Nous vous proposons de découvrir en images la livraison et le départ du dernier paquebot construit à Saint-Nazaire. Jusqu'au dernier moment, hier, l'appareillage du MSC Magnifica est resté incertain. Bloqué dans la forme Joubert par un mouvement de grève des agents du port de Nantes Saint-Nazaire, le navire, réalisé par STX France, a finalement pris la mer à 14H, suite à une réquisition du préfet. Le matin même, s'était déroulé dans les bourrasques de vent et sous la pluie la cérémonie de changement de pavillon, au cours de laquelle le paquebot a été béni, avant que la traditionnelle bouteille de champagne ne soit brisée sur sa coque.
Quatrième unité du type Musica, le MSC Magnifica mesure 293.8 mètres de long pour une jauge de 93.330 tonneaux. Disposant de 1275 cabines, il compte de nombreux équipements, dont 4 restaurants, un buffet, 17 salons et bars, une discothèque, un casino, un théâtre de 1240 places et un centre de bien-être. Par rapport à ses aînés (Musica, Orchestra et Poesia), ce navire se distingue par l'adoption d'un magrodôme, verrière amovible couvrant l'une des deux piscines extérieures. Il compte également un billard, un bowling et un cinéma 4D. Enfin, le chef Mauro Uliassi, 2 étoiles au guide Michelin, a conçu la carte du restaurant Oasi
Malheureusement, nous n'avons pas eu le temps de découvrir en profondeur le navire. Toutefois, les quelques espaces que nous avons traversés laissent une excellente impression. Comme sur les derniers paquebots livrés à MSC, les décors sont très réussis et la qualité de finition vraiment étonnante. « Il s'agit de mon 3ème navire chez MSC. Chaque fois c'est encore plus beau. Le MSC Fantasia était déjà superbe mais je crois que celui-ci est particulier. C'est une véritable maison d'orfèvre, les passagers sont très étonnés et je pense que le MSC Magnifica aura beaucoup de succès », estime Giuliano Bossi, commandant du paquebot. Pour sa croisière inaugurale, le MSC Magnifica a embarqué plus de 600 passagers pour une traversée exceptionnelle avec départ et retour de Saint-Nazaire. On n'avait pas vu cela depuis 70 ans ! A l'occasion de cette croisière, l'escale à Southampton, ce week-end, sera mise à profit par la compagnie pour organiser une grande soirée de présentation destinée au marché britannique, leader en Europe avec 1.5 million de passagers par an.
Pendant sa navigation, le navire se mesure également aux éléments, des creux de 8 mètres ayant été annoncés au large de la Bretagne cette nuit et une nouvelle dépression devant balayer la Manche et l'Atlantique dimanche. Hier, le commandant Bossi se voulait toutefois rassurant : « Les essais en mer que nous avons réalisé ont été exceptionnels. Le navire a réalisé son crash stop (arrêt d'urgence) en 7 longueurs, contre 15 habituellement. En matière de confort, il est également très silencieux. Enfin, le système de stabilisation fait que par mer 7 ou 8, il ne bouge pas. Il n'y a donc pas de problème de mal de mer pour les passagers ». Les clients du Magnifica, à leur retour en France, diront si le commandant avait raison. En attendant, ils ont profité hier après-midi d'un appareillage assez extraordinaire. Après la tempête du matin, l'horizon bouché, les fortes rafales de vent et la pluie, le ciel s'est subitement dégagé au moment du départ. C'est avec une mer plutôt calme, sous un ciel bleu et avec le soleil que le navire a quitté Saint-Nazaire, au son de la corne de brume. Au moment où MSC négocie pour la commande de nouveaux paquebots, certains y verront sans doute un signe favorable...
Après son retour dans le port ligérien, le 1er mars, le MSC Magnifica repartira avec des passagers pour Hambourg, où il sera baptisé le 6 mars (une escale est prévue à Cherbourg le 2 mars). Le navire sera ensuite exploité en Méditerranée, avec des croisières de 12 jours au départ de Venise et à destination de la Croatie, de l'Italie, de la Grèce et de la Turquie.
donc, les piscines n'étaient pas couvertes sur la classe musica. MSC a du entendre parler du pays par les clients et corrige le tir avec le magnifica. chez costa, les piscines depuis la classe méditérannéa/atlantica et fortuna/concordia.
il était temps que MSC se réveille. personnellement je n'aime pas l'ambiance "piscine municipale" des piscines couvertes mais ce n'est pas le cas de tout les clients.
si on ne se recause pas d'ici 2 jours, je te souhaite un bon voyage avec les K&P. bises à Monique bien sur, que j'apprécie beaucoup.
2005 Costa Fortuna/2008 Costa Magica/2009 NCL GEM-MSC splendida/2010 Costa Magica-NCL JADE/2011 Costa Pacifica-Costa Magica/2012 Costa Serena-RCI Grandeur OTS/2013-MSC Splendida
hello steph. MSC s'y est mis sur la classe fantasia/splendida. MSC à mis du temps à comprendre je trouve. les croisières ce n'est pas uniquement en été. 😛
Merci Bruno, il porte bien son nom 😏😏
Toi qui connais les bateaux Costa, il me semble moins tape à l'oeil et plus classe ??
Bonne soirée
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
c'est mon avis. mais tous les bateaux MSC sont dans ces tons plus sobre et plus classe. ma prochaine croisière sera probablement chez MSC si je trouve une croisière qui me plait. et pourquoi pas sur le magnifica. on verra. 🙂
😉franchement je prefere les msc aux costa question deco !ils semblent plus sobres, mais j'hesite à faire une croisiere sur msc, car j'ai regulierement lu des points negatifs par rapport à costa ! mais qui sait peut etre un jour !
quand au fait du pb de greve qui a reculé la livraison du bateau, il ne faudra pas s'etonner si un jour msc confie la construction de leur paquebot ailleurs !!! ces français grands raleurs, ayant l'habitude de prendre tout le monde en otage pour des revendications (peut etre justifiées) il existe surement d'autres moyens que de risquer de perdre un client de cet envergure ! ils seront les premiers à raler quand ils perdront le contrat, et se retrouverons au chomage !!
bon voilà mon petit coup de gueule passé excusez si j'ai choqué quelque personnes !
MSC doit signer un nouveau contrat avec les chantiers navals de st nazaire. d'après ce que j'ai lun MSC a menacé d'annulé la commande si le bateau ne partait. les forces de l'ordre sont intervenues et le problème a été vite réglé.
pour les grèves, je suis d'accord avec toi. les chantiers n'ont que deux commandes à venir. MSC et un bateau pour la marine. ca aurait pu faire mal en cas d'annulation de la commande MSC.
reste à savoir si la menace aurait été mise à exécution... 🤪
🙁 c'est bien ce que je disais, à force de trop vouloir, on fini par tout perdre !! mais bon c'est dans la plitique des français d'exiger sans forcement penser aux consequences, !!
cela revient à la conversation sur le naufrage de l'europa, des personnes sous payés, avec peu de droits, qui jamais se plaignent, (imaginer une greve du personnel sur un paquebot !!!) attention, je ne dis pas que c'est ce qui faut en france bien sur !! mais avant de se plaindre certains bien pensant ferraient mieux de ... penser aux consequences, et surtout en cette periode de crise mondiale, d'essayer ede garder des gros clients au risque de quelque consequences plutot que de les perdre au profit de pays qui ralent moins et qui travaillent tout aussi bien !!!mais bon on ne va pas refaire le monde !! l'essentiel c'est que le probleme à ete reglé (meme si cela a du laisser quelque mauvaises impressions à msc, risquant de les faire reflechir pour de futures commandes !!)et que ce paquebot qui a l'air superbe !
bjr je voulais juste dire que stx est un chantier coreen et qu'ils ont plusieur chantier dans le monde dont celuit de st nazaire et que je ne suis pas persuadé que msc avait l'intention de construire son futur paquebot a st nazaire et que sans la greve l'etat francais ne serait pas intervenu pour financer une partie du prochain paquebot
a bientot
bjr je voulais juste dire que stx est un chantier coreen et qu'ils ont plusieur chantier dans le monde dont celuit de st nazaire et que je ne suis pas persuadé que msc avait l'intention de construire son futur paquebot a st nazaire et que sans la greve l'etat francais ne serait pas intervenu pour financer une partie du prochain paquebot
a bientot
merci pour votre témoignage, pjan.
et si stx délocalisé la construction la ou la main d'oeuvre serait moins chère ? on en parle bcp en ce moment de ce sujet... 🤪
Ben..... ç'est ça : Un magrodome est un toit coulissant de verre que l'on voit à bord des paquebots. Il peut être ouvert et fermé automatiquement en fonction de la météo et il est souvent placé au-dessus d'une piscine d'offrir un cadre intérieur-extérieur.
Tu sais bien commandant, que tu peux compter sur moi et si je peux contribuer à ce que les passagers reconnaissent en toi, l'homme d'une seule culture, la vraie.......
Livré le 25 février par les chantiers STX France de Saint-Nazaire, le paquebot MSC Magnifica a fait escale le 2 mars à Cherbourg. Le grand navire de croisière de 294 mètres et 1259 cabines est arrivé à 11H45, accueilli par le remorqueur Abeille Liberté. Après une journée dans le Cotentin, les passagers ont rembarqué pour appareiller à 20 heures, cap sur le détroit du Pas-de-Calais puis l'Allemagne. Le paquebot arrive aujourd'hui à Hambourg, port où il va être baptisé samedi. Le Magnifica est la quatrième unité de la classe Musica.
Le paquebot MSC Magnifica, livré le 25 février par les chantiers STX France de Saint-Nazaire, a été baptisé samedi à Hambourg. Après l'Italie, l'Espagne et la Grande-Bretagne, le compagnie italo-suisse MSC Cruises a choisi l'Allemagne, second marché européen de la croisière, pour le baptême officiel de son nouveau navire.
Quatrième unité de la classe Musica, le MSC Magnifica mesure 293.8 mètres de long pour une largeur de 32.2 mètres et une hauteur de 59.6 mètres. Cette unité de 93.330 tonneaux dispose de 13 ponts desservis par autant d'ascenseurs, et compte une surface de 22.000 m2. Capable de filer 23 noeuds, le navire dispose de 1259 cabines, dont 16 dédiées aux passagers à mobilité réduite, 44 suites et 837 cabines avec balcon. Les surfaces de ces logements varient de 14 m2 (cabine intérieure) à 42 m2 (suite deluxe). La capacité maximale est de 3010 passagers.
Paquebot doté d'une décoration particulièrement réussie, le MSC Magnifica compte 6 bains à remous et 4 piscines, dont une couverte par un magrodome, verrière amovible permettant de profiter du bassin à n'importe quelle saison. Le navire compte également quatre restaurants, dont l'Oasi, où l'on peut goûter à la cuisine du chef Mauro Uliassi (2 étoiles au Michelin). Il y a également à bord un casino, une discothèque, ainsi qu'un immense théâtre de 1240 places.
On compte aussi 17 salons et bars avec des ambiances très variées. L'Olimpiade, bar des sports, compte notamment un bowling. Parmi les autres nouveautés, on retiendra également la présence d'un cinéma 4 dimensions, qui n'était pas embarqué sur les trois premiers Musica (mais sur la série des Fantasia). Le MSC Magnifica compte, en outre, un vaste centre de bien-être, l'Aurea Spa, qui s'étale sur 1160 m2. Les enfants apprécieront les espaces qui leur sont réservés, comme l'Underwater World, alors que les sportifs apprécieront la salle de fitness, la piste de jogging ou le terrain de sport (tennis, volley, basket)
Après son baptême à Hambourg, le MSC Magnifica va rejoindre la Méditerranée, où il propose une série de croisières au départ de Venise et à destination de l'Italie, de la Croatie, de la Grèce et de la Turquie. Cette année, plusieurs voyages exceptionnels seront également proposés vers Israël.
mon fils de 10 ans était aussi sur cette croisière avec mes parents mais malheureusement on n'a que 10 photos car leur numérique a eu des soucis du coup si vous aviez des photos j'en serai ravi pour faire un album, merci
Manuella
mon fils de 10 ans était aussi sur cette croisière avec mes parents mais malheureusement on n'a que 10 photos car leur numérique a eu des soucis du coup si vous aviez des photos j'en serai ravi pour faire un album, merci
Manuella
bonsoir. j'ai posté des photos de mer et marine sur la page 1.
mais si vous voulez poster les photos personnelles du fiston, c'est avec plaisir.
Bonsoir Bruno,
je ferai un petit compte rendu prochainement, nous avons été satisfaits de notre croisiere et , ayant fait une croisiere chez Costa et une autre chez MSC, je pourrai rentrer dans le petit jeu des comparaisons, même si mon experience est un peu courte,
Pat
Bonsoir Bruno,
je ferai un petit compte rendu prochainement, nous avons été satisfaits de notre croisiere et , ayant fait une croisiere chez Costa et une autre chez MSC, je pourrai rentrer dans le petit jeu des comparaisons, même si mon experience est un peu courte,
Pat
merci pat. c'est gentil de d'être passé sur VF dès ce soir. bonne nuit et à bientôt.
Je rejoins tout à fait Bruno dans cette attente d'un compte-rendu su ce navire et cette compagnie. EugénioC, nous a fait un excellent CR sur sa croisière sur le Splendida. Un petit bémol, le service en restauration...🤪
Je pense sincèrement redécouvrir cette compagnie en 2012 car pour l'année 2011, je repars avec Costa. Je suis en train de voir avec des amis, 3 circuits différents, en septembre, et je ne manquerais pas d'en faire part dans une prochaine nouvelle discussion que j'ouvrirais afin de vous faire vivre cette préparation.😛
Concernant les circuits, et là, je vais certainement intéressés Bruno et Titi, je souhaite faire découvrir à mes amis trois circuits :
Premier circuit : celui de 2008, sur le Costa Victoria = Passage à l'Est de 14 jours sur le Costa Atlantica,
Deuxième circuit : sur le même navire, Civilisations Antiques de 12 jours, que nous avons fait en 2009, sur le Méditerranea,
Troisième circuit : sur le PACIFICA, en Terre Sainte, de 12 jours et là des escales nouvelles.
Donc, je suis preneur d'infos sur le MAGNIFICA car le type de circuit, je pense que je vais opté pour l'un de ces navires...
Comme tu le sais, je prends du muscle avec les travaux mais je garde un œil attentif sur les futurs trajets 2011. Je suis en pleine réflexion et le verdict devrait tomber cette année.
La mer me manque et je ne veux pas me faire vacciner contre le virus des croisières.
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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
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!
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?
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!
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
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.
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! 😐
C
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Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
