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Ship Details
Began service:2001
Guest capacity: 1,950
Total staff: 999
Length: 965 feet
Passenger decks: 11
CDC
inspection score: 96
Infinity Overview
The Infinity cruise ship departs from Vancouver,
British Columbia, San Diego, CA, San Francisco, CA, Valparaiso (Santiago),
Chile. Throughout the year, she offers ocean cruises to Alaska/British
Columbia, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal/Central America, and South America.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to Alaska/British Columbia, Hawaii, Mexican
Riviera, Panama Canal/Central America, and South America.
Celebrity's
Infinity is the line's second Millennium class
vessel. The ship boasts a two-story library, retro ocean
liner-themed alternative restaurant, and all-glass seaview
elevators. The line's fleetwide dedication to art, natural
woods, and sleek near-Scandinavian styling gives this
ship an elegant, contemporary air.
With this ship, Celebrity Cruises is taking on a challenge.
Is it possible to offer an elegant, upscale cruise experience
on a very large scale? On our trip, it seemed that Infinity
was very much a work-in-progress. Continually changing
rules and regulations are indicative of the struggle.
On the other hand, the ship's elegant design has yielded
some genuine improvements. The shore excursion department
is a stand-alone "boutique" space, with comfy
chairs and an ever-updated wall of brochures and catalogues
of possibilities. The Emporium, the ship's
14,000 sq ft. shopping area, is beautifully designed and
organized.
Overall, though, the feeling you get is that in trying
to be all things to all people, Infinity is struggling
with its identity.
One significant problem with Infinity since its
launch - and for other ships in the cruise line's Millennium-class
- has been a technological one. An innovative "mermaid
pod propulsion system" incorporated on Infinity
has caused repeated breakdowns -- and resulted in cruise
cancellations. Celebrity Cruises has taken the relatively
unusual step of filing a $300 million lawsuit against
the mermaid pod creators. In the meantime, the company
has assured travelers that the breakdowns represent no
safety hazard and will continue to offer generous compensation
to passengers whose cruises are cancelled or interrupted
as a result of the balky system.
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Cabins
Unlike many ships where cabins are predesigned and all roughly
occupy the same square footage, the lower down you go on Infinity
the smaller they get. Our Deck 2 doll-cabin was barely
large enough for two (desk drawers that can't open all the way because
they are blocked by a bed, the inability to sit at the desk without
leaning the coffee table onto the tiny futon couch, the minimal drawer
space). Balcony cabins were similarly arranged but
slightly wider and more comfortable. We peeked at even posher cabins
like the Royal Suite. It was gorgeous with a separate
dining area, plush living room furnishings, high-tech electronics,
in-room laptop, marble bathrooms with Jacuzzi tub, huge private balcony,
Butler, etc. This is a ship where your investment into higher level
accommodations really does make a difference.
Cabin service got off to a bad start but got better throughout the
cruise. We had to request that our beds be made with bedspreads. Breakfast
room service disregarded requested delivery times and was rude on
top of their incompetence. However, once we mentioned the problem
to the chief housekeeper in charge of our section, the problem was
immediately rectified. Staff at the Guest Relations Desk
and at Shore Excursions were helpful, if crisp; one
got the impression they were often overwhelmed.
Dining
The Trellis Restaurant, the ship's main dining
room, where formal breakfast, lunch and dinner is served, is lovely.
The highlight of the two-tiered restaurant is a huge, paned showcase
window that extends from floor to ceiling. Tables are mostly set for
combinations of six, eight and beyond (more intimate settings are
extremely limited).
Cuisine was generally excellent; the menu at The Trellis
featured a mix of traditional and imaginative fare that included vegetarian
options for each course. Service was seamlessly perfect and personable.
Other options included The Oceanview Grill and Cafe,
which is the ship's poolside buffet restaurant; the Oceanview
also has themed stations (French one day, Italian the next), one that
serves pizza, a poolside grill for burgers, hotdogs and fries, and
an ice cream counter. AquaSpa Cafe,
the ship's healthy eatery, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
At night, the Oceanview serves as the ship's "casual
dining" eatery; passengers order main courses from a menu and
pick up appetizers and dessert at the buffet. Be forewarned: reservations
are requested -- and become hard to come by as the cruise progresses.
Late risers could partake of pastries at Cova Cafe Milano;
the food is free but there is a charge for coffee.
The SS United States, the $25 per head alternative
restaurant, is excellent, serving four-course meals that include a
cheese course. While the experience is well worth the extra charge,
the overall tone of the restaurant is a bit condescending -- telling
diners how to dress, explaining that a bottle of Cotes du Rhone red
wine came from the Cotes du Rhone region of France.
Entertainment
One passenger was overheard saying that the variety of entertainment
options presented were like a "three ring circus". Activities
mostly followed cruise ship standards such as art auctions, bad hair
day seminars, vegetable carving, wine tastings, bingo and ballroom
dance lessons. The ship has a cinema that shows movies-just-out-on-video.
Celebrity's nightly theatrical performances, ranging from
Broadway compilations to piano concertos, won raves from passengers
on my cruise. Another highlight was the performance of a harpist each
night in the Cova Cafe Milano.
Fitness & Recreation
The AquaSpa, a
generous sized work-out room (to avoid traffic jams on the treadmills,
each has a sign up sheet) with floor space for the 4 fitness classes
offered each day. The spa also offers the usual services, from beauty
salon to massage. One relatively funky addition is the Persian
Garden aromatherapy room, which is like a steam room
with different themed areas. It's an extra cost service. The AquaSpa,
with thalassotherapy pool, AquaSpa Cafe, cabanas
with floor-to-ceiling windows, and twin whirlpools require an additional
charge to enter.
Public Areas
The Grand Foyer,
a three-deck atrium, lies at the center of Celebrity Infinity.
The main "business" area is here -- including the Shore
Excursion boutique, bank, and guest relations. The
Constellation is Infinity's top-deck lounge
and is comfortable with fantastic views on three sides. The Celebrity
Theater is another success; seating 900, it spans three tiers.
The highlight? The eye-catching sight of a series of flaming torches
behind glass that, on closer inspection, are actually handkerchiefs
lit by under-lights. Fortunes, the ancient Egyptian-esque
casino, is your typical flashy onboard gambling den, possessing the
usual (slots, blackjack, etc.). There are also many nondescript lounges
-- the Rendezvous, the Martini Bar
and the Champagne Bar. The relocated Notes
CD library (which was constantly disheveled and poorly designed)
is tucked away in a hard-to-find glass turret, and Michael's
Club, which Celebrity describes as an "intimate
hideaway" was such a "hideaway" that it was rarely
populated by more than one or two people. Online@CelebrityCruises,
the ship's Internet cafe, is attractively laid out.
There's a stand-alone cinema with an extremely limited flick selection.
Kids
Celebrity offers the basics with their Youth Program.
In-cabin sitting is available for $8 per hour (two kids max); requests
must be made onboard through the ship's Guest Relations or Stateroom
Services departments. Group baby-sitting is available in the children's
playroom for ages 3-12 from 10pm - 1am.; cost is $3 per hour for one
child, $5 per hour for two or more kids in the same family. "Parent's
Night Out" is a formal-night only program where counselors
host kids for a pizza party; there's no charge. Celebrity has an "unlimited
soft drinks" program for those under 18; cost is $4.50 per day
plus 15 percent tip.
Expert Infinity reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com,
an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can
help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to South America, Mexican Riviera,
Panama Canal.
Infinity cruise reviews
Cruise
Ship Inspection Report
All passenger cruise ships arriving at US ports are subject to unannounced
CDC inspection. Infinity Score:
96
Cruise
Critic: Infinity
The Cruise Critic gives Celebrity's Infinity Cruise Ship a 3-ribbon
rating.
Web links
Celebrity
Cruises
Request a brochure, or find a travel agent who represents Celebrity
Cruises at the company's official Web site.
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