INFINITY is broken down again

[greatam]

I am currently on the Nov. 19 repo sailing our of FLL. We are north of Lima (Callao). We were supposed to dock at 6 AM. It will now be 6:00PM. 30 hours in Lima to figure out how to fix the ship (starboard pod is not working). No stop in Arica, compensation offered (no idea what it is) with announcement.

 

I really feel sorry for a whole group of Europeans (about 40 people). They had booked the MP trip from Lima. It is now cancelled, unless they want to get off the ship entirely in Lima.

 

This is the third trip I have booked on Infinity where there are pod problems. First two were cancelled before I boarded (one with only 2 days notice). I was so SURE this would not happen this time after the drydock this fall. Oh well. Will post more as time allows. Dinner is waiting.

[marinco]

Ok, so will you tell me where and when you are sailing. Jinx. Just kidding... My wife and I were just on Infinity just before your trip. We left from LA and went through the Panama Canal up to FLL. It was a wonderful trip and at times we were sailing at 23 knots without a care in the world. I'm sorry to hear that the MP trip got cancelled. That is the hightlight of the current voyage.

 

Get a hold of Melissa, who is the harpist in the specialty resturant. Her music will sooth the sole.

[Nurse Bambi]

Greatam,

This is just unbelievable that it would happen again this soon, after drydock. I certainly hope it is something minor that can be fixed quickly. The fact that Celebrity allows these ships to continue to sail, is for me just not fair to passengers. Hope everything turns out alright for you.

Please keep us updated on what is going on.

[Canes Rule]

30 hours in Lima to figure out how to fix the ship (starboard pod is not working). No stop in Arica, compensation offered (no idea what it is) with announcement.

 

Hmmmmmm I think that might just increase the percentages of break down on M-class ships up from the 14% stated earlier!!

 

To Greatam no disrespect and I am truly sorry for your current experience. Its just that the past week in this forum there have been an overabundance of posters stating that they love the M-class ships and they are pooh poohing those of us who forewarn new cruisers of the potential pitfalls of booking an M-class ship. Just tonight a poll was started - I'll be interested to see if the results turn in a different direction after this latest news.

[flagger]

Oh joy let us just see what Celebrity has to offer as compensation now.:rolleyes:

[C 2 C]

We're booked on Infinity Feb 25 and March 11 for a B2B cruise. We were one week away from a B2B Hawaii cruise when it was cancelled nearly three years ago. At that time we were given our money back plus a free cruise...

but we have lots of warning on this one...:(

[Cruise Raider]

Interesting news. I have sailed on Celebrity a few times before but never on the M-class. We are currently booked for the Infinity this spring and don't plan on cancelling the booking as the ships leaves out of port right next to our home and is visiting ports that I have already been to a couple of times. So, if they end up cancelling, not a huge deal for us. We are actually going with friends we met on a cruise, also who have seen these same ports of call. It will really be more about the cruise (if not canceled) and getting together with friends than the ports of call. I would, on the other hand, be rather upset if I flew to Europe, which I have never visited, and the breakdown occurred.

Maybe, just maybe, the prices will be more attractive and this will work out to our advantage. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Not counting on that, but would be nice...

[rcicruiser]

They are getting a 500.00 Shipboard credit. I have been emailing a friend on the ship. Right now only one port will be missed. People do not seem to be to upset. Oh and Celebrity is not the only one having problems. Regent Marnier is too and they are canceling a few cruises.

[Host Karen]

We were on the 11/5 sailing with Marinco, and other than a few short periods of vibration, we didn't notice any problems. It should be noted, however, that the seas were unusually calm 95% of the cruise and we were often topping out at 17 knots (the last two days we averaged 15 knots).

 

It will be interesting to find out what Celebrity plans to do now, since the ship was just in unscheduled drydock for a pod problem in September. Although we like Celebrity, I think we will stick with Royal Caribbean for longer cruises until the new X ships (and new pods) are introduced.

[Nurse Bambi]

We were on the 11/5 sailing with Marinco, and other than a few short periods of vibration, we didn't notice any problems. It should be noted, however, that the seas were unusually calm 95% of the cruise and we were often topping out at 17 knots (the last two days we averaged 15 knots).

 

It will be interesting to find out what Celebrity plans to do now, since the ship was just in unscheduled drydock for a pod problem in September. Although we like Celebrity, I think we will stick with Royal Caribbean for longer cruises until the new X ships (and new pods) are introduced.

Hi Karen,

On several ships that have had pod failures the vibration can be a tell tale sign of problems. One engineer on a Celebrity did say that X was going to switch the current pod system to a GM propulsion system, but he might have been day dreaming too! The only official plan that I have heard, so far, is that Celebrity is just going to continue sailing with the pods as they are.

[renebfl]

I am so sorry for you. We were affected by the Summit Alaska May 7th fiasco. Lets hope it is just one ruined port. That you can deal with. Its when multiple ports are missed that it is so hearth wrenching.

[cruzin4us]

No........please tell me this isn't so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are on the Dec 17th sailing around South America and I will be so bummed out if they don't fix her by then :(

Any idea of what they are planning to do to rectify the situation??? Please keep us informed.

Thanks!

[vr6haley]

Thanks ... yours was the first words I found on the internet relating to this when i searched ... I am sailing with my Mum on the cruise out of Valparaiso on the 3rd ... and we've been watching Celebrityatsea.com to see where Infinity is from the Bridge cam ... we were very pleased to see the ship dock in Manta on Sunday as when we were last on Infinity a pod had broken so we missed out as Infinity had it's pre-booked slot in the Panama canal and missing that would have costs lots of $$$$thousands ... and we were in Aruba for 3 or 4 hours less than we ... and we only received $100 cabin credit ... I hear, from another posting on this site that they are being offered $500 on this sailing ... I wonder if that is indicative of any potential discounts we'll be offered ... if you have any specific info on any refunds I would be most greateful to receive so that we can use to bartar with Celebrity if they try and mess with us this weekend ...

 

I hope you are not feeling too jinxed ... and at least you can keep in touch with the outside world and let us know ... in fact I think the tele-sales girl I spoke to at Celebrity this afternoon hadn't yet been told there were any issues!!!!!

 

So most deep thanks ... and hope you get off OK in Valparaiso ...

 

vr6HALEY ... :-(((

[wayfarer1]

They are getting a 500.00 Shipboard credit. I have been emailing a friend on the ship. Right now only one port will be missed. People do not seem to be to upset. Oh and Celebrity is not the only one having problems. Regent Marnier is too and they are canceling a few cruises.

 

It would be REALLY helpful if you could e-mail your friend and see if she can get any info on whether the pod has been fixed or if they are just "making do" with the broken one until her cruise is over.

 

I called the Captain's Club this morning and they are totally unaware of any problem with the Infinity. My husband and I are flying to Santiago on Thursday to sail on Sunday's cruise. I would sure hate to have the December 3 sailing cancelled AFTER we're in the air - in fact we probably wouldn't hear about it until we arrive at the empty dock.

 

Any further information that you friend onboard can provide will be GREATLY appreciated.

[Jimsgirl]

Not suprised to read that Celebrity staff do not know about Infinity.

In Sept she spent 10 days being repaired in Vancouver, and yet three times during that time I was told by Reservations, Customer Service and the Captains Club that she SAILING in Alaska, that my info re the repair was completely incorrect.

They even gave me the Panama cruise as sailing the day before the date of sailing, saying "if you insist on going to the hotel for that night you will miss the cruise"

Talk about not knowing their elbows from their knees!!!!!!!

[Drew B]

We were on the 11/5 sailing with Marinco, and other than a few short periods of vibration, we didn't notice any problems. It should be noted, however, that the seas were unusually calm 95% of the cruise and we were often topping out at 17 knots (the last two days we averaged 15 knots).

 

It will be interesting to find out what Celebrity plans to do now, since the ship was just in unscheduled drydock for a pod problem in September. Although we like Celebrity, I think we will stick with Royal Caribbean for longer cruises until the new X ships (and new pods) are introduced.

 

From what I understand, the pod problem in September was a DIFFERENT problem. I don't believe that they replaced either of the bearings in that dry dock, as they were really fixing an electrical problem. Therefore, this new problem is not as out of schedule as we may think... It's very sad for the people onboard, though! I hope that most of them manage to have a good trip despite the disappointment.

[Canes Rule]

Talk about not knowing their elbows from their knees!!!!!!!

 

Thats nothing!!!

 

I called Celebrity from the dock when my cruise in July was delayed by a day to see if I could get more information than what the customer service people at the dock were providing. Get this!!! I was informed my ship had sailed the day before and that it was my responsibility to find a way to catch up with it or entirely forfeit my cruise fare. I responded with ....."Duh ....lady I'm sitting here in Vancouver looking at the ship and it hasn't budged in 24 hours. Her response, .........must be another cruise line as our ship left yesterday........ I asked how many ships are named Infinity and have a big X on the smoke stack. Her response .........oh sir I don't know, there could be several, I have no way of knowing what you are looking at, but rest assured our ship left Vancouver yesterday......She then had the gall to say .....Sir I don't know why you are trying to blame Celebrity just because you showed up a day late for your cruise........ I asked to be transfered to a supervisor and was promptly hung up on.

[Nurse Bambi]

From what I understand, the pod problem in September was a DIFFERENT problem. I don't believe that they replaced either of the bearings in that dry dock, as they were really fixing an electrical problem. Therefore, this new problem is not as out of schedule as we may think... It's very sad for the people onboard, though! I hope that most of them manage to have a good trip despite the disappointment.

 

It was posted on these boards that both pods were replaced on the Infinity last September. Later someone who was on the Infinity, reported that an engineer had told him that only one pod was replaced. Replacing only one pod, for me, would be even more troubling, and then just waiting for the next one to fail. The "pod electrical problem" for the Infinity began on the July 9 cruise and ended in dry dock on September 13, 2006. Maybe someone out there knows, for sure, exactly which pod was replaced or if both were replaced.

[Drew B]

I assume, then, that replacing a pod is a much bigger, more complex repair than replacing a bearing. What did they replace the pod with? Another pod of the same design? If so, the new pod is bound to have the same bearing problems... What a shame that they started so quickly!

[LeftcoastBC]

Nothing in the X "Press room" on their web site yet. !!

[Jimsgirl]

For Canes Rule,

You must have had the same people as I did, I wrote a letter to the VP Sales and got back Computer generated Excuse letter #101. which said absolutely nothing about the actual subject of the complaint.

 

Of course the Customer Service unit is in Kansas - long way from the sea, - and I really do not think the staff do much cruising. The computer screens in Sept were never changed to show the ship under repair. Not only that but on the day that it did actually sail for Panama people in a hotel were given three different times for their luggage collectection and four different times for their bus to take them to the ship, no one seemed to know they would be transported .

Then when they got to the ship early afternoon, they were delayed boarding - but they were given sandwiches and soft drinks, which was good thinking on someones part.

 

Please, Neptune God of the Sea. let the pods on Summit be working when I join it Dec 9th for Hawaii.

[cruzin4us]

I just looked at the bridge cam and she's heading into Lima right now. Let's keep our fingers crossed they can get this problem fixed for good this time.

 

Any news of the time frame????

[two rabbits]

I just looked at the bridge cam and she's heading into Lima right now. Let's keep our fingers crossed they can get this problem fixed for good this time.

 

Any news of the time frame????

 

I also would hope the problem would be fixed for good this time, cruzin4us. Since this has been going on since the introduction of the M-class ships in 2000, I would have to bet that Celebrity will patch up the pods and send the Infinity back out on its way and then wait for the next pod failure.

[bbro]

Sorry to those on board and those whose trips are coming up. I know the anticipation is half the fun of a cruise! We sailed Infinity this summer amidst all the electrical/pod issues and I got so worked up before the cruise wondering if I'd even get to go that it ruined all the fun of getting there. We did miss some of the best parts of the Inside Passage due to her issues, but we made best of the situation. I've got my fingers crossed for all of you!!!

[greatam]

Just pulling into Callao. Not too many people upset, other than the Machu Pichu folks. There are options for them, but they have to end their cruise early. $500.00 per cabin credit offered automatically. And if you don't spend all $500.00, the balance will go on your credit card.

 

Not really sure of the EXACT problem, but we have been running on only the port pod since yesterday. Captain's letter stated the electric motor that runs the pod shorted out. Those are pretty darn big motors (21,000 KV if I am not mistaken) There are three or four very official looking engineers onboard and more are to meet the ship in Callao.

 

X is taking good care of everyone. I am not hearing any grumbling-no mutinies, no lawsuits. Of course, we will only miss Arica and no one was too exited about that port anyhow.

 

Will keep you posted