My wife and I are going on the "Christmas and Holiday Traditions" cruise from December 22 to January 5.
This is our first time with CFC.
We’ve done dozens of cruises over the past 35 years—including three world cruises with Costa—but we’re tired of the Italian attitude. We’ve also done 3 or 4 with MSC, Club Med 2, and a long time ago, the Mermoz with Croisières Paquet, in short…
Given the reviews, we’re wondering about the all-French aspect, since the Filipino crews are nice but French is complicated for them. And the comments about the food aren’t exactly reassuring. Yes, the drink packages are way too expensive. We’ll have to wait and see how much the excursions cost…
It’s an old ship, so let’s hope everything still works.
See you soon!
Hi Jacques,
To answer your questions about the excursions, we did 3 with CFC. The prices are similar to those of Costa.
In any case, the excursions are organized by local providers who more or less charge the same prices regardless of the cruise company. Maybe CFC requires more to have French-speaking guides, though they don’t guarantee it.
If you leave on December 22nd, you should have the excursions available online (they’re posted at the earliest 2 months before departure).
Best regards
Hello and thanks for the info.
I’ve gone ahead and booked the excursions (the ones we’re interested in), since we’ve already done Barcelona, Valencia, and Mallorca too many times before.
I’ll share my thoughts when we get back.
The problem is, with the number of cruises we’ve taken, we’ve become—wrongly—critical and hard to please.
We’re thinking of doing a 4th round-the-world trip in 2026, but we can’t stand Italians anymore (even though we’re of Italian descent).
Maybe an American cruise line.
See you later, and thanks for the reply.
Hello Jacques,
To answer your questions about excursions, we’ve done 3 with CFC. The prices are similar to those on Costa.
In any case, excursions are organized by local providers who more or less charge the same prices regardless of the cruise line. Maybe CFC demands more to have French-speaking guides, though they don’t guarantee it.
If you’re leaving on December 22nd, you should see the excursions online (they’re available at the earliest 2 months before departure).
Best regards,
Hello, we’ve taken about forty cruises with Costa, MSC, Croisières de France (which no longer exists), and Ponant.
Last year, we discovered CFC’s renaissance and really enjoyed it. There were only 480 passengers, so it was nothing like Costa or MSC. We’ve sworn off Costa—they have no respect for their customers. It’s chaotic, noisy everywhere, not to mention the behavior of thousands of passengers. With MSC, we’re treated better, we keep our loyalty points, and we’re often upgraded. The food is much better on CFC—at the buffet, there was always a cheese spread and an ice cream station. The meat was always well-cooked, unlike on Costa or MSC (though that might have changed by now at CFC). There are also self-service laundry machines available...
We’ve also booked the cruise from December 22 to January 5. You’ll spot me—I’m over 2 meters tall... We’re boarding the *Renaissance* this Sunday, November 3, until November 11, for a Mediterranean cruise. We’ll see if the standards have improved since last year...
Hello and thank you for your message.
You can let me know when you get back if this ship is still as nice.
I see we’re taking the same cruise at the end of December for 15 days.
If I spot someone over 2 meters tall, I’ll know it’s you.
Have a great cruise for your departure on November 3rd.
Looking forward to it,
Peyregoue
B
Hello, we’ve done around forty cruises with Costa, MSC, Croisières de France (which no longer exists), and Ponant.
Last year, we discovered the rebirth of CFC and really enjoyed it. There were 480 passengers, so it was nothing like Costa or MSC. We’ve fallen out with Costa—they have no respect for their customers. It’s chaotic, noisy everywhere, not to mention the behavior of thousands of passengers. With MSC, we’re treated better, we keep our loyalty points, and we often get upgrades. The food is much better on CFC—at the buffet, there was always a cheese buffet and an ice cream station. The meat was always well-cooked, unlike on Costa or MSC. But things may have changed at CFC since then. There are also self-service laundry machines...
We’ve also booked the cruise from December 22nd to January 5th. You’ll spot me easily—I’m over 2 meters tall... We board the Renaissance this Sunday, November 3rd, until November 11th in the Mediterranean. We’ll see if the standards have improved since last year...
Hello!
You’ve barely returned, and I’m already looking forward to your next trip—were you still happy with CFC? How were the meals? I’ve read that the food quality has really gone downhill, with hardly anything on the plate. Would you recommend getting the drink package?
Thanks!
Josiane
Hello, we got back today and weren’t disappointed. I was worried after reading some comments, but we found everything we loved—the calm (only 650 of us), impeccable service, and the great lunch buffet, with the cheese platter and ice cream stand still there. The only changes: the ice cream was lower quality than last year (strawberry, chocolate, lemon vanilla, raspberry, mango, and pistachio yesterday), but still good.
The coffee from the automatic machines also wasn’t as good—tasted like Nescafé powder, but that’s a minor detail.
For dinner at Vatel, portions were indeed smaller than last year, but more than enough for one night, especially since you can have two starters or two mains, plus extra sides (mashed potatoes, spinach, veggies). The cheese selection is still more varied than on Costa or MSC. Some sauces weren’t homemade (sometimes gelatinous, like industrial sauces), but nothing major. Overall, we ate very well—varied and tasty dishes, elaborate desserts, definitely better than MSC or Costa. No lobster or Black Angus beef this year, but the meat was still very good.
We had a small issue with the AC in our cabin, but reception fixed it quickly and upgraded us to another cabin.
Worth noting: no wait at reception.
For drinks, I think they’re too expensive—aperitifs at 9 €, cocktails at 11-12 €—so the drink package pays for itself if you want two aperitifs and two cocktails per day each, but it’s a big budget.
Note that still or sparkling water is unlimited at the dispensers on Deck 11, and carafe water is served at Vatel restaurant.
The cherry on top: this cruise had a humor theme, with Titoff, Sandrine Alexi, Élie Seimoun, Maxime, Denise, Bernard Mabille, and the *Journal des Agités* columnists on board. Quality shows every day—brilliant.
We had an excellent cruise. CFC still delivers on its promises, and the value for money is great.
Small downside: the jacuzzis weren’t well adjusted—the bubbles only lasted 40 seconds, then you had to wait 2 minutes for them to restart.
In short, CFC remains our favorite cruise line. We loved spending the holidays on board and will definitely go back...
Awesome, thanks for your quick reply!
I think I’ll book the British Isles 😄. Yes for meals (for me, MSC)—I read the first line of the menu and already know the whole thing, which really disappointed me during the Greenland cruise. There was hardly any fish except for Fish and Chips ☹️. Okay, I’m not going on the cruise to eat but for the destinations, but still.
🤪🤪🤪🤪 And wishing you many more wonderful cruises!
Have a great eve
Hello and thank you for the info about the ship we’re taking (like you) from 12/22 to 01/05.
We’ve booked some excursions.
Your comments really put us at ease.
Hope we can meet up during this cruise!
Hi Jacques (same name as me!), we’ve also been traveling with Costa, MSC, Croisières de France, etc. for years, and for over a year now with CFC *Le Renaissance*—what a contrast compared to its competitors! The ship is smaller, with far fewer people, so much less noise...
The staff is lovely and all speak French, the restaurants and buffet meet our expectations with fine, complete meals, good meat, cheeses even at the buffet, and ice cream every day. We’re also going for two weeks at the end of the year, for Christmas and New Year’s. We’re looking for fellow cruisers to share a taxi to Florence during the Livorno stop. We live in the Var region and I’m 77 years old, still eager to travel with my wife to discover new horizons!
Looking forward to meeting you on board. Warm regards,
😕Hello.
Thanks for the info about this ship. Yes, there are lots of cruises, but I’m fed up with Italian passengers (even though I’m of Italian descent), especially on round-the-world trips. We’re excited to try a smaller ship, even though we’ve experienced similar ones with Costa back in the 1980s/1995. For Florence, we’ve already booked the excursion because, despite our many travels, we’ve never been there. So, the organized excursion, a first for us, works perfectly.
I see you’re in the south too, like us—we’ve been in Antibes for 15 years and still have our house in Fontainebleau.
We’d love to meet you, and I wonder if I’ve already seen you on a cruise. Though I’m terrible with faces…
Best regards,
Martine and Jacques (or Jacky, since birth).
Hello Jacques (like me!), we’ve also traveled for years with Costa, MSC, Croisières de France, etc., and for over a year now with CFC’s *Le Renaissance*—what a contrast to the competition! Smaller ship, far fewer people, so much less noise…
The staff is lovely and all speak French, the restaurants and buffet meet expectations—fine dining, complete meals, good meat, cheeses even at the buffet, with ice cream every day. We’re also going for two weeks at the end of the year, for Christmas and New Year’s. We’re looking for fellow cruisers to share a taxi to Florence during the Livorno stop. We live in the Var and I’m 77, still eager to travel with my wife to discover new horizons!
Looking forward to meeting you on board. Warm regards,
Hi, a taxi should cost around 150 € for the trip. There are also trains every hour, 30 € round-trip (about 1h15 journey).
Last time we went to Livorno, there were agencies offering bus trips to Pisa and Florence. We went to Pisa for 25 € round-trip per person (in 2019)...
Thanks Alain for the info. We looked into going to Florence by train, but the returns from Florence to Livorno are really complicated—nothing like the trip there!
We already visited Florence earlier this year on the MSC Orchestra, with the ship’s excursion. Unfortunately, it rained all day, so there are still so many sights to see that we’d like to go back. We’ve already seen Pisa some time ago. We’ll see about sharing a taxi when we get off the ship.
Have a great day! Best regards, Jacky
Hello, we’re discovering cruises for the first time! What I’ve read here is reassuring.
We board on December 29th in Marseille, and I just realized there’ll already be quite a few people on board 😊. Wishing you all a great first week! Maybe we’ll run into each other!
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Bonjour à tous
C'est avec une immense tristesse que j'ai appris ce matin le décès de notre amie Nathalie (nadu)
Beaucoup d'entre nous la connaissaient à travers ce forum, qu'elle appréciait tant. Elle aimait lire vos récits de voyage, participer aux discussions, partager ses comptes rendus de croisières et donner de précieux conseils, toujours avec bienveillance, douceur et discrétion.
Pour moi, Nathalie était bien plus qu'une passionnée de croisières. C'était une amie, une personne profondément gentille, toujours à l'écoute malgré les nombreux problèmes de santé qu'elle affrontait avec beaucoup de courage. Nous correspondions régulièrement et parfois on a eu l’occasion de s’inviter chez l’une l’autre ou d’aller ensemble avec nos époux respectifs au salon de la croisière.
Nous avions un rêve en commun : lorsque nous serions toutes les deux à la retraite, nous avions prévu de partir enfin en croisière ensemble. La vie en a décidé autrement, et ce voyage restera à jamais un projet que nous n'aurons pas eu le temps de réaliser. C'est une pensée qui me serre particulièrement le cœur aujourd'hui.
Je garderai le souvenir d'une femme douce, généreuse et toujours prête à aider les autres. Sa présence sur ce forum laissera un grand vide, tout comme son amitié dans ma vie.
J'adresse mes plus sincères pensées à son mari, à sa famille et à tous ceux qui ont eu la chance de la connaître.
Bon vent, Nathalie. J'aime à penser que tu navigues désormais sur une mer infiniment calme, sous un ciel toujours bleu. Tu resteras dans nos pensées et dans nos cœurs à chaque fois que nous parlerons de croisières ou que nous embarquerons pour un nouveau voyage.
Repose en paix, Nathalie !
Ceux qui veulent témoigner un message de réconfort et sympathie à son mari, peuvent m'envoyer un mp, je transmettrai
MERCI
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
hi there
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,
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!