This was our family (a couple and a toddler)'s second cruise with Celebrity. The first one was on the SUMMIT to Alaska. We have not been on other cruise lines, so could only compare this trip to Mexico on the Infinity to Summit. Overall,we enjoyed the trip. It was very relaxing and our toddler loved the Fun Factory. However, in comparison to the Summit on the categories of Food, Entertainment, and Service, SUMMIT was better. But that was 2 years ago. Embarkation: Delayed due to immigration checks and cleaning up of novovirus. 2 points: I called ahead and asked if we could drop off our bags earlier than 2pm so that we could walk around the pier before the ship leaves at 5pm. I was told no, so we arrived exactly at 2pm and stood in line to get a porter to take our bags and then stood in line for over 1.25 hours to get on the ship. Unfortunately, the delay was not communicated to us even while we were in line. Later, I found out that some people arrived before 2pm and had their bags checked in. And, people who got there at 4pm had no wait at all. Room: Had a concierge class balcony. Loved the balcony view and the light. We ate and read out there. Saw dolphins a couple of times from our balcony. It is MUCH better than the Oceanview room with the circle window. Worth the extra money. The bed was HORRIBLE. I had a hard time sleeping. The Mattress pads we got later made it slightly better, but not much. The pillow selection, canapes,fruits, and shower head were very nice touches. Flowers were nothing special, but the rose in the bathroom was pretty. Walls are Terribly thin. We could hear our neighbors' TV on all night. I'm sure they heard our kid fighting us when we try to make her sleep. No one complained so live and let live. Dining: Pluses: Fried eggs, afternoon tea sandwiches, sorbet ice cream, a la minute steak (like carne asada), escargots, scallops Minus: lines for eggs can be quite long, by the time you get the eggs, your toasted bagel is cold. OVERCOOKED Fish, Lobster, and NY Steak. For the steak, I thought Medium means all pink in the inside, but I kept getting them all done with just a sliver of pink in the very center!! I asked our waitress if they could try again, but she said it'll take another 15 minutes... I wonder if Celebrity is making the wait staff work much longer hours, because they all looked tired and I do see the same ones working from breakfast through 2 shifts of dinner. I feel tired for them. Activities: Could use more enrichment classes. There was really only one which was a lecturer on Mexico's economy and Globalization. All of the other classes were trying to sell you something: cosmetics (makeover), flowers, shopping,etc. Movies were pretty old ones, I've seen them already. Children's Club: Our toddler loved the Fun Factory! they're open the whole day till 10pm or even later for older kids. The kids enjoyed playing with each other. They have a lineup of arts/crafts/games/Learning Leap pad/movies/music... Several of the parents wished the adults program were as fun. Service: Good. Only one person went out of the way to be great and that was Reyes Ostich(?) waiting on the buffet area (10th floor), look for his tag on the tables. He always promptly serves coffee and asks if we want juice. At some of the other tables, you wait a good while. Entertainment: Wish they had more comedians. The aerial acrobat was great too. Some singers were great! some mediocre. Shore excursion: easy to book on the TV, had no problem signing up while on the ship, but I was told that was risky because the popular excursions would be sold out. Well organized and the tour guides were friendly. You see 'TIPS' signs everywhere though, kind of irritating. Disembark: Long lines for immigration but moved quickly. Wish they would have more cruises leaving from San Francisco! Read Less

We sailed from San Francisco on the Infinity April 17, 2006. From the beginning, we had problems. The information received from both the cruise line and our travel agent stated that embarkation started at 5:30pm for the 8:00pm sailing. This was confusing since it seemed to conflict with scheduled dining times, but Celebrity customer service representatives insisted the 5:30pm embarkation start time was correct. Luckily, we took a chance and arrived around 2pm and were able to board at that time. If we had listened to Celebrity, we would have missed the life jacket drill and probably dinner as well. Other than that mistake, our embarkation went smoothly. Our cabin was not quite ready when we arrived, so we waited for it to be finished up. The cabin was missing a life jacket, and even though we flagged this to our cabin attendant, she never brought us the life jacket. We had three people in our cabin and the cabin had a sofa that pulled out as a bed. Never book a cabin that has a pull out sofa bed! When it is pulled out, there is only a mere 2 inches between the edge of the bed and the small desk. We had to remove a chair and glass table in order to be able to pull out the sofa bed. In order to go to the bathroom, one had to climb over the bed and the person in it because of the lack of space. This was very awkward and I wonder if it is a safety hazard as well??? Other than that big inconvenience, the cabin was nice. There was enough storage space for our things. Ok, food. I have to say that I was very disappointed. I had sailed on the Celebrity Mercury in 2005 and the food was terrific!!!! However, on the Infinity, I could definitely tell there were cutbacks in service and in the food quality. Our dining room servers did not offer refills as frequently, nor did they offer condiments such as ground pepper. Sometimes our boneless fish has bones in it and was overcooked. But my real gripe is with the Lido buffet. On the Mercury, the buffet was very good. On the Infinity, it was sorely lacking. They were often out of various juices and ice tea. What they did have was watered down. At times, I could see fruit flies buzzing around the beverage stations. When I flagged this problem to the attending crew at the stations, they did not do anything about it. I saw the flies on several different days. The carving stations had meats such as ham and pork which tended to be overcooked and very dry. What really disgusted me was that at one lunch time, I noticed that the peas in the vegetable section were old, hard and brown. These were mixed in with the fresher peas which were green. This tells me that old food was used that should not have been used. I commented on this to the server behind the counter and he just laughed. I understand about not wasting resources, etc&..but this was just gross! The pasta, pizza and omelet stations were good. However, the sushi was just mediocre. The afternoon tea was a pleasant experience and the pastries are good. The entertainment on board was fabulous! The production type shows were good, but what really stood out were the pianist and the soloists that Celebrity brought on board who were not regular crew members. They were outstanding! The ship dEcor was nice and thank goodness, there were plenty of elevators which mean the waiting time was minimal. It was nice not be bothered by ship photographers at every turn. The picture quality was very good and as always, we ended up buying many photos. Because I had had such a first rate on the Mercury, I had raved about Celebrity cruises to my family and friends. It was embarrassing to me because I brought along other family members and the experience did not measure up. I definitely had "egg" on my face for this one. I talked to many other passengers and they also mentioned that they noticed the quality had declined on the Infinity. I had planned to be a loyal Celebrity cruiser, but now Im not sure. This cruise experience did not measure up to my expectations. Read Less

My wife and I decided to take a cruise by ourselves this time, and our Infinity cruise on the Pacific Coast and Mexican Riviera was one of the most relaxing cruises out of the 15 cruises we have taken. Of course having a round trip cruise from San Francisco was great, as we live about 100 miles east of San Francisco and didnt require any air travel. Our neighbor took up to the cruise terminal, letting us off at the curb for our departure, and picking us up 11 days later. BOARDING THE SHIP = We received a notice to not board before 5 p.m. with an 8 p.m. cruise departure. We arrived at the pier at 12 noon, and we were able to board immediately, and we were in our cabin before 1 p.m. and having lunch a short time later. The safety drill was at 5:15 p.m., and it was not realistic to have more than 2,000 passengers board at 5 p.m. and ready for the safety drill 15 minutes later. On other cruises we arrived prior to the scheduled boarding time, and in nearly every instance we were able to board the ship early. Another thing we have discovered is that the cabins are usually available even before the announced time. We check out our cabin as soon as we board the ship and it is usually ready. By arriving at the terminal early we were able to board the ship without any hassle or crowds. BUFFET DINING ROOM = Our initial experience in the buffet dining room for lunch was excellent. The beef stew was outstanding, but many of the other buffet meals left a lot to be desired. The fruit juices available at the buffet were often watered down or empty. The cruise line where we have cruised the most, generally has a better arrangement in their buffet, and the fact that cruise line is open 24 hours a day is an advantage. Basically the food is excellent, but it is a hassle when trying to get an egg omelet and a waffle for breakfast and having to go to two different areas. Utilizing one of the four major buffet stations for pasta, ended up having long buffet lines. Their pasta and pizza were excellent, They also have a sandwich and soup station which was very good. One of the highlights of their dining program was the Spa Cafe on the opposite end of the ship from the buffet on level 10. They offer healthy food, which is great for breakfast and lunch. We didnt have any long lines at the Spa Cafe. MAIN DINING ROOM = The only disadvantage was the fact that we were in later seating, which resulted in us not finishing dinner until sometimes as late at 10:45 p.m. Then going to the show resulted in us not getting to bed until after midnight. On a few nights the entertainment was presented at 7 p.m. which didnt make it so late for us. The Grand Buffet was presented in the main dining room, and it was as excellent as the one on the Mercury on which we cruised in April of 2005. The ice carvings were outstanding. HEALTH ISSUES = On the second to the last day of the cruise we received a written notice about 1% of the passengers had contacted a virus and that the crew were taking extra precautions to prevent it from spreading. In the buffet we were served rather than helping ourselves. The crew also we very busy sanitizing elevator buttons, hand rails, and everything else that people come in contact with. The Captain did not waste any time to inform the passengers about the virus, and everyone seemed to take extra precautions. THERAPY POOL AND GYM = Tables and chairs for the Spa Cafe surrounded the therapy hot salt water pool. The pool is like a giant hot tub. The Infinity had an excellent gym with the latest equipment, and a mens and women's sauna. They also had a co-ed Turkish Bath and a steam room at a cost. In the mens dressing room they also had safety razors and shaving cream available and cloth hand towels/face cloths. THEATER ENTERTAINMENT = We have seen some excellent entertainment on the 15 cruises we have enjoyed, but the entertainment each evening on the Infinity was by far the best entertainment we have experienced. The production programs were fantastic. The singers and dancers were something to see and enjoy. The other entertainers were likewise excellent. Many other cruisers made the same comment to us. CASINO SLOT MACHINES = It is easy to evaluate the Casino based upon whether you won or lost. Not being a big gambler, the 5 cent slots were an attraction for us. They were making some big pay-outs when you consider some of them resulted in $200.00 to $400 on a couple of machines. The biggest payouts on the 5 cent slot machines were on the Money to Burn machine. PORTS OF CALL = We only went ashore at Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, as we have visited the Mexican ports on numerous occasions. We did not take any tours or even venture downtown, so we are unable to enlighten you much about the ports. When we were in Puerto Vallarta there was a shopping area near where the tenders arrived. We were able to get on the internet to check e-mail at a very reasonable price amounting to $1.00 for 15 minutes, or $5.00 for one hour. That sure beats the starting rates of 75 cents a minute on the ship. DISEMBARKATION = The Infinity has one of the smoothes disembarkation we have ever experienced. Going though immigration on the ship was a snap with no long lines. We were one of the last to leave the ship, and it was before 10 a.m. that we got off the ship. Being last was our choice as our ride was not going to arrive to pick us up until 11 a.m. SERVICE = As far as we are concerned the service on Infinity and other Celebrity ships is the greatest. The crew and staff seem happy and they work as a team. In the Buffet they nearly always carry your tray to your table, and then ask what you would like to drink. They offer lemonade, two kinds of punch, and ice tea, in addition to coffee and tea. Of course you pay for the other drinks. Read Less

If you are looking for an upscale cruise experience, you will be delighted with a Celebrity Cruise on the GTS Infinity. Ill share some of our experiences with you in the review below, and Ill close with my personal list of Top Ten Tips to make your cruise extra special  tips that you wont find in the Celebrity brochures! Originally, my spouse and I booked a 14-night Panama Canal cruise (Dec. 10-24) on the Infinity, and then chose to lengthen our trip by booking a 6-night Mexican Riviera cruise (Dec. 4-10) on the same ship to create a 20-day back-to-back cruise vacation itinerary. We think it was our best cruise vacation decision, and it created an extra-long, extra-relaxing get-away for us. Mindful of anxiety-producing flight delays, we chose to arrive in San Diego a day earlier than our Dec. 4 cruise departure, ensuring that we would have time to stroll around the beautiful San Diego bay. We stayed at the Hampton Inn which is located 2 short blocks from the pier and 3 blocks from Little Italy. A great location and when we awoke on Dec. 4, we could see from our room that our ship had come in! The hotels free shuttle took us straight to the pier at 11 a.m., and we spent only 5 minutes handing in our Celebrity Express Pass paperwork and receiving our SeaPass room keys before we were on board the Infinity. There were only a handful of passengers on board and, after dropping our one carry-on piece of baggage in our stateroom, we quickly set out to explore this 91,000 ton beauty. We received our room keys in a convenient map mini-folder which was a handy reference guide to the ship as we got acquainted with our floating resort hotel. One of the first things we noticed were the smiling faces of the crew members. We were showered with welcome aboard and good morning greetings from every crew member we passed. This friendliness never seemed forced or contrived and it continued for the entire 20 days of our cruise. All cruise staff members wear a badge showing their name and what country they are from; they welcome your questions and they delight in being called by name. About noon we were hungry for lunch, ready for us on deck 10 in the Oceanview Grill. Five different salads, four different entrees, several vegetables and side dishes, fresh fruit and breads  set up cafeteria style  were served to hungry passengers. There were 7 different desserts to choose from, including several chocolate choices for these two chocoholics!! Smiling waiters eagerly took our trays and carried them to a sunny window table overlooking the pier and harbor activity. Although Celebrity does not offer a Cruise Critic Connections party on 6-day cruises, we had discussed a mini-party of our own online, and we pre-planned a meeting time at the Mast Bar so that we could visit our Cruise Critic friends before sailing. More than a dozen Cruise Critic participants showed up and we had a great time sharing screen names, exchanging tour tips and making plans to meet again. (On the 14-day Dec. 10 segment we attended the Cruise Critic Connections party on the first full day at sea. Everyone had a chance to introduce themselves and put a screen name to an actual face. Many of us made plans to meet new friends for lunch or a port tour, and was a great way to form ongoing relationships!) Before we knew it, it was time to don our orange life jackets and proceed to our life stations for the mandatory life boat drill! And then, we were sailing into a gorgeous sunset and preparing for a gourmet 5-course dinner in the Trellis restaurant! Our waiter David and his assistant Johny were smiling and eager to please as the explained the many delightful choices on that evenings menu. Afterwards, we thoroughly enjoyed the Celebrity singers and dancers in a fantastic entertainment revue that would rival anything in a Las Vegas show lounge! Rather than go into a day-by-day itinerary (since your destinations and timeline will be different), Ill provide highlights and information that will be useful in preparing for your adventure at sea. The ship is lovely, walkways are wide and there are plenty of chairs and couches for people watching or chatting with a new friend. Each evening, when your room steward turns down your bed, youll find a Celebrity Today newsletter and an insert with all the activities scheduled for the next day. Hang onto this  it will help you plan your time to take in the events that appeal to you. Each day youll find so much to do: enrichment/educational speakers, card and trivia games, pool activities, hot tubs, dance classes, ping-pong, live music by the pool, and a full range of entertainment in the lounges and show room by musicians, comedians, magicians and dancers. Try not to miss a minute of the fun! Although a cruise is touted as an all-inclusive vacation, there are many items/activities on board that will cost extra and could add hundreds of dollars to the price youve paid for that cruise. You can still have a fantastic time without paying extra fees for gambling, photography, in-stateroom movies, specialty beverages, laundry or spa treatments. Here are some of the things you can expect to pay extra for on the Infinity (all are charged to your shipboard account). Photos: The ships photographers are taking pictures of you at boarding, on formal nights, at port stops, and during ship activities. You are not obligated to buy any of them. Beverages: Soft drinks, bottled water, gourmet coffees and alcoholic beverages will cost you extra. Bring your own bottled water, or drink the ships regular coffee, hot/iced tea, water, fruit juices, lemonade or milk for free. Fitness/Spa: The gym and equipment are free, but there is a charge for some yoga and pilates classes. The treadmills have a great view at the front of Infinity, and thats where we saw the whales on our cruise! Also, there are extra charges for using the spa facilities (steamroom, massage, facial, nail treatments, hair styling, etc.) Gambling: A full range of casino gambling options await you, and it will be your money that youre wagering. Bingo is offered daily; cards cost up to $30. Special interest: Youll pay extra for computer classes, skeet shooting, wine tasting or golf simulation time. You decide if its worth it. Art Auctions: Its easy to get caught up in the excitement of auction bidding. This can add considerably to the cost of your cruise, but if its a painting you really want to own, it may be worthwhile. Port tours: Theyre beautifully described in the brochure and you certainly want to see the countryside and landmarks in these ports. Determine if youll be happy being herded onto a large bus with 48 other people or it you prefer to have a taxi take you to the sites that you really want to see (see my tip #9). Its easy to research your destinations on the Internet and plan your own tour in port, usually at a much lower cost and more leisurely pace. Tips: Gratuities are a personal matter. We generally follow the ships recommendations and provide something extra for those who went above and beyond to assist us during our cruise. My Top Ten Tips For Enjoying Your Cruise (you wont find in the Celebrity brochure) 1. Wear a smile. A smile is a universal greeting that is always welcome. And, when you smile at others, youll receive one in return. Its a great way to make friends on the ship. Even if you are traveling with a group, reach out to meet others and youll find new friends in every area of the ship. 2. Want to go home with cruise line branded souvenirs without paying for them in the gift shop? Participate! Every day there are prizes to be won, and you dont have to make a fool of yourself to win something. Go to the free-to-participate trivia contests, the guessing game of the day or the name that tune challenge and you might walk out with Celebrity coffee mugs, luggage tags, pens, lanyards, sun visors and tee-shirts. Bigger prizes are offered to bingo winners, but youll have to pay to play. 3. The Aqua Spa Café (on deck 10 in the thalassotherapy pool area) features some of the very best food on the ship. Thats because the chef for Infinitys specialty restaurant, the United States, is also the chef for this barely-discovered café. Each day they serve a light and healthy breakfast with fresh mango, cranberry juice and fruit-filled muffinsitems not found on the main buffet breakfast. At lunchtime, youll have 4 low-calorie, health-oriented choices (cold chicken with cashews, salmon tartare, chefs salad, tofu rollups, and vegetarian entrees) to choose from, as well as 2 cooked-to-order items (broiled tilapia was outstanding) that change daily. These same menu choices are available through the dinner hours. And, they feature two desserts each day that are low calorie, yet beautifully designed and presented. There is no additional charge for the food in this café. 4. Women who want a line-free suntan for that bare-it sexy top can find topless sunbathing on deck 13 forward. No, the elevator wont take you there! And, the ship crew denies that it exists, but its there. Just climb the forward outside stairs to deck 12 and then look up. Youll see the cotton material screened off area at the top of the next flight of stairs. No kids or gawkers, please. 5. Wish you could have afforded concierge class or a suite, but still want fresh fruit each day in your room? Do it yourself! Choose an apple or a banana at the breakfast buffet and take it back to your room for an afternoon snack. Your room steward will be happy to provide you with a plate, napkins, and utensils. 6. Its dinner time in the Trellis restaurant and nothing on the menu really appeals to your taste buds. Every night you can order these items that dont appear on the Trellis restaurant menu: shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, grilled salmon filet, broiled chicken breast or NY strip steak. 7. Still more food choices on Celebrity ships: theres hot pizza every day (and into the late night hours) and theyll make a custom pizza with your choice of toppings. The buffet offers 4 entrée choices and youll have 4 more choices in the Trellis dining room. They are cooking hamburgers, french fries, hot dogs and chicken breasts at the poolside grill. Theres a customized pasta toss, salad bar, sandwiches with potato chips, or tortilla wraps at the other end of the buffet. Many afternoons, there are free specialty snacks on deck 10 in the aft outdoor deck. Sushi is offered most days from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Five choices of ice cream are offered from noon to 10 p.m. every day. And, you can find freshly-baked cookies from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Cova Café, and appetizers and cookies from 4 to 5 p.m. in the buffet. Dining at the S.S. United States is available each night by reservation for a $30 per person cover charge. Or, choose to eat at alternative casual dining from 6 to 10 p.m. (reservations requested and a $2. per person charge). Starting at 11:30 p.m., waiters bring trays of nibbles to the night owls in all the public areas of the ship. 8. Its a relaxing day at sea and youre getting a bit warm sitting in the sun by the pool. Hang on until 2:00 on those at sea days and enjoy the Celebrity tradition of Sorbet on Parade. Waiters bring trays of frozen fruit sorbet to you so you can cool off without jumping into the pool. Dont miss this refreshing delight! 9. Book your own tours in port. Youll find great suggestions from other cruisers in the Boards Section (scroll down to ports of call) on Cruise Critic. In most ports, there are tour operators with small vans waiting on the pier and offering customized excursions. In Aruba, we teamed up with another couple to hire a taxi for 2 hours to take us to the 4 specific sites we wanted to see. Or, go to www.shoretrips.com for some interesting suggestions. 10. What to bring/ what to leave at home? Dont pack a robe, beach towels or an alarm clock. There is a Celebrity robe and beach towel for each person in your cabin to use while you are on the ship, although theres a hefty charge if you decide to take them with you at the end of the cruise. And, the telephone in your stateroom has a convenient alarm clock feature. Dont pack clothes that are already a little tight before starting your cruise (why? Re-read tip number 7.) Do pack: a highlighter (to mark the daily activity sheet); a small pad of 3x3-inch post-it notes (to leave messages on the mirror for your roommate or spouse); a rubber band (put it around your wallet to deter pickpockets in port); a potato chip bag clip (to hold the drapes closed in your stateroom), a flashlight or small nightlight; a paper clip (to use as a bookmark that wont blow away in the wind), and your own hair conditioner (shampoo is provided, but after several days at sea, youll want the softness that only your conditioner provides). 11. Bonus tips: The Celebrity library features many recent titles, and also offers a small area for a free book exchange. Its always quiet time in your cabin because Celebrity public address announcements are only broadcast in the hallways and public areas. Bring a 6-pack of bottled water or your favorite soft drink and ask your room steward to remove the overpriced goodies in the refrigerator in your room. For those cruisers who are traveling with children, Celebritys child care staff does an outstanding job of keeping youngsters busy, happy and out of sight. If you are sensitive to the sun, youll enjoy the solarium pool which is free to anyone over the age of 18 (another child-free zone). Usually on the last day of the cruise, the spa offers low-cost specials. If you buy at least 100 shares of RCL stock, you can obtain a shipboard credit for your cruise (see www.royalcaribbean.com for details). Most importantly, relax, have fun, enjoy the sights and sounds of your vacation at sea! Celebrity will treat you famously! Read Less

Hello everyone, we just returned from the Infinity on a 4 night cruise from San Diego to Catalina then Ensenada with one sea day. Following is a summary of the cruise and my opinions. We arrived in San Diego at a park and ride facility which was $8.00 per day and we were promptly whisked by shuttle to the pier. We were let off at the pier. A tip for everyone is to have your tips handy to avoid rifling through pockets for everything. The check in process was about 20 minutes or so, there was no labeled line for concierge but definitely one for suites and elite members. We bypassed the embarkation photo and went inside, which in itself was very exciting. A porter? was assigned to us, to lead us to our rooms, I had to slow him down for a second so I could grab a glass of champagne, and then he stopped because he was confused as to the location of our room. We started moving again then he seemed to be a bit lost again so I then informed him as to which way to go and also asked if he could help with one of my carry-ons. The concierge class aft balcony was just what I expected. The room was nicely appointed and the balcony was incredible. I am not a rich man, so please do not take this as stuffiness or arrogance, but the champagne in the room is, in my opinion, not something I would ever buy or have an urge to drink. It does look nice in the picture though, so I guess that is a plus. I really think celebrity should go with something a little more palatable, it is what we are paying for. Speaking of liquor, in my checked bags I packed four bottles, two bottles of wine, a small bottle of dessert wine and one bottle of rum. All were in their original packing wrapped in bubble wrap then placed in bags to prevent spillage. I brought my own liquor for two reasons, I like to have drinks in my room, I even take liquor to Vegas where, for the most part, the drinks are free, and I like to think that I will save a little bit of money on my bar tab, although upon looking at my final bill, I am not sure that was the case. I also had one carry on whose main contents were a 12 pack of soda and a 12 pack of water. All of these items were still in my check on bags when they arrived at the room. My wife was a little stressed about it but I said no worries either way, its not like they are going to kick us off of the ship if they don't want the liquor on board. The wife and I made our way up to the buffet to have some lunch, we were a little disappointed in the service set up. They have servers doling out the food, which is more time consuming than self service in a buffet setup, also they are a bit timid when it comes to answering questions about the food, which is something that I am sure will always be a problem as they are probably the lower ranks of the food serving staff. Also we were not aware at first that you could serve yourself at the drink stations, so feel free. I did not know whether to tip or not at the buffet, so when we were not offered a second drink after slurping on our straws I decided to bypass it. The first night we were a bit tired so we decided to have our dinner on our balcony, which was a bit of a tight fit because of table top space but it was still delicious. Just do not expect hot food, this is not a dig at the staff, it is just impossible to have all of your food remain hot especially when it is served all at once and outside. I also met our room steward and gave him a modest pre tip, on top of the pre-tips that I had paid prior to cruising. I just asked for him to keep the ice coming. Looking back I expected a bit more service than received and would have still done the pre tip, but would have added to that as we went along. However, when we had to call for ice or water they were for the most part prompt. I also asked for specific pillows and received them and asked for a plate of cheese and crackers instead of the canapEs and received those as well every day. That night we did a bit of exploring, but retired to the room as we were tired from the long day. The next morning I woke up later than I would have liked so I missed the approach to Catalina but was still quite impressed with the nice little view of it. We had breakfast on our balcony, although mine was sans the eggs benedict that I had written in, so no eggs with breakfast. I did not attempt it again. If you like catsup with your morning potatoes, write it down or they may not bring it. As a matter of fact, be specific as to condiments, nothing worse than a dry burger. After our leisurely breakfast and then getting ready we made our way down to the priority disembarkation meeting place for concierge class, but it turns out that tickets were no longer needed for the tenders so we went down and were whisked away. Note to people who get seasick, if you are easily susceptible to it, you may want to be the last on a tender as the rocking back and forth while waiting for others to board was getting to some of the other passengers, but I enjoyed it. Returning via tender from Catalina was great because we were able to take some great pictures of the ship from the water. Do not be afraid to ask the boat captain to go around the front of it, I wish I would have, I am sure the pictures from there were great as I saw one tender do it. We had lunch in the main dining room, I was not overly impressed with the lunch selection. Also, there are not really any options for other items if the menu does not have something you like at lunch, at least that is what I gathered from my waiter. I had an oriental noodle dish, and I had to ask for soy sauce and hot chili sauce and chopsticks. Never did get the chopsticks, and almost didn't get the hot chili sauce. But the bread bowl is always delicious! For lunch I would stick to the alternatives because I think you will have more selection and the quality will be the same. We had my wife's dress ironed and my tuxedo shirt pressed for $10.50 and they were in our room when we returned. No problems with that service, if you are thinking of bringing an iron, I recommend a powerful steam iron, with the space available steaming on a hangar is probably the best option. And the 10-foot extension cord we packed came in handy as well for laptop and battery and phone chargers, etcetera. Formal night was great, I ordered two appetizers, I would say about 30% of the men were in tuxes, which is what I expected for a 4 night cruise. I don't care if people conform or not, as long as it is respectable I am good. What bugs the holy bejeezuss out of me is when people are loud and rude about their feelings on formal night attire whether good or bad. I have a temper so you don't want to know what I think as to how people like this should be treated. After dinner we enjoyed the casino for a bit and we took some pictures of ourselves on the balcony. The casino was fun as a lot of people were still dressed to impress, but even those who weren't looked like they were enjoying themselves so that's what really counts. The next morning was Ensenada, once again we woke up too late for the approach shots but still got some great pictures of the harbor. We had breakfast on the balcony every morning, which was always great. Disembarkation here was smooth, and so was embarkation. We did not purchase any liquor so no hassle at customs check in, I did have a Cuban cigar in my bag that accidentally ended up home, but I was sure to burn it so it did not fall into the wrong hands. The next day was an at sea day so I am going to end this with a summary of items not covered above. We had the alternative dining one night, which did require a reservation, apparently it requires a reservation for the wait staff as well and they forgot to make one. Not that they do a poor job, but there are a lot few of them so they are hard pressed to keep up if more than a couple of tables are seated. The buffet food was adequate, nothing to write home about. The pizza was above average as it is normally fresh and the dough is good. Unfortunately did not try the pasta bar or the waffle bar. The sushi bar was outstanding, as were the sandwiches. I would have loved to try the pool grill. We did not do the specialty dining, and definitely do not feel as if we missed anything. For the most part the food was average with a handful of great items. My wife was not overly impressed with the desserts though. The room service selection was excellent, considering it was available 24/7. I was not shy about ordering and did so frequently, I just made sure to tip. Just be specific as to any condiments required, as you may not receive even the standard stuff otherwise. The ordering system on the tv is great as long as you don't need condiments. The midnight buffet was exceptional to look at. Oh, you can gamble in your room through your tv, great way to burn a little time if you like, and you can also look at your up to the minute charges on the tv as well, great feature. The drink prices are nothing to jump up and down about, and I can see a bar tab getting way out of control for a big group of partiers, so always ask what the daily specials are. I wondered about the pre tipping as we did not eat in the main room every night or even for breakfast or lunch but once. Does this get divided amongst the staff or did my one night server get tipped all of it? On second thought, I would not do the pre-tip, but would prefer to tip as I go at dining settings and at the end of cruise for room stewards. There were a couple of things that happened that if they would have been prevented, would have made celebrity look much better, but I guess with staff turnover it will be a never ending battle for them. I liked the crowd that was on the ship, seemed like an overall conservative bunch but of a varied age range. Of course you have to keep in mind that this was only a 4-night cruise. I definitely feel as if I got my moneys worth, I had a great time, came away refreshed, I was not treated like a celebrity per se, but I did feel as if I were treated like a valued customer which is definitely worth every penny. Below is a link to our cruise pictures, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Paul http://community.webshots.com/user/bigpaul32 Read Less

This was a very short cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, MX. It was my seventh cruise, but the first Celebrity X experience. I cannot recommend the ship enough and Concierge Class or above is definitely the way to go. Our wait in line to check in was about 20 seconds! About 5 minutes later we were already on the ship, which was spotless. A white glove escort to the cabin was unexpected and a complimentary cold bottle of Champagne and a small fruit basket really gave a fantastic first impression. The cabin was normal sized, but thanks to some helpful diagrams that are on the internet I found a room on the Penthouse level with an extra large balcony (about 8'X 10'). We relaxed and drank most of the bottle the first hour when our steward finally introduced himself and suggested we might enjoy a second free bottle if he could find one...he did. We unpacked a little and went up for a bite to eat before leaving San Diego. What a start! We were given a table for 2 as requested for the two nights that we dined in the main dining room. The service and food was superior there. We had buffets for breakfast and lunch. Note that the buffet serves everything to you instead of allowing you to fill your own plate as you wish. That was a bit awkward. Both the lady I travelled with and myself are very critical on service because we are banquet food servers at a 1.7 billion dollar hotel in Las Vegas. Jumping ahead a little, we dined at the upscale S.S. United States restaurant on the third and final night for $30 each and I had the wine pairing for another $27. Our head waiter, Christian, led what seemed like an army of servers to come to our table for a six course, 2.5hr meal that would be nearly impossible to exceed. This is a "must do" for any couple. How many chances do you get in life to get so much for a fraction of a normal gourmet meal's price. I'd like to go into great detail here, but to save time, just make your reservations early and get ready. Overall, there was always something to do on the ship, but not enough time. One of the first things that we did was intrude on the kids area and played a little basketball. Being 45-50 years old, we didn't play long, but it was still fun. The movie theater, disco, and main theater all were very nice. We played it by ear on our two stops, and got some good deals on excursions. I believe the crew said they were off to Hawaii next; our cruise was incidental. My only complaint is that on the final night, we needed a major nap after dinner, and we were not given a comment card, nor did we get an itemized bill the next morning. The charges all seemed correct in total and my companion had checked the statement on the TV as well. I wish I could supply more information, because that would mean we had more days on the cruise. We expected a lot. We got more. Read Less