I wanted to cruise around Cape Horn and I wanted to get out of the winter weather. Everything thing began wonderfully in Beunes Aires with a Flamingo Dance before we got on the ship! Once we set sail I enjoyed early stretching classes every morning followed by Fab Abs and then yoga and a message while at sea. The sea was calm the whole way down to the cape and we enjoyed local excursions to take in the sites. The Dancing shows on the ship were also excellent and I would have taken lessons with my husband, however, he sprained his ankle during our first day at sea playing volleyball. When we approached the Cape Horn the water got rough but the scenery and the glaciers were magnificent. The food was excellent and the service was wonderful. I love eating in the beautiful dining rooms and listening to the live musicians. The Classical strings trio was fabulous! However, on our way to Santiago, many people were getting sick with a virus and I also got it. The ship offered free medical assistance but then quarantined both my husband and me to the room for 48hrs so we missed one of the ports of call. I thought they might offer us a voucher or something but it did not happen. We went horse riding in one of the last ports of call and had a great time. This was the only Norwegian arranged excursion and it was terrific. All in all, it was a great vacation with a few bumps here and there. Read Less

We chose this trip as part of an Enrichment Journey combined with an after cruise land package to Machu Picchu. As for the cruise portion of the trip. I read several reviews of the ship experience before I sat down to write this on. I agree with most that the Infinity is an older ship. I do not agree at all that it is shabby and ill kept. Our suite, 9096, was spacious, clean, and meticulously attended to by Harold, our Butler, and Michael, our cabin steward. We would definitely ask for those two again. Sure, it could have used some updated furniture, but that is knit picking. The first night we had a vanity light out. It was fixed by the electrician in 15 minutes. Our only complaint about the cabin what the moving of deck chairs on the activities deck above. I would recommend some kind of sound deadening on refitting. Embarkation was a breeze. We arrived about 1pm and walked right on the ship. Debarkation was fine. No problem with bags and connections. There was some criticism of Celebrity staff cut backs. I did not experience that in any part of the cruise. The food, overall, was excellent. We did not eat at all at Trellis, opting for Blue, Qsine, tuscan Grill, and Luminae. The food and service at all locations were excellent, especially the meals we had at Qsine and Tuscan Grill.The food choices at Luminae were somewhat limited. The food at Oceanview was overall very good. Bar service from Geonina was terrific. Her smiling face and great demeanor were a welcome every afternoon. One of the real highlights of the cruise was the service and graciousness offered by the staff at Michael's club headed by Eric, the manager. Eric should immediately be recommended for promotion. In all of our 25 cruises, he is the best customer service person we have ever encountered. Another highlight was having Mickey Live and his beautiful and charming wife and daughter on the ship. Mickey gave us unique perspectives on each and every magnificent port of call, plus entertaining and informative updates on the Glaciers and travel route. We took all ships tours this time and weren't disappointed by any of them. Particularly out standing were tours of Montevideo, Port Madryn and the incredible trekking at Puerto Monte. These were very strenuous, but rewarded our efforts with sights and sounds that we would have never otherwise experienced. Congratulations the Celebrity for upgrading their tours. They are expensive, but this is not a cruise to try to save a few dollars. There is too much to see and do and experience. Now for a few recommended changes 1. The buffet tables are too deep, causing guests to have to lean over too far to get some selections. This causes potential health issues. 2. The premium drink package needs to include more choices, particularly with white wines. This is especially true at the service bars. 3. The Issue with getiing back on the ship at Puerto Montte needs to be addressed. This is one place Eric really shined by coming to the aid of his guests. Great effort Eric! 4. The above mentioned noise on the activities deck. All other aspects of the ship such as the Gym, shows, and Bar singers were very good, but that is not why we came. If that is what you value most, this cruise is probably not for you. As you can see from this review, I valued the new friends we made, the universally excellent service from the staff, and the sights we saw that we may never see again above all else. Well done! Read Less

We selected that cruise both for its itinerary and its price and we were not disappointed ! Embarkation was fast and efficient in Buenos Aires . We got at the terminal at 11.00 hrs and at noon we were sitting at the back of the ship ! Our cabin was available at 15.00 hrs and we had met our steward before the safety drill ! We were scheduled for dinner at the second seating ( 20h30) which we thought at first to be too late , but after meeting our new table mates , we decided to stick to this schedule . We really enjoyed everything at the dining room : the food , the service , the company and the atmosphere . In fact it did reconcile us with Celebrity after a bad experience on the Constellation in 2013 . Lunch at the buffet was not as good , more on the average side compared with other cruise lines . What we did appreciate though was the seating room available , even when everyone was sitting inside due to the cold weather . Our cabin on the 9th floor was very comfortable , surprisingly quiet even if we were located just under the buffet and the temperature inside was well controlled even if we had to switch from AC to heating on the ship ! I am very sensible to dryness and I never experienced any problem during the cruise . Entertainment was great on all aspects : the shows were excellent , activities on board were interesting and the seminars given by Milos and Mike were among the best I have seen in 35 cruises . Milos particularly was both instructive and hilarious and I even rewatched some of his presentations on TV ! The Wine Cellars bar also offered some interesting wine tasting activities which seemed to be appropriate when in Argentina ! The ports of call were interesting and so were the days at sea . We were able to spend a lot of time close to Cape Horn , Paradise Bay was fantastic and even though we would have liked to get closer to Elephant Island to have a good look at the glaciers , we were gratified with a close view of 2 huge icebergs at the end of the afternoon . This viewing was always complemented by observations from Milos and Mike. Disembarkation was also very smooth , the only irritant there was the huge fare for taxis going anywhere ( $20 US for a 1mile ride !!) Overall we had a cruise where all our expectations were met !   Read Less

When we decided to take a cruise around Cape Horn, we knew we were going for the itinerary. There were three lines leaving Buenos Aires in the time-frame that we had (Celebrity, HA, and Princess). We chose the Princess because of the chance to go to the Falkland Islands. However, we also expected a certain level of entertainment, dining and an overall experience in line with the Princess brand. Never again. 1) The lack of exercise facilities. One of the things my wife and I look forward to when cruising is the running track. There's something about running on the high seas, with the challenge of the wind, the fresh air, etc. It's fantastic. According to Princess' website (even still today), they offer running trackS. Needless to say, there was not one. We had two options: Deck 15, which involved us hurdling over passengers and deck chairs, or Deck 7, which went 3/4 around the ship, until you meet 4 sets of stairs. Both options do not qualify as running tracks. On past cruises, there would be a dedicated area, size did not matter, with a proper running surface, that had no obstacles and just room to run. 2) Cleanliness. This should be #1, but I believe both go hand-in-hand. Princess does not take illness seriously, until it happens. There are Purell boxes available only at the buffet, the International Cafe and the pizza/hamburger restaurants. However, you will not find them when leaving any bathroom, the gym, entering the sit-down restaurants, or the casino. I witnessed a number of people not wash their hands in the bathroom, and as disgusting as that is, at least a Purell station would give them a chance to make amends. Personally, I got sick with the norovirus, after taking incredible care throughout the trip. While some might disagree, I put the blame on Princess for not doing enough to encourage cleanliness amongst other guests. I was aware of how quickly an illness can spread on a ship and I took the utmost care, but you never know what could trigger it, and I think Princess does not take it seriously. With that being said, upon getting sick, Princess did ensure I was quarantined. However, what to do with my wife? I think if one wants to stop the spread of an illness, making my wife sleep in the same cabin as I is not the best step. Why not have a cabin available in this case? Let the companions of sick guests stay there until the illness has run its course. She was not quarantined and she could have potentially spread the illness throughout the ship. Not smart, Princess. 3) Entertainment: sub par. The non-singers were good: Comedian Cary Long and Hector the Magician were both pretty good. Gaucho Del Plato seemed like a continuous Saturday Night Live skit, but he was still entertaining. However, the Princess Pop Stars gave the paid musical entertainment a run for their money. The Princess singers were okay, but the dancers - continuously out of sync and should spend more time practicing than in the gym. Elvy Rose was awful. Crooner, Jamie Cuadra...much to be desired. It also begs to question the decision making at Princess when both Rose and Cuadra sing similar sets. I understand being in Latin America and I appreciate the music and culture, but it was a Latin American overload for the last week. Too much. The theatre was 2/3 empty. In terms of the on-board activities, a number of the games were fun. The "Movies Under the Stars" is a great idea, but is anyone really going to sit outside in freezing weather to watch a movie? Why not broadcast elsewhere in the ship or in the staterooms? 4) Food: Two different experiences. The dining room food and service was excellent. The Maitre D, Neville, should have his own show in the Princess Theatre as he is both funny and charming. However, the buffet food leaves much to be desired. The bread was stale, the fish selection wasn't consistent, they would constantly run out (and not replenish) items. I expected much better from Princess and honestly, a Carnival cruise put this buffet to shame. 5) Tendering: Horrible. If you know you will be tendering in a port, why not run more tenders? At Stanley, the most popular port, there were two tenders going back and forth. The lineup was over an hour. Not acceptable. 6) Embarkation/Disembarkation: Surprisingly smooth and simple. I was impressed with that. 7) Staff: For the most part, they were very kind and helpful. Our waiters (Roy and Boris) were fantastic. Our cabin steward (Antonio) was also quite good. Having used the services of the nurse, I forger her name, she was excellent. Those reporting to the cruise director were also great. However, the other staff, at the guest services department, were subpar and useless.   Read Less

This was the cruise of a lifetime - 5 days in Antarctica with zodiac landings each day, extremely well-experienced naturalists & photographers, plus superb lectures each day on what we were expected to see, or had seen. Then you get down to the ship! Unashamed luxury with full bath and double porcelain vanities in the marble bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, very spacious bedroom/relaxing area and large veranda. A bottle of champagne was waiting on ice in our suite, followed swiftly by our personal stewardess with glasses of champagne and canapés. The mini-bar was stocked with our favourite alcohol and soft drinks. Within two days, most of the crew knew us by name, nothing was too much trouble. Extremely comfortable bed, luxury linens (wanted to buy the pillows). Plenty of storage in the walk-in wardrobe. Robes and slippers provided. Spacious safe. Multi-channel flatscreen television. Lavish bathroom with lots of unexpected, cleverly-designed storage. Designer toiletries. Separate lounging and dining areas. The dining experiences were outstanding 6-star quality and in the realms of Michelin stars! All public areas were sumptuously furnished. The capacity of this ship is 450 guests and it had the perfect feel of not being crowded. An elevator door opens and its empty! No constant signing for drinks at dinner. Free seating at meals with whomever you wish to sit. Recognition and greeting of other guests when moving around the ship. This all had a very comfortable and homely feel to it. This was our first Seabourn experience but we quickly made a "future cruise" deposit and can't wait for the next one. If you can afford it, the difference is SO worth it! We'd like to go to Antarctica again but on Quest's sailing which includes South Georgia next time - Xmas 2014 hopefully. Read Less

While a Celebrity cruise to Antartica is an affordable way to see this continent, I would think twice before booking. The first problem is Buenes Aires,the city where you catch the Celebrity Infinity. It's a dirty, dangerous city. American Tourists are charged a $160 fee which must be paid online before you get to the airport. On the two Antartic cruises in Feb. 2013, dozens of passengers reported being victims of crime in the few days before boarding the boat, mostly from pickpocketing. One Aqua Class passenger even had his camera taken during a Celebrity excursion by the bus driver and Celebrity wouldn't do anything to help the passenger get the camera back. Buenes Aires is a crime-filled city with literally every building scarred by grafitti and every sidewalk has holes and disrepair. There are dozens of scams on the streets, even cab drivers try to give you change with counterfeit pesos or try to drive off with your luggage. Check cruise critic for other examples of crime on tourists. The biggest ones were squirting liquid on a tourist's clothes and then pickpocketing them while pretending to help clean their clothes. Others had jewelry or cameras grabbed while sitting at an outdoor cafe or walking in the street. Boarding the Infinity was a nightmare. Two and a half hours of people pushing and no organization to set up lines and order. However, once you got on board, the ship was run very well. Especially noteworthy was the entertainment and the master of ceremonies. MC Alejandro has an excellent sense of humor and did his best to bring great entertainment. The speakers about Antartica wildlife, climate change and other scientific subjects were fascinating, particularly Graham Sunderland who looks like Alfred Hitchcock and shares his droll humor. The documentaries about Antartic explorers were also fascinating. The dancers and singers were excellent and their productions were very entertaining. Big complaint about the dining room seating. We asked to sit at a table to meet others. Instead we were the only diners at a table for six. After five days, we were forced to move to Select dining because we didn't want to sit alone. all around us at late seating were similar tables of two people at tables for six but no one thought to move us together. The sommelier also forgot to ask for wine orders several times or forgot to bring an ordered drink at the late seating. The food was very good in the dining room but mediocre in the Ocean View grill on the 10th floor. The Quisine Specialty restaurant was a superb dining experience because of the quality and preparation of the food and the way it was presented. I would strongly recommend Quisine One of the biggest disappointments was the fitness facilities. For the first five days, more than four of the eight elliptical machines were broken as were a number of other machines in the fitness room. The Infinity did not have the variety of fitness classes that other ships have. The supposed Zumba classes were not Zumba at all. While the Feb. 17 sailing was blessed with terrific weather and calm seas, 14 days aboard the boat with only four ports was too much time on the seas for my taste. Even in the ports, many of the excursions required four to six hours of bus travel to spend one hour looking at penguins or other wildlife. Antartic is a good experience if you don't do a lot of walking or like to explore. For the more active cruiser, I would think about spending my cruising dollars on a different destination especially one that embarks from a city that is more hospitable to tourists. Read Less

We recently lost our cruising virginity on a 14 day cruise from Buenos Aries around Cape Horn to Valparaiso. Quite frankly, I am glad we saved ourselves for Celebrity. My wife and I like active cycling and/or hiking vacations and we didn't know if we would like being"captive"in a ship. We need not of worried. From the moment we left port, we felt pampered by the staff and wondered at the wealth of quality activities available throughout the ship. This feeling was echoed by the four other couples we were travelling with. The food in the Trellis Dining room and service provided was in a word-superb! The myriad of on-board physical fitness activities more than kept our interest and helped a little to work off all those extra calories we took in. The entertainment was a huge surprise. We were really impressed by the high calibre of the Shows and Beyond the Podium speakers in the Celebrity Theatre. As a suggestion, we would like to some adventuresome/physically challenging shore excursions on offer for future cruises. There were a few minor glitches with embarkation at Montevideo and Punta Del Este but these were beyond Celebrity's control. Overall, because we were treated so royally by the staff, and because of the quality of activities and entertainment as well as the spectacular scenery, we were more than happy with our first cruising experience. To be continued... Read Less

This cruise - taken January 2009 - was well planned, researched and joyously anticipated.  We started in Buenos Aires and ended in Valpariso - with wonderful stops and sights in-between.  This is certainly an itinerary that most people would enjoy - rounding Cape Horn - visiting penguin rookeries, and seeing all types of unusual wildlife.However, the boat - oy, the boat.  This was our 26th cruise - and never have we sailed on a ship that was in such a careless state.  Everything was shabby - the dirty, smelly upholstery in the common areas, the linens - the dirty windows throughout the ship.  What is Celebrity thinking?  Unfortunately, they are offering wonderful itineraries on a ship that has seen far better days.  The term "ship shape" certainly does not apply to this vessel.  On our journey we had a Captain who thought he was a comedian - very casual in his demeanor.  We thought that perhaps his casual attititude filtered down to the staff.  Now the Captain has changed, and from what we have read on Cruisecritic, the condition of the vessel has not improved.The dining staff were wonderful.  However, the food was not.  One chef explained to us that the provisions they pick up at the start of the cruise are, oftentimes, not the best quality - and they have to work with what they get.  Our waiters, who were great, were apologetic most evenings - because the food, while plated beautifully, was not up to par. We would not take this ship again - but unfortunately would enjoy sailing on some of their itineraries - but the condition of the ship makes that impossible.  It was an unclean, unpleasant enviorment - something I thought I would never say about a cruise ship. Read Less