Petit CR de cette croisière, surtout pour les escales en Inde pour lesquelles il y a peu de retour.
En bref, comme nous n' apprécions plus vraiment les longs trajets, nous avons volé le 17/12 avec Egytair avec une escale d' une nuit au Caire, logement à l' hôtel, le 18/12 vol du Caire vers Abu Dhabi, logement à l' hôtel et embarquement rapide et sans problème le 19/12.
Le bateau est resté à quai jusqu' au lendemain midi.
Il était joliment décoré dans l' esprit de Noël et de Hannuka.
Le 21/12 MUSCAT (Oman), arrivée à midi et départ à 22h au port de Muttrah.
Comme nous y avions déjà fait escale précédemment, cette fois nous avons simplement pris le Big Bus. Tour de Muscat et retour à Muttrah.
Franchement, nous n' avons pas trouvé cela très intéressant. Une promenade pédestre sur la corniche et petit tour dans le souk nous a mieux convenu.
Après 3 jours en mer, arrivée à COCHIN le 25/12 (8h30-18h).
Après avoir changé des € contre des RS dans une petite caravane à la sortie du port (qui se fait à pied, en longeant le bateau) nous avons négocié un Tuk-Tuk. ( Marrant leur prix, 1200RS ou 20$ ou 20€ ou 20£ !!!)
J' avais préparé ce que nous voulions voir et je lui ai expliqué où il devait nos emmener. Pas de problèmes, nous avons passé 6h très agréables à Fort Cochin.
Un truc à savoir; à Cochin, c' est très important pour les chauffeur de Tuk-Tuk de débarquer les clients dans quelques boutiques. Je l' avais lu en préparant notre visite mais le chauffeur nous a demandé si ça ne nous dérangeait pas et m' a réexpliqué que c' était très important pour lui. Juste faire un petit tour et sortir. Eh bien non, ça ne nous a pas embêté et si ça lui faisait plaisir , pourquoi pas.
Retour au bateau; sur le quai, plein de petites boutiques de souvenirs s' y étaient installées.
Le 26/12, New Mangalore (9h-18h).
Je n' avais rien trouvé sur internet que nous aurions voulu visiter et les excursions proposées par le bateau se résumaient à la visite d' une entreprise noix de cajou ou d' une ferme produisant des épices avec en plus la visite de quelques temples.
Nous avons pris le transfert (15$) proposé par le bateau jusqu' à un Mall en centre ville (qui est très loin du port). Comme nous ne sommes pas très "boutiques", nous avons vite fait le tour et retour au bateau.
Pour nous, cette escale n' avait pas beaucoup d' intérêt.
Le 27/12, GOA (7h30-17h)
Là, nous avons pris un taxi (oublié combien nous avons payé mais ce n' était pas cher) pour aller à Old Goa.
J' ai demandé au chauffeur de nous amener en premier à "Our Lady of the Mount", chapelle qui se trouve sur une colline et d' où on a une vue d' ensemble du site. Le chauffeur était un peu étonné et a du demander son chemin, apparemment, ce n' est pas tous les jours que les clients lui font une telle demande.
Il nous a ensuite déposé en "ville" où nous avons alors regardé plus en détail les différents bâtiments.
Au retour, arrêt à Panaji, visite de Notre Dame de l' immaculée Conception qui se trouve sur la place centrale de la ville. Promenade (en voiture) dans le quartier de Fontainhas, quartier qui ramène au temps de vie portugaise.
Le 28/12, MUMBAI (mais là-bas ils disent toujours BOMBAY).
Nous avons réservé un guide suite à l' avis d' une compatriote (merci Françoise).
Il nous attendait fièrement avec sa pancarte à la sortie du port.
Ce que je n' avait pas compris, c' est qu' il y avait aussi un chauffeur ! Nous avons vite compris pourquoi, la circulation dans cette ville est infernale et nombreux sont les embouteillages. Donc, le chauffeur nous déposait à l' endroit à visiter et quand nous avions terminé, le guide lui téléphonait pour qu' il vienne nous récupérer.
Nous avons également vite compris qu' il fallait "Zaper" quelques stops prévus.
Nous avons quand fait un petit arrêt à la Gate of India, vu la gare de Chhatrapati et visité un Dhobi ghat (laverie en plein air beaucoup plus grande que celle de Cochin).
Nous sommes allés voir le Crawford Market mais il n' y avait que la partie "Fruits et légumes" à voir, le reste tant en travaux.
Arrêt également au "Sassoon fish market", assez typique avec les "éplucheuses de crevettes" et les camions qui amènent les blocs de glace qui sont pilés sur place.
Nous avons vu sans nous arrêter bien d' autre choses et nous avons terminé par DHARAVI où a été tourné le film Slumdog millionaire. C' est vaste bidonville assez loin du centre touristique mais que notre guide (qui y habite) voulait absolument nous montrer.
Après 2 jours en mer, nous sommes arrivés à DUBAÏ le 31 décembre à14h.
Difficile d' aller faire un tour car en prévisions des feux d' artifices de minuit, toutes les routes étaient fermées à partir de 16h.
Mais du pont du bateau, nous avions une vue privilégiée sur la Burj Khalifa et le reste de la ville.
Tout le monde (ou presque) arborait fièrement les chapeaux et diadèmes trouvés sur notre assiette au restaurant. Belle ambiance !
10 minutes avant minuits, les garçons ont commencé à passer avec des verres de "champagne" (enfin du mousseux, faut pas exagérer quand même).
Le premier janvier, le bateau est resté accosté jusqu' à 22h.
Nous avons rejoint Abu Dhabi le 2 janvier à 5h du matin.
Comme nous restions 4 jours sur place, nous avons débarqués dans la dernière "fournée", vers 9h30.
Le bateau maintenant; CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION. Au vu de cette croisière et des 2 ou 3 précédentes, je ne parlerais plus de compagnie "prémium". Pour nous, ils sont dépassés par RCCL,
leur compagnie soeur !
Voilà, je terminerai ici car mon vieux PC commence à "ramer".
J' ai bien conscience que c' est probablement un peu court mais je répondrais volontiers à toute demande de renseignements complémentaires.
Bonjour Danielle
Merci pour cet intéressant CR que je vais suivre car je ne connais pas du tout ces destinations lointaines. C'est vrai que les escales en Inde sont rarement évoquées.
Anne
Non aux parcs aquatiques et aux dauphins captifs
Le Havre ,502 ans : jardins suspendus, Maison de l'Armateur, Architecture Perret classée par l'UNESCO, plage immense.
Merci Danielle pour ce petit vent d'exotisme bien agréable. Il est bien plaisant de lire un CR sur une destination qui sort de l'ordinaire.
Le quai de Cochin a bien changé depuis notre passage en 2010, tous ces pays "apprennent vite", certains vieux pays feraient bien d'en prendre de la graine !
Heu.....il faut évidemment lire 2 janvier et pas 2 février !!!!!
Suis un peu à côté de mes pompes pour le moment !!! Et moi aussi je commence à ramer !!!
Effectivement, pas évident de trouver et mon CR n' est pas très détaillé mais je peux répondre plus en détail pour les personnes qui seraient plus intéressées par un point ou un autre.
J' ai fait ce CR en vitesse (enfin le temps de télécharger les photos ça ne va pas si vite que ça) en me disant que s' il fallait développer un peu plus suivant les intérêts de chacun je répondrais volontiers à toute demande.
Comment vas tu? ça va mieux maintenant? Tu t'es remise de ta bronchite?
J'attendais ton CR avec impatience car j'avais l'intention de faire cette même croisière pour fin d'année, meme période et meme bateau. Mais au vu de ton CR, je suis un peu perplexe car les escales n'ont pas l'air vraiment attrayantes et en plus quand on connait les tracas pour avoir le visa pour l'Inde tout ça me laisse vraiment indécis.
J'ai lu également sur "cruisecritic" que les prestations étaient en baisses sur certains bateaux de chez Celebrity notamment la classe millenium. Donc d'après ton CR tu as l'air de confirmer cette baisse. Si c'est le cas, c'est vraiment dommage car j'aime bien cette compagnie et surtout cette classe de bateau.
De toute façon, depuis la suppression du "brunch" sur leurs bateaux, il fallait s'y attendre.
Sinon, est ce qu'il existe toujours le 5 à 7 pour les membres Elite avec les boissons à volonté...?
Non, ça ne va pas encore vraiment mieux, je suis passée à la cortisone depuis hier et j' espère que ça va aller.
Pour répondre à tes questions:
les escales en Inde;
Nous avons vraiment bien aimé Cochin. Comme je l' ai écrit, New Mangalore pour moi on aurait pu s' en passer et rester un second jour à Mumbaï car une seule journée c' est trop court pour cette ville. Maintenant, aucun rapport avec les villes du Rajasthan et leurs palais sinon qu' il y fait moins sale et qu' il y a peu de mendiants.
Ces deux escales valent donc la peine.
Goa, si on aime les églises, OK sinon....?
Le réveillon de nouvel an à Dubaï c' est bien mais quand on a vu les feux d' artifice de Disney par exemple en comparaison c' est pas terrible.
Le problème aussi est peut-être que nous devenons un peu blasés !!!
Dubaï et Abu Dhabi ce n' est pas non plus le genre d' endroit que nous aimons.
Pour le bateau:
J' adhère totalement à ce que tu as lu sur CruiseCritic.
Je pense que Celebrity privilégie la classe Solstice au détriment de la classe Millenium.
Comme toi, j' aime bien la compagnie et cette classe de bateau et si la classe Solstice est mieux, tant pis; pour nous ce sont les itinéraires qui sont notre premier critère de choix !
Et oui, il y a toujours le 5 à 7 avec boissons à volonté et petits amuse-gueule froids puis chauds et il y a toujours un petit chocolat sur l' oreiller le soir.
Chez RCCL, plus de chocolat mais un 5 à 8 avec buffet de d' amuse gueule également chaud et froids et plus de choix.
Et pour en revenir à la baisse de prestations sur les bateaux, je crois aussi que le fait d' abandonner (quelle que soit la compagnie) les "petites unités" pour privilégier les bateaux de grande capacité y est aussi pour beaucoup !
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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 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.
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Le 26/12, New Mangalore (9h-18h).
Je n' avais rien trouvé sur internet que nous aurions voulu visiter et les excursions proposées par le bateau se résumaient à la visite d' une entreprise noix de cajou ou d' une ferme produisant des épices avec en plus la visite de quelques temples.
Nous avons pris le transfert (15$) proposé par le bateau jusqu' à un Mall en centre ville (qui est très loin du port). Comme nous ne sommes pas très "boutiques", nous avons vite fait le tour et retour au bateau.
Pour nous, cette escale n' avait pas beaucoup d' intérêt.
Il nous a ensuite déposé en "ville" où nous avons alors regardé plus en détail les différents bâtiments.
Au retour, arrêt à Panaji, visite de Notre Dame de l' immaculée Conception qui se trouve sur la place centrale de la ville. Promenade (en voiture) dans le quartier de Fontainhas, quartier qui ramène au temps de vie portugaise.
Nous sommes allés voir le Crawford Market mais il n' y avait que la partie "Fruits et légumes" à voir, le reste tant en travaux.
Arrêt également au "Sassoon fish market", assez typique avec les "éplucheuses de crevettes" et les camions qui amènent les blocs de glace qui sont pilés sur place.
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!