Quito & Galapagos Southern Loop - Celebrity

On the first day of your journey, you'll be greeted at the airport by a Celebrity Cruises representative and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy free time to relax and settle in.

During a guided tour of the capital of Ecuador, situated at an altitude of 9,350 feet, you'll stand on the equatorial line at the Half of the World Park and Museum, and marvel at the monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo. 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.

Quito To Baltra Embarkation

You will be transferred to the Quito, Ecuador airport to board the flight to Baltra, Galapagos, where naturalist guides will be waiting to transfer you to the ship.

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.

Daphne is a satellite volcanic cone located north of Santa Cruz Island. This island is famous for the scientific investigation led by Peter and Rosemary Grant on the finches’ population, one of the most important studies in the field that supports Charles Darwin’s Theory.

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.

North Seymour Island

North Seymour is 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.

South Plaza (Santa Cruz Island)

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.

Santa Fe Island

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.

Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island

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.

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island

Here we have the opportunity to 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.

Post Office Bay, Floreana Island

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.

Cormorant Point, Floreana Island

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.

Elizabeth Bay

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.

Moreno Point, Isabela Island

Along this beautiful rocky shore, 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.

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.

Gardner Bay (Espanola)

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.

Punta Suarez

Española is the oldest island in the Galapagos and home to an abundance of wildlife. At Suarez Point, be greeted by a colony of sea lions upon arrival. This area is also home to nearly the entire world population of Waved Albatross—though they're graceful in the air, their clumsy behavior on land is a sight to see. A cliffside hike leads to a natural lava fissure that spews water like a towering geyser.

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.

Baltra - Quito Disembarkation

You will be transferred to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito. Upon your arrival in Quito, a Celebrity Cruises® representative will escort you to the JW Marriott hotel. Dinner is served at the hotel.

Your Celebrity Cruises representative will once again escort you to the airport for your return. Breakfast is included.