Galapagos Cruise - Celebrity Xpedition

The Galapagos Islands are considered one of the most spectacular and pristine National Parks in the world. Visitors delight in the abundant, unusual, and surprisingly approachable wildlife--from Galapagos giant tortoises to playful sea lions to the fascinating Blue-footed Boobies.

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito, Ecuador

Arrive in Quito, Ecuador. A uniformed Celebrity representative with a sign will be waiting for you with directions for your transfer to the hotel, the JW Marriott.

Day 2: Quito, Ecuador

This morning, enjoy a full complimentary buffet breakfast at your hotel. Following, board your private bus for an all day city tour of Quito. Explore the ?old town,? stop at Mirador for a view of the city, visit the Equator, and do a little shopping, and enjoy lunch in San Antonio. This evening, return to your hotel for dinner in one of the three hotel restaurants.

Day 3: Baltra Island / Embark / North Seymour Island

Today, fly from Quito to Baltra to embark the Celebrity Xpedition. In the afternoon, sail to North Seymour, a flat low-lying island where blue-footed boobies nest, sea lions play and the largest colony of frigate birds in the Galapagos congregates. Tonight, attend the Captain?s Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party.

Day 4: San Cristobal Island / Española Island

Puerto Baquerizo, the principal town on San Cristobal, is the capital of the province of Galapagos. This afternoon, visit Espanola Island, the only place where the waved albatross nests. With rocky outcroppings, sea cliffs and a blowhole that spews water up to 75 feet in the air when the surf rushes in, Espanola belongs on your ?don?t miss? list.

Day 5: Floreana Island

The landing site of Cormorant Point, on the northern part of the island, is on a green sand beach colored by olivine crystals. A trail will take you to a lake often inhabited by flamingos and shore birds, and continues on to an important nesting site for turtles. In the afternoon, you will visit Baroness Outlook. During the 1930s, Floreana became a fashionable port of call for luxury yachts, and Baroness von Wagner de Bosquet was among the European settlers on the island. The drama that occurred during this notorious period has never been fully explained.

Day 6: Santa Cruz Island / Bartolome Island

This morning, tour Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz, a beautiful pristine white-sand beach with clear blue water. This area is a major egg-laying site for Pacific green turtles, but pelicans and flamingos feel equally at home here, too. On Bartolome, with its moon-like surface, you will feel like you?re in another world. Be sure to trek over the island?s lava tubes and tuff cones, and take in the views from the famed Pinnacle Rock.

Day 7: Isabela Island / Fernandina Island

On the west coast of Isabela, you?ll visit Elizabeth Bay, home to a colony of Galapagos penguins living on a series of small rocky islets. The flat lava of Punta Espinosa offers a stark and barren landscape, but you can observe flightless cormorants, sea lions, marine iguanas.

Day 8: San Salvador Island / Santa Cruz Island

Follow Puerto Egas, a coastal trail on Isla Santiago, and your rewards will be many: fur sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs and grottos made from black lava. In the afternoon, visit Cerro Dragon, also known as Dragon Hill. This area is nestled on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. Covered by mangroves, it shelters one of the few populations of land iguanas on earth.

Day 9: Santa Cruz Island

This morning, stop in Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Center. Make time to visit the Rearing Center for giant tortoises, and learn more about island conservation and ongoing research. You may also take some time to walk through town for some souvenir shopping. This afternoon, you explore the Puerto Ayora Highlands. You may also visit Los Gemelos ?The Twins?, a pair of large pit craters, the "the tunnels", the largest lava tubes found in Galapagos.

Day 10: Baltra Island / Disembark / Mainland Ecuador

Disembark in Baltra and board your departure flight for Quito. Arrive in Quito and transfer to your hotel. At 4PM, join a shopping tour to the outdoor market. This evening, join the Farewell Dinner at the Historic Theatre Restaurant at 6:30PM.

Day 11: Ecuador / Home

Early this morning, enjoy a full complimentary buffet breakfast at your hotel before transferring to the airport for your return flight home.