Cruise The Galapagos This November

Cruising to the Galapagos Northern Loop is an adventure unlike any other, offering an intimate glimpse into one of the planet's most pristine and unique ecosystems. This journey takes travelers to the heart of the archipelago, where the sheer diversity of wildlife and natural beauty defy imagination. The Northern Loop, specifically, showcases a series of islands each with its own distinct personality and ecological niche, making it a must-see itinerary for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.

November 23 – November 30, 2024
 

Ocean View From $8,750 CAD

About This Ship
Celebrity Xpedition
When you set foot aboard our state-of-the-art Celebrity Xpedition® in the Galapagos Islands, be prepared for an experience like no other. Filled with complimentary room service, in-suite dining, massage services, plush bathrobes, a fitness room, and live music in the Discovery Lounge, you’ll experience the Galapagos Islands in style.

Itinerary

Day 1
Baltra Island, Galapagos
During World War II, Baltra served as a U.S. military base protecting the Panama Canal from enemy attack. Now the cactus-strewn landscapes of Baltra are home to the region's main airport.

Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
A zodiac ride into Black Turtle Cove brings you up close to the quiet wonders of the Galapagos. Once inside the cove, we’ll quietly explore the area looking for seaturtles, several species of rays, and sharks.

Day 2
Rabida Island
A small island south of Santiago, Rabida is best known for its red sand and eroded volcanic landscape. A nesting colony of pelicans makes its home here, along with sea lions and some sea birds.

Egas Port, Santiago Island
With its black sand beach, coastal tide pools, and blue-water grottoes, this stop offers a wonderful taste of the Galapagos and the opportunity to see shore birds, Galapagos Hawks, sea lions, marine iguanas, and Galapagos fur seals. Sea lions, colorful tropical fish, and sea turtles are often seen while snorkeling.

Day 3
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Historically an anchorage for pirates and whalers, this site offers a breathtaking view of Isabela, its volcanoes and spectacular Darwin Lake. Along the shore, seabirds, penguins, sea lions, sea turtles, and nesting flightless cormorants can often be found.

Espinoza Point, Fernandina Island
Fernandina is the youngest island in the Galapagos and, as Darwin wrote, it is “covered with immense deluges of black naked lava”. Along with its extraordinary black lava rocks, this point of land hosts the largest colony of marine iguanas in the Archipelago, along with sea lions and a nesting site for flightless cormorants.

Day 4
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Composed of five coalesced volcanoes, Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and the most recently active, the latest eruption having occurred in 2015. Here we will see large land iguanas, finches, and if lucky, a giant tortoise or two. In 1954, the intrusion of magma below one of the island’s volcanoes caused part of the bay to be uplifted some 6 meters, and today we can walk through the remains of what was once a thriving underwater reef.

Vicente Roca Point, Isabela Island
The half-collapsed remains of an ancient volcano make for a spectacular setting at this site. Awe-inspiring cliffs, blue waters, and wildlife create a zodiac ride to remember as we search for sea turtles, penguins, fur seals, the flightless cormorant, marine iguanas, marine mammals, and the oddly shaped form of the elusive sunfish.

Day 5
Bartolome Island
Bartolome Island hosts one of the region's most often-photographed views and a spectacular geologic setting. Its barren moon-like volcanic landscapes, spatter cones, and pinnacle rock make for a unique stop. It is also home to the endemic Galapagos penguin and provides an excellent opportunity for snorkeling.

Las Bachas, Santa Cruz Island
A beautiful white sand beach on the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island. The name “Las Bachas” comes from the mispronunciation of the word "barges" by the local population during the 1950s when WWII barges broke their moorings and ran aground on the beach. This is also one of the largest nesting areas of the Pacific Green Sea Turtle in the Galapagos. A short beach walk brings you to a pond to look for flamingos and other  shorebirds. Afterwards, this is a fantastic beach to relax, go for a walk, swim, and maybe practice snorkeling.

Daphne Major - Cruising
Daphne is a satellite volcanic cone located north of Santa Cruz Island. The crater floor is an important breeding site for blue-footed boobies. The cliff shore of the island is home for sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, and tropical birds which can be observed during the circumnavigation of the island.

Day 6
El Barranco (Genovesa Island)
El Barranco, also known as Prince Philip's Steps after the prince who visited in 1965 and again in 1981, is a steep stairway that leads up through a seabird colony full of Nazca and red-footed boobies. Once visitors reach the plateau, the trail continues inland and passes more nesting booby colonies in the thin Palo Santo forest.

Darwin Bay (Genovesa)
Darwin Bay's soft white sand is only the beginning of a spectacular excursion. A trail from the beach takes you into lush mangroves where red-footed boobies nest. Other local wildlife includes sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, frigate birds, and more. Snorkeling is a must here, as the nutrient-rich water attracts all types of marine life, including sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, and the occasional manta ray. Excursion options: Walk, swim, snorkel and kayak.

Day 7
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
This is the main population center of the islands, and home to the National Park Service tortoise-breeding center and the Charles Darwin Research Station. You will be able to visit the tortoise-breeding center and walk through the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Day 8
Baltra Island, Galapagos
End of Cruise

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