Here’s the belated review of our 15-day Caribbean cruise on the COSTA MAGICA from March 1st to 15th.
It’ll be illustrated with photos for each port of call. You’ll need to click on them to enlarge.
We bought this cruise from AZUR CROISIÈRES, in an outside cabin, with the TOTAL COMFORT CLASSIC package, which includes:
- The "Pranzo & cena - Lunch & Dinner" drinks package with unlimited drinks during meals: water, wine, sodas, and draft beer.
- A discount on excursions: the more you book, the bigger the discount.
The "Pranzo & cena - Lunch & Dinner" package was offered onboard for 19.90 € per day per person for those who didn’t already have it.
The itinerary was as follows:
Fort-de-France (Martinique) / Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) / At sea / Scarborough (Tobago) / St. George’s (Grenada) / Bridgetown (Barbados) / Castries (St. Lucia) / Fort-de-France (Martinique) / Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) / At sea / Willemstad (Curaçao) / Oranjestad (Aruba) / Kralendijk (Bonaire) / St. George’s (Grenada) / Fort-de-France (Martinique)
After many cruises with MSC, this was our first COSTA cruise. We couldn’t help but compare the two companies and made the following observations:
- The elevators are faster on COSTA than MSC. You wait less often.
- Fewer storage spaces in the cabin closets on COSTA than MSC.
- Impossible to check your onboard account balance on the TV with COSTA.
- The cost of excursions booked in advance online is deducted at the end of the cruise with COSTA, but immediately upon booking with MSC.
- The decor is more contemporary and elegant on MSC than COSTA.
- COSTA’s restaurant meals are just as good as MSC’s but more generous.
- COSTA: On the first evening when you arrive at the restaurant for dinner, no staff member shows you to your table, unlike MSC!
- The buffet desserts are better on COSTA.
- COSTA: No "napkin folding" during the Italian evening, no pizzas at the buffet, no complimentary drinks in the lounges during the gala evening, and no Baked Alaska either!
- The shows are slightly less impressive on COSTA but a bit longer.
- COSTA offers the option to skip the evening turndown service (preparing the beds for the night with the sheets folded back).
Of course, this list may also depend on the ship you’re traveling on. Some of these observations might be specific to the COSTA MAGICA.
Before the cruise, we spent 2 days in Fort-de-France at the "La Batelière" hotel.
www.la-bateliere.com/
Some rooms need renovating, but the sea view is stunning. We had to carry our two large suitcases up two flights of stairs ourselves because there was no elevator in the part of the building where our room was. The restaurant is good, but service can be slow if it’s busy. Breakfast is excellent. The beds are comfortable. The area around the hotel isn’t interesting—it’s best not to venture out. At the foot of the hotel, there’s a tiny beach (not private) and a nice restaurant/bar with a good reputation: "Lili’s Beach." I recommend booking a superior category room rather than a standard one, or you might be disappointed.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
DAY 1 - BOARDING
On boarding day, we take a taxi that drops us off in front of the cruise ship. We’re early and think we can still board, but just as we’re about to drop off our suitcases, a COSTA staff member bluntly tells us we still have to wait!
When boarding time finally arrives, it starts raining. Everyone crowds under the canopy. We manage to find shelter, but some people who couldn’t fit are left standing in the rain!
Boarding goes quickly despite the large number of people. We head straight to our cabin, which is open, like all the cabins for passengers boarding that day. We find all the necessary documents for the cruise, including our COSTA cards.
Nothing to say about our cabin: it’s clean, well laid out, not noisy, and the bedding is comfortable. However, there was less storage space than in MSC cabins, and we couldn’t check our onboard spending account on the TV!
We go straight up to the upper decks for lunch. The buffet is spread over two levels, and there are far fewer people on the second level.
Our suitcases arrive later, and we put our things away in the closets. We register our credit cards for onboard expenses at an automated kiosk, then explore the ship.
For dinner, we’re at the first seating, the 6:30 PM one in the main restaurant PORTO FINO. It’s early, but we prefer it because we have the whole evening free. When we arrive at the restaurant entrance, we’re surprised that no server comes to show us to our table! With MSC, that’s always how it was on the first day!
We enter the restaurant and walk past table after table looking for our table number, but we can’t find it! Annoyed, I flag down the first server we see and, showing him our COSTA card, ask him to point out our table. Taken aback by our request, he sets down the tray he was carrying and finally shows us to our table. We sensed some confusion. Were we supposed to find our table on a map ourselves?
That said, the meals served in the restaurant were great: more generous than on MSC, well presented, tasty, and the service was impeccable. Just like at the buffet, we really enjoyed the unlimited drinks!
Every evening we ate there, the restaurant was half-empty because most passengers preferred the second seating.
The shows in the theater were high quality, though a little less prestigious than MSC’s, but slightly longer, on the other hand.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Guadeloupe, from the coast to the hinterland" / 3061 / 4h
A bus first takes us to the botanical garden of Domaine de Valombreuse in Petit-Bourg, which was unfortunately damaged by the last hurricane. We discover a whole range of local tropical plants and flowers, like the Alpinia, the balisier, or the porcelain rose. There’s also a palm grove and a natural waterfall. At the end of the visit, we’re offered a drink, which we enjoy on a terrace next to a small pond.
Next, we head to Guadeloupe National Park to visit the Cascade aux Écrevisses, located in the tropical forest at the end of a paved trail. The waterfall is beautiful, but it’s crowded with people swimming to cool off. In the parking lot where we leave the bus, there’s a small souvenir shop selling handmade crafts.
We then set off to visit a distillery, "Le Domaine de Séverin," which is unfortunately facing financial difficulties. First, we tour the old colonial-style wooden family home, which dates back to the early 20th century, along with all the items inside. This house is used as a set for the Franco-British series *Death in Paradise*! On one of the interior walls, there’s an impressive genealogical tree of the estate’s owners!
Afterward, we stroll through the garden and visit the distillery. We watch the sugarcane being crushed, among other things. The tour ends with a tasting of the different rums available in the estate’s shop.
Once back on the ship, we head back down to explore Pointe-à-Pitre’s city center: the old wooden houses, the market, and the shopping streets...
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Jeep Safari in the Heart of Tobago" / 00JX / 4h
Several jeeps of varying comfort and design await us. The guides place the oldest passengers and women in the most comfortable jeeps, while the rest of us end up in the less comfortable ones.
We’re assigned the least comfortable one: it’s an open vehicle, not covered, and the sun is blazing. We’re also seated poorly. It’s during this excursion that we got a nasty sunburn—we’d been careless and didn’t apply sunscreen.
We leave the city and venture into the countryside. We pass through villages where locals watch us curiously. Some of these villages are very poor. We climb toward the island’s summit and enjoy beautiful panoramic views.
The boss, accompanied by his son, follows the jeep convoy in his own car. The drivers and guides are his employees. When we stop, he goes from jeep to jeep to check if "everything’s okay." An Italian tourist in our jeep complains about being uncomfortable and having a "sore butt." He hands her a cushion to sit on.
First, we stop to admire a stunning viewpoint overlooking the island, the city of Scarborough, and the surrounding area. In the distance, we spot the COSTA MAGICA.
The guides then show us a curious plant, the "mimosa pudica": as soon as you touch it, it curls up on itself! This phenomenon is called "thigmonasty". It’s supposed to protect the plant and prevent its leaves from getting damaged too quickly!
Next, we visit the beautiful Green Hill waterfalls, accessible via a staircase.
We then stop at a village featuring reconstructed traditional houses.
Still in the jeeps, we drive through the tropical forest and stop near a river where caimans are usually spotted. Unfortunately, despite the guides’ persistence, we don’t see any.
Later, we make a stop at a banana plantation. While walking, we reach the edge of the tropical forest and spot a group of squirrels leaping from branch to branch! We continue on foot when our attention is drawn to croaking sounds. We look up to see parrots flying out of a tree and soaring above us!
After getting back into the jeeps, we stop by a river and cross it on foot without difficulty. Deeper in the tropical forest, we arrive at the ruins of an old sugar cane factory. The guides tell us the history of the place, where machines imported from England are still present. We hop back into the jeeps to continue our ride.
The guides, with the boss’s approval, decide to take us back to the river where the caimans are, hoping we’ll finally spot some. We return, but once again, no luck—we still don’t see any! Everyone’s disappointed. To make up for it, they offer to take us to "Fort King George," which wasn’t part of the original excursion plan. We agree.
This monument sits on a hilltop, offering another beautiful view. At the bottom of the hill, we can clearly see the cruise ship. While walking around the fort, a police officer realizes I’m a tourist and asks me in English where I’m from. I tell him we’re from France. He shakes my hand and thanks me for coming all this way to visit Tobago!
The guides then offer us refreshments and take us back to the ship.
We head back down, but Scarborough’s city center doesn’t have much to offer. We mostly visit the souvenir shops near the ship.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Nature Walk Along the Lake Shores" / 3098 / 3h
The weather isn’t great—it’s overcast, cold, and very windy. The port where the cruise ship is docked isn’t sheltered, and even though it’s securely tied to the pier, it’s rocking a lot.
We’re a small group of about ten people. We board a minibus that drives through Saint George’s. At the entrance to the city, there’s a flooded tunnel where cars are moving slowly. We head up into the hills and pass through a series of villages where posters of candidates for the upcoming election for the island’s new Governor are displayed.
We stop on the way up to take in a viewpoint, but unfortunately, it’s obscured by the bad weather.
We enter Grand Etang National Park. After parking the minibus, we start our hike through the tropical forest. Along the way, we observe the surrounding flora. We also spot a mongoose crossing the trail and a huge termite nest!
We descend a slippery, poorly maintained wooden staircase and finally reach the shore of Grand Etang Lake. On the wooden dock overlooking the lake, our guide tosses pieces of bread into the water, and we watch a swarm of little fish rush toward it!
It starts raining, so we take shelter under a wooden observatory with Asian-style architecture.
The rain lets up a bit, and we take the opportunity to continue our walk. Before returning to the minibus, we stop at some souvenir shops and a bar where we’re offered a drink.
Back on the cruise ship, we want to head out again to explore Saint George’s, but it’s pouring relentlessly. We decide to go out during a brief lull, but as soon as we step onto the pier, it starts raining harder than ever—a real downpour! We run to the cruise terminal, where many passengers have taken refuge. We arrive completely soaked. We browse the souvenir shops there since that’s all we can do, and we give up on exploring the city because it’s raining too hard. We wait in the terminal, hoping for a break in the weather, but the rain keeps coming down just as hard. More and more people are crowding into the terminal, and despite the rain, we decide to head back to the ship. We run back and enter our cabin completely drenched and dripping wet!
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "4x4 Adventure and Meeting the Green Monkeys" / 3603 / 3h30
Numerous cruise ships are docked at the city’s port.
We climb into an open 4x4 and drive through Bridgetown. From the vehicle, we first observe old traditional wooden houses painted in all colors, then we pass through upscale neighborhoods with stunning villas, including one belonging to a famous American singer! There are also very chic shops with well-known brands. No need to stop for shopping—no one in our group can afford it!
Leaving the city, we take in the picturesque countryside landscapes and the local flora, especially kapok trees, also called "cotton trees."
We then stop at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, where we see tortoises, caimans, and, most importantly, green monkeys roaming freely and jumping from branch to branch. They’re not afraid of humans at all and don’t hesitate to come up to you, even walking between your legs, especially if you have something to feed them!
We have an amazing memory of this encounter with the green monkeys!
At the exit of the reserve, the guides offer us a drink, and we get back into the 4x4s to continue our ride.
We drive along the east coast of the island, taking in breathtaking landscapes, then stop at Bathsheba, a fishing village in the parish of Saint Joseph on the southeast coast of Barbados. Its beaches are famous for their beauty, especially the large rocks resting on the fine sand. We stroll along one of them, shop at the souvenir stands along the beach, and then get back into our vehicles.
Before returning to the ship, we go off-roading in the tropical forest on small trails. We’re jostled around in every direction, but we had a blast! We also got to see another amazing termite nest.
We go back down from the ship—but only to shop inside the cruise terminal.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Great House exotic gardens and Pigeon Island beach" / 3557 / 4h
This excursion was disappointing for us!
Here too, there are a lot of cruise ships docked.
We get on a minibus that takes us through the city of Castries. We head up to the heights of the island to arrive at a beautiful villa owned by a doctor.
We stroll quietly through the garden, which in some places is very steep. While we’re at the bottom, we climb back up the garden via a staircase that’s quite steep, and an elderly lady struggles a lot to climb them. I wondered for a moment if we’d have to carry her. She eventually makes it but is completely out of breath, and she had to sit down for a good while to catch her breath. I should mention that this excursion was classified by COSTA as an "easy excursion"!
The garden is indeed magnificent but it’s very small, and we quickly see everything! There’s a small greenhouse with orchids and a pretty waterfall.
After visiting the garden, we’re gathered on the covered terrace of the villa, where there’s a beautiful view down to the sea. They display different fruits found on the island of Saint Lucia as well as handmade crafts like baskets and pots. We also get to taste some drinks and pastries.
We get back on our bus and learn that the local authorities won’t let us into Pigeon Island National Park because it’s too crowded! We’ll end the excursion simply on a nearby beach with deck chairs at our disposal!
We arrive at the entrance of the national park and get off the bus to head toward a nearby beach, which isn’t pretty and is packed!
We settle into the deck chairs provided, but of course, they’re poorly placed! And it’s impossible to find a better spot. We sit down anyway. We’re constantly bothered by street vendors, and from our deck chairs, we watch enviously as people stroll through Pigeon Island National Park!
We’re amused, though, by one street vendor who, unlike the others, arrives by sea on a boat completely covered in palm leaves and offers fruits and drinks to the swimmers!
Then, some workers in work clothes arrive and, right next to our deck chairs, climb an electric pole to fix a broken streetlight just above us!
We decide to leave. While waiting for this disappointing excursion to end, we do some shopping in nearby souvenir shops.
On the way back to the ship, like the day before, we only visit the shops inside the cruise terminal.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Off-road tour of Martinique" / 3641 / 4h
After getting off the cruise ship, we climb into our jeep, which, unlike the one in Tobago, is comfortable and air-conditioned. Our guide is very cheerful and friendly.
We first drive through the city of Fort de France to reach the higher parts of the island. We stroll through the countryside on hiking trails. The guide stops regularly to give us explanations about the places we pass through and what we can observe, especially about the flora.
We gradually enter the tropical forest and stop at the Cœur Bouliki River. Workers are on-site clearing the area, cleaning the river, and restoring the walking paths. They’re even putting wire mesh on the wooden planks we walk on to prevent slipping. There are cats everywhere roaming around!
We’re free to go wherever we please. We wander around the river and venture a little into the tropical forest after climbing a small hill.
We get back in our jeep and continue our off-road adventure, including crossing rivers, before stopping at a banana plantation. We’re explained the entire process of growing, harvesting, and transporting the fruit. It was really interesting.
We take the opportunity to explore the banana plantation and its surroundings.
We get back in the jeep to roam through the countryside or the tropical forest again. The guide frequently stops the vehicle to pick up fruits, plants, and branches. While driving, she comments on what she’s collected as we pass them from one person to another in the jeep. During the trip, she stops to chat with an elderly man. He explains that he collects tree bark to sell. These barks are used to make *mabi*, a refreshing drink!
Next, we stop at the Saint Etienne distillery. We walk around the factory grounds where we’re shown the entire production process, then enter the estate’s shop. All the rum bottles produced by the factory are displayed on a counter, from entry-level to the most prestigious—and most expensive! We learn what sets each bottle apart and how the different types of rum are made. It was fascinating once again.
On the way back, the guide stops to talk with a farmer. She explains that she ordered fruit from him and will pick it up on a specific day and time for her next excursion with other cruise passengers!
She jokes that even here, there’s a "Drive" for fruit—direct delivery without having to get out of your car!
We make one last stop in the tropical forest for a short walk before getting back in the jeeps.
Just before dropping us off in front of the cruise ship in Fort de France, we drive along the Savane Park, where we see the Schoelcher Library, one of the city’s most beautiful monuments.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Tropical animals and wild nature: a visit to Parc des Mamelles" / 3703 / 4h
We met the same guide as when we stopped in Guadeloupe on day 2, but she didn’t recognize us!
We boarded a bus that took us directly to Parc des Mamelles, located in Guadeloupe National Park.
A group of schoolchildren entered the park at the same time as us, and we had to skip part of the visit to get ahead of them because they were so noisy!
As we walked along a trail through the park—which covers over 4 hectares—we observed a variety of local wildlife (iguanas, parrots, monkeys, tortoises, snakes, etc.) as well as plants.
Then came the canopy! Some people in our group got discouraged and decided to skip this part of the visit, which was pretty impressive.
First, we climbed to the top of a tree using a wooden staircase leaning against it to start the walk on suspended walkways, some of which were over 20 meters high! It was a chance to have fun and also take in the surrounding landscape and the flora in the trees.
During this experience, we fell way behind schedule because some people took too long to complete the canopy walk. We even went over the 4 hours originally allotted for this excursion!
At the park exit, we were offered a drink.
We got back on the bus to visit the Cascade aux Écrevisses next.
Since we’d already seen it on day 2, we left the group to head straight to the souvenir shop in the parking lot.
I’d noticed this shop during our last visit. I thought they sold beautiful local handcrafted items.
After doing some shopping, we decided to rejoin the group at the waterfall. It was just as crowded as before!
After getting back on the bus, the guide gave us a history lesson about Guadeloupe during the ride back to the port.
Once we arrived at the ship, we decided to explore downtown Pointe-à-Pitre, where we did some shopping.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
During this day, a conference for French passengers was held in the theater, presenting COSTA and its entire organization, history, the different ships, …
At the end of the conference, we could ask the Captain questions.
We wanted to rest on deck chairs at the back of the ship on the highest deck, right by the funnels. We were surprised to see so few people there, but we quickly understood why! As soon as we lay down on our deck chairs, our clothes were covered in soot! We had to clean them in the ship’s laundry!
We were surprised by the island’s layout, which is completely different from the other islands we’d visited before. There are no tropical forests or lush vegetation—it’s flat and arid, with even cacti! This was the case for the next two islands as well: Aruba and Bonaire.
We drove for quite a while before making our first stop at Playa Forti, one of the island’s most beautiful beaches. We walked along the cliff overlooking it, then on the beach itself before heading back to the bus. We had to wait because a couple of passengers returned late, not respecting the return time.
Next, we entered Boka Tabla National Park. At the park entrance, on a small hut, there was an iguana that seemed completely still!
We walked over the rocks to get closer to the sea, where from a walkway we could watch the waves crashing against the rocks with a deafening roar. It was really impressive!
On the way back, I noticed that in some places, stones were stacked on top of each other!
After getting back on the bus, we stopped at an open-air museum featuring an old slave house. A local guide explained how enslaved people lived back then, their customs, crafts, and living conditions, …
We were suffering from the heat—it was very hot, and shade was scarce. A drink was offered during this visit.
Before returning to the port, the bus made a stop at Jan Kok Salt Lake, which is actually a salt lake. We were lucky to see flamingos there at the same time!
I should mention that the excursion description mentioned "historic homes with plantations," but that wasn’t the case at all! …
I found the open-air museum visit with the slave house too long. I would’ve preferred a shorter stop there and, instead, more time at Jan Kok Salt Lake!
Back on the ship, we decided to explore Willemstad’s city center. We walked through a group of apartment buildings that seemed deserted. Only a few ground floors were lively with shops and bars. This commercial area is called Riffort Village. Just outside, there’s a statue of Efrain Jonckheer, founder of the Democratic Party.
We then walked along a waterfront quay with street vendors before reaching the Queen Emma Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that’s quite surprising because not only does it float on the water (no foundations!), but it also "opens" horizontally when a boat needs to pass and "closes" again afterward!
We strolled through the historic center, which was deserted since it was a Sunday. Only the bars along the waterfront were open. It’s very beautiful and clean, and the houses are brightly colored. We circled around Emanu-Ei Church to reach another deserted quay. In the distance, we could see the ship.
We passed by villas with very original architecture!
At the end of our walk, we stopped at a bar for a drink, right across from the Queen Emma Bridge, where we could watch the boats passing through when the bridge opened. To our left, the COSTA MAGICA towered over Riffort Village.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Horseback riding among the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches" / 3448 / 3h
We’re a very small group of about ten people climbing into a minibus.
It takes us to a farm where the horses are. The owner gives us helmets and, based on whether we’re beginners or experienced riders—as well as our height and weight—assigns us each a horse.
He explains how to mount and dismount, how to keep our feet in the stirrups, and how to guide the animal.
We start our ride single file, helmets on, leaving the houses behind and gradually climbing a hill covered in dry vegetation and cacti. There’s a farm staff member on horseback at the front and another at the back. The one in front keeps an eye on the other horses we’re riding and sometimes calls them by name if they’re moving too slowly to encourage them to speed up.
Once at the top of the hill, we’re treated to a stunning view of the sea and the surrounding beaches! Looking out at the horizon beyond the water, I think I might have a chance to see the coast of Venezuela, which is only about forty kilometers from Aruba, but I don’t spot any land. As we descend the other side of the hill, we pass another farm with horses.
We arrive at the beach at the same time as another group of excursionists riding ATVs.
After dismounting, we’re offered a small bottle of water, and then we walk—still wearing our helmets—to visit a magnificent natural rock bridge! We go underneath it and also walk on top of it.
We remount our horses for the return trip to the farm.
It was a wonderful experience, and we’ll cherish the memories of this excursion!
We disembark from the ship to explore Oranjestad. What a strange city! The architecture of some buildings looks like it’s straight out of Disneyland! There’s even a Belle Époque-style tram from the 1900s! Everything is beautiful, clean, and well-kept. The building facades are immaculate. It feels like a perfect city, but don’t forget—it’s a tax haven!
We stroll through the marina and do some shopping in souvenir stores.
I was admiring a flower bed when suddenly a shiver ran through me. I hadn’t noticed at first, but it was full of large green and gray lizards!
We stop at a bar by the marina for a drink before heading back to the ship.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "4x4 Safari on the Trail of the Arawak" / 01N1 / 3h
We got a surprise as soon as we stepped off the ship!
We were ushered into a huge, unusual vehicle—a kind of open-sided 4x4 truck! To get in, small ladders had to be set up and taken down each time to place them under the seats.
As we drove through Kralendijk, we definitely turned heads with this rig!
The guide started explaining who the Arawak were.
The Arawak were Indigenous people of the Antilles who originated from the Amazon rainforest. By the late 15th century, the Arawak were spread across the Amazon, all the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, Florida, and the foothills of the Andes. They were primarily farmer-fishermen. They were gradually dominated by another group: the Caribs, who also came from the Amazon rainforest. The Caribs were farmer-fishermen like the Arawak but also hunters and warriors. They were also anthropophagous (hence the name "cannibals"). They, in turn, were dominated by the arrival of European colonists.
We had just left the city when the guide stopped in front of hotels by the beach. He explained that this was where the very first hotels were built in the 1960s and 70s when tourism began on the island with scuba diving clubs.
We made a second stop, this time in front of his own house, to pick up ice and drinks, which he placed in a cooler under our seats.
After leaving the residential neighborhoods, we drove along narrow pedestrian trails. We had to be careful not to get scratched by the bushes, which could whip our faces or arms. All around us was a barren landscape of thorny shrubs and cacti.
We then stopped at a first cave, which was actually a huge cavity in the ground with a tree in the center.
The guide explained that this cave served as a refuge for the Arawak, who would climb down or up using the tree in the middle!
We continued our journey and stopped at a second cave where the Arawak also lived.
The next stop was a viewpoint from Subi-Rincon hill overlooking the town of Rincon, a small village of about 1,800 people. We were on a rocky outcrop, surrounded by strange cacti growing right out of the rock.
The guide then offered us the cold drinks he had picked up at his house.
We then headed down to Rincon, where we stopped to visit a small museum: Chich’i Tan. It’s a traditional house turned into a museum. A guide explained the domestic life of the island’s inhabitants, and then we were offered paid drinks. It was so hot that we all had a beer under the trees in the garden.
We got back into our vehicle and headed to the east coast to discover Boka Onima, a stretch of ocean that juts into the land. According to our guide, this is where the first Arawak arrived because they could dock more easily.
Right across from it are rock paintings by these Indigenous people. They’re quite well-preserved and protected by iron bars. All around, on the rocks, huge green or gray lizards watched us. As soon as we moved, they’d hide in the crevices of the rocks, and as soon as we stood still, they’d all come out almost at the same time! It was pretty impressive!
We continued our ride along the east coast. We faced strong winds that whipped our faces. It was so violent that we had to take off our hats, caps, and even glasses because everything was flying away! Fortunately, this moment was brief because it was really unpleasant! I had to keep my eyes closed—I couldn’t keep them open!
We then climbed to Seru Lagu, where we enjoyed a beautiful view of the western part of the island. In the distance, we could see Kralendijk, the neighboring island of Klein Bonaire, and, tiny in the distance, the COSTA MAGICA. At this highest point, a white and yellow religious monument with a large white cross at the top had been erected.
We drove through Kralendijk again, this time along the waterfront, and when we arrived back at the ship, we were surprised to see that crew members had set up musical instruments plugged into speakers on Promenade Deck 3 Raffaello, near the lifeboats. Many passengers were dancing at the foot of the ship!
It was a great excursion—unique and memorable. We’ll keep fond memories of it.
We would’ve loved to go back ashore to explore Kralendijk like we did in Willemstad and Oranjestad, but unfortunately, we didn’t have time because, unlike the other stops, this one only lasted half a day!
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Grand Etang Lake and Annandale Falls" / 3093 / 3h30
We’re back on the island we visited on day 5. This time, we’re hoping the weather will be nice!
We board a minibus, drive through Saint George’s, and head up into the island’s highlands. We’re back in the lush, humid tropical forest that was missing on the islands of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire!
We pass through villages buzzing with excitement because the elections just took place, and the island’s new governor has been elected! The locals are over the moon—they’re blasting music, dancing everywhere, partying, piling into cars, and honking nonstop! To celebrate, the day of our visit is unexpectedly a public holiday!
Right in the middle of this chaos, our minibus somehow makes it to the Annandale Falls site. There are *so* many people! Since it’s a holiday, locals are out with their families, heading to the waterfalls.
The minibus parks as best it can, and once we step out, we struggle to walk through the crowds to the site’s entrance. There’s a man with a chained monkey performing acrobatics for passing tourists in exchange for money. I immediately notice how unhappy the monkey looks, chained up like that. When the man signals for it to perform for us, the monkey suddenly starts thrashing around, rebelling, and eventually lunges at the man!
He quickly gets it under control, but seeing a chained monkey fight back—with the sound of its chain clanking against the pavement—was pretty unsettling.
After our guide picks up the entrance tickets, we calmly descend a trail through the tropical forest, surrounded by flowers between the trees, until we reach Annandale Falls. Thankfully, there are far fewer people here than at the entrance!
The waterfall is beautiful, and its surroundings add to the scenery’s charm.
We then get back into the minibus, which struggles to make a U-turn.
We continue up into the island’s highlands to reach the entrance of Grand Etang National Park. We’re revisiting the same spot from day 5 of our cruise, but this time, we take a different walk from our short hike earlier.
We climb some steps to a small hilltop, where we enjoy a stunning view of the surrounding tropical forest and Grand Etang Lake below.
On this little hill, there’s a table and wooden benches bolted to the ground. We sit down for a break, and our guide takes the opportunity to pull out a whole collection of leaves, branches, flowers, and fruits she’s been carrying in a plastic bag. She passes them around one by one, giving us a little explanation about the local flora.
Next, we climb a wooden lookout tower, where we get another beautiful view of the tropical forest around us.
We retrace our steps back to the park entrance, where we’re offered a drink at the same bar we visited on day 5.
We then check out a small museum in one of the park’s buildings.
After getting back into the minibus, we head back down toward Saint George’s. Along the way, we make a quick stop to admire a tree with a unique multi-colored trunk—it’s a rare *Eucalyptus deglupta*, better known as the rainbow eucalyptus!
We continue down the road toward the capital when suddenly, we’re blocked by a line of cars heading *up* the hill—it’s still the locals celebrating their new governor in an indescribable chaos of honking, blaring music, shouts of joy, and euphoria, with the new governor’s portrait and Grenada’s flag waving from the cars!
Our minibus is stuck for a good 15 minutes before we can finally start descending again. But we stop almost immediately because one of the cars has broken down. Our driver lends a hand, bringing them a bottle of water from our vehicle’s trunk. The overloaded car had been struggling up the hill for a while, overheating, and the engine needed to cool down.
Our next stop is Fort Frederick. The driver drops us off at the entrance, and we walk up a short distance to enter the fort. One man in our group, who’s seriously ill, struggles to walk and needs support. He had stayed on the bus during our tropical forest walk. A guard is on-site to oversee the monument and collect the entrance fee. Right next door, there’s a small shop selling local food products.
Our guide explains that the fort was built by the French in 1779 to protect the island from attacks, particularly by the English! It’s located on Richmond Hill in the center of Saint George’s. We get a fantastic view of the capital and its surroundings, the port where we can clearly see the *COSTA MAGICA*, and Grenada’s brand-new parliament building, which is in the final stages of construction to replace the old one destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The building was inaugurated on June 21, 2018, and was designed to better withstand storms.
When we return to the ship, we’re determined to go back ashore to finally explore Saint George’s, which we couldn’t visit on day 5 due to torrential rain. But just as we’re about to disembark, the weather takes a turn for the worse—it’s pouring! For the second time, we have to give up.
That evening, we pack our suitcases since our cruise is coming to an end, and leave them in the hallway outside our cabin overnight.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Excursion: "Tour of Saint-Pierre and a rum distillery" / 3051 / 4h
It’s disembarkation day, but since our flight is late in the day, we have plenty of time to do this excursion.
When we booked it, we told the excursions desk we were worried because it wasn’t planned for passengers disembarking like us—only for those in transit. But they assured us there’d be no problem and we could do it without any worries.
As we step off the ship, we admire the STAR CLIPPERS docked right in front of the COSTA MAGICA.
After getting on the bus, we drive through Fort-de-France and head up into the hills for our first stop: the Balata Church, an exact but miniature replica of the Sacré-Cœur Cathedral in Paris. Construction started in 1924, and it’s located on Morne Savon. The church is beautiful but could use a facelift. We also visit the interior, which could use some restoration too.
From the parking lot, we enjoy a great view of Fort-de-France and the sea in the background. All around us is tropical forest with beautiful flowers.
Back on the bus, we continue our ride inland on the Route de la Trace, considered one of the island’s most scenic tourist routes.
Though winding, the road is really pleasant—we’re driving through tropical forest and catch several glimpses of the Pitons du Carbet.
After a somewhat long drive, we finally arrive in Saint-Pierre, the island’s former capital before it was devastated in 1902 by a volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée.
The bus struggles to maneuver through the narrow streets of the town. It finally stops at a parking lot where we get off to visit a museum on the quay. The museum tells the story of Saint-Pierre—its development, prestige, beauty, how the locals lived, and especially the volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée that completely destroyed the city.
Though it wasn’t on the itinerary, our guide suggests we visit the ruins of the Petit Paris theater nearby.
When we arrive, there’s a school group visiting the ruins just like us. The kids are wearing yellow T-shirts, and the teacher asks us not to take photos that include the children.
The ruins are moving, and you can easily imagine how this prestigious building was constructed.
Right next door, down below, are the ruins of the old prison where you can see the famous intact cell of Louis-Auguste Cyparis, who, according to legend, was the only survivor of Saint-Pierre after the disaster.
We head back near the museum and stroll along the quays. Old cannons are on display. We get back on the bus, which leaves the town—again struggling with the narrow streets.
We make a stop to enjoy a panoramic view of Saint-Pierre.
Next, we stop at the Depaz distillery for a tour. It’s located near the sea, surrounded by sugarcane fields, with Mount Pelée nearby. It’s really lovely.
In 1902, Victor Depaz, then a student in Bordeaux, learned not only that his entire family had perished in the eruption but also that the Périnelle estate, where he was born and raised, had disappeared. His father was the foreman on the estate. Orphaned at just 16 and completely ruined, he nevertheless returned to Martinique, became an industrialist, and decided to rebuild the distillery, which took his name in 1917. He also rebuilt a replica of the Périnelle estate, called Château Depaz, where he moved in with his family in 1922.
We start by entering the estate’s restaurant, where they explain how an old wooden sugarcane press works—it’s on display in the dining room.
Next, we visit a small museum with old machinery and tools on display. It’s so hot in the tiny, un-air-conditioned room that we leave before the guide finishes her explanation.
We then go to a large, open, and well-ventilated hangar where rum barrels are stored. During all these visits, they explain how Depaz rum is made—from harvesting sugarcane to selling bottled rum.
We then take a leisurely stroll around the estate, admiring the "Château Depaz" from the outside—it’s a beautiful house.
After that, we visit the souvenir shop, where you can taste and buy rum from this brand, and then get back on the bus.
We return to Fort-de-France, but this time we take a different route from the one we took inland. This time, we follow the coast.
When we arrive at the foot of the ship, what we feared happened! Security won’t let us into the restricted area because we’re supposed to have disembarked! We’re the only two passengers in the group who are disembarking—the others are in transit! The excursions desk had assured us we’d have no problem retrieving our luggage!
We can even see our two suitcases in the distance, under the shelter, looking as lost as we feel! We try several times to explain to security that we need to get our suitcases from the secure area, but they won’t listen!
Luckily, a port employee, understanding our problem, quietly tells us how to get our suitcases.
We do it discreetly, on the sly, as quietly as possible, hoping not to be spotted or turned away by security. We finally manage to get our suitcases and, just as discreetly, retrace our steps to leave the secure area!
We then take a taxi to the airport for our flight back to France!
There you have it! It was a wonderful cruise with a diversity of landscapes and cultures between the islands of the first week and those of the second. The excursions were also varied and even original—like the one with the horses in Aruba or the one with that very unique vehicle in Bonaire. This was our first time trying COSTA, and even if everything wasn’t perfect, we’re overall satisfied and will certainly travel with this company again!
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Hi Pierre,
thanks for your review—your story is a pleasure to read with all those ports of call to discover.
And you’ve shared some gorgeous photos. I’ll also say bravo!
Patricia
A huge thank you for this super detailed review. I guess you took notes as you went along. Well done!!!!
Those heading to these islands will be thrilled to read your post😎 and will know what to expect if they take these excursions😉
I put this travel journal together with pleasure. It’s my way of extending our vacation!
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
My partner and I are planning a cruise in March 2019. Could anyone give me some advice on the most interesting excursions to book? I’d also like to know if it’s better to arrange them through the cruise or on our own. If you have any price info to share, that’d be awesome!
Planned stops:
FORT-DE-FRANCE
POINTE-À-PITRE
TOBAGO (Scarborough)
ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA
BRIDGETOWN
(BARBADOS)
CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA
ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
GIBRALTAR
I’m planning a cruise with my partner in March 2019. Could anyone give me some advice on the most interesting excursions to book, or whether it’s better to explore on our own? If you have any price details, that’d be great!
Scheduled stops:
FORT-DE-FRANCE
POINTE-À-PITRE
TOBAGO (Scarborough)
ST. GEORGE’S (Grenada)
BRIDGETOWN (Barbados)
CASTRIES (St. Lucia)
ST. JOHN’S (Antigua)
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
GIBRALTAR
Thanks in advance!
Best regards
Hi there,
It’s really hard to answer your question!
The choice of excursions depends on your tastes, preferences, and personality. You’ll pick from the options based on whether you prefer culture, sports, relaxation, nature, etc.
In Barbados, we really enjoyed this excursion:
Excursion: “4x4 Adventure and Green Monkey Encounter” / 3603 / 3.5 hrs
And in Martinique:
Excursion: “Off-Road Tour of Martinique” / 3641 / 4 hrs
In St. Lucia, we were disappointed with this one:
Excursion: “Great House Exotic Gardens and Pigeon Island Beach” / 3557 / 4 hrs
You can find excursion prices on the cruise line websites. Sometimes the prices on board are slightly different from those listed online.
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Thank you so much for this lovely travel journal and these amazing photos! What a shame you couldn’t enjoy a nicer excursion in St. Lucia—it’s such a beautiful island with incredible forests and beaches.
I stumbled upon your review by chance—a recent post bumped your discussion to the "featured" section on VF.
Great review, especially since it’s rare here to see such a detailed presentation and description of the cruise line’s excursions, which are often dismissed around here as "herd-like" excursions.
Personally, I took the same cruise—it was practically a carbon copy of your experience, just a few weeks ahead of you. I can confirm your impressions: a lovely cruise, well-organized excursions by the cruise line, and overall great services on this ship.
Anyway, I’ll stop here—you’ve pretty much said it all, and your really nice photos suddenly make me want to dig up my own photo memories, or more accurately, my slideshows. 😏
Yes, the excursion in Saint Lucia was disappointing for us! We made the wrong choice, but that’s part of the unpredictability and surprises of travel! Everything else was great.
It’ll be the perfect excuse to go back to this island and explore it properly next time!
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Yes, it was a great cruise overall, even though the Saint Lucia excursion was disappointing for us!
But all in all, we have fond memories of this trip—that’s what matters!
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Hello,
Where did you buy your 4x4 Adventure excursion in Bridgetown? Was it through your ship, online, or at the port?
Thanks so much. Your review is really interesting.
We bought our excursions directly online from our personal account.
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Hello,
And first of all, thank you for this very detailed and fascinating report!
I have two questions:
Are the guides' explanations in French, no matter which islands we visit?
Can we buy rum at the distilleries we visit and bring it back in our cabin luggage without it being confiscated?
Hello,
First of all, thank you for this very detailed and fascinating review!
I have two questions:
Are the guides' explanations in French, no matter which islands we visit?
Can we buy rum at the distilleries we visit and bring it back to our cabin without it being confiscated?
Martine
Hi,
Some excursions were in English, others in French, and some were even bilingual! When they’re in English, it’s specified in the excursion description.
Bottles of alcohol were confiscated when boarding the ship and returned at the end of the cruise!
Pierre
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Hello,
Thank you for this amazing review.
Could you let me know if we’re required to pay in dollars or if euros are accepted, and also whether the Revolut bank card works for payments in all currencies?
Thanks
Sorry for the late reply— the email notifying me that you’d contacted me ended up in my spam folder!
I can’t remember if euros were accepted or not.
I’m also not sure if using a Revolut card was possible.
That said, we paid for all our onshore expenses in dollars.
Orient Queen en 2008 et 2009 / MSC Splendida en 2010
Carnival Glory en 2011 / Carnival Breeze en 2012
MSC Magnifica en 2013 / MSC Armonia en 2014 et 2015
MSC Divina en 2015 / MSC Orchestra en 2016
MSC Preziosa en 2017 / COSTA Magica en 2018
Voilà voilà nous sommes de retour de nos 14 jours aux caraïbes sur le fortuna en résumé, une croisière qui s'est pas trop mal passée, mais qui nous laisse un…
Je vais commencé mon CR sur la croisière sur le MSC musica aux caraïbes et être le plus précis possible, j'ai regroupée les journées pour ouvrir un post et…
Voici le compte rendu de notre croisière aux Caraïbes sur le MSC ORCHESTRA du samedi 26 mars au samedi 2 avril 2016. Cette croisière a été achetée sur le site…
Voici un compte rendu de la croisière sur le Carnival Freedom que nous avons effectuée du 24 décembre 2011 au 1er janvier 2012 dans les Caraïbes de l'Est. La…
Nos commentaires sur le périple, car si l’on croit tous les commentaires sur cette croisière, pas grand-chose à faire ou à voir à terre lors cette croisière,…
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
Bonjour à tous
Je pars en suite sur le pacifica en octobre et je n'arrive pas à avoir d3s précisions sur les avantages en suite hormis le resto élite le majordome la machine expresso
Qu'en est-il des petits déjeuners et repas servis gratuitement en cabine, du spa
Costa enlève de plus en plus les privilèges aux gold et apparemment aux suites aussi
Merci de vos reponses
bonjour,
je pars de hambourg pour islande fin juillet. le bateau arrive a Reykjavik le mardi 4 aout 8H e voudrai reserve une excursion en journée type golden circle, secret lagoon...les sites getyour guide et autre annononcent des dparts à 8h du matin ....Si vous avez deja utilisé ces sites avec bateau MSC precioza, pouvez vous me dire comment m y prendre !
merci 😉
allyMB007
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 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
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,
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!