6 5 to leave their natural habitat and follow the ship as she travels to other locations overnight.” BG Studio specified furniture that was primarily sourced from local Ecuadorian manufacturers, often built with bamboo accents, upholstered with wool fibres and treated cotton fabrics to uphold the stringent International Maritime Organization regulations. BG Studio intentionally selected some iconic pieces from Ecuadorian furniture designer Adriana Hoyos, who drew inspiration from her heritage and the islands when crafting the bespoke, sustainable pieces for the ship’s Discovery Lounge, Penthouse Suites and Marina. “The Galapagos has always been a great inspiration for my work,” said Hoyos in a press release. “Each island has different elements like the sand, the volcanic ashes, the leaves and all of those textures put together have a place in my furniture. That is why we chose selected pieces to complement the ship’s design with local elements that will connect organically to the design of the cruise ship.” To make Celebrity Flora a sustainable success, Celebrity Cruises has built on its 20-year relationship with the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science to collect data about the unique ecology and the El Niño and La Niña ocean currents of the Galapagos Islands via an Oceanscope. This data will be be made accessible to researchers worldwide, so they can better protect and preserve the fragile Galapagos ecosystem. “Each of these new partners is helping shape a better tomorrow for our planet in one way or another – whether it’s through the research, sustainable material sourcing or conservation – and we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this sea change,” said Lutoff-Perlo in a press release. “These new partnerships are accentuating the already incredible work we’ve done with our other partners, including the amazing Francesca Bucci of BG Studio International – who designed every aspect of this stunning new ship – and the world-renowned marine scientist and regional destination expert Ellen Prager who crafted new and exciting science- and discovery-based programming exclusive to Celebrity Flora.” Thanks to Celebrity’s investment in creative designers, sustainabilityfocused suppliers and naturalists who can provide guests with insider access to the Galapagos, it’s clear that despite her diminutive size, Celebrity Flora certainly has the power to redefine the expedition travel experience. “Celebrity Flora is truly a luxury mega yacht with a life force worthy of an explorer,” remarks Bucci. “She has a dynamic, yet relaxed and friendly, personality – just like the Galapagos sea lions, which swim briskly underwater at times, but lay curious and contemplative on the sand at others. My incredible team of architects and designers worked on this ship for almost three years and we’re all very proud to have contributed to creating such an innovative ship that seamlessly combines modern luxury with sustainability and design.” “We became very excited about this project because never before have we had a project with a design that would allow us to create a oneness with the environment in the way that Celebrity Flora has,” said Gonzalez. “Celebrity Flora is a one-of-a-kind ship for a oneof-a-kind destination.” CFI INTERIOR V IEW Built by the best Chosen by Celebrity Cruises for its extensive expertise and wide-ranging skills, Shipyard De Hoop built and outfitted Celebrity Flora in around 18 months at its yard in Lobith, Netherlands. De Hoop paid particular attention to reducing onboard noise and vibrations by installing floating floors, flexibly mounted equipment, anti-vibration panels in walls and ceilings, and a stabiliser system. The yard also carried out wind tunnel tests on the ship’s superstructure to ensure passengers would not be affected by exhaust gases on outside decks. In addition, De Hoop collaborated with partners like Droste Elektro, Steerprop and Veth to ensure the HVAC, sewage, propulsion, engine and other operational systems are as environmentally friendly as possible. The uniquely shaped bow with a straight, wave-piercing stem and an integrated bulb also reduces resistance when the ship is sailing and saves energy when she is stationary.
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