed.

 

Dinner was excellent but we passed on the scotch this night as the Capt. would be pulling us out into the Pacific very soon and most of us still needed to pack.  Packing in a pitching ship is a recipe for sea sickness and possible injury.  No thank you.

[habenicd]

Day 10 - 5/25

 

Well, the alarm went off extra early this morning at 5:00am for our last day.  The transit from Genovesa was indeed rough.  We managed to get most of our stuff packed up before the rough seas hit but toward the end I was just sitting on the floor throwing stuff in bags.

 

Anyways, back to this morning. We were anchored off North Seymour Island around 3:00am.  Being the last day and our now close proximity to Baltra and the airport they changed up the routine schedule for the last day.  At 6:45am we headed out in the pangas for a last hike.  About a mile long for an hour or so.  Upon return we would put our checked bags outside our rooms and go have breakfast.  Then the long travel day would begin in earnest.

 

The hike was cool and overcast and there were a few rain drops but not enough to matter.  We saw a baby sea lion sleeping away the morning and then about a half dozen adults on the rocky beach as well.  Of course there were nesting frigates and blue-footed boobies.  We happened across several land iguanas as well.  All and all a good hike but everyone was ready for breakfast.

 

Upon returning to the ship, most folks changed from hiking clothes to travel clothes.  Bags were set outside and breakfast was had.  After breakfast we congregated in the lounge to pass the time until we left for the airport.  There is a very small public rest room under the stairs on the aft lower deck but the crew also left one cabin open for folks to use as needed.

 

Around 9:30am Jonathan gave the word it was time to go.  There were hugs and goodbyes all around as we donned the life jackets one last time.  We transferred from the pangas to the pier we started on a week ago and then a bus for the 10 minute ride to the airport.  At the airport Orlando and JC helped us all through check-in and we got one more hug as we went on through security.  If you book Celebrity domestic airfare (highly recommend) you have access to the ViP Lounge in the Baltra airport.  Its not an extravagant lounge but there are snacks, drinks and an espresso maker.  It helped pass the time.  There are plenty of shops airside in the airport as well, to spend a little time and money.  We were finally called to board our plane and the passengers from the Xploration and the Xpedition made their way to the tarmac and up the airstairs to our reserved seats.  As on the flight over, the charter flight was all but empty.  We were served lunch and drinks during the 2 hour flight back to Quito.

 

Upon arrival in Quito, it was the final departure for us and many of our new friends.  Again, hugs and goodbyes were had.  Some staying in Quito for more tours, some flying out the next day and a few, like us with a red-eye flight later that same night.  Those with flights later today were taken to the EB Hotel which is only about 10 minutes from the airport as opposed to the 50 minutes to the JW Marriott downtown where the others were taken.  We had about 4-5 hours of time before we needed to be back to the airport and the convenience of having a day room at an extremely nice hotel was a bonus.  We were met at the hotel by a Celebrity agent, shown our rooms, told where to get the included dinner and then what time we needed to head back to the airport.  We headed up to the room.  It was very nice with a big comfy king bed, a massive showe with dual rain shower-heads.  Much needed bottles of water were on the desk as well.  Needless to say, we each had a long hot shower, then a nap and then dinner.  Just the right amount of time for all three without feeling rushed.

 

At 8:45pm we headed down to the lobby.  The Celebrity agent was there and hailed us a private car.  The agent went along with us to the airport and walked us through checking in with Delta and to security.  It was exceptional service all the way.

 

The Quito airport has a Diner’s Club/Priority Pass lounge.  We had burned some Delta SkyMiles to book what was supposed to be domestic First Class seats for the 5 hour red-eye flight back to Atlanta.  Fortunately for us, Delta upgraded the plane to include an international Business Class product.  This meant lounge access and  the most welcomed lie-flat seats. Thank goodness because even with the nap at the hotel we were exhausted.  The Diner’s Club lounge was very nice actually, but it was busy and loud being the only lounge at the airport.  As we had just had dinner, we skipped the food and drink and just had water trying to stay hydrated.

 

Pretty soon it was time to board our plane. Leading up to this, we had not been able to check-in online for my DW’s flight.  At the gate we found out why.  She had been “selected” for additional security screening.  Good grief.  Anyways, she finally made it aboard after a bit and we both settled in for the flight home.  We both skipped the meal service and went straight to sleep.  Overall, a good flight too.

 

I will wrap things up in a last post for Day 11.

[habenicd]

Day 11 - 5/26

 

We landed in Atlanta a few minutes ahead of schedule.  The airport was relatively quiet given the early Sunday morning hour.  We walked through Customs due to being Global Entry participants and in no time were waiting for our parking shuttle ride.

 

We made it home around 9:15am after a stop at Buc-ee’s at the half way point for much needed coffee and a snack.  Our doggos were so happy to see us and had to sniff every bag as we rolled them into the house.  It was an exceptional trip and exceeded every one of our already high expectations but its always good to return home too.

 

On this trip we experienced an exceptional level of service with friendly, knowledgeable guides and crew that we very rarely see.  We enjoy smaller ships, smaller groups and personal service and the Celebrity Galapagos folks did not disappoint. Xploration being the smallest of Celebrity’s ships in the Galapagos was perfect for us.  However, if you are prone to sea sickness, like big shows, casinos and unlimited menus this trip should be booked with caution.  But to each their own and that’s why there are so many choices out there.

 

This was our first trip with Celebrity.  We expect the Galapagos experience with Celebrity is different than “mainstream” Celebrity cruises.  That being said, we will give Celebrity a chance in the future on one of their smaller/older ships.

 

We hope you enjoyed all of this.  We returned home exhausted but all the better for our experiences and friendships made during this trip.

 

If you have any questions, we will try our best to answer them.

[airhose]

Thanks again for your awesome trip report!  You have made us very excited for our adventure next year!

[cruisetonowhere10]

Quick question for you, did you do the 10 day package?  That’s what we have booked and will fly home either through ATL or MIA depending on carrier…the package includes the last night in Quito but it sounds like you took a red eye instead of staying.  Was that by choice?  Do you feel you missed out on part of what you paid for?  This is the single largest dollar amount I’ve spent on a single trip and while I feel I’ll be ready to head home, I also want to get as much as I can out of it.  I also wonder if taking a red eye would just set us up for a messed up Sunday….DH is in law enforcement and will take his Sunday double shift off but will need to be in for a single Monday so I have to ponder an earlier return versus a solid overnight sleep.  That being said, I’m more concerned with missing out and/or leaving $ on the table.  Curious on your thoughts and decision.  Thank you.

[habenicd]

1 hour ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

Quick question for you, did you do the 10 day package?  That’s what we have booked and will fly home either through ATL or MIA depending on carrier…the package includes the last night in Quito but it sounds like you took a red eye instead of staying.  Was that by choice?  Do you feel you missed out on part of what you paid for?  This is the single largest dollar amount I’ve spent on a single trip and while I feel I’ll be ready to head home, I also want to get as much as I can out of it.  I also wonder if taking a red eye would just set us up for a messed up Sunday….DH is in law enforcement and will take his Sunday double shift off but will need to be in for a single Monday so I have to ponder an earlier return versus a solid overnight sleep.  That being said, I’m more concerned with missing out and/or leaving $ on the table.  Curious on your thoughts and decision.  Thank you.

We did the 10 day package.  We flew down Thursday and got to the Marriott late but we weren’t the only ones. The flight from Atlanta is convenient both in and out in our opinion.  On the last day we did not feel cheated at all.  Given the 11:30pm flight back to Atlanta we had plenty of time to relax at the EB Hotel.  Celebrity took us there and handled everything.  We enjoyed a room with a great shower, got a nap and had a nice dinner before heading back to the airport relaxed, regrouped, and refreshed for the red eye.  Getting home Sunday morning and having 2 days to recover (for us Monday was a holiday) was much better than spending another day in Quito before coming home. We took advantage of everything that was available in our minds.  But that’s merely our opinion. Some in our group stayed an extra day and did a tour of the Cloud Forest but that “wasn’t included.”

Edited June 2 by habenicd

[cruisetonowhere10]

17 minutes ago, habenicd said:

We did the 10 day package.  We flew down Thursday and got to the Marriott late but we weren’t the only ones. The flight from Atlanta is convenient both in and out in our opinion.  On the last day we did not feel cheated at all.  Given the 11:30pm flight back to Atlanta we had plenty of time to relax at the EB Hotel.  Celebrity took us there and handled everything.  We enjoyed a room with a great shower, got a nap and had a nice dinner before heading back to the airport relaxed, regrouped, and refreshed for the red eye.  Getting home Sunday morning and having 2 days to recover (for us Monday was a holiday) was much better than spending another day in Quito before coming home. We took advantage of everything that was available in our minds.  But that’s merely our opinion. Some in our group stayed an extra day and did a tour of the Cloud Forest but that “wasn’t included.”

Thank you.  Much appreciated. When flights are released we will have to assess the options.

[mahdnc]

3 minutes ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

Thank you.  Much appreciated. When flights are released we will have to assess the options.

 

We booked the 11 night package which gives you 2 nights in Quito.  I can tell you that there is very little to miss out on from a Celebrity standpoint if you fly out early.  Basically you are on your own when it comes to activities.  The only thing planned by Celebrity for the 10th night is dinner at the hotel.  We were originally going to use the full day that we had at Quito to take a day trip outside of the city such as Cotapaxi, Mindo, etc.  Unfortunately I got sick and needed the two nights at Quito to recuperate enough to be able to fly back home!

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

12 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

We booked the 11 night package which gives you 2 nights in Quito.  I can tell you that there is very little to miss out on from a Celebrity standpoint if you fly out early.  Basically you are on your own when it comes to activities.  The only thing planned by Celebrity for the 10th night is dinner at the hotel.  We were originally going to use the full day that we had at Quito to take a day trip outside of the city such as Cotapaxi, Mindo, etc.  Unfortunately I got sick and needed the two nights at Quito to recuperate enough to be able to fly back home!

 

Good to know.  Thank you!

[Seany527]

11 hours ago, habenicd said:

Upon arrival in Quito, it was the final departure for us and many of our new friends.  Again, hugs and goodbyes were had.  Some staying in Quito for more tours, some flying out the next day and a few, like us with a red-eye flight later that same night.  Those with flights later today were taken to the EB Hotel which is only about 10 minutes from the airport as opposed to the 50 minutes to the JW Marriott downtown where the others were taken.  We had about 4-5 hours of time before we needed to be back to the airport and the convenience of having a day room at an extremely nice hotel was a bonus.  We were met at the hotel by a Celebrity agent, shown our rooms, told where to get the included dinner and then what time we needed to head back to the airport.  We headed up to the room.  It was very nice with a big comfy king bed, a massive showe with dual rain shower-heads.  Much needed bottles of water were on the desk as well.  Needless to say, we each had a long hot shower, then a nap and then dinner.  Just the right amount of time for all three without feeling rushed.

 

 

About what time did you land in Quito? I’m looking at a flight back to the US that leaves at 5pm the same day, but I don’t know if that will be cutting it too close. 

[habenicd]

7 hours ago, Seany527 said:

About what time did you land in Quito? I’m looking at a flight back to the US that leaves at 5pm the same day, but I don’t know if that will be cutting it too close. 

That might be possible but it would be too close for comfort for us.  You’ll have to claim bags and recheck them I believe and we got back to Quito between 3p-3:30p. I’d say “risky” in my opinion.

[habenicd]

On 6/1/2024 at 1:46 PM, mahdnc said:

Any further insight while you were on board about the lack of a 2026 season on Celebrity's website for Xploration and Xpedition?

Well, I just saw this, this morning.  That would explain it.

Luxury cruise line Lindblad Expeditions is expanding its presence in the Galapagos with plans to buy two ships from fellow cruise line Celebrity Cruises.

Lindblad will purchase both the 48-guest Celebrity Xpedition and the smaller, 16-guest Celebrity Xploration for the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet, the company announced Wednesday. Following the sale, which is expected to close in January 2025, both ships will undergo multi-million dollar renovations.

[mahdnc]

7 minutes ago, habenicd said:

Well, I just saw this, this morning.  That would explain it.

Luxury cruise line Lindblad Expeditions is expanding its presence in the Galapagos with plans to buy two ships from fellow cruise line Celebrity Cruises.

Lindblad will purchase both the 48-guest Celebrity Xpedition and the smaller, 16-guest Celebrity Xploration for the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet, the company announced Wednesday. Following the sale, which is expected to close in January 2025, both ships will undergo multi-million dollar renovations.

 

Thank you for closing the loop on this subject.  It has generated some discussion as well on the main Celebrity board.  There has not been anything announced publicly by Celebrity however an affected passenger did post the letter they received.  The options including being transferred at no extra cost to an equivalent cabin on Flora which I think is fair although not everyone will be able to take advantage of that.

 

It is doubtful that any of the crew would have been aware of this pending sale while you were on board.

Edited June 13 by mahdnc

[catspaw1]

Thanks for your great TR. Really enjoyed reading it! We were really looking forward to the Xploration next year as we wanted a smaller ship. But our TA was able to move us to the Flora although in c a cabin 503 which is very far forward. We were in WY when it happened  & when I checked Celebrity two days later to try to move to a better location,  all cabins we were eligible to book it, when already booked. Sounds like you trip was outstanding  & I learned a lot from reading it.