je pars ds quelques jours en croisière avec Msc départ de gênes .j ai une escale en Tunisie . j amène mon fils de 14 ans et un copain à lui. malheureusement celui ci a fait un renouvellement de passeport mais qui ne sera pas prêt car délais très longs et on s est inscrit il y a peu de temps pour ce voyage;j ai le E111, ?pour lautorisation sortie de territoire en CE mais ça n existe pas pour un autre continent. malgré une demande express aupres de la préfecture de marseille (l enfant relève de cette circonscription)je n ai pu obtenir de délivrance d urgence. sa mère doit par conséquent m accompagner jusqu à gênes au cas ou on ne le laisserait pas monter à bord et que je ne sois pas obligée de rester a quai pour le raccompagner a son domicile. La douane italienne est elle très vigilente par rapport aux papiers ? l an dernier je suis partie de monte carlo et on a été très peu controlé tout du moins on ne m a pas demandé mon livret de famille pour voir la sitation familiale. ce serait dommage que pour des lenteurs administratives françaises l enfant ne puisse profiter d un beau voyage qui lui est offfert. merci de me répondre très vite . j ai pensé aussi joindre l ambassade de tunisie afin qu ils acceptent de me délivrer une attestation comme quoi l enfant peut monter sur le bateau (car les eaux territoriales sont aussi soumises à la réglementation)ce qui permettrait de donner ce papier aux douaniers de gênes si toutefois on a des problèmes.
bonjour
je ne veux pas vous dire de bêtises, mais je pense que le passeport ne doit pas être obligatoire. Car nous, pour notre futur croisière à partir de Savone en Italie avec un arrêt en Tunisie, on ne nous demande que les cartes d'identités. L'an passé, nous avons été en Tunisie et la aussi nous n’avions besoin que de la carte d'identité. Par contre vu que l'enfant n'est pas le votre s’est sur il faut la sortie de territoire car il est mineur. Après je ne peut pas vous en dire plus…
Concordia 29/10/07 Deliziosa22/10/10Luminosa 26/10/11Fantasia 27/10/2013 Poésia 20/10/14Preziosa 4/11/16 Preziosa 26/09/17Fantasia 7/05/18 Grandiosia 25/10/20 Splendida 23/10/22Toscana 8/04/23 world Europa 2/11/24
bonjour
je ne peux pas vous parler de mon expérience vis à vis d'enfants car nous avons voyagé que mon mari et moi mais en 2005 on a pris l'avion toulouse - venise et retour pour un départ de croisière à partir de venise
on a été fouillé de fond en comble, nous au corps et les valisesn puce portablen appareil photo on a défait nos valises...j'ai même du me déchausser et mettre mes chaussures sur le tapis roulant car ça sonnait lorsque je passais, (au retour j'ai appris que c'était fréquent pour les chaussures car souvent les magasins mettent les antivols dans les semelles) ils ont examiné nos papiers on avait présenté nos passeports vue qu'on les avait
pour une 1ère fois que je prenais l'avion cela m'a fait un peu froid dans le dos....
maintenant vis à vis d'un enfant qui n'est pas le vôtre je ne sais pas, le mieux c'est de très bien vous renseigner AVANT le départ
je pense que sur internet sur le site du gouvernement vous devriez trouver réponse à vos questions
merci pour tous ces renseignements la seule chose qui m ennuie c est que la sortie de territoire officielle ne concerne que les pays membres de la ce et que la tunisie ne peut pas être notée, je vais demander une attestation écrite à la mère incluant ce pays avec copie de sa carte d ident et du livret de famille, en espérant qu on ne tombera pas sur un douanier excessif!!!qui jugera que l autorisation écrite est non recevable et exigera un passeport, je crois que c est surtout la compagnie voire le capitaine qui pourrait mettre un véto à son embarquement..
"la seule chose qui m ennuie c est que la sortie de territoire officielle ne concerne que les pays membres de la ce"
Faux ; ça ne concerne que la France....
Ah... Vous voulez dire que vous êtes tombé sur une mairie qui fait figurer le pays de destination sur l'AST ?..... Il y a des tas de modèles différents de ce document, jamais vu deux pareils, et en général il n'est pas mentionné de pays de destination. N'y prêtez pas attention.
Une AST normale et une CNI valide et ça ira pour un tel voyage organisé.
la maman me dit que la mairie de Marseille ne délivre qu une sortie de territoire pour la CE la compagnie MSC dit qu il faut mentionner tous les pays ou on fait escale;italie espagne malte et bingo la tunisie qui reste en plan et le copain qui reste à quai....du coup je suis obligée de demander à la maman d amener son chérubin jusqu'à gênes car si on me fait une embrouille au départ du coup elle peut le ramener à marseille !!!! et moi les vacances gachées en partie, bon espérons qu il n y aura pas d embrouille avec un douanier zêleur, mais quand même 6 semaines de délai pour faire un passeport à marseille, c'est un peu lent!!!!
J'ai vu des tas d'AST, presque toujours de modèles différents, et très rarement il était mentionné un pays de destination ; cela n'a rien d'une obligation, mais c'est plutôt semble-t-il un zèle de cette mairie. Vous devriez essayer de leur expliquer que le nom des pays n'a rien d'obligatoire. Au cas où vous feriez à Marseille l'objet d'une mesure restrictive qui n'existe pas ailleurs, vous pouvez menacer de vous placer sur un terrain légal.
Appelez votre préfecture pour tirer ça au clair.
donc il faudrait qu elle soit refaite cette attestation sans rien mentionner comme pays mais quand j ai appelé AB Croisière ce sont eux qui m ont dit de détailler les pays... bon alors je ne sais plus quoi faire on part la semaine prochaine et je ne peux pas risquer que l enfant reste à quai.en plus avec évènement au maghreb je ne sais pas trop comment la douane italienne réagit, quelle histoire pour rien et c est inadmissible que des préfectures et pas toutes emettent des vétos a faire réaliser des passeports en urgent !!!!!
quand nous avons débarqué en tunisie avec Costa, les douanes tunisiennes sont montées à bord et nous aovns dû faire la queue pour présenter aux officiers tunisiens soit nos passeports, soit carte d'identité (+photo d'identité à part à prévoir s'ils souhaitent établir un visa "quick trip") et ils ont nous ont apposé un tampon sur les passeports. et c'était en septembre 2006. donc bien se renseigner si la CI et le formulaire permette le débarquement du petit en tunisie. je ne vois pas de prb majeur à l'embarquement mais mon point d'interrogation serait effectviement la tunisie....
Costa Atlantica Mer et Mythes classiques ( 11/2005)
Costa Concordia Magique Méditerranée (09/2006)
Costa Serena Vision D'orient (11/2007 )
www.aufeminin.com (dans albums, taper nom du bateau ou mon pseudo:belatrix; mot de passe atlantica et Concordia et serena )
La Tunisie autorisera le débarquement avec passeport ou CNI pour un tel voyage organisé... Et du moment que le jeune homme a une CNI valide, il n'y a aucun problème ; l'AST c'est pour quitter la France, pas ensuite...
j'avais bien compris pour l'AST...😉 néanmoins cet enfant ne voyage pas avec ses parents et parfois malgré les multiples autorisations, certains douaniers sont récalcitrants. mais positivons, il n' y aucune raison que cela se passe mal!🙂
Costa Atlantica Mer et Mythes classiques ( 11/2005)
Costa Concordia Magique Méditerranée (09/2006)
Costa Serena Vision D'orient (11/2007 )
www.aufeminin.com (dans albums, taper nom du bateau ou mon pseudo:belatrix; mot de passe atlantica et Concordia et serena )
Cela ne regarde ni la police tunisienne ni la police italienne ; le jeune homme est en règle avec sa CNI dès lors qu'il a pu quitter ainsi le territoire national. Pourquoi voulez-vous que ça se passe mal ?
... Cela ne regarde ni la police tunisienne ni la police italienne ; le jeune homme est en règle avec sa CNI dès lors qu'il a pu quitter ainsi le territoire national. Pourquoi voulez-vous que ça se passe mal ? ... Michel
En fait apres avoir regardé de + pres suis pas si certain que ça pour la police italienne !
En effet France est Italie sont sans l'espagce Schengen SANS aucun controle pour passer entre les deux pays donc il semble que ce soit le dernier pays "Schengen" qui ai la charge des controles de sortie de l'espace Schengen (comme il fait les controles entrée)
Si je fais la comparaison avec ce que je connais lorsque tu vas en avion de Paris a une destination non Schengen via un aéroport en zone Schengen il n'y a pas de controle a Paris mais a cet AP de transit. J'en suis certain pour avoir souvent transité a Bruxelles vers l'Afrique, dans ce cas tu dois passer un controle police à l'arrivée de France à l'aéroport de BRU pour accéder à la zone "non Schengen"
Attention la cie maritime a certainement raison !
Bon voyage et surtout voyagez zen!
Michel France (85)
Les AST étant de formats divers voire disparates, rédigés plus ou moins clairement, et uniquement en français, je ne vois pas trop les Italiens contrôlant ça....
"Si je fais la comparaison avec ce que je connais lorsque tu vas en avion de Paris a une destination non Schengen via un aéroport en zone Schengen il n'y a pas de controle a Paris mais a cet AP de transit."
Qu'est-ce que tu racontes ?.... Bien sûr que si que tu passes le contrôle en France... Enfin moi je l'ai toujoru passé, quel que soit l'aéroport de transit..... Si tu voles sur Alitalian depuis CDG, tu passes le même portique de police que tout le monde, non ?
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
I’m looking to get in touch with someone who’s been on an Arctic Cruise aboard the ship POLARFRONT, operated by the French company "LATITUDE BLANCHE", for some info.
Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has ever taken a cruise with this PO Cruise company.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
They’ve got some great itineraries for Norway.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
Hi there,
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this cruise and its slightly unusual itinerary.
Also, what do you think about the price?
Good deal or too expensive?
Thanks
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Hi,
We received a promotion from our CFC agency offering cruises at up to 40-100% off, and among other details: CFC organizes parking for departures from Dunkirk.
"Unattended parking located about 12 minutes away, fenced off with barriers, at a rate of 10 € per day. Drop off passengers and luggage at the Model Pavilion, and a CFC shuttle will take you from the parking lot to the Model Pavilion every 15-20 minutes. Same for disembarkation. You can book through your agency or on their website. No refunds if the booking is canceled; payment is due at reservation."
Have a great day,
Guylène
PS: Personally, we’d rather keep our vehicle in a free, supervised parking lot and take a taxi to the Model Pavilion.
Hi there,
In June we’re taking a cruise called "Pearls of the Baltic" on board Renaissance CFC Cruises—with stops in Kiel (Germany), Gdańsk (Poland), Rønne (Bornholm), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden).
This layover in Gothenburg doesn’t really inspire me—could you tell me what’s worth seeing? Are there locals offering excursions around the area by van right when you leave the port, like you often see on Caribbean cruises?
I saw there’s a hop-on hop-off bus, but I’m not sure if there’s a stop near the terminal.
What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Hi! On June 10th, we’re heading off on a 10-day Baltic Sea cruise with CFC Cruises’ *Renaissance*. We’ll be stopping in Copenhagen, and we’re planning to take the City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off buses to explore the city with multiple stops. Could anyone tell me which quay cruise ships usually dock at and how to get from the quay to the nearest stop to board the tour bus? Thanks for your tips and suggestions!
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!