Celebrity Flora: The Complete Guide to Celebrity’s Galápagos Ship

Most Galápagos cruises use small yachts or older ships that were converted for the islands. Celebrity Flora was the first ship designed and built specifically to sail them. It carries just 100 guests, every room is a suite, and nearly everything is included, from twice-daily naturalist-led excursions to drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. This guide covers everything you’d want to know before you book: the itineraries, the layout deck by deck, every suite type, the dining, what’s included and what isn’t, and our recommendations on when to go.

Celebrity Flora, the all-suite, 100-guest ship built for the Galápagos Islands.

Celebrity Flora at a Glance

Guests	100, in 50 suites
Crew	About 80, including Galápagos National Park certified naturalists
Entered service	2019
Size	333 feet long, about 5,900 gross tons
Sails from	Baltra Island, Galápagos, year-round
Itineraries	7-night Inner or Outer Loop; 10- and 11-night packages with Quito; 16-night packages with Machu Picchu
Suites	Six suite types, from Sky Suites to two Penthouse Suites
Dining	Seaside Restaurant, Ocean Grill, in-suite dining and Galápagos Glamping
What’s included	Excursions, drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, park fees and more
Best time to go	Our month-by-month recommendations

Details per Celebrity Cruises as of October 2026. Itineraries, inclusions and offers can change, so check with your Harr Travel advisor before you book.

What Makes Celebrity Flora Different

• Built for one destination. Flora was designed around the Galápagos from the start. The ship faces outward, with floor-to-ceiling glass in the lounges and restaurant, so the islands are in view from nearly everywhere on board.
• All suites, all inclusive. Every guest gets a suite with a personal suite attendant, and the fare covers excursions, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities.
• Naturalists on board. Galápagos National Park certified naturalists lead every excursion and host a briefing each evening on the next day’s landings.
• Custom tenders. Flora’s Novurania tenders board from a marina at the back of the ship. Each one has a hydraulic ramp that makes wet landings easier (and a little drier) and doubles as a platform for getting in and out of the water to snorkel.
• Lighter footprint. A dynamic positioning system holds the ship in place without dropping anchor, which protects the seabed. Solar panels supplement its power, and all of its fresh water is made on board from seawater.
• Recognition. Flora was the first ship in the Galápagos to earn a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating.

The trade-off is honest to mention. At 100 guests, Flora is bigger than the 16- to 48-guest yachts many operators use. Excursions go out in small groups led by a naturalist, so on land it still feels intimate, but you’ll share the ship with more people. If you want a more polished, resort-style ship with bigger suites, Flora is hard to beat. If you’d rather have the most remote, rugged experience, ask your advisor about the smaller yachts too.

Celebrity Flora Itineraries: Inner Loop vs. Outer Loop

Every Flora cruise starts and ends at Baltra Island, home to the Galápagos’ main airport. The ship departs Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and returns the following Sunday morning. Most days have a morning and an afternoon excursion, with options that range from easy Zodiac rides along the coastline to longer hikes and deep-water snorkeling. Celebrity alternates two 7-night routes.

Inner Loop: the central and eastern islands

• Santiago Island: Egas Port and Sullivan Bay, where you walk across lava flows that look almost brand new
• Rábida Island: its red-sand beach
• Isabela Island: Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove
• Bartolomé Island: the climb to the most photographed viewpoint in the Galápagos, overlooking Pinnacle Rock
• Santa Cruz Island: Las Bachas beach, plus a full day at Puerto Ayora
• Daphne Major: a sightseeing pass of the island famous for the Grants’ long-running study of Darwin’s finches
• North Seymour Island: the largest colony of frigatebirds in the Galápagos, plus nesting blue-footed boobies
• San Cristóbal Island: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and Punta Pitt

Choose the Inner Loop if you want the iconic Bartolomé view, frigatebirds and boobies on North Seymour, and dramatic volcanic landscapes.

Outer Loop: the southern and western islands

• Española Island: the white sand and sea lion colony at Gardner Bay, then Punta Suárez, home to nearly the entire world population of waved albatross, plus a blowhole that shoots seawater high into the air
• Floreana Island: Cormorant Point, with its green-tinted beach and flamingo lagoon, and historic Post Office Bay
• Isabela Island: Moreno Point, Urvina Bay (land iguanas, and if you’re lucky, giant tortoises) and Vicente Roca Point
• Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point on the youngest island in the archipelago, with huge numbers of marine iguanas and flightless cormorants
• Santa Cruz Island: South Plaza, Dragon Hill and a full day at Puerto Ayora, plus a pass of Daphne Major

Choose the Outer Loop if you want albatross, flightless cormorants and the wilder western islands, where you have the best chance of seeing Galápagos penguins.

Both loops include a day on Santa Cruz, where every Flora itinerary includes a visit to a Scalesia reforestation area. Through Celebrity’s Rewilding Galápagos program with the Galápagos National Park, guests plant native seedlings during the visit.

Blue-footed boobies, one of the most loved sights in the Galápagos.

Packages with Quito and Machu Picchu

• 7 nights: the cruise only, from Baltra. You arrange your own flights to the islands.
• 10 nights: the cruise plus two nights in Quito before it and one night after, with a full-day guided tour of Quito and your flights between Quito and Baltra.
• 11 nights: the same, with two nights in Quito after the cruise.
• 16 nights: the cruise plus Quito, then Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco in Peru.

Advisor tip: For most first-timers, the 10- or 11-night package is the smart choice. Quito sits at about 9,350 feet, so the nights there give you time to adjust to the altitude and recover from travel before you sail. The flights to Baltra and your transfers are also taken care of.

Celebrity Flora Layout, Deck by Deck

With just six guest decks, Flora is easy to learn by the end of your first day.

• Deck 3: the Marina, where you board the tenders at the back of the ship, and Darwin’s Cove, where you get ready before excursions and find snacks when you come back.
• Deck 4: the social heart of the ship. Seaside Restaurant is at one end and the Discovery Lounge at the other.
• Decks 5 and 6: all 50 suites, including a Penthouse Suite on each deck at the front of the ship.
• Deck 7: the Ocean Grill and bar, and The Vista, an open-air lounge with a hot tub, hammocks, cabanas and the Galápagos Glamping setup.
• Top deck: the stargazing platform.

Discovery Lounge

This is where the day comes together. Naturalists give their briefings here, there’s a full bar and a stage, and the walls are almost all glass. Expect to gather here before dinner each night for the rundown on the next day’s landings.

The Discovery Lounge, home to the nightly naturalist briefings.

The Observatory

Flora’s library is dedicated to the Galápagos and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s the quietest spot on board to read up on what you saw that day.

The Observatory, Flora’s Galápagos library.

The Vista and the stargazing platform

The Vista is the open-air lounge up top: a hot tub, hammocks, private cabanas and plenty of loungers for sunrise, sunset and everything in between. On clear nights, the stargazing platform is the place to be. The ship sails along the equator, so you can see constellations from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and binoculars are provided.

Stargazing on deck in the Galápagos.

Celebrity Flora Suites

Every room on Flora is a suite, and every suite faces the water. Two features set them apart from what you’ll find on most ships.

• Infinite Veranda: instead of a balcony door, the top half of the floor-to-ceiling window lowers at the touch of a button, turning the sitting area into an open-air space.
• Traditional veranda: a separate outdoor balcony.

Suite	How many	Total size	Outdoor space
Penthouse Suite	2	Up to 1,288 sq. ft.	Large private veranda
Royal Suite	2	559 sq. ft.	129 sq. ft. veranda
Ultimate Sky Suite with Infinite Veranda	1	365 sq. ft.	Infinite Veranda
Premium Sky Suite with Infinite Veranda	7	337 sq. ft.	Infinite Veranda
Sky Suite with Infinite Veranda	16	About 325 sq. ft.	Infinite Veranda
Sky Suite with Veranda	22	330 sq. ft.	84 sq. ft. veranda

Sizes include outdoor space, per Celebrity Cruises.

What every suite includes

Every suite comes with a personal suite attendant and unpacking help. You also get in-suite room service, a full in-suite dinner service, and laundry service twice per cruise. The rooms have full room automation, a filtered drinking water station, a mini-bar stocked with soft drinks and beer, and sparkling wine when you arrive. For excursions, there’s a backpack to keep, marine binoculars to use, and rain ponchos on request. Celebrity’s eXhale bedding and a pillow menu round it out.

Penthouse Suite

These are the largest suites in the Galápagos. There’s one at the front of each suite deck. The bedroom is wrapped almost entirely in windows looking out over the bow, and there’s a separate living area, a large veranda, and a telescope for stargazing or watching the shoreline. Premium bathrobes are reserved for the Penthouse and Royal Suites.

The living area of a Penthouse Suite, complete with its telescope.

Royal Suite

The Royal Suite has a separate living area and bedroom, a private veranda, and a spa tub beside a floor-to-ceiling window. It’s the sweet spot if you want a true one-bedroom layout without moving up to a Penthouse.

A Royal Suite bedroom with its private veranda.

Sky Suites

Most guests stay in one of the four Sky Suite types. The Premium Sky Suites and the single Ultimate Sky Suite add an outward-facing spa tub and shower, so you can watch the islands while you soak. The Sky Suites with Infinite Veranda have a modern layout with an etched-glass divider. The Sky Suites with Veranda trade the Infinite Veranda for a traditional outdoor balcony.

A Premium Sky Suite with Infinite Veranda.

A Sky Suite with Veranda.

Advisor tip: If you’re a photographer, or you just love fresh air, a Sky Suite with a traditional veranda lets you shoot without glass in the way. With the Infinite Veranda, keep in mind that the air conditioning pauses while the window is open.

Dining on Celebrity Flora

All meals on board are included. The kitchen leans on fresh, local ingredients and sustainable seafood, and dining is open seating, so you eat when you like and sit with whoever you like.

Seaside Restaurant

The main restaurant on Deck 4 serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with floor-to-ceiling windows all the way around. Celebrity calls the feel “upscale casual.” Breakfast and lunch are generally served buffet style, and dinner is served by waiters. The dinner menu pairs Celebrity signature dishes, available every night, with Ecuadorian-inspired dishes that change nightly. On some nights dinner is served family style, with shared platters for the table. Times shift with each day’s excursion schedule.

Seaside Restaurant, Flora’s main dining room.

Ocean Grill

The open-air grill on Deck 7 serves casual lunches, with fresh seafood from the area cooked on the grill. Some evenings it becomes the setting for Dinner Under the Stars. With the sea breeze and the night sky, it’s a highlight of the week.

The Ocean Grill and bar on Deck 7.

Darwin’s Cove and in-suite dining

When you come back from an afternoon excursion, Darwin’s Cove has pastries and light bites waiting. Room service is included, and so is a full in-suite dinner service if you’d rather dine privately on your veranda.

Galápagos Glamping

This is Flora’s signature extra. You spend a night out on deck, from sunset to sunrise. It starts with a private, campfire-themed dinner with cocktails, followed by a naturalist-led stargazing session. Then you sleep in a cabana that turns into a double bed and wake up to the sunrise and breakfast. Space is very limited and there’s an extra charge, so ask your advisor to request it when you book.

Galápagos Glamping, a night under the stars on Flora’s top deck.

What’s Included on Celebrity Flora

Included in your fare

Not included

Twice-daily naturalist-guided excursions Snorkel gear, wetsuits, binoculars and walking sticks All meals, plus room service and in-suite dining Drinks, including select wines, spirits, sparkling wine, soft drinks and coffee Unlimited Wi-Fi All gratuities, including for naturalists Galápagos National Park entrance fee and Tourist Card fee Transfers between the Baltra airport and the ship 10-, 11- and 16-night packages also include: hotel nights and touring, flights between Quito and Baltra, and transfers

Flights to and from Ecuador (watch for Celebrity air offers) Flights between mainland Ecuador and Baltra on 7-night cruise-only bookings Galápagos Glamping Travel insurance Personal expenses

Inclusions per Celebrity Cruises as of October 2026. Your advisor will confirm exactly what’s included for your sailing.

Advisor tip: Travel insurance is a must for the Galápagos. You’re a long way from major medical care, and a missed connection in Quito can cost you the ship’s departure. We’ll help you choose a policy that covers medical evacuation.

When to Go: Our Recommendations

Flora sails year-round, and there’s honestly no bad time to visit. The Galápagos has two seasons, and each one brings different wildlife and sea conditions.

A giant tortoise, a highlight of any Galápagos visit.

Warm season (December to May)

Expect warmer air and water, calmer seas, sunny days with brief afternoon showers, and green islands. It’s the most comfortable time to snorkel. Sea turtles nest on the beaches, marine iguanas show their brightest breeding colors, and the waved albatross start arriving on Española around late March.

Cool, dry “garúa” season (June to November)

The Humboldt Current brings cooler, nutrient-rich water. That means more misty or overcast days and choppier seas, especially from August to September. It also means more marine life: penguins are more active, blue-footed boobies court, sea lion pups are born from about August onward, and you may spot whales. Water temperatures drop, so you’ll appreciate the wetsuits.

Our picks

• Best all-around for first-timers: April to early June. The seas are still calm and the water is warm, and the cool-season wildlife is starting to show up.
• Best for snorkeling and smooth sailing: February to May.
• Best for wildlife behavior and cooler hikes: July to November. If you’re prone to seasickness, consider avoiding August and September.
• Want the waved albatross? Choose an Outer Loop between about April and December, when they’re on Española.
• Adding Machu Picchu? January to April is Peru’s rainy season, and the train route to Machu Picchu changes during those months. Dry-season departures make the Peru portion easier.
• Holidays and school breaks: with only 100 guests on board, Christmas, New Year’s and summer departures fill early. Book as far ahead as you can. Celebrity has already opened sailings for 2028.

Celebrity Flora FAQ

How fit do I need to be?

Each landing usually has several options, from Zodiac rides along the coast to longer hikes. Wet landings mean stepping off the tender into shallow water. Flora’s tender ramps make that easier, but you should be steady on your feet. Tell your advisor about any mobility needs before you book.

Can kids sail on Celebrity Flora?

Yes. Guests under 18 must sail with a parent or guardian, and Celebrity sets minimum ages for infants. The Galápagos is a fantastic trip for curious kids who are old enough to enjoy hikes and snorkeling. Ask us about age minimums for your dates.

Do I need to fly through Quito?

Most guests fly into Quito, and the 10-, 11- and 16-night packages include the Quito–Baltra flights. On a 7-night cruise-only booking, you’ll arrange your own flights to Baltra and need to arrive in time for the 2:00 p.m. departure.

Inner Loop or Outer Loop?

Both are excellent. Go Inner for Bartolomé and North Seymour, and Outer for Española’s albatross and the wilder western islands. If you can, ask your advisor about sailing both loops back to back.

Plan Your Galápagos Cruise

Galápagos trips come with more moving parts than most cruises: flights through Ecuador, packages, suite choice and timing. That’s where we come in. Explore our Galápagos cruises and the full Celebrity Cruises lineup, call us at 1-888-871-4233, or reach out online, and we’ll find the right sailing, suite and season for you.

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