Bonjour.
Vous qui êtes renenus d'une croisière TROPICALE sur L'HORIZON, avez vous des astuces pour les excursions lors des escales:
La Romana, navigation, Sainte Lucie, Barbade, Martinique, Basseterre, Tortola,
Bonsoir
nous aussi nous rentrons de cette transat aussi je me permets de répondre
en effet retour dimanche à l'heure 8h55 à Orly avec 25°de différence
Réponse à vos questions:
Le vol retour départ 16/16h30 du bateau décollage prévu à 19h10 mais plutôt 19h55 (8h de vol) donc passer une journée à La Romana (rien à voir en ville) c'est long stt qd il n'y a pas de soleil comme c'était le cas pour nous samedi mais s'il fait beau et que vous aimez le transat pas de pb sinon excursion nous avons fait la visite de St Domingue(68€ déjeuner compris ce n'est pas précisé ds la brochure) même si les 3h de bus sont longs cela vaut la peine au moins une fois
Les boissons à bord servies avec le repas sont gratuites 1/2 verre de bière sans alcool ou 1/2 verre de vin pas 2 ou coca eau etc pour ceux là il faut pleurer pour avoir un nouveau verre et avec la chaleur quelle galère stt que l'avion n'avait pas été approvisionné donc pas de boissons payantes possible(pour info 25cl bière 1664 3€ et petite bouteille de vin 4€) si vous voulez amener des boissons c'est après la douane bien sûr en duty free
A l'arrivée à l'aéroport puisque les bus arrivent presque tous en même temps c'est à celui qui trouvera sa valise le premier afin d'aller à l'enregistrement avt les autres pour choisir les bonnes places ds l'avion comme le 1er étage du 747 la bagarre commence ensuite au fur et à mesure des arrivées la file s'allonge et les bagarres commencent 40min de queue puis queue à la douane puis queue àds la salle d'embarquement puis queue et bagarres ds l'avion pour trouver son siège et stt mettre ses valises cabines ds les compartiments
Arrivée à Orly queue pour sortir de l'avion chacun cherche où son bagage a été mis car il n'y avait forcément plus de place au dessus de son siège queue au tourniquet et bagarre pour récupérer ses valises tout le monde veut être devant donc en conclusion bcp d'énervement pour certains qui devraient repartir en vacances ailleurs !!!
Venons en aux escales:
SAINTE LUCIE :cette escale n'était pas prévue ds notre transat mais j'y suis allé il y a qq années et j'avais fait la ville Castries peu de choses à voir mais il parait qu'il y a des plages pas trop loin avec un taxi donc pas de renseignement
LA BARBADE: île la moins belle très plate pas de volcan donc pas de route au bord de l'eau aussi attention à la sortie vous avez des taxis van de 10 places qui vous proposent 2à3h de tour de l'île avec visite de la plus vielle église etc etc pour 15€ ou 20$ par personne attirant : résultat au bout de 10min visite de l'église en question resté 30min puis plus rien le etc etc que de la voiture ds la campagne en traversant l'île les quartiers industriels pour arriver à une plage où je suis resté 1h30 donc la promenade a bien duré les 3h promis par le chauffeur ARNAQUE donc La ville Bridgetown est toute proche (10/15min) et intéressante et à 20min en marchant bien il y a cette très belle plage Carlisle celle où je suis allé 5$ en taxi si on ne veut pas se fatiguer et revenir à pied
MARTINIQUE:tout dépend du quai où sera le bateau comme les prix de la croisière est intéressant l'Horizon a été svt très loin du centre priorité aux autres bateaux comme MSC Costa qui doivent payer leur place plus chère pour être bien placé ceci dit àFort de France même en étant le plus loin c'est à 15min max du centre(sur le prospectus du bateau c'est marqué 30min c'est pour décourager les gens car il y a des taxis qui attendent pour 8€ la voiture! L'escale est très longue donc commencer le matin par la visite de la ville qui est intéressante si c'est la 1ère fois il faut aller à l'office du tourisme il me semble qu'il y a sur un plan un circuit qui permet de voir le principal de la ville revenir au bateau pour déjeuner si on veut il y a largement le temps puis si on aime la plage repartir vers le départ des vedettes qui vont aux 3 ilets départ toutes les 1/2 h 3 lieux d'arrivée soit à l'anse mitan /anse à l'âne ou anse de la Pointe de bout vous prenez le 1er bateau qui vient il y aura tjs une plage à l'arrivée 7€ par personne aller retour dernier départ vers 17h30 /18 mais il faut mieux partir vers les 16/16h30 c'est plus sur en plus il fait nuit très tôt
ST KITTS:tjs selon place du bateau nous étions le plus loin 45min de marche bon pas (MSC + un autre bateau plein centre voir pourquoi plus haut) dépliant fourni par le bateau plein centre!!! alors comme il y avait ces 2 gros bateaux au centre nous rien à la sortie pas de taxi etc donc départ à pied pour la ville sur le chemin nous avons trouvé enfin un taxi van de 12 places et après bcp d'explications sur le prix 15€ 20$ pour 2h30 de tour de l'île(NOTA : tjs faire marquer par le chauffeur sur un papier le montant de la transaction) cela commençait bien visite de lieux intéressants et route le long de la mer mais à mi parcours le chauffeur nous annonce que le taux entre le dollar et l'euro avait brusquement changé!!! et qu'il fallait rajouter 5€ discussions nous n'avons pas cédé donc le taxi est reparti sans plus du tout un mot d'explication sur ce qu'on voyait et le chauffeur voulait nous laisser en plein centre(rappel 45min du bateau ) alors il a fallut rajouter 2€ pour revenir au bateau et je vous passe d'autres incidents donc bien noter sur un papier le montant de la transaction
Si vous avez la chance d'être ds le centre il y a un bus local très coloré qui fait un demi circuit de l'île pour 10/12 $ environ mais bus officiel
Pour finir en arrivant au bateau nous avons appris que comme le bateau était très loin il y avait une navette gratuite!!!! mais qui a mis du temps à s'installer donc à vérifier avt de partir pour 45min de marche sous 30°
Donc nous n'avons pas visiter Basseterre mais parait il pas bcp d'intérêt
TORTOLA: escale la plus courte aussi prendre excursion nous avions fait Virgin Gorda c'est super impossible de faire seuls Qd à la ville à part un village typique plein de boutiques colorées pas gd chose à voir donc excursion recommandée ou circuit (2h)avec les cars ouverts et colorés 20$ à la sortie du bateau sinon faire 300m tout droit et d'autres bus colorés font le même circuit de 2h de tour de l'île pour 15$ ou plage super 8$ en taxi pour y aller autant pour le retour(à négocier comme tjs)
La Romana: comme le départ du bateau pour l'aéroport est vers 16h et comme la ville n'est pas terrible nous avons fait l'excursion proposée par le bateau pour la visite de St Domingue 68€ avec repas inclus très bien quoique 1h30 pour aller à la capitale et retour c'est un peu loinsinon bronzette si le temps le permet avec les derniers verres!!!
Voilà j'ai été un peu long mais j'espère que vous aurez été satisfait de ma réponse
si d'autres questions je me tiens à votre disposition
DO 50
Bonjour Do50
Tout d'abord nous espérons que vous avez passés un bon séjour. Merci pour toutes ces infos.(Ca va nous guider).Es ce que l'Horizon est pas trop mal?...Nous avons toujours fait nos croisières sur COSTA!!.Bonne reprise!!!!.....
J'ai fait toute une préparation à cette croisière à l'aide de copiés-collés de renseignements trouvés dans le forum et qui est enrichi des commentaires des membres du forum qui en reviennent🙂.
Allez dans la discussion "préparation d'une croisière tropicale CDF sur l'horizon" et regardez les dernières discussions où il y a une mise à jour des renseignements😉.
bonjour
Nous avons repris la vie de tous les jours sans soucis avec de belles images.
Ce bateau n'est pas mal du tout comparé à Costa, pas de luxe mais service impeccable sur tout.
Ce qui pèche un peu, l'animation car directeur de croisière quasi absent ainsi que le maître de cérémonie nul.
Nourriture succulente même pour un transat ,
Peut-être aussi manque d'infos pour ceux qui ne font pas les excursions, comme bus locaux à la descente du bateau et gratuits.
Bonne journée
Suis à votre disposition
Dominique
Nous partons pour cette même croisière CDF HORIZON le 18 janvier 2014 et tous ces renseignements en plus de tous ceux trouvés sur le forum, nous seront bien utiles !!!
Une question, en ce qui concerne les $, faut il faire le change avant le départ ou est ce possible sur le bateau ? et est vraiment nécessaire ?
Autre question, mieux vaut il réserver les sièges dans l'avion en ligne sur le site de Pullmantour, gagne t-on vraiment du temps ?
Bonsoir
en ce qui concerne le problème des dollars pratiquement partout les euro sont acceptés mais il est parfois bon d'avoir des dollars nous sommes gagnants exemple un sac que j'ai acheté après discussions je suis arrivé à 4€ ou 5$ au choix j'ai préféré payer en dollar car cela faisait 5.20$ si j'avais payé en euro (20cts d'économie) c'est pas gd chose mais multiplié par des x achats cela fait plus. Bien sûr il faut payer le change à sa banque cela vaut- il le coup ?je n'en suis pas sure mais j'avais un stock de dollars à dépenser donc!!!)
Pour la résa des places pour l'avion je ne connais pas puisque j'ai fait la transat donc retour seulement pour moi avec la galère déjà racontée sur le forum mais je pense que pour le retour cela sera la même bagarre que nous(re forum)
Sinon c'est une super croisière et profitez bien du soleil surtout qu'en ce moment nous en avons bien besoin!!! stt nous en Normandie
Nous 8 jours après vous : croisière autour de Cuba à nous le soleil à ce moment!!!!!
Escales prévues Totola, Saint-Martin, Antigua puis bien après Madère, Açores et Malaga. Merci de faire partager vos bons plans pour faire de chouettes…
J'aurai quelques questions pour nos amis habitués aux croisières et avion Je pars en février pour les caraïbes, de ce fait, les températures ne seront pas les…
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?
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
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!
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! 😐
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Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
