Celebrity Xpedition Grounded

Local media in Ecuador reported that the 2,300-ton Celebrity Xpedition ran aground on a sandbar in the Galapagos Tuesday afternoon about 5:40pm. While there doesn't appear to be damage to the ship, passengers had to be removed from the ship to refloat it.

The complete story appeared in the November 6 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Celebrity Flora Will Leave Just a Tiny Footprint in the Galapagos

Celebrity's megayacht, custom designed for service in the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Flora, finally arrived in Ecuador after a month-long transit from the shipyard in the Netherlands and was officially named today. The event revolved around the ship's eco-friendliness, and to highlight that, the ship's godmother was environmental advocate and former World Wildlife Fund International president Yolanda Kakabadse.

The complete story appeared in the June 24 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Below is some b-roll video which will give you a look around the ship, inside and out. 

Celebrity Flora Well Connected to Galapagos Environment

Celebrity Flora is only a little more than two months away from introduction in the Galapagos, and Celebrity is already busy forming relationships that connect the small ship to the Galapagos. Since it involves the Galapagos, it's only natural those relationships are then connected to nature and the environment.

The relationships Celebrity announced today even included the ship's godmother.

The complete story appeared in the April 25 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photos courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

The Farthest Outpost

Although you don't hear much about it, at least not on an ongoing basis, Celebrity continues to constantly cruise in the Galapagos Islands. You'll hear more about it later this year when their new mega-yacht Celebrity Flora goes into service and gets positioned there, but for now they have just set their 2021 program not only with Celebrity Flora but also with the modernized Celebrity Xpedition, and it promises to be their best season yet, according to the line.

The complete story appeared in the February 21 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Glamping Goes to Sea

Whoever first put the words “Glamourous” and “Camping” together never even envisioned this. But you can now spend the night, camping in luxury, under the stars on a ship in the Galapagos Islands.

When Celebrity's ship, custom-designed for Galapagos cruising, Celebrity Flora, debuts, you will be able to camp out in luxury under the stars (complete with a naturalist to point out the constellations) with an elaborate dinner served to you, an extra-comfy bed and even breakfast brought to your bed the next morning - all in those plush cabanas near the pool you can rent in the daytime to comfortably relax and nosh in.

The complete story appeared in the November 8 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Daytime view of where you will glamp and night.

Rendering courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Upgrading the Galapagos

As most giant turtles in the Galapagos Islands know, Celebrity Xpedition, Celebrity's mega-yacht used to explore the remote unspoiled islands, hasn't been around for a couple of weeks. They don't get news so they don't know where it's been. It has been in Panama for a seven-day makeover.

The complete story appeared in the September 21 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Celebrity Building New Ship for the Galapagos

Celebrity Cruises is upgrading their Galapagos product with a newbuild that's the first ship ever purpose-built for cruising the Galapagos. The 5,739 ton ship may seem tiny compared to Celebrity's other ships, but it will be the largest ship in the Galapagos.

The ship will be named Celebrity Flora, and it is currently under construction at the De Hoop shipyard in the Netherlands with delivery planned for May 2019.

The complete story appeared in the November 16 edition of Cruise News Daily.

It's Ready

Celebrity Xploration is back from dry dock, and the line is ready to begin accepting reservations for its Galapagos' program beginning March 25.

Celebrity Xploration is one of the premium line's acquisitions in Ecuador that will give passengers a quite different experience in exploring the protected habitat. The ship is a catamaran that accommodates just 16 passengers.

Details appeared in the November 7 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

New Route to the Galapagos

The Galapagos National Park Service has just approved two new one way itineraries for Silversea's Silver Galapagos which the line will implement next March.

The new program will still operate as a seven-night itinerary from Saturday to Saturday with the 100-passenger luxury expedition ship.

The complete story appeared in the June 14 edition of Cruise News Daily.

The Case of the Missing “E’s”

Celebrity Cruises released the new names of the yachts they acquired in the Galapagos to expand their operation in the islands. But something is missing.

The 48-passenger Eclipse will be renamed Celebrity Xperience. The smaller 16-passenger Athala II will become Celebrity Xploration.

The complete story appeared in the June 6 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Celebrity Expands in the Galapagos

In order to expand in the Galapagos, Celebrity Cruises said today they plan to acquire the Galapagos tour operator Ocean Adventures. The deal would include the company’s two small ships and their permits to operate in the Galapagos.

The complete story appeared in the March 14 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for June 9, 2014

* ED No Longer Has Anything to do with Dysfunction on Carnival Cruise Lines
Over the years, the job of the Cruise Director has evolved aboard ships. At one time the cruise director was seen more or less as a dashing and debonaire fellow although possibly a little unseemly as he ran the show aboard ship for the passengers and schmoozed them.
   But that’s evolved over the years as cruise lines have become huge corporate businesses, and now he (or she) has taken on the role more of a professional heading up a department that is responsible for entertaining the passengers, but the cruise director is still the person who is the “face” of the cruise line to passengers. And now, Carnival has created the position of Entertainment Director.

* The Galapagos Connection
Celebrity Cruises is marking their tenth anniversary in the Galapagos with several programs that will connect the cruise line and passengers more closely with the local people of the remote islands.
   The cruise line is continuing its commitment to support the communities of the Galapagos with a medical clinic, fishing and agriculture cooperatives and a partnership with the Galapagos Conservancy, which includes a matching program to double the value of passengers’ donations.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.