See the Unesco World Heritage Site from the comfort of a 1,288 sqft penthouse suite
While the cruise industry rakes in upwards of US$117 billion (S$161 billion) and 26 million customers annually, despite its financial abundance, it’s not necessarily the best travel option for the planet—especially when it comes to protected destinations like the Galápagos Islands.
Until now, many of the cruising options available in South America were old ferries or exploration vessels that were converted into cruise ships for leisure travel. Celebrity Cruises’ Flora plans to change that. The brand new, purpose-built ship has been designed with sustainability at its core and will be the region’s very first custom-built cruise ship.
“The Galápagos is on the top of everyone’s list for preservation because of tourism,” Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said in a statement to Fast Company. “Tourists come here and see that this is a place that has to be preserved and ecosystem that has to be preserved.”