Bonjour,
Merci aux personnes qui ont expérimenté les catégories AQUA CLASS ou CONCIERGE CLASS pendant une croisière Celebrity cruises de me faire part de leur expérience.
Est-ce que cela vaut la peine ( la différence de prix est minime).
merci
Je n'ai pas encore d'expérience, mais je travaille sur documents pour ma première Celebrity le 23 mai au départ de Barcelone (sur le Solstice).
Les *cabines* ont quasiment toute la même taille : 18 m² + 5 m² de balcon s'il y en a un.
Les "classe concierge" et "aqua class" sont situées sur les ponts les plus élevés et ont toute un balcon. Il est possible que leur décoration soit "différente", mais je ne l'ai lu nulle part.
La seule différence apparente entre la cabine balcon "standard" et la cabine balcon "concierge" est constituée de *services*
Les "aqua class" ont encore des services supplémentaires, et ressemblent un peu aux "Samsara" de Costa, avec la proximité du SPA, et le restaurant spécial (le "Blu" ). Mais il n'y a pas de *suites* aqua class (qui seraient les équivalents des suites Samsara) sauf sur le Reflection (le dernier bébé de la marque).
Les suites sont nettement plus grandes (entre 27 m² pour la plupart, équivalentes en surface d'une suite Costa, 38 m² pour les "Celebrity", un tout petit peu plus grande qu'une grande suite Costa ou une suite royale MSC, 55 m² pour les "royale", et 120 m² pour les "penthouse", + le balcon ou terrasse) et ont des services particuliers, que n'ont aucune des cabines, comme chez Costa.
Par contre, apparemment, le forfait "Samsara Dream" ou simplement l'abonnement permanent au restaurant Samsara, de Costa, n'a pas son équivalent chez Celebrity.
Voici globalement ce que nous disent le catalogue et/ou le site Celebrity (reste à prouver que c'est réel par un audit que nous ferons en mai) :
A noter après vérification que certaines prestations sont "payantes", comme la blanchisserie, le mini-bar. On notera aussi qu'il est très probable, comme c'est le cas chez Costa, qu'il y ait une redondance entre les avantages des "concierge", "aqua class" et des suites, et les avantages procurés par les cartes de fidélité (mais ça, j'ai pas trop approfondi, vu que c'est ma première Celebrity).
Ca devrait te donner une idée pour vois si "ça vaut la peine" (et comme tu le dis toi-même, "la différence est minime")
Prestations des cabines :
- Deux lits jumeaux convertibles en grand lit (sauf mention contraire)
- Service en cabine gratuit 24 heures sur 24
- Double alimentation électrique 110/220 volts
- Quatre oreillers dans chaque cabine
- Service gratuit de peignoirs de bain
- Serviettes 100 % coton
- Accessoires de salle de bain et sèche-cheveux
- Serviette de plage à titre gracieux
- Grand espace de rangement dans la salle de bain et la penderie
- Service de blanchisserie
- Télévision à écran plat 66 cm
- Télévision interactive pour choisir et réserver vos excursions, commander un service en cabine et regarder un fi lm
- Livraison des bagages
- Coffre-fort individuel
- Téléphone à ligne directe
- Climatisation avec réglage par thermostat
- Mini-bar
- Certaines cabines disposent de lits gigognes
Classe Concierge - tous les amenagements de nos cabines, plus :
- Embarquement et débarquement prioritaires
- Enregistrement prioritaire des bagages
- Coupe de vin pétillant, fruits frais et bouquet de fl eurs de bienvenue
- Choix de votre table au restaurant principal et dans les restaurants alternatifs
- Menu complet pour le petit-déjeuner en cabine
- Hors-d’oeuvre du soir, chaque jour
- Choix de différents types d’oreiller, peignoirs Frette® moelleux
- Pomme de douche de massage Hansgrohe®
- Sèche-cheveux supplémentaire, sac fourre-tout Celebrity
- Très grandes serviettes de bain 100 % coton
- Service de cirage de chaussures gratuit
- Mise à disposition d’un parapluie de golf et de jumelles
- Portes de verre coulissantes allant du sol au plafond
- Coin salon avec canapé
- Télévision à écran plat LCD 81 cm
- Coiffeuse
- Balcon avec fauteuils
AquaClassR - tous les amenagements de la classe Concierge, plus :
- Placement prioritaire au « Blu », notre restaurant alternatif créé spécialement pour les passagers voyageant en AquaClass® et proposant gratuitement, chaque matin, un petit-déjeuner continental équilibré- Emplacement Premium (pont 11) près de l’AquaSpa
- De nombreux aménagements en cabine, et notamment :
x panneau de douche Hansgrohe®
x sélections de senteurs
x choix de différents types d’oreiller, pour un sommeil personnalisé
x aménagements de salle de bain à titre gracieux
x livraison d’eau en bouteille et de thés tous les jours
x Concierge personnel au spa pour convenir de séances de soins AquaSpa®
x Peignoir de bain et pantoufles AquaClass® Frette®
x Produits de soin de qualité supérieure
x Accès libre et illimité aux Jardins Perses
x Salle de relaxation
x Programmation du spa et programme de bien-être sur mesure
Suites :
Montez en gamme et offrez-vous les plaisirs d’une suite. Plus spacieuses que les cabines, nos suites font rimer croisière avec luxe, calme et volupté. Elles s’accompagnent de privilèges dont vous bénéficierez tout au long de votre croisière, de l’enregistrement prioritaire au choix de votre table au restaurant principal et dans les restaurants alternatifs. Car choisir une suite, c’est choisir une croisière hors norme.
- Un dîner gratuit par suite dans les restaurants alternatifs sur les croisières de moins de sept nuits
- Deux dîners gratuits par suite dans les restaurants alternatifs sur les croisières de huit nuits et plus
- Service de valet de chambre
- Service en cabine gratuit 24 heures sur 24
- Enregistrement prioritaire
- Livraison des bagages
- Service de navette prioritaire
- Bouteille de vin pétillant, fruits frais et bouquet de fleurs de bienvenue
- Aide pour défaire et refaire vos bagages
- Service de petit-déjeuner, déjeuner et dîner complet dans les suites
- Thé servi l’après-midi dans les suites
- Expressos et cappuccinos gratuits (servi dans la suite)
- Hors-d’oeuvre du soir, chaque jour
- Choix de votre table au restaurant principal et dans les restaurants alternatifs
- Possibilité de réserver un service de massage dans la suite
- Très grandes serviettes de bain 100 % coton
- Peignoirs Frette® moelleux
- Service de cirage de chaussures gratuit
- Sac fourre-tout Celebrity
- Livraison en cabine des jeux de société demandés
- Double alimentation électrique 110/220 volts
- Accessoires de salle de bain et sèche-cheveux
- Serviette de plage à titre gracieux.
- Grand espace de rangement dans la salle de bain et la penderie
- Climatisation avec réglage par thermostat
- Télévision à écran plat LCD 130 cm dans les salons des suites Penthouse, Royales, Celebrity
- Télévision à écran plat LCD 81 cm, et dans les chambres des suites Penthouse, Royales, Celebrity
- Télévision interactive pour choisir et réserver vos excursions, commander un service en cabine et regarder un film
- Coffre-fort individuel
- Téléphone à ligne directe
- Service de blanchisserie
- Mini-bar
J'aime bien la description pour les suites, mais à quel prix toutes ces belles prestations sur papier et comme tu l'écris après il faut voir en vrai
Ben pas si cher que ça, si on excepte les "Penthouse" (2 par bateau) et "royale" (8 par bateau)
Les "Celebrity suite", comparables en *surface* à la grandes suite balcon avec chambre séparée qu'avait le Costa Europa (un peu plus grande que celle des Luminosa/Deliziosa, elles mêmes de 2 m² plus grandes que les grandes suites des séries "Concordia", "Fortuna", et "Atlantica") sont pour ma croisière du même ordre de prix à la journée qu'une grande suite Costa qui serait achetée par un primocroisériste. (évidemment, avec la réduc Gold-Pearl de 22% sur les dates privilège, ça fait baisser 😛) : par exemple, la croisière en Baltique que j'avais réservé sur le Costa neoRomantica le 30 mai, et qui m'a été sucrée par Costa dans les abominables circonstances que les lecteurs assidus de ce forum connaissent 😎😎 , m'aurait coûté à la journée (grande suite Samsara), sans carte de fidélité, plus cher que la croisière (Celebrity Suite) en Méditerranée que je vais faire le 23 mai sur le Solstice. Seule ma carte GP faisait que c'était moins cher, grâce à la réduction de 22% sur le tarif PRIMA...
Les "Sky suite", comparables en *surface* à la "suite balcon" de Costa, (et il devrait en être de même pour les "Sky suites aquaclass" sur le Reflection), sont du même ordre de prix à la journée qu'une suite Costa qui serait achetée par un primocroisiériste.
A noter qu'il en va de même pour les cabines : certes il n'y a sans doute pas les "low cost" à la Costa, mais le premier prix sur la croisière que je fais le 23 mai en méditerranée est (les chiffres qui suivent sont arrondis) de 80 euros par jour en cabine intérieure, de 125 euros par jour en cabine balcon, et de 158 euros par jour en "classe concierge" et de 175 euros par jour en "aqua class". La première "suite" (Sky suite S2) est à 201 euros par jour.
et ces prix sont encore moins cher (sauf les suites) pour la croisière identique qui part de Barcelone le 11 mai. (75, 110, 130, 150)
Tout ceci étant basé sur les tarifs du site à ce jour... Tout peut changer d'un jour à l'autre en fonction du remplissage.
Ca interpelle quand même, quand on sait que c'est un bateau classé "Premium"...
Autre avantage pour les membres VF lors de la croisière du 23 mai sur le Solstice : le "PAPapéro" (champagne ou autre pour ceux qui n'aiment pas les bulles) offert à tout membre VF présent à bord... 😉
Et comme il est probable (le contraire serait une grosse déception) que le service est de bien plus haut niveau que chez Costa, il ne manque plus qu'une chose : constituer des groupes de 300 à 500 passagers francophones à bord de chaque bateau Celebrity. 😛😎 Histoire de contraindre la compagnie à faire des efforts en francophonie, non pas tant à bord (il semble qu'il y ait autant de francophones que chez Costa...), mais surtout pour les excursions...
Compléments :
Après, c'est sûr que les suites "royale" ou "penthouse" n'ont absolument pas leur équivalent chez Costa (et doivent quand même concerner une clientèle particulière : dans la "penthouse", notamment, le piano à queue et la salle à manger pour 8 à 10 personnes ne concernent pas le croisériste moyen, c'est fait pour prendre tous ses repas sur place, avec amis ou famille, mais il n'y a au "pire" que 4 places couchées dont deux dans le salon, pas de seconde chambre indépendante... )
Mais même une "penthouse" (120 m² ! ) n'est pas beaucoup plus chère qu'une suite Q4 sur le Queen Mary 2 ou sur le Queen Elizabeth, de surface analogue à une grande suite Costa, mais qui, sur ces bateau Cunard, est presque au *double* du tarif Costa... 🤪
Alors bien sûr, tout ce que je dis là est basé sur les tarifs catalogue (Prima ou Presto pour Costa/MSC) ou "site", en dehors d'éventuelles réductions "agences"...
rien a dire de plus pour les explications sauf que bien sur le service est toujours a mon avis netement superieur a costa , leurs suites sont tres belles j' aimais pris la penthouse mais une royal suite et evidement rien de comparable avec costa .
Les prix journaliers que tu mentionnes sont pas personne ou par cabine ?
C'est une bonne question, je vous remercie de me l'avoir posée... 😉
== > Par personne.
(le 80 euros pour deux, ce serait du "low cost" selon "ma" définition : inférieur à 50 euros par personne et par jour en pension complète.)
Bon, par contre, je commence à étudier les tarifs dans les bars, et vu le prix des forfaits (genre 43$ par jour/personne pour le "premium all inclusive"), ou les américains boivent comme des trous, ou le tarif individuel des consommations est du niveau d'un hôtel *****... (exemple : un Jack Daniels : à Novotel : 9 euros. à Sofitel Marseille vieux port : 17 euros).
Je vais approfondir ce domaine pour ma construction budgétaire...
Merci pour ce résumé par classe !
Nous avons déjà fait l'été passé une croisière CC en c'était génial.
Je peux t'assurer que les prestations promises sont bien réelles.
Je me demandais juste si la Concierge class (+ 145 € pour 2) ou Aqua class (+250 € pour 2)
avaient une véritable différence. avec ton résumé je suis renseignée et je vais me lancer dans l'Aqua class.
Une suite est bcp plus chère et en fait je pars du principe que lors d'une croisière dans les caraibes le temps passé dans la cabine est minime.
Je te souhaite une super croisière CC ( la mienne ne part qu'en novembre ! 😕 )
nous prenons le premium package (12 dollars ) pas que nous buvons comme des trous😊 mais entre jus orange frais, eau( plate ou bulles ), vin, bierre , coca, smoothies et autres, café ( celui que je prend est a 7 dollars) , apperitif et vin au diner et champagne. nous y trouvons notre compte. pour mes ados je prends le premium non alcoholic package ce qui leurs permets d' etancher leurs soif ou gourmandise ( smoothies ) a volonté sans surprise sur la note finale .
avez vous encore besoin de nos experiences? Nous avons passe d'excellent moment en aqua class cela vaut bien quelques chf de plus.... rien que le Blu restaurant fait toute la difference.... je ne veux plus rien d'autres...
Bonjour,
Merci aux personnes qui ont expérimenté les catégories AQUA CLASS ou CONCIERGE CLASS pendant une croisière Celebrity cruises de me faire part de leur expérience.
Est-ce que cela vaut la peine ( la différence de prix est minime).
merci
nous prenons le premium package (12 dollars ) pas que nous buvons comme des trous😊 mais entre jus orange frais, eau( plate ou bulles ), vin, bierre , coca, smoothies et autres, café ( celui que je prend est a 7 dollars) , apperitif et vin au diner et champagne.
euh... t'est sûre de ton "12 dollars" ??? (par jour et par personne)
Pour moi, ce forfait est, me semble-t-il, (celui qui contient les alcools forts jusqu'à 12$ et le Champagne) à 42 dollars... (par jour et par personne) 🤪
Bonjour Valettom,
Oui bien sur, nous partons dans 4 semaines ( ouf les vacances approchent !!) sur le Summit ( Aqua class) direction les caraïbes ( embarquement à San Juan).
Étiez vous sur le Summit. Sinon donnez moi vos impressions sur Aqua Class ( par ex. Y a t-il vraiment une file prioritaire pour l'embarquement ?), je crois que le Blu vaut vraiment la peine d'après ce que j'ai lu dans divers forums. Mercu pour tous détails.
Je suis allée me renseigner, dans une agence, pour une croisière pour les vacances scolaire de février, l'agent de voyage m'a dit qu'il y avait des cabines…
Si la catégorie Yacht Club n'est pas disponible sur un paquebot MSC, quelle catégorie choisissez-vous? Est-ce que vous réservez en catégorie Auréa? Si oui,…
Nous allons partir aux vacances de toussaint sur le serena pour "visions d'orien" L'agence nous a proposé une cabine en catégorie 8 dite "garantie" chez costa…
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 everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
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
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!
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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!
