Rick's Galápagos Southern Loop
Come join us for this bucket-list trip to explore one of the most unique animal habitats in the world. Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador lie the volcanic islands of the Galápagos, famous for a wealth of unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. The Galápagos Islands were the source of Darwin’s theory of evolution and remain a priceless living laboratory for scientists today. We will start and end in Quito, Ecuador at the JW Marriott. All lodging, food, transportation, and excursions are included from May 29 to June 9.
On the first day of your journey, you'll be greeted at the airport by a Celebrity Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel, the Quito JW Marriott. Enjoy free time to relax and settle in.
Breakfast is served at the hotel. During your guided tour of the capital of Ecuador, situated at an altitude of 9,350 feet, you’ll stand on the equatorial line at the Intiñan Solar Museum, and marvel at the monastery of San Francisco and la Compañia Church. Your Tour Director will escort you throughout your Quito stay, and serve as your personal concierge. Lunch with a spectacular view of the city, and enjoy a welcome dinner at a local gourmet restaurant.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, 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.
The ship departs at 3PM for North Seymour, a small island just north of Baltra. It is home to the largest colony of frigate birds in the Galapagos. While keeping an eye out for male frigates trying to impress potential mates with an inflated red neck pouch, you may also see blue-footed boobies dancing in a timeless courtship ritual. Sea lions and large land iguanas also roam about this rocky terrain. Excursion options include a guided long, rocky walk, zodiac ride and short easy walk, or simply just a scenic zodiac tour along the coast to view wildlife and the geology of the area. Tendered: 3:30PM to 6:00PM.
South Plaza is a small uplifted island just off the northeast coast of Santa Cruz. The island's low-lying landscape is covered with colorful saltbush, scrub, and giant prickly pear cactus. A subspecies of land iguana is found on the island in plentiful abundance and sometimes can be seen munching on the cactus. The southern cliffs are steep and rocky, and home to numerous seabirds as well as a bachelor colony of sea lions. Looking down into the clear blue waters, schools of surgeonfish swim by as birds shoot in and out of the holes in the cliff. A short hike and Zodiac ride provide ample opportunity to observe the beauty and wildlife of the island. Tendered: 7:00AM to 11:30AM.
The visit at Santa Fe begins with a wet landing on the small beach in Barrington Bay on the northeast side of the island. Large numbers of sea lions are found on the beaches and can often be seen surfing in the waves. Some of the island’s endemic species include massive Santa Fe Opuntia cactus, the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snake, rice rats, different types of finches, and the Galapagos mockingbird. The visit includes a hike past saltbush where Galapagos hawks as well as the Santa Fe land iguanas tend to roam. Tendered: 3:00PM to 6:00PM
Pitt Point is located on the northeastern tip of San Cristobal Island. After disembarking onto the small greensand beach, you'll hike up to a plateau, where the view and landscape are so spectacular it is well worth the effort. A steep gully leads up the cliff to a breeding ground for all three varieties of boobies: red-footed, blue-footed, and Nazca. It’s one of the few places in the Galapagos where you can see all three species nesting together. Tendered: 7:00AM to 11:30AM.
This afternoon we visit the small waterfront town of Puerto Baquerizo, the administrative capital of the islands. Excursion options include a tour of a local interpretation center and time for shopping or a fast-paced long walk to view scenic vistas, followed by a visit to the interpretation center. Tendered: 3:00PM to 6:00PM.
Rich in history, this site is home to the post office barrel established in about 1793, where pirates, buccaneers, whalers, and others could leave their mail to be picked up by outbound ships. The tradition continues today, as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home. Tendered: 7:00AM to 11:30AM.
Floreana was the first capital of the Galapagos, and where Charles Darwin met the islands' Governor. It's small brackish lagoon is often home to flamingos, stilts, and white-cheeked pintail ducks, and one of its beaches is a highly used nesting site for sea turtles. Check out the green-hued sand where you land. Tendered: 3:00PM to 6:00PM
Elizabeth Bay is one of the westernmost points in the Galapagos. A scenic zodiac ride within this sheltered inlet offers viewing of a wide variety of wildlife and a wonderful mangrove ecosystem. Tendered: 7:00AM to 11:30AM.
Along the beautiful rocky shore of Moreno Point, a field of hardened black lava flows is pockmarked by shallow pools, which are home to shorebirds and flamingos. The mangrove-lined shore also provides a chance to see marine iguanas, sea turtles, stingrays, sharks, penguins, and the flightless cormorant. Tendered: 3:00PM to 6:00PM.
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. You will also have the opportunity to take a bus ride to the highlands to observe giant tortoises in the wild and walk through a lava tunnel. In addition, you will have an exclusive opportunity to participate in the Scalesia reforestation project. Tendered: 7:00AM to 6:00PM.
The beach at Gardner Bay, with its sparkling white sand, offers one of the best places to relax and swim in the Galapagos. It's home to one of the most important colonies of sea lions in the archipelago, and is also a nesting site for sea turtles. Three species of Darwin’s finches and Española mockingbirds may also be seen here.
Española is the oldest island in the Galapagos and home to an abundance of wildlife. At this site, visitors can expect to see sea lions, Galapagos Hawks, marine iguanas, and both blue-footed and Nazca boobies. Excursion options include a long, rocky walk to look for Waved Albatrosses (March to January), and observing an impressive blowhole that spews water like a towering geyser. A short walk is also available. Tendered: 7:00AM to 3:00PM.
Upon your arrival in Quito, a Celebrity Cruises representative will escort you to the JW Marriott hotel. Enjoy an afternoon exploring the city at your leisure, time permitting. Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Enjoy a day in the Ecuadorian capital at your leisure. Breakfast is included at the JW Marriott.
After your included hotel breakfast, your Celebrity Cruises representative will once again escort you to the airport for your return.
The Celebrity Xpedition has a tonnage of 2,842, a length of 296 feet, and carries only 48 passengers. This is the ship that first put Celebrity in the Galápagos. You’ll enjoy individualized indulgences, including room service, in-suite dining, complimentary plush bathrobes, a fitness room, nightly lectures by certified naturalists from the Galápagos National Park (who are on board the entire sailing), live music, and more. These are just some of the unique refinements and highly customized touches that make Celebrity Xpedition one of the most awarded ships in the Galápagos Islands. See the deck plan at the bottom of this page.
TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION: Please send a Facebook message or text to Rick Scadlock at 425-501-4206 with your requested category and we'll take care of the rest (alternatively you can send an email to rick@rickscruises.com with your request). Deposits are $450 per person ($900 per cabin) and due within 7 days of making your reservation. Final payments are due no later than January 31st, 2025. Deposits are fully refundable until the final payment deadline.
