These are the best Celebrity Cruises Galapagos Cruises in 2025

Galapagos cruises are about as adventurous as you can get: they sail to a remote cluster of islands suspended in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with virtually zero inhabitants (but plenty of wild ones). Such intrepid travels are often only offered by expedition cruise lines with as few as 20 guests, but what if you’re after the luxury and comfort of a classic ocean cruise line? 

Well, we have some good news. Celebrity Cruises offers a selection of excellent Galapagos cruises via its fleet of three ‘yachts’ – all of which are exclusively designed for sailing among these unique volcanic islands. You won’t have to forgo your creature comforts, either: Celebrity’s newest ship offering Galapagos cruises, Celebrity Flora, boasts all-suite accommodation with the largest suites in the region. It’s even possible to try “Galapagos Glamping” with this cruise line – stargaze with expert naturalists on Celebrity Flora’s top deck and awake to a private breakfast in the morning.

The positives don’t end there. Celebrity’s Galapagos cruises include everything in the price – from food, flights, drinks and even twice-daily excursions. Wait, are Celebrity Cruises all-inclusive normally, you might be thinking? Nope, they’re not for the rest of the ocean-going fleet, but when it comes to the brand’s Galapagos Island cruises, it’s all in.

So, what’s it really like to sail in this ancient, dramatic wilderness, and which are the best Celebrity Galapagos cruises? Let’s take a look.

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Celebrity Cruises in the Galapagos Islands are all about experiencing unique nature and wildlife up close while ensuring you give back to this extraordinary environment and keep human impact to a minimum.

Celebrity’s three ships – 100-guest Celebrity Flora, 48-guest Celebrity Xpedition and the intimate 16-guest Celebrity Xploration – are each built for mindful exploration, with amenities like scuba diving kit, zodiacs and kayaks onboard. The ships’ designs all encourage you to look out; after all, anything could be happening outside, from penguins out fishing to giant tortoises mating, and trust us, you don’t want to miss it when it does! 

With two active excursions per day included in itineraries, you’ll be swapping your standard holiday bikinis and books for mind-boggling wildlife encounters, untouched volcanic beaches, blood-pumping hikes and more. Expeditions are in small groups of no more than 12 guests, led by expert naturalists certified by Galapagos National Park. These guys really know their stuff and will make sure you’re always in the right place at the right time.

That’s not to say there’ll be no downtime of course – beautiful decks and lounge areas (as well as spacious suites) provide the perfect place to unwind and reflect on all of the extraordinary sights you’ve witnessed each day.

Each evening, an onboard briefing is given by the team of Galapagos experts to all guests, so you know what adventures to expect for the following day. 

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Locally sourced ingredients take pride of place onboard Celebrity’s Galapagos Cruises. From punchy coffee grown on the (relatively!) nearby Ecuadoran shores to freshly caught seafood, almost everything is sourced from the local area and is reflected in deliciously cooked flavors. The two smaller ships have just one signature dining area where fine dining is available each night, while new Celebrity Flora has a main ‘Seaside Restaurant’ as well as the al fresco ‘Ocean Grill’.

Room service is also available on every Celebrity Galapagos Islands Cruise. 

Freshly prepared lunches await guests onboard each day following morning expeditions while ships gently glide to the next island destination ready to be uncovered that afternoon. 

And what about breakfast? These are leisurely affairs with everything from pastries to eggs to get you geared up before heading out on a tender for an action-packed day ahead.

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The truth is, it’s hard to go wrong with a Celebrity Galapagos cruise. Whether you want to go full Charles Darwin explorer on the tiny 16-guest Celebrity Xploration ship or are looking for a little more luxury onboard the spacious Celebrity Flora, you are bound to have the ultimate bucket list-ticking trip. 

Every Celebrity Cruises Galapagos itinerary includes a seven-night cruise in the Galapagos Islands as a minimum. From there, a number of pre and post-cruise add-ons are available to choose from and create a full package.

The most popular of these is the ‘10-11 night Galapagos & Quito Package’, which, in addition to an all-inclusive seven-night cruise, includes:

• Two-night luxury pre-cruise luxury stay at JW Marriot Quito
• Full-day guided tour of historical Quito, including a visit to the Equator Line at the Intinan Solar Museum.
• Round-trip flights between Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
• One or two-night post-cruise stay at JW Marriot Quito or EB Hotel (depending on flight schedule and/or package length)

Other popular packages include the ‘16 night Galapagos & Machu Picchu’ package, which includes all of the above, but instead of a post-cruise stay in Quito, you’ll fly to Lima for six unbelievable nights (flights included) exploring the beautiful cities of Lima and Cusco, as well as world-famous Machu Picchu and The Sacred Valley of the Incas. If you’re traveling to the other side of the world, you might as well try and see the best of the best, right?

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Celebrity Cruises are one of the most cost-effective and affordable ways to take a Galapagos Islands cruise. Seven-night itineraries start at around £4,500pp, which, given the cruise’s all-inclusive nature and the level of expertise and service you’ll receive onboard, is very reasonable. 

Prices do creep up if you add on additional nights or book a package – the ‘16 night Galapagos & Machu Picchu’ itinerary for example is in the realm of £12,000pp and above. However, when you consider ultra-luxury cruise lines such as Silversea offer seven-night Galapagos cruises from £13,000pp, Celebrity’s options are relatively affordable.

What is the best month to cruise the Galapagos?

Proximity to the equator means seasons tend not to vary a huge amount in the Galapagos, and so cruise lines can operate year-round sailings here. Generally, June to November is the cool and dry season, while December to May brings warmer, wetter conditions. 

The warmer season is marginally better for diving and snorkeling as waters are calmer, meaning visibility for spotting marine life is best. This is when sea turtles are most prominent. 

Deciding the best month to visit really depends on the wildlife you want to see. December is hatching season for giant tortoises (spending Christmas welcoming baby giant tortoises into the world? Hell yeah!), and sea turtles and fully-formed marine iguanas typically hatch from March to May. July sees mating season for blue-footed boobies and short-eared owls.

As there are no direct flights to the Galapagos Islands from the UK, the best route for UK travelers is flying to Quito, Ecuador, with a layover in destinations such as Miami or Bogota. From Quito, board a direct flight to the Galapagos Islands, arranged by and included in your Celebrity cruise.

For those traveling from wider Europe or the US, major cities like Madrid, New York City or Miami run direct flights to Quito. 

What do Celebrity’s Galapagos Islands cruises do for the environment?

Celebrity Cruises goes to great efforts to limit its carbon footprint and environmental impact. The cruise line supports communities by working with local fishermen, local chocolatiers and the like to supply seafood and pillow treats for guests. To date, guests have donated an impressive $1.5million to the Galapagos Fund and helped plant more than 50,000 trees. 

In terms of design, Celebrity Flora features dynamic positioning to protect the seabed, silicone paint to glide with less fuel, solar panels to generate electricity, and a strict no single-use plastics policy