Celebrity Xploration Itinerary
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CELEBRITY XPLORATIONSM ITINERARIES Itineraries subject to change ©2019 Celebrity Cruises. Ships’ registry: Ecuador. 16051191 • 8/2019 CELEBRITY XPLORATION 7-NIGHT NORTHERN LOOP ITINERARY Day Ports of call Arrival Departure Saturday Baltra, Island 3:00pm Saturday Black Turtle Cove 4:00am 6:00pm Sunday Sullivan Bay, Santiago 7:30am 10:30am Quito Sunday Bartolomé Island 2:00pm 4:30pm ECUADOR Monday Urvina Bay, Isabela 8:00am 11:00am PACIFIC OCEAN Darwin Bay El Barranco Monday Tagus Cove, Isabela 3:00pm 5:00pm Equator Tuesday Espinoza Point, Fernandina 7:30am 11:30am Vicente Roca Point Espumilla Beach Tagus Cove Sullivan Bay North Seymour Island Tuesday Vicente Roca Point, Isabela 3:30pm 6:00pm Espinoza Point Bartolomé Baltra Island Urvina Bay Island Wednesday Egas Port, Santiago 7:30am 11:00am Puerto Egas Black Turtle Cove Wednesday Espumilla Beach, Santiago 3:00pm 6:00pm Puerto Ayora Thursday Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz 8:00am 6:00pm Friday El Barranco, Genovesa 7:30am 11:45am Friday Darwin Bay, Genovesa 2:30pm 6:00pm Saturday North Seymour Island 6:00am 7:00am Saturday Baltra Island 8:00am DAY 1 SATURDAY PM - Baltra Island - Embarkation 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 and where you will meet the ship. From the airport, it is just a short bus and Zodiac ride to the ship. DAY 1 SATURDAY PM - Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island - A Zodiac ride into Black Turtle Cove, one of the most beautiful sites in the Galapagos, takes us through a complex maze of tranquil saltwater inlets surrounded by mangroves. Once inside the cove, we’ll quietly explore the area looking for sea turtles, several species of rays, and sharks. It is also a nesting site for brown pelicans, egrets, and herons. Excursion options: Zodiac. DAY 2 SUNDAY AM - Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island - During a volcanic eruption in the early 1900’s, this area of Santiago was covered with flowing lava. Today, the hardened fields of black rock create a geologic wonderland. We will take advantage of the cool of the early morning for a walk to view strange twisting hardened lava flows, collapse craters, and everyone’s favorite the hornitos or lava ovens. Tall red scoria cones and pioneer plants also dot this unusual and very young landscape. Excursion options: Walk. DAY 2 SUNDAY PM - Bartolomé Island - Bartolomé 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. Excursion options include a hike up some 368 stairs “To the Top” of the volcano, a Zodiac ride, and an optional beach swim or snorkel. Excursion options: Hike, swim, beach and snorkel. DAY 3 MONDAY AM - 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. Excursion options: Walk, hike, snorkel, swim. DAY 3 MONDAY PM - 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. Excursion options: Zodiac, walk, snorkeling and kayak. DAY 4 TUESDAY AM - 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. Excursion options: Walk, deep-water snorkel, hike. Itineraries subject to change ©2019 Celebrity Cruises. Ships’ registry: Ecuador. 16051191 • 8/2019 CELEBRITY XPLORATION 7-NIGHT NORTHERN LOOP ITINERARY DAY 4 TUESDAY PM - 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. Excursion options: zodiac, deep water snorkel. DAY 5 WEDNESDAY AM - Egas Port, Santiago Island - With its black sand beach, coastal tide pools, and blue-water grottos, 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 (conditions permitting). Excursion options: walk, swimming, snorkel. DAY 5 WEDNESDAY PM - Espumilla Beach, Santiago Island - Located on the northern coast of Santiago Island in James Bay, this beach is a sea turtle nesting site. The favored attractions here are the Palo Santo forest, beach, and the lovely landscape. The trail passes a small seasonal lagoon where flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks are sometimes seen. Continuing on, the trail loops through the arid zone, where some of the tallest Palo Santo trees of the entire archipelago are found. Also, look out for the Galapagos Hawk as well as Darwin’s finches. Excursion options: Walk Buccaneer Cove, Santiago Island - Buccaneer Cove is a testament to the fact that Santiago Island was once a refuge for British buccaneers. These pirates would anchor in the protected bay to make repairs and stock up on tortoise meat among other things. The steep cliffs, where hundreds of seabirds perch in front of the dark red sand beach, are a magnificent site. Excursion options: Kayak, snorkel, zodiac. DAY 6 THURSDAY AM/PM - 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. Here you will have the opportunity to visit the tortoise-breeding center and walk through the Charles Darwin Research Station. In addition, you can also take a bus ride to the highlands to observe giant tortoises in the wild and walk through a lava tunnel. Optional time for shopping will be available. Excursion options: Tortoise-breeding Center/Charles Darwin Center, Highlands. DAY 7 FRIDAY AM - El Barranco, Genovesa Island - El Barranco, also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, named for Prince Philip who visited Galapagos 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. You will see Nazca boobies, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, and storm petrels. Lucky visitors with keen eyes may catch a glimpse of a short- eared lava owl stalking petrel along the island’s eastern cliffs. Excursion options: Hike, zodiac, deep water snorkel. DAY 7 FRIDAY PM - Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island - 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 8 SATURDAY AM - 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 see blue-footed boobies dancing in a timeless courtship ritual. Sea lions and large land iguanas also roam about this rocky terrain. Excursion options: Walk. DAY 8 SATURDAY AM - Baltra Island - Disembarkation - Baltra is home to the region’s main airport and where you will fly out. Zodiac and bus ride to the airport. Itineraries subject to change ©2019 Celebrity Cruises. Ships’ registry: Ecuador. 16051191 • 8/2019 CELEBRITY XPLORATION 7-NIGHT SOUTHERN LOOP ITINERARY Day Ports of call Arrival Departure Saturday Baltra, Island 2:00pm Saturday Mosquera Islet 4:00pm 6:00pm Sunday Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz 7:00am 11:30am Sunday Rabida Island 2:30pm 6:00pm Monday Puerto Villamil, Isabela 7:30am 11:45pm Quito ECUADOR Monday Wall of Tears, Isabela 2:00pm 6:00pm PACIFIC OCEAN Equator Tuesday Post Office Bay, Floreana 8:00am 11:30am Daphne Island Mosquera Islet Cormorant Point/ Baltra Island Tuesday 3:00pm 6:00pm Rabida Island Champion Bay, Floreana Dragon Hill Warlock Hill (Cerro Brujo), Puerto Ayora Cerro Brujo Wednesday 8:00am 11:00am Kicker Rock San Cristobal Puerto Villamil Wall of Tears Los Lobos Post Office Bay Wednesday Kicker Rock 11:45am 12:15pm Gardner Bay Wednesday Los Lobos, San Cristobal 3:00pm 5:30pm Cormorant Point Suarez Point Thursday Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz 8:00am 6:00pm Friday Suarez Point, Española 8:00am 11:00am Friday Gardner Bay, Española 2:30pm 6:00pm Saturday Daphne Island 6:00am 7:00am Saturday Baltra Island 8:00am DAY 1 SATURDAY PM - Baltra Island - Embarkation - During World War II, Baltra served as a U.S.