Sept 3 AK 10 night Infinity Experience

[handy4u]

Day 1

 

Took Amtrak train from Seattle to Vancouver. Very nice scenic trip!!! AAA discounted rate of $77 for both of us. Long taxi line at train station but moved quickly enough. Cab ride $10 including tip. Arrived approx 11:50AM. Unloaded luggage where an attendant quickly picked up luggage for room delivery. Went through security checkpoint and then customs. Both moved very quickly. Next, we were directed which way to go for the Celebrity Infinity embarkation. We had CC class and the girl directing sent us to the long line. My DW quickly noticed a CC check in sign with only one couple in it. We went to that line, got credit card swiped, key, and a little map of ship. Next, they took our picture in front of a ship pull down screen. While boarding the ship I said to another passenger that the ship was huge and pretty cool looking, his response was I see rust and a badly needed paint job. Wow!!! That statement summed up the reasons, IMHO, for such drastically different postings from people who are looking at the same thing. I assumed he was a negative CC poster, but he didn’t know anything about what the Infinity has been through this season. I ask his opinion about our cruise almost getting canceled and I got the chicken popping from my forehead look. (That’s right, I’m using the expression. Aren’t you?) I stopped talking about that since he seemed to be disturbed by the fact. I met the man later in the cruise and he relayed he was having a great time. Next, went up ramp waited behind 5 couples where we got our ID picture taken. Had a glass of dry Champaign, and found our room.

 

We liked our room 8147. The balcony was bigger than expected as well as the bath. We were also told about lunch being served on deck 10. So we went to eat. Eating, by the way, was our favorite sport while on board!

 

We unpacked next as our bags were outside our door after returning from lunch. Surprisingly, we had plenty of storage space for all our stuff. The suitcases fit conveniently under the bed.

 

Explore explore explore!!! That’s what we did next! Anyway, the ship looked in pretty good shape to us. Some carpet colors did not match especially around the elevators, but it always looked swept. There was a little rust around the doorframe bottom by the shower from moisture leaking from the shower curtain. To me this is understandable and darn near impossible to stop from happening. This kind of stuff does not bother us.

 

The afternoon was sunny and warm, so we decided to have supper on our balcony so as to not miss the great weather and scenery. We assumed that this might be our only chance to eat out there. I had shrimp cocktail, a slice of prime rib, and a strip steak. NICE! We got chocolate obsession for desert and found this to be our favorite chocolate dessert of the cruise! We had a beautiful meal on our balcony.

 

I had our room attendant put a six-pack of Corona in the mini bar fridge. I had a few of them while we watched the sunset. My DW went to bed shortly afterwards and I continued to explore the ship that evening. I also scoped out which slot machines paid the best IMO.

 

More later…..

[Cinnabel]

Looking forward to the next instalment, handy4u. We travelled Infinity in July and I am still suffering withdrawal symptoms!

I enjoy reading of other people's impressions of the ship and its activities.

 

Thanks for the review.

[Allis154]

Thanks for the review. I can't want to hear more! We board the Infinity on the next sailing, a week from Saturday.

[DaisyGirl55]

I was previously booked on the cruise between Allis 154 and handy4u - you know, the one that got cancelled. We were sooo looking forward to our first cruise to Alaska, our first time cruising for 10 days instead of 7...but we got bumped. If only we had picked a differerent week (especially since our 30th anniversary was 9/4 - we would have been okay).

 

Oh well - it wasn't to be, and I have to say Celebrity really did us right. We received a full refund, plus a voucher for a future cruise. So we re-booked for next year in June, and upgraded to CC classs for only $71 more. Plus, since the ship is now sailing out of Vancouver instead of Seattle, we get an additional 100.oo onboard credit. So, I prefer to think that my cruise wasn't really cancelled - just postponed! Just have a little more time to plan, make my lists, and cruise these boards!

 

All in all, I think what I will miss the most is not sailing under the GG bridge...so wave to her for me when you go, okay Allis?

 

Happy cruising ya'll!

[tromvest]

Did you notice if they have replaced the beds?

[james j feller]

TROM,

 

In one word, NO, INFINITY has one of the worst beds of any cruise line.

 

We were on the SEPT 3rd cruise and stayed in C class.

 

JIM

[Karynanne]

Sounds like you had a great time! I'm looking forward to our Infinity cruise in 35 days! Hawaii, here we come...

[handy4u]

I have back and shoulder problems and had no troubles sleeping. I am also 6'4" at 260 lbs. My back and shoulders never got sore. I was worried about this before we went. They aren't as comfortable as our $1600 king size beauty rest with a 2" memory foam pillow top, but hey what can one expect.

 

Getting all my work stuff got up will take me some time. So please be patient with the review.

 

Yes! We had a very nice vacation and are glad we went!:)

 

More later ....

[cechase]

Thank you for starting a review of our Sept. 3 cruise on Infinity. Also thanks for participating in a really good Cruise Connection group.

 

I had intended to write a detailed review of the cruise, but after getting home, came down with a doozy of a head cold, and am still suffering, but will do so shortly.

 

We also found the embarkation to be extremely easy. Since we stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel, we merely took an elevator down to the cruise terminal from the hotel, and went through customs and immigration. Had to smile at your comments concerning check-in with Celebrity. The same thing happened to us, a Celebrity representative aimed us at the "Express Pass" line where there had to be at least 200 or more people lined up. [in fact the way they had it set up with their ribbon posts that was the only way to go.] We then noticed at the far left end was the line for suite pax, and had the representative let us past the ribbon posts. We were checked in less than 2 minutes.

 

Sorry you were treated to complaining and whining by a pax immediately upon boarding. Out of our large Cruise Connection group, the only complaint concerning this cruise was the awful chaos departing Pier 35 in San Francisco. San Francisco should be totally ashamed when you compare Pier 35 with Canada Place. Otherwise all of the comments were extremely positive about the cruise. [Don't forget to mention how far away we were from the Hubbard Glacier :D]

 

Jim: Our bed and bedding were really great and very comfortable. Like Handy4u [Chris] we expended considerable bucks for our mattress and box springs at home, and were not disapointed with the same on Infinity.

 

Look forward to reading more.

[J&G]

Just found your thread Handy4U. We were on the same cruise and are waiting to hear what you thought about it. Personally we had a super time - now was it the cruise or our wonderful CC group just adding to it.

[J&G]

Guess it's all in what you're used to - we found the bed in our sky suite erally comfortable - especially considering both of us are used to waking up with either lower back pain or hip pain - that did not happen at all on the crusie.

 

TROM,

 

In one word, NO, INFINITY has one of the worst beds of any cruise line.

 

We were on the SEPT 3rd cruise and stayed in C class.

 

JIM

[Jerry & Kirk]

I don't know if you heard about the guy that was injuried on the afternoon White Pass Railway excursion when the train suddenly came to an abrupt stop. It was me, Jerry. At the time, I was in the bathroom doing my business. The JOLT threw me backwords into the sink injuring my lower back, my neck snapped too, and of course I dribbled all over myself.....oy vay! When the train came to a final stop, several train employees boarded to assist those that were injuried, they were great. A visit to a hospital was offered to me and a lady who broke her finger when she tried to brace herself. Neither of us took them up on their offer but we did want a report filed, just in case we needed to see the ships doctor at a later date. Since we had a medical doctor in the group that we were traveling with, he kept an eye on me for the rest of the cruise. I was given a stern warning not to do my usual workout in the disco at night, but I didn't listen. I am none the worse for it actually. In fact I think it helped!

 

About the food.....Sorry to disagree with most of you, but we thought the food was not up to the usual high standard that one expects from Celebrity. We found the meat, fish, and fowl to be either undercooked or over cooked, except for the poached salmon (it's really hard to ruin "poached" fish). Our table of 9 ordered escargots 3 times. The first 2 times there was NO garlic in the butter sauce....can you believe???? After we all bitterly complained, the 3rd time around we got garlic in the sauce, but it wasn't great.

 

The wait staff and other staff were wonderful and tried really hard to please us. We always give "extra" rewards to those that treat us well. There was one exception however, our lazy cabin steward. We had to chase him down for simple things he should have automatically done, like replacing soap, shampoo, facial tissues, fresh ice, etc., etc. He pawned everything off on his assistant, who worked his tush off. Of course we gave an extra reward to the assistant. We thought about giving the lazy steward a bad review, but when we got to thinking that the guy might a have a wife and 10 kids living in a 3rd world country who were counting on him for income, we nixed the idea.

 

We did a fun thing in all the ports: This was the 10th Alaska cruise for one of the couples in our group, so they know the ports very well and have done all the excursions many times over. Over the years, they have discovered the local watering holes and Alaska brewed beer (yummy). Need I say more?

 

The CC group was terrific. I'm just sorry that we didn't have a chance to get better acquainted....maybe next time.

 

All in all, we had a great time and WILL return to Celebrity, but not on the Infinity for awhile, or at least until they change their kitchen staff in the dining room.

 

Jerry (and Kirk)

[cechase]

I also opened a review thread on our Infinity Alaska cruise. Nedra and I, as well as John and Gail were on the same train when it came to an abrupt stop coming into Skagway, when some idiot cut across the train. Sorry you were injured.

 

While we had a marvelous cruise, the only real negative in our review was our disappointment in the quality of the food.

 

Will bump up our thread to the first page so you can find it.

[james j feller]

JERRY and KIRK,

 

I agree with you on the food i have sailed with CELEBRITY alot and i thought the food had to much sauce and too much poached fish. They should fire that FRENCH cook they got and hire either an AMERICAN cook or a GERMAN cook.

 

Now as far as the room steward, if he isn't doing his job then fire the bum and get his a-- out of there, it's time we start to put down negative remarks instead of worrying about their wive and kids and give then good marks.

 

JIM