Celebrity Cruises has released details on the itineraries for its upcoming new Galapagos Islands expedition ships, the Celebrity Xploration and Celebrity Xperience. The new ships are set to begin sailing in March 2017.
Celebrity Xperience will offer seven-, 10- or 13-night all-inclusive sailings, with new ports of call including Mosquera Islet, Black Turtle Cove, Cerro Brujo, Santa Fe, Darwin Bay and El Barranco, which is famous for its Prince Philip steps leading to seabird colonies of Nazca and Red-Footed Boobies.
The 13-night Xperiential Travel itinerary will offer chances to explore the islands’ wildlife and interact with the local community. Travelers will spend two nights in Quito, Ecuador, sail for seven nights, and then disembark the ship for a three-night experience in the Galapagos Islands. While there, they will stay in a seaside hotel in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, and take part in activities such as a visit to a local farm or green house to gather food that will be used to prepare a dinner at a local restaurant, as well as a trip with a local fisherman to catch fish for a dinner that evening. Guests will also have the chance to visit a private beach for snorkeling and swimming.
Celebrity Xploration will offer a seven-night, all-inclusive itinerary, with a selection of pre- and post-cruise experiences. New ports of call on this itinerary will include include El Barranco, Darwin Bay, Espumilla Beach, Mosquera Islet, Chinese Hat, Kicker Rock, Cerro Brujo, Walls of Tears and Puerto Villamil, which is home to the Galapagos Giant Tortoise Center.
The new ships will join Celebrity’s let following a major refresh project. Celebrity Xploration will be an eight-stateroom catamaran, with each of the staterooms having either a verandah or a window. The Celebrity Xperience will have 24 staterooms. On both ships, accommodations will have premium mattresses and pillows and LCD TVs. High-speed Internet service will be available throughout both ships. Additionally, all itineraries will have shore excursions led by expert naturalists, specially crafted meals, as well as featuring fresh regional seafood and fish, by Celebrity’s Michelin-starred chef. Guests can also enjoy regional coffee, chocolate, premium spirits and a curated wine list.
In addition to the two new ships, the Celebrity Xpedition will continue to sail seven-, 10-, 11- and 15-night, all-inclusive itineraries in the Galapagos Islands. All sailings can be combined with pre- and post-cruise land experiences.