Celebrity Xpeditions or What Else ?

[MAX POWERS]

:cool: Hi Everyone

 

A question for the cruisers out there. I was thinking about next year 2007 for a cruise on the Celebrity Xpedition, but I firgure I would ask if anyone has done the Galapagos or Machu Picchu with Celebrity before. This will most likely be one costly trip, but none the less a good one.

 

I would consider a 12 or 14 day cruise if anyone has taken one before to South America with these places as port of call.

 

Any feed back would be greart... Thanks

[Leslieswiger]

Did the Xpedition last Oct. and enjoyed the trip very much. $$$ Have done Machu Picchu twice and have enjoyed it. Do the train trip up and down.$$$$Happy Sailings...Leslie Swiger:)

[fabs1181]

Max - Celebrity now offers a galapagos cruise with a tack on trip to MP at the end. I just booked myself for this trip for this august.

 

Leslie - the trip that Celebrity offers incorporates the train ride back and forth in one day. I understand the train ride is ~3hrs and I was afraid that our time in MP could be a little rushed. How was your experience on the train and what do you think of the back-and-forth in one day?

 

Thanks!

[ebrener]

Max,

 

you can also consider a 5 to 7 day cruise on a smaller, independent ship for the Galapagos. Most likely, it will not be as luxurious as Celebrity, but it will definitely be a different type of experience. I did it a few years ago on a boat for 20 passengers, and I think you can get much more out of the island visits in small groups.

 

You can then add a land-based trip to Cuzco and Macchu Picchu. I'd recommend a couple of days in Cuzco, plus a whole day in MP at the least.

 

Feel free to email if you have any questions...

 

Enrique

*****

[Leslieswiger]

Hello Ebrener! The train back and forth in one day is okay. We have done that and also stayed two nights at a Auga Caliente hotel.

We do enjoy famous train trips. We just got back from South Africa doing the )Blue Train) from Johannesburg - Capetown which takes 26 hrs. and $$$$$. Enjoyed the Orient Express London-Zurich and the Indian Pacific Perth-Sydney. Have done many and many more to do also. Happy Sailings..Leslie Swiger:)

[sceneisle]

Max - We did the Xpedition (Galapagos) last June and it was the best cruise we've ever taken. The 10 & 11 day packages that include pre & post nights in Quito are a little pricey, but considering that everything is included (hotel stay, most meals in Quito, full day tour in Quito, air to/from Quito/Galapagos, $100 park fee and all alcoholic beverages on board), I thought it was a pretty good deal. The Xpedition is a very comfortable ship (considering the alternatives) and the service was great. If you're interested, here's a link to our photos of the Xpedition, the Galapagos & Quito (separate albums):

http://sceneisle.myphotoalbum.com

[Aussie Gal]

We have just returned from South America including a 21 day cruise down to Antarctica on the Regal Princess.

 

After the cruise we flew to Cusco and stayed at the wonderful Hotel Monasterio for two nights. We then caught the train up to Machu Picchu and had one night at the Sanctuary Hotel which is right next to the ruins. We returned to Cusco next day on the train and stayed one more night before flying to Quito.

 

Next day we flew out to the Galapagos Islands and we were on Galapagos Explorer II which was originally one of the Renaissance 3 ships and is very comfortable. It was built in 1990 and our cabin was large. We did the 5 day cruise visiting two islands a day, plus one on the first day.

 

We saw so many wonderful sights. We were happy with the five days and are glad we did not book for the 7 days.

 

We booked both trips independently. The Cusco/Machu Picchu trip through an agency in Peru and the Quito/Galapagos through one in Ecuador. Both gave excellent service and I am only too happy to recommend them.

 

We stayed at the lovely Swissotel in Quito for one night before the islands and for two nights after and I can highly recommend this hotel.

 

Jennie

[californiagirl]

Sceneisle,

 

I loved your photos. You must be MVCI owners. We have been to many of the same places you have been to!

 

Lisa

[NZYU]

Thanks, Aussie Gal, for the new direction on how to see Galapagos. Most of my focus had been on Celeb.X cruise to Galapagos and now I'll branch out to look at others.

 

The photo-link on this thread didn't open for me but I viewed someone else's photos from a Celeb.X cruise and it seemed they saw pretty much the same animals on each island. Seals, blue-footed boobies, an iguana, a crab, and some other birds.

 

So, I can see how seeing the same things might get repetitious.

 

I was hoping we'd see a wider variety of animals and plants.

 

I liked your idea of doing Galapagos as an extention of South America which is what we'd been looking to do.

[Aussie Gal]

NZYU,

 

You are correct about the animals that you see on the Galapagos Islands. They are much the same on most islands though you also see the giant tortoises and there are two types of iguazas, both fresh and salt water.

 

There is not a lot of vegetation to see as the islands are mostly all volcanic. The most amazing thing for us was how close the birds and animals were to us. They just do not recognize us as different species to them and they are just so natural.

 

We found that the way we did our trip last year was ideal though we were away from home over 7 weeks. When we arrived in Rio, we spent a couple of days there and then we flew up to Iguazu to see the magnificent falls. We spent 2 nights up there before returning back to Rio and boarding our ship the next day. I would not go to South America without seeing the falls, they are spectacular.

 

In September/October/Nov we did a 34 day cruise which took us from Vancouver through the Panama and up the Amazon as far as Manaus and then ended in Tampa. This cruise finished off our time in South America and was a fitting finale to the year's adventures which started on New Years Day with our flight to Rio via L.A. and Miami.

 

Jennie

[NZYU]

What a super trip, Jennie.

 

Where are you going next?

Have you thought about Iceland and Greenland? It might be interesting to compare the tetonic plates in Iceland to the ones in Galapagos.

 

We've thought about TransPacific from AU to LA.

Loved your country when we were there a couple years ago... especially the clever Melbourne statues and the delicious bugs (yabbies).

 

After we got home, I discovered I loved Moccona coffee. Wasn't a coffee drinker before and the tour guide kept telling the coffee drinkers how to order coffee the way they liked it so I didn't try it there. Brought home some samples from a hotel and one reason I want to go back to AU is to stock up on your coffee. :)

 

Only reason I want to go to Galapagos is to photograph the animals up close. So it sounds like I can find pretty much the same type on each island.

 

Then onto Macchu Pichu, Cuzco, Iquacu and Angel Falls, Tierra del Fuego, and the Amazon.

 

We did the Panama Canal from the Caribe side but the Pacific side would be fun, too.

 

We need to figure out which cruise company to use and go from there but I like the way you did the trip. Thanks for the information and the ideas.

[Aussie Gal]

NZYU,

 

Believe it or not, Melbourne is the capital of the coffee drinkers here in Oz. We have little coffee bars everywhere and we are always meeting friends for a "coffee". My DH and I have just been to a cafe for an iced coffee as it is 38C here today. We have had a run of extremely hot weather and it has been 38C for the past few days. We are getting very tired of this heat!

 

We did the trip from Boston to Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, Shetland Islands, Norway to Rotterdam in July of 2005. It was a most interesting cruise and we were able to compare the icebergs in each hemisphere. They are so different from one another.

 

We have mainly sailed with HAL and Princess but next year we are going with Oceania as we prefer the smaller ships. We are going from Hong Kong to Athens. The ship goes to Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia as well as calling into 3 ports in India, Oman, Jordan, Egypt and through the Suez Canal to Athens. It is a fabulous itinerary and will take 35 days. We will get to see the Taj Mahal, Petra, Luxor and the Pyramids, all places we have wanted to visit.

 

This year we are doing a cruise from Papeete to Honolulu in June on the Tahitian Princess and in September we are flying to Ireland and doing a walking tour for 8 days, then hiring a car for a week and touring Southern Ireland before flying to Italy and visiting the lakes and the area around Portofino.

 

You will get some wonderful photos of the animals on the Galapagos. If you care to give me your email address I can send you some great photos that we took whilst there. I am not sure about posting them here.

 

Are you by any chance from the New York area? I just wanted to say that we spent a week in that wonderful city in 2005 and fell in love with everything about it. I would dearly love to return one day.

 

Jennie

[NZYU]

Hi, Jennie,

Do you think the differences in icebergs had anything to do with the season?

 

We were going to do the HAL transAtlantic last July but did Princess TransAtlantic in the fall instead. Still thinking about doing the same one with HAL sometime because the itinerary is a bit different. Different stops in Europe on HAL than Princess.

 

We loved Iceland and it was sunny the day we were in Greenland so that made going there especially blessed.

 

One reason we switched to autumn TransAtlantic was Princess offered three stops in Iceland and HAL only two. However, one of P's stop's tours was a total ripoff... paying money to walk through - what amounted to - a rain slick pasture to see birds that they knew had left in August was not worth the the cost. We wouldn't have even gone if it had been free had we known in advance what the tour REALLY was.

 

Papeete is on our itinerary, too. Wish we were going this June but we plan to do it as part of the TransPacific AU to LA next year.

 

We've never been to NYC.

 

There is a statue (installation) of a coffee drinker in a NZ cafe on South Island. It is really cool.

 

Ireland is on the agenda, too. It was one of the stops on HAL last summer. HAve fun on your walking tour.

 

Is the Seeing Eye Dog exhibition still being held in Melbourne this March?

 

Have you been to Urlulu (spelling?) Ayers Rock? Is it worth the trip?

Looking at a railroad tour of AU but have read mixed reviews about the Rock.

[dileep]

Hello Ebrener! The train back and forth in one day is okay. We have done that and also stayed two nights at a Auga Caliente hotel.

We do enjoy famous train trips. We just got back from South Africa doing the )Blue Train) from Johannesburg - Capetown which takes 26 hrs. and $$$$$. Enjoyed the Orient Express London-Zurich and the Indian Pacific Perth-Sydney. Have done many and many more to do also. Happy Sailings..Leslie Swiger:)

 

You should try the Palace on Wheels in India! It is like a one week cruise on train.

[Aussie Gal]

NZYU,

 

The icebergs in Greenland were much taller and squatter than the ones in Antarctica. Down there they are long, a couple of city blocks with short peaks, just so completely different. There is also the difference in colour, one is a lot greener and the other is a lot bluer.

 

 

I don't think the Seeing Eye Dog Exhibition is on in March this year. We are having the World Swimming Championships and our annual Wine and Food Festival with the World's longest lunch next month. We are attending the lunch, it is going to be held in our Telstra Dome with everyone seated around the edge of the oval.

 

Uluru or Ayers Rock, is a must see for most Australians and we all hope to go and visit the Rock before we die. I know a lot of U.S. tourists are not impressed because they go in the hottest time (that is when the cruise ship's visit) and they are swamped with the flies and the heat. The best time is in May, June, July, August when the nights are cold and the days are just beautiful. The sunsets over the rock are apparently fantastic. We haven't been as yet but that is on our list to do in the next couple of years.

 

The Ghan train is a great trip. It leaves from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and takes you through Alice Springs to Darwin. We are hoping to visit Darwin next year and go to Katherine, Litchfield Park and Kakadu.

 

The other great train trip is the Indian Pacific which takes you from Sydney across to Perth. It is the longest, straightest train track in the world.

 

Jennie

[Benita]

We went to the Galapagos and then to Peru (Lima, Cuzco. Valley of the Incas, and Macchu Picchu) with Lindblad. They have now merged with National Geographic, which makes it even better. They have two ships that are based in the Galapagos year round. This gives constant employment to excellent guides. The Peru part was excellent as well, with an overnight in Macchu Picchu at the only hotel by the grounds, so you could appreciated sunrise and sunset before the day trippers arrive.

The trip was quite pricey, but fabulous. The web site is http://www.expeditions.com

[NZYU]

Thanks, folks.

We'll check into the National Geographic / Lindblad.

[Aussie Gal]

. The Peru part was excellent as well, with an overnight in Macchu Picchu at the only hotel by the grounds, so you could appreciated sunrise and sunset before the day trippers arrive.

 

The trip was quite pricey, but fabulous. The web site is http://www.expeditions.com

 

 

 

We too stayed at the wonderful Sanctuary Hotel when we were up at Machu Picchu. It was fantastic to wake up and look out our bedroom window to the peak with the clouds hanging over it knowing there was not a soul around.

 

 

 

We also stayed at the beautiful Monasterio Hotel in Cusco for 3 nights. Two nights before heading up to Machu Picchu and one night on our return. We were lucky and were given one of their two suites for each stay. Pure luxury!

 

 

 

Jennie