Antarctica/ S. America Review (Infinity)

This is a tale of tempests , missed ports , mayhem and raw beauty.

Where to begin? Buenos Aires , of course , the city of tango , classic architecture and succulent meat. Our cruise was to leave on January 31st , so we decided to arrive a bit early and take advantage of this lovely city.

As our family lives near São Paulo , our flight from GRU (São Paulo´s International airport) to EZE (BA´s international airport) was a mere 2 hours and 40 minutes. Our kids were thrilled , as they are used to 11 hour flights! We arrived Thursday afternoon , giving us most of Thursday , Friday and Saturday to explore the city and Sunday would be our day to embark on the Infinity.

We opted to stay in the Palermo district , a hip part of BA. It is filled with chic boutique hotels , cute shops and delicious restaurants. We chose a hotel called Vain - there are only 15 rooms , so a lot of personalized attention. The decor at Vain is lovely and the made to order breakfast is amazing.

Our hotel:

Thursday afternoon , we relaxed and later went to the beautiful Abastos Shopping Mall , where there is a wonderful interactive museum for kids. I highly recommend this activity for those with kids under 12.

Friday , we visited the lovely zoo in Palermo. a sweltering day , but very enjoyable. In the evening , we ate at "La Cabrera" , a mecca for beef lovers. Great atmosphere , Malbec and juicy steaks.

Saturday , we did the touristy El Caminito and Recoleta Cemetary. We had a lot of fun. The kids loved the cemetary. At night we hired a babysitter and went out to Osaka , a Peruvian/ Japanese fusion restaurant which offers a truly unforgettable dining experience. One of my favorite meals ever. Both restaurants mentioned require reservations.

Some images of Buenos Aires....

Coming soon - January 31st- Embarkation on the Infinity.

Thanks for posting. :)

Please don't make us wait too long! My DH and I are really looking forward to this review. I would love to take this cruise.

Jenn

Having never been to South America or Antarctica, I am really looking forward to reading all about your trip and adventures. Great pictures, Kim!

Sunday , January 31st

Destination , Infinity....

We had had hot , clear weather since our arrival. However , rain was the forecast for Sunday and the weather people were right!

We woke up , had a leisurely breakfast and finished up our packing. We arranged a pick up through the hotel for 1:30 , as we wanted to arrive around 2 and avoid the long lines and rush of noon.

We arrived at the port and were immediately confronted with a huge line of dripping people , standing in the rain with their luggage. We got into line ( backtrack- our group consisted of myself , DH , 3 kids ages 6 through 12 , and my best childhood friend , Amy).We chatted and waited to get into the terminal , which took quite a while.

We finally arrived in the terminal , filled our luggage tags and health forms and got in the embarkation lines. This was our third Celebrity cruise , the others being a Baltic cruise on the Constellation and a Med cruise on the Summit. This check in process was by far the most chaotic and slow and I noticed several passengers getting quite frustrated.

We tried to be patient and soon , we were on the ship! Yeah! We went straight to our staterooms to store our carry-ons and explore. We were fortunate enought to be in a FV corner aft stateroom (7202) , which is perfect for our family. We had one on the Baltic cruise also (7199) and I found the Infinity´s to be in better shape overall.

My friend Amy had a CC stateroom right next to us -7200 , which was very convinient.

We went up to the buffet for a quick lunch , went to the muster drill (which took a long time because of a medical emergency) and then went out on our enormous balcony for sailaway , with a bottle of champagne.

We had great stateroom attendents , Michael and Everett...we really liked them. Our waitstaff was also exceptional . we had a lovely table by a window (5477) and we we served by Alexis and Jackie. Truly ourstanding team.

More later...gotta go to work.

looking forward to read the rest of your trip report:)

Brazilgirl, Thank you so much for taking the time to give us such a wonderful, so far, review.

Connie

Thanks for the review so far - we are in your cabin on our upcoming cruise! Can't wait to hear more!!!

Sunday , January 31st

 

Destination , Infinity....

 

We had had hot , clear weather since our arrival. However , rain was the forecast for Sunday and the weather people were right!

 

We woke up , had a leisurely breakfast and finished up our packing. We arranged a pick up through the hotel for 1:30 , as we wanted to arrive around 2 and avoid the long lines and rush of noon.

 

We arrived at the port and were immediately confronted with a huge line of dripping people , standing in the rain with their luggage. We got into line ( backtrack- our group consisted of myself , DH , 3 kids ages 6 through 12 , and my best childhood friend , Amy).We chatted and waited to get into the terminal , which took quite a while.

 

We finally arrived in the terminal , filled our luggage tags and health forms and got in the embarkation lines. This was our third Celebrity cruise , the others being a Baltic cruise on the Constellation and a Med cruise on the Summit. This check in process was by far the most chaotic and slow and I noticed several passengers getting quite frustrated.

 

We tried to be patient and soon , we were on the ship! Yeah! We went straight to our staterooms to store our carry-ons and explore. We were fortunate enought to be in a FV corner aft stateroom (7202) , which is perfect for our family. We had one on the Baltic cruise also (7199) and I found the Infinity´s to be in better shape overall.

 

My friend Amy had a CC stateroom right next to us -7200 , which was very convinient.

 

We went up to the buffet for a quick lunch , went to the muster drill (which took a long time because of a medical emergency) and then went out on our enormous balcony for sailaway , with a bottle of champagne.

 

We had great stateroom attendents , Michael and Everett...we really liked them. Our waitstaff was also exceptional . we had a lovely table by a window (5477) and we we served by Alexis and Jackie. Truly ourstanding team.

 

More later...gotta go to work.

Please give us more info since we are on the same cruise on Feb. 28. We are in CC 7190 and hope that is a good stateroom. We would love info on ports and excursions. How did you like the FV? We loved them on prior cruises but there were none available for this cruise.

Thank You for posting! Anxious for more...:)

Very different review, and photos. Keep it coming.:)

Thanks.

We are now aboard , and supposedly headed for the the Falkland Islands.

Our original schedule had us leaving on Sunday , the 31st. We were to have 2 sea days before our arrival at the Falklands. We had a wonderful private tour arranged with the notable Patrick Watts to visit Volunteer Point , which is famous for the King Penguins.

Our first 2 days at sea were lovely , albeit the first was a bit rough. My middle son , who is the only one really prone to motion sickness , got sick the first morning of our cruise. I chose to speak to the ship´s doctor , as I knew that this particular cruise was going to be rough , because of the infamous Drake´s Passage.. I from then on medicated him daily with Dramamine. The first day we all had to get our sea legs , as there was quite a bit of rocking.

One afternoon (I believe it was the second) , we were at the MDR for a lucious brunch , and we saw a group of about 10 dolphins cavorting right outside the window. Thrilling! By the way , we had 2 sea day brunchs during the cruise , which are not to be missed. they are scheduled from 10 to 1 , and are simply wonderful.

Our second sea day presented itself with nice weather. We opted to have dinner delivered to our balcony.We had a delicious dinner from the MDR delivered. The room service was the only real service issue on the ship. I had had outstanding room service on the Constellation , and I felt the Infinity was less organized and slow in this aspect.

Sadly , we got an announcement that our stop at the Falklands was cancelled due to weather issues. I was really disappointed as the Falklands were on the top of my list. However , I knew that this was a possibility , as the Falklands are notorious for their weather problems. I heard a lot of grumbling on board.

We later received an announcement that we would have an additional day in Antarctica due to the cancellation of the Falklands , visiting Elephant Island , Deception Island , as well as Paradise Bay and Gerlache Strait. 3 days of viewing instead of 2 -yeah , as Antarctica , was of course the main reason for the cruise. But , little did we know , more problems were on the horizon...to be cont.

We were all ready and eager for our 3 (!) days on Antarctica. Then , the dreaded ding dong and the loudspeaker came on....along with the announcement that because of a low pressure front , high winds , strong waves and ice , Antarctica was cancelled , at least for the time being and that we needed to wait for further information.

Please bear in mind that this particular cruise was not your typical "Caribbean, Fun in the Sun" type cruise. Ports are substituted , cancelled , etc ...all the time . Let´s be frank...although the Caribbean Islands each have their unique attractions , they all are pretty much about beaches , blue skies and rum. This cruise was all about destination...Antarctica. People choose this cruise for that reason . We can all argue about the cruise contract and cancelled ports , but people were very , very disappointed and upset.

This cruise was by far the cruise with the greatest mix of nationalites I have ever been on. Large groups of Germans, Indians , Russians , Koreans , South Americans....a really fascinating array of passengers. People flew from all over for the purpose of seeing "The White Continent". After the announcement , the frustration was palpable.

What was my own perspective? I , of course felt incredibly sad too. I had prepared my children for months for our visit , reading about the fauna and geography of the continent. My kids knew about Shackleton and we had talked about the different kinds of icebergs...My youngest , Nicholas , who is 6 , would wake up every day on the cruise and ask "Are we in Antarctica yet?". So , you can imagine our feelings as a family.

However , because I was with my 3 kids , safety was also a huge priority. Before embarking , I had read up on the dangers of large passenger ships in the Antarctic region. I was totally aware that the weather was extemely unpredictable and that hidden growlers ( submerged icebergs) were a dangerous reality that demanded good visibility for those steering the ship. Therefore , I was confident that Captain Michail Margaritis had made the right decision.

Conclusion-6 sea days in a row...and a big question mark.Would we get to see Antarctica?

We are on this cruise next Feb. How very sad for you and your family. Hope something turns and you can get a bit of the Antarctica. I have shead a tear or two for you.

I am on the edge of my seat!!!!

Jenn

I am on the edge of my seat!!!!

 

Jenn

me too. I might do this cruise either next year or the year after that, so I'm interested...

-Doug

The decision was made to totally redo our itinerary and to make an attempt to visit Antarctica later in the cruise if the weather conditions permitted.

Mind you , we had already gone through the dreaded Drake´s Passage and were actually pretty darn close to Antarctica...but the Captain felt ( rightly so ) that the trip just could not be now.

I am not one of those terribly experienced cruisers...I cruise for the ports. I love traveling and I have found that with 3 kids and innumerous suitcases , that cruising offers a practical and pleasant alternative. In my limited cruise experience , I have cruised the Caribbean a couple of times , the Med/ Adriatic/Aegean Seas and the Baltic region.

None of these experiences came close to the unique , exhilirating and unpredictable opportunity of sailing around the Horn , through Drake´s Passage , and along the South American coast. All the crew (many very experienced /20 years plus on cruise ships) said that the weather/ waves were like nothing else on earth. I must admit I was a bit nervous before leaving , but I found it all quite exciting. Very primal. One evening ( the 11th night , if I am not mistaken) , the waves / wind / weather were so brutal that no one got any sleep all night ...I mean at least 10 hours of bashing , banging , tilting , crashing....Really a wild ride.People mentioned 27 foot waves ( I am not sure what the biggest was ). My children slept threw the night , not sure how.Many crew members expressed fear and discomfort. i know this cruise was hard for them , due to the fact that of the 14 days , we ultimately only had 3 port days.

I digress....We are now on day 6...no land for 6 days.The Captain had decided to visit Cape Horn today ( around 1) and then tomorrow , visit Ushuaia ( translation=steping off the ship...). We arrived at Cape Horn for viewing at the appointed time , to calm seas.

It was very pretty-a rugged beauty. To tell you the truth , I would have rather had an additional port day , if feasible.

2 of my boys and I at Cape Horn.

Will write more later!

Brazilgirl -

This is a fantastic travel journal with photos!

Thanks for sharing!

Wow, you've gone from being somebody who didn't know how to do photos to integrating them with your review. Pretty impressive!

Anxious to hear whether you actually got to Antarctica or not!

Oh , I did forget an interesting part of our journey. On the 6th day , there was a terrible "mob" scene on the stairs in front of guest relations. A truly awful display of immature behavior on the part of many passengers , who were attacking the poor officers about our cancelled port ( Falkland Islands) and the failed attempt to go to Antarctica (remember-our original itinerary- 2 scheduled Antarctica days...after Falklands cancellation- 3 days proposed......and until now , nothing.)

One woman let out the priceless pearl "Well , if you hire a taxi to take you to the airport , and the taxi doesn´t take you to the airport , you should get your money back." I guess I don´t even need to comment.

I felt so , so bad for the officers , who were trying , very patiently to explain the weather changes and dangers , but to no avail. And worse , they had to do this all bi-lingually , as there were many Spanish speakers in the crowd. There were more than 50 people in the crowd at one point.... I had heard yelling from the computer center and went to look down on the ruckus.

It was kind of like watching a car accident...you should walk away , but you don´t. I felt like yelling down in defense of the crew , but ultimately felt it wouldn´t be productive , given the mood of the crowd.

this is a rather poor photo of the end of the chaos...before , the officers were on the staircase , surrounded by an angry mob. Bad , bad , bad....

I've really enjoyed your posts. That is a part of the world few of us get to see. Were you at all worried about the wind/waves?

Yikes!!!! We are on this cruise next weekend! I am a little concerned that the crew will be worn out from dealing with the mob dissatisfaction. Stuff happens. Great pictures.

FortyninerLiz....

No worries about the crew. The crew was truly outstanding. They did an amazing job throughout the cruise .I was awed by their capacity to always be smiling , kind and upbeat , even with all the extra work they had , due to all the days at sea and due to the adverse weather conditions.

The crew deserves nothing but accolades and although I have enjoyed all my Celebrity experiences , I can say that the Infinity´s crew was my favorite!

Tally10-

I was nervous beforehand about the waves and wind , especially because my husband was hospitalized with labrynititis (sp?) a few years back and because of my middle son´s sensitivity in some cases to excessive motion. But our family ( with the exception of my son´s first day and our occasional sleep problems) actaually liked the exciting ride!

Kim

Thanks, Kim, for the day-to-day reporting. I will be on the Infinity in three weeks.:)

In 2007 , Infinity had 4 scheduled visits to Falkland and made two of them. I was fortunate to be there. This is just the way nature is. I have since told any body who seek my opinion on port call to Falkland to have realistic expectations.

We left off with an angry mob and Cape Horn...the next morning , Saturday the 7th , was to be our first step on land since Sunday´s embarkation. The Captain had moved up our visit to Ushuaia.

What a wise Captain. We arrived early . I went out onto our balcony and was greeted by the most beautiful sunrise reflecting on the water.

This sunrise brought with it a perfect day. Really. Tomorrow I´ll tell that story.