Second time on the Celebrity Infinity. Just as magical.
Booked an amazing itinerary with Curtis Slack from Vacations to Go. Ten days in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. So magical.
Kudos to the amazing dining staff. Food is not as good as the Celebrity Edge, but the service was fantastic. Restaurant Host Ante made sure to seat us at our favorite table at the stern with our favorite waiters. Alex and Aditya were such a great team. Like a father and son that wanted to share their culture while providing excellent service. Miriam was so sweet in the Oceanview Cafe. She made sure that our hands were always clean with extra hand sanitizer. Washy, washy.
Thanks to the second-best entertainer on the ship. So surprised at the talent of Cruise Director Ernest Marchain who was in the Disney Musical, Beauty and the Beast. Loved the duet with Tom Seals. Tom is an amazing musician. I'm in a New York (or Athens) State of Mind.
Nice to be able to have a couple of overnights. One in Thessaloniki. The other in Athens. This allowed us to be able to come back to the boat and drop off a few things before heading back out to explore the city at night. Loved the sunset cruise on the Tiki boat in Thessaloniki that we stumbled across while walking along the boardwalk. A perfect way to end the day sightseeing.
Although I usually do not book cruise ship excursions, the ones on Celebrity have been top notch lately.
Vergina-A Treasure of Ancient Macedonia took us to the ancient Macedonian Tombs near Thessaloniki. Our guide, Maria, was amazing. So interesting to learn about the burial customs of the ancients Greeks. The one of the tombs that we visited was thought to be the burial site of Phillip II who was the father of Alexander the Great.
If you are a fan of Mitch Albom, check out an independent tour of Thessaloniki with Efi K. from Efi Greece Guided Tours. She was an incredible historian who served as a consultant on his latest book, The Little Liar.
Nice to visit Ephesus, Didyma and Miletus with Ahmet from Tura Turizm. He was a wonderful guide. Lunch at the Resort was so delicious. The Greek and Roman ruins are stunning. Love the Library of Celsus and the old Roman theaters.
The Best of Rhodes was our least favorite of the tours. The 8-hour tour only lasted 5.5 hours with a long stop at a ceramic factory. Rhodes itself was so scenic. Loved walking through the narrow winding streets of the Old City and climbing to the Acropolis in Lindos.
Loved the Journey to Pathos and the historic city of Limassol in Cyprus. The ancient floor mosaics in the Pathos Archeological Park are considered amongst the finest in the world. So interesting to see this beautiful record of everyday life of the Greco-Romans as well as the legends of gods, goddesses, and heroes. Our guide gave a masterclass about the mosaics and tombs that we explored.
Seeing Knossos Palace and the Archeological Museum has been a dream of mine since I studied about Minoan culture as a kid. Our guide Spanaki Nektaria was amazing. She shared much knowledge and brought the artifacts to life. Surprised to see so many peacocks roaming around the ruins.
Celebrity Infinity is an older cruise ship without all of the innovations of the Celebrity Edge class series. That being said, it was an incredible value and fantastic cruise.
The weather in April was clear sunny skies, beautiful sunsets and breezy evenings. The gym was not crowded. Easy to find a place to soak in the covered solarium. Nice to be able to visit the Acropolis and the Olympic stadium without crowds. The Hop On/Hop Off Bus ($15 for 2 days) in Athens went straight to and from the port. Free shuttles were provided in other cities if the port was located in an industrial area.
Celebrity Infinity. A great way to explore Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. read more