Celebrity Flora

The 2019-built Celebrity Flora cruise ship is the newest member of the Celebrity Cruises Galapagos fleet. She belongs to the company's small-sized "Galapagos expedition" fleet, alongside fleetmates Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration. Celebrity Flora is the most innovative, newest, and largest cruise ship operating in Galapagos National Park.

The vessel (IMO number 9837925) is currently Ecuador-flagged (MMSI 735059945) and registered in Guayaquil.

History - construction and ownership

Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 as the Greece-based Chandris Line (cruise operations between 1974–1996). In 1997, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) merged with "Celebrity Cruises Ltd" to form "Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd" (RCCL). The "X" on ship funnels represents the Greek letter chi, standing for "Chandris." Common features of Celebrity Cruises ships include aft-located glass-walled dining rooms, signature specialty restaurants, bars and lounges, spacious atriums, a large number of balcony staterooms, expansive sundecks with swimming pools, The Retreat (adults-only sundeck with pool, Jacuzzi, cabanas, and full bar service), Rooftop Terrace (an outdoor lounge-restaurant-cinema), large spa facilities (with Thermal Suites), and premium retail shops offering top-brand merchandise.

The 100-passenger Celebrity Flora is the company's first newbuild designed specifically for operations in the Galapagos Islands. Among the implemented eco-friendly technologies is a Dynamic Positioning System that maintains the vessel’s position without the use of anchors, helping protect the seabed. The ship is highly energy-efficient, with reduced air emissions and ~15% lower fuel consumption due to her unique hull design, marine diesel engines, and advanced propulsion system. She also recycles air-conditioning condensation and seawater into freshwater and features in-cabin water filtration stations for added purification.

Launched in 2019, Celebrity Flora became the first Galapagos-based expedition vessel equipped with OceanScope (state-of-the-art oceanographic research equipment). Her enrichment program is supported by Celebrity’s 20+ year partnership with the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The school benefits from the ship’s year-round Galapagos sailings to collect cost-effective data on ocean circulation. OceanScope enables the tracking and mapping of the Galapagos sea area, measuring surface temperatures and collecting data to help predict El Niño and La Niña weather patterns, which influence global climate. All collected data is made open-source.

The ship design was developed by BG Studio International, a New York City-based firm specializing in large-scale hospitality projects. Interior design was done by ADRIANA HOYOS Furnishings (Ecuadorian company), using sustainable materials and handcrafted art and décor elements in venues such as the Discovery Lounge, Marina, and Penthouse Suites.

Decks and Cabins

Celebrity Flora staterooms (50 total) are all categorized as Suites. They feature oversized bathrooms and actual or virtual balconies/Infinite Verandas (nearly 50% of all accommodations, first introduced on Celebrity Edge), as well as personal suite attendants.

The vessel has 8 decks, of which 6 are accessible to passengers, with accommodations located on just 2 decks.

Passenger accommodations include:

• 2 Penthouse Suites – the largest in the Galapagos (1290 ft² / 120 m²), featuring a spacious living area with comfortable seating, smart HDTV, and a separate bedroom with King-sized bed and floor-to-ceiling windows. The bathroom includes a spa shower, double vanity, toilet area, and spa tub facing floor-to-ceiling windows. The 320 ft² (30 m²) balcony is furnished with chaise loungers and a telescope.
• 2 Royal Suites (560 ft² / 52 m²) with a living room, separate bedroom, and a 130 ft² (12 m²) balcony, similarly furnished as the Penthouse Suites.
• 1 Ultimate Sky Suite with Infinite Veranda (365 ft² / 34 m²), featuring a coral-inspired glass divider separating the bedroom and bathroom, a King-sized bed facing outward, large flat-screen TV, and a bathroom with a spa tub and glass-enclosed shower facing the window.
• 7 Premium Sky Suites (335 ft² / 31 m²) with Infinite Verandas, similar in layout to the Ultimate Sky Suite.
• 16 Sky Suites (330 ft² / 31 m²) with Infinite Verandas, nearly identical in design to the Premium Sky Suites.
• 22 Sky Suites with balconies (330 ft² / 31 m²), each with a 75 ft² (7 m²) balcony furnished with lounge chairs and a table. These suites also have a King-sized bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows and a bathroom with a large double vanity.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Celebrity Flora ranks among the highest-rated cruise ships deployed in the Galapagos Islands. The ship offers exceptional service and cuisine, an intimate setting for exotic travel, and many amenities typical of larger cruise vessels. Cruise fares include beer, spirits, soft drinks, house wine, gratuities, and shore excursions. Meals are served in the Seaside Restaurant. The alfresco Ocean Grill offers a casual dining option with the opportunity to dine under the stars. The 24-hour room service menu includes fries, hot sandwiches, beverages, and selections from the main restaurant menu.

• Seaside Restaurant (100-seat, forward-facing main dining room) serves world-class cuisine inspired by the Galapagos region, with locally grown organic produce and fresh seafood.
• Ocean Grill (aft buffet-style venue) offers casual breakfast and lunch, including a grill and burger bar. Once per voyage, it transforms into a dining venue with fresh seafood and barbecue specialties.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Discovery Lounge (ship’s theater) hosts lectures and presentations by naturalists. Celebrity Flora targets younger, well-educated travelers with an expanded enrichment program. Other popular areas include the Spa, hot tub, sauna room, and the Sun Deck. Compared to her fleetmates, Flora has more crew space and offers 1 naturalist per 12 guests.

The unique "Galapagos Glamping" experience is available on the top deck, where guests can dine, drink, and sleep under the stars. Accommodating 4 guests per night, the program includes two private cabanas fitted with double beds and served with alfresco meals.

A naturalist is available in the evening to guide campers in stargazing and provide educational commentary. Dinner features campfire-inspired dishes served by dedicated staff, and a full bedside breakfast is delivered in the morning.

Follows the complete list of Celebrity Flora lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Gift Shop (toiletries, clothing, lotions, sundries, branded merchandise)
• Beauty Centre (salon offering cosmetics and treatments)
• Beach Club (marine platform for Zodiac launches and equipment storage)
• Internet Cafe (computer lounge with internet access)
• Observatory/Library (Deck 7, with books, board games, comfortable seating, and floor-to-ceiling windows)
• Discovery Lounge and Bar (Deck 4, main entertainment lounge with full bar, Wi-Fi, dance floor, movies, trivia, karaoke, live piano, dance parties, and lectures by naturalists)
• Naturalist Center (Deck 3, showcasing Celebrity’s environmental initiatives)
• Darwin's Cove (Deck 3, Guest Relations area with refreshments, towels, and access to the naturalist team)
• Bar (indoor complimentary bar with canopied seating and panoramic sea views)
• Spa and Fitness Area: gym with stationary bikes, treadmills, steppers, and free weights
• Massage Room; Sundeck with Sunset Lounge (pool, hot tub, sun loungers)
• 4 stick-style cabanas available for day use or overnight stargazing
• Stargazing Platform (Deck 8, equipped with telescopes for astronomy sessions)
• "Galapagos Glamping" experience via private cabanas on the top deck
• 3 Zodiacs (large-capacity inflatables), rinsing station

Itineraries

Celebrity Flora’s itinerary program consists of year-round, 7-day roundtrip luxury Galapagos Islands cruises with departures from Baltra Island. Her Maiden Voyage was on May 26, 2019.

The map below illustrates the Galapagos cruise ship routes, highlighting the two primary loops (inner and outer) and the archipelago’s landing sites.

Following the Coronavirus pause, Celebrity Flora resumed operations on July 4, 2021, after a suspension of over 15 months. Her fleetmates Celebrity Xpedition and Celebrity Xploration were scheduled to resume on July 24 and September 18, respectively.

The vessel (De Hoop yard/hull number 488) has a volume of 5,922 GT and a DWT of 800 tons, with a maximum draught of 4.5 m. The registered shipowner and management company is ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD.

Construction officially began on December 15, 2017, with the keel-laying ceremony held at Shipyard De Hoop (near Tolkamer-Lobith, Holland). During the event, a 49-ton keel/hull block was lifted and placed in the yard's drydock facility.

The ship was launched (floated out from drydock) on January 19, 2019, delivered on May 14, 2019, officially entered service on May 26, and was christened on June 24.

North Sea trials began on April 13 and were successfully completed on April 15, 2019.

The ship's Godmother is Yolanda Kakabadse Navarro, a 1948-born Ecuadorian conservationist. She is the founder of Fundacion Natura (and served as its executive director from 1979 to 1990), founder and Executive President of Fundacion Futuro Latinoamericano (1993–2006), former Minister of Environment of Ecuador (1998–2000), President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (1996–2004), and President of the World Wide Fund for Nature (2010–2017).

The ship's namesake is the 2014-built riverboat Arosa Flora.

The table below shows Celebrity Flora's Inaugural Cruise (7-day roundtrip itinerary), including ports of call and scheduled times of arrival/departure. Prices started at USD 10,060 (EUR 870) per person based on double occupancy. The Maiden Voyage in 2021 was rescheduled multiple times due to the ongoing pandemic.

On other itineraries, the ship visits Santiago Island (Egas Port, Sullivan Bay), Rabida Island (coastal cruising, swimming, snorkeling), Bartolome Island, North Seymour Island, and San Cristobal Island (Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Punta Pitt).