Geoff&Louise

Well, in all of this, it can only be a good thing for all of us, as it gives us more choice of how to cruise. More ships, more competition, and therefore hopefully better prices to win our business.

Many thanks for your kind replies

We are travelling on the Seaside in May, are not really beach people, and interested in sightseeing tours to get a feel for the Islands we visit. Ideally we like trips just for a few hours, so that we have time to browse the shops around the port. I have already pre-booked the MSC Tulum trip when we dock in Cozumel (as its a long trip and we wanted comfort that the ship would wait if we were delayed returning), but are looking for guidance / suggestions for George Town and Nassau. Happy to use local companies (we usually mix and match between Cruise Line and local tour companies). Many thanks in advance.

When we sailed in September, both Nenad and Victor were exceptional. As several people have commented, Nenad is one of the best maitre'd's we have come across and runs a great team around him. Agree always extremely professional, happy to help in any way he can, and always spends time with every guest. We had several good waiters, but Victor was our favourite and towards the end of our cruise always tried to sit in the area he served. On the last couple of nights I didn't even look at the menu and just asked Victor for his recommendations. For us, Luminae was the best part of our cruise, and if we can afford it, will always try to book a suite just so that we have access to Luminae. Even on sea days when we were still full from breakfast, we would still go to Luminae for lunch just for the experience (albeit only had one small course!).

I was sorry to hear about the lack of attention of the sommelier, when we sailed in September, the sommelier, Enesto, was excellent and always made our meal times very enjoyable. After a couple of visits, as soon as we sat down he would be over with my wife's chosen wine and kept her glass topped up without having to ask. He even joked one evening that they had ran out of her chosen rose due to her consumption levels :D (but to be fair, this was only 2 glasses every evening).

Also, can only repeat Chemmo's comments that on our sailing all officers were extremely visible, especially Captain Leo, who on most port days, was at the bottom of the gangway wishing everyone a good day.

Do you know who chartered it? I just contacted my TA to find out what is going on. Thanks for the info

 

 

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Unfortunately I was not advised who had chartered the ship, just that it had been chartered.

We had booked 25 March 2019 and after contacting Celebrity was advised it had been chartered so changed booking to same itinerary departing 16 March 2019.

We had booked for 25th March and saw that it had disappeared from the web-site. Like you, we were initially told various reasons why, but in the end I was kindly advised by the On-shore Concierge (who had been very helpful in the past) that it had been chartered. Rather than wait for Celebrity to contact me and "bump" us, I re-booked for the same cruise departing on the 16th March to ensure early cabin choice.

Just a quick update on from my original posting, and to say thanks again for everyone's great advice and comments - the "infamous American Girl Doll cruise" certainly brought a smile to my face.

Anyway, after checking various web sites as suggested, I could not find any information about my booked Cruise on Infinity on 25th March 2019 or any indication that it had been chartered, and both myself and TA could get no joy from Celebrity's reservation teams (both UK and Miami) and each time were told slightly conflicting stories (mainly that it was just a Group booking and they could not confirm how many).

I therefore contacted Celebrity's On-Shore Concierge in Miami, who had been very helpful with respect to our previous Eclipse cruise, to see if he could shed any light. Very promptly he kindly made internal enquiries and confirmed that yes, the cruise I had been booked on had been chartered.

After considering all of your good advice, rather than wait for this information to get back to reservations, and at some point advise me that I was going to be bumped due to the charter, to save any future hassle / concern, I have just re-booked another cruise with the same itinerary a couple of weeks earlier to ensure the cabin of our choice. I know I may have been offered some small compensation, but at least I now know that I have a booked cruise to look forward to.

Thanks again to everyone who kindly replied to my thread.

After getting the runaround from Celebrity reservations, I asked a favour from the On-Shore Concierge in Miami who I had dealt before and who has always been extremely helpful, and he kindly confirmed that the Infinity had indeed also been chartered for the cruise I had booked on (25th March). Whilst I could have waited for Celebrity to make me an offer and bump me at some point in the future, to save hassle and ensure my first choice of cabin, I have just rebooked via my TA on the same cruise departing 16th March.

You could always grab a take away coffee from El Bacio and take it up to team earth ( along with a pastry ) :D

Definitely Murano, great experience, especially the table side prepared lobster tail and crepes.

Yes it definitely sounds like it could be cancelled. This is not the cruise I booked.

 

I previously had a 7 night Summit cancelled from San Juan due to a jazz cruise. I actually learned about the cancellation on the Cruise Critic roll call and contracted Travel Agent who knew nothing about it.

 

Last year Royal Carribean also changed departure date and length of sailing of cruise departing Singapore I'd booked. Already had flights booked. Also learned about that on Cruise Critic. Contacted Royal Carribean customer service (based in Guatemala) who denied all knowledge of the date change for a whole week despite me pointing out the cruise being sold with a different sailing date on their website. $100 OBC compensation wasn't enough in light of the non refundable business class flights I'd booked from UK.

 

That's why I always watch roll calls. You always hear it first on Cruise Critic. Hope you find out what's happening soon.

 

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Many thanks - will certainly keep an eye out on Cruise Critic.

I'm also booked on a Western Carribean sailing in March 2019. Which ship & sailing date does this relate to? Last time this happened I got cancelled.

 

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We have booked the 5 night Western Caribbean departing 25th March 2019 on the Infinity. The same cruise departing 16th March in on their web-site still, but our cruise and the next two after have disappeared. We suspect its a charter, but Celebrity are currently just advising it is fully booked with "a large booking". I suspect it will be cancelled at some point, but would rather know as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements and see what other cruises are out there around the same date.

Many thanks to everyone that has kindly replied with their thoughts and suggestions - all very much taken on board, and just shows what a great resource Cruise Critic is.

It's called Golf Delux. If you take the AP-7 from Cartagena towards Los Alcazares, then leave at 790 and head towards Torre-Pacheco on the RM-F30 it's on an industrial estate on the left. If you get to a roundabout you've gone too far and you will see it on your left.

 

 

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Many thanks UKPete, will definitely give the course a visit when we are there next year.

P.S. Really enjoying the review and excellent pictures - especially Murano - I agree its a great restaurant, and looks like you made same choices as my wife and I when we dined there on the Eclipse in September. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

We had 800 out of 2000 from one group. There were special excursions for them and perhaps that was why ours had only part filled coaches. Which was good.

 

Some rooms were used, including the theatre, but it impacted little on us. We were invited to join one room when we wandered around the ship, but no problem. I think Celebrity are quite hard on groups that try and evangelise. We were also often asked if we belonged and were treated to inhouse conversations, but nothing we noticed.

 

I wondered as you have done before going, but it being the only cruise with Celebrity, nothing to compare with. But I have been quite vocal about the issues we did have and you can believe that I would have been vocal about this if we had felt this impacted on us at all.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Many thanks

I’ve been both a part of a part charter and on a cruise where there was a large charter I wasn’t part of.

 

To be honest I noticed very little difference.

 

Some rooms may be closed to general pax at certain times, but as long as the ship is large enough (and I THINK all Celebrity ships would be) I don’t 5hink there’d be much impact.

 

But then I’m pretty easy going when at sea.

Many thanks for your quick response

A few weeks ago we booked a West Caribbean cruise on Celebrity for March 2019. At that time virtually all cabins were available to book. This cruise, amongst others around the same date has now disappeared from Celebrity's and other TA web-sites. I have enquired if the ship had been chartered, and was told that it had not been, but on pushing a little further, I was told that the ship was now fully booked and that there had been a large group booking.

So that I can consider if I should change my booking to another Celebrity cruise at around that time, please could anyone kindly let me know if they have experienced any negative impact from being on a ship that has a very large group on-board (i.e. the ship being used for a large corporate conference event etc.).

Many thanks for any advice - greatly appreciated.

I have the same problem with a 5 night West Caribbean cruise on the Infinity sailing 25 March 2019 booked a few weeks ago. This cruise along with others between the period 25 March and 13th April have all disappeared from every web-site and cruise schedule web-sites. Both my TA and myself have called Celebrity (UK) separately and have been told that my cruise "is now fully booked and on stop sale". I directly asked if it had been "chartered" and was unequivocally told "no it has not been chartered". When I advised that this seemed strange as every other cruise in the Caribbean around this date had well over 50% of their staterooms still available, as was the case when I booked only a couple of weeks ago (I had the choice of virtually any stateroom at that time), after Celebrity representative putting me on hold for a few minutes, she came back saying "there is no charter but there may have been a large group booking". Having read other past posts, I am concerned that there has been a very large group booking that has taken over the majority of the ship, and that this will significantly re-strict on-board activities and freedom of dining etc. Previous posts have mentioned that when a large group booking is on the ship (i.e. the ship being used for a Corporate conference venue) the MDR late sitting was completely taken over, and that the large lounges and theatre were closed to general passengers throughout the day, and in the evenings, even most of the theatre seats were "reserved". I am still trying to find out more, but Celebrity seem to be holding back information on this subject. All I am seeking is clarity so that if necessary I can change the cruise to another Celebrity cruise if necessary. My TA has advised that I should wait and see if they do cancel as I may be offered a good deal on changing the booked cruise to another, but I am concerned that at a later date I would have a greatly reduced choice of cabin.

Hi UKPete,

The crazy golf course near Cartagena certainly does look fun. We kind of know the surrounding area but have never come across the course. Please could you kindly let us know roughly where it is so we can visit it next time we are in the area. Many thanks

We were recently in a Celebrity Suite on the Eclipse and found Luminae to be a great experience, both food and staff.

Great news that MSC are hosting. We are sailing Seaside 19 May 18 and can't wait. We have recently attended a Meet & Mingle on the Celebrity Eclipse that was very well attended by CC members and all senior officers of the ship attended as well. Cruise Critic certainly has pulling power! The Hotel Director on the Eclipse says that he reads CC reports / reviews daily.

There is a charter Western cruise April 8-13

Many thanks for the information

I had been looking ahead to a possible 5 night Western Caribbean cruise on the Infinity, departing 25 March 2019, and had priced up the possibility via Celebrity's web-site.

However, upon looking up this particular cruise late last week, and again over the weekend and today, it appears that you can book a 4 Bahamas night cruise departing 21 March 2019, but then no further cruises are showing on the web-site until a 5 night Western Caribbean cruise departing 13 April 2019 - i.e. effectively a 19 day break.

Does anyone know if the Infinity has been earmarked for a quick dry dock wash and brush up? Or could it be a potential private charter?

Many thanks