Celebrity Infinity: Greece year-round, on a ship that lost power twice in seven months
Celebrity Infinity measures 90,940 gross tons, 294 metres by 32, across 12 decks and 1,085 staterooms. She carries 2,170 guests at double occupancy and up to 2,604 with every berth filled, with roughly 997 crew. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire and delivered on 25 February 2001, she sailed her maiden voyage through the Panama Canal on 3 March 2001. Her home port is Piraeus (Athens) from March to October and Barcelona from November to March.
The 15 February 2026 blackout, stated plainly
At around 3 a.m. on 15 February 2026, Infinity lost all electrical power near Piraeus. Lighting, air conditioning, lifts and propulsion went down, and four tugs towed her into port. Guests spent roughly 36 hours without air conditioning and disembarked on the 15th instead of the 16th. Nobody was hurt and nothing was spilled. Piraeus port authority barred departure until repairs were certified, the 16 February sailing was cancelled and departures resumed on 27 February. Celebrity cited a technical fault in the electrical distribution panels. One fact most ship pages leave out: in July 2025 an electrical fire in Kuşadası already cut power and held the ship alongside for four days, cancelling Mykonos, Kavala and Thessaloniki. Two such events in seven months is no longer quite an isolated incident.
What the January 2026 drydock actually covered
From 2 to 11 January 2026, Infinity spent nine days at Chantier Naval de Marseille on technical work, maintenance and statutory surveys, returning to service on the 11th with a ten-night Barcelona round trip calling at Casablanca, Cadiz, Tenerife and Las Palmas. That was maintenance, not modernisation. The last real transformation dates to January 2024: aft Sunset Suites with oversized balconies, an enlarged Luminae, and the former Michael's Club converted into a suites-only Retreat Lounge.
Piraeus in summer, Barcelona in winter, and what Air Transat just changed
Summer 2026 runs from Piraeus on 7- to 11-night loops through the Cyclades, Crete, Rhodes, Limassol, Antalya and Nafplio. On 2 November 2026 Infinity leaves Piraeus for Barcelona on a 13-day repositioning and stays there until 15 March 2027, running 13- and 14-night voyages to the Canaries, Portugal and Morocco. That changes the flight: Air Transat makes Montreal-Barcelona year-round at two flights a week from 27 October 2026, which finally puts a nonstop on the table in midwinter. Toward Athens the nonstop is a summer service, so a March or late-October departure means a European connection and a hotel night before boarding.
Which stateroom, which table, and what 25 years still show
The categories worth knowing are the aft Sunset Suites of 2024, Sky Suites, AquaClass with access to Blu, and Concierge Class, which adds service rather than space. Recent reviews stay positive on bedding and upkeep but return to one point: the hull is 25 years old, bathrooms are small, and forward cabins move when the meltemi blows across the Aegean. The Trellis Restaurant is the main dining room; Tuscan Grille, Sushi on Five and Le Petit Chef at Qsine cost extra; the Oceanview Café, Café al Bacio, Blu and Luminae are included. Bars include the Martini Bar and Crush Bar on deck 4, the Rendezvous Lounge and the deck 12 Rooftop Terrace with its outdoor screen. No waterpark, no ropes course: this is a ship for adults who came for the ports.
Three ships worth comparing with Celebrity Infinity
Celebrity Summit is the sister with the best-documented refit, done at Freeport in 2019, now in Alaska and then the Caribbean: same hull, clearer maintenance record. Celebrity Constellation shares the Mediterranean in 2026 but works out of Civitavecchia and Ravenna, which solves the flight question differently. Celebrity Eclipse is the step up for anyone put off by the age, with the Lawn Club up top and roomier public spaces. Inclusions and the Captain's Club sit on the Celebrity Cruises page.
Who should not sail Infinity
Anyone anxious about a breakdown should choose a younger ship: the 2025-26 record is public, better owned than discovered aboard. Families hunting for children's facilities will not find any. Guests used to Edge-class ships will find the public rooms tight and bathrooms dated. For a couple who came for Greece, accept an ordinary ship in service of an extraordinary itinerary and buy proper cancellation coverage, Infinity remains a very good buy.