Ayant décidé de découvrir la croisière avec mon épouse nous avions retenu l'idée de choisir celle organisée par COSTA le 28 mars 2009 sur le CONCORDIA intitulée Les trésors de l'histoire. Notre choix se portant sur le programme SAMSARA je veux donc réserver une cabine SAMSARA extérieure ( située sur le pont SPAGNA, c'est à dire le plus haut habitable pour les croisiéristes ).
Je suis donc attentivement les différentes discussions sur ce forum et la dernière que je viens de lire me porte à y réfléchir par 2 fois avant de réserver.
Je m'explique : paraîtrait que les soins SAMSARA ne sont pas tout à fait conformes à la description qui en est faite et que le fait de prendre ses repas au restaurant dédié SAMSARA pose des problèmes pour les soirées de gala !!!
Je sais bien que dans tous les commentaires il faut " en prendre et en laisser" mais je voudrais éviter de me tromper car comme je l'ai dit il s'agira de notre première croisière.
Alors dois-je prendre COSTA ou une autre compagnie?
Est-ce que quelqu'un peut me renseigner plus avant sur cette histoire de SAMSARA : cette option en vaut-elle le coup ou est-ce de l'attrape touriste ( chose que je déteste car je veux bien payer mais j'entends que, en retour, ce qui m'est apporté mérite ce supplément de prix )?
Merci d'avance à tous ceux et toutes celles qui voudront bien me faire part de leurs réflexions et de leur expérience.
je n'ai pas réservé de soins samsara donc je ne pourrai pas vous aider sur ce point. sur le restaurant par contre, il est en open service à partir de 19h donc effectivement les gens arrivent quand ils veulent mais normalement il n'y a pas d'attente . en plus il y a deux sessions de spectacles donc il me semble difficile de ne pas assister au moins à une.
j'ai vu les cabines samsra, elles sont très belles mais pour moi qui suis toujours en extérieure avec balcon, c'est surtout la déco très zen qui change. de plus elles sont assez haut sur le bateau (pont 10-11 je crois) et c'est vrai que c'est un aspect que j'aime moins mais cela n'engage que moi.
je pense que ces cabines valent le coup si on a envie vraiment d'intégrer un programme "spa/soin/diététique".
Costa Atlantica Mer et Mythes classiques ( 11/2005)
Costa Concordia Magique Méditerranée (09/2006)
Costa Serena Vision D'orient (11/2007 )
www.aufeminin.com (dans albums, taper nom du bateau ou mon pseudo:belatrix; mot de passe atlantica et Concordia et serena )
bonjour caproisette ou plutot bonne nuit car pour moi il est trés tard!Je reviens il y a une heure d'une croisiere sur le concordia en cabine SAMSARA et je vous promet des réponses
et des détails sur la cabine et ses avantages dans les jours qui viennent aprés avoir rangés les valises.Je peux vous dire tout de suite que nous avons été entierement
satisfait de cette tres belle cabine et pour le resto, on peut s'aranger avec le responsable pour en changer.
a plus😉
murielle
Ok, je vous remercie d'avance pour votre compte-rendu à venir et si vous me le permettez j'aurais certainement d'autres questions ou précisions à vous demander.
Bonsoir,
je suis a votre disposition pour tout renseignement concernant la cabine Samsara en tout honneteté, je pense que vous parlez de ma récente expérience sur le jumeau du concordia le Séréna .
D'un bateau a l'autre cela peut changer et l'équipe aussi, je ne voulais pas vous faire douter, je n'ai raconté que mon expérience, c'était ma 1ere croisière aussi
C'est vrai que si vous rencontrez de la houle, etre a l'avant et en hauteur c'est impressionnant un fois couchés, vous avez l'impression de descendre de 2 etages et de les remonter ensuite . je suis en tout cas a votre disposition
Amicalement, Chantal
COSTA Serena, (2008) - RCCL Serenade of the seas (2010)
CELEBRITY Equinox (2011) - RCCL Adventure of the Seas (2014)
MSC Sinfonia (2017) - RCCL Serenade of the seas (2018)
bonjour capcroisette, je reviens vous donner quelques informations à propos des cabines samsara et du restaurant. Etre au pont 11 ne pose aucun probleme;vous ne passez pas plus de temps dans les
ascenseurs.Nous étions dans la cabine extérieure 1109 et pour nous rendre au spa, on enfilaient nos peignoirs(fournis) et en 30 secondes nous étions au spa. Par contre nous avons réservés nous-même
les soins compris dans le forfait de la cabine car il ne prennent pas contact tout de suite avec nous.Personnellement nous avons toujours fait la démarche nous-même pour avoir des renseignements, visiter et prendre des rendez-vous. Quand aux bains bouillonnants, sauna et salle de relaxation, on peut en profiter jusqu'à 22h et en ce qui nous concerne nous étions parfois seul ou très peu à en profiter!
Concernant les soins, nous sommes plutot satisfait. J'ai quand même été un peu surprise d'etre massé par un homme mais sinon le service est impeccable .La cabine est très belle vous ne pouvez pas être
deçu de ce coté là!(immense fenêtre pour ces cabines). Le restaurant samsara est coupé en deux salles et c'est vrai que c'est un peu domage .Au cours de notre semaine nous étions au plus une douzaine dans notre salle et les soirs de gala, on entendait l'ambiance dans le resto roma situé juste à côté des deux salles. Les serveurs m'on dit que pour changer on devait demander au maitre-d'hotel, ce que nous n'avons pas fait pour conserver le libre choix de l'heure de tous les repas. Notre croisière s'est bien passée;nous sommes ravis et prêts a recommencer (en cabine SAMSARA).
à bientôt 😉 murielle
Je me suis permis de reprendre les commentaires concernant l'option SAMSARA venant d'une autre discussion laissé par le forumeur HIBOU5
"
....... Ensuite nous étions en cabine Samsara, belle cabine rien a redire et service en cabine très bien aussi, mais nous sommes mal tombés par rapport a d'autres croisiéristes notamment Minouche 10, au restautrant nous avons eu des serveurs asiatiques dans la majorité qui ne parlait pas français, ne faisait pas d'effort non plus, heureusement que je baraguinais un peu anglais, mon mari pas du tout donc pas très a l'aise au point de vue communication. Nous avons souvent été recus comme des chiens dans un jeu de quille, servis après les autres bien qu'arrivés avant. une table reservée d'office pour un couple ainsi que des attentions qui franchement étaient mal placées par rapport aux autres passagers. Le prix étant le même pour tout le monde.
Nous n'avons pas eu le droit non plus de participer aux galas, nous nous sommes imposés au 1er et vraiment nous étions " personna non gratta "on nous l'a bien fait sentir.. Donc nous avons pas insisté.. Dommage pour les tenues de soirées emportées. Pas d'animation non plus au moment des repas comme la fameuse fantasia, une fois de temps en temps c'est sympa quand même, même si on aime le calme.
Les soins gratuits samsara n'étaient pas a la hauteur, beaucoup plus courts et moins de soins de fait. en bref je n'ai pas trouvé que cela valait vraiment la peine surtout que les croisiéristes qui voulaient y aller les 3 derniers jours ils pouvaient pour 50 euros.de plus avec les jours de houle la piscine etait souvent fermée, l'eau passant par dessus. sachant que les 3 premiers jours c'etaient les champs Elysées au Samsara journée portes ouvertes meme dans les endroits privés, piscine, hamam, les gens rentrant en vetements et chaussures sans respecter le calme, enfin bref !!!
Un conseil, ne prenez pas une cabine en hauteur et a l'avant, en cas de houle, invivable......... "
C'est en confrontant les diverses expérience vécues par plusieurs que l'on peut arriver à se faire une opinion; mais là, vraiment, je ne sais plus quoi penser. Encore que le fait de ne pas assister aux repas dit "de gala" pas plus que "les farandoles autour des tables du restaurant" ne me gêne absolument pas.....: au contraire je crois que nous apprécierons mieux le calme relatif d'une salle de restaurant dans laquelle le nombre de places est limité.
Par contre ce qui est le plus important pour nous ( mon épouse et moi ) c'est le fait de pouvoir bénéficier des services SPA du bateau.
Avez-vous été satisfait des prestations offertes et qu'aviez-vous choisi comme prestations ( je crois qu'il y en a 2 qui sont comprises ) car je crois savoir pour l'avoir lu sur un autre forum que les prix sont trés différents suivant les prestations : pouvons-nous choisir n'importe laquelle de ces prestations ou est-ce que le choix ne se limite qu'à 1 ou 2 possibilités.
Autre question : quelles croisiéres avez-vous faites et lesquelles par vous- même et celles que vous pourriez conseiller de faire avec COSTA ( je pense par exemple aux pyramides ).
Je vois d'après le numéro de votre cabine que vous aviez choisi une cabine à tribord sur le pont SPAGNA; pour ma part j'en ai réservé une du côté bâbord ( pour mieux voir les côtes ) sur le même pont. Alors question : avez-vous eu à vous plaindre de la houle comme HIBOU5 ?
Bonjour Capcroisette Cette croisiére que nous venont de faire est "MAGIQUE MEDITERRANNEE" :Barcelone, Palma, Tunis, Malte, Palerme et Rome est la seule que nous ayons fait; je ne peut donc pas comparer avec d'autre croisieres.Pour ce qui est des côtes, nous les avons bien vus chaque matin, il y a eu juste un jour ou mon mari est allé de l'autre côté pour faire de plus belles photos.Nous étions situé trés prêt de la porte qui vat sur le pont donc pour les départs et arrivée c'était bien. Non, nous n'avons pas eu à nous plaindre de la houle.Le bateau à un peu plus bougé la nuit entre Tunis et Malte ça a commencé vers 21h30 et je peux dire que nous l'avons senti plus au théatre et à se promener dans le bateau que dans la nuit.Cela devait être bien pire pour HIBOU 5 semble -t-il. Les repas de gala sont également servis au resto samsara et les gens s'habillent en conséquence, c'est juste que nous n'avons pas le tour de magie du seveur par exemple ou les photos prises par eux (celles qui sont affichées le lendemain).Si vous aimé mangé en tête à tête ou à quatre si vous êtes plusieurs, ce sera comme vous le souhaitez.C'est vrai le personnel ne parle pas vraiment le français mais ils font des efforts et cela ne nous a pas embête car je comprends un peu l'anglais.Les serveuses de notre restaurant c'était sourire non stop! Pour les soins au spa on a le choix entre environ 7 ou 8 si je me souvient bien(((il n'y a pas tout ))) dont deux soins spécial homme avec rasage ou massage de la nuque. Nous avions trouvé la liste détaillé sur internet site costa rubrique MY COSTA avec notre numéro de réservation. Nos soins compris dans le forfait étaient donc réservés avant la croisiere (sauf l'heure). Pour le spa, je crois que nous avons eu a la chance de tomber sur une semaine assez tranquille. Voila! Maintenant j'ai un peu le mal de terre! il parait que c'est normal .Si vous avez d'autres questions, je ferais de mn mieux pour y répondre. a plus 😎 Murielle
cela fait presque 2 mois que nous sommes rentrés de notre croisière et j'ai fait un blog pour permettre de se débrouiller tout seul sans Costa et à moindre coût. Si cela vous intéresse, libre à vous d'aller le visiter : http://lolorv.skyrock.com C'est avec beaucoup de lecture mais je vous assure que cela vaut le coup car nous avons fait toutes les escales seuls sauf les pyramides car le visa était trop cher et Alexandrie est loin du Caire . Bonne lecture et je me tiens à votre disposition pour d'éventuelles questions ou remarques.
Merci beaucoup pour ce blog trés bien fait et qui donne plein de conseils judicieux et qui permet de "ne pas jeter l'argent par les hublots" alors que l'on peut faire autrement.
J ai une petite question: le restaurant samsara est-il toujours inclus avec les cabines samsara? pour une croisière au mois de mai 2016 sur le pacifica. car j…
Voila j'aurai voulu savoir si quelqu'un parmi vous, connaitriez les cabines exterieures du pont 5 sur le msc fantasia, je n'arrive pas à trouver le vrai plan…
Nous partons sur le costa mediterranea en cabine suite panoramique. Je voulais savoir si le prix comprend le restaurant club ou si le restaurant et le même…
Voilà j'embarque fin novembre pour 20 nuits à bord du NCL en cabine studio. Je dois dire que je me suis laissé appâter par le tarif vraiment attractif (1500€).…
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
I’m looking to get in touch with someone who’s been on an Arctic Cruise aboard the ship POLARFRONT, operated by the French company "LATITUDE BLANCHE", for some info.
Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has ever taken a cruise with this PO Cruise company.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
They’ve got some great itineraries for Norway.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
Hi there,
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this cruise and its slightly unusual itinerary.
Also, what do you think about the price?
Good deal or too expensive?
Thanks
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Hi,
We received a promotion from our CFC agency offering cruises at up to 40-100% off, and among other details: CFC organizes parking for departures from Dunkirk.
"Unattended parking located about 12 minutes away, fenced off with barriers, at a rate of 10 € per day. Drop off passengers and luggage at the Model Pavilion, and a CFC shuttle will take you from the parking lot to the Model Pavilion every 15-20 minutes. Same for disembarkation. You can book through your agency or on their website. No refunds if the booking is canceled; payment is due at reservation."
Have a great day,
Guylène
PS: Personally, we’d rather keep our vehicle in a free, supervised parking lot and take a taxi to the Model Pavilion.
Hi there,
In June we’re taking a cruise called "Pearls of the Baltic" on board Renaissance CFC Cruises—with stops in Kiel (Germany), Gdańsk (Poland), Rønne (Bornholm), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden).
This layover in Gothenburg doesn’t really inspire me—could you tell me what’s worth seeing? Are there locals offering excursions around the area by van right when you leave the port, like you often see on Caribbean cruises?
I saw there’s a hop-on hop-off bus, but I’m not sure if there’s a stop near the terminal.
What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Hi! On June 10th, we’re heading off on a 10-day Baltic Sea cruise with CFC Cruises’ *Renaissance*. We’ll be stopping in Copenhagen, and we’re planning to take the City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off buses to explore the city with multiple stops. Could anyone tell me which quay cruise ships usually dock at and how to get from the quay to the nearest stop to board the tour bus? Thanks for your tips and suggestions!
hi there
A group of friends and I are going on a CroisiEurope cruise along the Danube in September, from Vienna to Bucharest.
The excursions are optional and, in my opinion, pricey. I’m convinced we can manage on our own...
* In Vienna, is it easy to visit the city and Schönbrunn Palace in one day? (Since we only have a day, is it better to explore the palace grounds or the interior?) ...97 €
* In Bratislava, is visiting the castle and hiking in the Little Carpathians worth it? ...79 €
* Budapest: Széchenyi Baths ...119 € and the Great Market Hall ...84 €
* Kalocsa: the Puszta nature reserve and a horseback riding show ...76 €
* Novi Sad: a panoramic bus tour followed by a walk to Petrovaradin Fortress ...41 €
* Ruse: visiting the Rusenski Lom Valley ...43 €
For all these cities, can we get around on our own? If so, should we take a bus, a taxi, or is it enough to be good walkers? (Share all your tips!)
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Best regards
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has ever taken a cruise with this PO Cruise company.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
They’ve got some great itineraries for Norway.
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
