They’re small and rugged adventurers, purpose-built to protect the delicate ecology of Ecuador’s unique Galapagos Islands. And with the elegance and service of their parent lines, they’re about to open a new chapter of luxury cruising.
It’s a significant step for Silversea Cruises, whose Silver Origin is the cruise line’s first destination-specific ship, launching service in the Galapagos Islands in the summer of 2020.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Flora is the first new expedition ship for Celebrity Cruises, which until now had been offering the Galapagos on a 16-guest catamaran, the Celebrity Xploration. The specialized Celebrity Flora takes over in June 2019 and boosts the capacity to 100 guests, while amping up the luxury quotient as well.
Here’s a look at the newcomers:
Silver Origin from Silversea Cruises
One of the most luxurious and environmentally friendly cruise ships ever built will sail exclusively in the Galapagos Islands. Silver Origin promises to offer Silversea Cruises’ trademark level of luxury to 100 guests a week starting in the summer of 2020. The cruises will offer unique experiences ashore led by an on-board Silversea Expedition Team certified by the National Park of the Galapagos. The ship also offers the highest Zodiac-to-guest ratio in the region, at 1:12.
Scoping out the spaces
Silver Origin’s public spaces were designed by HBA Miami and suite interiors by GEM–Design for Cruise Ships, which also designed Silversea’s Silver Muse.
Basecamp Expeditions start in an elegant lounge, where expedition team members will offer briefings and presentations on an interactive digital wall.
Observation Lounge Located at the very front of the ship, this lounge will be a place to relax and take in panoramic views on the destinations.
Suites Silver Origin will feature eight categories of suite all with private balconies. An innovative Horizon Balcony can convert to enclose the balcony with a floor-to-ceiling window. Selected suites will have ocean-view bathtubs and showers, a Silversea first.
Dining Authentic local cuisine will be prepared by Ecuadorian chefs. Both the Restaurant and the Grill—which will be able to be open air or partially enclosed–will be able to accommodate all guests. Fresh, local ingredients; and regional wines will complement international cuisine.
Ecology at the forefront
Silver Origin will be one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever built, thanks to state-of-the-art technology designed specifically for sailing the Galapagos Islands. The ship’s dynamic positioning system will allow Silver Origin to automatically maintain position without an anchor, to protect the seafloor. A water purification system installed in each suite, will enable the ship to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bottles; and the ship will meet the highest standard of energy efficiency.
Celebrity Flora from Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Flora is the first vessel in the Galapagos to be equipped with cutting-edge oceanographic research equipment known as Oceanscope. The program builds on Celebrity Cruises‘ more than 20-year relationship with University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science that 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 by Celebrity Flora will become open source data – globally accessible to research.
Indoor lounge on Celebrity Flora–Courtesy Celebrity
Destination-inspired design
Celebrity sought out a designer 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. Hoyos draws 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.
“The Galapagos have always been a great inspiration for my work. Each island has different elements like the sand, the volcanic ashes, the leaves and all of those textures put together have a place in my furniture. That is why we chose selected pieces to complement the ship’s design with local elements that will connect organically to the design of the cruise,” Hoyos said.
Ecological enhancements
The cutting-edge new ship will feature Celebrity’s signature outward-facing design concept, giving guests 360-degree views of the islands, and all-suite accommodations – including an unprecedented 50 per cent Sky Suites with Infinite Veranda – equipped with personal attendants. Unique to Celebrity Flora are the first-ever glamping experience at sea, new dining venues, an open-air stargazing platform, expert-led ecological seminars, and custom-designed Novurania yacht tenders, which create a seamless sea-to-shore experience for guests.
As part of Celebrity’s more than 20-year repertoire of environmental efforts and inspired by the work of Celebrity Flora’s godmother, Yolanda Kakabadse. Celebrity has partnered with Kakabadse to further focus on continued efforts to further reduce the any food waste and to create passionate advocates for conservation in every guest who sails.
“Each of these new partners are helping shape a better tomorrow for our planet in one way or another – whether it’s through the research, sustainable material sourcing or conservation – and we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this sea change,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity’s President and CEO.
The 100-guest ship will sail from Baltra year-round, starting June 30, 2019, alternating seven-night inner- and outer-loop itineraries. Bookings are open now, with a selection of 10-, 11-, and 16-night packages.
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