Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)
Celebrity Infinity
★★★★
Berlitz’s Ratings
Ship: 389 out of 500
Accommodation: 161 out of 200
Food: 285 out of 400
Service: 296 out of 400
Entertainment: 74 out of 100
Cruise: 288 out of 400
Overall Score: 1493 out of 2000
Celebrity Infinity Statistics
Size: Large Resort Ship
Tonnage: 90,940
Lifestyle: Premium
Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises
Former Names: Infinity
IMO Number: 9189421
Builder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique (France)
Original Cost: $350 million
Entered Service: Mar 2001
Registry: Malta
Length (ft/m): 964.5/294.0
Beam (ft/m): 105.6/32.2
Draft (ft/m): 26.2/8.0
Propulsion/Propellers: gas turbine (39,000kW)/2 azimuthing pods
Passenger Decks: 11
Total Crew: 999
Passengers (lower beds): 2,170
Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 41.9
Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 2.1
Cabins (total): 1,085
Size Range (sq ft/m): 165.1-2,530.0/15.34-235.0
Cabins (for one person): 0
Cabins (with private balcony): 606
Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 26 (17 with private balcony)
Wheelchair accessibility: Best
Cabin Current: 110 and 220 volts
Elevators: 12
Casino (gaming tables): Yes
Slot Machines: Yes
Swimming Pools: 3 (1 w/sliding glass dome)
Hot Tubs (on deck): 4
Self-Service Launderette: No
Dedicated Cinema/Seats: Yes/368
Library: Yes
Onboard currency: US$
This is a family-friendly, modern large resort ship with style
Overview. The ship provides a wide range of choices and possibilities. If you travel in one of the suites, you receive the highest level of personal service, while cruising in non-suite accommodation is much like any large ship. It all depends how much you are willing to pay. The two-seating dining and two shows nightly detract from an otherwise excellent product.
The Ship. Celebrity Infinity is a sister ship to Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Millennium, and Celebrity Summit. Jon Bannenberg, famous mega-yacht designer, designed the exterior.
The atrium is the interior focal point; three decks high, it houses the reception desk, tour operator’s desk, and bank. Four glass-walled elevators travel through the ship’s exterior (port) side, connecting the atrium with another seven decks, thus traveling through 10 passenger decks, including the tender stations - a nice ride.
Michael’s Club (which was a cigar smoker’s haven when the ship was new) is now a rather nice, comfortable lounge/ piano bar. A 15 percent gratuity is added to bar and wine accounts.
Gaming sports include the ship’s overly large Fortunes Casino, with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines, and lots of bright lights and action.
Families. The Fun Factory is designed for young children and The Tower caters to teenagers. Children’s counselors and youth activities staff provide a wide range of supervised activities.
Accommodation. There are many grades from which to choose, depending on your preference for the size and location of your living space, in either suite-grade or non-suite-grade. Almost half feature a ‘private’ balcony; approximately 80 percent are ocean-view suites and cabins, and the rest are interior cabins. All the accommodation is extremely comfortable but suites, naturally, have more space. Note that If you choose a balcony cabin on one of the upper decks, note that could be shaded under the pool deck, which extends over the ship’s side - and many balconies (so, not good for private sunbathing).
Penthouse Suites (2). These are like apartments. Each occupies one half of the width of the ship at the stern. Each is a huge 2,530 sq ft (235 sq m): 1,432 sq ft (133 sq m) of living space, plus a huge wraparound balcony of 1,098 sq ft (102 sq m), including a wet bar, hot tub, and whirlpool tub; but much of this terrace can be overlooked from other decks above.
Royal Suites (8). Located towards the aft (four each on the port and starboard sides), each measures 733 sq ft (68 sq m) and has a separate living room with dining and lounge areas (with refrigerator, minibar, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system) and a separate bedroom. There are two infotainment centers in the living area and in the bedroom, and a large walk-in closet with vanity desk. The marble-clad bathroom has a whirlpool tub with integral shower, and there are also a separate shower enclosure, two washbasins, and toilet. The teakwood balcony is extensive - large enough for on-deck massage - and has a hot tub.
Celebrity Suites (8). These measure 467 sq ft (44 sq m) and have floor-to-ceiling windows, a separate living room with dining and lounge areas, two flat-screen infotainment centers and a walk-in closet with vanity desk. The marble-clad bathroom has a whirlpool tub with integral shower; a window with movable shade lets you look out of the bathroom through the lounge to the large ocean-view windows, and balcony.
Sky Suites (30). Each is 308 sq ft (29 sq m), including the private balcony - some balconies may be larger than others, depending on the location. Although these are designated as suites, they are really just larger cabins that have a marble-clad bathroom with tub/shower combination. They have an infotainment system and a larger lounge area and sleeping area than standard cabins.
Butler service. This is provided in all suite-grade accommodation, and includes full breakfast, lunch and dinner service, afternoon tea, evening hors d’oeuvres, complimentary espresso and cappuccino, daily news delivery, and shoeshine.
Concierge Class. Positioned between the top grade suite grades and standard cabin grades, this offers added value to these ‘middle-class’ cabins, as do ‘AquaClass’ cabins added in 2012, with spa-healthy dining in the smaller Blu restaurant, and complimentary access to the thermal suite and relaxation room in the spa, plus daily delivery of bottled water and herbal teas (infusions), and a host of spa-related personal amenities.
Enhanced facilities include priority embarkation, disembarkation, tender tickets, specialty dining, and spa reservations. Concierge Class cabin occupants get double bed overlay (no more ‘falling between the cracks’ for couples); choice of four pillows (goose down, Isotonic, body, conformance); eight-vial flower vase on vanity desk; throw pillows on sofa; fruit basket; binoculars; golf umbrella; leather telephone notepad; larger beach towels; hand-held hairdryer. The balcony gets better furniture. In the bathrooms: plusher Frette bathrobes; larger towels in sea green and pink (alternating days); flower in silver vase. It all adds up to excellent value for money.
Standard outside-view/interior cabins. All other outside-view and interior cabins have a lounge area with sofa or convertible sofa bed, sleeping area with twin beds convertible to a double bed, good closet and drawer space, personal safe, minibar/refrigerator (extra cost), interactive television, and private bathroom.
Wheelchair-accessible accommodation. This is available in various grades and practical locations, close to elevators. Cabin and bathroom doorways and showers are wheelchair-accessible. Some cabins have extra berths for third or third and fourth occupants. There is only one safe for personal belongings, which must be shared.
Dining. The 1,170-seat Thellis Restaurant is the main dining room. It is two decks high and a grand staircase connects the two levels, a huge glass wall overlooks the sea at the stern of the ship (electrically operated shades provide several different backdrops), and a musicians’ gallery on the upper level. There are two seatings for dinner (open seating for breakfast and lunch), at tables for two-10. The dining room, like all large dining halls, can be extremely noisy. Menu variety is good, the food has taste, and it is attractively presented and served in an orchestrated fashion with European traditions and training. Full service in-cabin dining is also available for all meals, including dinner.
Blu, located on the port side of the upper level entrance of The Thellis dining room, is exclusively for the use of occupants of AquaClass accommodation.
Other dining options. The 134-seat United States Restaurant is adjacent to the main lobby. It has the actual glass paneling from the former United States Lines liner United States, which in 1952 made the fastest transatlantic crossing by a passenger ship, taking the famed Blue Riband from the Cunard’s Queen Mary.
A team of chefs prepares the cuisine exclusively for this restaurant. Fine French-style tableside preparation is the attraction. This is haute cuisine at the height of professionalism, for this is a room for a full dégustation, and not just for dinner. Reservations are necessary, and a per-person cover charge applies. There’s a dine-in wine cellar and a demonstration galley.
QSine, which features its menus and wine list on iPads, is another extra-cost, fine-dining venue with iPad menus (added in 2011, it replaced the former Conservatory), and reservations are required.
Las Olas Café and Grill is a casual self-serve buffet area, with six principal serving lines, and seating for 754; there is also a grill and pizza bar.
For Champagne and caviar lovers, not to mention Martinis, Carlisle’s is the place to see and be seen.
Café al Bacio and Gelateria, on the third level of the atrium lobby, is the place to see and be seen, for coffees (espresso, cappuccino, and specialty coffees), pastries, cakes, and gelato, in a trendy setting. Bistro on Five is a new crêperie.
Entertainment. The 900-seat Celebrity Theater is the three-deck-high venue for production shows and major cabaret acts. It is located in the forward part of the ship, with seating on main, and two balcony levels, and the large stage has a full fly loft behind its proscenium.
Spa/Fitness. The Canyon Ranch SpaClub at Sea measures 24,219 sq ft (2,250 sq m). It includes a large thalassotherapy pool under a solarium glass dome, complete with health bar for light breakfast and lunch items and fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.