Bonjour tout le monde,
Je suis rentrée hier matin et aujourd'hui je commence mon CR pour vous !! ça sera un CR qui parlera des escales et non du bateau car c'est ma deuxième croisière (d'ailleurs je posterais bientôt ce CR de décembre 2009 concernant la traversée transaltlantique, de savonne en guadeloupe 17 jours) Si vous avez des questions, je répondrais avec plaisir sur les escales, le bateau...
1ére journée : GUADELOUPE
Arrivée à l'aéroport de Pointe à pitre vers 17H30, direction le bus (20 min) vers le port. Pas le temps de passer en ville ou au duty free, direction les cabines pour une bonne douche et direction le restaurant pour un bon petit plat. Comme je connaissais déjà le personnel, j'ai changé ma table et l'heure du service pour retrouver mes serveurs et mon maître d'hôtel préféré !!
2éme journée : ST MARTIN
Levée vers 7H, petit déj à la cabine et au self voir les premières côtes de l'île St Martin. Petit tour au jacuzzi et bronzette à l'arrière du bateau. On amarre vers 12H30. Mon planning : direction Maho Bay, taxi par personne 8$ (durée 30-40 min). Plage magnifique mais ce jour là, de vagues très fortes donc très peu de baignade. Malheureusement j'ai loupé le couloir des avions qui se trouvent un peu plus loin, 20 min à pied de Maho Bay. Donc si vous souhaitez voir ce couloir d'avion, précisez le bien au chauffeur de taxi. De retour vers le port à 16H, petit shopping et retour au bateau tranquillement.
3éme journée : ILE SAONA (La Romana)
Je garde mon rythme et je garde le même programme que la veille, matinée à bronzer, jacuzzi... Jusqu'à qu'on amarre à 12H. Je prends l'excursion "ile saona et piscine naturelle de toute la journée". J'ai adoooooré et je ne regrette pas d'avoir pris toute la journée. On a commencé par les piscines naturelles, incroyable, c'était génial !! Le petit bateau s'arrête en plein milieu et on saute dans la mer (1métre5 de profondeur) et on découvre des étoiles de mer, tout en buvant de la vitamine R (rhum), coca... C'était une superbe ambiance avec le guide !! Ensuite on se pause sur une plage magnifique, de cocotiers incroyable, toujours dans une ambiance festive !! On nous propose un buffet à volonté ^^ Sur cette plage, il y avait des vendeurs de souvenirs, de coco, des masseuses, des coiffeuses....Incroyable. Je me suis accordée un massage de 15min à 15$ que j'ai négocié alors allez y, je pense qu'on pouvait encore baisser le prix !! Je vous avoue de prendre toute la journée était bien long mais ça m'a permis de bien me reposer et de profiter de ce paysage ^^
MAGIC COCKTAIL Date le 7/11/2010 au 21/11/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES Date le 27/02/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES 15 JOURS Date le 05/12/2009
BIENTOT : http://www.flickr.com/photos/babydollz75/sets/
super... je suis en train de terminer à l'instant ma conclusion...
Je rajoute le lien vers ton cr dans le post synthese..
Génial, comme ça je pourrais terminer de lire ton CR, en tout cas je vous fais pleins de gros bisous pour tous les conseils, astuces ainsi qu'à plusieurs membres de ce forum. Vous m'avez bien aidé, répondu trés rapidement à chacun de mes interrogations. Mes amitiés les plus sincères ^^
Je termine ce soir en ré-éditant mon post ce soir ou demain matin au plus tard !
MAGIC COCKTAIL Date le 7/11/2010 au 21/11/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES Date le 27/02/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES 15 JOURS Date le 05/12/2009
BIENTOT : http://www.flickr.com/photos/babydollz75/sets/
PRends ton temps, tu sais moi j'ai eu du mal au retour... j'ai eu le mal de terre plusieurs jours... et en plus j'ai eu des problèmes dentaires...
le retour auourdh'ui encore avec la neige est difficile.
16 croisieres à notre actifs..
CR : https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3231650#3231650-https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4758024#4758024-https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5634674#5634674 -https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5583734#5583734
Bonjour tout le monde,
Je suis rentrée hier matin et aujourd'hui je commence mon CR pour vous !! ça sera un CR qui parlera des escales et non du bateau car c'est ma deuxième croisière (d'ailleurs je posterais bientôt ce CR de décembre 2009 concernant la traversée transatlantique, de savonne en guadeloupe 17 jours) Si vous avez des questions, je répondrais avec plaisir sur les escales, le bateau...
1ére journée : GUADELOUPE
Arrivée à l'aéroport de Pointe à pitre vers 17H30, direction le bus (20 min) vers le port. Pas le temps de passer en ville ou au duty free, direction les cabines pour une bonne douche et direction le restaurant pour un bon petit plat. Comme je connaissais déjà le personnel, j'ai changé ma table et l'heure du service pour retrouver mes serveurs et mon maître d'hôtel préféré !!
2éme journée : ST MARTIN
Levée vers 7H, petit déj à la cabine et au self voir les premières côtes de l'île St Martin. Petit tour au jacuzzi et bronzette à l'arrière du bateau. On amarre vers 12H30. Mon planning : direction Maho Bay, taxi par personne 8$ (durée 30-40 min). Plage magnifique mais ce jour là, de vagues très fortes donc très peu de baignade. Malheureusement j'ai loupé le couloir des avions qui se trouvent un peu plus loin, 20 min à pied de Maho Bay. Donc si vous souhaitez voir ce couloir d'avion, précisez le bien au chauffeur de taxi. De retour vers le port à 16H, petit shopping et retour au bateau tranquillement.
3éme journée : ILE SAONA (La Romana)
Je garde mon rythme et je garde le même programme que la veille, matinée à bronzer, jacuzzi... Jusqu'à qu'on amarre à 12H. Je prends l'excursion "ile saona et piscine naturelle de toute la journée". J'ai adoooooré et je ne regrette pas d'avoir pris toute la journée. On a commencé par les piscines naturelles, incroyable, c'était génial !! Le petit bateau s'arrête en plein milieu et on saute dans la mer (1métre5 de profondeur) et on découvre des étoiles de mer, tout en buvant de la vitamine R (rhum), coca... C'était une superbe ambiance avec le guide !! Ensuite on se pause sur une plage magnifique, de cocotiers incroyable, toujours dans une ambiance festive !! On nous propose un buffet à volonté ^^ Sur cette plage, il y avait des vendeurs de souvenirs, de coco, des masseuses, des coiffeuses....Incroyable. Je me suis accordée un massage de 15min à 15$ que j'ai négocié alors allez y, je pense qu'on pouvait encore baisser le prix !! Je vous avoue de prendre toute la journée était bien long mais ça m'a permis de bien me reposer et de profiter de ce paysage ^^
4éme journée : ILE CATALINA (Rép.Dom.)
Je garde toujours le même rythme avec un petit déj cette fois au restaurant. Je n'oublie pas de retirer mon ticket pour la chaloupe avec un départ à 8H30. Hop, on est prêt, la chaloupe démarre et 10 min, on arrive les premiers sur cette magnifique plage : sable fin, eau turquoise, cocotier, musique.... Un paradis !! Je choisis les premiers transats au bord de la mer, et les parasols arrivent ! Génial !! J'y suis restée jusqu'à la dernière chaloupe à 16H, j'ai passé une journée de rêve : farnienter, bronzer, boire, manger, nager...
Des serveurs se baladent pour vous proposer des boissons, ensuite vers 12H, le restaurant s'installe et le barbecue démarre, quel bon odeur. Une organisation impecc qui permet de manger sans se bousculer et tranquillement soit à une table soit à votre transat. Repas du jour : salade, fruits, grillades....
5éme journée : Virgin Corda (Tortola)
J'avais choisi l'excursion Virgin Corda, durée 5H. Départ très tôt, je me prépare. Direction dans un mini-bus pour prendre le ferry. Alors là, j'ai eu un mal de mer horrible avec vomissements, on était 5 personnes à être pas bien du tout. Le trajet a durée 45/50 min jusqu'à l'île Virgin Corda. Beaucoup de vagues, j'en pouvais plus ! Arrivée au bord, on reprends le mini-bus direction "the baths" (10min). Génial, j'ai adoré malgré que je ne m'étais toujours pas remise de mon mal de mer (impossible à manger), c'est une petite plage, ouf nous sommes arrivés les premiers alors nous avons trouvé une bonne place. Je n'ai pas pu visiter les baths vu mon états alors j'ai profité de la plage, beaucoup de rocher très dangereux à mon goûts, je me cogné partout...Une buvette et un stand de souvenir nous a permis de grignoter... Fin de la plage à 12H15, nous rejoignons le guide direction un petit restaurant à 10 min des baths. Endroits sympathique, au bord d'une magnifique plage, avec cocktails ! Nous sommes restés jusqu'à 14H puis direction le bateau. Le retour sur le ferry s'est mieux passé car je me suis mise tout au fond du bateau et la mer était beaucoup plus calme. Ensuite j'ai terminé mon aprés midi à faire du shopping, il y a pleins de stands à souvenir tout prés du bateau !! Génial.
6éme journée : Antigua
Nous sommes jeudi, et on est sur les îles vierges britanniques. Je choisi l'excursion "nager avec les raies" avec de l'appréhension...Hop nous sommes partis, il est 9H45, je vois que le groupe est homogène, et je sens que tout le monde est un peu stressé de rencontrer les raies et ça me rassure. Direction dans un mini-bus pour 30/45 min de trajet. Arrivée, on est découvre d'autres animaux en cage : singes, perroquets...Ensuite une petite explication comment se comporter avec les raies puis, hop on saute dans la réserve naturelle....Impressionnant ! Tout le monde criait à chaque fois qu'elles nous touchait...On nous prends en photos, on nous apprends à leur donner à manger...Franchement c'était une bonne expérience, j'ai adoooré même si je ne me sentais pas très à l'aise....On a du resté deux bonnes heures dans l'eau, beaucoup de personne en avait marre et se mettait sur le côté pour bronzer... Ensuite petit pause "cocktails à volonté" ... Retour vers 14H sur le bord, je passe l'aprés-midi avec des membres de l'équipage (serveurs) et nous nous promenons dans le petit centre d'Antigua. Trés bonne ambiance, pleins de boutiques !! Ce jour-là il y avait 4 bateaux à quai...
7éme journée : Sainte Lucie
Je suis complément épuisée, je n'ai rien prévu. A quai du bateau, il y a des tonnes de taxi qui vous "harcèlent" pour monter...J'utilise ce terme car cela m'a beaucoup agacé tous ces taxis qui ne vous lâchent pas ! Je n'arrive pas à me décider du programme de la journée, puis je réussi à négocier un taxi à 20$ par personne pour une visite de l'île 2H. Malheureusement ça n'a pas pu se faire, car le taxi voulait 4 autres personnes pour faire son chiffre donc j'ai attendu puis j'en ai eu marre et du coup j'ai profiter du quartier "duty free" : boire de la bière "Pittons", shopping...Et je suis remontée sur le bateau, profiter du jaccuzzi. J'ai bien ressenti la fatigue ce jour-là...
8éme et dernière journée : Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe
Le bateau amarre vers 10H30 au lieu de midi comme indiqué sur le "today". Très heureuse, je me dépêche de sortir, avant je pose mes bagages à main au vestiaire pour être tranquille. Comme je connaissais déjà les consignes et Pointe à Pitre, par rapport à ma croisière de Décembre, j'ai pu me relaxer ce jour-là ! Alors je me balade dans le centre, petit passage au McDo pour une glace ^^, envois des cartes postales, petit tour du côté des marchés puis shopping. Je retourne sur le bateau vers 15H pour un départ à 15H35...Snif snif....
MAGIC COCKTAIL Date le 7/11/2010 au 21/11/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES Date le 27/02/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES 15 JOURS Date le 05/12/2009
BIENTOT : http://www.flickr.com/photos/babydollz75/sets/
Je suis contente que ça vous plaise, c'était mon but, la suite arrive...
MAGIC COCKTAIL Date le 7/11/2010 au 21/11/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES Date le 27/02/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES 15 JOURS Date le 05/12/2009
BIENTOT : http://www.flickr.com/photos/babydollz75/sets/
merci babydollz, vous me permettez de revivre ma croisière...
pour catalina apparement le matin tot c'etait plus calme.. nous nous sommes arrivés vers midi 30 et moi j'ai eu la sensation de bcp de monde partout..
j'ai préféré de loin saona;.. pour le calme..
16 croisieres à notre actifs..
CR : https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3231650#3231650-https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4758024#4758024-https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5634674#5634674 -https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5583734#5583734
merci babydollz, vous me permettez de revivre ma croisière...
pour catalina apparement le matin tot c'etait plus calme.. nous nous sommes arrivés vers midi 30 et moi j'ai eu la sensation de bcp de monde partout..
j'ai préféré de loin saona;.. pour le calme..
Pour catalina, j'étais dans la premiére chaloupe et les premiers arrivant sur la place et c'était parfait mais le monde est arrivé vers midi. Je confirme que c'est une plage avec beaucoup d'ambiance ! Saona a été vraiment une plage où j'ai pu me relaxer, je me suis même fais masser pour 15$, c'était le paradis.
MAGIC COCKTAIL Date le 7/11/2010 au 21/11/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES Date le 27/02/2010
LA PERLE DES ANTILLES 15 JOURS Date le 05/12/2009
BIENTOT : http://www.flickr.com/photos/babydollz75/sets/
Je fais un petit compte rendu de notre croisière sur le costa luminosa. Je ne suis pas très douée pour cela mais mon but est de donner quelques infos à ceux…
Et oui voilà une semaine que l'on est rentré du paradis pour retrouver la fraicheur de la France, en pensant à notre prochaine croisière... Je vais essayer…
De retour de la croisière Perles des Antilles effectuée sur le Costa Méditéranéa! Un un mot MAGNIFIQUE!! Je ferais mon contre rendu ici dès que j'ai un…
Compte rendu de voyage – 15/24 février 2013 Voilà, nous venons à peine de revenir de notre toute première croisière. La plus belle? J’essaierai dans ce compte…
Perles des Antilles du 9 au 16 janvier 2010. Notre troisième petit tour en mer dans la Caraïbe, notre second avec Costa et notre premier du côté des Iles…
Bonjour à tous, on pars en croisière pour une semaine et j'ai une question, peut-on voyager en train et en croisière avec des petites seringues injectables conservables au frais?
Dois t-on faire des formalités?
Et comment conserver ?
Merci d'avance pour vos retours.
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
Nous recherchons un groupe de personne disponible pour partager une excursion en direction de la route des trolls.
Nous avons contacté un prestataire local
Qui nous propose un tarif de :
- 6325 nok pour 4 personnes
- 6874 nok pour 5 à 8 personnes
N hésitez pas à nous contacter pour échanger sur le sujet
Bons préparatifs à tous !
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
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 about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
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 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
We're leaving on August 25th for a Danube cruise from Vienna to Bucharest. The travel agency refuses to postpone this cruise despite navigation changes due to the exceptional drought, which include bus transfers that don’t interest us.
Have you had any experiences with this that you’d like to share?
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
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
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
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
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
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!
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,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.