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.
Hello!
A BIG THANK YOU for this feedback! Many people ask for info, but few come back to give a summary.
Just to be sure—2,600 € isn’t the price per person, but for two, right?
I think you were lucky to have a cabin with working AC, because on those dates, many didn’t and really struggled with the heatwave…
Unfortunately, this company reminds me a lot of CROISIÈRE DE FRANCE—they had a similar concept.
You can’t make something new out of something old, and the many technical issues on board will likely keep happening 😕
True, the only real upside is the original itinerary…
They seem to have trouble filling the ship off-season, so I think it shouldn’t be too hard to snag a good deal 😉
All the best! 🙂
Isabelle, amoureuse des croisières:
COSTA, MSC, ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, NCL, HAL, PONANT, OCEANIA, AZAMARA
A VENIR
CELEBRITY EQUINOX 09/11/2026 Grèce Italie Malte
AZAMARA JOURNEY 14/01/2027 tour de l’Amérique du Sud
It was indeed 2600 € for two, including service fees but no drinks.
We’re aware we were lucky compared to others, even though it seemed like there were a lot of regulars on board.
We were also surprised that, given the size of the ship, we weren’t docked closer to city centers.
All the promotions suggest the base price is probably unrealistic.
Like Poupou, I really want to thank you for this review. Too few people take the time to share their experience and impressions after their cruise. It’s a real shame.
You got a good deal and were lucky not to have too many issues in your cabin—this poor ship is really poorly maintained.
Port spots near city centers are more expensive for cruise lines, and that’s one of the first areas where they cut costs. Even with Oceania Cruise, we had this issue in Alaska.
Built in 1993, it may be nearing the end of its service life.
I didn’t mention the pools because I had doubts about the water quality a few days after boarding when I noticed they weren’t drained in the evenings.
I tried it on the first day and found the desalinated water nice, even if I was the only one taking a shower before swimming!
Another positive point I forgot: the large library/game room where you can find many books, puzzles, and board games freely available.
For information, France Télévisions and Arte channels are accessible in the cabins.
Regarding port access, no information is provided on board about local transportation options, which is a shame.
Thanks for taking the time to share a little recap of your latest cruise. It’s something that’s becoming rare on this forum—lots of people sign up, come looking for info, and don’t even bother to give us a follow-up. So, once again, a big thank you to you.
In my opinion, this ship won’t last long. It’ll be like CDF: sure, the concept could’ve been good, but not with that old boat. There are too many negative reviews. You were lucky to get a cabin that was more or less okay, but I’ve read some reviews that are honestly scary.
If I understood correctly, you paid 1300 € per person. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth more (even in peak season). Apparently, the food is still decent, but the rest is a total mess.
But hey, if you’re happy, that’s what matters. Thanks again for the recap.
Even though personal opinions are always subjective, I’ve always enjoyed reading trip reports on VF.
To justify the value for money, we really appreciated having a balcony cabin that was this spacious and well-equipped—we’d never had one like it before.
We’d hesitated over a slightly cheaper promenade cabin, but once onboard, we didn’t regret our choice. There was a lot of foot traffic on Deck 6 during sea days for the daily walk, and the private loungers were often windy.
Thank you so much for your feedback.
We’re boarding the Renaissance this Monday, and after 9 cruises with MSC—including 2 in Aurea—we wanted to try something simpler, quieter, and more authentic, plus the itinerary was a bit different.
I’ll admit, the latest reviews are making us pretty nervous, especially about the major AC breakdowns in the cabins... I have no idea how we’ll handle 30°C inside...
As for the crowd on the ship, how was it? I’ve read everything and its opposite—some say when the ship is full, it’s tough, while others say there’s always space. We have 4 days at sea.
Regarding the shows, on a 12-day cruise, do you know if the second week repeats the same shows from the first?
Are the photographers less pushy than on MSC?
One last little question: for boarding, can we get on a bit earlier than scheduled? We’re supposed to be there at 2:45 PM (on MSC, we’d already be in the jacuzzi by then 😂), but here again, I’ve read mixed things—some say it’s possible, others say no.
Thanks in advance for your feedback, and I’ll definitely leave a review when we disembark.
Trying to answer your questions:
- First, we really enjoyed how quiet the ship was. Just avoid the central pool, which gets noisy with lots of kids. Also, the mostly French-speaking crowd is generally less rowdy, which suited us better. We never felt crowded, even at the buffet, if you pick the right times.
- For dining, the quality isn’t that different from MSC, with some "French-friendly" dishes but fewer options.
- As for cabins, I think it’s luck of the draw... Some issues had to be sorted out at reception.
- We didn’t use the poolside loungers—the towel-reservation problem is still there. Our balcony cabin was really spacious and comfy with their own loungers.
- Over the ten evenings, we never saw the same show twice.
- The photographers eventually recognize you if you always refuse their offers.
- Called for 1 PM, we arrived at 12:15, and boarding had already started at noon. In Dunkirk, it was quick.
- I hope you’re driving—because the shuttle (every 30 minutes) drops you 1 km from the ship. Marseille’s port has the strongest taxi lobby...
We’re coming by car, so that’s all set on that end.
Do you happen to remember what time the buffet closes on embarkation day? We’re boarding around 2:45 PM...
Hi there
I’ll still be a bit less harsh than you...
Even though not everything was perfect, we had a great cruise in April on it.
And the balcony cabin was really nice.
We were also generally satisfied with our vacation and really enjoyed our cabin on deck 9, but we were probably hoping to find the same atmosphere as our first cruises twenty years ago.
I also didn’t mention other minor details that made us think they could have been more attentive to customer satisfaction.
My benchmark is the quality-to-price ratio; for us, a balcony cabin with these amenities isn’t worth more than 120 € per day.
Paying more for premium services is probably possible.
I wanted to say that when choosing different cruises (like Ponant, for example), the price difference has to be justified. People often talk about the standards of American cruise lines, but the language barrier doesn’t hold them back.
Our last MSC trips were so disappointing that CFC really restored our love for cruising in the end. If the opportunity (route and price) comes up again, we’ll probably give the Renaissance another try.
Yeah, same here—I’d sail with CFC again if the itinerary is good, mainly for the route.
But Ponant is way over my budget.
However, I’m fine with American cruise lines in terms of value for money.
I’m actually heading to Iceland with NCL in a week. The budget is higher than CFC, though.
Iceland was such a beautiful memory!
Another possible trip for us: the Coastal Express.
Only one NCL experience, but it was very satisfying.
Happy cruising! 😎
Hi, you mentioned Croisière de France—we’ve done six cruises on the Zenith and the Horizon up until 2016, and we loved those ships (capacity of 2,000 passengers, usually around 1,200 on board). We really miss them; the ship was very comfortable, well-maintained, and the service stayed consistent, unlike with CFC. The prices were also very reasonable and stable. With CFC, the prices are unpredictable and almost non-negotiable, with huge variations just weeks apart. So, for the same services, passengers can end up paying double.
At first, the service matched the high price (more expensive than MSC or Costa but cheaper than Ponant).
The advantage is that the ship is small, so there’s less crowding, less noise, a beautiful library, very friendly staff (a constant on cruises), a single boarding process, mostly French passengers, and no screaming kids.
Downsides (plural): The Renaissance is becoming less and less French-speaking. Since the merger with Ambassador, many servers don’t speak French, and a lot of perks have disappeared. The free ice cream at the buffet has been gone for a few months, the coffee machines now only dispense bad coffee—before, there was good coffee, espresso, cappuccino, café moka, mocaccino. There’s no longer sparkling water at the fountains, and you have to pay for better-quality water. Herbal teas at afternoon tea or in the evening buffet are gone, as is the chocolate powder. The honey at breakfast comes from China (checked the jars). At the Vatel restaurant, the lobster and Angus beef from the early days are no longer available, and the beef Wellington has also recently disappeared. The lunch buffet is much less varied than before. It’s clear that Ambassador is cutting costs everywhere.
Also disappointing is the lack of a loyalty program...
The ship is outdated, with rust everywhere, recurring issues with the AC and plumbing—sometimes balcony cabins on deck 9 get flooded (this was still happening on our last cruise in June). Ports are often canceled without real justification (e.g., Dublin).
For first-time passengers, there are plenty of reasons to be happy, but when you compare it to what it used to be, it’s frustrating.
By offering departures from Dunkirk, CFC is attracting a new clientele from the north of France and Belgium—there’s a big market there. But for cruisers like us who depart from Marseille, the value for money is less favorable due to the loss of services and the lack of a loyalty program.
We’ve just booked two MSC cruises for under 1500 € for two, with a drinks package and service fees included. After eight cruises on the Renaissance, that’s quite a comparison. For example, the 15-day cruise in September to Italy/Greece was 2990 € per person without a drinks package or service fees. If you break it down per day per person, it’s more than double what MSC charges. That’s a lot to pay just for a quieter experience—I don’t support these prices.
Too bad...
To answer Johncruise: It’s not necessary to follow the boarding time indicated by CFC—they don’t check. You can board at any time; it’s just to avoid everyone showing up at the start of embarkation. As for the photographers, they’re discreet and don’t insist.
Thanks for this comparison I hadn’t seen. Indeed, the services have gone downhill without any price reduction! Too bad Croisière de France no longer exists...
I also forgot to mention that on sea days, we didn’t even have satellite coverage to receive our texts; we opted for 24 hours of Wi-Fi at 15 €.
As for the filtered water package at 13 € per person, it’s not excessive to fill your water bottle for 11 days; after that, getting glasses at the buffet can take a while...
We stopped sailing with MSC because of the "amusement park" crowd drift—why go to sea for that? If we ever try again, it’ll be on the company’s smaller ships.
But I’m aware we’re going against the current trend...
Totally agree about the water—the price is reasonable (though I’ll note it’s already gone up in just two months). And it avoids the waste of included bottled water in packages.
As for the MSC fleet, we prefer the older ships from 2010–2015 with 2,500–3,000 passengers, like Splendida, Magnifica, Orchestra...
Sure, there’s noise at the pool, but outside school holidays, it’s manageable.
The newer ships—Meraviglia, Grandiosa, Bellissima, etc.—are a different story, with up to 6,000 passengers...
Hello,
On this cruise, the "water package" cost 11.90 € (the price was the same regardless of the cruise duration). But the water was "premium filtered water" without any explanation of what "premium" means (mineralized water?) or where the water came from (desalination?).
Similarly, what’s the difference between this and the free water served at Vatel or available at the buffet (non-mineralized water?)
In short, I think this package is expensive, and it’s outrageous that you can’t buy a bottle of mineral water anymore, even though it’s still listed on the bar menu (in 2025, it was Corsican mineral water Zilia).
Best regards
Nous sommes de retour d'une croisière sur le COSTA SMERALDA. C'est un magnifique navire pour les personnes qui désirent admirer des spectacles. avec ses 2…
Voici mes commentaires que j'ai mis dans le questionnaire que m'a adressé MSC à l'issue de notre croisière sur le MSC PREZIOSA du 22/11 au 09/12/2019: Apprès…
Decu par Le Costa delisiosa après avoir fait plusieurs croisière. Ce bateaux est très bruyant musique et spectacle qui arrache les oreilles aucun endroit pour…
Nous revenons très déçus d'une croisière fluviale de la Mer Noire jusque Linz en Autriche avec CroisiEurope. Durée: 12 jours. Sur le bateau Europe: 4 ancres.…
Compte-rendu des escales: GENES Après un départ tranquille de Marseille (cette fois pas de Mistral!)...une navigation calme...nous arrivons au port de Gênes au…
Nous arrivons d'une croisière du 13/08/26 au 20/08/26 s/ le MSC ORCHESTRA avec escales à Tarragone, Valence, Livourne, Civitaveccia , Gênes et retour à Marseille.
Le bateau était complet. Les transats déjà bien occupés par des serviettes de plage dès le matin et 1 ou 2 personnes dans les piscines....par contre, le jour du débarquement des Italiens, très peu de serviettes s/ les transats.
Nous avons trouvé les Italiens moins volubiles .
Nous avions 1 cabine balcon au pont 9 à tribord. Cabine spacieuse , cependant le canapé était orienté face au bureau et pour regarder la TV, c'était torticolis assuré. Nous avons donc changé l'orientation du canapé pour le mettre face à la TV ( nous l'avons bien sûr remis à sa place le jour du débarquement).
Nous étions 325 francophones à bord Beaucoup de personnel de l'île Maurice ce qui facilité les échanges.
Pas d'annonce intempestive s/ le bingo etc.....ça change de COSTA.
Pour le dîner, nous étions au 1er service à 19h45, à 1 table de 6.Le 1er soir nous étions 2 couples de "cheveux blancs" à table. Le second soir, 2 jeunes femmes se sont présentées à notre table et en nous voyant ont demandé à changer de table...
L e spectacle pour notre horaire de dîner était à 22h15 et se terminait vers 23h. Nous avons trouvé cela tardif pour nous.Spectacles variés et de qualité.
Menus au restaurant avec du choix, par contre au buffet le midi , beaucoup de plats avec pas mal de féculents.Goûter de 16h30-17h30 avec de bonnes pâtisseries entre autres.
Nous avons eu un problème de climatisation et de mauvaises odeurs dans la cabine un ap-midi. J'ai signalé le problème à l'accueil et du personnel avec notre Cabinier sont venus voir dans la cabine.Le problème a été résolu dans l'ap-midi.
Deux jours après, nous avons eu la surprise de trouver 1 sac avec des objets à l'intérieur: 2 tasses MSC et 2 gourdes MSC maintenant le froid et le chaud pendant 10h.C'était un cadeau du service client suite aux mauvaises odeurs dans notre cabine.Nous ne nous attendions pas du tout à ce geste et nous avons remercié le service client de MSC.
Pour les excursions, MSC propose toujours des transferts port- C Ville pour 14 euros/ Ad à Valence et Tarragone, et 12 euros / enfant. Pour Livourne; 10 euros/Ad et 7 euros/enfant
A Civitaveccia, navette pour la gare à 6 euros.
Sur l'application MSC for Me, il y avait des "promotions" s/ certaines excursions.
Nous avons beaucoup apprécié cette croisière mais nous n'avons pas pu revoir certaines escales, ( Tarragone et Valence ) , par nous-mêmes car il faisait trop chaud.
Belle soirée: 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
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! 😐
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
