Recent Infinity Cruisers

I have a June 2017 Alaska Cruise booked on Infinity. Reviews here on the ship are mixed, but lately there have been some really terrible reviews about the ship, the food, the service etc. I always take a review with a grain of salt, some people let little things ruin their vacation and we are more flexible people while traveling, but id does have me worried. Are cruise critic reviews reliable?

Hello!

I had a quick look at the recent infinity reviews and most of them were 4 or 5 stars....

I was on from 29 May to 5 June, if you search my profile you should be able to find my "live" daily update.

The ship isn't huge with 1,001 things to do, nor does is it have the latest Solstice Class bells and whistles, and yes, it's been round the world a few times so you don't have to look very hard to find the odd rust patch here and there. But I prefer a smaller sized ship and in Alaska you sit on your balcony and marvel at the scenery, yes there is scenery to admire even on sea days! And there are whales and dolphins most days too.

If you have the right expectations, you will have a memorable and enjoyable cruise.

I agree. I'm going on infinity on the 7th August this year and I have also been looking at the reviews. I read, I take it in and then enjoy my own holiday. On one trip we had a bathroom that was waterlogged every night after a shower. It was a new ship and it got on our nerves. We complained, and were treated well. It didn't spoil my cruise one bit and I wouldn't have given the cruise ship a bad review but some would as it would have spoilt their whole holiday. Don't be put off by reviews but read and keep an open mind.

Read those very negative reviews with a critical eye. Sometimes it's as simple as a slow embarkation, a crying baby or a simple misunderstanding that sets someone off. We all know people who aren't able to "go with the flow" and can't let the little things go.

I was on the Infinity in May (Pacific coastal) and really enjoyed it. The crew did a terrific job with upkeep and maintenance. I wouldn't hesitate to sail the Infinity again. For some reason I just don't see the rust bucket that some people describe, in fact I thought the Infinity sparkled.

We were on the Infinity in December 2015 for two weeks. There are not alot of bells and whistles as someone said. But if you're looking for good food and relaxation, this was the ship.

The food was very good in the MDR and the buffet. Don't miss the poached egg station on the buffet for made to order eggs benedict.

To each his own. Just booked my 3rd Celebrity Cruise. Movin on up to the Equinox.

Happy Sailing.

We just booked Alaska and the following Pacific Coastal for Sept 2017 making it a B2B. How does Infinity handle B2B in Vancouver?

Any clothing suggestions for this cruise for this time of year? What to wear to dinner? What to wear on the ship for sea days? We are used to the Caribbean and have that packing down pat.

Pack in layers. You will have temperatures ranging from min-70's to freezing at the Glaciers.

The dynamics of a cold weather cruise are much different as most people do not spend as much time around the pool In addition to t- owels the supply wool blankets.

Dress code during the day is whatever you feel comfortable in. In the - evening Resort Casual except for Chic night which I would define as what you would wear out to the Theater or a Nice Restaurant.

I typically bring sweat shirts for the day and sweaters for night time. If you are visiting the Glaciers - Gloves and Ear Muffs really help.

It's all about expectations. We like to sail on Azamara (not very often, but when we cruise)...I booked our Infinity cruise for itinerary and was determined not to make comparisons. We had a wonderful trip!!! Everything was in good order. We don't require many bells and whistles. The food and wine were good, entertainment certainly beat Azamara's, stateroom very similar, service almost as good with a few exceptional staff who were outstanding. I wish I could remember the name of the lovely young Russian hostess in the MDR who knew our names after about three nights and was very competent at juggling those of us who wanted certain two-tops and making everyone feel happy in the end! One more tip: My daughter, the wise one, advises me to skip reading the reviews once I have made up my mind;)

We have been on Infinity four times, 2011, two in 2013 and one in 2014. All was good, the food and service were excellent.

Of course, two years have passed and I can't say much about Infinity since then.

Sorry, I should have said that our cruise was in 2016, so not too long ago.

We just booked Alaska and the following Pacific Coastal for Sept 2017 making it a B2B. How does Infinity handle B2B in Vancouver?

On the first cruise, you will receive a disembarkation form to fill out and return to them.

That is where you check a box to notify them that you will be continuing on the next cruise.

Then a day or two before the end of the cruise, you receive a packet with instructions for the turnaround day procedures.

They usually have a meeting for all the B2B passengers where they discuss the various options for the turnaround day and answer any questions.

Basically, your choices are to leave the ship in Vancouver independently that morning along with the departing passengers and be free to go do whatever you want for the day, or

you may prefer to remain on the ship that day, or

you may want to take one of the ship's excursions, if they are offering any for B2B passengers that day.

If leaving the ship, you will be told where to pick up your new seapass cards when you return, (unless you have already received them in advance).

Those who choose to remain on the ship are asked to meet as a group in one of the lounges on the turnaround morning, about the time that the last departing passengers are leaving the ship (usually some time between 9:30 and 10:30).

You are then briefly escorted off the ship into the cruise terminal all together.

You "ding" out with your seapass cards to zero down the passenger count, present your passports to the officials in the cruise terminal, receive your new seapass cards (if you have not already received them earlier), and go right back on board, dinging in with your new seapass cards, usually ahead of the newly embarking passengers.

The entire procedure should take about 10 to 20 minutes.

I use the word "should" because it may take longer if there are complications, such as some passengers not departing the ship and staff needing to go search for them.

Anyone who has trouble walking the ramps and corridors can request wheelchair assistance, but it is best to let them know in advance if you do.

Those who are taking a ship tour are notified of when and where to meet, and are also escorted off the ship together as a group.

B2B passengers should receive transit passes (either in the envelope or at the meeting) that allow you to come and go freely on the turnaround day, without needing to stand in line with the new passengers who are checking in and boarding for the first time.

Any clothing suggestions for this cruise for this time of year? What to wear to dinner? What to wear on the ship for sea days? We are used to the Caribbean and have that packing down pat.

In September it may be warm, or cold, or anywhere in between.

You may or may not encounter a lot of rain and/or fog.

If you intend to do any walking, comfortable shoes are essential.

There have been lots of threads about what to wear to dinner so I won't get into that here.

On the ship for sea days, what to wear will depend on the weather and your own comfort.

Out on deck, at the same time on the same day we have seen some passengers all bundled up from head to toe, while others were wearing shorts and t-shirts.

You have chosen a great itinerary. We recently did it in the spring, in reverse, and enjoyed both cruises very much.

Just sailed Infinity for 15 nights in April-May this year. Wonderful ship, great service. Highly recommend it! I think you will find a small number of people here giving highly negative reviews on any ship, any time for whatever reason. They would find something wrong with a free cruise I'm sure. I generally just read a bunch of reviews and look for similar themes (positive or negative). I throw out the ones with very specific complaints on something trivial. I believe that most people with positive experiences do not bother to comment on them. But those with an axe to grind watch out! A staff member looked at them the wrong way and their whole cruise is ruined and they want you to know about it! People are hilarious sometimes!

Thank you so much fleckle for all your information. It sets my mind at ease to know what to expect from the Infinity. Also wonderful to hear that you enjoyed this itinerary.

My "What to wear to dinner" was not really a dress code question, it was more of a seasonal question. When we cruise to the Caribbean in winter, we pack summer clothes and I wear sundresses, DH in Caribbean type shirts to dinner. In Alaska, I will have to rethink our dinner clothes. This seems like a very hard cruise to pack for since we will be debarking in LA.