Introduction
Overview
Celebrity Infinity has an array of cabin types catering to most budgets.
Three basic types of cabins on Celebrity Infinity are Inside, Ocean View and Veranda, all of which come in at a relatively modest 170 square feet (Veranda cabins also have a small, 38-square-foot balcony). These three cabin types represent the majority of accommodations, but slightly more square footage is found in Concierge Class and AquaClass cabins, where added services and amenities are offered. Concierge guests receive early embarkation and debarkation, wine, fruit and flowers at check-in, an expanded breakfast menu, nightly hors d’oeuvres, and a massaging showerhead. AquaClass guests receive those extras plus a pillow menu, complimentary bathroom amenities, unlimited access to the Persian Garden and can dine in the restaurant Blu. There are also various suites available.
Overview
Our interior cabin was not exactly spacious, but the décor had a bit of flair.
Inside cabins are the cheapest cruising option and they represent 20 percent of the room inventory on Celebrity Infinity. Our cabin was 170 square feet, which is on the small side but we didn’t expect anything substantial. The size is tight for two people but there was a decent amount of storage space. The cabin was serviced twice daily and our ice bucket was refilled without prompting.
Bedroom
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Our bed could be arranged as two single mattresses or linked to create a queen-size bed; the seam between the two mattresses was noticeable but not uncomfortable. The mattress was relatively firm with a pillow-top and four pillows; it provided a good night’s sleep. At the foot of the mattress corners were rounded, making it easier to navigate the confined space. The small, love-seat style couch had a pullout bed, plus there were two pull down bunk beds in the ceiling.
Bathroom
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The bathroom arrangement was compact but adequate, with attractive faux wood paneling that provided an element of warmth. The shower (no tub) was rectangular in size—slightly larger than some we’ve used—but there was a mildew stain on the shower curtain and the retractable clothesline was grungy-looking (either soiled or also infested with mildew). There was no makeup mirror, which would have been handy; a hair dryer was stored under the safe in the closet.
Features
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The cabin’s main lighting system was controlled by a switch at the door, with an additional switch behind the bed pillows—this handled six ceiling lights of various sizes. A pair of blubs on a separate line was found on either side of the mirror over desk, but by itself this was not sufficient for illuminating the room. There was a pair of lamps on either side of the bed, but these were not quite adequate for reading in bed. One touch we liked: there were nightlights to illuminate both the bedroom and bathroom.
Our cabin was equipped with electrical outlets for both U.S. standard (110 volts AC) and European standard (220 volts AC), with two plugs for each at the desk but none for shavers in the bathroom. The TV was a 26-inch flat-screen Samsung, and the unit had slight pivot for viewing from the couch. There was no DVD player but there was a pay-per-view library of 46 movies, mostly recent releases including a number of art-house films—$9.98 each. There were also a dozen adult movies available—perhaps in tribute to Celebrity’s “X” logo?—for $13.99. The TV had some interactive features, the most useful of which accessed room service, including add-ons like flowers, chocolates, cruise mementoes, etc.; we could also check our hotel bill.
The main cabin closet was 36 inches wide, with an additional compartment with six modest-sized drawers, plus a shelf for the safe and another for the hair dryer; the Stilo brand hair dryer could be plugged in at the desk. There were two shelves above the TV but most of this space was taken by extra linens. There was also a pair of drawers on either side of the bed, and luggage could be stored under the bed. The closet doors creaked when opened—a little WD-40, please? We did not stay in the rest of these cabins, but we have summaries here provided by Celebrity Cruises. Note that any photos on this page may be provided directly by the cruise line and not our reviewer.
Ocean View
Window staterooms with a sitting area where you can kick back and relax after a day that has been as busy or easy as you want
Veranda
Spacious staterooms located throughout the ship—each with its own private veranda.
Family Veranda
By far the largest stateroom with a veranda—plenty of room for you and the family.
Concierge Class
Designed for the traveler who settles in nicely to veranda staterooms where little details make a big difference. Savor unexpected delights such as fresh flower arrangements, personalized stationery, and complimentary shoeshine service. The attention to detail will amaze you, even as you sleep on the perfect pillow you've selected from our pillow menu. If personalized Concierge service, priority check-in and priority disembarkation appeal to you, Concierge Class is your clear choice.
AquaClass
These veranda staterooms offer spa elements infused into the stateroom experience and priority seating in the chic AquaClass restaurant, Blu. These spa-inspired staterooms, offer unlimited access to the AquaSpa Persian Garden as well as a host of other soothing extras.
Sky Suite
When you stay in a Sky Suite, you'll enjoy the luxury of European-style butler service. This includes assistance with unpacking and packing. In-suite lunch and dinner service. Afternoon tea. Evening hors d'oeuvres and complimentary in-suite espresso and cappuccino from Café al Bacio.
Celebrity Suite
When you stay in a Celebrity Suite, you'll enjoy the luxury of European-style butler service. This includes assistance with unpacking and packing. In-suite lunch and dinner service. Afternoon tea. Evening hors d'oeuvres and complimentary in-suite espresso and cappuccino from Café al Bacio.
Royal Suite
When you stay in a Royal Suite, you'll enjoy the luxury of European-style butler service. This includes assistance with unpacking and packing. In-suite lunch and dinner service. Afternoon tea. Evening hors d'oeuvres and complimentary in-suite espresso and cappuccino from Café al Bacio. Separate living room and dining area and a veranda with whirlpool and luxurious lounge seating.
Penthouse Suite
When you stay in one of our Penthouse Suites, you'll enjoy the luxury of European-style butler service. This includes assistance with unpacking and packing. In-suite lunch and dinner service. Afternoon tea. Evening hors d'oeuvres and complimentary in-suite espresso and cappuccino from Café al Bacio. We're sure you will be more than happy with the grandeur and scale of the space, along with all the amenities, like the butler's pantry and two interactive audio/visual entertainment systems.
The basic set of amenities was in place.
Room service delivered simple but decent meals.
In-Room Dining Overview
Room service was available 24 hours a day. Orders could be called in or an interactive feature on the TV monitor was available for ordering from the regular menu; this feature took more time than would be taken giving one’s order to a live person, but might prove handy if phone lines were tied up.
The breakfast menu can be delivered between 6:30 and 10:00 a.m., with order forms that could be hung outside the cabin the night prior. The breakfast menu was not available through the interactive TV function, but we were able to place an order by phone one morning. We were told our breakfast would take “45 to 50 minutes, at least,” but our stateroom attendant arrived with the order 29 minutes later. We used the interactive TV to order lunch; the system didn’t indicate how long our delivery would take but it arrived 36 minutes later.
Presentation
On our breakfast tray the eggs and sausage were provided on one plate, covered with a metal top; toast was on a separate smaller plate, wrapped in a cloth napkin. Butter, a container of Heinz marmalade and packets of salt and pepper were on a separate plate with containers of artificial creamer (we ordered milk for our coffee, which came in a separate carton). Our lunch was also delivered on a plate with a metal lid; the bowl of soup was sealed in plastic.
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Food
The breakfast menu was not extensive, but covered the conventional turf sufficiently. Six cold cereal choices ranged from Frosted Flakes to Oat Bran. Egg options on the room service card were a choice of scrambled or plain omelet only; sides of hickory smoked bacon, pork sausage and ham were available. Croissant, Danish and toast (white or wheat) were offered, along with a selection of juices, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and milk.
We specified eggs over easy (a choice not mentioned on the door hanger) and they were nicely cooked, though the yoke broke on one sometime after it left the griddle. One problem: The eggs, sausage and toast were only lukewarm. If the plate had been hot before the food was placed on it, breakfast would have been warmer at delivery. Our coffee, however, was hot, and the grapefruit juice was real juice.
Another day we ordered the chicken noodle soup for lunch, which arrived steaming hot. The soup was unexciting—just broth, small bits of chicken and spaghetti noodles—but perhaps a good bet for passengers with an upset tummy. The long noodles used were a strange choice for us to contend with (using a spoon). We also had the avocado-tomato quesadilla, which was filled with melted jack cheese and a smattering of avocado, with ramekins of sour cream and tomato salsa on the side. Again, nothing exciting—but not disappointing, either.
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Drinks
Our room had a small fridge stocked with various drinks. Hard liquors included 50 ml “nip” bottles of Tanqueray gin, Skyy vodka, Jack Daniel’s bourbon, Barcardi rum and Dewar’s scotch ($6 each), Remy Martin VSOP ($8.50), splits of La Crema chardonnay and Kendall Jackson cabernet sauvignon ($19), and Coors Light and Heineken ($4.50-$5). There was one can each of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Club Soda and Tonic Water, all $2. Evian and Perrier water in 330ml bottles were $2.50, and a 1-liter bottle of Evian was $4. A 15-percent service charge was applied to all minibar purchases.
A small selection of beer and wine was available by the glass through room service.
Dining
The restaurants on Celebrity Infinity served meals that aimed for a compromise between adventurous cuisine and crowd-pleasing favorites—with mixed success.
Overall, we felt the quality of food on Celebrity Infinity fell short, particularly considering the relatively steep add-on to dine at the specialty venues. Trellis, the ship’s main dining room, was an attractive space and the staff was particularly well managed, providing service that was both prompt and efficient. But evening meals, though attractively presented, mostly did not impress with originality or quality—they tasted mass-produced, inelegant, and our desserts were particularly unimpressive. Our Trellis breakfasts were fine, however. Meals at the Oceanview Café were tasty—the buffet venue showcased a good variety of offerings, many of which changed daily, and the salad bar shined.
We enjoyed our dinners at both of the main specialty venues, though at $40 a pop they were a bit of a splurge. The food at SS United States was beautiful to look at and decadent to eat, utilizing good ingredients and cooked to order. Dinner at Qsine was entertaining, with a strong emphasis on an eccentric menu and showy presentations. A third specialty venue, Bistro on Five, costs just $5 for a light meal of crepes, salads and sandwiches—it’s nice for a change of pace (and quieter setting), but not something to go out of your way for.
There were several dining packages available for the two main specialty restaurants, which normally retail for $40 per meal. One was $109 for three dinners at the two venues (a $120 value), the other was $149 for five dinners (a $200 value). Although we enjoyed our dinners at SS United States and Qsine, we didn’t find the meals to be so good as to warrant locking in repeat visits early in the cruise (especially since the three-dinner option works out to only a 9 percent savings). But we took advantage of a 25 percent discount availed for dining at Qsine on the last night of the cruise, negating the value of the first dining package entirely.
There was a good variety of lounges for us to enjoy, several of them geared to specific drinks.
Drinks Overview
With 10 bars—plus cocktail service in restaurants and at the Celebrity Theater—there was always at least one lounge available throughout the day and until after midnight. Favorite spots were the Martini Bar, where bartenders showed off with shakers and ingredients flying through the air, and the Constellation Lounge, a top-deck forward spot with a raised ceiling and windows wrapping the venue for optimal views. But Michael’s Club, the beer option, seemed a bit cool and unwelcoming whenever we stopped by, and the wine bar Cellar Masters was having problems with its enomatic dispensers throughout most of our cruise.
A 15 percent service charge is added to all drink orders. The minimum age for drinking is 21.
Beer & Wine
Available at most of the bars on Celebrity Infinity was a short selection of domestic (U.S.) beers at $4.50 with imports and premiums—including Corona, Red Stripe, Stella Artois, Newcastle Brown Ale and Guinness—ranging $5-$6. Heineken and Amstel Light were on tap at some bars, for $5. An expanded beer list was available at Michael’s Club.
Wine by the glass included Bollini pinot grigio, Clifford Bay sauvignon blanc, Beringer white zinfandel, Rutherford Ranch merlot and Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve pinot noir, at prices ranging $5.50 to $8.50. For sparkling, Domaine Chandon Brut Classic ($9) and Vigneti Fantinel Prosecco ($7) were available. Additional high-end wines were available by the glass at Cellar Masters, using enomatic dispensers.
The ship’s wine list for restaurants was fairly impressive, encompassing about three dozen wines by the glass, and more than 250 available by the bottle. The list was heavy on California but availed a good selection of Old World labels, plus a couple dozen half-bottles priced under $50. The reserve list included such marquee items as Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 ($270), Chateau Latour Pauillac 1998 ($1200) and a 2006 Screaming Eagle ($3000). An expanded wine list was available at SS United States.
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Mixed Drinks
The standard drink menu on Celebrity Infinity was available at most of the bars. “Up” drinks served martini style included Pair of Roses (Grey Goose La Poire vodka, rose syrup, lemon juice and splash of soda), Blueberry Breeze (blueberry vodka, agave nectar, lime, blueberry and pineapple), and the Fresh Cucumber Gimlet (gin, lime juice, cucumber and simple syrup). Alaskan-inspired drinks included Snowflake Cosmo (Grey Goose La Poire vodka, Cointreau, white cranberry juice) and the Ice Pick (Firefly Sweet Tea vodka, lemonade). All were priced $6.50-$8.50.
There was an eclectic list of drinks available at Qsine only.
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Drink Packages
The beverage packages on Celebrity Eclipse are worth investigating, even for non-drinkers; when evaluating options, remember to allow for the 15 percent service charge to be added. There was a bottled water package ($12 per day per guest), unlimited soda ($7 per day) and a non-alcoholic package ($14-$18 per day). The Premium drink package was $54 per day and availed unlimited drinks priced up to $12 (when checking in online, watch for pre-cruise discounts).
Wine packages start at $99 for three bottles. Almost all of the 19 wines available in this package were priced $35 at the ship’s restaurants (save for one notable outlier: Villa Maria sauvignon blanc private bin, which retailed for $45). Savings of 6 percent didn’t seem worth it, but the packages of five and seven bottles were a slightly better deal—if you liked the wines on the list.
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Non-alcoholic Options
Celebrity’s line of non-alcoholic drinks are called Zero-Proof Cocktails, all priced $4. Among these were Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade, Rainbow Punch (orange, lime and pineapple juice, Grenadine and simple syrup, Angostura Bitters and a splash of soda) and the Watermelon Tropic (watermelon syrup, pineapple and lime juice). O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer was available at most bars for $5. Soft drinks were $2.
Coffee was available at multiple locations on Deck 10, including the Oceanview Café and AquaSpa Cafe. Although it was freshly brewed (as opposed to some lines that use a liquid coffee concentrate blended with hot water), we usually found the coffee to be fairly low-grade. From fitness classes to dance instructions, and snazzy bars to a sleek spa, Celebrity Infinity appeals to active cruisers.
The coffee shop aspired to a kind of European elegance that was pleasing.
Café al Bacio & Gelateria
If you want something better than the ship’s coffee your alternative is Café al Bacio, where Lavazza Coffee streams from a proper espresso machine. It’s a nice, central location on Deck 5 availing comfy seating and good people-watching opportunities, but alas, we find the prices a bit extortionate—a good 50 percent or so higher than what we pay at Starbucks. Then again, at Starbucks we’d be paying additional for those delectable pastries and finger sandwiches, the ones that ease out of the pastry case free of charge here. And there’s live classical and other appropriate music, served up on and off through the day and evening.
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Food
The gelato and sorbetto is a good buy, with a dish or cone ranging $3-$5 depending on size. We sampled a few—rum raisin, pistachio, mango, caramel— and found them tasty, if not quite on par with our favorite shops in Venice.
Complimentary desserts included Maracuja chocolate mousse, Amarena almond cake, raspberry dome, tiramisu, and lemon or apricot tartlets. Among the savory items in the pastry case were dainty two-bite sandwiches including ham and Swiss, salami and cream cheese, pumpernickel and smoked salmon, etc. A waitress came through the seating area offering treats from a box of chocolates from time to time.
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Drink
Our drinks were well made, but the basic espresso or macchiato was $3-$4, while a cappuccino, latte, caffé mocha or caramel macchiato set us back $4.50. With service charge, your basic Café Americano comes to $5.18. There’s a good selection of more than a dozen teas from Tea Forte ($4), iced teas ($5), ice cream-and-coffee concoctions ($5-$6), plus spiked coffee drinks ($6) and a small selection of wines by the glass.
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Additional Details
Café al Bacio and the gelateria were open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The common areas of the ship were attractively designed in a clean, modern style.
Grand Foyer
This two-story foyer at mid-ship served as Celebrity Infinity’s lobby and nerve center, with the Guest Relations desk, the Shore Excursions desk, the Future Cruise Sales office and a sweeping staircase illuminated from within. Just off the lobby was the SS United States Restaurant and two conference rooms.
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The fitness center was a contemporary space with a good selection of classes led by the ship’s trainers.
Fitness Center
The ship’s fitness center was perched at the front of Deck 10, looking out on the sea panorama. Stocked with relatively new LifeFitness machines, we found most equipment in use during prime hours, though we experienced no major waits for a steed of our own. Some of the newer treadmills had mounted TV screens, the slightly older bikes did not.
Sports and Fitness
Various fitness classes were offered during our cruise. Yoga, Spinning and Pilates were $12 per session; Body Sculpt Boot Camp was $69 for two sessions and $120 for four. Morning and evening stretching sessions, Fab Abs and Les, Bums and Tums were offered at no charge. Others, such as a Complimentary Foot Analysis and Detox for Health and Weight Loss, were preludes to sales pitches.
Additional Details
The gym was open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Basketball Court
On the ship’s highest deck, tucked right behind the funnels, is a basketball court. Though largely protected from headwinds, we found the court to be unusually dirty and unappealing. The ship’s Emporium didn’t offer much we can’t find at home, but the tax-free Mac products caught our eye.
The Emporium
A series of shops leads from midship on Deck 5 forward to the Celebrity Theater, and while we found a few baubles worth browsing, most of the selection duplicates what we see on other ships. This included the Royal Faberge collection of bejeweled eggs by Theo Faberge, resort wear by Cruise Wear and Co., Fossil and RayBan sunglasses, Nautica shirts, Vanessa Bouton and Big Buddha bags. Fragrances from most of the major lines were represented, plus skin care products by Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder.
The line of logo merchandize included Celebrity model ships, T-shirts, caps, water bottles. A sundries shop had various odds and ends including sun block, toothpaste, razors, tampons, snacks, stuffed animals and sunglasses. One store carried duty free liquor and cigarettes.
At the center of the Emporium was the Emporium Arena, a heady name for a 30-seat venue used for various presentations, including acupuncture and other spa seminars, computer classes, and pitches for the various products sold in the Emporium.
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Photo Gallery
Photographers roam the ship, particularly during designated events (like gangway and embarkation), taking photos of cruisers. Portrait studio photographers are also available for formal sit-down shots. The photos are displayed on racks and available for purchase—$19.95 each for any size up to 8×10. A DVD of the voyage is also available at the end of the cruise, for $34.95.
Photo albums, frames and a small selection of cameras were also sold here, along with binoculars, tripods, batteries and memory cards.
{{ gallery "Venue 26 Overview Photos" }} The ship’s daily newsletter Celebrity Today alerted us to an array of activities, from galley tours to towel folding demos, trivia contests to afternoon tea.
Fun Factory and X Club
Aimed at the under-18 set, Celebrity’s kids programs vary depending on the number and ages of children on board. The cruise we were on had only a few dozen children, while some in summer can have hundreds of kids. Normally, up to five different programs (separated by various ages) are in effect, with age 11 and under handled in the Fun Factory, and 12- to 17-year-olds at the adjacent X Club. But with low teen participation, X Club was closed on our cruise
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Additional Details
Babysitting for children age 12 months and up can be arranged for a fee through Guest Relations, with 24 hours notice.
Library
The library was cut in half during the 2011 ship refurbishment (the upstairs level was converted to the iLounge), so there’s a fairly abbreviated selection of books on the shelves. No travel books were in stock that we could find.
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Celebrity iLounge
Added in 2011, this computer lounge is focused on Apple’s Mac platform, and MacBook Pros are available for guest internet. The ambiance is defined by wall-size screens marketing Apple products—it’s not a very subdued place for web surfing, though we appreciated the Mac focus. WiFi rates started at .75 per minute and packages pushed the per-minute rate down.
Classes were also offered (at an additional charge); the venue is closed when the 30-minute classes are in session.
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Conference Rooms
Two conference rooms were available for meetings on the ship, accessed through a dramatic, golden hallway on Deck 3.
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The bigger shows were at the Celebrity Theater, but there were worthwhile music acts in a variety of styles in other venues around the ship.
Celebrity Theater
The main theater on Celebrity Infinity is an attractive space, and was used for a variety of events. There was an evening turned over to the ship’s orchestra, while another evening had the show “Boogie Wonderland,” a neon-hued tribute to the disco era featuring one-minute renditions of hits from the 70s and 80s by a spry young cast of 15 singers and dancers. One night there was a comedian with a PG-rated act, and a magician on another evening. By day, the venue was used for bingo and a destination specialist presented educational shows about our ports of call.
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Nightlife and Shows
Good musicians and dancers were aboard, along with a PG-rated comedian, but we didn’t experience anything we’d jump and down for.
The main pool and sun area at mid-ship on decks 10-11 is an inviting space.
Pools and Decks
There were two main pool areas—one indoors, one out—offering different ambience throughout the day.
Pool Deck
The main pool deck on Celebrity Infinity was a fetching piece of real estate on Deck 10, with airy pergolas floating above day beds and loungers and cool tunes coming through the sound system at most hours. A small stage allowed for a band to play, though this only happened on embarkation day on our particular cruise. There were two pools: a 4-foot-deep splash pool and a longer pool suitable for short laps, dropping from 5½ feet at one end to 6-feet, 2-inches at the other. Rounding out the facilities were a pair of elevated whirlpool tubs, shower outdoor stalls and table tennis.
Other events taking place here included ring toss, table tennis, bean bag challenge, golf putting competitions—all announced in the ship’s daily newsletter.
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Solarium
Infinity’s beautiful indoor elevated Thalassotherapy pool was topped by a glass roof and offered a more sedate environment for soaking than the main pool area. The pool was 4½ feet at its deepest. There were also two whirlpools and a wall of nozzles providing invigorating showers. Children were not allowed to use the Solarium facilities.
Only complaint: The soothing jets of water at each corner of the pool created a lot of noise—there were no surfaces to absorb the sound that echoed through the facility. Then again, after spending any amount of time on the Solarium’s loungers, the white noise tended to fade into the background.
The AquaSpa Café was behind a wall of the Solarium, providing each access to quick, healthy bites through much of the day.
{{ gallery "Venue 20 Overview Photos" }} The layout of upper decks is quirky—in part due to the 2011 addition of new cabins and venue space.
Pool Deck
The main pool deck on Celebrity Infinity was a fetching piece of real estate on Deck 10, with airy pergolas floating above day beds and loungers and cool tunes coming through the sound system at most hours. A small stage allowed for a band to play, though this only happened on embarkation day on our particular cruise. There were two pools: a 4-foot-deep splash pool and a longer pool suitable for short laps, dropping from 5½ feet at one end to 6-feet, 2-inches at the other. Rounding out the facilities were a pair of elevated whirlpool tubs, shower outdoor stalls and table tennis.
Other events taking place here included ring toss, table tennis, bean bag challenge, golf putting competitions—all announced in the ship’s daily newsletter.
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Deck 11
This deck saw the bulk of the ship’s changes during a November 2011 refurbishment that added 60 cabins. A jogging track used to wrap around most of Deck 11, but additions have blocked access to rear area of this deck; the jogging track is now fairly abbreviated—nine loops equals about a mile.
Sun loungers ring the area overlooking the main pool area on Deck 10.
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Deck 12
An expansive split-level top deck serves as additional space for sun loungers. It was rarely utilized on our cruise.
{{ gallery "Venue 24 Overview Photos" }} The crew was professional and engaging, and services were handled efficiently.
Services & Staff
The deck plan is par for the course, until you reach the recently reconfigured top decks.
Ship Tour Overview
The crew seemed well trained and courteous, and most of the ship’s policies were pro forma.
Staff
We didn’t really have any disappointing experiences with the crew of Celebrity Infinity, and we enjoyed the international flavor of the staff.
The two main specialty restaurants were well staffed, though we found on a very quiet night at SS United States that the meal was slowly paced to a fault—empty plates sat around after almost every course.
Before re-boarding the ship at ports of call, hot coffee and tea was offered next to security—it was a good way of handling the line when a large number of passengers decide to board at once.
Tipping
Celebrity recommends a tip of $11.50 per day, per guest for crewmember services, other than bartenders; the amount is increased to $12 for guests in Concierge Class or Aqua Class, and $15 for guests in suites. The amount is broken down for Waiter ($3.65 per day), Assistant Waiter ($2.10), Dining Room management ($1) and the balance going to the cabin steward. The charge is automatically added to the bill during the cruise (and, according to Celebrity, 48 hours prior to disembarkation the amounts are locked in).
For bar service a 15 percent service charge is automatically added onto all beverage tabs, including minibar purchases. A 15 percent surcharge was also added for spa services.
Dress Codes and Alcohol Policy
Dress on Celebrity Infinity was fairly casual by day, but suits and cocktail dresses came out on formal nights, two nights of our seven-night cruise.
For Celebrity, formal is a cocktail dress, gown or dressy pant suite for ladies and a tux, suit or dinner jacket with slacks for gentlemen (full or partial tuxes can be rented from guest relations). On other nights, after 6:00 p.m. smart casual attire is the minimum: Skirt or pants for ladies with a sweater or blouse, pants with sports shirt or sweater for the gents. Holes, rips or torn clothing are considered unacceptable.
T-shorts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are not allowed into the dining room or specialty restaurants at any time; shorts and flip flops are not allowed in evening hours.
Celebrity allows guests to bring aboard two bottles of wine per cabin on embarkation day (subject to the ship’s corkage fee of $25 when opened in bars or restaurants). Liquor purchased during port calls was confiscated, to be collected at disembarkation. The drinking age is 21, though Celebrity says on certain itineraries (where local laws permit) the drinking age may be adjusted to 18.
Loyalty Programs
Celebrity’s frequent-cruise program is the Captain’s Club. Guests may enroll in the program following their first cruise with Celebrity. Each cruise earns a tier credit, with additional credits earned by sailing 12 nights or longer (including Cruisetours) or by staying in a Concierge Class cabin or better.
At the basic, Classic level, members receive a one-category space-available upgrade prior to sailing, are invited to a private onboard reception, and have access to a Loyalty Desk during the cruise. Additional benefits are received after attaining 5 tier credits (Select membership) and 10 tier credits (Elite membership).
Laundry Facilities
There were no self-service laundry or ironing facilities available on the ship, but dry cleaning was offered at the usual inflated prices, with next-day turnaround; same-day service incurred a 50 percent surcharge. We saw no problems with safety or health issues during our cruise.
General Health and Safety
A muster drill was held just prior to embarkation the first day. Names were checked off a list as we arrived for the safety briefing. We were not required to bring life jackets from our cabin to the drill.
During the Muster Drill, guests were urged to familiarize themselves with the ship’s Guest Conduct Policy, a five-page document in the cabin directory that covers abusive language, alcohol consumption, smoking, children, and more.
Clinics
A medical center is located on Deck 1 and was staffed daily from 8 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. A doctor and nurse are on-call for emergencies at all hours.
Smoking Regulations
Celebrity Infinity is designated as non-smoking, but with several areas of the ship provided for smokers. This included one side of the Pool Deck (but not the Solarium area) and the port side of the Sunset Bar.
Cabins and their balconies were designated as non-smoking areas, as was Fortunes Casino.
Conclusion
There were many elements we enjoyed on our cruise aboard Celebrity Infinity. The ship’s common areas are contemporary and strikingly designed, with well-chosen modern artwork in the hallways and stairwells. We liked the variety of live music performed in various venues around the ship, ranging from easy-listening guitar to a cappella group to string quartet that played alongside coffee and gelato at Café al Bacio. The spa was beautifully designed and the fitness room well stocked with equipment. On our cruise, we found a wide age range aboard, predominantly couples in their 30s and up, with a smattering of international guests.
Our room was a fairly standard inside cabin, made somewhat more appealing by its attractive décor and a wall-to-wall mirror on the end designed to open up the confined space. The layout was effectively utilized, but no one should book a 170-square-foot cabin on Celebrity Infinity and expect commodious surroundings; it’s a tight fit for two.
Celebrity does a fair job with its enrichment program. Although some of these sessions lead right into sales pitches (“Detox for Health and Weight Loss”), others were more interesting, including a watercolor painter and an expert who gave enthralling destination talks. There were fees for a few other presentations, including wine seminars and Mac computer and iPad lessons. Shows in the Celebrity Theater were good, though not exceptional, though the solid cast of singers, musicians and dancers was much appreciated.
We were not wowed by the dining experience on Celebrity Infinity, and considering the steep add-on charge the specialty restaurants incur, this shouldn’t have been the case. While the food at SS United States was delicious and an evening at Qsine was entertaining, neither experience quite justified a $40 tab. We were impressed with how efficiently Trellis Dining Room operated, turning over tables swiftly so that most guests on the Select Dining plan never had to wait for one. But too bad the meals tasted a bit like fast food as well.
Starting with Celebrity Constellation in 2010, Celebrity Cruises has “solsticized” all of its older Millennium Class ships, involving an extensive overhaul that incorporated a number of improvements in the aesthetics and amenities of these four ships. Elements from the Solstice Class vessels—such as the AquaClass cabins, Qsine, Celebrity iLounge—were added to Infinity in 2011. To include some of these features, another deck was attached fore and aft, allowing for an additional 60 cabins.
But Celebrity Infinity is not really interchangeable with the Solstice Class vessels. For starters, cabins on the Solstice class ships are about 10 percent larger than those on Celebrity Infinity. We found some common areas of Celebrity Eclipse (a real Solstice class ship) to be more spacious—the gym alone is almost twice the size of the one on Infinity (though Infinity’s gym was rarely crowded on our cruise). On Eclipse there’s an additional dining venue (Tuscan Grill), an additional lounge (the terrific Molecular Bar), a proper disco, a more versatile theater for big shows, the popular hot glass demonstrations, and the top deck offers a half-acre of real grass. The new interior space added to Infinity during the overhaul has resulted in some curious dead-ends on Deck 11 aft—the addition of Qsine prevents easy access to the ship’s aft interior, for instance, and the jogging track has shrunk—it now takes more than nine loops to walk or jog a mile.
Finally, Celebrity Infinity is more than a decade old now, and we saw upkeep issues that made the ship seem a bit frayed at the edges. We were surprised to find some un-refurbished areas that were worn out or hadn’t been looked after. There were a number of windows where exterior paint had been slopped on, or where window tinting was cracked and peeling. Areas of the ship that were refurbished or augmented are mostly great and on par with Celebrity’s newer ships. But if all things were equal with itinerary and pricing, we’d opt for a cruise on a true Solstice Class ship over Celebrity Infinity. The main dining room on Celebrity Infinity was well managed and service was efficient, but the food was mostly mediocre.
Overview
This two-story restaurant is strikingly designed, with big porthole windows running along the sides. Guests on the traditional dining plan are seated downstairs, on Deck 4, while those opting for Celebrity’s Select Dining plan are accommodated on Deck 5. There were some two-seat tables found along windows on Deck 5, but otherwise window seats were limited to tables of eight or more. For those on the Select Dining plan food was delivered swiftly and tables were cleared promptly, to make room for the next diners, allowing most of these tables to be turned three times or more (compared to only two seatings in the lower section).
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Food
Our roasted beet and feta salad was uninteresting—a dressing with more spark would have better married the beet cubes, feta chunks and arugula. Preparing a basic Caesar salad should be a no-brainer, but using Romaine lettuce past its prime and lathering it in pre-mixed dressing made for a poor foundation for sprinkling the croutons and sheets of parmesan. Another evening our plate of Boston lettuce with blue cheese and croutons was simple but better than other salads we had. A cheesy polenta dish swathed in hearty mushroom sauce was a satisfying appetizer.
Of our entrées, the seafood risotto is good and flavorful—not quite al dente but not overcooked or mushy. But the breaded pork chop was boring, lacking moisture or sizzle, and the sweet potato pie was an oddly unwelcome taste of Thanksgiving. Filet mignon, ordered medium-rare, was overcooked; a replacement was brought that was the right temperature, but the meat was lifeless and short on flavor, wrapped in a paper-thin ribbon of bacon.
The menu advertised Atlantic salmon, which we thought was odd since we were sailing in salmon-rich Alaskan waters; we inquired why and the waiter checked with his supervisor, returning to tell us the salmon was Alaskan. The dish was okay, nicely seasoned and cooked, but the flavor didn’t ring as fresh. Then, on a galley tour, a fellow passenger inquired where the salmon came from; the chef told us the salmon was Atlantic, a direct contradiction of what the waiter had said.
Desserts we tried we uniformly disappointing, including cherries jubilee that were swamped in a gloppy sauce. Another evening we ordered the cheese plate, and cheesecake was delivered first by mistake. But this was quickly corrected with a plate of slices looking (and tasting) much like those used for a deli sandwich. A few grapes and dates perked up the dish, but we felt we’d been sold a false bill of goods.
Breakfasts were fine, with the usual array of egg dishes and a daily omelet selection (the Greek omelet was tasty). We found the pastries to be sub-par.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard cocktail list was available, along with wines by the bottle and glass. The wine selection was solid and our sommelier was on the ball, both attentive and familiar with the options.
Other Activities
On a sea day late in our cruise, the main dining room was transformed for a colorful buffet brunch. Although most of the items were similar to the usual offerings at the Oceanview Café, the spread was impressive, adorned with ice sculptures. In addition to the usual breakfast items we found a large selection of prepared salads and salad bar, a pasta bar, carving stations with smoked ham and leg of lamb, fillet mignon and a dessert table anchored by a pair of chocolate fountains—one white, one dark—with fruit on skewers at the ready.
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Additional Details
There were two seatings nightly at Trellis, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Guests may also opt for the Select Dining plan, dining any time from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Breakfast hours varied slightly depending on port schedules but were generally between 7 and 9 a.m. Lunch was served from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., but not daily; brunch was served on the last sea day, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The buffet spread was diverse, well organized and satisfying.
Overview
Celebrity does buffets well, and the one on Infinity was no exception. Located on Deck 10 aft, the food lines were split into port and starboard sides that offered mostly identical selections (during setup and shutdown one side or the other was closed). The area was well lighted and traffic was usually uncongested. Tables flanked the buffet lines, lining the windows, with a smaller dining area outside around the Sunset Bar where smoking was allowed on one side.
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Food
At lunch and dinner, food options included a solid salad bar with toppings such as almonds, sesame seeds, cranberries, wasabi peas and croutons, a pasta station with an array of vegetables, sauces and other ingredients that can be stirred into a pan with pre-cooked pasta, and a carving station that changed daily. Other hot stations featured such items as chicken saltimbocca, grilled flank steaks, roasted chicken with balsalmic onions, pork cassoulet. A section for Asian stir-fry dishes (tofu and eggplant curry with lemongrass, steamed bok choy, congee with condiments) and Indian dishes, such as beef and mushroom red curry. There was a fresh sushi station, while we found the pizzas on offer to be fairly thick and doughy. A large selection of breads including focaccia, bagel, pretzel, rye, whole grain ciabatta, wheat brioche; gluten free bread was available on request.
For dessert there was an ice cream station that included frozen yogurt and an array of pastries and cakes.
At breakfast we found a wide selection that covered all the expected fare, and a little more. The cold section included sliced fruit, breads including English muffins and bagels, a small section of deli-style cheese slices. There was a variety of egg dishes, including scrambled, eggs benedict, quiche, an omelet station and poached eggs served with caramelized onion, with a waffle, with hash, or served Scottish, Mexican or German style. There were about a half-dozen cold cereals served from cylindrical clear tubes—the major brands, at least two of which were mislabeled—along with hot oatmeal, offered with walnuts, dried cranberries and almond slivers. Waffles, pancakes and blintzes were available, piled with whipped cream, blueberries or strawberries.
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Drinks
A small bar near the entrance to the buffet had a limited selection of beer, wine and soft drinks for sale. Other drinks could be ordered from the Sunset Bar, to the rear of the buffet.
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Additional Details
Something was available at the buffet from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. Specific meal hours were breakfast from 6 to 11:30 a.m. (with a more limited selection the first and last hour), lunch from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 6 to 9:30 p.m. There were additional options between set meals times, including a pizza station that opened from 11:30 a.m.; a soup and sandwich section open from 12 noon to 3 p.m.; and the pasta and salad bars were open from noon till 11 p.m. daily. This was a fine spot for an elegant and quiet meal in the French tradition.
Overview
Located just off the main lobby on Deck 2, the SS United States is named after the largest ocean liner built entirely in the United States, in 1952. With a few pieces of furniture and memorabilia from the original ship posing in the restaurant’s entryway, along with china replicating the pattern of the original ship, the décor provides a curious contrast with Celebrity Infinity’s otherwise design-forward look. But the restaurant also provides a break from the mostly humdrum food we found elsewhere on the ship, and the fairly attentive service and subdued surroundings were welcoming. We felt the $40 add-on for dinner was a bit high, but the food quality far exceeded that of the other restaurants on this ship; lunch—at $25—was a somewhat smaller meal, but equally satisfying and a fair value.
On our cruise, we never saw the SS United States remotely full, and there was an abundance of staff—about one per table on a slow night. A couple quibbles: With so much staff, we wondered why empty plates sat in front of us after each course at dinner; a lunch date was more efficiently managed. Also, we despised the cloying piano- and synthesizer-heavy music track that dominates the quiet room—much of it sounds smarmy, dated. The soundtrack lasts an hour and then repeats; suffering through the elevator-style rendition of “I Just Called to Say I Love You” three times in one evening was painful.
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Food
Dinner began with a curious amuse bouche: pear and grated cheddar cheese in cream with maraschino cherry. It was positively retro in taste, perhaps a tip of the hat to the menu of the original SS United States (a factoid we weren’t able to confirm). Fortunately the dinner found its footing with a perfect dish of porcini and morel risotto—prepared to the tooth, not heavy, and with the mushrooms providing a warm blanket of flavor, a halo of evanescent truffle foam ringing the dish. We also enjoyed the diver scallop, prepared “Wellington style” in a puff pastry, sitting in a tarn of spinach “fondue”; pearls of black truffle emulsion circled in repose.
For our main course we chose the SS United States lobster, which was prepared tableside—simply (but decadently) flambéed with cream, Dijon, cognac and bacon. The rich dish was another trip back in time, but we weren’t complaining; using quality lobster meat was key to its success. We ordered dessert but first the cheese trolley was rolled out, loaded with a fine array of European cheeses, a beaker of honey, and grapes and crackers—we could hardly resist. The selection far outshined the miserly cheese plate offering at Trellis Dining Room.
We also dined here at lunch, a very quiet experience/ We enjoyed the crab salad with delicate slivers of orange and grapefruit and fat drops of pesto and a ring of citrus emulsion—a perfect starter. We also liked the roasted beet salad, accompanied by marbles of goat cheese and a hazelnut flavored vinaigrette. This dish put a similar one at Trellis to shame. For entrée we went all out with the herb marinated lamb chops, a generous portion that arose from a delicious bog of ratatouille. The dessert list at lunch was just three items long, but the gianduja soufflé with a dollop of Donatella gelato was an indulgent finish to the very enjoyable meal.
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Drinks
The ship’s most extensive wine list is available at SS United States. Although there were a couple wines priced less, most by the glass options ranged $11-$19. Among the 11 half-bottles available was Tattinger Brut Champagne ($44), Cakebread chardonnay ($49) and Seghesio zinfandel ($37). Otherwise, this was the place to splash out, with a number of showy options from California and France, in particular.
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Additional Details
SS United States was open for dinner nightly from 6 to 11 p.m. Reservations were advised, but we never once saw it full, and ask the maître d’ about discount coupons that might be availed. Lunch was offered on one sea day, from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Lunch was not mentioned in any of the copious ship literature; we learned of it only when asking the restaurant’s maître d’. Similarly, the Champagne High Tea on the last afternoon of the cruise was not mentioned anywhere that we could find.
A five-course “Gastronomic and Vineyard Tour” is also available at SS United States. Guests choosing this option select from a list of 10 regular menu items, each paired with an upmarket wine. This option is $89 including the wines, and the 3-ounce wine pairings looked to be a fair value to justify the $49 add-on to the regular meal price (relative to what was being poured). A globe-girdling array of tastes are prepared with a pop sensibility at this specialty dining venue.
Overview
Pronounced “cuisine,” this offbeat dinner venue provides a fun evening out, as well as being a welcome alternative to the bland fare in the main dining room. The airy room is awash in white, with black and orange accents throughout, upside-down lamps suspended from the ceiling, and menus provided on iPads.
Located in an isolated bunker atop Deck 11, there is a $40 surcharge to dine at this specialty venue, a fee we found a bit high relative to the quality of the food, which is not exactly a refined culinary experience. Instead, the focus is on branding—the overall meal feels like it’s guided by Miami-nurtured marketing and design consultants with cute ideas, more than being the vision of a nimble chef. Each dish and drink has its own logo and individualized plate-ware and glassware (Riedel stem-less for wine). Small knives, forks, spoons are kept on the table in buckets and jars—the utensils are handsome to look at but were awkward in our hands.
But our meal at Qsine was entertaining. It’s a safe environment for sampling foreign cuisines, and it’s a good bet for larger parties who can best utilize the family-style dining arrangements. One small hurdle to be aware of when ordering: The menu does not segregate items by courses; dishes vary greatly in size, from appetizer-sized items of just a few bites to full on entrée-size portions that could easily be shared by four or more people. You won’t go away hungry, but consult with your server to avoid too much food coming to the table.
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Food
Our meal started with an unfamiliar type of bread roll from South Africa that was deliciously cheesy and quickly followed by the Qsine Greens, a salad of five lettuces—predominantly arugula with lots of fresh peppery kick, topped with a slab of baked goat cheese. A sweet pomegranate “emulsion” came in a squeeze bottle to dress the greens. Our dish of Disco Shrimp was fun and light, served in a martini-style glass propped inside a bowl with flashing blue cubes sparkling under the shrimp. We didn’t much care for the Vegetable du “Jatour,” a roster of nine different vegetable purees. We were told to select four—we chose carrot-cardamom, broccoli-cheddar, cauliflower-apple and parsnip-shallot—and they were delivered in four jars. The purees were ultra-smooth and loaded with lots of cream; they tasted much like baby food, but probably weren’t as good for us.
The Taco Royale arrived as a do-it-yourself assembly station; taco shells, sirloin steak oozing with oil and cheddar cheese, and a side of guacamole ingredients—a third of an avocado and little stone bowls containing diced tomato, jalapeno, sour cream, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil (we loved having control over our guac!). But the taco insides were quite oily, and the vessels disintegrated in our hands as we ate. It was a good flavor, but a soft taco option would be welcome. By this point we’d had more than enough to eat, but the Persian Kebab had already been ordered and it turned out to be our favorite item: yogurt-marinated chicken on a sword with vegetables, served over saffron-tinged rice. Though relatively simple, it was most tasty and we plowed through as much of it as we could.
But we had been so stuffed that when a folding cube of dessert items came around, we had to pass. They sounded good—dress-your-own cupcakes might have been our pick. Still, a tray of chocolate covered strawberries came by to tempt us: They were served on wooden sticks that poked out of a tray of real grass. We give high marks for imagination!
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Drinks
The wine list appeared to mirror the ship’s standard list, with a solid list of half-bottles, starting around $17 for Dry Creek sauvignon blanc. But we focused our sights on the drink list, which gave us plenty of quirky choices, each described in detail on the iPad menu.
The Qsine Sangria had a list of ingredients 15 items long, starting with Stelbach Kabinett Riesling and St. Germain elderflower liqueur, macerated overnight with fruit and rose petals to pack in the flavor ($26, in a pitcher for two). The Q-jito involved vials of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, Leblon Cachaca, pineapple juice and simple syrup, lime wedges, chunks of pineapple, fresh basil and mint leaves and a slice of jalapeno pepper. We opted for the Moscow Mule—vodka, ginger beer and lime, served in a tin cup (tagged with logo, of course).
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Additional Details
Qsine was open nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. Watch for discount coupons. There’s a small surcharge for this casual eatery serving crêpes and more, but the classy ambiance and extended operating hours might be worth it.
Overview
The third specialty restaurant on Celebrity Infinity, this bistro was an acceptable spot for light bites at off hours, serving later than any other venue on the ship. The specialty of the house is crêpes—breakfast-y, savory or sweet—plus hot panini sandwiches, a chef salad and soup of the day. But although the food was mostly cooked to order and the $5 surcharge was modest, we still found the add-on charge for the simple menu to be a bit petty.
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Food
There were two fresh soups of the day available and we ordered the vegetable, which was primarily zucchini that wasn’t overcooked till mushy (as with most canned soups); the broth seemed to be primarily tomato and a bit of cream. The satisfying chicken panini was piping hot and piquant; potato chips and a small bowl of diced and dressed vegetables came on the side. We took our waiter’s recommendation for dessert—the Italian crêpe, which he called “the best dessert on the ship.” It was tasty, alright, filled with bananas and topped with Nutella cream, pistachio crumbles and whipped cream.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard cocktail list was available here, along with wines by the glass or bottle.
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Additional Details
Bistro on Five was open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Overlooked by many guests, this hit the spot for us with lighter, healthier meals.
Overview
Hidden behind a wall next to the Solarium, this was a good place for a quick breakfast or lunch, served buffet style. There are a limited number of tables (seating four each), but tables turn quickly and we had no problem securing a spot. Classical music was usually on the sound system, though the water jets in the pool filled the room with white noise. And because the Thalassotherapy pool was for adults only, the Solarium was pretty close to a kid-free area.
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Food
Breakfast included individual plates of sliced fruits and whole fruits—apple, orange, pear, nectarine, papaya and blueberry (many of these were not available elsewhere on the ship). Yogurt and granola with berries were served in a cup, and there was a selection of breads, plus cold cereals and hot oatmeal, with raisins, dried cranberry and walnuts for topping.
At lunch we found a small salad bar with lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, beets, chickpeas, shredded cheddar cheese and cold meats—turkey, ham and tuna. Prepared plates included small portions of gilled grilled polenta cake, and bulgur wheat and tofu, and there was a soup of the day with various bread sticks.
We tried the grilled ahi tuna sandwich served open-face on hearty eight-grain bread with cucumber and dill-spiced yogurt, and a crunchy wild rice and lentil salad. Combined, these made for a wonderful light (cold) meal. Two hot a la carte offerings could also be ordered: broiled, steamed or poached salmon or tuna and grilled or seared pork loin or chicken breast—both served with steamed or grilled veggies and requiring 15 minutes for preparation.
There was a poached fruit bar with an array of choices; one we liked was organic red apples and blueberry poached with black currant and cassis, but we also saw winter plum with cinnamon, thyme and rosemary, and apricot with honey, nutmeg, tarragon and bay leaf. Desserts included yogurt raspberry cake and a semolina flameli, a custard-like dish that we found a bit bland.
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Drinks
Dispensers were available serving fruit punch, lemonade, orange juice and coffee.
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Additional Details
The AquaSpa Café had breakfast available from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m.
Overview
No surprises here—it was burgers and dogs by the pool.
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Food
Toppings included cheese, bacon, sauerkraut, tomato, onion, lettuce, jalapeno pepper, ketchup and mustard, but not much else. French fries and chocolate chip cookies were served on the side.
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Additional Details
The Pool Grill was open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guests staying in suites or AquaClass cabins were invited to this attractive dining room as an alternative to Trellis Dining Room.
Overview
We weren’t staying in a suite or AquaClass cabin, so this restaurant was off-limits to us—as well of most of Infinity’s guests. We’re guessing the food is similar to what is served in Trellis, the ship’s main dining room, but the ambiance is more relaxed and subdued, with no set dining times.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard cocktail list was available, along with wines by the bottle and glass.
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Additional Details
Blu was open for dinner from 6 to 9:30 p.m. nightly. It was also open for breakfast daily, generally 7 or 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 or 9 a.m. The coffee shop aspired to a kind of European elegance that was pleasing.
Overview
If you want something better than the ship’s coffee your alternative is Café al Bacio, where Lavazza Coffee streams from a proper espresso machine. It’s a nice, central location on Deck 5 availing comfy seating and good people-watching opportunities, but alas, we find the prices a bit extortionate—a good 50 percent or so higher than what we pay at Starbucks. Then again, at Starbucks we’d be paying additional for those delectable pastries and finger sandwiches, the ones that ease out of the pastry case free of charge here. And there’s live classical and other appropriate music, served up on and off through the day and evening.
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Food
The gelato and sorbetto is a good buy, with a dish or cone ranging $3-$5 depending on size. We sampled a few—rum raisin, pistachio, mango, caramel— and found them tasty, if not quite on par with our favorite shops in Venice.
Complimentary desserts included Maracuja chocolate mousse, Amarena almond cake, raspberry dome, tiramisu, and lemon or apricot tartlets. Among the savory items in the pastry case were dainty two-bite sandwiches including ham and Swiss, salami and cream cheese, pumpernickel and smoked salmon, etc. A waitress came through the seating area offering treats from a box of chocolates from time to time.
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Drinks
Our drinks were well made, but the basic espresso or macchiato was $3-$4, while a cappuccino, latte, caffé mocha or caramel macchiato set us back $4.50. With service charge, your basic Café Americano comes to $5.18. There’s a good selection of more than a dozen teas from Tea Forte ($4), iced teas ($5), ice cream-and-coffee concoctions ($5-$6), plus spiked coffee drinks ($6) and a small selection of wines by the glass.
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Additional Details
Café al Bacio and the gelateria were open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Overview
This was a great multi-purpose space, awash in cool grays and blues, with lots of natural light streaming in through the wraparound windows as well as a large skylight over the dance floor. By day this area was often deserted, yet it afforded some of the ship’s best views when at sea or coming in to port. In the evening it often becomes the ship’s de facto disco, with a live band kicking up around 10 or 11 p.m., followed by a DJ spinning hits.
One small complaint: During the day, unattended background music played at inconsistent levels—one minute a dance tune would be on the sound system, truly in the background; the next, a pop ditty would blare and conversations were stymied.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard bar menu was available at Constellation Lounge.
Overview
This bar overlooked the main pool area, but it was closed for our cruise through cold-water climes.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard bar menu was available at the Mast Bar.
Overview
This small aft perch on Deck 10 is accessed through the Oceanview Café—in truth, it works best as an outdoor dining area for the buffet. But there’s a full bar here and when the weather cooperates it’s a great landing. Smoking is allowed on the port side of the deck.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard bar menu was available at the Sunset Bar.
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Overview
The wine bar on Celebrity Infinity offers a great way to try out fancy wines without splurging for a bottle, or even a full glass. In addition to a regular bar serving the ship’s standard drink menu, there are several dozen wines are available through the Enomatic Wine Preservation system.
The machines dispense wines directly from the sealed bottle—inert gas preservation minimizes the oxygen that would otherwise change the wine’s character—allowing relatively high-end wines to be tasted days after opening without substantial alteration. Unfortunately, on our cruise there were technical problems with the machines, so they weren’t always operating smoothly.
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Drinks
The Enomatic machines dispense wines in 1-, 3- and 5-ounce pours (the latter being a conventional size glass of wine), with prices scaled accordingly. So, on Celebrity Infinity we could invest $111 for a bottle of Far Niente chardonnay from the bars or restaurants, or $26 for a 5-oz pour, or five bucks for a 1-ounce taste at Cellar Masters. The headliner wine Opus One sold for $217 at the SS United States restaurant, or $10 for 1-ounce pour at Cellar Masters.
Other wines on offer included Jordan cabernet sauvignon ($28 for 5 ounce pour), Ata Rangi pinot noir ($27), Cakebread chardonnay ($20), Bertani pinot grigio ($10).
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Additional Details
The Enomatic machines were available to use 24 hours a day.
Overview
Located at midship, between the casino and the main dining room, Rendez Vous saw a lot of traffic, but most of it was just passing through. Through the day the venue was used for trivia contests, XBOX Kinect and other light games; after dusk the lounge had live music—some of it encouraging ballroom moves on the dance floor.
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Drinks
The ship’s standard bar menu was available at the Rendez Vous Lounge.
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Overview
Cast in cool white, gray and green tones these side-by-side bars overlook the Grand Foyer and specialize in martinis. Circling the main bar is a sheet of frozen metal and soon after opening at 4 p.m., guests start scrawling their names in the frost. A few feet away the freestanding bar Crush showcases more than 30 bottles of vodka and gin, all shrouded in shaved ice. A small selection of caviar plates is available, ranging from Russian Coral ($18) to Golden Golani Osetra ($120), each served with blinis. Combos including a glass or champagne or shot of vodka are available.
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Drinks
There’s a long list of nouveau martinis, plus the classics. Or, step up for a flight of six elixers, ranging from traditional to apple to a raspberry-lemonade martini. The martinis are individually mixed and then shaken in a stack before being simultaneously poured into their respective glasses—a photo-worthy fete. The portions are 3 oz each, making this a solid value for $15 (and a great conversation starter, too).
At Crush, vodkas are organized by new world and old, and some of the more exotic specimens hail from places like Iceland and Kazakhstan. Themed flights of vodkas are also available here. The narrow bar at Crush seats 10 and is serviced by crew from the Martini Bar.
The ship’s standard bar menu is also available at the Martini Bar.
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Overview
Tucked next to the Photo Gallery, this lounge is one of the new additions to Celebrity Infinity for the 2011 renovation, and it’s the spot with the best beer list—so you know we hung out here. The only problem was it felt a bit clubby—at a number of points the venue was closed for private functions and at other times the ambience was curiously unwelcoming. It didn’t feel like the atmosphere of a convivial English pub.
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Drinks
In addition to the ship’s standard list, the bar menu at Michael’s covered more than 60 beers—lagers, ales, porters and stouts, Belgians, wheat beers, ciders, Lambics and fruit beers, listed by type and alcohol content. While the bulk of the list were brews we find easily at home, there were some exotics, including Abita Save Our Shore (an unfiltered pilsner from the Louisiana brewer), Nestbeer Hitachino Wood Aged IPA, and Delerium Tremens. While those finds were priced $12-$24, most of the beers ranged $6 to $9.
Also available were artisanal spirits, including Royal Salute 21-year-old scotch, Suntory “Yamakazi” 18-year-old whiskey, Patrón Reposado tequila, Knob Creek bourbon, Appleton Estate 21-year-old rum.
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Overview
The handsome AquaSpa facility occupies much of Deck 10 forward, leading to the ship’s fitness center overlooking the bow. In addition to treatment rooms, many of which are illuminated by natural light, the AquaSpa includes a full-service salon and the Persian Garden—a quiet spa within the spa that has steam and dry saunas, heated mosaic chairs and hot and cold showers. Among the treatment rooms were some designated for two, for couples massages.
As with many cruise lines, Celebrity’s spas features Elemis products (among others) and treatments are handled by cruise spa giant Steiner Leisure. Prices were higher than comparable treatments at five-star beach resorts. Fifty-minute massages such as Swedish, deep tissue and bamboo ranged $119-$159; 75-minute sessions (including hot stone) were $165-$199; the 50-minute couples massage was $269. Several facials were available—all 50-minute sessions—and priced $119-$169. A one-week pass to the Persian Garden was priced $99 for one, $179 for two (one-day passes are sometimes offered, but weren’t on this cruise). Other spa treatments available included Ionithermie slimming, lime and ginger salt scrub and men’s grooming. Various discount packages and specials popped up throughout the cruise.
The adjoining salon oversaw nail treatments, hair styling and color, waxing, acupuncture, and Botox, Restylane and Perlane cosmetic treatments.
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Overview
The ship’s fitness center was perched at the front of Deck 10, looking out on the sea panorama. Stocked with relatively new LifeFitness machines, we found most equipment in use during prime hours, though we experienced no major waits for a steed of our own. Some of the newer treadmills had mounted TV screens, the slightly older bikes did not.
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Sports & Fitness
Various fitness classes were offered during our cruise. Yoga, Spinning and Pilates were $12 per session; Body Sculpt Boot Camp was $69 for two sessions and $120 for four. Morning and evening stretching sessions, Fab Abs and Les, Bums and Tums were offered at no charge. Others, such as a Complimentary Foot Analysis and Detox for Health and Weight Loss, were preludes to sales pitches.
Additional Details
The gym was open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Overview
The main pool deck on Celebrity Infinity was a fetching piece of real estate on Deck 10, with airy pergolas floating above day beds and loungers and cool tunes coming through the sound system at most hours. A small stage allowed for a band to play, though this only happened on embarkation day on our particular cruise. There were two pools: a 4-foot-deep splash pool and a longer pool suitable for short laps, dropping from 5½ feet at one end to 6-feet, 2-inches at the other. Rounding out the facilities were a pair of elevated whirlpool tubs, shower outdoor stalls and table tennis.
Other events taking place here included ring toss, table tennis, bean bag challenge, golf putting competitions—all announced in the ship’s daily newsletter.
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Drinks
The Pool Bar served the ship’s standard bar menu and was generally open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
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Overview
Infinity’s beautiful indoor elevated Thalassotherapy pool was topped by a glass roof and offered a more sedate environment for soaking than the main pool area. The pool was 4½ feet at its deepest. There were also two whirlpools and a wall of nozzles providing invigorating showers. Children were not allowed to use the Solarium facilities.
Only complaint: The soothing jets of water at each corner of the pool created a lot of noise—there were no surfaces to absorb the sound that echoed through the facility. Then again, after spending any amount of time on the Solarium’s loungers, the white noise tended to fade into the background.
The AquaSpa Café was behind a wall of the Solarium, providing each access to quick, healthy bites through much of the day.
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Overview
Almost 200 slot machines at the Fortunes Casino covered the gamut of traditional games (Double and Triple Diamond, etc.) to modern games like Wheel of Fortune. There were also multi-denomination video poker machines, allowing the guest to program the amount being played. Table games include Roulette, Craps, Blackjack (including single deck), Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Community Stud Poker and Three Card Poker.
Gambling is allowed for guests 18 and older (21 and up when in Alaskan waters). Cash advances up to $2000 per day are available; a 5 percent transaction fee applies (plus a $50 minimum at tables). Lines of credit may also be opened, subject to a casino credit check. The casino has its own bar, offering the ship’s standard drink list, and the entire area is non-smoking.
{{photo_gallery "Venue 21 Overview Photos"}} The common areas of the ship were attractively designed in a clean, modern style.
Overview
This two-story foyer at mid-ship served as Celebrity Infinity’s lobby and nerve center, with the Guest Relations desk, the Shore Excursions desk, the Future Cruise Sales office and a sweeping staircase illuminated from within. Just off the lobby was the SS United States Restaurant and two conference rooms.
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Overview
This deck saw the bulk of the ship’s changes during a November 2011 refurbishment that added 60 cabins. A jogging track used to wrap around most of Deck 11, but additions have blocked access to rear area of this deck; the jogging track is now fairly abbreviated—nine loops equals about a mile.
Sun loungers ring the area overlooking the main pool area on Deck 10.
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Overview
An expansive split-level top deck serves as additional space for sun loungers. It was rarely utilized on our cruise.
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Overview
A series of shops leads from midship on Deck 5 forward to the Celebrity Theater, and while we found a few baubles worth browsing, most of the selection duplicates what we see on other ships. This included the Royal Faberge collection of bejeweled eggs by Theo Faberge, resort wear by Cruise Wear and Co., Fossil and RayBan sunglasses, Nautica shirts, Vanessa Bouton and Big Buddha bags. Fragrances from most of the major lines were represented, plus skin care products by Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder.
The line of logo merchandize included Celebrity model ships, T-shirts, caps, water bottles. A sundries shop had various odds and ends including sun block, toothpaste, razors, tampons, snacks, stuffed animals and sunglasses. One store carried duty free liquor and cigarettes.
At the center of the Emporium was the Emporium Arena, a heady name for a 30-seat venue used for various presentations, including acupuncture and other spa seminars, computer classes, and pitches for the various products sold in the Emporium.
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Overview
Photographers roam the ship, particularly during designated events (like gangway and embarkation), taking photos of cruisers. Portrait studio photographers are also available for formal sit-down shots. The photos are displayed on racks and available for purchase—$19.95 each for any size up to 8×10. A DVD of the voyage is also available at the end of the cruise, for $34.95.
Photo albums, frames and a small selection of cameras were also sold here, along with binoculars, tripods, batteries and memory cards.
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Overview
The main theater on Celebrity Infinity is an attractive space, and was used for a variety of events. There was an evening turned over to the ship’s orchestra, while another evening had the show “Boogie Wonderland,” a neon-hued tribute to the disco era featuring one-minute renditions of hits from the 70s and 80s by a spry young cast of 15 singers and dancers. One night there was a comedian with a PG-rated act, and a magician on another evening. By day, the venue was used for bingo and a destination specialist presented educational shows about our ports of call.
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Overview
Aimed at the under-18 set, Celebrity’s kids programs vary depending on the number and ages of children on board. The cruise we were on had only a few dozen children, while some in summer can have hundreds of kids. Normally, up to five different programs (separated by various ages) are in effect, with age 11 and under handled in the Fun Factory, and 12- to 17-year-olds at the adjacent X Club. But with low teen participation, X Club was closed on our cruise
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Additional Details
Babysitting for children age 12 months and up can be arranged for a fee through Guest Relations, with 24 hours notice.
Overview
The library was cut in half during the 2011 ship refurbishment (the upstairs level was converted to the iLounge), so there’s a fairly abbreviated selection of books on the shelves. No travel books were in stock that we could find.
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Overview
Added in 2011, this computer lounge is focused on Apple’s Mac platform, and MacBook Pros are available for guest internet. The ambiance is defined by wall-size screens marketing Apple products—it’s not a very subdued place for web surfing, though we appreciated the Mac focus. WiFi rates started at .75 per minute and packages pushed the per-minute rate down.
Classes were also offered (at an additional charge); the venue is closed when the 30-minute classes are in session.
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Overview
On the ship’s highest deck, tucked right behind the funnels, is a basketball court. Though largely protected from headwinds, we found the court to be unusually dirty and unappealing.
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Overview
Two conference rooms were available for meetings on the ship, accessed through a dramatic, golden hallway on Deck 3.
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Overview
The outdoor walk-around on Deck 4 would be the ship’s promenade, but for the fore and aft sections of the ship being blocked to public access. Still, it was a nice area for taking in the sea air and sun, and loungers were available. A staircase on either side of the ship led to a small exterior space on Deck 5, both port and starboard.
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