Infinity - what will like about it?

[Flo71]

I am just about to press the button on a Norway cruise with Celebrity on the Infinity.

 

This is our first cruise with celebrity, we are 2 forty somethings and a 12 year old.

 

Will there be enough for my daughter to do? She loved the Ventura with P&O

 

She has read that the game consoles are in the teen area and she is convinced she won't be allowed on them.:rolleyes:

 

I have read some negative things about the Infinity and just wondered will she wow us when we go on board? Is it a good ship for a 10 night trip?

[Flo71]

Well I'm booked, had to get in before offer finished. Hope there are some good things that can be said about Celebrity Infinity.:D

[Christine Frances]

You will love the Infinity!! Spent 29 days on her last year (B2B) and she is really nice. Have no idea what you are looking for but if you like good service and food you will enjoy. As far as your daughter it will depend on the itinerary how many kids are onboard but they do a really good job and they have fun. Don't worry and enjoy your cruise!

[Flo71]

We were tempted by some of the bells and whistles on NCL and Carnival but to be honest we need a real battery recharger and this should be just the ticket.:)

[england1]

We have a regular 2B balcony for our BI cruise in August. Has the furniture been upgraded to S class furniture. Do they have the teak tables?

[cl.klink]

Loved the aft bar area, open air, sit and watch the world sail by with a 270 degree view. Our favorite area on the ship.

[junglejane]

Your 12 year old is old enough for the teen program. They usually break it down 12-14 and 15-17. If there are not enough teens, they may group them together. It's a good idea to encourage your DD to go to the teen meet 'n greet on the first night. Even if she ends up not liking the activities, it will be a good chance to meet others her age.

 

My brother and sister-in-law just got off the Infinity from a Panama Canal cruise. They had a great time overall. They loved the ship, activities, lectures and service. They were a little disappointed in the food served in the MDR and the SS United States. But they were surprised how much they enjoyed Qsine.

[timetravellers]

We found plenty of activities going on all day everyday when we were at sea. Table tennis was very popular with daily competitions organised.

There were lots of different types of dancing sessions, such as Tango classes (this was a South American cruise!), zumba (daily at sea), just dance classes, and some ballroom I think.

Port lectures, quizzes (Brits v the Rest of the World for example!)

The Entertainments Team was small but very active and enthusiastic!

Can't speak for children's activities, sorry.

 

We liked the flow of the ship and the walk through via the shops or the casino.

 

I wouldn't say she has the 'wow' factor when you get on but she makes up for that with a friendly crew and lovely decor.

 

We are on her again in November and we don't usually go on the same ship twice so she must have been good!

 

Have fun! :)

[TLCOhio]

We are finalizing details for our first “down under” visit, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, going from Australia to Auckland/NZ doing 14 days on this ship we loved in the Med in June 2011.

 

BUT, are looking at the Infinity ship for South America, etc. This ship is not quite as new and large as the Solstice, but it has recently been upgraded with many of the popular Solstice features. It holds about 2150 passengers versus 2850 with the Solstice. For those who have been on both the Infinity and the Solstice-class ships, how do you compare, rate the travel experiences and options on these two different classes of ships? Other viewpoints for the Infinity, these areas, etc.??

 

With my wife getting ready to retire from school work (and those schedules) later this month, we will have more future schedule flexibility to sample other locations during this important (and cold in Ohio) January-March period. Should our next option for early 2015 be around the Cape of South America . . . OR . . . something to Antarctica??

 

Celebrity offers both options on the Infinity!!

 

Buenos Aires-Valparaiso Cruise (or reverse) 14 day cruise

Celebrity Infinity, Jan. 4 or 18

Ocean View $2,099 pp or Veranda $2,699.

Departing from Buenos Aires, Montevideo/Uruguay, Punta Del Este/Uruguay, Puerto Madryn/Argentina, Cape Horn/Chile, Ushuaia/Argentina, Punta Arenas/Chile, Strait Of Magellan, Chilean Fjords, Puerto Montt/Chile and finishing in Valparaiso, Chile

Just three sea days. Lots of tendered and dock time in these southern areas to allow more up-close exploring for these dramatic mountain areas, etc.

Personally, I was in Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Punta Del Este in 1987, but that was just me on an international exchange group tour. Very interesting, including also going to the Mendoza wine/mountain area. But, my wife and/or our friends have not been there or close. Super loved Buenos Aires, the Tango, etc.

 

Antarctic Cruise, Feb. 1, 2015 for 14 days on Celebrity Infinity

Ocean View $2,599 pp; Veranda $3,199; six sea days, not seeing that much on southern fjords.

Departing from Buenos Aires, Ushuaia/Argentina, Cape Horn/Chile, Schollart Channel/Antarctica, Paradise Bay/Antarctica, Gerlache Strait and Elephant Island/Antarctica; Port Stanley/Falkland Is; Puerto Madryn/Argentina, Montevideo/Uruguay and back to Buenos Aires.

For these Antarctic areas, there is no tendering and/or docking, just sailing past, if I am understanding correctly.

 

Trade-offs, reactions, comments, suggestions??? We'd like to say we have been to Antarctica, but is just a "sail-by" good enough for there versus seeing closer the great fjords and dramatics settings of southern South America?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 128,673 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

I am just about to press the button on a Norway cruise with Celebrity on the Infinity. This is our first cruise with celebrity, we are 2 forty somethings and a 12 year old. Will there be enough for my daughter to do? She loved the Ventura with P&O. She has read that the game consoles are in the teen area and she is convinced she won't be allowed on them. I have read some negative things about the Infinity and just wondered will she wow us when we go on board? Is it a good ship for a 10 night trip?

 

If you are on one of the 10-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on the Celebrity Infinity, I assume you are departing from Harwich and then visiting Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Alesund, Geiranger, Flam and Bergen. Right?

 

You will visit some nice ports with many interesting options. Visited Oslo in 2008, plus four of the other ports in July 2010. Don't know your personal likes and interests, nor those of your daughter, but there are great places/options in these areas. When are you visiting there. Below are a few notes and pictures for what you can see there. Check out my full live/blog for more pictures, info and ideas. Just post on that site and I am happy to answer any and all added questions that will help.

 

As the seat of Norway’s medieval kingdom of Norway for six centuries, Bergen is a former Viking stronghold encircled by deep fjords, towering mountains, and sweeping glaciers. Today's Bergen has much of the medieval flavor remaining around Bergen's harbor. We explored the cobblestone streets, saw its pastel-color wooden houses, bargained in some of the many artisans' workshops and visited the famous and always-entertaining Fish Market. You can watch the locals haggling over today's catch and enjoy a quayside lunch of freshly caught salmon or fish and chips.

 

Rated by Frommers as more scenic than Oslo, Bergen was the base of the medieval Hanseatic merchants. Those historic timbered houses are set around Bryggen or The Wharf, a center for crafts and workshops. Its prime row is mostly reconstructed 14th-century structures, some of which were originally destroyed by fire. Det Hansseatiske Museum depicts commercial life on the wharf in the early 18th century and is highly rates with well-preserved wooden structure. Its art museums are highly-rated with religious icons, local art, etc.

 

In the afternoon, after some of the big crowds had lessened, we took the Floibanen funicular railway to the top of a 1050-foot high peak for scenic views. This cable car has been operating for over 80 years and was refurbished in 2002. The Funicular Lower Station is situated 150 meters from the Fish Market. At the top of the Mount Floyen, there are hiking trails and places for lunch or dinner. The trip takes seven minutes and both cars are on the same cable going up and down. Mariakirken or St. Mary’s Church is the most outstanding Romanesque church in Norway. Bergen is Norway’s largest port and has a population of 252,000. Scenic Bergen completed our voyage with its dramatic backdrop of seven rounded mountains and cobble-stoned streets. It entices you to take memories and photos cherishing the land of the Norsemen.

 

Their good and helpful Tourism Office can be accessed on the web at: http://www.visitbergen.com/en

 

We docked at the fairly handy Skoltegrunskaien Pier. This put us within about a 10-15 minute walk of the main attractions at the market and warehouse area.

 

Flam, with a population of about 500, is nestled in a tributary of the world's longest and deepest fjord. It is 128 miles long and has a maximum depth of 4,291 feet. On the question of how deep are these fjords, local say: “A mermaid could swim all the way to China.” The chief attraction here is the 73-year-old Flam Railway. It is widely known as one of the world's best railroad journeys. It includes twenty tunnels and eight stops as it goes up the mountain. This rail lines rises from Flam’s gingerbread rail station going up 2,835 feet to Myrdal and this "Roof of Norway" rail station. Railroad website: http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng.

 

Alesund’s architecture is characterized by its turrets, spires, medieval-romantic frontages . and other whimsical touches that give this town its distinctive style. It is like something from a fairytale. On the night of January 23, 1904, the town, built largely of wood, was totally destroyed at night by gale-aided flames. Only one person died, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter. Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm vacationed nearby and sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters. The town was rebuilt in stone, brick and mortar in Jugendstil or Art Nouveau, the architectural style of the time. This design reflects a “romance with the past” and highlights Nordic mythology along its winding streets. To honor Wilhelm, one of the most frequented streets of the city is named after him. The town has an unusually consistent architecture, most of the buildings having been built between 1904 and 1907.

 

More Alesund area info at:

http://www.visitalesund-geiranger.com/en

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 105,470 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here is one picture giving you a sampling of the skies and views for these beautiful internal coastlines of the fjords. Being up on the top of the boat can provide great view on BOTH sides as you sail up and down these various fjords.

 

 

 

This is the dramatic overview of Alesund from the Aksla vantage point. This spot allows a nearly 360-degree view of this setting for this island city and the surrounding mountains and islands. It is at a 597’ height overlooking the five islands making up the scenic town.:

 

 

 

Here’s a close look at these historic Bergen Hanseatic merchant warehouse building fronts, people taking pictures, etc. Super loved the charm, character, history and beauty in Bergen.:

 

 

 

Here is one of highlights from the Flam train ride, including the views of the valleys, nearby mountains, etc. Lots of great views on this routing, up and down. :

 

 

 

This picture shows the main, historic fortress next to where many cruise ships dock in Oslo. The fortress construction started around the late 1290’s. The very interesting Norwegian Resistance museum can be visited there. Norwegian Royalty have been buried in the Royal Mausoleum in the castle. A portion of this fortress was replicated at the Norway pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center.:

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. We went there, but it was totally “socked in”. It was so thick, you could barely find your bus on this day on top of the big mountain crowded with lots of buses from the Costa ship. But this view, at a lower level, makes up for that problems and provided a wonderful vista.: