Germancruiser

I also ended the Infinity Transatlantic in Harwich earlier this week. Yes they have less staff in the dinning room- but on my cruises with X I never had any better service in the MDR. I suppose that deppends on the waiter one get´s! Our´s was perfect!

( Thank you Andres..)

I also had the funny " goulash experience" - it was listed as Soup- I found some two or three nice, tinny little peaces of meat in that soup!

Oh it was so nice to get this oh so familiar tasteing soup. I have the same soup at home as a emergency dinner thread! Canned Goulash Soup! Almost made me smile! I wonder how many of those soups come in canned and bottled or what ever!

I always wondered if the dressings of the salad´s are still " home- meaning X- made" ! Bringing in premixed food products reduces cost immensly! Nicly presented- well almost nobody is the wiser!

For first I saw Michaels Club converted to a Suite only venue! I so liked Milli- Class´s Michaels Club! Total changed now- and rather dark- I have no idea why they seem so dark as they did not change " the hardware" - anyway on my just ended Infinity Cruise I saw rarely anyone in Michaels Club! Not X´s very best idea I think!

Other then that, well some love it to show off how special they are - if it makes them happy why not! So beeing seen a spcial lounge for suite guests is for some just THE THING! Ah the days when Perry Grant filled Michaels Club every evening to the brim!

Also disembarked yesterday in Harwich after a wonderful Transatlantic- Cruise! Some complained bitterly about the delayed boarding in Miami and that no one could enter the cabins before 5 pm and the resolting delay in Sail away, around 10 pm) ! Well they had to clean the old Lady foreward to aft, up and down. I never entered a cabin bare every single cussion, the bedding without drapping ( very funny looking - like a bedding in military hospital) , no paper, no booklet, no info - just the basics- a very interessting but quite understandable experience.

I avoided Ocean view for the first days because of the lines as no one was allowed self service , but after the good ratings in New York and Halifax everything went back to normal.

The Infinity itself- well now the oldest ship I ever sailed - I must say she sparkles and is spotless clean- absolutley NOT rundown. Okay in some parts one can see that she is not right out of the building dock. ( Handles at some door, a little rust here and there under the overhang, but nothing that could not be easly mended. Cleaning took place all over and around the clock.

In a very first with X , I found inconsistend service people. Some bent over backwards to help and be friendly ( even after the ordeals that had to go through) others were , well, on the brisk and tightlipped side. All Baccio- three four very nice and friendly , one did absolutley not like what she was doing, acording to the misserable expression she showed ( and acted), the guy behind the bar in Cellar Masters had such a misserable experession on his face that almost cryed out. NOBODY SHOULD DARE OREDING SOMETHING FROM ME, some bartenders in the upper decks, same story ! Never happend before! It was not just what I experienced but I overheard others mention, we even discused it at the dinner table. There we had the best waiter ever in all my cruises, also the helpfull and friendly stateroom attendant.

I will do a whole rewview when I come round in my dayly routine.

Michael

Thank you Gil for your E-Mail adress . I will do so!

Have a wonderful time!

Michael

Thank you for the nice report of your cruise - I follow you always with interesst! You used to have a cruise buddy , which I cruised with once a very nice lady- Joan. Do you know how she is?? Tell my best wishes if you happen to be in contact with her!

So the Elite breakfast is held in the Normandy- so I do hope they will have it in the United States Restaurant on board Infinity next week. For the first time we cruise " together" - well almost - we are just on board different M- Class ships. LOl! Have a wonderful time!

Greetings

Michael

Texed- so nice to " meet " you! Thank you for you nice greetings- and be sure I look out for the waffles and see if they are up to our standards. LOL!

Michael

Hi Betsy- just seven more days now- and I try to post - given we have a slow but decent conection - LOL!

Greetings

Michael

It is not the X cruisers in general that complain- it ís just that we all are more and more used to new , glitzing , sparkling, spanking new ships every year- one can easy loose count on the new ships they bring out every year! So if we sail a ship that is nearing it´s 10, 12, or 15 year and we see that it is not sparkling anymoe, not smelling of fresh paint anymore- we consider it ( some of us at least) run down, beaten, negleted and so on!

The ships we looked at in awe 10 years ago, now count to the smaller ships! ( 70 000 tons are " little " ships nowadays- when they debuted they were considered " Megaliners " )

And of course, the more people cruise the more complainer´s! The most complained about issue´s are the " Cuts " the cruise lines has to make because, in order to fill up their ships they sometimes sell cruises for the price of an apple and egg. Of course they have to push their customers a bit more to spend on board, of course they try to cut costs....! We all would in their shoes!

Cruising has become more and more " common " ( which is generel is a good thing) and no longer is an exotic, special way of travel. Not so for me , beeing on board a big ship, watching the sea go by, hear the sound of the ocean is and will be always something " special " ! ! IMO the cruise lines

( esp. Royal Carribbean) have gone a bit " overboard " to bring in all this stuff, such as ice ring, flow rider and thoe awfull slides ( well thats more Costa and Carnival) on board!

Michael

Thank you for takeing the time to let us know of your experiences. I am so glad to hear that there no LOUD MUSIC all over the place! As for the other points- I hope they do improve at your next X- cruise. I care neither for wine nor for lobster so I look foreward to a nice calm cruise in a weeks time! Again thanks!

Michael

Aha- now I know the name of our CD also- Rich- whoever that is- I only hear good things about him! Can´t wait to board in a week!

Greetings

Michael

Nice thread- thanks for the info data nerd- very much appericiated.

Here is my ranking:

Millenium ( 2 )

Summit ( 2)

Constellation ( 3)

Infinity ( 1 - one upcoming pretty soon)

Silhouette ( 1 )

Eclipse ( 1)

Solstice ( 2)

I sure do hope that my favorite , Millenium will some day return from her mission Down Under!

Photo- Traveler, thanks for your report, glad to hear everything seams to go smothly now! Take good care of the old Infinity- we will be next! LOL!

Oh dear I first thought that to be a new onbaord activity! Some surely would love the idea.! Kidding of course!

How great to read such a wonderful and well stated review from a happy cruiser! I can´t wait to board Infinity in two weeks- so I can see fopr myself if X is still up to it, after my X- break of 1,5 years!! !

Even more glad to go, because it was not sure I could sail at all- after some buisness glitches! Everything turned out good and is sorted out! ! ! So I am back on board!

Well my deciscion would be easy- well you can´t go wrong on either, both great ships. Dida TA on board Silhouette and Hawaii on board Infnity. Loved both cruises. Yes Infinity is the older ship- but I prefer M- class over S- class. For different reasons - most of all- M- class has at least a prommenade deck, were one can sit you in the quite, without constant music as on the top decks ( exept for the Solstice Deck) ! More public rooms are facing the ocean- means they have nice view´s out to the sea. Silhouette is more " indoors" ! Infinity got upgraded not long ago!

We still don´t know what´s wrong with the Infinity- don´t we? As for the " little" Martinis- well they are free- you can have as much as you want. So were is the problem??? Does it take to long to get drunk???

I was tought that nobody should look a gifthorse into the mouth! Some people seem to make a hobby out of complaining about everything and everybody!

I do not blame anyone who does not report- no one wants to linger around others when not feeling all to well anyway. The room steward- well on a cruise a very reasonable excuse- hang over...!

Grandeur was my very first " Megaliner" ( she was considered a " Megaliner" back then) and ingnited my heavy cruise addiction. I still have kind of a " soft spot " for the now old Lady! From Voyager onwards they are to big for my taste and to many public rooms are indoors! So, since Grandeur got a nice refit latley I would highly recommend it!

I always get room service breakfast when in Concierce Class- I tipp two dollars for each served breakfast! I love to have breakfast in the cabin and therefore avoid to join the buffet with all the hussle and bussle. Breakfast in the MDR takesssssssssssssss sooooooooooooo long and I am absolutley no morning person who likes conversation early in the morning! Oh I got carried away..! The stewards always seemed to happy about it. I am happy- they shall be happy also. LOL

Oh dear Turtle 66 and other prommenade deck " lovers" I agree completly. The breakway is a good example how they can built new ships WITH a propper ( well almost. LOL) Prommenade Deck. I sailed Solstice , Eclipse and Silhouette some twice - they are wonderful ships no question about it, but when I get the chance to choose between M- Class and S- Class I definatley will take a M- Class!

The pictures of Eclipse is typical for the S- Class- since there is no prommenade deck everyone gathers around the Top Deck´s! The only " secret and calm " place is the high up Solstice Deck! Quite a few steps to climb up - but worth it!

Thanks for the update!

Well those photo´s tell more than a thousand words- it is a shame really on board the otherwise wonderful S- Class ships!

Oh how I wish to fit 3 times into those robbes! LOL! I squeeze my feet in those slippers- once done they fit always. LOL! I also sometimes prefer the waffle robbe in warmer climates!

They all have- prommenade decks ( not wrap around ones ) . Those on board Millenium Class are great, one of my favorite spots to lounge and enjoy the sea without the noise of the upper decks to be precise. Solstice Class- well one can not really call what they have a propper prommenade deck since they have a very limited view to the sea, all the view is blocked by the liveboats. Every ship has its " running - jogging track " !

Sounds interessting- so some people ( who dine in " the Grand" ) are dressed to the nines and others are casually dressed- oh well maybe the stick to their dress codes. Did I get it right and there will be longer a real MDR on board Anthem and Quantum?