Your top options for a Galapagos cruise are about to change
Two of the best-known names in Galapagos Islands cruising, Lindblad Expeditions and Celebrity Cruises, are about to shake up their offerings in the destination in the wake of a deal.
Lindblad Expeditions on Wednesday announced that two of Celebrity's three vessels in the Galapagos will shift to the Lindblad fleet in January.
The two vessels — 48-passenger Celebrity Xpedition and 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration — will be extensively refurbished after the transfer before beginning operations under the Lindblad banner, the company said.
Lindblad also said the vessels would be renamed.
The addition of the two new vessels, which Lindblad is purchasing for an undisclosed sum, will double the size of the Lindblad fleet in the Galapagos from two to four vessels, making it one of the largest players in Galapagos cruises.
For years, Lindblad has operated two ships in the region: 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavour II and 48-passenger National Geographic Islander II.
The brand offers six different itineraries around the Galapagos, with more than 100 departures a year.
“We recognize and appreciate the immense privilege our company has to operate and grow our expedition cruise offerings in the Galápagos Islands,” said Sven-Olof Lindblad, founder and CEO of Lindblad Expeditions. “By sourcing well-appointed vessels and onboarding the most experienced crew and staff who meet our exacting standards of responsible exploration, we’re able to transport guests from around the world to the iconic archipelago and help them understand the importance of protecting and preserving its wonders and wildlife, as a consequence of their personal experience.”
Related: Is this the ultimate Antarctica cruise ship? Our take on one of Lindblad's newest vessels
Lindblad was one of the pioneers of expedition cruising in the Galapagos more than half a century ago. Notably, it operated the first nonscientific international civilian expedition to the destination in 1967.
The company has also long been a leader in expedition cruising in other parts of the world, sailing to some of the most remote and hard-to-reach destinations, including the Arctic, Antarctica and Australia's Kimberley region.
With the addition of the two Celebrity vessels, Lindblad's worldwide fleet of owned, leased and chartered ships will grow to 19 vessels.
Related: Expedition cruises: The ultimate guide to cruising to remote, hard-to-reach places
Lindblad said on Wednesday that customers would be able to make bookings for the two new vessels starting later this month. Lindblad didn't say when the first sailings for the ships under the Lindblad banner would be.
With the transfer of two of its three Galapagos ships to the Lindblad fleet, Celebrity's footprint in the Galapagos will decline significantly. The line's sole remaining ship in the region will be 100-passenger Celebrity Flora.
Unveiled in 2019, Celebrity Flora is one of the newest, biggest and most elegant vessels in the Galapagos.
Celebrity's expedition-style Galapagos sailings, which have taken place on very small vessels, have been a bit of an outlier for the brand. Celebrity is better known for more traditional cruises operated by much larger vessels.
Celebrity and its sister brand, Silversea Cruises, have been leaders in Galapagos voyages for many years. Silversea currently operates one large ship, the 100-passenger Silver Origin, in the Galapagos. It is considered the most upscale vessel in the destination.
Built on a similar platform, Celebrity Flora and Silver Origin are two of the biggest ships in the Galapagos. The destination limits the number of people who can sail on a Galapagos cruise to 100 per voyage.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.