Photo Review: Dec 24 2016 15 Night Infinity Cruise around South America

[mahdnc]

TFLG,

 

The South America itinerary is an awesome one; it's great to hear that you are seriously thinking about it. Infinity is slated to do the SA run for 2017-2018 but then Eclipse takes over for her for the 2018-2019 season. Something to think about as you figure out when you want to go. Eclipse is a great ship (the only S-class we have been on) but the many ports that require tendering will be a challenge with the additional passengers.

 

As far as the "old" paint job is concerned, when it first came out, most people on this forum hated it. I remember being taken aback by it, too. But maybe that was like the reception that the new look of these boards are getting.....

[mahdnc]

I was asked about where the Infinity photos were taken during the South American cruise:

 

Jan 6 2017 3:07pm Montevideo, Uruguay

 

 

 

Dec 29 2016 4:53pm Strait of Magellan

 

 

 

Dec 31 2016 5:07pm Ushuaia, Argentina

[mahdnc]

Comparison of Infinity Stateroom 8166, now (Dec 2016) and then (Feb 2002)

 

Dec 24, 2016

 

 

Feb 2, 2002

 

 

Dec 24, 2016 Notice the hairdryer is now missing.

 

 

Feb 2, 2002

 

 

Dec 24, 2002

 

 

Feb 2, 2002

[mahdnc]

Oceanview Cafe!!

 

Omelette station!

 

 

 

Chocolate Fountain!! The ice carving in the background tells what day the photo was taken.

 

 

 

Pasta station!!!

[easyboy]

Your comparison pictures are nice and informative.

[mahdnc]

Thanks, easyboy. Infinity was in excellent shape despite the fifteen years that separated our two cruises. The ship has also undergone some large changes to her deck plan since we last were on her.

[mahdnc]

Dec 24 2016 Vina del Mar. We stayed at the Sheraton there and walked around to explore the town and beach.

 

 

 

Dec 26 2016 Puerto Montt. Waiting in line to get back on the tender at 5:58pm. Infinity ending up leaving after its scheduled 6pm departure. I don't think our sailing had any Zenith passengers. The passenger couple with the most cruises under their belt at the Capt Club reception had 46.

 

 

 

Dec 27 2016 11:40am Tried to obtain an Infinity model for tweele3 from the gift shop, but was unsuccessful. The woman working there in the picture was a very nice person from South Africa. She was new to Celebrity as this was her second cruise.

 

 

 

Dec 28 2016 5:18pm Checking out the Chilean fjords from the aft balcony.

 

 

 

Dec 29 2016 4:04pm Pool time at the Strait of Magellan

 

 

 

Dec 29 2016 8:30pm Evening at the Strait of Magellan. Notice how the weather changed from the pool picture that was taken 4 hours earlier.

[mahdnc]

A few more pictures from our port day at Punta Arenas (Dec 30)

 

 

One of the tour vendors in the port terminal at Punta Arenas.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 7:41am Riding the bus from the pier to the ferry boat that would take us to Magdalena Island to see the Magellanic Penguins.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:20pm A hillside of penguins at Magdalena Island.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:19pm We are slowly making our way back to the ferryboat. The penguins were watching us just as closely as we were watching them.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:24pm This parent penguin and I were looking at each other's family. We both had two kids with us.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 5:33pm. Tender taking passengers back to Infinity from Punta Arenas. The picture is heavily tinted by the windows in the Constellation Lounge.

Edited February 12, 2017 by mahdnc

[I_r_a]

Thanx for a great review, Mah

 

Ira

[mahdnc]

I_r_a, I am glad you like it!

 

 

Dec 30 2016 9:26pm Infinity is sailing towards Mt Sarmiento! One of the nice things about the corner FV cabins is that you can see towards the front of the ship from the balcony. So that evening, I happen to glance forward from our balcony and lo, and behold, I see this giant gleaming mountain. I quickly got to the front of the ship to watch Infinity sail towards the mountain.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 9:29pm

 

 

 

Dec 31 2016 10:08am Aft balcony view of Beagle Channel as Infinity slows down as it approaches Ushuaia. We were due at port at 10am.

 

 

 

Dec 31 2016 11:30am "End of the World" Post Office in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego area).

 

 

 

Dec 31 2016 3:38pm Photo taken during our shore excursion (US01: Milos Radakovishc's Wildlife Explorations: Beagle Navigation & Park.

 

 

 

Dec 31 4:36pm Bull sea lion on the Les Eclaireurs island with the lighthouse on it.

Edited February 13, 2017 by mahdnc

[Bimmer09]

David, thanks for taking the time to post such a great review!

 

This is a bucket list itinerary for me and you've made me want it even more.

 

I haven't been on an M class ship so thanks for showing the Infinity to me in such great photos. Looks like I could easily call it home for a week or two.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[Clarea]

Some of the best photos I've seen in a review, thanks much!

[easyboy]

Oh, what a nice time-sequenced photos. Nice as always.

[mahdnc]

easyboy and clarea, I am glad you like the photos.

 

David, thanks for taking the time to post such a great review!

 

This is a bucket list itinerary for me and you've made me want it even more.

 

I haven't been on an M class ship so thanks for showing the Infinity to me in such great photos. Looks like I could easily call it home for a week or two.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

 

 

Norris,

 

S-class design is very impressive, but there a couple of design features I like about the public spaces on M class that S does not have.

 

The back of the Main Dining Room has two story tall windows that look out the rear of the ship. At the time, this feature was not new to Celebrity as it was also present in the three Century class ships. We once had a table next to these windows aboard Mercury. All I can say is that I was sorry it was only a 7 night cruise!

Dec 31 2016 7:10pm Main Dining Room windows give a nice view out the back of the ship. Really makes the dining room nice and bright during the daytime but awfully tough for taking photos!

 

 

Dec 31 2016 5:07pm Ushuaia. View of the MDR windows from outside the ship.

 

 

Special Photo: Mein Schiff 1 (used to be Celebrity's Galaxy) and Eclipse at St Kitts on Jan 14 2015. Together with the photo above it, you have 3 classes of @sses! The rear of the old Galaxy has the two story windows for the Main Dining Room. Eclipse's rear windows are not as tall and are reserved for the Tuscan Grille specialty restaurant.

 

 

 

And I especially like the mid-ship elevators which have a view of the sea on the port side! During the daytime, the views are really awesome. This design feature is unique to Millennium class ships in Celebrity's fleet.

Jan 5 2017 11:22am Punta del Este. Outside view of the elevator shaft windows!

 

Dec 28 2016 11:37am Chilean fjords. View from inside the glass mid-ship elevators. My daughter was not cooperating in this shot!

[cjcruiser27]

A few more pictures from our port day at Punta Arenas (Dec 30)

 

 

One of the tour vendors in the port terminal at Punta Arenas.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 7:41am Riding the bus from the pier to the ferry boat that would take us to Magdalena Island to see the Magellanic Penguins.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:20pm A hillside of penguins at Magdalena Island.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:19pm We are slowly making our way back to the ferryboat. The penguins were watching us just as closely as we were watching them.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 12:24pm This parent penguin and I were looking at each other's family. We both had two kids with us.

 

 

 

Dec 30 2016 5:33pm. Tender taking passengers back to Infinity from Punta Arenas. The picture is heavily tinted by the windows in the Constellation Lounge.

 

Hi, You have done an excellent review with awesome photos! Thanks for sharing so much! I was wondering if you did a private excursion here or with the ship? Also, when you did the dive tour, did you see anyone snorkeling? I would love to do this when I'm there in Dec. but I don't dive! I wonder how the snorkeling would be. Thanks for your time!

[mahdnc]

Hi, You have done an excellent review with awesome photos! Thanks for sharing so much! I was wondering if you did a private excursion here or with the ship? Also, when you did the dive tour, did you see anyone snorkeling? I would love to do this when I'm there in Dec. but I don't dive! I wonder how the snorkeling would be. Thanks for your time!

 

I signed up my family of 4 for the Magdalena Island Natural Penguin Reserve shore excursion through Celebrity. The tour is done at Punta Arenas. Here is my post about it: Isla Magdelena Tour. This shore excursion was the most expensive one we took during our cruise. Someone on this thread mentioned that they paid $95 for virtually the same tour with soloexpediciones.

 

The diving tour was done at Puerto Madryn and there are three ways to interact with the sea lions in the water: kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.

 

Celebrity has a "Kayaking with Sea Lions" shore excursion at Puerto Madryn but it sold out real fast--well before the cruise. When we were walking around the port, I noticed a couple outfitters that offered the kayaking trip. The funny thing is that I didn't see any kayakers at our dive location. Perhaps they were somewhere else.

 

And yes, you can definitely snorkel with the sea lions. On our dive trip there was one other family on board our little boat. The father and very young son went snorkeling while we went diving. They seemed to really enjoy it. The ship does not offer such a tour, but you can find several outfitters that market this including the one we went with. There was one other boat of snorkelers already there when our boat arrived.

 

Our family of 4 is certified for diving which is why I specifically booked a diving tour. The use of scuba tanks is purely out of convenience so that you can stay submerged for the entire time. The water was not very deep. Maybe 15 ft or so which is why snorkeling works well.

 

 

This is the small company that we used for our dive with the sea lions. They also offered snorkeling. They were very good. Our ship arrived late to port and it took us a long time to get off the ship. Then you had to take a bus ride from the ship to the center of town and then we got a cab. That all took time as we arrived at the dive shop much later than we had planned. My point is that whoever you book your private excursion with, be sure they are flexible enough to handle your actual time of arrival. You don't want to be left behind!

 

 

 

When they weren't swimming, the sea lions were laying on the shore near where our boat was anchored. The people in the water are snorkeling. The water is cold enough that you have to wear a wet suit in order to stay warm. That takes some getting used to, especially if you are diving.

 

 

 

This guy is keeping his eye on us!

 

 

 

 

Blowing bubbles together!

 

 

 

 

The sea lions loved to play. They are fast and agile. They would just pop up from no where!

 

 

 

 

The dive lasted about 40 minutes and then we headed back to shore. It was about a 20 minute ride in each direction.

Edited February 14, 2017 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Jan 2 2017 9:07pm At sea. Heading north to Puerto Madryn, Argentina.

[Buffyr]

I have really enjoyed your trip report. Thank you! Were you able to pay with US dollars or did you need to change to local currency?

 

 

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[mahdnc]

We didn't do that many cash transactions as we paid frequently with a credit card. The few times that we paid in cash at small stores or restaurants, US currency was accepted most of the time. Occasionally, they would give you change back in their local currency. We used taxi drivers a couple of times and they wanted local currency.

[Glendakayself]

Thank you for the review which is a preview of our March 5 B2B Infinity cruise from Buenos Aires to Miami in FV 7202. I am even more excited about the cruise after viewing your review.

[mahdnc]

The FV beneath ours. That'll be nice!

[curtdesilets]

Great Review! We were on Infinity in May 2001, mere months after she was launched. What a classy ship she was. Still looks like a great ship. Infinty has been doing South America and Antarctica for a long long time. Looks like she knows what she is doing.

[cjcruiser27]

Thank you for your review and help on the tours[emoji4]

 

 

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[mahdnc]

Dec 31 2016 5:08pm Infinity at Ushuaia.

 

 

 

Jan 1 2017 6:30am Rainy day at Cape Horn.

 

 

 

Jan 1 2017 7:22am Cape Horn. Lighthouse (middle right) and Memorial for Lost Sailors (extreme right) are visible.

[bunzini]

I have enjoyed your review and stunning photographs. Definitely a cruise for the bucket list!

 

 

 

Do you know if Alejandro was the CD? We are on the Infinity in April and I am really hoping for Alejandro. Thanks.

 

 

I am quite certain he is the CD now. He was on the Equinox in early December but was leaving to go on Infinity. He is my favorite CD!

 

 

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