Nous venons de rentrer de ce long séjour à bord du costa mediterranea qui nous a ammenés de Savone le 5 décembre dernier à punta cana le 21 décembre.Soit plus de 2 semaines à bord ! Et nous n'avons pas vu le temps passer! Le retour est un peu dur car après avoir eu un service excellent, il fait se remettre aux fourneaux.Nous avons eu un temps splendide et depuis le départ la t° n'a cessé d'augmenter en douceur:a Malaga déjà il faisait 18° et une promenade jusqu'au Giralfaro nous a permis de dérouiller les jambes.Ensuite Madère et funchal, avec son jardin tropical et déjà 24° au thermomètre.Après celà 5 jrs en mer a perte de vue et mes calculs d'ensoleillement de la cabine se sont révélés exacts:il fallait choisir le côté pair pour avoir le soleil sur le balcon depuis le matin et toute la journée.Nous avons pris tous les jours l'apéro de midi sur le balcon de notre cabine(ils vendent à bord martini et autres américanos hors taxes que l'on peut consommer en privé sur sa terrasse et les glaçons sont fournis en cabine)Nous avions une cabine au pont 6 qui est idéal avec le 7 au point de vue confort et calme.Le pont 8 est bruyant si la cabine est sous les parties animations et les ponts 3 et 4 ont une vue limitée à cause des barques de secours;et au bout de cette longue navigation ;;;Terre et arrivée à la barbade et là t° tropicale jusqu'à la fin du séjour!
A bord tout est fait pour rendre le séjour agréable avec quelques petits bémols comme toujours, par ex les meilleurs endroits aux bars, lieux d'animation et de jeux , comme en Italie la loi n'est pas encore en vigueur d'interdire la cigarette dans les lieux publics, les meilleures places sont dédiées aux fumeurs!Impossible le soir d'écouter un orchestre par ailleurs excellent sans être dans une athmosphère de fumée!
Autre conseil, pour les dames un peu frileuses absolument se munir de qqchose pour se couvrir les épaules même joliment decolletées par les vêtements de soirée car l'airco souffle très froid par endroit!
J'ai plein d'autres choses à transmettre, mais pour ce soir c'est assez.
N'hésitez pas à poser vos questions
eh bien dites moi déjà sur le pont pour informer nos futurs croisièristes.moi je n'ai pas encore eue ce courage.le retour à été assez difficile.
ou est notre magnifique soleil que nous avons eu pendant 3 semaine.mais bon il faut revenir à la réalité.
peut-être nous sommes-nous croisés.nous étions nous aussi pont 6.cabine 6112.magnifiquement placée a l'avant bas-bord.
comme vous le dites .nous avons pu profité de notre balcon en y prenant un apéro que nous avions acheté dans les boutiques sans problème.( campari ou autre).nous avons pu assister chaque matin à l'arrivée sur une nouvelles ile.moment magnifique au lever du jour.
je rejoins vos premières impressions sur le début de la croiisière.MALAGA .bien.MADERE magifique.Contrairement à certaines personnes blasées, nous avons troucé ce bateau magnifique et rutilant de propreté avec un personnel charmant.toujours souriant et aimable et rès attentionne..ayant acheté le voyage tout inclus:vol, transfert, croisière.je soulignerais parfaite organisation de COSTA..déjà à l'aéroport d'ORLY.nous avons rencontré un hotesse
COSTA qui n ous a tres bien renseignés..a l'aéroport de NICE nous étions attendus par des hotesses qui nous ont dirigés vers les cars de transferts
jusqu'a SAVONE.là l'embarquement s'est effectué sans problème.
pour nous nous regrettons le surboockage de la dernière semaine à la GUADELOUPE.en fait nous avons vécus 2 croisières.LA TRANSATLANTIQUE avec une
clientele calme et pondérée.Une deuxième avec beaucoup d'enfants livrés à eux-memes.nous avons pour notre part évité l'enfer du pont neuf (piscines et buffet en participant chaque jour à des excursions.
pour ceux que cela intéresse, je reviendrais sur la poursuite de ce voyage un peu plus tard ne m'en demandez pas trop la première journée.
Bonsoir, comme l'a fait remarquer une des voyforumer c'est vrai que le bateau a accosté à la Romana avec un transfert de 2h par autocar à l'aréoport de punta cana.Je reviens sur les premiers jours en mer:notre cabine n°6234 était idéalement située avec une terrasse immense car elle passait derrière les cages d'ascenseur et le cagibi de service et donc avait la longueur de 3 balcons!!Hélas après demande impossible de faire rajouter de chaise longue pour ne pas constituer un précédent.Malgré tout c'était génial tout cet espace.Nous avions pris le 2ème service et notre table (de 6 occupée par 4)étant située à coté d'une grande baie vitrée, nous étions en dehors du brouhaha inévitable lié au service.Pour ce qui est des tables ne pas hésiter à demander un changement si l'endroit ne convient pas!La fréquentation de ce genre de parcours est multinationale cad pas de majorité par ex italienne mais un equilibre entre français, espagnols, allemands, belges, qques suisses, portugais etc...bref l'Europe avec ses avantages de bonne entente.Comme il ne s'agissait pas de se précipiter pour partir en excursion, tout était plus relax pendant les jours en mer(en tout 7)Nous avions pris avec les amis qui nous accompagnaient la formule by the glass formulée par la mention X1 sur notre carte costa et c'était super.Au restaurant d'office nous avions une bouteille d'eau pétillante et une plate, ensuite aussi une de vin blanc et une fameuse bouteille de Bardolino rouge et plus si désiré.Quelle différence avec les tables obligées de noter le n°de cabine sur le bouchon de leur bouteille et de se trimbaler avec le reste de leur eau pour ne rien perdre! Cette formule est nouvelle et ne se réserve que par l'agence de voyage ou internet avant la croisière et coute 12€ par pers par jour sans service ajouté! Ceci est valable au resto, pour ce qui est des buffets comme tout le monde se balade au pont 10, vous êtes servis à volonté mais par verre à la fois (toute boisson possible du jus d'orange bière, vin etc) et ceci de 12h à 15H.Ce qui est logique car au pont 10(piscines etc)il n'y a pas de récipient cassable en présence du public.Cela signifie aussi qu'au buffet le café est à boire dans une tasse transparente en plastic bleu ou vert et au départ cela choque et après on essaye de s'habituer.C'est comme la déco générale, mais cela j'en parlerai une autre fois.Je vais demander à mon charmant époux de publier des photos de notre croisière et je crois que nous en avons plus de 250;il faudra trier d'abord bien qu'elles soient toutes réussies car il avait pris son portable à bord et le soir chargeait celles qui nous plaisaient.
A bientôt...
Nous avions pris avec les amis qui nous accompagnaient la formule by the glass formulée par la mention X1 sur notre carte costa et c'était super. Cette formule est nouvelle et ne se réserve que par l'agence de voyage ou internet avant la croisière et coute 12€ par pers par jour sans service ajouté!
Euh, j'ai cherché absolument partout sur le site Costa, pas vu la formule By the Glass, pourtant fort intéressante, d'autant que mon épouse est au régime sans alcool depuis toujours... 😕
Quant aux paysans qui se trimbalent avec ce qui reste de leur bouteille d'eau... 🙁
De retour le 5 mai 2011 : MS Celebrity Millennium, San Juan de Puerto Rico, Canal de Panama, San Diego California
http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4258472#4258472
La formule X1 ne se vend pas par Costa en direct mais bien par l'agence de voyage qu'elle soit installée dans une boutique ou bien par internet.Pour nous en l'occurence "azur croisières" sur le web.Cette formule était aussi publiée dans le gros catalogue Croisières 2010 de Costa.Voila ce qui nous a permis de prendre cette option!
Cette formule est nouvelle et ne se réserve que par l'agence de voyage ou internet avant la croisière et coute 12€ par pers par jour sans service ajouté!
Oui c'est ça, mais ce qui est bizarre, récemment sur le Magica, je n'ai pas vu une seule pub, qui pourrait en parler, pour une future croisière!!!
Bonjour, j'espére que vous ne m'en voudrait pas mais je me permet d'écrire sur votre post car nous partons le 3 avril 2010 et j'aurais aimé savoir si quelqu'un pouvait me dire combien coute un cigare à bord du mediterranea pour mon mari?
et si certain ont les tarifs d'un peu tout ce qu'il y a à bord nous interesserais car comme nous amenons du liquide nous ne voudrions pas être trop juste dans nos comptes.
Merci à tous et encore bonne année et meilleurs voeux
bonne croisiére pour ceux qui sont partis et ceux qui vont partir
Bonsoir,
Je sais qu'Alcati avait publié en Octobre /novembre la liste de tout les coûts à bord et en recherchant sur le forum ou en lui posant la question, il pourra peut être t'aider.
Bonne soirée.
bonjour à tous
j'aurais voulu savoir si quelqu'un connaissait à saint martin the old house et son musée du rhum?
merci d'avance à tous pour vos réponses
Un musée du rhum à St martin? Possible, mais je crois que c'est une ile ou il n'y a pas de tradition 'du rhum' .Pour ce qui est d'une visite superbe, penses plutot à la plantation Clément à la Martinique.C'est très beau à visiter d'autant plus qu'il y a aussi une magnifique collection de palmiers et une ancienne maison créole des maîtres de la plantation qui est encore dans la configuration des maisons créoles de l'époque.
Bonne recherche
OLD HOUSE ET SON MUSEE DU RHUM Musées
Ouvert 7 jours/7 de 9h à 16h. Visites guidées. Entrée 5 €/adulte. Installé dans le cadre d’une ancienne habitation sucrière datant du XVIIIe siècle au ton vert et blanc, ce musée est né de la passion de deux hommes, Pierre Alibert et Pierre Beauperthuy. Ce nouvel espace, garant de la conservation du patrimoine culturel des Antilles, abrite en son sein deux muséographies distinctes mais complémentaires. La première partie est une reconstitution d’une habitation traditionnelle : le salon et la chambre à coucher avec son mobilier d’époque, les portraits de famille, des collections d’objets d’époque précieusement conservés depuis plus de six générations. L’autre partie de la maison retrace la grande aventure du rhum dans la Caraïbe : la vie des plantations de canne à sucre. Des vitrines présentent une impressionnante collection d’étiquettes de rhums de toutes origines de 1880 à nos jours, ainsi que le matériel nécessaire à la fabrication de ce précieux breuvage. A la fin de la visite, vous pouvez faire une halte autour d’un stand de dégustation.
Voila ce dont je parle j'ai trouvé cela sur internet mais personne n'en parle et je voulais savoir si quelqu'un connaissait
Bonjour Francine,
Vous qui avez fait escale à Malaga, pourriez-vous me dire s'il est facile en 4H de visiter le village de Mijas et le fort de Gibralfaro, ce dernier est-il loin de Malaga.
Merci d'avance
Nicole
Bonjour, désolée de répondre si tardivement, mais nous sommes rentrés hier soir du retour du costa classica vers la méditeranée depuis les émirats(22 jours).
A Malaga, la visite du Gibralfaro se fait à pied depuis la sortie du port et prend à peu près 1h de grimpette sérieuse mais faisable sans problème .La vue est spendide car on domine le port et il y a moyen de faire de superbes photos.(entrée du site+- 6 €)
Pour Mijas , il faut s'y rendre en excursion Costa ou en véhicule car c'est plus loin! Au dessus de Marbella.
Si vous n'êtes pas encore allée à Malaga, le mieux c'est le Gibralfaro pour commencer et la vieille ville en redescendant.Pour les deux excursions Mijas+ gibralfaro : 4h c'est trop peu.
Bonne découverte...
Croisières › République Dominicaine / Italie · 89 replies
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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!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re 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
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
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!
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
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
Ouvert 7 jours/7 de 9h à 16h. Visites guidées. Entrée 5 €/adulte. Installé dans le cadre d’une ancienne habitation sucrière datant du XVIIIe siècle au ton vert et blanc, ce musée est né de la passion de deux hommes, Pierre Alibert et Pierre Beauperthuy. Ce nouvel espace, garant de la conservation du patrimoine culturel des Antilles, abrite en son sein deux muséographies distinctes mais complémentaires. La première partie est une reconstitution d’une habitation traditionnelle : le salon et la chambre à coucher avec son mobilier d’époque, les portraits de famille, des collections d’objets d’époque précieusement conservés depuis plus de six générations. L’autre partie de la maison retrace la grande aventure du rhum dans la Caraïbe : la vie des plantations de canne à sucre. Des vitrines présentent une impressionnante collection d’étiquettes de rhums de toutes origines de 1880 à nos jours, ainsi que le matériel nécessaire à la fabrication de ce précieux breuvage. A la fin de la visite, vous pouvez faire une halte autour d’un stand de dégustation.
Voila ce dont je parle j'ai trouvé cela sur internet mais personne n'en parle et je voulais savoir si quelqu'un connaissait
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!