Hi there A few photos from the Explora Journey—the ship is stunning, and I can confirm the dining is on par with Michelin-starred restaurants. Plus, you get to choose between several restaurants where everything is included, even drinks and champagne!

After a perfect first experience as a couple with Memphis Tour in 2020—where we left an outstanding review—we’ve just returned from Egypt with our family of six plus a baby, and we have numerous complaints:

On the day our cruise was supposed to depart, the boat stayed docked in Aswan for over 24 hours without starting the Nile navigation as scheduled. We only left the next day at 3:30 PM for a quick stop/visit to Kom Ombo at 6:00 PM, followed by nighttime navigation until arriving in Esna at 2:00 AM!

The next day, we departed at 9:30 AM and arrived around noon in Luxor, where the boat docked in the middle of nowhere, 12 km from the city center!

In the end, we were charged for 4 days on the magnificent Nile but only got a maximum of 5 hours and 45 minutes of daytime navigation!

And, to top it off, there was no stop in Edfu—meaning no carriage ride to the Temple of Edfu, which was advertised as one of Egypt’s largest and best-preserved temples. Instead, without informing us, they replaced it with a visit to Esna.

During a West Bank visit in Luxor, we had to wait for our kids, who were with another guide for a longer tour. When our guide contacted Memphis Tour, they refused to let us visit the Temple of Medinet Habu (just 5 € away) on our own! We were forced to go through them and pay 25 € per person.

Instead of letting us wait in front of the temple for our kids and the other guide, they dropped us off alone for a full hour in what they called an "alabaster factory"—which was just the usual overpriced tourist shop where all guides take you.

I’ll skip the overly simplistic meal at Philae: grilled chicken and rice with no dessert or coffee. And the amateurish organization where the guide on the boat wasn’t even informed about the next day’s exact program.

Finally, despite our repeated priority requests and Memphis Tour’s promises during booking, there was no baby car seat provided for several long trips—even though the traffic is certainly colorful but not always reassuring.

Nor was the promised baby bed available on the boat—only a third adult bed. We had to insist strongly to get one.

Even though the complimentary carriage and felucca rides in Luxor were nice, they don’t make up for everything else.

This is despite the skills and kindness of the guides and boat staff.

Since 2020, we’ve sent several groups of friends to Memphis Tour for their Egyptian trips, but that definitely won’t happen again in the future.

Too bad

Hi everyone,

As part of a four-month world trip with our kids (ages 6, 12, and 13), we’ll be spending four weeks in Indonesia. Choosing destinations is so tough because everything is just so appealing! We’ll be spending some time on Java and will likely make a "quick trip" to Borneo for the orangutan reserve. We also want to experience Bali’s culture and the small islands of the Lesser Sundas, with their incredible marine life... but which ones should we prioritize? For a few days of diving and relaxation, do you think we should go for Nusa Penida, the Gili Islands, or Moyo Island? Is Sumbawa complicated to explore? Is it worth taking the time to visit? Can it be crossed by car to then reach Komodo National Park? Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Our goal is to avoid overly touristy spots (but not places that feel too unsafe with the kids), to discover local culture and villages, and to be amazed both underwater and above. Thanks so much for your help!

Hello,

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.

Hi there, I’m thinking about taking my first cruise. Has anyone ever booked with Destockage Croisière? I’ve been offered a Mediterranean cruise departing from Marseille for 1,200 € solo in an inside cabin. Does that sound like a fair price? The departure is in April 2026, so pretty soon. It’s with MSC, and the ship is the MSC World Europa 5*. Has anyone traveled on this ship before? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Also, if you have any tips to share, I’m all ears. And what about solo cruising in general? I get the feeling most people go as couples or families… will I still enjoy it without feeling too isolated? Are the dining tables shared, etc.? Thanks so much!

Hi everyone, Here’s a little story about what happened to me—I was supposed to go on a cruise on the CELEBRITY INFINITY on February 16th, but nothing went as planned 😕 We left for Athens on February 14th, had a good flight, and stayed at the same hotel as last year, the PHIDIAS PIRAEUS HOTEL, which we really liked. But this year, it was disappointing—no upgrade from BOOKING, so a smaller room and, above all, noisy because of a compressor sound.... Anyway, we arrived in the late afternoon, took a walk, and found a really nice restaurant in the pedestrian streets of Piraeus. The next day, the 15th, we maybe thought about going to the island of Aegina, but we got up a little too late, so we just went for a walk. We came back to the hotel for a break, then got ready for a massage I had booked online. I absentmindedly checked my phone… an email from CELEBRITY announcing the cancellation of the cruise!!! That’s a first for us—we were a little shocked by the news 😕 TO BE CONTINUED....

Hi there,

We usually travel as "backpackers," but this year we’re making an exception with a CFC cruise to Norway.

We’d like to explore the stops on our own so we can choose what we like at our own pace.

Do you have any experiences or great tips to share with us?

Our destinations: Stavanger, Bergen, Geiranger, Ålesund, Nordfjordeid, Flåm, Lyngdal

Thanks for your help

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.

Thanks everyone!

We’ve booked a 15-day cruise to the Marquesas and Society Islands on the PAUL GAUGUIN. Is it possible to get information about the excursions organized by Ponant? Can we do them ourselves or through a local agency? How do we organize these excursions from France?

Thanks so much!

Hi there, we’re planning a trip to Norway next June. Since my partner gets vertigo, renting a car is out of the question. So, we’re thinking of doing the Bergen to Kirkenes route by cruise—6 nights, 7 days—with either Hurtigruten or Havila. Is this journey as amazing as it sounds? Is one provider better than the other?

Basically, any tips would be super helpful.

Thanks.

Hello, We’re sailing on the Norwegian Viva from Lisbon to Galveston. From what I’ve read on the NCL site, there’s no formal night; is that correct? If so, that’ll lighten the suitcase! 😊 The ship stops in Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic, and I haven’t found much info on this stop—it seems to be recent. I’m thinking of just heading to the seaside near the ship, but if you’ve got another **bon plan**, I’m all ears. Same for La Romana: last time we went to Bayahibe Beach, so if you’ve got another idea... Thanks in advance!

Hello,

We’re heading to Vietnam next March and would love to do a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, which seems like a more preserved and less touristy alternative to Halong Bay. However, there are so many different companies out there, and we’d really appreciate your advice and firsthand experiences to help us make the right choice.

We’re looking for a 3-day, 2-night cruise on a small-capacity boat to avoid overly large groups.

A big thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their recommendations to help us with our search!

Have a great day! 🙂

Good evening, cruise friends! I’m planning my Japan cruise with Costa.

Is it more worthwhile to book excursions before departure? With MSC, yes, because you save 15%, but what about with Costa?

For those who’ve already done this cruise, do you have any tips or recommendations, please? We’re staying 1.5 days before and 3 days after in Hong Kong. Thanks in advance! Chantal Ports of call: Hong Kong - Keelung (Taiwan) - Japan (Naha - Kagoshima - Tokyo - Kobe - Nagasaki) - Busan (South Korea) - Hong Kong

Hi, we're going on a cruise to Norway departing from Dunkirk and sailing up the coast—can you share some ideas on what to visit? Thanks! Gigi

Hi there, I’d love to go on a Mediterranean cruise, but I’m a bit nervous about doing it solo. Thanks for your advice!

Hi there,

Has anyone here taken the cruise to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia with the cruise line Aranui?

Hello! I’m going on my very first cruise in September 2025.

Departure from Civitavecchia—

Mykonos - Santorini - Kusadasi...

A few questions: Apart from Ephesus, Naples, and Pompeii, I’m pretty much heading into the unknown for Santorini and Mykonos. I’ve been following some of your posts about Santorini—thank you for those! What do you recommend for Mykonos? I’ll be spending 3 days in Rome before the cruise. At the end of the cruise, I don’t plan to return to Rome. Could you tell me what transport to take from Civitavecchia to Fiumicino Airport? Thanks so much! 🙂 Françoise

Hi, For my upcoming trip to Madagascar in November, I’d like to take a cruise on the Pangalanes Canal. We’ve been offered a 3-day, 2-night trip between Mananjary and Mahanoro. Has anyone done this? Are there too many hours on the boat? Is it worth it? They’re offering either a bivouac or a hotel—what do you think? Thanks for your feedback.

Does anyone know about cruises with the MS Rotterdam? Northern Europe cruise

Hi, We’d love to do a river cruise in Italy. We’ve never been on a cruise before and we’d like to combine a river cruise with excursions. Has anyone done this before? If so, any info or suggestions would be really helpful. Which ship and itinerary would be best? Thanks in advance for your help.

Ginout

Hi everyone, From March 31 to April 10, I took the Viking Lands cruise with CFC. Out of curiosity, I checked the Renaissance’s route yesterday and noticed it didn’t make the Sandnes/Stavanger stop that we had. Maybe the itinerary was planned that way? Best regards,

Hi Poupou, if you could add us to your awesome calendar: from September 10th to 20th, 2025 clown 83: CFC Renaissance/Kotor-Dubrovnik/departure and return port Marseille

Looking for reviews and suggestions for this Costa Serena cruise with the flight from Paris CDG to Hong Kong. Thanks!

Hi! I’m doing the Viking Legend cruise, and if you have any great tips, I’d love to hear them. We’re not big on excursions—we prefer to explore on our own. So if you can help us out, that’d be amazing. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m new to this forum and I’m going on a Costa cruise in three weeks with my family (there’ll be 14 of us in total). The planned stops are: Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza, Palermo, Rome, and Savona. Given the high cost of the excursions offered by Costa, I’m looking for tips and great deals. In your opinion, what are the best excursions to do at these stops? Which sites shouldn’t be missed? Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

SANDRINE🙂

Hello,

We’ll be on the Norwegian Spirit departing from Seoul on Wednesday, June 4. We’re looking for other French-speaking travelers on the ship.

Thanks

Hi there! We’re a group of 4 and we’d love to do a 4-day, 3-night cruise from Lombok to Komodo with a private cabin. Any suggestions for affordable companies? We’ve already looked into Travel Wise, Captain Komodo, and Wanua. Wondering if there are others we should check out. Thanks a bunch! 🙂

Hello! We’d like to know if we’ll have time to visit a few villages by taking a small boat from La Spezia, given that our cruise ship arrives at 9 AM and leaves again at 5 PM in the afternoon. Thanks for your replies!

Hi, I'm looking into a cruise for May 2026. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the MSC Preziosa ship. Thanks, Diane

Hi there,

We’re heading to Egypt from April 19 to 28 and would love to do a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, but on a small boat—like a felucca or dahabiya—to avoid the big touristy cruises. Ideally, we’d like a 2- to 3-night cruise between April 20 and 25, since we arrive in Cairo on the 20th and need to be back there by the 25th for an event.

Our budget is around 500 € per person, and we’ve already contacted Terre d’Égypte, but they’re fully booked for those dates. Does anyone have recommendations for reliable agencies or companies that offer this kind of cruise? And if, unfortunately, we can’t find something that fits, do you have any recommendations for French-speaking guides on the ground who could take us on tours between Aswan and Luxor from land?

Thanks so much for your help! !