Buckeye94 as LIVE as I can be: Infinity 2 Jan 2023 Patagonia and Argentina

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, kathynorth said:

 

We did Iguazu Falls as a DIY in Dec 2018. I posted a summary of our plan on the South America board. You can probably find it by searching for my screen name and my posts from early 2019.

Tried finding you post but your oldest post available on CC is Sept 19, 2020.  They must have deleted them when they updated the software.

 

Would really like to do Iguazu Falls on our own. 

[kathynorth]

41 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Tried finding you post but your oldest post available on CC is Sept 19, 2020.  They must have deleted them when they updated the software.

 

Would really like to do Iguazu Falls on our own. 

 

Hi Jim, I was able to revive the post and I bumped it so it now shows in the South America thread. Here's the link. My only regret is that we didn't stay another night so we could take a trip to the Brazil side. The cost for excursions from the vendor stationed in the lower hotel lobby were very reasonable, much better than what we were seeing advertised by online tour agencies. 

 

 

 

[Buckeye94]

1.5 hours to check in. Now I'm on the shuttle bus over to the ship. Unreal. Still better than a day in the office, but my patience is in my checked bag. 😂 First thing I'll unpack. I knew I should have put it in my carryon.

[$hip to $hore]

7 hours ago, Buckeye94 said:

I feel like Princess Anna. It's Embarkation Day! 

 

Wish I could have seen more of Santiago. Next time! 

Do the Royal wave, we are doing the same back to you.

[mahdnc]

5 hours ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

Ack... we're on the 23 March sailing this year, and these wakeup times seem brutal for scenic cruising. Maybe they'll just keep the disco going all night in the observation lounge and we'll get to see them on our way to bed in the morning? 😉

 

I totally understand.  I was the only one in my family that got up as Infinity sailed thru Glacier Alley.  However it was the only time during the cruise that we saw glaciers that close to the ship.  If you are hoping to see it from the comfort of your cabin, you need to be on the port (left) side or in an aft balcony cabin.

 

Holanda Glacier, Dec 31 2016

Edited January 2, 2023 by mahdnc

[beachluver9]

4 hours ago, gizmodog said:

Will you address when you can if there is a $9.95 delivery room service fee on the Infinity? Also if the burgers at the mast bar are still complimentary.

I will be on her next month and am reading all sorts of stuff that celebrity is supposedly imposing. Would love to hear from someone actually on the ship.

We are on Infinity at the end of the month.  They have updated the app and now there is in fact the ugly fee for room service with the exception of the following:  continental breakfast (all cabins are free) and suites still have free room service with the same special menu 24 hrs a day

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, kathynorth said:

 

Hi Jim, I was able to revive the post and I bumped it so it now shows in the South America thread. Here's the link. My only regret is that we didn't stay another night so we could take a trip to the Brazil side. The cost for excursions from the vendor stationed in the lower hotel lobby were very reasonable, much better than what we were seeing advertised by online tour agencies. 

 

 

 

Thanks much.   I've been researching lots about it.  Last time we were in Buenos Aires we were unable to arrange as we had not even thought about it until it was too late.  

 

It's on our bucket list and will probably spend 3 days there.    I have plenty of time to  plan as I booked a Lisbon to Rio and Buenos Aires for

November 2024 - 

 

Your information will be priceless.

[mahdnc]

4 hours ago, Buckeye94 said:

1.5 hours to check in. Now I'm on the shuttle bus over to the ship. Unreal. Still better than a day in the office, but my patience is in my checked bag. 😂 First thing I'll unpack. I knew I should have put it in my carryon.

 

Have an awesome cruise!

 

BTW, sorry about your Buckeyes.  I thought they were going to pull it out.

[BSinPNS]

JIm and others, there are several Agrentinian tour agencies that will arrange the trip to the falls for you including flights and transfers.  Drivers and guides are not expensive.  

[Beachlover1989]

20 hours ago, Buckeye94 said:

1.5 hours to check in. Now I'm on the shuttle bus over to the ship. Unreal. Still better than a day in the office, but my patience is in my checked bag. 😂 First thing I'll unpack. I knew I should have put it in my carryon.

Looks like a long line.  So you had to take a shuttle AFTER you checked in at the port??

[Buckeye94]

59 minutes ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Looks like a long line.  So you had to take a shuttle AFTER you checked in at the port??

Yes. Valparaiso is a commercial port. Very easy, though. Go through the metal detectors, out the door, and onto the bus that dropped us off at the ramp to board the ship. They had 3 or 4 buses running the loop, so there was no wait. We've been told the same will happen when we disembark in BA.

 

Really wanted that glass of welcome sparkling wine after scaling the ramp, but that appears to have been eliminated. I don't recall it on my Nov Beyond cruise either. 

 

Never fear, the Martini Bar was open! 🍸😃

[Beachlover1989]

2 minutes ago, Buckeye94 said:

Really wanted that glass of welcome sparkling wine after scaling the ramp, but that appears to have been eliminated. I don't recall it on my Nov Beyond cruise either. 

 

Never fear, the Martini Bar was open! 🍸😃

I'm not sure why they've done away with the welcome glasses - I always looked forward to that too!  Now you have to go the bar and it's slightly anticlimactic. Oh the hardships 😂

[kathynorth]

On our last cruise (happened to be Infinity) we found servers handing out glasses of champagne and mimosas at different locations around the ship, not as you entered the ship as in the past. This was noticeable to us as we were on a Sail Only rate for that cruise. 

[kathynorth]

Buckeye94, people have posted that Celebrity MDR menus are changing as of this week. If you find a spare moment could you confirm or discount if the menues have changed on the Infinity?

[L11]

We are doing essentially the same cruise in less than 2 months. So excited!

 

If you get the chance, could you share the name of the transport/car service you used to get from Santiago to Valparaiso? Thanks in advance and have a terrific cruise.

 

Linda

[peanut head]

Thank you for taking us along!  It sounds like a wonderful trip to be on.  Enjoy.

[woostergirl]

Excited to follow along! Especially interested in the excursions. I booked this trip for 2024. Bon voyage!!

[PANIN36]

Hi Julie,

 

I remembered you told us about this exciting cruise when I met you on the Beyond and it's here already.

What a way to start a New Year.

 

Thank you for doing this trip report, will be following along with your adventure and taking notes.

 

Have the most fantastic trip!

 

Vien

 

[Buckeye94]

Okay. Yesterday was a roller coaster, and I thought the rolling wouldn't start until we were at sea! 

 

The day started beautifully. I ventured up to the rooftop bar for morning pictures of San Cristóbal Hill to complement the sunset ones from the night before.

 

Then, I met up with Jan from the Roll Call for our shared transport to Valparaiso with a stop for a winery tour and lunch at Casas del Bosque on the Casablanca region. It was a lovely drive, fantastic tour and tasting with Christopher, lunch at Tanino, and then the rest of the drive to the port.

 

 

That's where things got rocky. You probably saw my earlier post of the 1.5 hour line to check in. I don't know why this is so difficult. My last cruise in Nov out of Fort Lauderdale had tech issues, too. At least there, they had Celebrity staff with water. Here, it was hot and noisy with little info as to why there was such a delay.

 

We were delayed departing Valparaiso for 3 hours. That, combined with weather overnight is delaying our arrival into Puerto Montt by 2 hours. Thankfully, they've extended our stay for 2 hours as well, so no missed port time! 

[kathynorth]

Thanks for all the photos! They really help to visualize your experience. Looking forward to more.

[Buckeye94]

Puerto Montt! 

 

Today, I took the Petrohue Falls and Chilean Lake District shore excursion. Tendering went very smoothly, at least for those on excursions. Of course, I heard the grumbling of those waiting behind the excursions to join their private tours.

 

The weather changes so fast! It was partly cloudy at 8:30, completely overcast looking like it could rain at 9:40, and sunny with blue skies by 11:30. Fantastic day! 

 

We drove out to Petrohue Falls and had an hour to explore. The biggest flies I've ever seen and they bite. Didn't take away from the magnitude and beauty of the park. You could see Volcano Orsono and Volcano Calbuco (I think). Tip: The restrooms at the park are well maintained, but there is no toilet paper in the stalls. There are large dispensers on the wall as you walk in. Luckily, I had tissues in my pocket! Oh, and the restrooms are free. There are a few shops for souvenirs and Chilean crafts.

 

Lunch in Ensenada. Eh, it was okay. Salmon with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The Chilean bread with a spicy dipping sauce and carmenere were delicious.

 

Quick stop for another view and photo opp with Orsono

 

Then, to Puerto Varas for more views of Volcano Orsono and Lago Llanquihue and shopping. Gotta get those souvenirs! 

 

 

Fun fact: Many of the houses are clad in larch wood siding. It's a day growing tree and it's wood is lightweight and root resistant. You also see the German influence everywhere.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Buckeye94

[gizmodog]

May I ask your thoughts on the ship? Also is the evening buffet cut quite a bit in food? Is there a room service fee?

[Buckeye94]

1 hour ago, gizmodog said:

May I ask your thoughts on the ship? Also is the evening buffet cut quite a bit in food? Is there a room service fee?

Working on my ship notes so far tonight over a glass (or glasses?) of Cattier at Cellar Masters. 😉🥂

 

I've only recently discovered the joy of Oceanview for dinner, so I can't do much of a comparison. Anything you're looking for? 

 

There is indeed a fee for room service, except for the Continental breakfast. I only ordered room service on early excursion days, so it's not a big deal for me, but I'm not thrilled with the string of cutbacks and added fees.

[Buckeye94]

Dinner! Wowza! 

 

Had a lovely chat with the woman surviving the Select Dining people without reservations. (I came back to fix this autocorrect error, but it is too good as is. I meant seating, not surviving! 😂)  I wanted to dine alone tonight. "Oh, a romantic table for 1? " Me: "Haha, YES, I deserve it." Careful what you joke about...center stage, bottom of the grand staircase!  Tomorrow night if I get this table, I will ask to sit with my back to the steps facing out presiding over the MDR! Royal wave! 😜

 

Sommelier no where to be found. The waiter, assistant waiter, and maître d' all attempted to send a sommelier over to my table. Finally, at the last bite of my appetizer, he arrived. He

recommended a pinot noir with the seafood orzo.

 

Entree looked nice. Overcooked. The squid was like eating a rubber band and the orzo was gummy. Ugh, I know better than to order pasta! 

 

But, tonight is my favorite dessert night. I get to eat a decadent dessert and apparently be healthy. I thought this was a typo on Eclipse years ago, but it's always here. Chocolate lava cake, caramelized bananas, coffee ice cream, and caramel with a green check mark indicating Fit Fare! YES! I can have two! It's healthy, right? Must be the bananas. 😂

 

Alas, bubble burst when there was no lava. Womp, womp. Tastes great, but not the expectation.

 

Eka at Cellar Masters has not disappointed me yet, so I'm off to compose my notes on the room, ship, and service so far at Cellar Masters.

 

If I lose wifi, I'll see you on the other side...literally.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Buckeye94

[mchell810]

It's sad to know the food/service has been a bit of a disappointment, but very glad you seem to be enjoying yourself anyway.