SHIP REVIEW: Celebrity Flora preview

By Shaun Ebelthite on November 18, 2017 • ( Leave a comment )

Celebrity Cruises has announced that they’ve ordered a new cruise ship for their Celebrity Xpedition arm, a luxury expedition cruising option that takes the Celebrity brand to the farthest flung corners of the world’s oceans.

Celebrity Flora will be the first cruise ship ever designed specifically for cruising the waters of the Galapagos Islands and as such she will be one of the most environmentally efficient ships in the modern cruise fleet.

Celebrity Flora will feature “seamless ship-to-shore transfers”, according to Celebrity Cruises. This will be made possible by The Marina at the aft of the ship, the primary point of access to the ship. She will carry three Zodiacs, which will make it possible to take passengers ashore far more quickly than most larger ships as she will carry just 100 guests.

Environmentally friendly

While guests are ashore the ship’s dynamic positioning system, more commonly used aboard oil platform support ships, will keep the ship in position without needing to drop anchor on the ecologically sensitive ocean floor near the islands. She will use 15% less fuel than any other expedition ship in the Celebrity Cruises Xpedition fleet and a strict recycling program will be operated on-board, with in-room water filtration stations reducing the need for plastics on-board and sea water and air conditioning condensation being filtered into pure drinking water.

“Celebrity Flora marks another example of our revolutionary ship design by allowing the destination and its environment to influence every decision we’ve made,” explains Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “From the luxurious all-suite accommodations to industry-first, eco-friendly innovations, we created a ship that brings a new level of luxury, sustainability and natural exploration to the region. Guests will feel as though they’re boarding a high-end yacht for a week of unparalleled adventures.”

Public spaces

Celebrity Cruises promises that aboard Celebrity Flora an innovative outward-facing design will give guests 360-degree views of the islands, while personal suite attendants, new dining venues, an open-air stargazing platform, and expert-lead ecological seminars will round out the modern luxury expedition cruise experience.

Celebrity Flora will be a small cruise ship, but in her 2,800 gross ton footprint they’ve managed to include two dining options and five lounges.

Celebrity Flora Seaside Restaurant

The main dining room and formal evening dinner venue will be the Seaside Restaurant, while the Ocean Grill will offer a casual dining space, panoramic views and Dinner Under the Stars.

The Vista (left), Sunset Lounge (top right), Discovery Lounge (bottom right).

Days at sea will be spent in the Sunset Lounge or The Vista, an open-air hideaway with 360-degree views, cocoon-style loungers and private cabanas. There will also be the traditional forward facing lounge, called the Observatory aboard Celebrity Flora. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the entire forward expanse, it will provide amazing views of the islands while at anchor.

Darwin’s Cove aboard Celebrity Flora.

Darwin’s Cove and the Naturalist Center will provide information about the destination, wildlife and environmental efforts, while the Discovery Lounge will be home to naturalist presentations and excursion information. Guests can participate in a guided astronomy tour or enjoy star-lit skies on their own from the Stargazing Platform.

Accommodation

Celebrity Flora will be an all-suite expedition cruise ship and the cruise line says all the suites will feature oversized bathrooms that will bring the outside in through Celebrity’s signature outward-facing layouts.

All the suites will also feature Celebrity’s ‘Infinite Veranda’, which uses glass railings to cleverly eliminate the feeling of separation between the indoors and outside.

Celebrity Flora Presidential Suite

There will be five stateroom classes, the largest being the Penthouse Suites with separate indoor and outdoor living areas, customizable lighting and shades, and a telescope for stargazing or sea lion-peeping.

The other categories are Royal Suites, Ultimate Sky Suites, Veranda Suites, Premium Sky Suites and Sky Suites.

More information on the details of these suites will be released in due course, but here are some pictures of each: