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

[hawkesbaynz]

Thanks @Buckeye94 for the Trip Report. We will be sailing a similar itinerary in a few weeks and this has give  us some insight.

 

We booked many tours with ToursbyLocals. 
 

See www.tourguideushuaia.net

 

Not sure I could do a cruise without my wife. However I usually ski in France/Austria a couple of times a year by myself. Ski hard all day (off-piste) and read/iPad in the evenings.

 

[abbydancer2003]

20 minutes ago, hawkesbaynz said:

Thanks @Buckeye94 for the Trip Report. We will be sailing a similar itinerary in a few weeks and this has give  us some insight.

 

We booked many tours with ToursbyLocals. 
 

See www.tourguideushuaia.net

 

Not sure I could do a cruise without my wife. However I usually ski in France/Austria a couple of times a year by myself. Ski hard all day (off-piste) and read/iPad in the evenings.

 

I think we used tourguideushuaia.net last time and were quite happy with them.

[Buckeye94]

Montevideo, our last port of call 😢

 

Again, a beautiful day! Today, I took the "Small Group Discoveries: Ultimate Montevideo" excursion. It was very good, but not what I, or several others, expected. The description mentioned a short drive to the Agricultural Market, a panoramic drive to lunch at Bar Facal known as much for its food as their noon tango performances, and a visit to the Torres Garcia Museum. Silly me, I thought we'd be on the bus between locations and would be at the restaurant at noon for the famous talgo...but, no. The order was reversed, which was no big deal, but we walked, and walked, and walked. I didn't wear the right clothes or shoes for today's adventure as informative and beautiful as it was. I got my 10k steps in! We got to the restaurant for lunch after 1:00, but thankfully there was another tango presentation after our lunch. Lunch was a chivito sandwich - grilled beef, ham, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo...and a cardiologist reco. Lots of street art and vendors. 

 

 

 

 

 

But, it was still a fun day, and say it with me, "better than any day at the office!" 😀

 

Fun Facts:

1) How Montevideo got its name: There are a few alternatives, but the one our guide shared was that the hill outside the city would have been the sixth mountain Spanish explorers would have seen viewing east to west. Monte (mountain) VI (Roman numeral 6) deo (de oeste,  from west) = Montevideo

 

2) When you enter the cathedral, you are reminded of the Italian and other ornate cathedrals around the world. But, Uruguay was poor. They couldn't afford marble, so they painted the stucco/cement walls to look like marble. No gold; it's paint.

 

 

3) The port market building was sent in pieces from Liverpool and reconstructed. It now houses many restaurants. The smell of BBQ was intoxicating!  The Agricultural Market was shipped in pieces from Belgium. It houses stalls with meat, vegetables, and fruit along with souvenirs, pet supies, a book store, and a wine shop.

 

 

4) Go for the architecture and art! French influences are everywhere, and Spanish and English. 

 

 

 

5) The Parliament building is impressive. It was designed by Italian architect Gaetano Moretti, and he was told to spare no expense. He didn't! The upper columns are actually the goddesses of arts and science. 

 

6) Oh, and that famous building that you see on all the postcards, magnets, and promotional material? It's nothing special. It was a hotel for a year before going out of business and then became residential housing. 🤷

 

7) Torres Garcia thought that the best art was from the South so he drew South America upside down.

 

 

So long, Montevideo!  

 

 

Julie

Edited January 13, 2023 by Buckeye94
Again, with the extra photos!

[foodsvcmgr]

Beware Magdalena Island is often inaccessible due to high winds and seas.

I was shoehorned into a seat on a ferry for hours only to have to turn back while finally in sight of the island.

[Buckeye94]

Service, Quality, aka "Is this still Modern Luxury?"

 

In the past year, post-covid, I have sailed Aqua Class on Reflection and Concierge Class on Beyond before this lowly veranda on Infinity, so I don't know if my observations are due to cutbacks, low staffing, class, or ship.

 

Infinity needs a refresh.

1) I don't recall when Infinity was built, but I removed the 70s tile from my bathroom years ago. Oh how I love the Edge class bathrooms! 

 

2) Outlets. Not a USB to be found. Luckily, I could use my universal adapter in the other outlets to have 2 USB. Of course, they are on the wall by the desk, not by the bed where I need my phone as my alarm. Sorry, neighbors! 😳

 

3) DIY service. Usually, when I arrive at my cabin, there is a tote bag, a welcome letter from CC with all the events, my shorex tickets, and a daily schedule. Nothing but the daily. I didn't know if the missing tote was a cutback or a miss by my room attendant. Maybe the shore excursion tickets were being reprinted due to changes? CC event cutbacks? Nope. I asked at Guest Relations, and they said all of that should have been in my room Day 1. So now what? In the past, even in Veranda, it would be handled, and when I got back to my room after dinner it would all be resolved. This time? I was told to go to the Shore Excursion desk and wait in line for my tickets to be reprinted. Ask my room attendant for a tote bag, and eventually, they found a CC event listing. I wouldn't even mention this, but they've set an expectation.

 

4) Why doesn't Celebrity trust us with real clothes hangers? They trust Suite guests with them. So, if you are sailing veranda or lower and want to hang clothes in the bathroom to steam them, bring a proper hanger.

 

5) MDR consistency. Yes, the quality of the offerings in the MDR has slipped significantly. What gets me is when they offer a dish, like the lamb shank on citrus couscous, that I've had in Cyprus on Edge and Beyond, and it doesn't compare at all to the E-class offering. There was a time when all the ships shared the same menus. Why is there such a difference in the same dishes? 

 

6) Chocolates. I pay double for my cabin. I want my two chocolates! (Better Off Dead, anyone? 😀) Every. Night. Even after I asked my room attendant about it. 🤷 

 

All in all a fantastic cruise. I chose this for the itinerary, not the ship. The crew is hardworking, but doesn't let their wear and tear show. It really comes down to the expectation that Celebrity has set from past experiences and how that is changing. Is it temporary as we settle into post-pandemic realities? I hope so.

 

Julie

Edited January 14, 2023 by Buckeye94
grammar

[Missusdubbya]

Wonderful review, thank you!

 

[Cruising Is Bliss]

Thank you so much for taking us along with you!

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  Thank you so much for your review and pictures. We were blessed to sail a South America cruise and Antarctica and the Falklands and your experience brings us great memories. All the best!

[kathynorth]

I appreciated you taking the time to post during your holiday! We'll be on the Infinity is less than a month and you've helped us to understand what to expect. Thank you!

[OdieMiester]

Does anyone have a daily schedule of on board activities for Infinity. I will be on the Feb 11 sailing to Antarctica.  I'm new to Celebrity.

Thanks ahead of time.

[hcat]

Great review...excellent photos!

[mahdnc]

I very much enjoyed reading your review.

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, OdieMiester said:

Does anyone have a daily schedule of on board activities for Infinity. I will be on the Feb 11 sailing to Antarctica.  I'm new to Celebrity.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

We took this Valparaiso - Buenos Aires cruise back in Dec 2016-Jan 2017 aboard Infinity.  Here are the daily newsletters: link

[Buckeye94]

I'm home. 😀😣😢😀 

 

I think my last update was leaving Montevideo for Buenos Aires.

 

I was taking the Full Day tour to Iguazu Falls. The communication on the details of this excursion was abysmal. The description in the online Cruise Planner was outdated with references to when they had pre- and post-cruise hotels available as a transfer option. The new Hotels by Celebrity is like Celebrity Air where they serve as a reseller. The description mentioned taxis for those not booking through Celebrity, but also drop off to the hotel for all guests. I called and was told book any hotel however you'd like (I wanted to book direct and use points). Another guest on the tour was told they had to book through Celebrity. Ona day, I had a message to call the Shore Excursion desk and provide my hotel information. Okay. Still no information on how our luggage would be handled since only a carryon was permitted.

 

Finally, the day arrived. The night before we had special tags that listed our hotel and disembarking group. Both the day tour people and overnight tour passengers were to meet at 5:45 in one of the 3rd floor conference rooms. After checking in, they sent us to Tuscan for breakfast.

 

Buenos Aires is a commercial port, so we boarded a bus out of the commercial area to the passenger terminal and then out to another bus to go to the airport. Our flight to Iguazu was from EZE. While we were traipsing through the jungle, Celebrity was delivering our bags to our respective hotels. Given the process issues earlier in the cruise, we were all a bit skeptical, but on to the jungle...

 

Flight to Iguazu was about 1.5 hours. There, we picked up another guide for the bus ride and day at the park, so now we had Sole and Alberto. 

 

The first walk was the upper circuit. Amazing beauty! It was threatening rain, but never did. By lunch at 1:00ish, I had 10k steps and that's with bus and air transfers. It wa a lot of walking, but worth it! The morning was flat terrain over the top of the Falls. Lunch was at El Fortin restaurant in the park. It was a buffet style meal. The parilla station with grilled meats and vegetables was delicious, as were the desserts.

 

After lunch, we had the option of the boat ride into the Falls or walking the Lower Circuit. I didn't want to be drenched, so I passed on the boat. Ha, I got drenched any way 😂, just from sweat from the incline and steps down and back up. The views were spectacular and worth every step, but I knew I didn't have the Spa waiting for me. 😢

 

Next, we went into Iguazu town to the point where the two rivers met and you can see Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. We had dinner at a restaurant with views of the bridge joining Brazil and Paraguay. Then, back to the airport for our 10:00 flight back to BA. The flight was delayed 40 minutes. During the wait, Sole confirmed that each hotel had received our bags. Yay! Once we got to BA, domestic airport this time, a bus took us to our hotels. I checked in to the Hilton a little after 2am. When Celebrity says "Full Day," they mean it! 

 

Still better than any day in the office! 😀

 

 

 

 

 

Julie

[mahdnc]

Nice, nice photos of the falls!

[hcat]

super photos..thanks for posting

[Iriel]

I love Iguazu! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've been twice, and I'm planning on going again this year, you just can't get enough!

 

By the way, concerning the crew and passengers, were there any Spanish speakers or activities in Spanish? My parents don't speak English, so I'm worried about that 🤷‍♀️

[Buckeye94]

One more! Since my flight didn't depart until 11:30PM, I had a day to explore. Originally, I had booked a 9-hour tour to an estancia and gaucho demonstration with hotel pickup at 8:30. Since I didn't get settled and to bed until about 3am, I cancelled that as booked an afternoon tour of city highlights.

 

We visited several neighborhoods...

the Metropolitan Cathedral where Pope Francis preached. There are beautiful mosaics on the floor, and the tomb of San Martin, who won independence for Argentina from Spain. 

 

 

 

Plaza Mayor. Casa Rosado, and a sad story. Political upheaval 1976 to mid-80s, 37k missing people. The mothers and grandmothers came to the Plaza to plea to the president for information on where their children were. They wore white head scarves, which are now painted onto the stones of the Plaza.

 

 

the Cultural Center in Recoleta, and a huge old rubber tree. There are supports and a statue holding up the branches (bonus tango performance!)

 

 

 

Of course, Evita! 

 

And, finally the colorful Caminito Street in the La Boca neighborhood. They love Messi! 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Buckeye94

[Buckeye94]

15 minutes ago, Iriel said:

I love Iguazu! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've been twice, and I'm planning on going again this year, you just can't get enough!

 

By the way, concerning the crew and passengers, were there any Spanish speakers or activities in Spanish? My parents don't speak English, so I'm worried about that 🤷‍♀️

Yes, all announcements were given in English and Spanish. There were many Spanish speakers on this cruise.

 

Cruise Director, Alejandro, is from Argentina. He did a few shows/talks during the cruise and delivered them in both English and Spanish. There were also some options on shore excursions for Spanish language.

 

I think they'd be fine! 😀

[Iriel]

56 minutes ago, Buckeye94 said:

Yes, all announcements were given in English and Spanish. There were many Spanish speakers on this cruise.

 

Cruise Director, Alejandro, is from Argentina. He did a few shows/talks during the cruise and delivered them in both English and Spanish. There were also some options on shore excursions for Spanish language.

 

I think they'd be fine! 😀

 

That's so cool! I'm sure they will be happy to hear it. Thank you!! 🥹

[joandian]

Fabulous Photos and review, thanks.  Are you able to tell me what time you left the ship for your tour, please?  We have a private tour booked and wanted to check if we would be off early enough for our guide.

Thanks!

[Buckeye94]

19 hours ago, joandian said:

Fabulous Photos and review, thanks.  Are you able to tell me what time you left the ship for your tour, please?  We have a private tour booked and wanted to check if we would be off early enough for our guide.

Thanks!

In Buenos Aires? We met at 5:45 and left around 6:30 or so? I think our first flight was 9:15ish. Sorry, it's a blur.

 

Someone else asked if they did walkoff/self-disembark. I'm not sure. There were lots of taxis waiting outside the port, and I recall seeing a few passengers gathered in another area on the ship (not part of our excursion), but I'm not sure if they were disembarking on their own or part of another excursion.

[Jim_Iain]

On 1/16/2023 at 1:10 PM, OdieMiester said:

Does anyone have a daily schedule of on board activities for Infinity. I will be on the Feb 11 sailing to Antarctica.  I'm new to Celebrity.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

Easiest is to download the Celebrity App and look at a current cruise of Infinity -  They have a Daily Planner and show all activities.    To see all on the filter button change from Recommended to All

 

The app is very handy and will also show all the menus for each night.   Generally just place holders until about a week prior to your cruise.   You can also book and cancel excursions and dinner reservations.

[TMLAalum]

Thanks for this great report! We went on the Eclipse from Buenos Aires around the Horn and up the Pacific coast of South America to San Diego in 2019. This is one cruise itinerary I would love to repeat especially after seeing your photos!

[bunzini]

Thanks for your review!  This is a cruise I have been eyeing.  My favorite cruise director is Alejandro!  The first cruise I was on with him, I wasn't sure what I thought of him at first, but by the end of the cruise understood his humor.  Been on a few cruises with him now and he is my favorite!