Celebrity Infinity Review
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This was a 12 night re-positioning cruise, starting in Vancouver and ending in San Francisco. The Infinity was a very nice ship, well maintained except for stained upholstery in the MDR and public lounges. The decor was a bit odd for my taste. The MDR had less than adequate service for breakfast and didn't get the orders just right. The buffet was crowded, but the staff did a wonderful job of clearing tables and offering coffee and sometimes pastries. If you want free tomato juice or grapefruit juice, go to the MDR. They charge extra for it in the buffet. The food in the buffet was good to excellent and there was a good variety. They adjusted serving times to accommodate the port hours. Some close their buffets at 2pm no matter what. Also appreciated was the full buffet incluing egg stations the day of debarkation. Some ships pare it down to the bare minimum.
We ate in the MDR every night at about 6pm. We had the flexible dining schedule, but made reservations and got the same table and wait staff every night. There were 4 of us and we were joined by two more diners every night, so made several new friends. The wait staff of Mario, Mario, and Mervin were one of the best teams we've ever encountered. Mario Sr. had 19 years experience and it showed. Mario Jr. was very lucky to be mentored by such a gentle, efficient waiter. Mervin was the Sommelier and always had my bottle ready (except for the day he had off and another one misplaced it). He made excellent suggestions based on my tastes in wine. The wine was a little more expensive than on other ships, as were all the drinks, including soft drinks. We opt out of the drink packages, as we don't drink nearly enough to make them worth the cost. The food in the MDR was hit or miss. Mostly hit. Steaks were good. Variety was OK. "Homestyle" Meatloaf was disgusting. Everyone at our table sent it back after one bite. The lobster was firm texture and very delicious. They offered Salmon every day and one other fish entree every day. Presentation was nice. I rate two items on a scale of 1 to 10 and the Creme Brulee gets a 9 to 10. The Caesar Salad gets a 7.
The cabin was about the same as on every ship. We had an inside, deck 3, midships location. We were extremely happy with this location. Very easy to navigate wherever we wanted to go. Also had the advantage of minimal ship rocking, and no noise whatsoever. An added bonus for this voyage was that it was a Captain's Reunion Cruise Annual Event. There were 4 cocktail parties for the Captain's Club Members and 2 for everyone else. They really value their repeat passengers and showed it by extra gifts and freebies. We got Celebrity shopping bags, umbrellas, rain ponchos, drinking cups, etc. Missing were the towel art animals on the bed. Not a problem for me I enjoy them, but don't need them. Chocolates were present every night on the pillow, as well as real hygiene amenities instead of multipurpose goo in the shower dispenser.
Cabin Review
Inside Stateroom 10
Clean, well furnished, almost adequate closet/drawer space, nice amenities. Location was perfect. No noise, no motion, and easy to get to where you needed to go on the ship. One of the best locations we've had. The bedding was easy to sleep on and always kept clean. Shower was larger than some we've had. Stewards Milanio and assistant were very efficient and attentive. Very friendly too.
Port Reviews
Vancouver
Vancouver is a very interesting city. We have visited many times, so didn't do an excursion, but highly recommend if it is your first visit.
Sitka
This is a delightful port. Our first time to visit and so glad we did. The highlights are the Russian heritage and influence on building construction. The Orthodox Cathedral was beautiful. The museum was also a worthwhile visit. The harbor is really pretty and there is an awesome view from the hill which requires a short hike. Free shuttle was offered from dock to harbor. Lots of tours to choose from there, as well as a shuttle to other parts of the town for $1. The Raptor Center is highly recommended, but book a tour for this, as the bus will take you there, but the lines are so long to enter the center and the bus back, that we were afraid to miss our departure time, so didn't go in.
Icy Strait
I love this very rural First Nation village. This is a tendered port, but the ship anchors very close in a calm harbor, so tendering is a breeze. For such a small village there is much to do and see here. You are off loaded at a pier leading into a converted cannery. The cannery equipment has been made into a very interesting museum which is free. There are many little shops and artisan booths. What I really appreciated was that there were no commercial jewelry stores (ie. Diamonds International). Almost everything was handcrafted and locally produced. Don't miss the nature walk in the forest and on the beach. Look for unusual colorful fungi specimens in the forest. Watch the screaming zip liners come in or go on it yourself if you dare. There is a nice little restaurant for hot chocolate or other treats and it offers free wi-fi. There is a shuttle to the village of Hoonah for a nominal fee - $5 I think. This is the the town where there are residences, school, and a few businesses. There is a warehouse in town where native Tlingits are carving totem poles. It isn't very well marked, but look for it and ask, as it is very worth the visit. I was somewhat dismayed to learn that they are in the process of building a permanent cruise ship dock to attract more visitors. But the good news is, this port is fully owned and operated by the native people, so they will not compromise the local ambiance nor add commercial endeavors like other major AK ports.
Juneau
We went on a private city tour and out to Douglas Island. Beautiful views and rich history. The town is interesting to walk and visit shops. Free Wi-fi is available at the public library across from the famous Red Dog Saloon.
Ketchikan
Always colorful. The town is very touristy and growing. Bus system is adequate to get around. We took the city bus all the way to Saxon Totem Park. It used to be free, but they charge $5 now to go in and view the totem poles. I didn't mind that, but it didn't include the Tribal House or Carving Room. We sneaked in to the Carving Room with a tour group. They actually invited us in with them. It was a Sunday, so we didn't see actual carving, but a native apprentice to the master carver told us all about the process and the history. It was very interesting. Ketchikan is a mecca for bargain shopping at the Tongass Trading Company, located in several locations around town.