Celebrity Cruises acquires Galapagos cruise operator

Sunday, 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."

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