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Celebrity Infinity to gain restaurants, staterooms, iLounge

Celebrity Infinity to gain restaurants, staterooms, iLounge
Celebrity Infinity—next up to be ‘Solsticized’—will gain restaurants and an Apple iLounge along with new AquaClass spa accommodations in one of Celebrity Cruises’ most extensive drydocks.      

During approximately three weeks at Grand Bahama Shipyard in November 2011, the ship will add Solstice-class features like a Tuscan Grille steakhouse, the creperie Bistro on Five, an ice-topped Martini Bar, the Cellarmasters wine bar with an Enomatic  serving system and the Café al Bacio and Gelateria.

Moreover, the ship will get 37 new AquaClass accommodations and six inside staterooms on Deck 11, a Mediterranean-themed Blu restaurant for AquaClass passengers and 17 ocean-view staterooms on Deck 3, said Celebrity’s Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, svp hotel operations. Verandas will be added to eight suites.

Lutoff-Perlo announced the Infinity upgrades on board Celebrity Eclipse during stateside inaugural activities today. She said the Solsticizing of Celebrity Constellation in April had earned ‘rave reviews’ during the ship’s just-ended Europe season.

As with that project, Celebrity Infinity’s public spaces will gain new carpets, upholstery and color schemes reflecting the Solstice ships. Staterooms will get new soft goods, flat-screen televisions and bedding. On top of those changes, suites add new electronics and furniture.

Celebrity Infinity will become the first non-Solstice ship to get the popular iLounge, with its Apple classes and products, on Deck 8, just beneath the library, and Blu, which will be installed in part of the main dining room on Deck 5. The Martini Bar and Crush, an adjacent space with an ice-filled table of vodkas, are joining Deck 4. Lutoff-Perlo called these concepts ‘amazingly popular’ and said they ‘bring the center of the ships alive.’

Café al Bacio and Gelateria will replace the Cova Café. The existing martini/champagne bar will convert into the Bistro on Five on one side and Cellarmasters on the other, while the Tuscan Grille will go into what is now the conservatory. The ship is getting fresh artwork, too.

With the Deck 11 kids’ club transforming into staterooms, youngsters will get a new space in part of the observation lounge. The cinema on Deck 3 will be remodeled into a meeting space similar to Celebrity Central on the Solstice ships.

The 60 extra accommodations will bring double-occupancy capacity to 2,154. Celebrity president and ceo Dan Hanrahan said there’s plenty of space on Infinity for more accommodations and described the Millennium-class ships as ‘under-stateroomed.’ The additional restaurant choices, he noted, will be popular with today’s passengers.

The ship is due to emerge from its refurbishment on Dec. 3 next year. Bookings for the Solsticized Infinity will open later this month, on Nov. 22.