We chose this cruise because of the itenerary which included Cartagena, Panama and Costa Rica which we had never visited. Our cabin was fine size for us with ample storage space, having learned from previous trips to be a bit more practical in packing. Our steward, Francisco, was always available and took really good care of us and the cabin. We usually ate in the main dining room and the service and the food were excellent, especially the tournedos. We had breakfast in the buffet with good variety and quality available. We went to the show each night after dinner and enjoyed every performance, especially Ashley Amber who has a fantastic voice and puts on a really great show. She was our muster leader on Summit a few tears ago and has come a long way. On previous Celebrity cruises we enjoyed a glass of Bailey’s after dinner with our coffee so on the first night we did the same only to be charged a dollar each overage which I thought really petty. It was always included in the classic package but they now charge ten dollars for a glass. It cost twenty five dollars for a litre bottle in their duty free shop. We did excursions on most stops but were really surprised at how untidy Costa Rica is. Considering how it prides itself on it’s biodiversity and respect for the environment, there was so much garbage like beer bottles and plastic lying on the beaches. Maybe we picked a bad day. We had a great excursion in Cozumel called Salsa, salsa and margaritas. It was a lot of fun and probably one of the best days of the cruise. Embarkation was a bit slow but disembarking was a breeze. What a difference from Miami. All in all it was a great cruise and we will be cruising again with Celebrity. Read Less

We joined this cruise following a repositioning cruise. Too many things went wrong, Our excursion on Panama was ruined by our terrible coach which broke down. First replacement coach as bad, 3rd time lucky. However, the excursions team did not want to hear our complaints. The cabin was pleasant and well looked after by the young gentleman who was swift to resolve any issues. The restaurants were good, however, too much cap doffing to suite customers and we were ignored, just a little too often. The queue management at the restaurant was haphazard. With the word Ultimate in the cruise name, you would have thought that the destination ports may have been more select. The captain was brilliant and we looked forward to his 10am messages each day when we were at sea. Other officers were not the most professional. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed the trip, but we are hesitant to book another cruise with Celebrity. Read Less

As for many cruisers, going through the Panama Canal was a bucket list cruise - it was great. We choose Celebrity because we love all the ships and the level of service. The Infinity is almost 20 years old but Celebrity has done a great job keeping it current. The MDR service with Edgar as our waiter and Mercy as Sommelier were excellent - the food was perfect for all of us. The stateroom service was great with Richard having our room ready by the time we returned from breakfast. We enjoyed several days by the pool and service at the pool was also good. As usual the service and food offered in Tuscan were fabulous. We saw all the ship Directors frequently out and about which was good especially as we had late afternoon coffee in Cafe Al Bacio. In our opinion the entertainment on Celebrity has improved quite a bit from previous years - some great cruise musicians including the house band. There wasn't anything on this cruise that we didn't love. Read Less

Embarkation: Celebrity has now assigned times for check-in based on cabin location. As a result, embarkation was extremely easy. The entire process took less than thirty minutes from the time we arrived at the pier until we were in our cabin. Ships Condition: The Infinity is an old vessel. The exterior is so deteriorated that Royal Caribbean should be ashamed to continue marketing the ship. There is evidence of rust and paint over rust on the exterior decks and balconies. The wooden hand rails in some areas have rotted and have been hastily patched. I am concerned about the workings of life boat davits, anchor windless, and other machinery. Having said this, the interior of the ship has been well maintained. Bright work is polished; carpeting is clean, and most public areas are in good shape. The Infinity is scheduled for a major overhaul in 2020. It can’t come soon enough! Cabin: We were in a balcony cabin on the 7th deck. Although smaller than we have had on other cruise ships, there was adequate space for storage. The room was convenient to both the aft and midship elevators. There was no appreciable noise and the cabin was well maintained. The bathroom was larger than most cruise ships, especially there shower. Our stateroom attendant, Anthony, was excellent and kept our room neat and tidy. Well done! Entertainment: The ship’s entertainment steadily improved during the cruise. Both the production shows and the guest entertainers toward the second half of the cruise were very enjoyable. We were always able to find seats in the theater. The sight lines were excellent in the venue. Internet: The shipboard Internet was painfully slow. When one is buying minutes instead of days, the frustration level increases exponentially. Discussed this with the Internet Officer. He offered no explanation. I heard many complaints from other guests as well. It might be better to offer internet packages by day rather than by minutes similar to Royal Caribbean ships. With slow internet a guest can burn minutes waiting for slow downloads. Tendering: In Cabo San Lucas we were required to tender to the port. What began as an orderly process, became an unmitigated disaster. Guests with excursions were to be the first in the boats. Elite and Elite Plus guests were supposed to have a dedicated boat. As we arrived at the departure point on the 1st deck, there was nothing but mass confusion. All guests we’re herded together without rhyme or reason. The last tender was supposed to leave the port at 3:30 PM. By 4 o’clock there were still four tender boats lined up to off-load passengers. Celebrity has to managed their tender operation more efficient. Fitness Center: The fitness center has adequate cardiovascular equipment as well as a number of weight machines. Since I go early in the day, there has never been a time where all machines are being used. There is a time limit of 20 minutes on the machines when guests are waiting. No one enforces the time limits however. Dress Code: The ship has a dress code (no shorts in the dining room for evening meals, no bathrobes in the buffet, no shorts in certain cocktail lounges in the evening, etc). However, the code in not consistently enforced. I saw a man turned away for wearing a robe in the buffet while another was allowed to eat in a robe on a different day. In the main dining room a woman wearing short shorts was permitted to eat during the evening hours. Rules are no issue as long as they are consistently enforced . Food: I have eaten in the Oceanside Cafe, the main dining room, and the Tuscan Grill. The food in all three restaurants has been wonderful; well above typical cruise ship fare. My only suggestion is a menu expansion in the main dining room as there are too few choices. The hamburger grill near the pool is very good as well. The pizza is tasty with a thin crust that also exceeds the norm. Service: Our cabin steward, Anthony, was the best we have ever had on a cruise ship. Our cabin was tidied up twice a day with fresh towels, soaps, etc. A wonderful unassuming man who was a pleasure to be around. While service in the Oceanside Cafe has been reduced, guests do not seem too bothered by it. Service in the main dining room was very good during all the meals we had there. Our primary waiter, Benjamin, was very efficient and attentive. Enrichment: Were it not for Bill Fall, the Celebrity enrichment program was pathetic. Mr. Fall salved the day with several excellent presentations on the Panama Canal as well as some of the ports we were scheduled to visit. His commentary during the Panama Canal transit was informative and well documented. He is one of the best I have ever heard. Cruise Director: The cruise director, Luigi, was substandard in my opinion. His presentations were annoying at times. His “I can’t hear you” every night after the entertainment was sophomoric at best. I have cruised for years and Luigi was one of the worst. Again, just a personal opinion, but I have over 30 cruise directors to compare. Debarkation: We experienced a very efficient debarkation in Fort Lauderdale. We carried our luggage off the ship. From the time we left the ship until we reached the taxi stains took around 15 minutes. Cab to the airport was quick and cost $20. Read Less

This was a cruise of “firsts” for us: First time cruising the Panama Canal, first time booking a stateroom guarantee, the first time flying in on embarkation day, and first time doing Silent Disco. It was a very good cruise but the Infinity is showing her age and so are the majority of passengers on this cruise (which we expected since not many working people can take 15 days vacation at one time). I estimate the average age at 75. There was a total of 3 children onboard. My wife and I regularly sail Celebrity and booked this cruise 6 weeks in advance since they had a great veranda guarantee rate. We were hesitant to book a guarantee and had never done so before because stateroom location is important to us. After reading about others having positive experiences booking guarantee we decided to give it a try. Within a week after booking we were assigned stateroom 7122, a mid-ship class 2A veranda, which is what we normally try to book. The Ship: The Infinity is an upscale ship but she is getting old with her décor becoming somewhat outdated. All public areas are well maintained. There was a funny, sewage-like, smell in a few areas of the ship. The most noticeable was in the photo gallery. The Martini bar’s ice top isn’t working properly and there are many bare, wet areas on the bar top. The public restrooms do not have automatic openers like the Solstice class ships and they are small. Celebrity no longer has attendants in restrooms at all times during the busy evening hours. The loungers around the pool seem new but they do not have pads and there is a crossbar just below your rear-end when sitting and is uncomfortable. The Sunset bar is very nice but the bar stools are worn and most no longer rotate making it uncomfortable if you want to turn and watch the latest port fade into the distance. Crew: Were very good. Stateroom attendant was efficient and friendly as were the wait staff in the MDR. For the most part, bartenders and lounge service was very good. Embarkation: We flew into San Diego the morning of embarkation. Thankfully, our flight was on time. We took an Uber to the pier, which only takes about 6-8 minutes, and arrived at about 11:00 AM. There were plenty of porters to help with luggage. The lines to check in were short so we were checked in and ready to board by 11:15 AM. This was the first time we didn’t need to fill out a health questionnaire before boarding (they probably should have since there was a lot of illness on this cruise but more on that later). The ship wasn’t ready for new passengers so we were given a group number and had to wait about 20 minutes before we could board. That gave us time to start making new friends. The stateroom: Is a standard veranda and has easy access to mid-ship stairs and elevators. It was clean, the bed was comfortable and overall in good shape but looking outdated. There is plenty of storage in the closets, in the night stands (which have 2 drawers each and much better than Solstice class night stands) and under the bed. There is a small loveseat and table but in order to more easily move around we push the table against the loveseat making it unusable most of the time. There is a small desk that doubles as a dressing table which has two small storage areas. The standard pillows are foam so we asked the stateroom attendant for feather pillows and he quickly obtained them for us. Carpet was in good shape and there is a wall of mirrors across from the bed. The TV is small and – to our dismay they do not offer a variety of music choices through the TV entertainment system. We enjoy playing music while we get ready for the evening. If you do too then I recommend bringing a small Bluetooth speaker and listen to the music from your smartphone. The drape covering the veranda door is NOT blackout. The room will get light as soon as the sun comes up, which was 5:45 AM on some of our days. The air conditioning worked OK but we could not get the room cold enough for us to sleep comfortably. It would go down to about 70 F but on other ships it will regularly go down to 66-68 F at night. There were some guests down the hall from us that slept with their veranda door open (evidenced by the hot, humid air blowing out from under their doors) which may have contributed to the A/C issue. CAUTION there is a crew door across the hall from #7122 and it makes a loud noise when it shuts, if the crew doesn’t ease it closed. We were awakened before 7 by this slamming door on a few mornings. The bathroom: Is standard size for Celebrity. It has two corner storage shelves above the counter and storage under the sink. The sink is relatively large and deep compared to the vessel sinks on Solstice class ships. The shower runs the width of the bathroom rather than be in the corner like on Solstice class. It has a curtain rather than shower door. I prefer the shower setup on Solstice class ships. Unfortunately, the bathroom had seen better days. The tile on the floor is discolored and some tiles were loose. There is a lot of bad caulking in the shower with black mold growth. The toilet has a permanent black ring. Also, there isn’t an outlet for electric shavers. The veranda: Is small but adequate for 2 people. It has two chairs (which do not recline) and a short table. Deck 8 above extends further out so you are well protected from rain if it isn’t too windy. Illness: It seemed like most people on board were coughing and sneezing. Unfortunately, most were doing so into their hands rather than into their elbow or shoulder. Even though Celebrity actively promotes washing of hands and using hand sanitizer I witnessed many men not washing after using the restroom and others not using the hand sanitizer offered by staff. We always bring hand sanitizer with and use it after touching anything in the restaurants, handrails, etc. Halfway through the cruise an announcement was made that they were stepping up sanitizing precautions. Crew began serving at most stations in Oceanview and there was a noticeable increase in crew wiping down railings, table, door knobs, etc. SURPRISE! I came down with a cold the day I arrived home. Coincidence? Entertainment: The production shows were entertaining. Even though we sail with Celebrity often there was only one show we had seen before. Live music was hit and miss. There was a string duo, a solo guitarist/singer and a duo guitarist and singer that were very good. There was a pianist/singer that played beautiful but he is not a good singer. The house band was pretty good as well as a dance band that played in Rendez-Vous lounge. It was disappointing that there wasn’t any live music from 6-6:30. If you dine late, like to go to the 7 PM show and want a cocktail at 6 then you will have to enjoy it in silence or with canned background music. The guest entertainers were a mixed bag. Comedian, Al Duchame, and impressionist/singer, Sean O’Shea, were excellent. Some of the entertainers spend too much time talking between numbers and should just keep on singing or playing. DJ Miguel did a great job and is very friendly. We participated in Silent Disco twice in Constellation lounge. We never did it before because when you only watch it seems weird. Well, if you haven’t tried it you should. It was a lot of fun choosing between three different types of music on the headphones and dancing with my wife and others we met on the dance floor. The Wedding game, Risky Feud, Liars Club, Gender battle were hit or miss depending on the people selected to participate. They also did an Abba show with the production cast which was fun but very crowded. The Cruise Director was Luigi, Activities Manager was Bethany and Activity staff Gina and Chiko – all did a great job. Food and Restaurants: Overall, food was very good. Oceanview: Quality is hit-or-miss. The layout is “racetrack” style vs the open style of Solstice ships. This was better for traffic flow. Tip. Most people stop at the first food stations when they enter. There are more stations toward the back so head there first or enter from the rear staircase and you may be away from the crowds. Seating can be difficult during peak times. MDR: Was very good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They severed Mahi-Mahi at lunch one day and it was THE BEST meal my wife and I have ever had on a cruise. This was a surprise since often fish is overdone on cruises. We did have some problems at breakfast with getting my omelet order correct. Prime rib was served twice and was delicious. Most salads were also very good. Desserts are just OK. There are a good variety of choices on the menu. Tuscan: When we dined there were only 6 other tables with diners. We were able to have a leisurely 3.5-hour dinner. The filet mignon was excellent. The goat cheese arugula salad and charcuterie plan were very good too. Celebrity often will give discounts to try to fill the specialty restaurants. Don’t pre-book but look for restaurant staff trolling Martini bar and outside Oceanview offering discounts. We got 50% off. Café al Bacio: Coffee always good and usually efficient service. The layout doesn’t lend to natural formation of a queue so you need to watch out for people walking up ahead of those already waiting. Pastries in the morning and desserts during the day are pretty good. Gelato is across the way and is very good. The Panama Canal: During the cruise a guest speaker, Bill Fall, provided multiple presentations on the history and building of the canal. He is excellent. If you are interested in history and the mechanics of ships traversing the locks then you will really enjoy the canal. If you don’t then it may be a boring day. We traveled north from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Celebrity had the helipad open all day and many people go there or to deck 11/12 at the bow. If you are traveling as a couple or with friends then I suggest one person stay up front and another go to aft to deck 10 or 12. The views back toward the Pacific as you go under bridges and through the locks are less industrial and very few fellow passengers go aft. Once in the locks go to deck 4 outside on the side toward the middle wall between the 2 locks. This gives a great view of the activity on the locks and has a great perspective of the ship being raised and lowered. If you have family back at home they can watch the ship transit the locks on pancanal.com. Click the “multimedia” tab at the top and select the webcam to view. Ports: Cabo San Lucas: This is a tender and the tender process took a long time. We tried to get off before our Celebrity excursion but because of the delay we stayed on board until meeting for the excursion. The city area by the pier is clean and no aggressive souvenir sellers. We did a boat trip to Lands’ End and scenic stop tour (CS01). The tour group was relatively large but so was the boat so it did not feel crowded. Watch for seals begging for bait from the fishing boats going into the harbor. There is a 15-minute bus ride to the lookout. The lookout is at a hotel and gives a nice view of the ocean and looking back to Cabo. They serve a beer or soft drink that is included in the price. Puerto Vallarta: Nice city. We felt safe in all the areas we visited. We took an Uber from port to the Malecon area. Cost is $3 total each way vs the $2-4 per person taxi charges. We did a bike ride excursion around the Malecon area with Xiulta Riders that was arranged by another couple. It was a lot of fun but some of their bikes are older and only single speed. JC was our guide and is a friendly young man that speaks English well. Puerto Quetzal: We hiked the Pacaya volcano on an excursion through Celebrity (GQ61). This is an active volcano and the highlight was seeing lava flowing from the summit. There were breathtaking views of the Guatemala countryside. Bus ride from port was about 1.5 hours. There isn’t much to do in port and it is a long drive to get to other cities that have shopping or activities. Puntarenas: We arranged the 10-in-1 tour with ThumbsUp Tours. They do a very good job. Highlights included seeing crocs, toucans, monkeys, leaf-cutter ants and beautiful views. We felt safe in port and there weren’t any aggressive souvenir sellers. Colon: We joined a tour of Fort San Lorenzo and the Agua Clara locks of the Panama Canal. Roberto was our tour guide. The fort is interesting but a long drive from Colon and no restrooms on site. We saw howler monkeys as we were leaving which was very interesting. The locks are interesting but after having traveled the locks the previous day most of what we saw was repetitive. While the port area is safe the city of Colon itself is not. It is very run down and crowded. Cartagena: This is a beautiful city. The port area is safe and has a small bird exhibit. We arranged a city tour with Dora. Highlights were the monastery at La Popa, which has a spectacular lookout over the city, and a walking tour of Old Town. The colonial architecture is wonderful. There are many souvenir sellers everywhere and some are fairly aggressive. It is VERY humid here so take it slow and have plenty of water if you aren’t used to it. Overall, the cruise was very good. Celebrity does a nice job and the itinerary is great. Read Less

Main reason for picking this cruise was firstly, travelling through the Panama Canal and secondly as this trip was offered by Celebrity Cruises, whom we have traveled with before. Our journey started in San Diego, which is an amazing city and well worth travelling to in advance - we spent a day visiting the Midway and the gas-lamp area. Boarding the ship was different to what I have experienced before, we were advised that we had priority boarding, but whilst we were in a separate queue, we waited our turn as the same check in clerks were also checking in guests from other cabin types, we were then given a ticket and waited again for that number to be called before we could board - it was not until that evening we were made aware that we should have been invited to a special lunch - these are just little things to bear in mind in upgrading to Concierge Class. Our cabin was clean, had plenty of storage space and a comfortable bed and the room attendant visible if required. The Concierge was also useful and left messages each evening with general information about what to expect the next day. Poolside cocktails flowed and food was of a high standard and plenty of choice. Trips included Viva Tequila - Puerto Vallarta(Great trip - some sightseeing, tequila testing, folklore show and lunch by the beach, with entertainment) Auto Safari - Guatemala: This is a must trip for anyone wishing to see African and South American animals up close.Our trip started with a safari, we saw Zebra's, Hippos, Giraffes and Lions. You then leave the coach and wander through the Zoo, where we saw Toucans, Jaguars, Puma's and other exotic animals and the way back you could test the local beer and chocolate - Great day out. Gatan Lake (Panama) - Trip on a boat around the lake to search for Monkeys, birds and Sloths - great way to beat the humidity. Cartagena Sightseeing (Colombia) - Coach journey stopping at the fort for photos, stop for shopping and a visit to the naval museum with a local dancing, great way to see the city with minimal walking involved. The port shopping area is well worth a visit - outside there are flamingos, peacocks and a black swan and the other side of the shop there was an aviary. The ports of Puntarenas (Costa Rica) and Colon(Panama) were a bit run down. Whilst we did wander the market stalls in Costa Rica where the locals were friendly, we did not wander around the port at Colon. The trip through the Panama Canal took around 8 hours and we went through 3 lock systems, we watched the first locking system from our balcony, whilst having breakfast. The second from the front of the ship and the Gatan Lock via deck 4. The engineering of the locks systems is impressive and the trains which helped the ship travel through the lock going up and down steep hills were a joy to watch. We were also treated to on board commentary throughout this transit and picked up lots of useful information. The staff on board the Infinity were friendly, mostly helpful and seemed to work tirelessly. Would recommend this trip for anyone wishing to travel the full length of the Panama Canal. Read Less

This was our first Celebrity cruise, chosen for the itinerary more than for the ship itself, although it was relevant to us that Infinity was small enough to fit in the 'old' locks which we wanted to travel through rather than the new ones. The embarkation process was relatively quick and painless. We found the staff onshore and onboard to be generally friendly. The ship isn't big by today's standards, so the pools and general facilities were limited accordingly, but we didn't feel we'd missed out. The cabin review is covered separately below. The entertainment was generally very good around the ship in the evenings, with live music in various venues, and especially in the theatre where each night there was a cabaret or show, and on sea days there were excellent presentations from guest speakers Bill & George on the Canal & the local wildlife respectively. The entertainments team onboard also hosted various events and activities during the daytime for people to join in. There's no lap deck so you can't walk all the way round the ship, but there is a path marked out on the top deck which you can use to walk/run as far as you wish and the top deck also has an outdoor cinema. On the Canal Transit day, access to the helicopter pad at the bow was opened as an additional viewing point for guests. We didn't use the casino, but it looked pretty busy most of the time when we were passing through it. There's also the spa, gym, library, internet spot and shops, as well as plenty of bars around the ship to choose from, in addition to several places where you can just grab a bite to eat if you need topping up between meals! The internet access seemed pricey to us so we didn't take it, but lots of people we met had got a package of some sort and seemed pleased with their deal, so each to their own. The communal areas of the ship were kept clean and tidy, and the staff were very proactive with the hand gel at the entrances to the restaurants. The buffet on the top deck was expansive, with a very large selection of foods from around the world to choose from. We had breakfast here on the two days when our shore excursions were too early for the main dining room to be open for service, and also took a couple of lunches here when we got back on board after being ashore. No complaints about the food at the buffet - all very good - we particularly enjoyed the daily variety offered at the ice cream bar - just the usual battle to find a table, which is a common feature of self-service buffet restaurants worldwide so nothing new here. The main dining room located aft was large and busy. Sometimes the tables were a bit too close together, especially tables for two at breakfast time, but most of the time we were left to enjoy our breakfast in peace. In the evenings we enjoyed the flexibility of dining at whatever time suited us, and - perhaps due to the diminutive size of the ship - we found ourselves being reunited with other guests on mixed tables at dinner throughout the cruise. The food in the main dining room was faultless from start to finish, and always beautifully presented. The waiting staff were generally obliging and able to explain any dishes on the menu. The one thing that let the dining room down in the evenings was the bar & wine service. On the occasional nights when we didn't want wine at dinner, the bar service completely failed to materialise - this happened every time, so clearly a failing which they are either unaware of or simply aren't addressing. On our last night we requested the sommelier's attention four times, but she was so busy taking plaudits and photos with other guests in the dining room that she completely missed our table altogether for the entire evening, which we considered appalling for the supposed high standards of Celebrity. The ports of call on this itinerary were varied and interesting, with most of them offering a wide variety of activities and tours. We booked shore excursions in Cabo, Costa Rica, Panama and Florida. These turned out to be well organised and operated by local people with good knowledge. We were grateful for that in Costa Rica when, fortunately, they were able to deal with the exceptional circumstances they were faced with, managed the situation professionally, and got everyone safely back to the ship. In most ports, you can just go ashore and do your own thing. We took the open top bus tour in Cartagena which allowed us to get a 'guided' overview of the city and then wander around the picturesque old town at our leisure before heading back to the ship. Disembarkation from the ship and luggage collection was fairly efficient at Fort Lauderdale, unfortunately not matched by the immigration booths. Overall, we enjoyed our first Celebrity Cruise, the itinerary suited us, the food and entertainment was good, we liked Infinity and would consider sailing with Celebrity again, although we would probably choose a different ship next time. Read Less

This was a birthday celebration cruise and a trip through the Panama Canal, one that we have never taken. We arrived in San Diego on October 9th from Phoenix Arizona and went from the airport right to the terminal. San Diego's cruise terminal is rather dated and could use some modernization. We were in a Suite and are Elite members so we went through the check in line quickly. We then, however had to sit and wait as we did not begin boarding until after 11:00. We were escorted to Michael's Club, met Shiela, the hostess, and went to Luminae for lunch. Our rooms were ready at about 1:00 and we were in a handicapped accessible Sky Suite, as that was the only Suite available when we booked the cruise. The rooms themselves are dated, and it is getting about time for an update to the ship, but it was not in bad enough shape to make the enjoyment of the cruise dissipate. The Captain and crew did everything possible to make my birthday celebration special and I am very appreciative. The food in Luminae was, as usual, top notch, and the waiter and Asst waiter were wonderful. They knew what our likes and dislikes were from the second day on. We were always advised which entrees we would enjoy and which to avoid. In Luminae you are always given a choice of ordering off their menu or off the MDR menu each night. There was always too many delicious dishes to chose from. We had a great time playing trivia and the activities crew were all very friendly and excellent. We met many new good friends while participating in the events Service from the butlers, to the room stewards, to the wait staff to the bar servers was ALL top notch. The guests on this cruise were all much older and there were only 4 children aboard. The ports of call were not all great, but the main purpose of the cruise was the transit of the Panama Canal and that was great. All guests were invited up on the helipad to watch all or as much of the transit as they wished to see. It was another great cruise, and one that we would not mind doing again in the opposite direction. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the Panama Canal transit and pretty much for no other reason or ports, as well as prior, good experiences with Celebrity. Overall, the experience and ship were very good. The Infinity is a nice size without feeling overwhelmed or overcrowded. We were a little concerned as the ship is getting older and is scheduled to be redone in 2020, but it was well-maintained and there were no overt signs of age or lack of maintenance (our balcony door was a little hard to slide and the sink was looking a little old, but no big deal). The canal transit day was absolutely amazing; they had a destination expert, Bill Fall, giving presentations the days leading up to the canal and he narrated throughout the canal day from the bridge. He was very informative, well-paced and knew when to speak and when to be quiet! Costa Rica stop was good and especially liked Cartagena, Columbia - felt very safe and the old town was beautiful, mostly restored and well kept up with friendly people. Antigua, Guatemala was beautiful but a lot of poverty between the port and the old city. Had been to Puerto Vallarta before but it was good as was the beach in Cabo. Service on the ship was mostly excellent across the board. The only downgrade is that they kept trying to shift us around to a different area in the dining room with different waiters, even though we were dining at the same time pretty much every night. Once we got to a good area with a good service team, it was much better. In the past on Celebrity, we got to a good table with great staff and they left us there throughout the cruise. Food was generally very good in the main dining room as well as the cafe (a lot of variety every day and loved the pizza as well as healthy selections). Read Less

We were looking forward to a 40th anniversary celebration. Unfortunately the condition of this ship took much of the pleasure from our trip away. From the state room, which had a toilet that frequently didn’t work, with a speaker that also failed to work and balcony railinging with paint sloppily applied. The shower hot water was occasionally not available. About a third of the gym equipment was not in order. We had to avoid many parts of the ship due to ongoing work by maintenance crews. No activities were offered in the sport court and it’s surface was covered in splattered paint. The walking surface on the exterior portion of the ship was stained, And in need of repair. The hot tubs were poorly repaired after years of service, etc etc etc. Rust was prevalent throughout the boat with some stairs actually broken. For the cost of this trip I laugh at the gall Celebrity has to provide such a DUMP of a ship. The staff were excellent and the food was OK. This was our 4th cruise and the only time we’ve been dissatisfied. I’ll never give Celebrity another chance. They should be ashamed! Again, this boat is a dump. Spend your money on another cruise line. Read Less

This was our sixth and longest cruise. We’ve cruised Princess, MSC, Carnival and The Red Boat. This was our first cruise on Celebrity Infinity and probably our last. We cruised with three other couples and chose Celebrity primarily based on the transit of the Panama Canal destination and sailing date. None of us sailed Celebrity before. We also used an agent who books with Celebrity and booked the cruise almost a year in advance. Two couples had ocean view cabins, one the 2nd deck and the other on the 8th deck. Two of us had veranda cabins, 2A both on the 7th deck. I might add I’ve read other reviews for this cruise line and ship, so I will try not to repeat a lot here found in those reviews. We found the cabins to be comfortable and accommodating. Space and furniture were comparable to the other cruises we sailed. The TV programming was good and offered a lot of variety programming. Cabin service was excellent mainly because of the hardworking attendant who performed well beyond our expectations and experience on previous cruises. We left an additional tip and identified his efforts to cruise management. We found the restaurants and food to be good to excellent but mostly excellent as most cruisers expect. We ate in open seating in the main dinning room for most evening meals and were seated at several different table locations. Service varied between the different locations but was generally good but slow between courses. The longest time between courses was15 minutes. Generally we enjoyed the menus, but Celebrity did not perform above other cruise line meals we’ve had. We also ate a few times in the specialty restaurants- three times at Tuscan Grill and once at Le Petit Chef. Food was good and service excellent. Le Petit Chef animation was unique and entertaining. None of the specialty restaurants were anywhere near full when we attended. We booked prior to the cruise and should have waited until we were onboard to take advantage of the last-minute discounts. The buffet was a buffet. Plenty of variety and some unique specials if you were lucky to find them. As is common on most cruise ships, the buffet was crowded especially at breakfast and lunch. The buffet was named Ocean View and lived up to its name, with plenty of window seating and a nice outdoor seating area on the stern. Other snack areas were adequate but nothing special. The gelato place was costly, but good. The table service at the bars was almost nonexistent and very slow when available. We like cruises for the destinations, food, entertainment, onboard activities and excursions. For us the Celebrity Infinity scored no better than other cruise lines in the food and excursions categories, and below standard in the in the entertainment and onboard activities categories. The Panama Canal transit was exceptional though and I would rate it as good, if not better, than visiting Glacier Bay in Alaska. Bill Fall’s lectures and personal stories with the canal were outstanding and made the cruise very worthwhile. One deficiency was his narration could hardly be heard on the ship’s outside speaker system and while transiting the canal most people were outdoors. We used Celebrity excursions at every port and found them to be varied, interesting and worth the cost. On ship activities were lacking especially towards the end of the cruise when everything was familiar. We also found shopping to be mostly high-end tax-free type merchandise. Not a lot of variety for lower scale items on a regular basis. Our biggest disappointment was with the entertainment. The major problem was with the amplification system in the beautiful theater. It was much too loud, more suited to an arena rock show. The house band was good, but they were over amplified so much you couldn’t hear or understand performer’s voices. There were some exceptions to this, but they were very few. One of the members of our party would get headaches lasting several hours after these shows. I wore earplugs for all the musical performances, except for the first. I felt sorry for the ship’s in-house company who performed admirably for the three major in-house shows. The dancing was excellent and obviously required much talent and energy. There were no ship’s officers present (that we saw) during any of the performances except for the next to last night. I mentioned the sound situation to him and the sound seemed better, but still loud, for the last performance. (I might add I have10 years’ experience as the technical manager for a college performing arts center.) The entertainment lacked variety with a heavy focus on vocalists and rock music. There were two excellent comedians. I don’t usually like comedians much primarily because I don’t find adult or political humor entertaining, but the two comedians during this cruise were outstanding and avoided both topics. One final thought. We found the Celebrity web site just plain awful. It was slow, difficult to use, lacked important information and much of what information you could find was outdated, especially excursion information. So, the bottom line is we found Celebrity Infinity was not any better than any of the competitor cruise lines we’ve been on and deficient in several areas’ important to us Read Less

Back in 2010 we sailed to Panama on the Equinox but crossing the canal was not on the itinerary. We just did a land excursion with a stop at the Gatun Locks Observation deck (now closed). An opportunity had arisen to consider this 15 day cruise on the Infinity at a bargain price, and were happy to book it quickly. You can’t experience a Panama Canal crossing unless you are on the ship going through the locks. We flew from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale for one night stay at the Best Western South Airport and cruiseport on Stirling Rd. Very good choice for pre-cruise. There is ample shopping and dining within walking distance. If you use Uber to get to the port, make sure you key in the proper pier location. Our driver followed GPS and brought us to a few wrong spots in the port. Having sailed several times on the Summit, coming aboard the Infinity felt like homecoming. Our Oceanview cabin 2056 was comfortable and kept immaculately clean by Wayan. The a/c fan rattle was repaired quickly. The cabin layout should be noted, since you don’t see this information on the Celebrity website. Our king bed (2 singles put together, with mattress topper added) was pushed against the 4 ft. round window. There was a useful night table on both sides of the bed. Reading light was adequate. There is also a small sofa convertible to a single bed, and two upper berths, making maximum space for 5. There is no connecting door, which I hoped will cut down on noise. There is only one half-size mirror above the desk, but no full length mirror anywhere. The fridge was emptied as requested, but it really did not cool much. I had to use the ice from the bucket, transferred to zip lock bags, to keep my drinks colder. The flat screen TV was rather small, and the interactive menu lacked many features found on the newer ships. Some buttons on the TV remote were not responding, so Wayan had a functioning replacement brought within minutes. The ship is constantly cleaned. Even cabin doors, door handles, hallway walls get sanitized wipes several time. The crew is just amazing. Helpful, friendly, attentive and engaging, even when busy. You can feel the camaraderie between them, and the sadness when they’re getting off after many months at sea. We had select dining, with prior reservations around 7 pm. On the second night we were seated by the window with waiter Ufuk his assistant Roy. We were so impressed with their service and the dining experience that we requested their station every night, and rarely had to wait. Even when dining alone, the gap between tables is small, and we had conversation companions almost every evening. I recall that there was no horseradish available for the prime rib on the first night. The maitre d’ came to apologize, and promised it will be available for the remainder of the cruise – which was true. (A new shipment was loaded on, but there was no time to unpack the boxes in time for dinner). Otherwise the food was very good to excellent quality, arriving at the proper temperature. For breakfast we liked the plentiful selections at the Oceanview Café. Dining in the aft watching the wake is what cruising is all about. Then we would head down to the Tuscan Grill, where there was a light breakfast for Elite level members. We came for the table service of fresh-squeezed juices, fresh cut fruits, specialty coffee and mimosas. I was pleasantly surprised to find the window shutters were adjustable, so daylight and Oceanview can be enjoyed. That was not the case on the Summit, where they are fixed, almost fully shut. One afternoon we were invited to dine in Blu for a special lunch prepared by chef Lama. Perhaps to recognize our loyalty to the Celebrity brand. There were about 50 people with a few of the ship’s top officers. It was a delicious buffet and made us feel very special. The entertainment was generally good, with a couple of truly enjoyable performances by Salvatore Hasard and comedian Ed Regine. The cruise director Shawna was infectious with her enthusiasm. The enrichment speakers were well prepared and gave informative and entertaining presentations. Unfortunately, when Bill Fall was narrating during the canal crossing, there were many locations on the ship where the volume was hardly audible. Disembarkation in San Diego was orderly on the ship, but the terminal had issues with intersecting people and luggage wagons being unloaded. Lines moved quickly, and within a short time we were walking out of the terminal straight to our hotel, Best Western Bayside. Read Less

The ship could do with a refit as it is looking a bit jaded. Checking in was very efficient and quick. Our cabin was fine with plenty of draw and hanging space, looked after by Faisal. We were disappointed with the MDR when we were at a table for 8 as it took over 2&half hours to finish, not enough waiters. We then tried seating for 2 with no problems at all. Entertainment was very good and varied. Chiko was OUTSTANDING in everything that he did,particularly the choir which we were part of. Service in all the bars was patchy as there were not enough waiters,quicker to go to bar yourself. The excursions were well organised and not too expensive for cruise ship excursions. The Panama Canal was an amazing experience. We would do this again in a few years. We enjoyed the excursions in Columbia, Panama, Guatemala and Mexico. Overall we had a great time and enjoyed ourselves and met some very nice people Read Less

This is one of the most amazing cruises I have ever been on. Everything could not have been better From embarkation to disembarkment Arrived st port 11:00 was on the ship eating lunch at 11:30. The cabin was a little small compared to other cruises, but that is the only negative. The staff, the food, the entertainment all weregreat. There are times when it was hard to find a seat in the buffet area. The only real negative, which is a problem on all ships was the seat hogs at the pools. It might help if there was a towel person to remove towels from chair that haven’t been used for awhile. We watch many couples hold several chairs 2 in the sun, 2 in the shade. One other problem was the smoking areas were set up in very odd areas. If you weren’t a smoker you got to smell second hand smoke while sitting along the pool. It seemed as if these areas should have been away from the general area. Read Less

first time I cruise with Celebrity, I was very disappointed. There were not enough staff in the dinning room and the buffet room. in the buffet, if no one serve you (usually), you have to put your whole head under the hood to reach the food at the back. Chicken was dry and beef was tough. desserts were even worse, tasted only sugar and flour. The foyer was so small with curtains around, only a few people can see the game and performance. the dinning room and theater is really grand, but the food was bad and the shows were not impressive. the swimming pool is small, but there are many lounge chairs. I fell on the pool deck, they don't swipe away puddle of water. All of the "enrichment activities" are for a fee. we were upgraded from inside guarantee to ocean view, which is nice. the size of the state room is 170 sq ft., larger than most of the cruise ship. I will not cruise with Celebrity again. Read Less

This was our 6th cruise on Infinity and our 33rd on Celebrity (66 total). We love the size of this ship but it is definitely in need of a refurbishment. Rusted railings, paint on glass balcony walls, etc. Balcony doors were hard to open and close on a number of the cabins. If you complained, they were promptly fixed. Food was mediocre (except for the hamburger grill), number of servers in bars was inadequate --they tried hard and were very pleasant but about 50% of the time we had to go to the bar ourselves to get a drink! Guess that is one way they make the drink package affordable for the company! Could not believe they ran out of club soda, and bud light early on in the cruise. They did pick up a few more eventually but the supply lasted less than two days! They also ran out of iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, escargot, bar chardonnay, etc. On a 15 day cruise with this many ports, I have trouble believing they could not have reprovisioned the ship at one of our stops -- We did miss Puenta arenas but that was followed up by a stop in Colon and Cartegena.(note : most of our cruises are 14 days) The cruise staff as always was very personable and helpful. Great Captain;s club hostess. Entertainment was better than usual. December 63 vocal group was fantastic and the comedians were all very good. Now for the stops if you like Mexican resorts that those two stops were great. For us, we never need to go back., In Guatemala, we took the trip to Cuidad Antigua, the old capitol city and it is a delight. Cartegena is a gorgeous Spanish colonial city but it was so hot we really were not able to enjoy it. Anyone thinking of taking this cruise in September, keep in mind that it may be incredibly hot! While we had a good time as we were traveling with friends, we were disappointed. Overall this was the poorest Celebrity cruise we have been on in a long time! Read Less

We had done the Panama Canal cruise about 10 years ago, and felt the need to see the wondrous Canal again—especially since there were some ports on this cruise we’d not visited before. Overall, Infinity did a good job of embarkation, disembarkation, port visits (including tendering) and offering comprehensive narration of the cruise through the canal. Everything went very smoothly, and staff was very courteous and friendly. Food on the cruise was below the standard we’ve enjoyed on previous Celebrity cruises. The Oceanview Cafe buffet and offerings for breakfast and lunch were fine, but the quality and variety in the main dining room was uneven from night to night as was the table service. Just a few nights into the cruise, we were handed a dinner menu that was the same as previous. And many of the usual items we’ve come to enjoy (e.g., osso buco, duck, tuna) were missing—cost cutting?). And whatever happened to waiters welcoming your arrival to the table, helping the lady to her seat and spreading a napkin? Do we now need to go to Specialty restaurants for that? On a positive note, the entertainment was excellent—very good musicians in all the lounges, and very good musicians and acts in the theatre. We were happy that there were far fewer of the usual, canned “singers and dancers” performances, and more outside, original talent. The bad news was very poor drink service in some of the lounges and at the bars—few waiters and very long waiting time for service. Some passengers suggested that the cruise line is making it harder for the many people with drink packages to maximize the value of their package. We had terrific service for our very clean balcony cabin, and all the cabin attendants were friendly, fast and efficient. The iLounge was well-staffed and friendly as well, as was the Gym and Spa areas. Infinity is the oldest Celebrity ship and, while it still has a lot of good nautical miles to go, it does need work. The furnishings were fine, but we found loose railings and planks in various places, sewer odors and multiple signs of sloppy repair work (e.g., paint on our balcony windows, sloppy cauking, etc.). Read Less

We had only traveled on Celebrity Solstice Class ships before, but to get through the Panama Canal had to take the Celebrity Infinity. Our experience was both great and not so great. Our Aqua Class stateroom, 1109 was aft on the 11th Deck. The views from the veranda were great, the bed was fantastic and our steward was outstanding. The only flaw we found in the room was that the cabinets (which held a lot) were a bit awkward when both people were dressing because of doors that got in the way. The Deck 11 aft elevators land you smack dab in the middle of the Oceanview Cafe on Deck 10 which is very convenient when eating lunch, but inconvenient to the pools and solarium since you have to walk through the cafe to get to them. And, if you decide to go to the pools across Deck 11 on the outside, you have to deal with the extremely heavy doors leading out and in to that deck. We were traveling in very hot weather so that crossing Deck 11 wasn't unpleasant but I cannot imagine doing an Alaska tour on this ship and having to cross Deck 11. Another issue was that the cruisers were allowed to save spaces at the pools. We would go to the pool at about 8:30 a.m. and almost every deck chair had a towel and book on it with no people in sight. This should not be allowed. We were hard pressed to find a place together so that finally I just moved people's stuff...they often showed up an hour later!! The Infinity Theater entertainment was just as good as that on the Solstice Class Ships. The theater had nice little tables for drinks and the seats were comfortable. There were not as many aerialists in the shows but the cast talent was excellent. As always, on every ship we have been on, the back-up band was too loud. The comedians, juggler, and singers were very entertaining. The "Beyond the Podium" speaker, Bill Fall was truly a gem. His lectures about the Panama Canal gave us a much greater understanding and appreciation for the whole project. Also, Bill Fall was around the ship and made himself available for questions. There were many things that really stood out for us on this ship. One was the presence of the Officers. I had never experienced seeing them so often. They were friendly and there to answer questions much of the time. Another was that the crew was the friendliest we have encountered since our first sailing on the Silhouette back in 2012. And a third was that cruisers elevator etiquette was excellent. One main disappointment in Aqua Class was the Persian Garden. It is understandable that when "Aquasizing" this ship they had to find room for it, and although the special showers were nice, the location in the middle of the ship made the Persian Garden a dark and dreary place. And the door leading into it was so heavy that the crew had to open it for you. We ate in BLU and had a great waiter and wine steward. It was a surprise to us when they started repeating menus after only one week, but the food was of the usual high standard. Sushi on Five is wonderful and I would have liked to lunch there every day if I were traveling with a companion who ate sushi. The on board games and activities were well managed. The Cruise Director, Shawna, and activity hosts, especially Chiko, were great. Chiko led the cruise choir and did a show of his own. Celebrity should really hire him as a performer. What a voice! Our Ports of Call were fine with one exception, Colon. Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta were lots of fun. We just got off the ship there and walked around town. Walking The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta is a real treat with entertainment and fantastic sculpture art along the way. Puerto Quetzal was a lovely surprise. We took a Celebrity provided "chicken bus" to the shopping area which was full of beautiful friendly people who loved selling us stuff. The area was very clean and well kept with places to sit and listen to nice music. Puntarenas, Costa Rica was skipped because of civil unrest in the country but we stopped outside Panama City and there were tours arranged at the last minute, all of which we missed because we weren't at the right place at the right time when the tours were made available. We did take the tender into Forte Amador, found beers for $1.50 at the local grocery, and returned to the ship as it was very hot. The trip through the canal was outstanding, the stop in Colon was awful but the shore excursion in Cartagena was a true gem and we had so much fun on the harbor tour boat (partied with music, dancing and rum all the way back to the ship) that we would highly recommend it. Our embarkation in San Diego and debarkation in Ft. Lauderdale were easy with no glitches. The only glitch was that I accidentally packed all my shoes the night before debarkation and had to wear slippers off the ship! We were happy to have the chance to go through the canal, and had a great time, but will stick with Solstice Class Ships in the future because of the gloomy Persian Garden, the heavy doors, and the fact that the elevators from our room on Deck 11 landed you in the middle of the Oceanview Cafe. Read Less

We are on Princes Cruise lines most of the time,but our travel agent gave us a special deal on Celebrity. I won't give away the particulars but is was a special up grade. The room was a little smaller than we where use too, but it was neat and clean. We had a problem with a lumpy bed but our steward placed a foam cover and it worked perfect. The ship was older but the charm was still present and the staff was most helpful. The dinning room was well presented and the waiters where very attentive. The food was on par with cruise ships but taste and selection was above the normal. I would only recommend one special dinning and that is the Qsine.It is a experience you will remember the rest of your days. Special thanks goes out to our Steward Courtney did a great job. Our waiters Nana and his helper Panji. We would like to give a special thank you to our Concierge Joao, his help and special added attractions where very helpful. Read Less

As this was a time of celebration for the four of us - a 70th and 76th birthday whilst on board and a golden wedding in November we wanted something special and the Panama cruise seemed to fit the bill and the cruise down the Panama Canal didn't disappoint. We chose Celebrity X as we have always had good experiences in the past. Just a few issuess: DINING: At our usual table the staff were superb and met our every need. However, when seated at a different table the story was very different, we received no attention (this was the night of the 70th birthday), we were left without any wine for long periods of time and when we finally got someone to serve us drinks, wine from two different bottles were poured into the same glass! It was evident that there were favourite tables that full got attention, but we weren't among them. A very disappointing birthday. At table 216 the evening before when its was the 76th birthday we had a wonderful evening. SHORE EXCURSIONS: Disappointing. Having a less able person in our party, we had to choose excursion carefully and the ones we did choose were fairly boring. We travelled forever before getting anywhere. WHEELCHAIR: I made arrangements with Celebrity for a wheelchair and was assured in writing it would be in the stateroom on arrival - not so, we had to chase it up and when it finally arrived, it was a wreck. It took three attempts over three days to finally get one that was "roadworthy" - Health and Safety Officers would certainly have condemned them! I've written all this before to Celebrity, completed the forms on the ship but didn't even get the courtesy of a response. I am really disappointed with Celebrity I would have expected them to be concerned about their image if not their clients. For us, this was a lot of money and we saved hard for it for these special occasions and didn't get value. Read Less

We read the reviews about Celebrity Infinity being an older ship and expected to see some signs of aging and stress. To our surprise the ship was immaculate and looked modern and new! I learned the ship had been renovated a few years ago and the first indication of weathering we noticed was apparent on the interior of the tenders. If you looked hard you could find an occasional blemish on a counter top or on the bottom of the hot tubs but overall you had to give credit for this crew to keep a ship this old sparkling. The food, the service, and the style of the main dining room exceeded our expectations. We originally planned to eat at a few of the specialty restaurants during the cruise but had such a good experience at the Trellis that we went there all 14 nights. My only regret is not taking one night to experience the 3D show at the Qsine as so many passengers were telling us it was great fun. My last comment has to be on the entertainment. The ship's dancers, orchestra, and band were top notch and the guest entertainers ranged from good to great. Overall, the entertainment and the Cruise Director were as good as any ship we've sailed. Read Less

The itinerary was, on the face of it very appealing. But apart from Costa Rica and the two stops in Mexico the rest were a waste of time. The only saving grace being the Panama Canal experience. The ship itself was a complete disaster, delays boarding, luggage held until late at night, stateroom filthy and not prepared. This ship should never have sailed after significant problems on the previous cruise. Areas of the ship closed off for “sanitation “, dinning tables devoid of bread, condiments or table decorations. We were repeatedly told not to touch anything, milk for tea and coffee served in glasses by the waiters. The staff were clearly stressed and working without leadership, nobody appeared to be in control and worst of all we were made to feel as if we were the culprits. I expect better from Celebrity, the lack of information and no visibility of the Officers led a lot of guests to assume that they were in hiding. It was not until day 12 of a 15 day cruise before things resembled some form of normality, but the service never improved and on 3 nights we missed the late show because dinner service had taken over 2 hours. I agree with other posta, this was not a happy ship, even though it had been “sanitised” it never felt clean. What ever problems the staff were facing they took their frustrations out on the guests. To make things worse the sickness and fever bug was apparent on our cruise so the deep cleaning process obviously failed. Read Less

We usually cruise with RCCL, but they weren't going through the Panama Canal when we booked this. For the most part, the employees were very good...in some places, they were excellent, especially on Deck 5 at Cafe al Bacio. We had friends cruising with us, who unfortunately had to leave for medical reasons halfway through the cruise. We were told by 'Guest Services' that we HAD to pack up their cabin & keep their luggage in our cabin, as it couldn't be left unattended. Guest Services had absolutely no regard for my husband or I, when I tried to explain that he had a very bad back & couldn't walk very well. That meant nothing to them, so we had no choice but to take their 2 very large suitcases, along with our 2 very large suitcases, plus our carryons, find them in customs, then to our excursion bus, & to the airlines. It was the first time on Celebrity...& even though they are owned by Royal Caribbean, there is absolutely NO comparison. From now on, we will definitely be staying with RCCL, & if we never got to cruise again, NEVER again on Celebrity!!! Read Less

We are long time Celebrity cruisers, and this was our worst embarkation day ever. We had received an email several days before cruising telling us that departure would be delayed for a couple of hours because of intestinal illness on the previous cruise and they needed to sanitize the ship The delay was longer than two hours and there was chaos from the terminal to the restaurants and in between. The whole situation seemed unmanaged. Before the cabins were ready the lifeboat drill commenced, and, as typical, there were seats for maybe a third of the passengers. People crammed into the casino, photo shop, bars, etc, with no chance of seeing video screens or even the crew members in charge. A complete waste of time and patience. Our luggage wasn't delivered until after 9:00. Exhaustion and frayed nerves made unpacking a real chore.Thank goodness the next day was a sea day. Then, things began to improve. The ship was kept clean and neat, but it is showing its age. Worn paneling here, rust spots there, electric blinds removed from Constellation Lounge windows and not replaced, etc. It's due for an overhaul. The officers, Captain's Club hostess and crew were friendly, helpful and forthcoming. As good a group as we have seen. On the other hand, the Cruise Director is a schmuck. But, one out of 30 or so isn't bad. The itinerary was very enjoyable, with the Canal passage, of course,the highlight. We had stopped in Cartegena before, but it's always nice to visit the old town. Even the little aviary by the terminal is fun to walk through. The ports in Costa Rico and Guatemala are simply seaside straw markets. To see other sights require bus excursions, which we didn't take, but other passengers said they liked theirs. The California ports, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo, are famed resorts and have lots to see, do and buy near the terminals. Good stops. Colon, Panama, is awful. The only things to do are visit the locks, which we would pass through the next day, or a bus ride to Panama City. They are, however, building a new terminal and shopping area. We dined at every restaurant on the ship except the main dining room,Trellis, and Infinity gets five stars for food. This was our first booking in Aqua class. We had avoided it in the past because we aren't spa people, but our travel agent convinced us to try it. We were delighted. We still aren't spa people, but the Aqua restaurant, Blu, was more than worth the upgrade. Small, intimate dining room (comparatively) with excellent food and service. We had some friends in suites, so we dined a couple of times with them in Luminae. Again, excellent food and service. Qsine was fun and filling, and Tuscan had the best food of all. Entertainment was a mixed bag. Everything from a juggler to a flutist to a comedian, with two shows by the singers and dancers. As expected, some passengers liked each one and some didn't. Bar entertainment was pretty good. Daytime activities continue to be a weak spot for Celebrity. Other than trivia, not much in the way of organized fun. The two lecturers were both very good, but scheduling them at 9:00 in the morning or 4:00 in the afternoon leaves much to be desired. The wifi system is pathetically slow. If not for bars on shore we could not begin to keep up with our mail. .And, Celebrity has discontinued publishing the daily newspapers, which we really missed.The Guest Relations desk told us the we have news channels on the in-cabin TV's. Ever try to get news from TV news channels? Overall, the cruise was a very good one for us. The staff, itinerary and the food more than made up for any shortfalls created by the system. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary. Our other cruises were port intensive so we were not sure about the many sea days but due to the route we had no choice. Our cabin was as expected and our attendant was exceptional. The food in the MDR was very good, we had no complaints. We chose anytime dining and were seated with the same staff for most of the dinners which was great because they were friendly, prompt, knowledgeable and engaging. Only twice out of 15 nights did we have to wait to be seated and that was for about 10 minutes and was because we had requested a particular location in the MDR. Embarkation was late due to the cleaning of the ship after the outbreak of illness on the previous voyage. Everyone was notified of the situation before hand so there should be no need for complaints about the delay or the reason.We personally were thankful for the thoroughness of the preparations. The eventual boarding was prompt and organized with those arriving first being taken on board first. The guest speakers giving the talks on the history and building of the canals and what to expect in the various ports were experienced and entertaining. Eighty percent of the presentations in the theater were very good .Service throughout the ship was as good as we have received in the past with no complaints and in may cases, outstanding. The shore excursions were varied to accommodate any level of mobility and interests. Disembarkation was smooth and efficient. We again had a great experience with Celebrity and are booked again. Read Less