Celebrity Cruises Xpedition

Fast Facts:  Celebrity Xpedition
Built:  2001
Tonnage:  2,842
Length:  296 feet
Width:  49 feet
Passenger capacity:  90 (double occupancy)
Interior staterooms (without window):  n/a
Ocean-view staterooms (with porthole or window):  n/a
Suites (with private veranda):  180 – 460 square feet (plus veranda)

Overview
Make no mistake about it.  The Celebrity Xpedition is not your typical cruise ship.  Quite on the contrary, it is literally in a class by itself because it is like no other ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet.  In fact, it’s really more like a big yacht than a cruise ship.

Weighing in at less than 3,000 tons (compared to 120,000 tons for Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships (which, in addition to the Celebrity Solstice, includes Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection), the Celebrity Xpedition is specifically intended for the more affluent, experienced cruiser who seeks an intimate and exciting cruise that is like no other.

With a capacity of only 90 passengers, (compared to 5,000 or 6,000 on some of the mega-ships, like Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas), every stateroom on the Xpedition is a suite with a private balcony, ranging in size from 180 square feet for the “basic” Junior Suite, 230 square feet for the Xpedition Suite and 460 square feet for the Penthouse Suite.  And, all of these luxurious suites include amenities that you would expect at the finest 5-star hotels such as 24-hour room service, complimentary sparkling wine, a daily basket of fresh fruit, in-room hors d’ourves every day, a plush pillow-top mattress and a pillow menu to help assure the most comfortable sleep.

Like the ship itself, the itinerary of the Celebrity Xpedition is unique.  Because of her relatively small size, she is one of the few ships of any major cruise line that can cruise the incredible Galapagos Islands, where her guests can closely observe and explore one of the last natural habitats on this planet.  This is where Charles Darwin developed his then-revolutionary theory of evolution by natural selection and subsequently wrote his highly-controversial “Origin of Species”.

Perhaps no other place on Earth offers the variety of rare plants and animals that inhabit the Galapagos Islands.  Flightless comorant birds, frigates (sometimes referred to as “pirate birds” because of their reputation for stealing prey from the clutches of other birds), fur seals, giant tortoises, lava lizards, marine iguanas, marine turtles, mockingbirds, red-footed boobies, sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and even whales can be seen, not to mention some of the most colorful and unusual fishes in the sea.  Then, there’s the natural geological beauty of these Islands, which is to savored at every moment of your presence.

While Darwin (and many modern-day visitors) may have had to pitch a tent to experience all of the wonderful sights and sounds of the Galapagos Islands, guests aboard the Celebrity Xpedition will enjoy all of the luxuries of home (and then some) during their unforgettable visit to this pristine, unspoiled environment.  So, if you’ve ever dreamt of someday seeing the Galapagos Islands for yourself, do it in style aboard the Celebrity Xpedition.