Is it possible to get promotions on the MSC Yacht Club section?
What strategy should I adopt to get the best prices: book in advance or at the last minute? Is it better to book directly with MSC or through a third-party provider to get the best value for money? Thanks
Unfortunately, the good deals on YC are a thing of the past—prices have gone way up, and it’s not really worth choosing the Yacht Club anymore. You might as well go with a luxury line like Azamara or Oceania.
Isabelle, amoureuse des croisières:
COSTA, MSC, ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, NCL, HAL, PONANT, OCEANIA, AZAMARA
A VENIR
CELEBRITY EQUINOX 09/11/2026 Grèce Italie Malte
Hi there,
I completely agree with Poupou—the YC has gotten expensive. Even for an interior cabin, the minimum price is around 1800 € per person, and that’s if you book really early (they sell out fast because there are so few cabins). Some MSC ships don’t even have Yacht Club cabins. For a balcony cabin, you’re looking at at least 1000 € more.
In my opinion, it might be worth looking elsewhere for better value...
MICH74
I think you can still find a decent price if you look hard enough.
By combining the MSC discounts + Croisiland + Larguez les Amarres deals, for the Christmas week in the Mediterranean, I got a YC1 balcony cabin for **2150 € per person**.
It’s definitely not the same price for the Caribbean at this time of year, and on top of that, you have to add the flight ticket.
It’s true there are very few promotions on the YC, and yet I’m a huge fan—I’ve done over 20 cruises with YC!
I HAVE TO ADMIT I tried the new Explora Journey, and honestly, it’s nothing like the YC. I’m going back on it on November 10th, and the price difference with the YC isn’t that big compared to the services, especially the food—it’s all gourmet restaurants. On the flip side, there’s less entertainment and shows.
But they do have promotions sometimes.
They sometimes run auctions a little before departure when there are seats left, but the starting price means the savings are pretty small in the end.
J'ai eu la chance (travail et plaisir) de parcourir toute la France. Je suis aussi allé vers 120 autres pays et fait 43 croisières maritimes et fluviales avec 7 compagnies.
hi Catherine
it’s definitely a lot pricier than before
my last YC cruise I paid 1600 € for 15 nights per person
for a week I’d paid 1200 €
we can’t find those prices anymore 🙁
Isabelle, amoureuse des croisières:
COSTA, MSC, ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, NCL, HAL, PONANT, OCEANIA, AZAMARA
A VENIR
CELEBRITY EQUINOX 09/11/2026 Grèce Italie Malte
I don’t doubt that the quality-price ratio could be much better on EXPLORA. Especially since I’ve heard a lot that the quality of services has really dropped in YC.... 😕
Isabelle, amoureuse des croisières:
COSTA, MSC, ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, NCL, HAL, PONANT, OCEANIA, AZAMARA
A VENIR
CELEBRITY EQUINOX 09/11/2026 Grèce Italie Malte
You got a good price for the Christmas holidays at the YC.
Maybe MSC is hoping that former YC clients will move to the Explora ships since new YC clients haven’t experienced what it was like before... I got this response from the YC manager last year on the World Europa, saying there was a decrease compared to other YCs because new clients haven’t experienced it...🙁
Hi Michel,
It’s possible, and I also think the YC has really dropped in quality on the latest big ships, which have way more YC cabins—152 instead of 70, if I’m not mistaken.
Thanks for these details—they’re not exactly encouraging. But this price hike affects most cruises, not to mention the rising cost of flights to reach the destination. We’ll keep an eye on price trends and deals on Vacations To Go, which offers last-minute clearance sales for some of the mentioned cruise lines under 90 days before departure. Should we be worried that, on ships with a large American crowd, the tipping culture might cancel out some or all of the promotion we get?
Thanks for the details you’ve shared. We’ll weigh up all the airlines you mentioned, especially the destinations, layover times, and the quality of the services.
Hi, is it possible to know if "Larguez les amarres" is a promotion offered by Croisiland or by MSC? Thanks! It’s really interesting—now we’ll have to see if the services are as good as they used to be in the old days
Hi there,
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my comment.
You're right, all companies have generally raised their prices, but the Yacht Club price has gone up by 50% for most cruises, while at the same time, many are complaining about the drop in quality 😕
Now, if you’ve never tried it before, you won’t be able to compare it to how it was BEFORE.
If you’re set on going for the YC, I’d recommend choosing an older ship and definitely not the new ones where they pack in the crowds.
The two best are the Fantasia and Splendida, which only have very few quadruple cabins.
That limits the number of people even more—and especially the number of kids 😉
Isabelle, amoureuse des croisières:
COSTA, MSC, ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, NCL, HAL, PONANT, OCEANIA, AZAMARA
A VENIR
CELEBRITY EQUINOX 09/11/2026 Grèce Italie Malte
*Larguez les amarres* is a Facebook group. If you're a member, you get a code that gives you an extra discount with the Croisiland agency.
Some cruise lines, when you book through Vacation to Go, add extra fees if you're not a U.S. or Canadian resident (for example, HAL). So the price difference needs to be significant for it to be worth it. For MSC, I’m not convinced it’s the best deal.
The quality of a Yacht Club doesn’t depend on the ship itself but on the crew and management—and crews change very regularly. So in my opinion, you can’t really say one ship is better than another... However, I’d recommend ships where the number of Yacht Club cabins is smaller (70 cabins vs. 152 on the latest ships). Most complaints about service and noise come from passengers in the larger Yacht Clubs.
Also worth noting: the higher you go in ship class, the less strict the dress codes become. Casual chic takes over, and formal evenings are becoming rarer. Still, sloppy outfits aren’t tolerated (and thankfully so 😉).
Hello
So glad to be back on the forum with all of you too! 🙂
Back in October 2019, I got a great price (1000 €) on the *Fantasia* because it was a repositioning cruise—one day shorter. I haven’t seen prices like that since, but I was tied to school holidays back then. Not anymore since October 1st—retirement means travel time! 😊😍
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
I’m also so happy to be back on the forum—it was super helpful for my previous cruises! I found tons of info for my port stops and, most importantly, all the great tips with contacts. It even helped me make some amazing connections on board.
Thanks everyone!
Hi there,
During my last MSC cruise in May 2024, I booked the one for May 2025 directly on board.
On top of the usual 5% discount, they offered me 300 € to spend exclusively on the ship during my next cruise for a YC cabin.
It’s not amazing, I’ll admit, but I took it anyway!
Personally, I didn’t notice any negative changes in the YC between the older and newer ships.
The cabins on the older ships are smaller with a bathtub.
The YC bar on the newer ships is open to the outside with a promenade and a great view.
The restaurant is above the bar, with another great view.
For the older ships, you have to cross the entire ship to reach the restaurant at the back (which kind of ruins the cozy YC vibe).
It’s true that we have the option not to travel during school holidays, which can make all the difference...
Hi Francis,
I’m also happy to see you here. You’re right—MSC does offer bidding when they have unsold cabins, but the starting price is high, at least for the YC.
See you soon!
Hello,
that's true.
I was offered upgrade auctions.
I don’t know if that’s what you’re talking about.
A few days before departure, MSC offered me the chance to bid on higher-category cabins than the one I’d booked.
This went all the way up to the royal suite.
What you need to know is that each bid had a required minimum.
For example, if I remember correctly, they offered me the suite with a jacuzzi for a minimum of 1,000 euros extra for the week. Of course, I could bid more, but not less.
That’s the supplement—or nearly the supplement—I would’ve had to pay when booking.
Same principle for the other cabins, with increasingly higher minimum amounts proportional to the category.
I would’ve found it worthwhile with a minimum 50% discount or, better yet, if I could’ve bid with just 1 euro...
Hi Francischem, so glad to see you here—I hope you're doing well.
J'ai eu la chance (travail et plaisir) de parcourir toute la France. Je suis aussi allé vers 120 autres pays et fait 43 croisières maritimes et fluviales avec 7 compagnies.
Hello,
it's true.
I got to bid for an upgrade.
I don’t know if that’s what you’re talking about.
A few days before departure, MSC offered me the chance to bid on different cabins higher than the one I’d booked.
This went all the way up to the royal suite.
What you need to know is that each bid had a required minimum.
For example, from what I remember, they offered me the suite with a hot tub for a minimum of 1,000 Euros extra for the week. Obviously, I could bid more, but not less.
That’s the supplement—or almost the supplement—I would’ve had to pay at booking.
Same principle for the other cabins, with minimum amounts increasing proportionally to the category.
I would’ve found it interesting with a minimum 50% discount or, better yet, if you could bid starting at just 1 Euro...
Yes, that’s it, and I don’t really see the advantage.
Hi Alain,
really happy too.
Yes, like some others, I found MSC’s bid-based upgrade system absolutely ridiculous and I’ve already let them know twice... Total waste of time because for my next departure on 11/28 they’re offering me the same thing again.
However, I can’t get any answers about the Valencia stopover—I have a stop there on the 29th and I can’t find out if it’s still happening (and what on earth we’d do there in the middle of the population’s struggles).
If not, where will we go? I don’t believe they’ll replace it with a nearby stop at the last minute—you don’t just book a port on short notice...
Will we just spend an extra day at sea?
Does anyone know of a specific service at MSC France I could contact?
I’ve already been to Valencia and won’t lose sleep over it, but I’m surprised there’s no communication about this. I can’t imagine that with just 3 weeks until departure and given the current damage, MSC doesn’t already have some idea of what’s going on...?
And sorry for posting here about a topic unrelated to the original subject, but it’s about something important: the departure schedule.
Has any brave soul taken over that super useful schedule?
Does anyone know?
F.
Hi Francis,
I read that layovers are in Valencia because the city itself was barely affected thanks to the major works done to divert the river—it worked well for them.
However, the excursions offered by the cruise lines are seeing a lot of changes.
Happy cruising.
J'ai eu la chance (travail et plaisir) de parcourir toute la France. Je suis aussi allé vers 120 autres pays et fait 43 croisières maritimes et fluviales avec 7 compagnies.
This German site offers a cabin for 2 people departing from Hamburg for ONE WEEK in February 2025 starting at 1,364 € per person: https://ibe.kreuzfahrerei.de/de/kabine?baid=jOu1jxgm8D
Plus, the agency is offering 5% in onboard credit.
Hi,
Last year, we booked a balcony cabin on the World Europa.
MSC also offered YC cabins at auction, which we didn’t go for.
And surprisingly, a few days before departure, they upgraded us to YC at no extra cost.
Maybe they had demand for balconies and extra YC cabins?
We really appreciated this lucky break.
Best,
Josiane
Romantica - Adriana - Galaxy - Wind NCL - Allegra - Orchestra - Solstice - Brilliance - Solstice - Liberty & Magnifica - Magnifica & Préziosa - Liberty & Eclipse - Allure - Symphony - Spectrum - Pandaw II - Harmonie - Edge - World europa - Diadema
Nous partons en croisière sur le fantasia Msc à la fin du mois, nous avons pris un vol en avion sans passer par Msc et pour le retour, nous devons être à…
Voila 6 mois que je me suis engagé auprès d’une agence pour une Croisière. Entre temps, la fameuse crise que nous subissons à fait que nombre de Croisiéristes…
Je pars sur le msc musica du 19 au 26/04, avec mes 3 enfants (10/12 et 14 ans) et 2 autres adultes de + 60 ans. Nous avons un budget réduit en ce qui concerne…
Slt je voulais juste savoir si il est possible de faire le voyage France Canada par bateau (au lieu de l'avion que je crains)? Si oui par quelle compagnie…
Super offre sur le crown princess 25 jours a 772 euro!!!!!! =30 euro par jours du 16 avril au 11 mai Tue 16/04/13Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) / USA 16:00…
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
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
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
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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!
