Nous venons de rentrer de la croisière Route des Vikings dans les fjords de Norvège. Première fois avec MSC pour nous et expérience dans l'ensemble très mitigée 😕 L'itinéraire par contre et les fjords nous ont ravis !
Les points négatifs :
- l'embarquement à Copenhague a commencé 2h en retard suite à une panne informatique
- nous étions en catégorie Fantastica mais nous avons un gros doute quant à la catégorie de cabine qu'on nous a réellement attribuée : non seulement on trouve un dépliant "vos avantages en cabine Bella" (donc catégorie inférieure) mais cabine intérieure vraiment petite et mal placée, à l'avant du navire (loin des ascenseurs et nous sentions beaucoup les mouvements et bruits du bateau)
- traversée pendant 2 jours pendant laquelle le bateau a beaucoup tangué au point que beaucoup d'hôtes ne sont pas allés dîner ce soir-là et ont été malades
- le personnel de la réception a été déplaisant : moqueries en italien devant nous aux collègues en pensant qu'on ne comprenait pas, incompétence (trois discours différents selon les personnes interrogées..)
- véritable manque d'information : nous sommes restés coincés 2h à Geiranger car les chaloupes n'étaient pas prêtes pour les hôtes qui partaient en excursions seuls, on nous a fait attendre dans le théâtre devant Vidéo gag sans aucune annonce ou explication ; beaucoup se sont énervés car les excursionnistes MSC étaient eux déjà descendus ; nous avons raté notre excursion en bateau mais heureusement l'organisme que nous avions choisi a pu nous placer sur le bateau suivant ; mais nous faisions partie des 1ers à sortir (lettre A) et je doute que les lettres suivantes aient eu encore de la place 😠 ; même manque de communication pour les navettes retours pour retourner au centre ville de Copenhague : une fois on nous a dit qu'il n'y en avait pas, une autre fois qu'elles étaient déjà toutes remplies... Bref, beaucoup de discours différents et un staff qui semblait peu enclin à nous renseigner
- nourriture décevante au restaurant : risotto plusieurs fois trop salé au point d'être immangeable, raviolis parfois trop durs/pas assez cuits, pancakes qui avaient le goût d'omelette... Nous n'avons qu'un seul point de comparaison (Costa en Méditerranée en septembre dernier) et la nourriture sur le Serena étaient bien meilleure
- l'horaire de repas confirmé plusieurs fois par téléphone... n'existait pas ! 1er service à 17h30, le second à 20h15 (nous étions censés être au 1er service de 19h mais il n'existe pas et heureusement on a pu changer facilement pour celui de 20h15)
- impossibilité d'essayer l'autre restaurant (Il Covo) du bateau car réservé aux suites et cabines balcon
- spectacle dans l'ensemble amateurs et décevants (sauf le dernier, Fantasticats, plus réussi 😎)
- les animations musicales commencent tardivement, très peu d'ambiance sur le bateau et peu de choses à faire surtout que les piscines n'étaient pas couvertes donc baignade quasi impossible en Norvège à cette température et à cette période 😕
Les points positifs (heureusement il y en a quelques-uns ! 😉)
- très bel itinéraire et jolies escales (coup de cœur pour Geiranger et Flam en particulier)
- personnel du restaurant aux petits soins et extrêmement sympathique, même chose avec les serveurs des bars et du casino, du personnel de chambre, tous adorables et très souriants
- bateau propre
- literie confortable
- buffet meilleur que le restaurant, grande variété de plats et suffisamment de places assises pour trouver une place même les jours en mer et aux heures de pointe
- gâteaux et snacks salés à disposition dans certains bars dans la journée (Caffé Baroque, Manhattan Bar, Buddha Bar..)
- débarquement bien maîtrisé et rapide
Concernant l'itinéraire :
- A Warnemünde nous avions prévu d'aller à Rostock mais l'office de tourisme nous a dit que tout était fermé (nous y étions le dimanche) du coup nous sommes restés à Warnemünde et nous avons adoré ; très joli port, beaucoup de monde, toutes les boutiques ouvertes, très belle plage
- A Bergen nous avons tout fait à pied, sommes allés manger un morceau au marché au poisson, avons visité le joli centre ville...
- A Geiranger nous avons fait une excursion en bateau d'1h30, avons mangé dans un petit restaurant tout en bois et très typique (environ 400 NOK pour 3 plats) ; on avait peur de louper la dernière chaloupe à 16h15 mais finalement le bateau est parti vers 17h30 au lieu de 17h, sûrement à cause de la descente matinale tardive
- A Flaam nous avons fait une excursion en bateau pneumatique de 2h15 dans le Naerofjord avec Fjordsafari : on a vu des chèvres, des dauphins, notre guide, chaleureuse et rigolote nous a parlé des habitants, des mythes, de l'histoire de la région... Une balade vraiment très plaisante qui nous a permis de nous rapprocher des fjords et d'être encore plus émerveillés
La météo a été vraiment clémente : un peu de grêle, quelques averses chaque jour mais qui passaient rapidement. Le temps changeait incroyablement vite, du coup la pluie ne durait jamais longtemps. Nous avions nos manteaux d'hiver mais ni bonnets ni gants ni chapeaux et n'avions pas spécialement froid, sauf quand il y avait du vent, mais en règle générale on ne gardera pas un souvenir de mauvais temps ou de froid particulier 🙂
Concernant les boissons nous avions pris 3 carnets et cela a été suffisant pour nous 3 qui buvons peu d'alcool : 14 bouteilles d'eau pour 27€ et un carnet de 14 sodas/jus pour 34€ (Allegro sans alcool) sur le site internet et un forfait Dorémi (34€ pour 10 cocktails sans alcool) souscrit à l'embarquement.
Dans l'ensemble nous avons adoré les fjords et les paysages vraiment spectaculaires mais avons été déçus par le bateau (petit) et les prestations MSC (manque d'organisation, staff de la réception incompétent et désagréable, aucune information sur les navettes, etc.) Nous avons parlé avec plusieurs couples qui ont fait plusieurs croisières sur MSC (sur des plus gros bateaux) et qui étaient auparavant enchantés mais étaient là vraiment déçus. Du coup pour la prochaine, je pense que nous essaierons un autre croisiériste, Royal Carribean nous tente bien🙂
Je crois avoir fait le tour 🙂 N'hésitez pas si vous avez des questions ! 😎
Costa Serena - Fascinante Méditerranée (sept 2015)
MSC Sinfonia - Sur la route des Vikings (mai 2015)
bonjour,
merci pour ton récit qui détaille bien ton séjour. il est clair et précis.
je confirme que MSC est bien loin en terme de qualité que royal caribbean.
si un jour tu pars sur un royal caribbean, tu ne pourras plus jamais faire MSC, la différence (en tout) est de taille.
c est dommage, on a pris MSC en 2009 et 2011, mais d'après tout ce que je lis, ils ne font rien pour s'améliorer.
heureusement que les escales et les paysages vous ont séduits. Vous pourrez garder au moins de bons souvenirs de cet itinéraire enchanteur.
si t'as besoin d infos pour royal caribbean, n'hésites pas! je suis une accro!!
à bientôt
"Le plus beau voyage, c'est celui qu'on n'a pas encore fait."
(Loick Peyron)
😐 , Nous évoquions , au mois d' Octobre les positions de cabines. .... Mais ou vous ont ils placé ?
Les propos tournaient sur le danger des Cabines balcon Fantastica, avec, au dessus : les chaises longues ou la cafétaria .
Vous parlez de cabine intérieure .... et " bella " avec un doute !
Sur le site MSC , vous avez le plan du bateau, vous pouvez voir la catégorie de votre cabine .
L' étiquette " Bella " que vous avez trouvée, peut être un document remis aux passagers avant vous, surclassé dans votre cabine Fantastica, dont il n' avait pas les avantages. .... Mais, quand même, c' est a voir .
Alors oui je me voyais déjà sur mon balcon (avec la polaire lol !) mais finalement l'une des personnes faisant partie du voyage a eu des problèmes financiers au cours de l'année 😕 et nous avons donc dû revoir le budget global à la baisse. Moins d'un mois avant le départ nous avons été basculés sur une cabine intérieure Fantastica et il s'agissait d'un tarif Isséo. Je ne connais pas vraiment la différence entre les tarifs mais si nous avions pu choisir le numéro et l'emplacement de la cabine balcon, cette fois nous n'avons pas pu choisir la cabine. Peut-être avons-nous eu une des dernières cabines. Dans tous les cas je pense que la prochaine fois j'éviterai l'avant des navires en général car on sentait et entendait vraiment beaucoup de choses 🤪 Encore que ce n'est peut-être pas une règle applicable à tous les navires ? Je n'en ai fait que 2 pour l'instant donc j'ai encore beaucoup à apprendre de vous autres croisiéristes plus aguerris 😎
Pour ma prochaine croisière je prévois les îles grecques et j'essaierai de choisir ma cabine avec soin 😏
Costa Serena - Fascinante Méditerranée (sept 2015)
MSC Sinfonia - Sur la route des Vikings (mai 2015)
Votre réponse est très sympathique, je vous en remercie. il est évident que l' amitié entre amis passe avant beaucoup de choses , et c' est tout a votre honneur.
Effectivement, vous avez donc hérité des cabines qui restaient ... et, c' est un navire plus anciens, moins .... que les grands frères. Ce qui n' enlève rien pour la cuisine 😠 .
Aussi vrai que sur un bateau moderne, l' avant a toujours tendance a bouger plus que le centre. Le bruit, par contre, est plus limité " devant ". Il n' y a aucun relais technique ( moteur , gaines de souffleries ou autres ) au delà des hélices d' étrave qui ne fonctionnent que pour déplacer le navire de droite a gauche dans les ports .... et qui fond du bruit.
... Mais je pense qu' aujourd' hui , avec une compagnie ou une autre : je suis devant une spécialiste des pièges a éviter dans les choix de cabine ... en commençant par la volonté de la choisir 😉.
bonjour,
merci pour ton récit qui détaille bien ton séjour. il est clair et précis.
je confirme que MSC est bien loin en terme de qualité que royal caribbean.
si un jour tu pars sur un royal caribbean, tu ne pourras plus jamais faire MSC, la différence (en tout) est de taille.
c est dommage, on a pris MSC en 2009 et 2011, mais d'après tout ce que je lis, ils ne font rien pour s'améliorer.
heureusement que les escales et les paysages vous ont séduits. Vous pourrez garder au moins de bons souvenirs de cet itinéraire enchanteur.
si t'as besoin d infos pour royal caribbean, n'hésites pas! je suis une accro!!
à bientôt
Bonjour,
Mon mari et moi prenons le Sérénade of the Seas de Royal Carribean le 26 juillet au départ de Stockolm.
As-tu déjà pris ce bateau? Nous avons navigué sur le Navigator il y a quelques années . Est-ce qu'il est semblable?
merci
Bonjour
Oui nous avons déjà pris sérénade 2fois dans les caraibes.
Navigator fait parti de la classe "voyager", comme mariner et d'aventure que nous avons déjà testés
La difference est que sérénade n a ni royal promenade, ni patinoire. Mais ca n enleve rien a son charme et les activités proposées sont toujours très variées. Sans compter que le repas y est délicieux surtout au windjammer le soir où il y a des stations de cuisine à la plancha et autres.
C est un bateau plus petit que navigator mais la qualité et le service restent équivalents. En plus si tu t es inscrite au programme de fidelite, vous serez reconnus comme étant gold member Et vous bénéficierez de petits avantages qui agrémenteront encore mieux votre séjour à bord.
Je reste a ta disposition
"Le plus beau voyage, c'est celui qu'on n'a pas encore fait."
(Loick Peyron)
Bonjour
Pouvez me dire si la carte des menus proposés sur Royal Carabean est multi langue comme sur Costa ou MSC ou seulement en Anglais
Merci beaucoup
Cordialement
Christian
Bonjour,
le premier soir tous les menus sont en anglais mais si possible le serveur attitré vous propose le menu dans votre langue.
Et il s en rappelle tous les soirs donc vous le retrouvez dans votre langue sans demander à compter du 2ème soir.
Alors n ayez crainte, au pire il vous trouve un traducteur
"Le plus beau voyage, c'est celui qu'on n'a pas encore fait."
(Loick Peyron)
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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
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,
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!
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!