Having just disembarked from a delightful cruise aboard the Celebrity Infinity in the Mediterranean, I wanted to share our experience of cruising on a smaller ship during the winter. In this Celebrity Infinity Review we explore this magnificent but smaller and older ship in photos and see what has to offer on a winter cruise.
Cruising out of the Mediterranean in January, February, or March can be truly intriguing. While the weather may not be as warm, the days are often pleasantly mild with bright skies, making it ideal for exploring towns and cities where the temperature might be too hot during other seasons.
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A Mediterranean cruise in January on Celebrity Infinity, Review with photo tour
This makes small cruise ships perfect for these types of itineraries as you do not need to worry so much about onboard activities. We explored the ports of call without it being too hot and returned in the evening for dinner, drinks, and entertainment.
We departed from Barcelona on a 10 day sailing to the Canary Islands, our ports of call were:
- Barcelona
- Fuerteventura
- Tenerife
- Gran Canaria
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Seville ( Cadiz, Spain )
- 4 days at sea
The Celebrity Infinity was absolutely perfect for this; it’s a wonderful ship that reminded me of why I fell in love with cruising in the first place. Her public areas and facilities are varied and there alway felt like there was plenty of space onboard.
This marked my first cruise with Celebrity ( Sarah at Cruising for all has travelled with them). Despite having experienced numerous cruises and European voyages before, we were pleasantly surprised by how delightful Celebrity was.
A little bit about Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruise Line, as of 2024, has 17 cruise ships, 15 in active service, with Celebrity Beyond recently launching in April 2022 and Celebrity Ascent in 2023. Also, 3 of the fleet are much smaller vessels for exploration cruises.
Celebrity Infinity Overview:
Here is a quick overview of what Celebrity Infinity has to offer;
Amenities:
- The Celebrity Infinity is part of the Millennium Class of ships
- Enjoy fine dining at various restaurants, cafes, and specialty dining options.
- There are 3 speciality restaurants onboard Celebrity Infinity, Tuscan Grille, Sushi on Five angle Petit Chef at Qsine.
- There are both indoor and outdoor pools, spa, fitness centre, lounges, and pools and hot tubs.
- Experience top-notch entertainment, from Broadway-style shows to live music, silent discos, comedians and themed parties.
Cruise Destinations:
- The Celebrity Infinity offers itineraries to diverse destinations, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and more.
- Exciting on-shore excursions may include exploring historical landmarks, enjoying local cuisine, or engaging in adventure activities.
Celebrity Infinity facts.
- Launched 2001
- Class, Millennium class
- Length, 965ft
- Gross Tons, 91,000
- Has a capacity of 2170 passengers
- And a crew of 999
- Decks 12
- Cruise Speed 24kts
- Free Dining Options 4
- Specialty dining options 3
- Exclusive restaurants 2
How old is Celebrity Infinity cruise ship?
The Celebrity Infintiy Cruise ship was launched in 2001 making her 23 years old.
Celebrity Infinity food, dining and restaurant’s Review
The food, in particular on Celebrity Infinity, stood out for me. It was some of the best we’ve ever had on a cruise ship. We even enjoyed visiting the buffet, which is not always the case for us. In fact it was so good we did not feel the need to visit the speciality restaurants, so will save that for another time!
Dining on the Celebrity Infinity was a delightful experience with a diverse array of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.
Breakfast on Celebrity Infinity
For breakfast, choices included the Oceanview Café, the late breakfast at Oceanview Café, the Spa Café juice bar, and the Trellis Restaurant. Personally, we favored the Trellis restaurant for its table service, offering an extensive selection from eggs Benedict to omelettes, muesli, and fresh fruit. The buffet also provided a wide breakfast selection for those who preferred a quicker option.
If you are lucky enough to be an Elite, Elite plus or Zenith loyalty member then you could a simple breakfast in the Tuscan Grill.
Lunch on Celebrity Infinity
Lunch on the Infinity offered an abundance of choices from the buffet, sit-down restaurants, and specialty establishments like Sushi on Five. The buffet showcased an extensive selection, including pizzas, burgers, chips, sandwiches, and a pasta bar where you could customize your dish. There was plenty of healthy options too with a salad bar or fresh fish cooked to order.
The Asian food section impressed with superb curries and delightful offerings. The option to enjoy your meal outside at the Sunset Bar added a pleasant touch to the dining experience.
For those who preferred a sit-down lunch, the Trellis Restaurant provided excellent table service with options for starters, mains, desserts, and cheeses. The restaurant also accommodated drink service, allowing the use of your package for beverages.
Dinner on Celebrity Infinity
Dinner in the Trellis Restaurant was a highlight, offering Early, Late, and Celebrity Select dining options. The diverse menu included Beef Wellington, lobster tail, and a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices.
If you pay your gratuities up front you can opt to have Celebrity Select dining and choose your own time to dine. We did find however that we could not book so there was often a queue but they provide you with a bleeper for when your table was ready. So really we did not have to wait long.
Celebrity Infinity offer a range of onboard activities
Amidst the dining experiences, Celebrity Infinity offered a range of onboard activities. There was so much to do on board during sea days when we weren’t off the ship. Plenty of entertainment options awaited us, including quizzes, puzzles, and games during the day, not to mention an abundance of bars offering refreshing drinks. The blu 5 dining room was open daily for board games as well as a daily movie on the Rooftop terrace.
With one cruise day there were ample opportunities for daytime engagement, including fitness classes, dance classes, and quizzes. Wine tasting sessions, albeit with a small charge, provided good value, especially for those without a drink package.
Evening entertainment was equally impressive, with different bars featuring various music genres, and theatre shows offering a mix of musicals, comedy, and instrumental performances. Broken Strings was my absolute favourite show which reminded me of the West-End Show Choir of man!
The night concluded with a disco and, on occasion, karaoke, creating an enjoyable and well-rounded entertainment experience. They even held Silent Discos which were so funny! The staff’s enthusiasm added an extra layer of enjoyment to our time on board the Celebrity Infinity.
Pools and outdoor areas on Celebrity Infinity
The Pool area has two swimming pools, four hot tubs and plenty of loungers. It Also has its own bar and grill area serving the most amazing burgers I have ever had! There were plenty of lounger and some nice rotten ones in the middle which did get taken sooner than others.
All towels were on the beds or could be picked up around the pool area. They even had cosy clean warm blanket for sitting outside on cooler days.
The lounges on Celebrity Infinity.
The bars on celebrity infinity included:
- Café El Baccio, where you can get your coffee, Hot chocolate and pastries
- Fortunes casino bar in the Casino
- Celler Masters for your wines and wine tasting events.
- The constellation bar which hosted quizzes and dancing later at night.
- The martini bar, for Martinis with is iced bar.
- Mast bar
- Pool bar
- Rendezvous lounge with live music
- Sunset bar
Overall thoughts on Celebrity Infinity
Overall Celebrity Infinity exceeded our expectations the he service was fantastic, with the concierge being absolutely amazing. The staff members were all very pleasant; we could not find fault in any way. The service exceeded our expectations and the concierge team were amazing.
Opting for a cruise during the season of January also did not disappoint, it really is a great way to explore different countries if you are not too worried about the weather and we also found Celebrity to be truly living up to its reputation as a premier cruise line.
The ship was slightly older but was immaculately clean at all times. However just after we disembarked it went in to dry dock for an update. There was a high level of cleanliness onboard with lots of places for hand sanitisation.
We throughly loved the onboard entertainment and we attended every single show. The evening shows varied from comedians to Broadway style shows with a fantastic talented team of singers, dancers and musicians.
Boarding the ship was so quick, as we had checked in prior online they quickly took a look at our names and sent us on our way. If your room is not ready you can pop your luggage inside and grab you cruise cards and then you are of exploring the ship in minutes.
Our overall experience was superbly managed, with lovely staff, leaving us eagerly anticipating our next Celebrity cruise.
A bit more information on sailing with Celebrity Infinity
Cabins and staterooms on Celebrity Infinity
Cabins and staterooms on Celebrity Infinity Include a wide choice and depending on what you book will determine where you eat and whether you get concierge service or priority boarding. Some of the cabins include:
- Penthouse Suite
- Royal Suite
- Celebrity Suite
- Sky Suite
- Aqua class cabins
- Concierge Balcony Cabins
- Family Balcony Cabin
- Balcony Cabin
- Oceanview Cabin
- Balcony cabins are called Verandas on Celebrity.
On-Shore Excursions and Activities:
Sample Excursions:
- Mediterranean Cruise: Visit iconic sites like the Colosseum in Rome, explore the Acropolis in Athens, or savor local wines in Santorini.
- Caribbean Cruise: Snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas, tour historic plantations in Barbados, or zip-line through the lush rainforests of Puerto Rico.
Insider Tips and Recommendations:
1. Pre-Book Excursions Or research the ports first:
- Consider booking on-shore excursions in advance to secure a spot, especially for popular activities as they do sell out. However it is easy to get off yourself in most ports, so do some research prior to this to determine whether you will need a shuttle bus out of the port.
2. Pack Accordingly:
- Pack comfortable clothing and footwear for on-shore activities, and don’t forget essentials like sunscreen and a camera.
3. Explore Local Cuisine:
- Embrace the culinary experiences at each destination by trying local dishes and specialties.
4. Engage with Cruise Activities:
- Take advantage of onboard activities, from fitness classes to enrichment programs, to make the most of your cruise experience. We really enjoyed engaging with the entertainment team.
When was the Celebrity Infinity cruise ship refurbished?
The Celebrity Infinity cruise ship underwent a major refurbishment just after I stepped off board in January 2024. Hold tight for more pictures coming soon!
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