Voici enfin mon CR. Désolée pour le retard mais la reprise fut dur et intense lol
Départ de Roissy le mercredi 15 janvier 2014 avec la compagnie XL Airways.
Arrivée à Pointe à pitre à 19h30. Nous récupérons notre voiture de location louée à PRO RENT, tout nickel, 81€ les 2 jours.
Nous nous rendons à l’hôtel que nous avions réservé : CANELLA BEACH. Nous avions loué un studio pour nous 3 et la chambre est immense. Balcon avec kitchenette et vue sur la mer. Nous dinons au restaurant de l’hotel car HS. Et oui, il est 21h mais 2h du matin en France lol.
Jeudi 16 janvier 2014
Départ pour Saint François où mon mari et notre amie feront un parcours de Golf.
Moi, lecture au soleil.
C’est le seul Golf de Guadeloupe et en plus il est international. Selon eux, très beau parcours.
Nous déjeunons à L’hostellerie des châteaux (route de la pointe des châteaux). Cadre splendide.
Ti-punch + entrée buffet à volonté + plat + boisson= 22€. Le patron est super sympa.
Puis nous longeons la cote de Saint François à Gosier en passant par Sainte Anne.
Plusieurs arrêts sur différentes plages. Le rêve commence bien….
Le soir, diner au restaurant « TWINS » à Gosier. Cuisine locale et prix doux.
Vendredi 17 janvier 2014
Nous nous promenons dans la marina de Pointe à Pitre et ses alentours.
Nous déjeunons dans un restaurant/traiteur. Tout est au poids. Vous vous servez et payez seulement ce que vous prenez. Pour info, une assiette pleine de bonnes choses pour 5.50€ !!!!
Nous embarquons sur le Costa Mediterranea vers 15h30 en ayant auparavant fait la boutique Duty free.
ATTENTION : c’est là que les cigarettes sont les moins chères de toute la croisière. 18€ la cartouche de Marlboro !!!! no coment !
Découverte de la cabine, aucune déception (toujours la même), nous avions choisi des cabines complètement à l’arrière du bateau donc vue splendide et balcon plus grand, au pont 8.
Nous commençons l’exploration du bateau lol. Pas trop de surprise pour en être à la 4ème croisière dont une sur l’Atlantica (jumeaux du Mediterranea). Mais ça reste majestueux et magique.
Après midi cool entrecoupé de cocktail (lol), piscine et rangement des valises.
Nous avons pris le forfait « Boys and girls » à 48€ pour 20 boissons (sacrée économie) sachant qu’un cocktail sans alcool coute à l’unité 5.90€.
Le soir, diner au restaurant. Nous avons une table de 3, c’est parfait, dans une petite salle du restaurant donc très calme et des serveurs extra. Le menu, toujours aussi varié et de bonne qualité.
Nous avons pris le pack 4 bouteilles de vin et 7 bouteilles d’eaux pour 89€.
Puis, au lit ! Dur dur le décalage horaire !
Samedi 18 janvier 2014
Nous arrivons à 12h à Antigua.
Ile toujours aussi magnifique. Je n’ai vu aucune différence en 5 ans.
Nous prenons un taxi (80$ pour nous 3) et direction Nelson’ s Dockyard avec son somptueux port antique. Puis le taxi nous amène sur les hauteurs de l’ile avec vue imprenable. Le rêve éveillé…
Retour au port vers 16h et là shopping duty free. Merci à mon mari pour la merveilleuse bague en diamants…
Dimanche 19 janvier 2014
Journée en mer
Nous profitons du bateau, piscine, jacuzzi, je bronze sur mon balcon, c’est le top !
Le soir, c’est soirée de gala avec cocktail du commandant et jolie table le tout assorti d’un menu spécial.
Petit tour au théâtre, quelques euros au casino, cocktail dans un des salons avec chanteuse et zou.
Lundi 20 janvier 2014
Alors pour nous, c’est un jour spécial puisque ce sont nos 7 ans de mariage !
Arrivée à Grenade.
Nous prenons un taxi de 8h à 15 h (90$ pour nous 3).
Nous faisons pratiquement le tour de l’ile avec visite d’une fabrique de chocolat, d’une usine de muscade, visite du rhum Antoine (achat de bouteilles bien sur lol) et arrêts aux points d’intérêts de l’ile.
Nous finissons par une bonne baignade dans une eau cristalline et chaude.
Le soir, nous sommes invités dans un salon pour un cocktail à l’occasion de notre anniversaire de mariage. Coupe de champagne et gâteaux en forme de cœur, c’est trop mignon !
Mardi 21 janvier 2014
Arrivée à la Barbade.
Nous prenons un taxi de 8h à 15h et rebelote, le tour de l’ile (100$ pour nous 3). Arrêts aux différents points d’arrêts, village SPEIGHTSTOWN, golf de la Barbade, etc…
Je vous conseille Scott’s Taxi Service au 246 828-4102. Demandez Norton Scott et parlez lui de la femme qui a perdu ses lunettes, il comprendra lol
Enfin, un bon bain de mer, toujours aussi bon lol et un tour de 20 mn en jet ski pour 30$. GENIAL !!!
ATTENTION : Tout est hors de prix à la Barbade comparé aux autres iles (c’est mon avis).
Mercredi 22 janvier 2014
Arrivée à Sainte Lucie.
Nous prenons encore et toujours un taxi pour 4 heures (80$ pour nous 3).
Visite de Castries, Marigot Bay, Anse la Raye avec arrêts aux points d’intérêts de l’ile puis retour à Castries pour shopping.
C’est une femme taxi. Elle est géniale. Grosse rigolade et découverte de lieu non touristique comme le campus universitaire. SUPER tour !
Nous n’avons pas fait la soufrière ni les pitons car nous l’avions fait il y a 5 ans.
Le soir, c’est soirée de Gala avec cocktail du commandant.
Jeudi 23 janvier 2014
Arrivée à Fort de France
Nous avons loué une voiture auprès de LUXIANE CAR (52€ la journée). Je recommande à 200%. Georges est hyper sympa et c’est cool d’avoir à faire à des personnes comme lui.
La voiture de location nous attend au port. Tous les papiers ont été faits depuis Paris via Internet. Il nous donne les clés de la voiture et en route.
Nous prenons la direction du sud direction le Diamant mais en longeant la mer. Nous faisons donc tout le tour de la cote en passant par les 3 ilets, un marché artisanale, des petites stations balnéaires etc, et ce jusqu’à la pointe du Diamant.
Nous trouvons un resto sur la plage EXTRA et nous nous régalons de la cuisine créole.
ATTENTION : Pour ceux qui veulent acheter du rhum de la Martinique, c’est ici !!!! Prix défient toute concurrence car il n’y a pas de frais de transport. Exemple, 1 litre de LA MAUNY pour 6.50$. J’ai fais le plein, c’est évident lol. Allez dans une superette, c’est encore moins cher que dans les boutiques à touristes.
Puis direction le jardin de BALATA. SPLENDIDE !
13.10€ l’entrée mais cela les vaut largement. Vous en prendrez plein les yeux.
Baignade sur une plage où nous sommes une dizaine. Le rêve !
Retour au port à 17h30 où Georges nous attend. On lui rend les clés et zou.
Encore MERCI LUXIANE CAR !
Il y a seulement 2 boutiques de DUTY FREE au port de France de France et qui ne cassent pas des briques.
Vendredi 24 janvier 2014
Nous débarquons vers 9h et faisons le marché typique au pied du bateau.
Achat d’épices, tee shirts, souvenirs. En fait, c’est là que tout est moins cher.
Nous reprenons la voiture de location louée auprès de PRO RENT.
Direction Deshaies et le jardin botanique.
15.50€ l’entrée mais c’est EXTRA !!! A voir !
Nous déjeunons à Grande Anse et je vous recommande le restaurant sur la plage « Arc en ciel ». Nous avons eu ti-punch, entrée et plat, le tout local pour…. 6.50€ par personne. UN DELICE !
Puis nous longeons la cote en direction de Pointe Noire jusqu’à Mahaut et là nous prenons la route qui coupe l’ile (D23) pour rejoindre Pointe à Pitre et surtout Gosier.
Le vendredi après-midi, il y a le marché de Gosier à partir de 16h.
Nous y allons nous balader et tombons sur un stand où ils font devant vous de la cuisine créole.
Nous achetons des accras de morue : les 10 pour 2.50€. Ils sont tellement bons que nous avions déjà tout mangé en un tour de marché lol (nous sommes retournés en acheter d’autres lol).
Nous avions de nouveau réservé une chambre à l’Hotel Canella Beach.
Nous nous arrêtons pour commander des fleurs exotiques au magasin « Beauté d’une fleur » à Gosier, en face de la route qui mène à la pointe de verdure. Vendeuses ultra sympa.
45 fleurs + feuillages : 50€
Le soir, nous allons diner dans la marina de pointe à Pitre au restaurant « Le pirate Caribeen ». Décor hyper sympa, langouste grillée…. SUPER adresse !
Samedi 25 janvier 2014
Départ pour Anse Bertrand
Nous longeons la cote jusqu’à Anse Bertrand puis direction Le Moule où nous trouvons un resto face à la mer le « Cocorico Chicken ». Boisson+entrée+plat+dessert= 12€. Cuisine sur place et locale. Très bon.
Nous repartons direction Saint-François et la pointe des Châteaux. A VOIR !!!!
C’est magnifique !!!
Retour à l’hôtel. Un bain de mer, un dernier cocktail, une douche et on remet le pantalon.
La fin est là !
Nous rendons la voiture, la navette nous amène à l’aéroport et le mot de la fin de mon mari : « On va où l’année prochaine ? » MDR
A RETENIR :
Pour la Guadeloupe, réservez votre voiture auprès de PRO RENT.
Pour la Martinique, réservez votre voiture à LUXIANE CAR.
Pour les fleurs, chaque passager à le droit à un carton de fleurs GRATUITEMENT en soute.
Achetez vos cigarettes au Duty free de Pointe à Pitre (terminal croisières).
Si vous avez des questions, n’hésitez pas, je ferai de mon mieux pour y répondre.
Costa ATLANTICA - Perles des Antilles - Janvier 2009
Costa Fortuna - La magie des Caraibes - Janvier 2010
NCL Spirit - Caraïbes - janvier 2012
Merci pour votre compte rendu, je prends note des petits restaurant dont vous parlez. Pour nous plus de 10 jours à attendre et ce sera le départ pour 15 jours de rêve sur le mediterranéa !
Merci pour ce CR dont j'ai fait quelques copier/ coller 😛
Costa Luminosa 2012: Mer des Caraïbes, transat retour
Costa Mediterranea 2014: Mer des Caraïbes et transat retour
MSC Splendida février 2013/Costa Fortuna mai 2015/ Costa Diadema 2017: Méditerranée
Guadeloupe: avril 2016 et juin/juillet 2017
Canada/ New York juin/juillet 2018
bonjour francine,
2 questions poour moi :sais tu combien de cartouches de cigarettes peut on ramener en bagage ??
DES deux parcs que tu as visité, (guadeloupe et martinique, ) lequel tu as préféré ??
demain je m'occupe des résa de voitures..
Aucune idée sur le nombre de cartouches, j'en ai ramené 23 mdr!
Concernant les 2 jardins botaniques, je n'ai pas de préférence car ils sont tous les 2 différents.
Mais si tu souhainte n'en faire qu'un seul je te conseillerai celui de Martinique avec son pont suspendu qui domine tout le parc.
Bonne journée
Costa ATLANTICA - Perles des Antilles - Janvier 2009
Costa Fortuna - La magie des Caraibes - Janvier 2010
NCL Spirit - Caraïbes - janvier 2012
ah si encore une chose pour pro rent, tu dis qu'ils t’amènent la voiture au port :
- combien as tu prévus de "battement" entre l'arrivée du bateau au port et le rdv ??
ET POUR rendre ta voiture, (nous la rendrons au port) faut 'il les appeler pour leur dire "on arrive" ? car je ne sais pas quand on rentrera ! j'imagine qu'il y a une heure limite ?
C'est hyper simple. PRO RENT étant à meme pas 10 minutes du port, tu leurs téléphone quand tu veux qu'ils arrivent.
Prévois le temps du débarquement puis le marché créole au pied du bateau.
En fait, tu rends la voiture à l'agence et eux t'emmenent au port.
C'est hyper bien fouttu et sont très pro.
Bonne journée
Costa ATLANTICA - Perles des Antilles - Janvier 2009
Costa Fortuna - La magie des Caraibes - Janvier 2010
NCL Spirit - Caraïbes - janvier 2012
ok, mais il doit y avoir une heure butoir pour la ramener ! ah oui le dutty free de pap tu sais combien de temps il est ouvert ? CAR je n'ai pas trop envie de me coltiner les cigarettes toute la journée ! et le petit marché ? en 2009 je n'ai pas pu en profiter, car on partait en excursion et on nous ramenait directement à l'avion ...
non non je ne débarque pas ce jour là, c'est juste une escale donc normalement j'en profite au retour de ma sortie, mais je ne sais pas à qu'elle heure ils ferment !
Notre Itinéraire 25 janv départ de Pointe à Pitre 26 janv en mer 27 janv la Romana 28 janv Catalina (ile face à la Romana) 29 janv Tortola 30 janv St Martin 31…
Merci à tous les participants du forum. Grâce aux différents messages glanés sur le forum, j'ai pu planifier ma croisière dans les meilleures conditions. Voici…
Tous!!!! voila nous avons réservé notre croisière... du 15 janvier au 26 janvier 2020 " croisière caraïbes magique" Donc si vous avez des bons plans je suis…
Plusieurs dates et lieux de départs et d’escales pour cette transat au départ des Caraïbes (Guadeloupe ou Martinique) sur le Costa Magica du 12 ou 19 mars au 4…
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!