National Geographic-Lindblad officially names Galapagos ships
The ships were previously known as the Celebrity Xploration and the Celebrity Xpedition; National Geographic-Lindblad purchased them from Celebrity Cruises last summer.
The two ships entered service for National Geographic-Lindblad in February and March. The company's Galapagos fleet also includes the 98-passenger National Geographic Endeavour II and the 48-passenger National Geographic Islander II.
The ceremony included leaders of the cruise line, staff and their family members as well as local dignitaries and community members from the Galapagos, the company said.
The 48-passenger Gemini has 28 staterooms, and the 16-passenger, catamaran-style Delfina has only eight, making it the most intimate sailing experience in the fleet, Ana Esteves, senior vice president of hotel operations, said during a webinar.
"Sixteen guests means that you can bring your best friends," she said. "You can have two families chartering this ship."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
3 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
How Silversea is streamlining its expedition cruise experience
Teri West Galapagos cruising got cushier this month for those sailing with Silversea's Silver Origin. The cruise line is now providing passengers with charter flights in Ecuador from Quito to San Cristobal Island, a two-hour trip that forgoes the previous layover in Guayaquil. It is becoming ever clearer that Silversea believes luxury in expedition requires eliminating, as much as possible, unpredictability and discomfort before and after the cruise. For Antarctica cruises, the line offers charter flights from Chile and will soon also host guests before their flight at a Silversea-built and owned hotel. In the expedition space, the trick in crafting the journey is leaving room for error, so Silversea's pre- and post-cruise services are a true value, said David Lauwers, a luxury cruise and expedition travel advisor at Q Cruise + Travel. "It's padding out an expedition," he said. "It isn't like going to Europe, where you can get on the next flight, there's loads of carriers and it's not a problem." Lauwers said he likes to direct clients toward Silversea because it eliminates so many of the logistical challenges involved in ensuring his customers are aboard the ship when it leaves the homeport. The services also differentiate Silversea from competitors, and once guests try the Silversea flights there is a high satisfaction rate, Lauwers said. They find the plane ride to be an exciting kickoff for the cruise itself, with Silversea-branded napkins and menus and the opportunity to commune with fellow passengers. "They love that they're all Silversea guests, because they can all chat and talk about the trip, especially on the return," he said. Silversea president Bert Hernandez said the company is focused on evolving. "This enhanced guest journey to the Galapagos reflects this dedication -- streamlining every touchpoint to make visiting this bucket list destination more accessible and seamless than ever," he said. "We always put the guest at the center of everything we do, creating opportunities for deeper connections to the destination, and this is one more way we're leveraging our deep expedition and destination expertise to further elevate the Silversea experience." Lauwers said he expects other cruise lines to take a wait-and-see approach in deciding whether to operate their own Galapagos charter flights, but those that might consider it would also be in the luxury space. "I think they've got quite a niche in the Galapagos," Lauwers said of Silversea. "I think that'll be a big differentiator for them."
Travel Weekly
a day ago
- Travel Weekly
Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Approach Guides
Subscribe now using your favorite service: This season, Trade Secrets is hosting the Trade Secrets Tech Summit. Every Monday, co-hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada will feature a different travel technology company that works with travel advisors. A representative from the featured company will begin with a 5-minute elevator pitch to tell advisors about their product, followed by a 15-minute Q-and-A with the hosts. This week's featured company is Approach Guides, represented by founder and chief marketing officer Jennifer Raezer. Trade Secrets is using Host Agency Reviews' list of technology providers as a basis for this season. If a technology company doesn't have a profile, advisors are encouraged to send a link to the hosts to be added to the list. This episode was sponsored by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. Further resources Approach Guides on the web Get in touch! Email us: tradesecrets@ Theme song Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod License See for privacy information.
New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
USMNT to face Ecuador, Australia in October World Cup tune-ups
The U.S. men's national team will face Ecuador and Australia in a pair of friendlies in October as it continues preparation for the 2026 World Cup. The Americans will take on the South American side on Oct. 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, before traveling up to Commerce City, Colo., for a friendly against the Socceroos on Oct. 14 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Advertisement Both are potential World Cup opponents and are currently ranked in the top 25 of FIFA's world ranking (Australia 24th, Ecuador 25th). Ecuador is one of three CONMEBOL teams that has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, joining Argentina and Brazil, while Australia also already qualified via the Asian Football Confederation. Tickets for both matches will go on sale to the public on Friday, July 18, at 10 a.m. local venue time. The U.S. returns to Austin, where it played Saudi Arabia in the Concacaf Gold Cup, and where it has recorded wins in all six matches played there – including Mauricio Pochettino's first match as manager, a friendly vs. Panama in October 2024. U.S. Soccer also announced that the federation, along with partners AT&T and American Airlines, will be 'providing resources and support through their respective initiatives' to assist those affected by catastrophic flooding in central Texas. The U.S. will be playing in Commerce City for the first time since a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago on June 8, 2017. The stadium also played host to the famous 'Snow Clasico' against Costa Rica during 2014 World Cup qualifying on March 22, 2013. The USMNT has an even 5W-5L-5D record against Ecuador, and will be facing the La Tricolor for the first time since a 1-0 win on March 21, 2019. This will be the fourth time the U.S. has faced Australia, with a 1-1-1 record in the series. The last meeting was on June 5, 2010, in a tune-up ahead of the 2010 World Cup in Roodepoort, South Africa. After falling in the Gold Cup final to rival Mexico earlier this month, the U.S. men next take to the field against South Korea and Japan – two other nations that have already qualified for the World Cup – in friendlies in September. The U.S. will first host South Korea at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J., on Sept. 6, before facing Japan on Sept. 9 at Field in Columbus, Ohio.
