Nous partons du 16 au 30 juin 2012 sur le Luminosa pour une croisière Fjords/Baltique.
C'est notre 1ère croisière, nous nous posons beaucoup de questions notamment sur les excursions à faire.
Nous avons réservé 2 excursions : 1 à ST PETERSBOURG et 1 à GEIRANGER. Pour les autres escales, nous pourrions faire les visites nous-mêmes ? lesquelles ? où trouver les plans des villes ? sur le bateau ? ...........
Un grand merci aux personnes qui répondront à ce message
tout d'abord je vous félicite pour votre choix ;avec pareil itinéraire , vous ne serez pas déçus pour votre première croisière , d'autant que le LUMINOSA est un des meilleurs navires de la flotte COSTA
.Ce voyage nous l'avons fait , mais en deux temps :la baltique une année , les fjords l'année suivantes ( le cap nord cette année).A priori , en dehors de celles que vous avez choisies , les excursions organisées par COSTA ne s'imposent pas , sauf peut étre pour FLAM , si cette escale est toujours programmée .Justement pourriez vous me donner la détail exact de vos escales ?
Notre circuit : départ de Copenhague, puis Tallin, St Pétersbourg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhague, Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Skjolden, Hellesylt, Geiranger, retour sur Copenhague.
Nous pensions à 2 autres excursions : Copenhague, Stockholm "le must de Stockholm".
Vos conseils pour faire certaines excurions de nous-mêmes seraient très utiles, si vous voulez nous donner des renseignements "pratiques" sur le déroulement de vos croisières (restauration, forfaits, loisirs....., tout cela sera très précieux, puisque pour nous c'est une "nouveauté".
D'après notre agence, après le "Cocktail Fjords/Baltique" les croisièristes choississent souvent le Cap Nord, ce sera peut-être notre cas !
SKOLDEN et STAVANGER je ne connais pas .
Pour les autres escales il est facile de visiter par soi même à pied ou en taxi au besoin .Pour les plans, sachez que vous trouverez un tous les soirs en cabine avec le journal du jour , mais tres simplifié .Il est posible aussi que vous puisiez vous en procurer aupres de l'hôte francophone .Nous avions eu la chance avec Fréderic MATHIEU que je me permets de citer, tres apprécié des passagers , de trouver sur la croisière de la baltique quelqu'un de tres disponible .
Je vous conseille donc de ne pas manquer le jour même de l'appareillage la réunion d'information et ne pas hésiter ensuite à vous rendre à la permanence francophone (dés l'ouverture pour eviter la queue ) signalée dans le TODAY.
J'essaye de rassembler mes souvenirs et retrouver quelque photos et je vous reponds aussitôt que possible de façon plus précise
Nous avions eu la chance avec Fréderic MATHIEU que je me permets de citer, tres apprécié des passagers , de trouver sur la croisière de la baltique quelqu'un de tres disponible
Frédéric MATHIEU est effectivement une personnalité hors pair chez Costa ! Jamais pu lire sur lui une critique négative... nous l'avons eu deux fois comme hôte francophone. Parfait !
Il l'est toujours ? je craignais (pour nous...😉 ) qu'il ne "monte en grade", c'est parfois la rançon du succès...
Et ce qui est dommage, c'est qu'ils n'ont pas réussi à le cloner... dommage ! 😎😉
Je reprends votre itinéraire dans l'ordre des escales :
Copenhague :le mieux est sans doute d'y arriver la veille et de loger dans un hôtel du centre ville .Toutes les principales attractions sont à portée de marche .Il existe sinon un bon réseau de transport en commun , mais que nous n'avons pas utilisé .Ne pas manquer , entre autres, la rue commerçante du STORGET, NYHAWN , les jardins de TIVOLI (parc d'attraction) , la cathedrale de marbre , le palais royal ....et bien sûr , la petite siréne .Le terminal croisieres est assez éloigné du centre ville
Tallin :la vieille ville , entourée de remparts fortifiés peut se rejoindre trés facilement à pied .Une fois à l'interieur des remparts , regagner la place de l'hôtel de ville et n'oublier pas de grimper au sommet du clocher .L'entrée est payante est seule la devise locale est acceptée ;c'est peut etre aussi pour cela qu'un distributeur bancaire est installé à proximité .Autres curiosités: une pharmacie du XV éme siècle et l'église orthodoxe .
Helsinki :on trouve facilement un taxi pour sortir du port et pour y retourner ( station place du sénat ) Là encore le centre ville n'est pas tres étendu et tout peut se visiter à pied .Le seul point d'intêret un peu excentré , et encore, est la fameuse Rock Church , une église creusée dans la roche .Attention s'y vous aller , la file d'attente peut parfois être longue
Stockholm :nous avions pris un taxi , mais sans nécésité comme nous nous en sommes rendus compte.Le retour à pied en flanant le long des quais s'est avéré tres agréable
Plutôt que de s'attarder dans la visite de l'hotel de ville ou du musée Viking , je conseillerai un tour en caneaux en bateau .Sur le coup de midi ne pas louper la reléve de la garde au palais royal
Oslo: pas de probléme non plus , le navire accoste tout près du centre ville où se concentre les pricipaux points d'intêret , à l'exeption notable du parc VIGELAND , un disciple de RODIN , comme vous le savez peut être déja .Pour vous y rendre , prenez un taxi et faites vous indiquer un numéro d'appel pour le retour, car vous n'en trouverez pas à la sortie du parc
Bergen ; deux points d'accostage possibles , le premier tout proche du centre , le second plus éloigné mais beneficiant d'une navette gratuite .A ne pas manquer , mais vous le savez surement , le funiculaire menant sur les hauteurs de la ville;le marché au poisson , Bryggen et la zone pietonne avec sa galerie pour d'eventuels achats .
J 'essaye dans un prochain message de joindre quelque photos .Je n'en ai pas pour les villes de la baltique ;malheureusement , l'appareil est resté oublié dans le car Air France entre ORLY et ROISSY
Bonjour,
Nous avons fait cette croisière deux années de suite et ce ne fut qu'émerveillement. A la deuxième nous avons eu aussi la chance d'avoir Frédéric comme hôte français et franchement, il fait la différence. Inutile de vous affoler pour la réservation des excursions, vous pourrez juger sur le bateau au cours des réunions. Chaque soir on vous explique pour l'escale du lendemain et effectivement on peut alors se débrouiller tout seul et rien ne vaut la liberté. Seul, pour st Pé, je vous conseille de réserver, je pense que c'est plus simple. La première année nous avions pris une journée entière, croyant bien faire, mais c'est très contraignant et fatigant. Les enfants (ados) étaient plutôt déçus et évidemment nous aussi. La deuxième année, on s'était promis de faire plus léger, et ça a été super. Le matin nous avons fait un palais plus les canaux; On est rentrés au bateau le midi (peinard!). Puis nous avons pris l'exclusivité de Costa, à savoir visite de l'Ermitage en fin d'après-midi. Un rêve! nous avons pu photografier les salles vides comme si nous étions seuls, un peu comme des VIP. ça permet aussi d'avoir deux guides différents, de passer deux fois à la douane, mais l'après-midi c'est beaucoup plus cool et on n'a beaucoup moins senti l'oppression comme la première année. Les autres villes on les a fait seul et à pieds, même jusqu'au parc Vigeland à Olso. On n'y a retrouvé les groupes avec des guides, au pas de charge, et on a bien apprécié d'y être seuls et de pouvoir traîner, s'asseoir et prendre des photos à notre guise (à ne pas manquer donc). A ce qu'on a entendu aussi certaines excursions sont un peu de l'arnaque comme l'ice bar. C'est quand même bien je pense de prendre un excursion à Geiranger, ce que nous avons fait la deuxième année. Si vous tombez sur Frédéric, vous pouvez lui faire confiance, il est à l'écoute de chacun et peut donner des conseils personnalisés, pour les autres je ne garantis rien; Bonne croisière, en effet c'est un excellent choix.
C'est notre 1ère croisière, nous avons tendance à nous précipiter dans la réservation d'excursions, craignant de ne pas voir le maximum, nous risquons d'être "crevés".
Nous avons réservé 2 excursions :
- St Pétersbourg, Cathédrale du Kazan et Petrodvorets (9 H 1/2)
- Geiranger : Vues de Geiranger (3 H)
nous étions tentés pour l'Ice bar, nous ne le ferons pas.
Nous allons suivre vos conseils et visiter de façon "cool"
Nous vous remercions pour toutes ces informations précieuses pour nous.
OSLO sous la pluie :le théatre national, le parlement, le parc VIGELAND deux fois, pour se souvenir que la norvége est la patrie du black metal, le port , le palais royal
GEIRANGER :photos prises cette année au cours de l'excursion" randonnée dans les montagnes de flo".Une excursion à faire, comportant le matin une randonnée de 3 heures environ , mais facile sur terrain presque plat .Des chaussures de marche ( type approche ce sera suffisant ) sont toutefois recommandées , ne serait ce que pour le final , en descente sur sol glissant.
A ne pas manquer la photo souvenir du navire dans la FJORD ( ici le DELIZIOSA)
Oui , nous avions trouvé du soleil en 2007 à GEIRANGER et FLAM notamment ( la preuve par d'autres photos ) Ceci étant aux dires du guide , à GEIRANGER, nous avions eu beaucoup de chance ce jour là .De même BERGEN enregistrerait 300 jours de pluie par an .Mais le temps peut varier beaucoup en cours de journée .C'est aussi celà le charme de la norvége !
bonjour metallian
concernant la randonné pour gairenger
comment fonctionne t'elle
c'est au départ du bateau ou faut il prendre le bus
est ce que c'est un aller retour 3h vous dites
peut on le faire soit meme sans prendre l'excursion
merci pour les photos elles sont belles
amicalement
il est impossible de" squatter" l'excursion en la faisant par soi même .En effet , un autocar vous amêne en une demi heure , au point de départ et vous récupère en un autre point à l'arrivée .L'excursion se poursuit , apres la pause déjeuner , en autocar et vous porte notamment au mont DALSNIBBA , qui culmine à 1500 m , au dessus de GEIRANGER .C'est en redescendant , à partir d'un point d'arrêt , que l'on peut faire la fameuse photo panoramique du fjord.
Je vous conseille franchement cette excursion .
il est impossible de" squatter" l'excursion en la faisant par soi même .En effet , un autocar vous amêne en une demi heure , au point de départ et vous récupère en un autre point à l'arrivée .L'excursion se poursuit , apres la pause déjeuner , en autocar et vous porte notamment au mont DALSNIBBA , qui culmine à 1500 m , au dessus de GEIRANGER .C'est en redescendant , à partir d'un point d'arrêt , que l'on peut faire la fameuse photo panoramique du fjord.
Je vous conseille franchement cette excursion .
Bien à vous
hello.
et monter au mont Dalsniba depuis geiranger ? en randonnée par exemple. c'est faisable ?
j'avais lu VF que des passagers étaient montés à pied jusqu'a ce point de vue. je sais que le bateau dépose les excursionnistes à hellesylt et que le bateau va ensuite à geiranger pour les réupérer le soir après l'excursion. c'est bien ca ?
sinon, que peut t'on voir à geiranger mis a part le point de vue ?
Costa propose aussi une excursion depuis GEIRANGER jusqu'à DALSNIBBA au prix de 59€ par adulte .Au cours actuel EURO/NORK de 7,68 cette solution est financièrement plus interessante que celle du taxi , plus avantageuse uniquement pour 4 personnes .
Sinon , j'immagine qu'il est toujours possible de grimper à pied le long de la route , jusqu'au premier point de vue.A en juger par le nombre de cairns (petits tas de cailloux déposés par les randonneurs) l'ascension jusqu'au sommet doit être aussi de pratique courante, mais sans doute difficilement réalisable dans le laps de temps de l'escale .
En conclusion, depuis HELLESYLT ou GEIRANGER mieux vaut prendre une excursion .
Qui peut me conseiller pour faire des excursions sans etre obligé de prendre les croisieres msc on part en mai avec msc au depart de bergen sur le preziosa
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Nous allons faire une croisière dans les fjords de Norvège avec Costa à bord du "FORTUNA" Les destinations sont: copenhagen, geiranger, hellesylt, flam,…
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Hello
Après beaucoup d'hésitation sur diverses compagnies ( explora, océania, yc, HAL, NCL) et plusieurs destinations Norvège, Irlande, Islande.
J'ai finalement choisi NCL star pour l'Islande.
J'avais déjà regardé cet itinéraire quand je suis parti en avril pour l'Écosse avec CFC mais il était vraiment très cher .
Il faut savoir que CFC fait souvent des dernières minutes 45 jours avant le départ ( moment où on ne peut plus annuler ni modifier )
Donc là j'ai eu une belle opportunité que j'ai saisi.
Départ le 23 août.
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 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!