Bonjour nous ferons une mini croisiere aux bahamas du 2 au 5 mai 2014 sur l'enchantment of the seas de la compagnie Royal carribean au depart de port canaveral en floride.
Avez vous deja fais cette croisiere sur ce bateau car j aurais aimé avoir des renseignements sur les boissons chaudes a volontés a bord car il parait que toute les boissons chaude sont gratuite !!! info ou intox ?
Et si jamais vous faites partis du meme voyage contactez moi !
merci pour vos renseignements !
Patrick🙂
Hello Patrick,
Nous avons effectué une mini croisière aux Bahamas avec Royal Caribbean, mais sur le Majesty of the Seas au départ de Miami (quatre jours). Même si le bateau est différent, de même que le port de départ, je pense que le système des boissons est le même. A bord, sont gratuits l'eau, le thé glacé non sucré, la limonade lors des repas, et le jus d'orange le matin au petit déjeuner. Gratuits egalement, le café, le thé ou le chocolat le matin. Les expressos, les vins, les sodas, les bières, les cocktails alcoolisés ou non, les eaux minérales (sauf si vous avez choisi un ou des forfaits proposés) sont payants à bord.
Je vous souhaite une belle croisière!
Yael
Merci Yael de vos informations , nous verrons donc a bord si les forfaits boisson sont interressant ! J ai egalement vu sur un site que meme pour une mini croisiere il y avait une soirée du commandant donc avec costume et cravate recommandé pour les hommes ... est-ce que vous aussi pour une mini croisiere vous avez eu ce genre de soirée ?
Encore merci
Il y a effectivement une soirée à bord - je ne sais plus si c'est soirée du Capitaine ou soirée de Gala. La tenue habillée est recommandée, mais avec Royal Caribbean, le dress code est très souple. Même si vous n'avez pas de cravate, ou même de veste, vous pourrez accéder sans problème au restaurant. En tout cas, en 2012, lors de notre croisière, il y avait un peu de tout - tenues de soirée, tenues habillées, de ville, tenues décontractées (jean, polo ou chemise). Chacun son envie! 🙂
N'hésitez pas si vous avez besoin d'autres renseignements - peut-être avons nous les mêmes escales -
Cordialement,
Yael
Encore une fois merci, nous avions plus ou moins prevue de prendre une tenue un peu plus habillé ! En ce qui concerne nos escales il y en a deux : Nassau et coco bay .
Une autre petite question concernant le duty free a bord surtout concernant les cigarettes.. hé oui c est pas bien mais etant fumeur je pense forcement a faire des economies sur l achat de cigarettes !
J'avais les mêmes escales, plus Key West. Nassau est très facilement visitée à pied et l'après midi, nous avions été sur Paradise Island visiter le complexe Atlantis. Cococay est l'île privée de la RCL - farniente, baignade et super barbecue assurés!
Pour les cigarettes, je ne suis pas fumeuse....mais mon mari oui 🙁 donc achat au duty free intéressant sur le plan financier....moins pour les poumons 🙂
Je suis daccord avec vous pour les poumons !! mais bon ...
Pour vos escales vous avez acheté des excursions ? car j ai un mauvais souvenir lors d'excursions payées et finalement facilement possible a faire soi meme gratuitement !
Apres cette croisiere nous restons deux jours a Orlando pour allez faire un tour aux parc disney .. y etes vous deja allé ?
Non, aucune excursion de réservée pour nous lors de cette croisière. Nous avons visité Nassau et Key West sans problème par nous-mêmes. Vous rendre sur Paradise Island, si cela vous tente, vous coûtera entre 4 et 6 dollars par personne en taxi. Par contre si vous voulez accéder aux piscines ou visiter leur aquarium réputé, c'est payant - et c'est une des excursions proposées par RCL, de même, si ma mémoire est bonne, que vous pouvez aller nager ou du moins vous baigner avec des raies géantes - autre proposition d'excursion. Cela vous est proposé aussi par des organisateurs locaux à votre descente du bateau, mais attention ce peut être moins cher, mais il faut bien tenir compte des horaires pour le retour au bateau. Le plus prudent reste peut-être de prendre l'excursion proposée par la compagnie, cela reste un choix personnel.
De Port Canaveral, vous êtes à environ une heure de voiture d'Orlando. Avez-vous déjà décidé quels parks vous voulez visiter?
C est mon reve de nager avec les raies geante donc oui j essayerais de trouver le moyen de faire ca au moins !! si vous avez des infos sur cette activitée je suis preneur !!!!! ( tarifs lieux etc...)
Pour Orlando nous louons une voiture et oui nous irons au magik kigdom ( le parc Disney avec le chateau ) Là aussi on ne sais pas trop ou acheter les entrées car certains nous disent qu il faut les acheter avant de partir sur le net et d autres nous conseille de les acheter sur place dans differents point de vente mais surtout pas a l 'entrées des parcs !
Vous etes vraiment sympa de nous donner tout vos conseils cela nous permet de preparer notre voyage plus tranquillement !🙂
J'ai gardé en souvenir pas mal de documents de nos deux croisières, je vais chercher et vous communiquer les renseignements concernant les excursions. Les tarifs seront peut-être un peu différents, mais les propositions devraient être assez équivalentes à ce que vous aurez.
Nous sommes partis de Port Canaveral pour notre deuxième croisière sur le Freedom of the Seas. A la descente du bateau, nous avions pris la navette gratuite du loueur (Avis, pour nous ) pour prendre notre véhicule et rejoindre Orlando. Pour vos billets, vous pouvez effectivement les acheter sur Internet (en général, un peu moins cher de quelques dollars), ou les acheter dans des kiosques à Orlando, ou même très souvent, à un guichet de réservation dans votre hôtel. Il vaut mieux éviter de les acheter à l'entrée du park, surtout parce qu'il y a souvent des files d'attente - plus ou moins longues - et donc, une perte de temps. Le park étant très étendu, mieux vaut optimiser votre journée sur place!
Vous n'avez que deux jours sur place, sinon, je vous aurai conseillé de faire également Sea World et Universal! Ce sont nos deux parks préférés!
Avez-vous dèjà réservé véhicule, hôtel, vols etc?
Je prends le relais de Patrick puis que je pars avec lui pour cette croisière.
Nous avons déjà tout réservé ( vols , hôtels , et voiture mais avec Hertz ) A ce propos nous allons voir s ils proposent le même service de navettes qu'Avis .
Pour les excursions , perso , je suis plus du style à vouloir me débrouiller tout seul . Je n'ai pas gardé un tres bon souvenir des excursions proposées par l'armateur lors de notre dernière croisière : cher et sans intérêt . Et puis aller à la rencontre des locaux en quittant pour un moment le groupe me plait davantage.
Hello Olivier,
Comme promis, je regarde mes docs concernant les excursions cet après-midi si je peux. Concernant Hertz, je pense qu'ils offrent le même service qu'Avis. Du moment que vous avez réservé votre véhicule, la navette se trouvera à la sortie du bateau pour vous emmener le récupérer sur leur parking. Nous avons beaucoup aimé le fait de visiter Nassau à notre rythme, et si vous avez l'opportunité de le faire, allez gravir les 66 marches (je crois) de l'escalier de la Reine, qui vous donnera un beau point de vue sur Nassau, et vous aurez en prime (contre un petit billet) les explications données par des guides locaux bien sympa!
A tout à l'heure !
Yael
J'ai regardé mes docs, mais en fait, je n'ai pas les tarifs concernant les excursions proposées sur le Majesty of the Seas - seulement celles du Freedom, à Grand Cayman. Je ne veux pas vous induire en erreur, surtout que plusieurs excursions sur le même thème sont possibles.
Vous pouvez de toute façon, sur le site américain de RCL, avec votre nom, votre numéro de réservation, la date de la croisière et le nom de votre bateau, avoir accès aux excursions proposées et à leurs tarifs. Mais je sais qu'à l'arrivée à Nassau, vous verrez beaucoup de locaux proposer diverses excursions, probablement moins chères. Encore une fois, le seul inconvénient - à mon avis - est de prendre de la marge pour le retour au bateau... qui n'attend pas les retardataires, sauf si le retard concerne un retour d'excursion organisée par la compagnie.
Sur internet, vous trouverez facilement des exemples de "walking tour" qui vous permettront de voir le Parliament Square, la "Nassau Public Library, la Poste, l'Escalier de la Reine, le Fort Fincastle, la Maison du Gouvernement, le Straw Market si vous voulez ramener des souvenirs, etc. Je vous conseille aussi, - si cela vous tente- un arrêt bien sympa pour prendre un verre et vous reposer un peu dans les jardins du British Colonial Hôtel, près de la piscine.
A Cococay - dont j'ai retrouvé la fiche - c'est repos total! mais sinon, vous pouvez moyennant finances, faire du kayak, du jet ski, parasailing, jeux aquatiques, louer un matelas pneumatique, faire du snorkeling, etc. Et goûtez un Cocoloco (mélange de jus de fruits et rhum) un délice (qui perso, m'a permis une bonne sieste 🙂 )
Voilà, je suis à votre disposition si vous avez besoin d'autres renseignements,
cordialement,
Yael
Bonjour,
J'ai fait cette croisière l'an dernier, beaucoup de plaisir à bord.
Café, tisane ou thé inclus, eau aussi inclus mais pas en bouteille.
Coco Cay très belle plage relaxante.
La nourriture très bonne et le capitaine est très présent.
C'était notre deuxième fois sur ce navire.
Pour une fois mon mari avait pas apporter d'habit juste belle chemise et pantalon noir.
C'était bien correct comme habillement.
bonjour Tiffany,
je souhaite effectuer cette croisière en juin prochain. Mais je ne sais pas quelle compagnie choisir entre le royal caraeben et le norwagian ?
qu'en pensez-vous compte tenu de votre expérience ?
sur quelle site avez-vous réservé votre croisière ?
Moi j'aime beaucoup Royal, mais par contre j'ai jamais voyagé avec NCL. J'ai voyagé avec Princess et Celebrity aussi très bien.
Je réserve mes croisières à une agence du Québec.
Je vérifie toujours les prix sur le site des compagnies de croisière avant et ensuite je vais à l'agence.
C'est pas pire comme astuce de réservation mais à mon avis le contraire serait meilleur car si vous avez un bon agent il pourra avoir accès a des prix premièrement meilleur que l'internet et 2èmement meilleurs que la plupart des autres agences par certaines astuces.
Quand je regarde sur les sites des compagnies ca me donne une bonne idée des cabines disponibles des itinéraires et des prix possible.
Je regarde les prix sur des agences de voyage en ligne et je simule mon voyage choisi ca aussi ca me donne une bonne idée.
Ensuite je vais à mon agence et je lui dis ce que je veux et elle me donne son prix comme ca je peux comparer avec mes recherches.
J'aime bien faire mes recherches avant, je regarde pour le prix de mes billets d'avion, hôtel.
Je sais ce que je veux quand j arrive à l'agence, c'est juste que j'aime mieux réserver par une agence que sur le net.
Pour Avril le billet d'avion avec l'agence était moindre que ce que je trouvais tant mieux pour moi.
Par contre l'hôtel à Venise moins dispendieux en réservant par moi-même.
L'économie ca permet de faire plus de croisières.😉
Si vous ne faite pas affaire avec une agence spécialisé en croisières je vous suggère ce petit truc car les gens spécialisés en croisière ont accès à des prix qui ne sont même pas affiché sur le net et ce sont des prix spéciaux qu'ils peuvent offrir. Bien des agences ne savent même pas que cela existe.
Mon agence habituelle ne vend que des croisières. Les 2 dernières croisières ont été acheté ailleurs et on n'a eu quelque chose de bien aussi et un bon service.
Bonjour PegSam
Si je peux me permettre de répondre, j'ai aussi fait quelques croisières avec le Royal Caribbean Le Princess et le Celebrity's et la prochaine sera avec le Norwegian le nouveau Quantum.
Ce sont toutes de bonnes compagnies de croisières , ce qui est important , c'est de choisir votre croisière, de regarder ce que les diverses Cie de bateaux vous offrent en fait d'itinéraire, la durée de la croisière et de comparer les prix ...
Je fais un peu comme Tiffany, je regarde un peu partout sur les différents sites de croisières et lorsque je sais ce que je veux je contacte mon agent de voyage et souvent j'ai encore de meilleurs prix, jusqu'à présent j'ai toujours été satisfaite.
Rectification .....Désolée de l'erreur , parfois trop vite à écrire ....Le Quantum est de la flotte de Royal Caribbean et le nouveau de Norwegian est le Breakaway....
Merci Voyages 123 de l'avoir souligné .
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
We're leaving on August 25th for a Danube cruise from Vienna to Bucharest. The travel agency refuses to postpone this cruise despite navigation changes due to the exceptional drought, which include bus transfers that don’t interest us.
Have you had any experiences with this that you’d like to share?
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
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
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
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.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
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!
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
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,
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!
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.
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.