Celebrity Cruises has unveiled three new cutting-edge partnerships for their revolutionary new ship, Celebrity Flora. The first ship of its kind designed specifically for the Galapagos, Celebrity Flora will partner with a world-renowned conservationist turned Godmother, a leading university specializing in marine and atmospheric sciences, and a destination-inspired designer.
A Godmother and Environmental Leader
Sharing Celebrity’s passion for environmental stewardship was the most important factor in choosing a godmother for Celebrity Flora, one of the most eco-friendly ships of its size in the Galapagos Islands. Yolanda Kakabadse was a perfect match. Recognized as a prominent environmental leader and a global champion of sustainable development and biodiversity preservation, Kakabadse is a former Minister of Environment for the Republic of Ecuador and a former president of both the International Union for Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund International.
Celebrity will partner with Kakabadse to continue efforts to further reduce any food waste and to create passionate advocates for conservation in every guest who sails.
Blending Exploration and Research
The Galapagos Islands are located at the intersection of five ocean currents and feature some of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. Understanding how these currents and weather patterns have impacted development of the island environment and wildlife is a key part of conserving the one-of-a-kind archipelago.
The launch of Celebrity Flora will be a unique opportunity to blend exploration and research, as the first vessel in the Galapagos to be equipped with cutting-edge oceanographic research equipment, known as Oceanscope. Building on a more than 20-year relationship with University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the program benefits from a cruise ship’s consistent itinerary to create a perfect and cost-effective way for scientists to gather and measure ocean circulation dynamics.
The system will track and map the region while measuring sea-surface temperatures and gathering data critical to research prediction of El Niño and La Niña. All findings gathered on Celebrity Flora will become open source data and globally accessible to research – a first for scientists around the world and anyone with a passion for this information.
Destination-Inspired Design Collection
For Celebrity Flora, Celebrity wanted to bring on a designer whose aesthetic not only drew inspiration from the region, but who also had a personal connection to this one-of-a-kind destination and would complement the stunning ship design by BG Studio. Ecuadorian-native Adriana Hoyos was the perfect choice. A renowned interior and furniture designer, Hoyos pulls inspiration from her heritage and her extensive travels and highlights sustainable materials when crafting a new collection.
Her one-of-a kind pieces can be found throughout the Discovery Lounge, Penthouse Suites and the Marina, complementing the ship design with local elements that connect to the destination organically.
Celebrity Flora is the first ship of its kind designed specifically for the Galapagos, and offers unique features, including an outward-facing design, giving guests 360-degree views of the islands, an open-air stargazing platform, and the first-ever glamping at sea experience.
Celebrity Flora sets sail in May 2019 and will offer 7-night Northern and Southern loop itineraries, Longer cruise tour vacations are also available, including a 10- and 11-night vacation that includes overnight stays in Quito, Ecuador, and a 16-night vacation that includes Lima, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley.
