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Infinity: A quick review.

red knight

By red knight,
in Celebrity Cruises

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red knight

red knight

Posted
Posted

Jut off the Trans Canal March 28 to April 11, so some views and commments on the ship and the itinerary. I go to FLL early afternoon and faced a long lineup to get onboard on a very humid afternoon, oh well, I am there and I will get on. I heard later that the ship was not at her regular beth so things were a bit chaotic. The line moved well and soon I was declaring that I was free of every know illness save for lackofcruiseitis which would soon be cured anyways! Then I progressed fare enough to see a seperate line for Suite Concierge Select and Elite Pax. Yahoo! I am Select so forward I go. Soon pose for the usual Bon Voyage Photo- never turn out well no matter how hard the Photog tries! My fault not theirs, then for the Seapass Mug shot, a spritz of Purell, and on I went. X Greeted us with Champagne or Orange Juice, wish I had had the OJ as the Champagne was rather sickeningly sweet, oh well! Then found my cabin, and changed out of travelling clothes, and went to meet other CC sorts at the pool bar before Lifeboat drill. Lifeboat drill has changed since last I was on X, as now you do not have to carry or wear your lifejacket, bonus IMHO! Down to the Casino, then out to the Lifeboat station, and soon it is all done. We were late away from Port Everglades as a lot of stores did not get loaded in the usual time, possibly something to do with the rumored change of berths. A while later went down to shower and get ready for the evening. My suitcase still had not arrived, but I met my Room Steward and he promised to track it down asap. He meant it too! One of the many good run ins I had with him. Late sitting upstairs. First of many good dinners with one of the best tables I have ever had on any cruise line. Got to know my table mates a bit and they me and we hit it off famously! The introductory show after dinner was, as all the Presentation Shows were, well done. Good entertainment throughout the 2 weeks. Monday at sea, and the Connections party. Got to put names to screen names and faces. Wandered the ship to see how she was since I was last on her a few years ago. I felt that as other posters on this and other ships always seem to find signs of wear tear and aging I would see what I could find. I am glad that my eyesight is still good, as I found 2 or 3 small areas that need prompt repair - The Horror!:p Then the 1st Formal night, and I noticed from my Champagne Bar perch, at first most men were in Tuxedos, by the time dinner rolled around there were a few more dark suits than Tuxes, but no jeans or casual wear noticed at all. First port of call was to be Georgetown Grand Caymen Island. The winds did not allow us to get in to the Harbour, but we were allowed to stay "adrift" a few miles away, along with 3 Carnival ships. There were cabs/mini vans aplenty to take the hordes downtown, $5.00 per person each way. Having been there before, I just went shore to purchase a bottle of Rum to bring home. Found the brand I wanted quickly and easily and for $10.00 it was a very good deal! Back at the embarkation area, somewhat confusing with all the Carnival Pax milling around as well, but soon found my way to the X tenders and was back on board. Any booze purchased on G.C.will be sent to the ship by the store. I was Ok with this, but do feel that a receipt or note could be slipped under the stateroom door or delivered with the daily saying that a bottle is being held for you having been delivered. I think this would ease some possible worries. After another day at sea, it was into Cartagena. I somehow missed the CC group I was supposed to join up with:o but did manage to get a tour right at the dock. There is a lot of very evident poverty in the town with a lot of beggars especailly in the Old Town. My tour went 1st to an Emearl Store with an Emerald Museum, then to an Emerald Museum with a Store, and then to a shopping area with a lot of Emerald Shops! I seemed to sense a trend here! Finally we did get into the Old Town. Again a lot of beggars and "salesmen". Senor:Sunglasses how bout a watch? (All Sunglasses Genuine Ray Bans, all watches Rolex! I would have never thought that Rolex could be purchased in such large quantaties for so little!!!!:D) T Shirt salesmen would start at tthe front of the group work their way to the back, being always polite, then would usually leave us alone till about 2 blocks later! Unfortunately we did not get into the Fortress nor the Palace etc. I am a History Buff and will have to go back to explore thes spots in depth. Then next morning up bright and early for the Canal. I do suggest the book Path Between the Seas, read this to get a full understanding of how the Canal was built. Steam power, no Laser Levels, computers GPS or anything! I heard the onboard lecturer give a talk on the Canal, but he forgot that the ship had more than just Americans on board, and kept referring to American actions prior to the Canal being built as "us" and "we". Further trying to be funny he managed to insult every Canadian on board when talking about the Northwest Passage.:mad: Celebrity should find a better lecturer than this one. However the Canal itself is amazing, and worth doing again. I stayed at the front of the ship all day, but saw on videos that I might have gotten a better feel for things if I had been at the back or a side of the ship. Oh well, great sunburn to show for it! Next Port of Call was Puntarenas Costa Rica. No problem getting a tour here either. Some fabulous scenery to be seen, amazing country side. There is an area not too far from the ship where a lot of Crocodiles can be seen, from a very nice distance! couldn't help but wonder how many early explorers met their doom paddling down that stretch of river in a small boat!:eek: Then a day at sea to Huatulco, small town, some nice views but not much else. Up to Acapulco big busy town. Having been here before I took a beach break tour to the Pierre ***** Hotel, fabulous spot with a very nice bus to get us there and back, and a very good buffet lunch. That night I went to the Gran Cru dinner in the SS United States Restaurant. Sorry to say the dinner was not worth nearly the $130.00 charged. Having tried Princess' Chefs' Table Dinner I was expecting something similar. Not even close and Princess is much less expensive! Sorry X you blew it here! Then another sea day to Los Cabos. Should have stayed on board, been here before and nothing new! Another sea day and then into San Diego to finish. US Customs and Immigration are not as good in San Diego as every other US Port I have sailed into. I am used to being off a ship by a little after 8:00 A.M. we were not cleared until just before 10:00 A.M.!:confused: Not the fault of X at all, but I must wonder why it can not be done electronically? Our Passports are "swiped" as we check in, we have recorded them to get our Boarding Passes, and X collected all non US passports two days prior to arrival, to be handed back as we reported for clearance from US officials. At San Pedro or Fort Luaderdale it runs a lot more smoothly than this! Because of this delay and despite the heroic efforts of a superb cabbie, I missed my 10:30 flight. Alaska Airlines ground staff told me that the Cruise Lines rarely put anyone on a flight before noon as they know that things can be delayed. I was able to standby and lucked out, getting the next flight up to Seattle and home with less of a wait in Seattle than I would have had before. Finally to close, Infinity is in fine shape, the crew and staff are pleasent polite and helpfull. My room Steward on a couple of occasions saw me heading to my room and left off what he was doing, to open my door for me! All staff will look you in the eye, and greet you with a smile. I will go back on X sooner than later, they just do most everything a bit better than the other lines. I will be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have.

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Lois R Great Review Rare

Lois R

Posted
Posted

Guess I am getting old because I can't seem to find where the

sentences start and end:eek::confused: I am trying to read the review but not having much luck.

Wish you could put some paragraphs in there to make it easier to follow.:(

I can't tell if you had a good time or not.....

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red knight

red knight

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Sorry, it does not read as I felt I had typed it! I guess I went a bit much "flow of conciousness" rather than concentrating on how the finished product would read.

 

The Ship is in Great Shape, Fine Itinerary - Good Ports of Call overall, and the Canal is ultra interesting.

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bikinibottom

bikinibottom

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Hello C,

We enjoyed meeting you on this trip. I also enjoyed reading your review - I appreciate your dry sense of humor ;)

I, too, was surprised at the long disembarkation process - in our past cruises into SD we were kicked off the ship by 8:00ish - I was wondering if it was because of the number on international passengers - anyway it was a long time. We did not get off the ship until 11:00 which really didn't matter since we did not have to catch a flight.

We also enjoyed the cruise and will continue to cruise on X in the future.

Take care, C.J.

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shipshape sam Great Review Rare

shipshape sam

Posted
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Jut off the Trans Canal March 28 to April 11, so some views and commments on the ship and the itinerary. I go to FLL early afternoon and faced a long lineup to get onboard on a very humid afternoon, oh well, I am there and I will get on. I heard later that the ship was not at her regular beth so things were a bit chaotic. The line moved well and soon I was declaring that I was free of every know illness save for lackofcruiseitis which would soon be cured anyways! Then I progressed fare enough to see a seperate line for Suite Concierge Select and Elite Pax. Yahoo! I am Select so forward I go. Soon pose for the usual Bon Voyage Photo- never turn out well no matter how hard the Photog tries! My fault not theirs, then for the Seapass Mug shot, a spritz of Purell, and on I went. X Greeted us with Champagne or Orange Juice, wish I had had the OJ as the Champagne was rather sickeningly sweet, oh well! Then found my cabin, and changed out of travelling clothes, and went to meet other CC sorts at the pool bar before Lifeboat drill. Lifeboat drill has changed since last I was on X, as now you do not have to carry or wear your lifejacket, bonus IMHO! Down to the Casino, then out to the Lifeboat station, and soon it is all done. We were late away from Port Everglades as a lot of stores did not get loaded in the usual time, possibly something to do with the rumored change of berths. A while later went down to shower and get ready for the evening. My suitcase still had not arrived, but I met my Room Steward and he promised to track it down asap. He meant it too! One of the many good run ins I had with him. Late sitting upstairs. First of many good dinners with one of the best tables I have ever had on any cruise line. Got to know my table mates a bit and they me and we hit it off famously! The introductory show after dinner was, as all the Presentation Shows were, well done. Good entertainment throughout the 2 weeks. Monday at sea, and the Connections party. Got to put names to screen names and faces. Wandered the ship to see how she was since I was last on her a few years ago. I felt that as other posters on this and other ships always seem to find signs of wear tear and aging I would see what I could find. I am glad that my eyesight is still good, as I found 2 or 3 small areas that need prompt repair - The Horror!:p Then the 1st Formal night, and I noticed from my Champagne Bar perch, at first most men were in Tuxedos, by the time dinner rolled around there were a few more dark suits than Tuxes, but no jeans or casual wear noticed at all. First port of call was to be Georgetown Grand Caymen Island. The winds did not allow us to get in to the Harbour, but we were allowed to stay "adrift" a few miles away, along with 3 Carnival ships. There were cabs/mini vans aplenty to take the hordes downtown, $5.00 per person each way. Having been there before, I just went shore to purchase a bottle of Rum to bring home. Found the brand I wanted quickly and easily and for $10.00 it was a very good deal! Back at the embarkation area, somewhat confusing with all the Carnival Pax milling around as well, but soon found my way to the X tenders and was back on board. Any booze purchased on G.C.will be sent to the ship by the store. I was Ok with this, but do feel that a receipt or note could be slipped under the stateroom door or delivered with the daily saying that a bottle is being held for you having been delivered. I think this would ease some possible worries. After another day at sea, it was into Cartagena. I somehow missed the CC group I was supposed to join up with:o but did manage to get a tour right at the dock. There is a lot of very evident poverty in the town with a lot of beggars especailly in the Old Town. My tour went 1st to an Emearl Store with an Emerald Museum, then to an Emerald Museum with a Store, and then to a shopping area with a lot of Emerald Shops! I seemed to sense a trend here! Finally we did get into the Old Town. Again a lot of beggars and "salesmen". Senor:Sunglasses how bout a watch? (All Sunglasses Genuine Ray Bans, all watches Rolex! I would have never thought that Rolex could be purchased in such large quantaties for so little!!!!:D) T Shirt salesmen would start at tthe front of the group work their way to the back, being always polite, then would usually leave us alone till about 2 blocks later! Unfortunately we did not get into the Fortress nor the Palace etc. I am a History Buff and will have to go back to explore thes spots in depth. Then next morning up bright and early for the Canal. I do suggest the book Path Between the Seas, read this to get a full understanding of how the Canal was built. Steam power, no Laser Levels, computers GPS or anything! I heard the onboard lecturer give a talk on the Canal, but he forgot that the ship had more than just Americans on board, and kept referring to American actions prior to the Canal being built as "us" and "we". Further trying to be funny he managed to insult every Canadian on board when talking about the Northwest Passage.:mad: Celebrity should find a better lecturer than this one. However the Canal itself is amazing, and worth doing again. I stayed at the front of the ship all day, but saw on videos that I might have gotten a better feel for things if I had been at the back or a side of the ship. Oh well, great sunburn to show for it! Next Port of Call was Puntarenas Costa Rica. No problem getting a tour here either. Some fabulous scenery to be seen, amazing country side. There is an area not too far from the ship where a lot of Crocodiles can be seen, from a very nice distance! couldn't help but wonder how many early explorers met their doom paddling down that stretch of river in a small boat!:eek: Then a day at sea to Huatulco, small town, some nice views but not much else. Up to Acapulco big busy town. Having been here before I took a beach break tour to the Pierre ***** Hotel, fabulous spot with a very nice bus to get us there and back, and a very good buffet lunch. That night I went to the Gran Cru dinner in the SS United States Restaurant. Sorry to say the dinner was not worth nearly the $130.00 charged. Having tried Princess' Chefs' Table Dinner I was expecting something similar. Not even close and Princess is much less expensive! Sorry X you blew it here! Then another sea day to Los Cabos. Should have stayed on board, been here before and nothing new! Another sea day and then into San Diego to finish. US Customs and Immigration are not as good in San Diego as every other US Port I have sailed into. I am used to being off a ship by a little after 8:00 A.M. we were not cleared until just before 10:00 A.M.!:confused: Not the fault of X at all, but I must wonder why it can not be done electronically? Our Passports are "swiped" as we check in, we have recorded them to get our Boarding Passes, and X collected all non US passports two days prior to arrival, to be handed back as we reported for clearance from US officials. At San Pedro or Fort Luaderdale it runs a lot more smoothly than this! Because of this delay and despite the heroic efforts of a superb cabbie, I missed my 10:30 flight. Alaska Airlines ground staff told me that the Cruise Lines rarely put anyone on a flight before noon as they know that things can be delayed. I was able to standby and lucked out, getting the next flight up to Seattle and home with less of a wait in Seattle than I would have had before. Finally to close, Infinity is in fine shape, the crew and staff are pleasent polite and helpfull. My room Steward on a couple of occasions saw me heading to my room and left off what he was doing, to open my door for me! All staff will look you in the eye, and greet you with a smile. I will go back on X sooner than later, they just do most everything a bit better than the other lines. I will be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have.

 

Thanks for posting! Like to hear positive posts about Infinity also!!!

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red knight

red knight

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Food and Service in MDR: Late Sitting 8:30 large table. Very good Waiter superb food. One of my Table mates was allergic to Wheat products, and she was blown away with the level of attention and service that the Staff gave her. She had sailed on Princess where a Waiter would possibly advise her of things she might not be able to eat. Here she was given Gluten Free bread each evening and a look at the nexts nights menue so that the Kitchen could properly prepare food for her. Pretty sure I know which line she will go back to!:D

 

Did not eat that much up in the OV. However when I did, the food was good. Fresh Pasta was quite tasty, Pizza could have been better, but then again I did not have any fresh made to order. Sushi- well I live in a City where on many streeets you can throw a rock in any direction and hit at least one Sushi Bar! So I found what they had to be alright but not as good as I can get at home, and very limited choices. Ice Cream and Sorbets BONUS! Nice way to adjust your temperature after a day in high heat and humidity!

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Lois R Great Review Rare

Lois R

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Posted
Thanks for posting. I had no trouble reading or following it. Was very interested to read the comments on the present condition of ship. Any comments on food and service in MDR and Oceanview?

 

Like I said, I must be getting old. Glad everyone else had no trouble

reading it.

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Starry Nights

Starry Nights

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Just off the Trans Canal March 28 to April 11, so some views and commments on the ship and the itinerary.

 

I go to FLL early afternoon and faced a long lineup to get onboard on a very humid afternoon, oh well, I am there and I will get on. I heard later that the ship was not at her regular beth so things were a bit chaotic.

 

The line moved well and soon I was declaring that I was free of every know illness save for lackofcruiseitis which would soon be cured anyways! Then I progressed fare enough to see a seperate line for Suite Concierge Select and Elite Pax. Yahoo! I am Select so forward I go.

 

Soon pose for the usual Bon Voyage Photo- never turn out well no matter how hard the Photog tries! My fault not theirs, then for the Seapass Mug shot, a spritz of Purell, and on I went. X Greeted us with Champagne or Orange Juice, wish I had had the OJ as the Champagne was rather sickeningly sweet, oh well!

 

Then found my cabin, and changed out of travelling clothes, and went to meet other CC sorts at the pool bar before Lifeboat drill. Lifeboat drill has changed since last I was on X, as now you do not have to carry or wear your lifejacket, bonus IMHO! Down to the Casino, then out to the Lifeboat station, and soon it is all done.

 

We were late away from Port Everglades as a lot of stores did not get loaded in the usual time, possibly something to do with the rumored change of berths. A while later went down to shower and get ready for the evening. My suitcase still had not arrived, but I met my Room Steward and he promised to track it down asap. He meant it too! One of the many good run ins I had with him.

 

Late sitting upstairs. First of many good dinners with one of the best tables I have ever had on any cruise line. Got to know my table mates a bit and they me and we hit it off famously!

 

The introductory show after dinner was, as all the Presentation Shows were, well done. Good entertainment throughout the 2 weeks.

 

Monday at sea, and the Connections party. Got to put names to screen names and faces.

 

Wandered the ship to see how she was since I was last on her a few years ago. I felt that as other posters on this and other ships always seem to find signs of wear tear and aging I would see what I could find. I am glad that my eyesight is still good, as I found 2 or 3 small areas that need prompt repair - The Horror!:p

 

Then the 1st Formal night, and I noticed from my Champagne Bar perch, at first most men were in Tuxedos, by the time dinner rolled around there were a few more dark suits than Tuxes, but no jeans or casual wear noticed at all.

 

First port of call was to be Georgetown Grand Caymen Island. The winds did not allow us to get in to the Harbour, but we were allowed to stay "adrift" a few miles away, along with 3 Carnival ships. There were cabs/mini vans aplenty to take the hordes downtown, $5.00 per person each way.

 

Having been there before, I just went shore to purchase a bottle of Rum to bring home. Found the brand I wanted quickly and easily and for $10.00 it was a very good deal! Back at the embarkation area, somewhat confusing with all the Carnival Pax milling around as well, but soon found my way to the X tenders and was back on board. Any booze purchased on G.C.will be sent to the ship by the store. I was Ok with this, but do feel that a receipt or note could be slipped under the stateroom door or delivered with the daily saying that a bottle is being held for you having been delivered. I think this would ease some possible worries.

 

After another day at sea, it was into Cartagena. I somehow missed the CC group I was supposed to join up with:o but did manage to get a tour right at the dock. There is a lot of very evident poverty in the town with a lot of beggars especailly in the Old Town. My tour went 1st to an Emearl Store with an Emerald Museum, then to an Emerald Museum with a Store, and then to a shopping area with a lot of Emerald Shops! I seemed to sense a trend here! Finally we did get into the Old Town. Again a lot of beggars and "salesmen". Senor:Sunglasses how bout a watch? (All Sunglasses Genuine Ray Bans, all watches Rolex! I would have never thought that Rolex could be purchased in such large quantaties for so little!!!!:D) T Shirt salesmen would start at tthe front of the group work their way to the back, being always polite, then would usually leave us alone till about 2 blocks later! Unfortunately we did not get into the Fortress nor the Palace etc. I am a History Buff and will have to go back to explore thes spots in depth.

 

Then next morning up bright and early for the Canal. I do suggest the book Path Between the Seas, read this to get a full understanding of how the Canal was built. Steam power, no Laser Levels, computers GPS or anything!

 

I heard the onboard lecturer give a talk on the Canal, but he forgot that the ship had more than just Americans on board, and kept referring to American actions prior to the Canal being built as "us" and "we". Further trying to be funny he managed to insult every Canadian on board when talking about the Northwest Passage.:mad: Celebrity should find a better lecturer than this one.

 

However the Canal itself is amazing, and worth doing again. I stayed at the front of the ship all day, but saw on videos that I might have gotten a better feel for things if I had been at the back or a side of the ship. Oh well, great sunburn to show for it!

 

Next Port of Call was Puntarenas Costa Rica. No problem getting a tour here either. Some fabulous scenery to be seen, amazing country side. There is an area not too far from the ship where a lot of Crocodiles can be seen, from a very nice distance! couldn't help but wonder how many early explorers met their doom paddling down that stretch of river in a small boat!:eek:

 

Then a day at sea to Huatulco, small town, some nice views but not much else.

 

Up to Acapulco big busy town. Having been here before I took a beach break tour to the Pierre ***** Hotel, fabulous spot with a very nice bus to get us there and back, and a very good buffet lunch.

 

That night I went to the Gran Cru dinner in the SS United States Restaurant. Sorry to say the dinner was not worth nearly the $130.00 charged. Having tried Princess' Chefs' Table Dinner I was expecting something similar. Not even close and Princess is much less expensive! Sorry X you blew it here!

 

Then another sea day to Los Cabos. Should have stayed on board, been here before and nothing new!

 

Another sea day and then into San Diego to finish. US Customs and Immigration are not as good in San Diego as every other US Port I have sailed into. I am used to being off a ship by a little after 8:00 A.M. we were not cleared until just before 10:00 A.M.!:confused: Not the fault of X at all, but I must wonder why it can not be done electronically? Our Passports are "swiped" as we check in, we have recorded them to get our Boarding Passes, and X collected all non US passports two days prior to arrival, to be handed back as we reported for clearance from US officials. At San Pedro or Fort Luaderdale it runs a lot more smoothly than this!

 

Because of this delay and despite the heroic efforts of a superb cabbie, I missed my 10:30 flight. Alaska Airlines ground staff told me that the Cruise Lines rarely put anyone on a flight before noon as they know that things can be delayed. I was able to standby and lucked out, getting the next flight up to Seattle and home with less of a wait in Seattle than I would have had before.

 

Finally to close, Infinity is in fine shape, the crew and staff are pleasent polite and helpfull. My room Steward on a couple of occasions saw me heading to my room and left off what he was doing, to open my door for me! All staff will look you in the eye, and greet you with a smile. I will go back on X sooner than later, they just do most everything a bit better than the other lines. I will be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have.

 

My apologies to Red Knight if he thinks I am being cheeky. I just wanted to make it easier for LOIS. (And now I have to apologize to Lois for being cheeky.)

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Starry Nights

Starry Nights

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Starry Nights:No apology needed! Thanks for the tidy up.

 

No there was no word on board about any Dry Dock upcoming.

 

You're very welcome.

 

I didn't have any trouble reading it, but it was a good review, and I just wanted to make sure it was available to anyone who thought that one large paragraph was too daunting to attempt. Clearly, I am avoiding other work today ;).

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Lois R Great Review Rare

Lois R

Posted
Posted
Just off the Trans Canal March 28 to April 11, so some views and commments on the ship and the itinerary.

 

I go to FLL early afternoon and faced a long lineup to get onboard on a very humid afternoon, oh well, I am there and I will get on. I heard later that the ship was not at her regular beth so things were a bit chaotic.

 

The line moved well and soon I was declaring that I was free of every know illness save for lackofcruiseitis which would soon be cured anyways! Then I progressed fare enough to see a seperate line for Suite Concierge Select and Elite Pax. Yahoo! I am Select so forward I go.

 

Soon pose for the usual Bon Voyage Photo- never turn out well no matter how hard the Photog tries! My fault not theirs, then for the Seapass Mug shot, a spritz of Purell, and on I went. X Greeted us with Champagne or Orange Juice, wish I had had the OJ as the Champagne was rather sickeningly sweet, oh well!

 

Then found my cabin, and changed out of travelling clothes, and went to meet other CC sorts at the pool bar before Lifeboat drill. Lifeboat drill has changed since last I was on X, as now you do not have to carry or wear your lifejacket, bonus IMHO! Down to the Casino, then out to the Lifeboat station, and soon it is all done.

 

We were late away from Port Everglades as a lot of stores did not get loaded in the usual time, possibly something to do with the rumored change of berths. A while later went down to shower and get ready for the evening. My suitcase still had not arrived, but I met my Room Steward and he promised to track it down asap. He meant it too! One of the many good run ins I had with him.

 

Late sitting upstairs. First of many good dinners with one of the best tables I have ever had on any cruise line. Got to know my table mates a bit and they me and we hit it off famously!

 

The introductory show after dinner was, as all the Presentation Shows were, well done. Good entertainment throughout the 2 weeks.

 

Monday at sea, and the Connections party. Got to put names to screen names and faces.

 

Wandered the ship to see how she was since I was last on her a few years ago. I felt that as other posters on this and other ships always seem to find signs of wear tear and aging I would see what I could find. I am glad that my eyesight is still good, as I found 2 or 3 small areas that need prompt repair - The Horror!:p

 

Then the 1st Formal night, and I noticed from my Champagne Bar perch, at first most men were in Tuxedos, by the time dinner rolled around there were a few more dark suits than Tuxes, but no jeans or casual wear noticed at all.

 

First port of call was to be Georgetown Grand Caymen Island. The winds did not allow us to get in to the Harbour, but we were allowed to stay "adrift" a few miles away, along with 3 Carnival ships. There were cabs/mini vans aplenty to take the hordes downtown, $5.00 per person each way.

 

Having been there before, I just went shore to purchase a bottle of Rum to bring home. Found the brand I wanted quickly and easily and for $10.00 it was a very good deal! Back at the embarkation area, somewhat confusing with all the Carnival Pax milling around as well, but soon found my way to the X tenders and was back on board. Any booze purchased on G.C.will be sent to the ship by the store. I was Ok with this, but do feel that a receipt or note could be slipped under the stateroom door or delivered with the daily saying that a bottle is being held for you having been delivered. I think this would ease some possible worries.

 

After another day at sea, it was into Cartagena. I somehow missed the CC group I was supposed to join up with:o but did manage to get a tour right at the dock. There is a lot of very evident poverty in the town with a lot of beggars especailly in the Old Town. My tour went 1st to an Emearl Store with an Emerald Museum, then to an Emerald Museum with a Store, and then to a shopping area with a lot of Emerald Shops! I seemed to sense a trend here! Finally we did get into the Old Town. Again a lot of beggars and "salesmen". Senor:Sunglasses how bout a watch? (All Sunglasses Genuine Ray Bans, all watches Rolex! I would have never thought that Rolex could be purchased in such large quantaties for so little!!!!:D) T Shirt salesmen would start at tthe front of the group work their way to the back, being always polite, then would usually leave us alone till about 2 blocks later! Unfortunately we did not get into the Fortress nor the Palace etc. I am a History Buff and will have to go back to explore thes spots in depth.

 

Then next morning up bright and early for the Canal. I do suggest the book Path Between the Seas, read this to get a full understanding of how the Canal was built. Steam power, no Laser Levels, computers GPS or anything!

 

I heard the onboard lecturer give a talk on the Canal, but he forgot that the ship had more than just Americans on board, and kept referring to American actions prior to the Canal being built as "us" and "we". Further trying to be funny he managed to insult every Canadian on board when talking about the Northwest Passage.:mad: Celebrity should find a better lecturer than this one.

 

However the Canal itself is amazing, and worth doing again. I stayed at the front of the ship all day, but saw on videos that I might have gotten a better feel for things if I had been at the back or a side of the ship. Oh well, great sunburn to show for it!

 

Next Port of Call was Puntarenas Costa Rica. No problem getting a tour here either. Some fabulous scenery to be seen, amazing country side. There is an area not too far from the ship where a lot of Crocodiles can be seen, from a very nice distance! couldn't help but wonder how many early explorers met their doom paddling down that stretch of river in a small boat!:eek:

 

Then a day at sea to Huatulco, small town, some nice views but not much else.

 

Up to Acapulco big busy town. Having been here before I took a beach break tour to the Pierre ***** Hotel, fabulous spot with a very nice bus to get us there and back, and a very good buffet lunch.

 

That night I went to the Gran Cru dinner in the SS United States Restaurant. Sorry to say the dinner was not worth nearly the $130.00 charged. Having tried Princess' Chefs' Table Dinner I was expecting something similar. Not even close and Princess is much less expensive! Sorry X you blew it here!

 

Then another sea day to Los Cabos. Should have stayed on board, been here before and nothing new!

 

Another sea day and then into San Diego to finish. US Customs and Immigration are not as good in San Diego as every other US Port I have sailed into. I am used to being off a ship by a little after 8:00 A.M. we were not cleared until just before 10:00 A.M.!:confused: Not the fault of X at all, but I must wonder why it can not be done electronically? Our Passports are "swiped" as we check in, we have recorded them to get our Boarding Passes, and X collected all non US passports two days prior to arrival, to be handed back as we reported for clearance from US officials. At San Pedro or Fort Luaderdale it runs a lot more smoothly than this!

 

Because of this delay and despite the heroic efforts of a superb cabbie, I missed my 10:30 flight. Alaska Airlines ground staff told me that the Cruise Lines rarely put anyone on a flight before noon as they know that things can be delayed. I was able to standby and lucked out, getting the next flight up to Seattle and home with less of a wait in Seattle than I would have had before.

 

Finally to close, Infinity is in fine shape, the crew and staff are pleasent polite and helpfull. My room Steward on a couple of occasions saw me heading to my room and left off what he was doing, to open my door for me! All staff will look you in the eye, and greet you with a smile. I will go back on X sooner than later, they just do most everything a bit better than the other lines. I will be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have.

 

My apologies to Red Knight if he thinks I am being cheeky. I just wanted to make it easier for LOIS. (And now I have to apologize to Lois for being cheeky.)

 

Thanks, I was not trying to be rude with my reply. And I wasn't

asking for anything special.......

As I said, it seems I am the only one it bothered so I guess it is just

me.

But thank you for spacing it out.

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xeriod

xeriod

Posted
Posted

" After another day at sea, it was into Cartagena. I somehow missed the CC group I was supposed to join up with:o but did manage to get a tour right at the dock. "

Ahh, you were the missing person as we all sat there on the bus looking at our watches wondering how long we should wait. Sorry we missed you, but we waited untill no one was exiting the ship.

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