The next phase of our vacation currently underway features our floating hotel, the Celebrity Infinity, as we cruise from Barcelona to the Canary Islands. Cruising has become a favourite way of travelling, unwinding, and relaxing whilst seeing different places. The beauty is the hotel room goes with you - unpacking and repacking is only required once. Our choice of the Infinity was both it being a ship we had not been on before and having an itinerary that was completely different from previous voyages. Because I had never been to Spain, this trip allows me to check off a few boxes for destinations and sights - several Spanish cities, Morocco, Strait of Gibraltar, two seas (Balearic and Alboran), and more of the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
The Infinity is one of the older Celebrity ships launched in 2000 and is the second of the Millennium-class. We have twice been on a sister ship, the Constellation, and the last cruise with her was quite disappointing with the ship being in poor repair and the service a bit chaotic. Although a bit older, the Infinity has a particular charm about it - smaller than the other classes of ships at 2,100 passengers and a bit more intimate in design. While the number of passengers may suggest crowding and congestion, it is well-laid out to disperse people. Like most cruise ships, one really only sees the masses at breakfast and lunch in the Oceanview Cafe (i.e., Lido deck) or, on warm sunny sea days, at poolside. Often one can navigate around meals with timing...go early for breakfast, wait an hour into lunchtime, or go to the formal dining areas. And as for the poolside area, unless one really is intent on swimming or use the hot tubs, there are so many other breakout areas on the higher decks and elsewhere to get the sun. The Solarium (which is more like a mausoleum most days 🙈) tends to be packed on the cooler days. As the Infinity is only running about 2/3s occupancy this cruise there seems to be space aplenty.
The stateroom is the usual compact but comfortable space with well-designed storage and small living area with a desk. As seasoned cruise travelers, we have not mastered packing lightly for trips, especially for longer vacations, but we have become quite adept to maximizing the space we do have...everything has its place. One big challenge with this class of ship is the size of the bathroom that is rather tight for moving around and does not have much storage compared to the Solstice-class ships.
Since my first cruise, a veranda is a requite feature - it adds a bit more room outside the cabin and the illusion of spaciousness. Plus, having watched the Poseidon Adventure and Titanic, I just know I would rather have an exit if necessary. The other benefit of a veranda is a place to dry clothes; laundry on the ship is extremely expensive and, while it is frowned upon to do your own in the stateroom, it is an economical option. Fortunately, now having attained Elite status, we do get a free bag of laundry (30 items) and 20% off the next bag of 20 items each cruise. As has been pretty much the case with every cruise, we have ended up with an excellent and attentive cabin attendant, Dennis (Philippines).
The design of this ship is such that there is a blend of large common areas, smaller intimate gathering spots, and little hidden nooks - literally a space for everyone, even a little library and work centre. And the daily agenda is pretty packed with all kinds of activities, depending on what one wants to do - dance lessons, Zumba, wine tasting, hot glass creations, informative talks, art auctions, church services, AA meetings, and the list goes on. Of course there is a gym and spa, located right next to each other, plus a casino. If you feel the need for alternative food options, there are several specialty dining options available for extra cost. And there are several bars and lounges scattered throughout the ship.
What really makes or breaks any cruise is the staff. So far we have had great service provided by a number of lovely people who really work hard and go out of their way to make an excellent experience. As I mentioned, our cabin attendant (Dennis) is awesome - he efficiently does the housekeeping and keeps things well stocked. Esethu (South African) and Moreen (Kenyan) are two of our more regular drink servers and, besides knowing what we want throughout the day, are so fun to engage with - their cheerful disposition and witty rapport is quite infectious. Sergio (Ukrainian), our sommelier at dinner, is an absolute hoot - his mannerisms and engagement reminds us of a cross between Agador Spartacus, the houseboy in The Birdcage, and Manuel from Fawlty Towers. Most of the frontline service staff are from developing countries and really work hard with the oddest shifts, usually split shifts, and covering several areas of the ship during the day. I cannot imagine what it must be like for them to have months-long contracts at a time, although I know from talking to many of them that this option is often better paid and more secure than work they could get at home. As well, they have room, board, and medical care.
Anchors aweigh and the voyage begins!
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