Celebrity Cruises acquires Galapagos cruise operator

Friday, 15 Mar, 2016 0

Celebrity Cruises is expanding its presence in the Galapagos Islands cruise market with the acquisition of local operator Ocean Adventures and its two ships.

Ocean Adventures’ 48-passenger ship Eclipse and the catamaran Athala II will join the Celebrity Xpedition when the deal closes in the spring.

The cost of the acquisition has not been disclosed.

"Our guests use the most amazing words to describe their journeys to the Galapagos Islands," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and chief executive of Celebrity Cruises.

"They tell us the experience is ‘once in a lifetime,’ ‘awe-inspiring,’ even ‘life-changing.’ That’s why we’ve made Celebrity Xpedition such a special experience, and why we are thrilled to expand our Galapagos program with these two intimate ships. We want to make more lifetime memories."

The two new ships will go into dry dock in early 2017 for refurbishment.

"After 16 years of building Ocean Adventures into one of the leading operators in the Galapagos Islands, we are proud to have caught the attention of a world-class cruise company like Celebrity Cruises," said Ben Dod, president of Ocean Adventures.

"Eclipse and Athala II are the best vessels in their class and we are delighted that both ships will continue to deliver an unequalled level of service and experience to guests."

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers...

Ensuring our guests have an unforgettable experience while sailing with us is paramount; however, your health and safety remains our...

Palladium Hotel Group is a renowned Spanish hotel chain that first emerged towards the end of the 1960s. Currently present...

AXA Assistance specializes in best-in-class cost containment, health and travel services. Over 60 years of experience combined with a US and...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...

From the beginning, ATI’s philosophy has been “innovation, not duplication.“ Developing specialized technology solutions to connect over 30,000 accommodation, attracti...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...

In the heart of Europe, in one of the most innovative cities in the world, at the centre of business,...

STA was established to support the growth of the travel and tourism sector by serving the needs of tourism companies...

Swallows and Amazons is a Brazilian adventure tour company run by the husband and wife team of Tania and Mark...

Since its launch in 1999, TravelMole.com has become, one of the largest global online travel industry communities. It is comprised...

River cruising is a treat for the senses, allowing you to see, touch, feel and experience the world like never...

Central Florida’s Polk County is conveniently located between Orlando and Tampa, and an easy drive to Central Florida attractions and...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...