Nous faisons iles et terres du soleil (dont une escale à casablanca le vendredi) en juin prochain avec le costa deliziosa.
Nous voudrions visiter la mosquée Hassan II mais je vois sur le site de Casablanca qu'il y a des visites guidées tous les jours sauf le vendredi ?
Est ce que cela veut dire que l'on peut malgré tout la visiter sans guide ou est elle fermée toute la journée au public ???
Merci d'avance à ceux (celles) qui me répondront
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
J'ai un doute malgré tout puisque Costa la propose dans ses excursions, ce qui voudrait dire qu'elle est ouverte l'après midi ???
Je souhaiterai avoir les retours de gens qui ont vécu cette situation , mais merci quand même pour ton avis.
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
Espace Touriste >> Visiter Casablanca>> La Mosquée HassanIILa Mosquée HassanII
La Mosquée Hassan II
la Mosquée Hassan II est un monument incontournable.
Erigée sur l'eau, la mosquée impressionne par la démesure de ses proportions et la finesse de son exécution.
Le Minaret le plus haut du monde
Le minaret de la Mosquée Hassan II, construit dans la tradition arabo-andalouse, se singularise par sa hauteur et par la pierre marbrière qui le revêt.
Surmonté d'un lanterneau et d'un jamour, il atteint les 210 mètres ce qui fait de lui le minaret le plus haut du monde.
Du sommet, un rayon laser, orienté vers la Mecque, brille jusqu'à 30 km de distance.
L'ornementation sculptée qui couvre sa façade en marbre est faite principalement d'entrelacs, évoquant les minarets mérinides. Les pans de zellige qui décorent le sommet sont de couleur verte et blanche, couleurs symboliques de tolérance et de paix.
A l'intérieur, le minaret est équipé d'un ascenseur rapide d'une capacité de 12 personnes pouvant atteindre le sommet de l'édifice en moins d'une minute.
La Médersa
Collège religieux, les médersas ont été introduites au Maroc par la dynastie mérinide.
Sur le plan architectural, ces édifices ont permis l'épanouissement des arts décoratifs comme en témoignent les grandes médersas de Fès et Meknès.
La médersa de la Mosquée Hassan II s'inscrit dans cette prestigieuses tradition.
Construite en demi cercle, elle est adossée au mur de la qibla sur la façade est. Elle couvre 4 840 m2 et comporte un sous sol et deux niveaux.
A l'image de l'ensemble du complexe, la médersa a permis d'adapter la tradition aux grandes révolutions technologiques.
Des moyens pédagogiques modernes sont mis à la disposition des étudiants en théologie :
bibliothèque spécialisée, salles polyvalentes pour séminaires, toutes équipées de moyens audiovisuels.
La salle des prières
Située au coeur de l'édifice, la salle de prières est certainement l'élément le plus impressionnant de ce gigantesque complexe.
Destinée à abriter 25 000 fidèles, elle est conçue sur un plan rectangulaire de 200 mètres de long sur 100 mètres de large.
Elle est formée de trois nefs perpendiculaires au mur de la qibla occupant une surface de 20 000 m2.
Les horaires de visite
La Mosquée Hassan II est l'un des rares édifices religieux qui se visite. Ainsi, en prenant part à une visite guidée,
il est possible d'admirer la salle de prières, la salle des ablutions et les hammams.
Quatre visites guidées sont organisées tous les jours, sauf le vendredi, à 9h, 10h, 11h et 14h. ou 14h30 en été. La visite se fait en français, anglais et espagnol.
Et contrairement à ce qui a été dit plus haut, toutes les mosquées ne sont pas visitables puisqu"au Maroc c'est la seule
Bonjour et merci pour ta réponse.
J'avais déjà trouvé ces renseignements sur le site mais comment se fait il que Costa propose une excursion et la visite de la mosquée un vendredi ?
Ma question reste donc entière ...
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
Peut-être ont-ils leurs "entrées" ? Nous avons eu le cas un jour à Lisbonne avec un musée le jour de fermeture hebdomadaire. Le musée a ouvert ses portes pour les excursionnistes et les visiteurs individuels sont restés sur le trottoir.
Ou bien peut-être diront-ils au dernier moment que comme c'est vendredi il n'est pas possible de visiter la mosquée. C'est déjà arrivé aussi.
Il serait plus prudent de poser la question au bureau des excursions sur le bateau avant de réserver l'excursion.
Les excursions proposées par Costa ou MSC sur leur site sont faisables uniquement lorsqu'elles sont possibles (il y a toujours des astérisques et des petites lignes à lire qui renvoient vers le catalogue général). Le site internet indique les visites génériques pour l'ensemble de leurs croisières. Sur le bateau, les excursions proposées peuvent être différentes en fonction des jours d'ouvertures etc..des sites à visiter ou bien annulés s'il n'y a pas assez d'excursionnistes pour faire un type d'excursion.
Pour avoir fait la mosquée Hassan II hors organisation du croisiériste (mais pas un vendredi), ce que je peux vous dire, c'est que lorsque vous achetez un billet, vous devez rejoindre obligatoirement un guide de la Mosquée pour pouvoir visiter (il faut parfois attendre un guide dans votre langue). On ne pouvait pas déambuler seul dedans. Donc, s'il n'y a pas de visites guidées d'organiser, à mon avis, la visite est compromise un vendredi.
Je me pose la même question pour le vendredi en avril, impossible d'avoir une réponse. J'étais même à Paris à l'office du tourisme marocain, quel accueil, elles ne savaient pas , et nous a refilé une adresse mail , office du tourisme de Casablanca , ça fait 15 jours que j'attends la réponse. J'ai un numéro de téléphone, il faudrait appeler là-bas.....
Nous étions déjà un jour de semaine , à 10h , elle est superbe....espérons la revoir avec des amis.....mais comment savoir....
Cette mosquée est vraiment magnifique. Tous les petits détails architecturaux, les mosaïques, les couleurs vives... Malheureusement, nous n’avons pu la visiter de l’intérieur, car nous étions également un vendredi quand nous y étions. C'est un jour de prière.
Par contre, le déplacement vaut largement le détour pour admirer l'extérieur, très exotique. Peut-être que les excursions proposées parlent de vous amener sur le terrain pour vous faire sentir le pouls du coin et donner des explications avec mosquée en toile de fond, ce qui est déjà très bien :)
Savoir quoi ? si vous pouvez visiter le vendredi ? Il me semble que la réponse est claire ! Sans doute pensez vous qu’ils vont arrêter la prière pour vous ? Sans doute pensez vous qu’ils vont vous autoriser parce que vous êtes touriste ? J’ai du mal à comprendre votre post puisque la réponse est bien explicite. si vous voulez vraiment visiter vous venez dans les horaires de visites en vous estimant heureuse puisque les mosquées sont interdites de visites partout ailleurs au Maroc. Maintenant attendre une réponse à votre mail alors là vous croyez vraiment au père noël !!!!
Le forum est là pour répondre à des questions mais lorsque l’on voit que des personnes ne tiennent pas compte des réponses pourtant claires alors à quoi sert de vous renseigner ? si vous ne croyez pas ce que les gens vous répondent alors cherchez vous-même sur internet et vous aurez les réponses attendues mais ne venez pas insister comme vous le faites. Ceci dit je clos le chapitre
Quelqu'un sur ce même forum, l'a pourtant visitée un vendredi mais en précisant que la visite ne s'était faite pas avant 14h30.
D'ou la question posée:possible ou pas possible ?
Pour l'instant, personne n'ayant vécu la situation (escale un vendredi ) n'a apporté sa contribution...
Donc je pense éffectivement, que cela ne sert à rien de s'énerver...😉
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
Bonjour Vincent,
Je pense malheureusement que tu ne pourras pas visister la Mosquée Hassan II un vendredi (Jour de prière) même en prenant une excursion COSTA, voici ce qu'ils disent à propos de la visite de cette Mosquée:
"Attention
Remarque : Il est recommandé de porter une tenue appropriée pour entrer dans les lieux de culte visités. Entrée dans la Mosquée avec genoux, épaules couvertes et sans chaussures. En cas de célébrations religieuses, la visite de la mosquée comprendra uniquement la façade extérieure. Le nombre de places étant limité, nous vous recommandons de réserver à l'avance. En raison de célébration religieuse o fête national, la visite du mausolée Mohammed V sera effectué seulement de l’extérieur. L'ordre des arrêts pourrait subir quelques variations."
Je pense que ce que tu as lu sur le forum concernant la visite un vendredi, la personne a certainement parlé de la visite extérieure.
Bonne croisière quand même.
Pascal
"Ce qui est important, ce n'est pas d'arriver, mais d'aller vers..."
Saint Exupéry
Cher Monsieur ,
Je m'empresse de vous répondre, de retour ce jour de ma croisière , à Casablanca , Malgré le jour de prière le vendredi , la mosquée était ouverte pour la visite à l'intérieure , pour votre information , il y a 2 visites organisées à 9h et 14h , et pour Costa spécialement pour le groupe à 10h. Je vous joindrai la photo ainsi que toutes les personnes du forums prise à la mosquée (heures d'ouverture annuelle),
Cela permettra de clarifier ce point pour tout le monde et le partager.
Il est vraiment dommage de rater cette visite , et l'accueil des guides à la Mosquée a été super agréable.
Je leur ai demandé de développer l'information sur leur site .... Cela permettra que les internautes se fassen pas ballader par des réponses parfois agressives.
Merci pour votre réponse qui apporte quelque chose de "vécu" et non pas comme certains des réponses agressives et fausses qui plus est !
Avez vous fait un C/R de votre voyage ??
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
Mon compte rendu est en cours , mais il faut tout d'abord s'occuper du linge, des valises et reprendre le boulot, mais il n'y aura pas de souci pour partager ,
A bientôt
Ah le retour fatal de la terre ferme !
Bon courage pour tout ça et j'ai hâte de lire ton CR.
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
Au moins une réponse claire, même en lisant l'information Costa, on pouvez en déduire qu'il n'était pas possible de visiter. 🙁
C'est bon pour Vincent.😉
Pascal
"Ce qui est important, ce n'est pas d'arriver, mais d'aller vers..."
Saint Exupéry
'' Sans doute pensez vous qu’ils vont vous autoriser parce que vous êtes touriste ?si vous voulez vraiment visiter vous venez dans les horaires de visites en vous estimant heureuse puisque les mosquées sont interdites de visites partout ailleurs au Maroc..... ......Maintenant attendre une réponse à votre mail alors là vous croyez vraiment au père noël !!!!
Je tombe sur votre post et je vous trouve bien agressif vis-à-vis des ''touristes'' qui, pourtant, font vivre le Maroc économiquement...🤪
'' s'estimer heureuse '' là, vous nous manquez de respect.😕
Je suis polie, mais ce que je pense de votre écrit et de vos manières me pousserait à vous dire certaines choses......seulement, moi, je respecte les gens.
Et ne critiquez pas le Père Noël, car moi je l'aime bien, mais...je suis Française.
Sur ce, faites de beaux rêves et méditez un peu.
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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
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
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
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
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.
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,
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!