Lindblad Expeditions Holdings will acquire two small ships from Celebrity Cruises and sail them in the Galapagos after refurbishing them next year.
The 48-guest Celebrity Xpedition and the 16-guest Celebrity Xploration will sail for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic. New names for the ships will be announced later this month.
The ships will undergo multimillion-dollar refurbishments once the transaction closes in January 2025, Lindblad said, and reservations will open to the general public in the coming weeks.
The 2001-built Xpedition features two dining venues and 24 outward-facing cabins, including 13 balcony suites. The 2007-built Xploration has eight cabins. Lindblad proposes the ship will be a good fit for family vacations, affinity groups and private charters.
Lindblad currently operates two ships in the Galapagos: the 96-guest National Geographic Endeavour II and 48-guest National Geographic Islander II. The ships offer six itineraries and 100-plus departures year-round.