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Editorial Cruise Ship Wiki's take on Celebrity Flora
Celebrity Flora entered service in 2019 as the first vessel Celebrity Cruises designed from the keel up for a single destination rather than adapting an existing hull, and the idea that defines her sits below the waterline. Built by Shipyard De Hoop in the Netherlands at roughly 5,900 gross tons for 100 guests in 50 suites, she carries a dynamic positioning system that holds station over a chosen spot without dropping anchor onto the seabed of a UNESCO listed marine reserve. Sources differ on tonnage, Wikipedia citing 5,922 and ship databases 5,739.
Every stateroom is an outward facing suite, so there are no inside cabins: Sky Suites with Infinite Verandas on Deck 6, Sky Suites with conventional verandas and open air Cabana beds on Deck 5, two Royal Suites and two Penthouse Suites of about 1,290 square feet. Public rooms are few and plainly named, the Seaside Restaurant, the Ocean Grill, the Discovery Lounge and Darwin's Cove, with a top deck stargazing platform, a Zodiac marina at water level and a Galapagos Glamping pair of cabanas, one for dinner and one for sleeping. The environmental engineering is substantive: selective catalytic reduction for nitrogen oxides to IMO Tier III, a hull optimised to cut resistance by about 25 percent, roughly 15 percent lower fuel burn than older regional ships, and recovery of condensate and seawater into fresh water.
Published reviews converge on the same reservations. Cost comes first: Cruise Critic rates her 4.5 out of 5 while listing fares from about 7,059 dollars per person, and AFAR quoted 9,599 to 18,099 dollars per person for seven nights at launch. Itineraries are fixed inner and outer loops set by Galapagos National Park rotation, so there is no scope to alter a route or skip a landing. Scale imposes the rest: no meaningful pool, little evening entertainment, two guests maximum per suite, no solo accommodation, a partition that reviewers note leaves the shower visible from the bedroom, and motion on open passages despite zero speed stabilisers.
She suits couples and small groups of curious travellers, typically over 50, who treat the ship as a base camp. She does not suit families, solo travellers, anyone wanting sea day variety or nightlife, or anyone weighing that fare against a smaller local yacht.
**What this means for choosing a cabin.** Accommodation occupies only Decks 5 and 6. Deck 6 holds the Infinite Veranda Sky Suites, the single Ultimate Sky Suite forward and the Premium Sky Suites aft, sitting below the sun and stargazing decks. Deck 5 holds the veranda Sky Suites with their Cabana beds, the forward Royal Suites and one Penthouse, closer to the waterline and to Zodiac boarding. Forward suites feel pitching most, mid ship positions least. On a ship this small the differences between grades are about view and outdoor space rather than noise, since there is no nightclub or galley traffic overhead.
Sources
This is Cruise Ship Wiki's own editorial summary of published reviews and reference sources. It is not a guest review and does not describe a stay aboard. Member reviews appear separately below.
Photo: kees torn, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Celebrity Flora is a purpose-built expedition ship constructed for Celebrity Cruises' operations in the Galapagos Islands, built by Shipyard De Hoop in the Netherlands and launched in 2019. Unlike the line's oceangoing tonnage, Flora was designed from a clean sheet exclusively for the ecologically sensitive waters of the Galapagos, carrying just 100 guests in an all-suite configuration that emphasizes intimate, luxury-grade expedition travel. Her godmother was Yolanda Kakabadse, a distinguished Ecuadorian environmentalist and former president of WWF International, an appointment that underscored the ship's conservation ethos.
Flora's design places environmental stewardship at its center. She employs dynamic positioning to hold her station over the seabed without dropping anchor, sparing the fragile marine floor of the archipelago from anchor damage, and she is among the most fuel-efficient vessels operating in the region. Her outward-facing architecture, with expansive glass and open deck spaces, was tailored to the wildlife-rich seascapes of the islands, turning the naturalist experience into the heart of the onboard design rather than an afterthought.
Operating under the strict access and capacity rules that govern tourism in the Galapagos National Park, Flora carries naturalist guides and small-boat and Zodiac operations that allow guests to land and snorkel among the islands' famous endemic wildlife. Her modest size and thoughtful engineering make her one of the most capable expedition platforms permitted in the region.
Owned by Royal Caribbean Group and registered at Guayaquil, Ecuador, Celebrity Flora remains in active service, homeported at Baltra Island and cruising solely within the Galapagos archipelago. She anchors Celebrity's premium presence in one of the world's most coveted and tightly protected cruising destinations.
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Onboard Highlights
Signature attractions, dining, bars and entertainment aboard Celebrity Flora.
Top attractions
- Naturalist-Guided Zodiac Excursions
Small-group island landings led by certified Galapagos naturalists. - Darwin's Cove
An open-water platform for kayaking, snorkeling and paddleboarding. - Rooftop Cabanas & Stargazing
Convertible outdoor cabanas for lounging or sleeping under the stars. - Onboard Marina
A dedicated marina for frequent water-based excursions. - Sunset Lounge Plunge Pool
An open-air stern lounge with a plunge pool.
Specialty dining
- Seaside Restaurant
The main dining room with Ecuadorian-inspired signature menus. - Ocean Grill
Al fresco top-deck dining and Dinner Under the Stars.
Bars and lounges
- Discovery Lounge
The social hub with a full bar and stage for evening programs. - Sunset Lounge
An outdoor lounge and bar with a plunge pool.
Entertainment
- Evening Naturalist Presentations
Nightly expedition recaps and briefings in the Discovery Lounge.
Where She Sails
Ports of call on Celebrity Flora itineraries, with a signature highlight at each.
Specifications
| Status | In service |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 2019 |
| Cruise line | Celebrity Cruises |
| Class | Galapagos class |
| Gross tonnage | 5,739 GT |
| Guests (double occupancy) | 100 |
| Guests (maximum) | 120 |
| Crew | 50 |
| Est. annual guests | ≈ 5,000 / year (estimated) |
| Length | 101 m (331 ft) |
| Beam | 17 m (56 ft) moulded |
| Draught | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
| Decks | 8 |
| Staterooms | 50 |
| Shipyard | Shipyard De Hoop (Lobith, Netherlands) |
| Christened by | Yolanda Kakabadse |
| Flag | Ecuador |
| Port of registry | Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| IMO number | 9837925 |
| Call sign | HC6354 |
| Home port | Baltra Island, Galapagos |
| Region | Galapagos Islands |
About the Galapagos class
Small expedition vessels purpose-built for the Galápagos Islands, including the all-suite Celebrity Flora.
Ownership & loyalty
Part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL).
Sister brands: Royal Caribbean International, Silversea Cruises, TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Loyalty status match - members keep an equivalent tier across the group's brands:
- Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean International) ↔ Captain's Club (Celebrity Cruises)
One-for-one tier status match across Royal Caribbean Group brands: Gold <-> Classic, Platinum/Emerald <-> Select, Diamond <-> Elite, Diamond Plus <-> Elite Plus, Pinnacle Club <-> Zenith. - Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean International) ↔ Venetian Society (Silversea Cruises)
One-for-one status match with Silversea Venetian Society: Gold <-> 1 day, Platinum/Emerald <-> 100 days, Diamond <-> 250 days, Diamond Plus <-> 350 days, Pinnacle Club <-> 500 days.
References
Descriptions on Cruise Ship Wiki are original write-ups paraphrased from public sources; facts are compiled from the references below and cross-checked. How we source our information.
- Photograph by kees torn (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons - Primary ship photograph