Mardi 02/07 : c'est le départ.Nous partons pour Amsterdam en voiture.Je n'aime pas arriver le jour même de l'embarquement et mon mari a une réelle aversion pour l'avion.
Nous avons réservé une chambre au NOVOTEL Airport et notre voiture restera sur place pendant la durée de notre voyage.
Rien d'extraordinaire pour la soirée.Nous sommes dans une banlieu résidentielle.De toute façon nous n'avions pas prévu de visiter Amsterdam.Déjà fait en 2011.
Je profite quand même de la piscine de l'hôtel.
Mercredi 03/07 : empruntons la navette du NOVOTEL pour rejoindre la gare située dans l'aéroport.15 mn nous séparent de la gare centrale d'Amsterdam.
Le check in doit commencer vers 11H.Nous avons le temps.
A notre sortie de la gare, nous apercevons notre bateau.Les vacances vont commencer.
Formalités d'embarquement.Nous sommes à peu près 300.Je cherche encore l'embarquement simplifié et le guichet MSC Club.
Nous montons à bord.Accueil de la part du personnel et direction notre cabine.Seuls!!
Repas rapide à la cafétéria.L'exercice de sécurité est à 14H.
Finissons notre installation.
Repas au restaurant entre Français.Nous serons 7 à table.
Pas de spectacle.Trop fatigués.
Jeudi 04/07: HAMBOURG.
Nous avons décidé de visiter par nos propres moyens.Le centre est à 30 mn de marche du bateau.
Ville portuaire qui ne nous a pas vraiment charmés.Il faut voir l'église St Michel, magnifique.Nous nous sommes reposés dans un joli jardin botanique: Planten und Blomen et nous avons découvert le quartier scandaleux Reeperbahn.Rien à envier à Pigalle.
Retour au bateau en fin d'après midi.
Pas de spectacle car embarquement de près de 2000 passagers ce jour.
Vendredi 05/07 : journée en mer.
Farniente sur le pont.Nous avons encore du soleil.
Avons opté pour le forfait SPA pour occuper nos journées en mer.Sauna et jacuzzi à volonté.
Ce soir Cocktail de Gala avec le commandant.
Et repas de gala bien sûr.
Tout le monde va se faire "beau".
Samedi 06/07 : BERGEN
Avions également décidé de nous débrouiller.Ce n'est pas si grand.
Une navette gratuite nous dépose à proximité du port et de son marché aux poissons.
Les crabes sont énormes et les sandwiches bien appétissants , mais nous avons déjà ce qu'il nous faut sur le bateau et bien largement.
Nous flânons dans les rues de Bryggen le quartier historique de Bergen.
Décidons d'emprunter un petit train touristique afin de découvrir
les hauteurs de la ville.Le tour dure environ 45 mn et c'est bien agréable.
Retour au bateau.
Demain c'est le passage du cercle polaire.
Dernière nuit à bord car nous aurons maintenant droit au jour permanent.
Dimanche 07/07: journée en mer
Aujourd'hui nous passons le cercle polaire arctique.
Une fête est organisée par l'équipe d'animation.
NEPTUNE va baptiser ses sujets.Tout le monde assiste à l'évènement.
Encore un peu de farniente sur le pont, mais la température baisse avec le vent.
Craquons pour la photo avec le certificat de passage du cercle.
Je décide à la dernière minute de réserver une excursion pour TROMSO faute d'avoir pu obtenir des infos sur les conditions de débarquement.Aucune info sur une quelconque navette et le personnel des excursions a quelques difficultés avec les demandes en français.
Nous verrons bien.
Spectacle en soirée avec la troupe du Magnifica.Superbe.
Lundi 08/07 : TROMSO
Arrivons sous la pluie.Cela promet pour notre visite.
Tour panoramqiue du centre ville.
Visite du centre Polaria, nous y verrons des phoques.Les seuls de tout le voyage.
Le car nous emmènera ensuite dans un élevage de chiens de traineau.
Je vous dis pas dans quel état nous étions en rentrant à bord.Ces chiens sont très attachants.
Honnêtement excursion bien trop chère.
Avions appris lors du repas du soir qu'un service de car était mis en place pour ceux qui ne partaient pas visiter avec MSC.Confirmation sur le Daily.Cela aurait amplement suffit.
Mauvais temps sur la mer.Le bateau attendra 3 heures avant de quitter le port.
Attention cela va secouer.
Mardi 09/07 : journée en mer.
Plus de farniente sur le pont.Il fait mauvais et froid.
Donc lecture, visite des salons du bateau et SPA.
Heureusement nous pouvons ainsi nous baigner.L'eau de la piscine est glaciale à l'extérieure.
Mercredi 10/07 :LONGYEARBYEN
Enfin, nous sommes au SPITZBERG.Arrivons sous quelques flocons de neige.Nous avions mis le réveil pour voir l'arrivée et dans l'espoir de voir des baleines.RAS.
La ville n'est pas très jolie.C'est une ville minière.Nous avons l'impression d'un gros LEGO.Débarquons à 9 h et partons visiter à pieds.
Visitons un musée sur la vie en arctique et une drôle d'église.Le ciel se découvre.
Nous sommes impatients d'^tre à l'après-midi.
J'ai en effet réservé par une agence locale une sortie en chiens de traineau.Nous avons RDV à 15H devant le bateau.Pourvu qu'il soit là.
A l'heure dite faisons la connaissance de nore guide qui est venu nous chercher avec un 4x4 .Prenons encore 6 autres touristes dans un hôtel et direction le chenil.( merci au forum)
Empruntons un semblant de route et arrivons au chenil.
Les chiens ont compris qu'ils allaient partir et nous accueillent dans un tonnerre d'aboiements.Les traineaus sont prêts mais il faut constituer l'attelage.Un à un les chiens sont placés dans l'attelage.A sa grande surprise mon mari et un autre homme sont mis à contribution.Moi je ne suis pas assez"wrong" et les autres trop âgés.
23 chiens sont sortis du chenil et nous pouvons partir, sur les chapeaux de roues.
Cette sensation est fantastique. Je suis assise et mon mari conduit les chiens.On dirait un gamin le jour de Noël.Par 2 fois nous nous arrêterons pour leur donner à boire.Cette fois c'est moi qui m'y colle.Quel contact et ils sont si affectueux.
En chemin croisons des rennes.Nous sommes en pleine nature.
Après un peu plus d'1 heure il est l'heure de rentrer.A nouveau il faut ranger les chiens un par un.Mon mari me racontera combien ils sont puissants.
Nous quittons à regret cet endroit magique et nos nouveaux amis pour rentrer au bateau fourbus mais heureux.
Merci à GREENDOG.
Avons fait des envieux à notre table.
Jeudi 11/07: MAGDALENEFJORD
Navigation panoramique.
Avons une nouvelle fois mis le réveil.Nous avons la chance d'avoir le soleil avec nous.Mais toujours pas de baleine et de morse.
Superbe paysage arctique.Les glaciers verts et bleus tombent dans la mer.
Nous avons une sensation de plénitude malgré la foule autour de nous.
Nous sommes conscients d'être au bout de la Norvège et le plus au Nord de notre voyage.
En route maintenant pour le CAP NORD.
2 journées en mer nous attendent.
Soirée MSC Club ce soir avec cocktail.
Vendredi 12/07: CAP NORD
Arrivée vers 19H.Nous avons réservé un transfert vers le CAP NORD pour 22 h avec un retour à 1 h du matin.
C'est le soleil de minuit.
Nous ne verrons pas le soleil se coucher.
Choc en arrivant nous sommes des centaines pour ne pas dire des milliers sur ce bout de rocher qui surplombe la mer.
Le globe est pris d'assaut par tous les apprentis photographes.C'est terrifiant.
Faisons une petite ballade sur la lande avant de rentrer.
Cortège de bus jusqu'au bateau.Il est presque 2 H du matin et il fait toujours jour.
Samedi 13/07: en mer
Lecture, SPA et quizz avec l'équipe d'animation.
Les adultes cela va encore mais les enfants commencent à trouver le temps long.
Dimanche 14/07 :FETE NATIONALE en mer.
Cocktail organisé par MSC pour les Français.Nous nous retrouvons avec un verre à la main pour chanter la Marseillaise.
Nous aurons également droit à un spectacle privé dans l'après midi.
Irons de plus voir DRACULA ce soir avant notre dîner.
Encore une fois de superbes numéros de cirque.
Lundi 15/07: HELLESYLT GEIRANGER
Sommes prêts à 8 h car nous devons partir en randonnée toute la journée.
Mais patatras:débarquement en chaloupe annulé à Hellesylt car la mer est trop forte.
Toute notre journée est par terre et pas de plan B.
La seule alternative proposée par MSC et une excursion que nous avons déjà faite.
Visite par nos prpopres moyens sous la pluie.Cela gâche un peu le superbe paysage du fjord.Tentons une randonnée dans la forêt mais les pierres sont trop glissantes et cela devient dangereux.
Finalement nous vengerons en achetant 2 pulls norvègiens.
Retour en chaloupe.
Profitons d'un récital avant le repas.
Retrouvons le coucher du soleil.
Mardi 16/07: en mer
Dernière journée à bord avec un peu de nostalgie.
Ce soir c'est gala et le spectacle est à la hauteur de l'évènement.
Encore une fois de beaux numéros d'équilibristes et la troupe au complet du bateau.Magnifique.La salle est debout.Que d'émotions.
Au revoir à nos compagnons du soir.
Mercredi 17/07: FIN
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
Oui il s'agit de la formule "Sleep Park and Fly".NOVOTEL garde la voiture sur le parking de l'hôtel gratuitement pendant 3 semaines.
C'est la meilleure solution pour nous qui venons en voiture.
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
Merci encore de nous avoir donné l'adresse.
Nous avons passé une après midi fantastique.
Les excursions du bateau ont toutes été critiquées: annulation d'une partie, trop de monde, pas assez de temps.
Nous nous étions 7 et 3 traineaux et un guide très gentil.
A refaire avec de la neige.
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
Très bon compte-rendu. Il n'y a pas trop de surprises et cela correspond à ce qu'on attend de cette croisière.
Néanmoins, j'ai trois questions si vous le permettez.
De quelle nationalité était la majorité des participants?
Avez-vous été contente du service (bar, à table, cabine)?
Le code d'habillement a-t-il été respecté (soirée, etc...)?
Bonsoir Didier,
sans surprise le bateau était allemand.
Animation, soirées, repas( attention au 1 er service du soir: 17H30 pour nous ce n'était pas envisageable )
En ce qui concerne les différents services.Rien à dire.Un personnel gentil et aux petits soins.Mais stressé par les pourboires de fin de croisière.
Pour la petite histoire, le petit personnel faisait plus d'efforts en français que la réception ou le service excursions.
Le dress code n'est pas toujours respecté.Tout est possible: des Italiens superbement bien habillés et des tongs. pour certains, même le soir.
Je dirais que le bateau est en 2 parties: ceux qui mangent au restaurant le soir et ceux qui restent à la cafétéria toute la journée.
Bon voyage.
La lessive est lavée( on en emmène toujours trop ).😉
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
Le guide, c'était un jeune homme blond? (j ai oublié son prenom)
Bonjour,
voici la photo de notre guide.J'ai également oublié son prénom.il avait de plus un accent à couper au couteau.
C'est peut être le même que vous.
🙂
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
Je vais bientôt partir faire la même croisière que vous.Pouvais-vous m'informer dans quelle agence vous avez réservé votre tour en chiens de traineau et combien de temps il faut prévoir, ainsi que les horaires disponibles et est ce qu'ils sont de confiance.
Merci d'avance.
MSC FANTASIA _ Octobre 2011 * Méditerranée occidentale *
COSTA PACIFICA _ Avril 2012 * Terre Sainte*
COSTA LUMINOSA _ Octobre 2012 * Les Méridionales *
MSC DIVINA _ Avril 2013 * Méditerranée orientale *
MSC PREZIOSA _ Octobre 2013 * Méditerranée occidentale *
MSC FANTASIA _ Avril 2014 * Méditerranée orientale *
MSC MAGNIFICA _ Juillet 2014 * Mer de Norvège _ Le Grand Nord *
Bonjour Antonio,
l'agence est tout à fait sérieuse.A l'heure dite il nous attendait au bas du bateau.
Par contre je ne sais pas quand vous partez.Les places sont limitées et il faut réserver bien en amont.Nous avions réservés en avril pour un départ en juillet.
Voici le lien:
http://svalbard.travelize.se/
Bon voyage à vous.
MISTRAL EUROPEAN VISION AQUAMARINE NORVEGIAN DREAM COSTA VICTORIA MSC MELODY COSTA MEDITERRANEA MSC ORCHESTRA MS SYMPHONIE MSC MAGNIFICA Néo Romantica MSC SPLENDIDA CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION MSC ARMONIA CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE
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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 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
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.
I’m looking to get in touch with someone who’s been on an Arctic Cruise aboard the ship POLARFRONT, operated by the French company "LATITUDE BLANCHE", for some info.
Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has ever taken a cruise with this PO Cruise company.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
They’ve got some great itineraries for Norway.
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,
We received a promotion from our CFC agency offering cruises at up to 40-100% off, and among other details: CFC organizes parking for departures from Dunkirk.
"Unattended parking located about 12 minutes away, fenced off with barriers, at a rate of 10 € per day. Drop off passengers and luggage at the Model Pavilion, and a CFC shuttle will take you from the parking lot to the Model Pavilion every 15-20 minutes. Same for disembarkation. You can book through your agency or on their website. No refunds if the booking is canceled; payment is due at reservation."
Have a great day,
Guylène
PS: Personally, we’d rather keep our vehicle in a free, supervised parking lot and take a taxi to the Model Pavilion.
Hi there,
In June we’re taking a cruise called "Pearls of the Baltic" on board Renaissance CFC Cruises—with stops in Kiel (Germany), Gdańsk (Poland), Rønne (Bornholm), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden).
This layover in Gothenburg doesn’t really inspire me—could you tell me what’s worth seeing? Are there locals offering excursions around the area by van right when you leave the port, like you often see on Caribbean cruises?
I saw there’s a hop-on hop-off bus, but I’m not sure if there’s a stop near the terminal.
What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Hi! On June 10th, we’re heading off on a 10-day Baltic Sea cruise with CFC Cruises’ *Renaissance*. We’ll be stopping in Copenhagen, and we’re planning to take the City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off buses to explore the city with multiple stops. Could anyone tell me which quay cruise ships usually dock at and how to get from the quay to the nearest stop to board the tour bus? Thanks for your tips and suggestions!
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has ever taken a cruise with this PO Cruise company.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
They’ve got some great itineraries for Norway.
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!