Last cruise before Celebrity Infinity dry dock: a good idea?

[travelberlin]

Hi dear CC members,

we are planning a cruise on the Celebrity Infinity just before the ship goes for dry dock. We have been at the Infinity before and although and old ship, it still made a good impression to us. We are concerned that the standards of service, food, etc. will not be the same before going to a refurbishment as in other cruises.

Can anybody share experiences with us?

[Denny01]

Any cruise on Infinity is a great cruise! We all can speculate on what may or may not happen on the cruise before a drydock, so I hope someone with an actual experience chimes in since anything the rest of us can say is just subjective guesswork, including mine.

 

Den

[sddsddean]

My only experience is with Explorer of the Seas before she went into dock in Jan '10. On the 2 days up from the caribbean to Cape Liberty, they replaced carpets in the champagne bar and sports bar. Both were open by the evening, but the champagne bar is right by the end of the Royal Promenade, where they had a lunch buffet that day, and all the bar furniture was stacked outside of it and on the walkways...not very easy to negotiate (and bear in mind this was a Xmas/New Year cruise, so lots of kids and 'older' people). Also, they had guys in survival suits (it was blowing a gale and -2C) stripping the 'carpet' from round the pool area. OK, I know probably no one was going to go sunbathing, but the principal was there that a 'facility' had been removed. Anyway, when we got home we wrote a letter to RCI UK saying what we thought and got a voucher for $150 each. So in conclusion, be prepared for some disruption and if there is, write about it and you might get some vouchers.

 

Simon

[c-legs]

My $0.02......not a good idea.

Service might be along the same mindset....but the ship will be undergoing ''prep work'' towards her ultimate dispatch to the yard, and that will influence the ambience and comfort towards the end of her last revenue cruise. Some crews from the contractors are already on board; some areas end up ''yellow-ribbonned'', some furniture become '' unavailable'', ceiling wire work starts, etc.etc....The service crew , although still very much motivated to give it their best, also suffer some of those minor irritating inconveniences.

Food quality would not suffer.

Management 's attention becomes a little ''divided''....( Bridge, hotel mgr, staff capt, etc.etc...).

If those ''pre-drydock'' issues are not something that would bother you, then go for it. But it will NOT be your standard cruise.

 

My opinion only.

Cheers