Back from The Celebrity Flora's Galápagos Inner Loop: A Review

[maryogreen]

A Little Background

When my husband and I first thought about dong a Galápagos cruise, we knew we didn't want to go on one of the small boats that carry 16-50 passengers. We felt there was too much risk of being the "odd-man-out" if a large family or group had chartered the boat and liked the idea of the 100-passenger Flora. We typically have sailed on Seabourn, Regent and the late Crystal and consistently had heard good things about Celebrity's Galápagos operations.

 

We also considered Silversea's Galápagos voyages – both Celebrity and Silversea have almost identical new ships – but we liked Celebrity's Quito pre-cruise city tour with a visit to the equator as well as the charter flights directly to and from the Galápagos, with no stops in Guayaquil. Plus, we really liked Celebrity's Inner Loop itinerary...so, Celebrity it was.

 

Then there was the issue of getting there. We live in San Diego, and traveling to the Galápagos isn't easy. Most flights start late at night and connect through one of three U.S. cities, with nonstops to Quito – Houston (United Airlines), Atlanta (Delta) and Miami (American) – with the connecting flight to Quito arriving late at night. We opted for a mid-morning flight from Los Angeles to Miami, with an overnight stay at the excellent EB Hotel a few minutes from the airport...followed by a mid-morning flight to Quito the next morning, with an early afternoon arrival. We booked the flights on our own, and Celebrity provided the transfers in Quito.

 

Travel and the Pandemic

Celebrity did a top-notch job with Covid protocols and handled all the necessary testing paperwork and arrangements seamlessly. A representative met us at the airport in Quito and arranged a van for the 45-minute drive to the JW Marriott Hotel. Each couple or group had its own van due to social distancing. We were tested twice for Covid – a PCR test after we arrived and an antigen test before flying to the Galápagos. We were required to wear KN95 masks during our stay in Quito, but did not have to wear any masks in the Galápagos. At the end of the cruise, based on U.S. regulations, we were tested again at the EB Hotel near the airport in Quito before flying home.

 

Quito City Tour

The city tour was on par in terms of quality and guide with any we have had on other cruise lines we've sailed. This tour offered a comprehensive look at Quito's "Histórico Centro" old town area and a fun visit to the equator as well as lovely places for lunch and dinner. Groups of about ten were assigned a guide and tour bus. We stayed together like a little Covid pod, sitting with our group at designated tables for lunch and dinner. This pandemic protocol was designed to keep us as safe as possible, but it turned out to be a great way to get to know people early on as well as a means to an end of not having to wear masks once we were on the ship.

 

The Celebrity Flora

What a beautiful ship! We were in cabin 526, a Sky Suite with Veranda – spacious, with more than enough storage, and a lovely bathroom with a separate sink and faucet with filtered water for filling our water bottles. It's a personal choice whether to opt for a veranda or an "Infinite Veranda" cabin that offers more room with a large window rather than actual outdoor space. From our experience, we loved having the veranda. Although this isn't a cruise where you spend a huge amount of time in your cabin, it was wonderful to sit outside, take photos and watch the Galápagos go by.

 

The Food

Meals were served in the Seaside Restaurant, with breakfast and lunch buffets and dinner table service. As part of Covid protocols, at the buffets the staff grabs plates and walks with you, dishing your choices. It was never a problem, with little-to-no wait. A limited special menu for lunch and dinner was also available at the outdoor Ocean Grill. We were hugely surprised by the quality, variety and taste of the Galápagos-based Ecuadorian cuisine. The wonderful chef was from Colombia and will soon be opening one of the specialty restaurants on Celebrity's newest ship. The service was terrific as well and equal to other ships we've sailed, with servers even learning our names and whether we preferred regular or carbonated water. Special kudos to the incredibly talented and personable Ukrainian server Natalia, who proudly boasts that she and her Ecuadorian husband, also a server, opened the Flora.

 

The Internet

This was the best and fastest Internet we have had on any cruise ship. And it was free. Outlets were available for both U.S. and European-pronged plugs. It is helpful to bring a multi-use adaptor with USB ports for charging phones, cameras and laptops.

 

The Expeditions

The main event on this itinerary is the fantastic wildlife and fascinating landscape of the Galápagos Islands. We couldn't have asked for a better experience here. Excursion briefings were held each evening before dinner in the Discovery Lounge, where we selected our expeditions for the following day. We were off the ship twice a day on morning and afternoon hikes or zodiac cruises that included options for beach snorkeling. An additional deep water snorkeling experience was also offered on several days.

The expedition team guides were certified naturalists by the Galápagos National Park Service. They did a terrific job leading the hikes and zodiac tours, explaining what we were seeing as well as identifying the various birds and animals. All were excellent, but we did have a few favorites including the ever-delightful Charly, whose enthusiasm was so effervescent that it seemed as if he was seeing the Galápagos for the first time!

Bottom Line

Our experience on the Celebrity Flora was outstanding in every way. We can't stress enough how well organized everything was and how friendly the staff was. From the moment we were met in Quito to the champagne welcome and greeting from captain Patricio and hotel director Vlado when we arrived on board, to the final night at the EB Hotel, our experience we equal to any cruise we have sailed.

We arrived home exhausted from this most active adventure and incredibly fulfilled!

 

 

Mary

Travel Blog: https://www.themodernpostcard.com

[Larwos]

Thankyou so much for this excellent and comprehensive review of your Galapagos cruise on Flora. 
As devotees of Celebrity cruises, we had looked at Galapagos but felt it is far outside our usual budget,

However, I am now considering it, in a less pricey cabin, as our final bucket list item. 

Thankyou for the insight. 

Sally Larwood 

Melbourne, Australia 
 

[Shiba_Lover]

Thanks for the nice review.  We recently booked the Flora for an outer loop trip.  If you don't mind - how did you decide inner vs outer loop?  From what I have been able to find - it comes down to inner loop has a chance to see the red footed booby and outer loop an albatross.  How did you decide?  I specifically wanted the veranda as opposed to the infinite veranda - and only was able to book a guarantee veranda.  They say this will guarantee us a proper veranda, but they can't tell us which room exactly yet 🙂  I'm guessing there is not a "bad" room on the ship though?  

[mk960072]

can you tell me how long each excursion was and did you feel you got to see everything you wanted to see on each excursion?  I am curious what excursion choices you had each day as well.  In other words was it a matter of which animals you would see or exertion levels?  One last question, when on your excursions did you see other people from other tours?  trying to figure out how private your experiences were when in the Galapagos. Thanks in advance for addressing my numerous questions and glad you got to go and experience a real treat!

 

[MBP&O2/O]

I second the previous post. I do not swim or snorkel nor will I use a kayak. Walking is fine. Zodiacs are also fine.

Thanks