Celebrity Infinity 18 Sept 2013 -Wine Cruise?!

[BritLads81]

Hi Lads and Ladies :)

We are an early 30s gay couple taking our first cruise, so thought this may be a good one to start us out!

Would be good to chat with some others that may also be thinking about this trip. Total (cruise) virgins, so get in touch. x

[cublet]

Hi Lads and Ladies :)

We are an early 30s gay couple taking our first cruise, so thought this may be a good one to start us out!

Would be good to chat with some others that may also be thinking about this trip. Total (cruise) virgins, so get in touch. x

 

Hello,

 

As it stands at the moment I won't be with you but if you have any questions about cruising in general or Celebrity in particular, then please ask.:)

 

I will be able to tell you more about this cruise when I come back in November (this year the Constellation is doing it - next year it will be the Infinity).

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[BritLads81]

Thank you. Really appreciate any feedback on this one, as have seen this advertised as a wine cruise on some sites and curious to know how this is planned etc.

PS Cute Avatar! :cool:

[cublet]

Thank you. Really appreciate any feedback on this one, as have seen this advertised as a wine cruise on some sites and curious to know how this is planned etc.

PS Cute Avatar! :cool:

 

Hello,

 

Rudolf doesn't need telling he's cute - he knows.

 

Your cruise is in the 2013/2014 Celebrity brochure - mine is nowhere (it was originally planned as a Holy land cruise but it was changed about 6 months ago). Here is a link to the web pages for my cruise.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/search/searchResultsVacationItinerary.do?packageid=CS12M312&dest=EUROP&shipCode=CS&sailDate=1121118&cabincls=B&promoType=

 

As an idea as to what else is going on on the cruise, download a copy of the excursions brochure from here: https://secure.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/bookShorex.do?pagename=book_shore_excursions

 

But if you look on the 'main' bulletin board for the 18th November 2012, you will see a lot of people organising their own thing.

 

A word of warning: I think the Celebrity website is hosted on some old Amstrad PS2 PCs - be patient.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[BritLads81]

A word of warning: I think the Celebrity website is hosted on some old Amstrad PS2 PCs - be patient.

 

 

Thanks for that. The page has been loading for the last 20 minutes. Should be done by Monday ;)

[cublet]

Thanks for that. The page has been loading for the last 20 minutes. Should be done by Monday ;)

 

Hello,

 

Is there a specific question I can answer, not about Celebrity's computer hardware though?

 

 

The usual ones about the line are:

• Gay Friendly - Yes
  
• Organised/advertised LGBT meetings - Yes, 'organised' as to a specified venue but no more than that, but only 'advertised' on the Community Noticeboard at Guest Relations (along with ones for Bridge players and the like) not in the daily newspaper
  
• Gay friendly fellow passengers - Yes, very much so (OK, you might find the odd Troll as you would anywhere)
  
• Why is the letter 'X' everywhere - X is the letter of the Greek alphabet for Ch in English and the line was founded by the Chandris brothers.
  
• Why go - Quality of service (near 2:1 passenger to staff ratio); food (in specialty restaurants) second only to Oceania at sea (and way ahead of Gordon Ramsay in Claridge's!); flowers everywhere; artwork - originals not copies, eg Warhol & Picasso; all-in-all excellent value for money.
  

If you are looking for lots of sports and organised physical activity (though there are excellent gyms) then this is not for you.

 

I can't tell you anything about the ship as I have only done the Century, Horizon and Eclipse. I suggest you get hold of a Celebrity brochure and if you can, get sight of the Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships to give you a flavour of what to expect. OK, I don't always see eye to eye with Douglas Ward (as he is much shorter than me), but the author of the Berlitz Guide is fair to Celebrity from an older person's point of view. As to the 'older' bit, you will be amongst the youngest UK passengers on board though there will be plenty of young Americans.

 

 

The ideas behind this cruise:

• On board menus and wines themed to the port of call;
  
• Excursions to local vineyards with the ability to bring back on board wine purchases (not usually allowed);
  
• Overnights in port allowing for evening excursions to on-shore restaurants for specialty dining (not usual).
  

For me, I'm going for the ship. I've long wanted to cruise on a Millennium class ship and for me this is the first time one has been in the UK in living memory - though that's not to say I'm going to live on bread and water for 12 days!

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[BritLads81]

Thanks Cublet. We did wonder about the "X" thing they had going on.

 

The clarity on the schedule is just what we were looking for. Partial to some decent wine, so the stop offs sound just the thing. Never realised we could bring back on board. Useful!

 

Really looking forward to the quality aspect of this! :)

[cublet]

<Snip>

 

Never realised we could bring back on board. Useful!

 

Really looking forward to the quality aspect of this! :)

 

Hello,

 

On initial embarkation, you are allowed to bring on board two bottles of 'fine wine' per cabin. I don't know how much the security screening people know about wine but I would not put a £1.99 bottle of Hock in the 'fine wine' category or indeed in my case.

 

This new policy, to be able to bring on board wine purchased on the shore, is a 'first' this year. If people on this year's cruises abuse this policy then it could always be withdrawn. You will be able to consume the wine in your cabin or bring home - but if you want to drink it in a public venue then you will be charged corkage (currently $25 per bottle).

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[dcgeorgie]

You can't go wrong with any celebrity cruise. I would recommend to always book when the kids are in school.

[cublet]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm back!!

 

OK, so any questions - fire away.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet:D

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Here is a link to my review:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=112102

 

It is as much as anything more a review of the ship than the cruise.

 

As your cruise will be on the Infinity, for Ocean Liners read SS United States and for Tuscan Grille read Qsine.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[BritLads81]

Hi Cublet - Just read the review. Good work!

[cublet]

Hi Cublet - Just read the review. Good work!

 

Hello,

 

Many thanks.

 

The thing with travelling solo:( is I have a better opportunity to observe people and places more than anyone travelling with distractions.

 

So do you think you might do it? Any further questions, just fire away.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[themonkey88]

Thinking about booking onto this cruise with Pied piper, as I'm looking to share a room to keep costs down as its just me.

[cublet]

Thinking about booking onto this cruise with Pied piper, as I'm looking to share a room to keep costs down as its just me.

 

Hello,

 

Those prices look very good compared to the Celebrity website's prices.

 

See if you can get a Concierge cabin as you get more goodies compared to ordinary cabins. Aqua is OK if you intend to spend all your time in the spa, otherwise not.

 

Try to book at least one dinner in the SS United States Restaurant - this is 'service as it used to be'.

 

Best wishes,

 

Cublet

[teleskier]

Hi gang - my partner and I will be on board this cruise as well.

 

We'll be staying in London for a few days prior to the cruise. Any London tips would be appreciated.

 

I'm still in the planning phase for the port excursions... nothing decided yet (beyond the London and Paris hotels).

 

Definitely want to visit some of the wineries...

[freshjive1479]

I'm looking at this cruise. Themonkey88 get in touch!

[teleskier]

30 or so days out...

 

We're booked on this cruise and 'most' of our trip activities are also booked, still have a few more details to wrap up for the pre-cruise days.

 

It'd be fun to connect with other FOD or Pied Piper folks on this cruise. We're Pied ourselves.

 

Email me at TrockenBeerenAuslese@outlook.com to say hi or to compare notes.

[retlawv]

30 or so days out...

 

We're booked on this cruise and 'most' of our trip activities are also booked, still have a few more details to wrap up for the pre-cruise days.

 

It'd be fun to connect with other FOD or Pied Piper folks on this cruise. We're Pied ourselves.

 

Email me at TrockenBeerenAuslese@outlook.com to say hi or to compare notes.

 

Steven and Walter here on the September 18th cruise, we are from Oshawa, Ontario Canada. We are both mid 50's in age and have been in a long term relationship of 30 years. We are not part of the pied piper group. We are staying 2 days prior in London, We are not going to Paris as we have been there twice before, we just want to stick to the coastal communities in our travel.

 

just wanted to say hi on this board.

 

walter & steven

[Kruzngrl]

Hi Guys, we will be on this cruise as well (PP group). Looks like a great itinerary. Ann and Rebecca

[teleskier]

Welcome Ann and Rebecca!

 

We're Pied too. So far the other Pied folks are quiet but I suspect that we'll end up with a decent number of folks once onboard.

[teleskier]

It's a bit quiet in here for being so close to the cruise. Where's the energy? Everyone is busy packing? :)

 

It looks like this cruise is sold out.

 

Any other GLB folks joining us?

 

Pied Piper says they will put the schedule of their cruise events under our cabin door on the first day.