Celebrity Inifinity

We loved being on board the Celebrity Infinity.  Monday was our one Day at Sea, and we lived our best cruise life.  I got a massage at the spa, the kids relaxed and visited the pool, and we spent a lot of time on our outdoor balcony.  Our enormous outdoor space was one of our favorite parts about the ship, and we upgraded (at no cost!) a month before our trip by snagging one of the staterooms on the aft side of the ship.  These rooms aren't released by Celebrity Cruise Lines until shortly before sailing dates and are categorized as "Ultra Deluxe Family Staterooms".  Kudos to Mark for researching this option and making this happen with our travel agent, as it added so much to our experience and felt fancy and private:

We carried out many breakfasts and snacks from the buffet area of the ship and brought them back to our balcony to eat.  We loved how half of the area was shaded, and that there was enough room for a table and chairs there:

We woke up each morning to the most beautiful sights.  Often there was another cruise ship docked beside us, so the rooms on the port and starboard sides of the ship had obstructed views, but we had clear views each day:

This was our first time choosing "Any Time Dining" for dinner, and we really liked this flexible option.  It allowed us to stay on land at each of our destination sites as long as we wanted without the pressure of boarding the ship to make it in time for a preplanned a dinner reservation.  We were able to dress and get ready for each evening at our leisure, and we watched so many beautiful sunsets:

Here's a nighttime view from our balcony of Santorini:

Our stateroom contained a bedroom and bathroom, and an additional living space that was divided by a partition.  These sofas were transformed each night into beds for the kids:

There were also many things to keep us entertained on board.  We attended shows each night, and saw an illusionist, comedian, and musical theater productions.  One of our favorite areas was the outdoor bar/eating area where we ate and listened to live music:

We played basketball, soccer, and tried pickleball, and the sports area was never busy or crowded:

This lounge hosted some fun family activities that we enjoyed, including trivia, Bingo, and archery:

Leah and I also participated in karaoke night (yes, there is a video) and sang "Livin' on a Prayer".  This song was on my chemo soundtrack, and it seemed fitting that it was included on this celebration trip.  Singing in front of a crowd is NEVER something I would have done before my diagnosis, but you know what?  Things like that just don't seem as scary compared to cancer, and my perspective has shifted quite a bit in the past year and a half.  

Here's another glimpse of our ship, as we prepared to board in Ravenna.  Hooray for cruise life!