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

Hello everyone,

I’ve wanted to take this Norway cruise for a very long time. The first time I booked it was in July 2020 with Azamara. Unfortunately, it was canceled, as everyone remembers. When I tried to book it again, the prices (already a bit high with Azamara) had simply doubled. So, since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out every year for any opportunities...

The last time we sailed with Princess was eleven years ago, and things didn’t go very well. I came back pretty unhappy with their service and quite disappointed. Despite the $600 they gave me as credit for a future cruise, I’d never set foot on one of their ships again.

But this time, the opportunity arose—a fantastic itinerary with lots of stops, a reasonable price for 16 nights (I’ll share the details in the conclusion), and a ship that’s not too big, so to speak, with only 3,000 passengers. I’m not expecting much from the cruise line this time and am boarding the ship with low expectations beyond the itinerary.

Princess has introduced an app to download before the cruise. It’s essential because online check-in is no longer available, and the agency doesn’t send a travel journal. Everything is done through the app. After completing the check-in on the app, we only know that we’ll need to pick up our key, the Medallion, at embarkation by following the blue line in the terminal and presenting our passport.



Up until our departure, the weather forecast for the coming week in Norway is disastrous—rain, rain, and more rain. It was pretty much the same two years ago before our Iceland cruise, and in the end, the weather turned out fine.

If you’re ready to embark on the Emerald Princess to discover this beautiful cruise and the stunning landscapes of Norway, let’s go!

Southampton - Sea day - Bergen - Olden - Åndalsnes - Sea day - Tromsø - Honningsvåg (North Cape) - Alta - Sea day - Molde - Trondheim - Two sea days - Edinburgh - Sea day - Southampton

hi everyone I’ll go ahead and restart the cruise calendar for 2025 for now. It can give people ideas and might help members meet up!

Two essential rules: don’t “quote” the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion and if you can, list your cruise in this example format: enter the month first, then date /username / SHIP / number of days / destination / departure port

FEBRUARY

14/02- poupou10 / CELEBRITY INFINITY /11 days / Greece Turkey Cyprus / Piraeus (Athens) AUGUST 01/08- poupou10 / REGAL PRINCESS /13 days / British Isles / Southampton YOUR TURN 😉 NUMBER OF CRUISES 2025: 2 JANUARY FEBRUARY 14/02- poupou10 / CELEBRITY INFINITY /11 days / Greece Turkey Cyprus / Piraeus (Athens) MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST 01/08- poupou10 / REGAL PRINCESS /13 days / British Isles / Southampton SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

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 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

Hello everyone,

If you'd like, I invite you to join me for a week-long cruise to northern Greece, visiting ports that are often less crowded with cruise ships.

Itinerary: Athens, Skiathos, Volos, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Limnos, Hydra, Athens

‌ Hi there, Here’s a little review of our cruise on the Renaissance from October 18 to 29, 2025 (11 nights). It was our first experience with CFC. Some other forum members were on board too, so we can probably compare notes and correct me if I’m wrong!

The stops were as follows: 10/18 departure from Marseille 10/19 at sea 10/20 Cartagena 10/21 Almería 10/22 Gibraltar 10/23 Cádiz 10/24 at sea 10/25 Leixões (Porto) 10/26 Vigo 10/27 at sea 10/28 at sea 10/29 Dunkirk

First, a quick intro. We’re a family of four with two kids, ages 8 and 11. We booked this cruise in January 2025, right when it went on sale. At the time, it was priced at 763 € per adult (+ 99 € in tips) and 114.45 € per child (under 12, no tips to pay) for an ocean-view cabin (all ocean-view categories were the same price). Since there was also a single-parent offer (meaning one paying adult in the cabin was enough to get the child rate for the accompanying kid), I asked if we could take advantage of this offer to get two double cabins at the same price as one quadruple cabin (to have more space), and yes, it was possible. So we booked two premium ocean-view double cabins side by side. It was the same price as a quadruple. We booked directly through CFC because my husband had a promotional code from his works council. In total, for the four of us, we paid 1830 €, tips included. It’s true we booked early, but the rate was good, and we had the constraint of traveling as a family of four, so cabin choices were more limited. It’s also worth noting that the single-parent offer is limited.

Now, about embarkation: 10/18 Marseille Coming from the north, we took the direct TGV that morning at 7:22 AM, scheduled to arrive in Marseille at 12:24 PM. The trip went smoothly, great weather, and we arrived just one minute late. I had planned to get to the port using the free 35T shuttle from Joliette. To get to the bus stop, there were two options: the metro or walking. Since the weather was beautiful and the kids needed to stretch their legs, we opted for the second option. The route is all downhill, so it was pretty easy even with the suitcases. But I wouldn’t do it the other way around! We arrived at Joliette around 12:50 PM, just in time for the 1:00 PM shuttle, which arrived a few minutes late. Other cruisers got on board too. That day, there were two Costa ships and one MSC ship at the port as well. Traffic was heavy, and the shuttle arrived at the port entrance at 1:30 PM. We were scheduled for 2:30 PM. We were lucky to be at the closest embarkation terminal. So we were among those who had the least walking to do. We dropped off our suitcases and headed to the check-in counter. There were plenty of desks and almost no passengers. So we quickly completed the embarkation formalities—in just a few minutes—and when we boarded, it wasn’t even 2:00 PM yet. We headed to the buffet, where there weren’t many people. As we finished lunch, it was around 3:00 PM when they announced the cabins were ready. We went down to drop off our luggage in the cabins and then went up to the top deck to take some photos. The ship’s daily program said the safety drill would be at 4:00 PM. So we went to deck 6 at the scheduled time. But later, they announced it would actually be at 4:30 PM! In short, we waited 30 minutes for nothing because of a difference between the scheduled and actual time! The drill itself was long. Gathering everyone took about 20 minutes, I think. Just as we finished, they announced the departure, originally scheduled for 5:00 PM, was delayed until 9:00 PM due to latecomers. We went to check out the library, which had tons of board games and books—more than we’d ever seen. What stood out on this first day was that, for the first time, we had a French-speaking embarkation, announcements only in French (except for the safety drill), French-speaking servers, a paper daily program in French, books in French (which we’d never find on another ship), and menus in French. To wrap up the day, we had dinner at Vatel. I had requested the first seating (6:30 PM) and a table for four, and we got it. We were seated upstairs near the window—a very pleasant table that we’d occupy every evening. What was a little surprising, but we got used to it, was that you had to order everything you wanted at once. The portions weren’t big, but you could choose what you wanted. The cheese was French and excellent.

To be continued...

Hi there! Here’s a quick review of my cruise on the REGAL PRINCESS. This was my 35th cruise and my second on the REGAL PRINCESS, which I first discovered in 2017 during a Caribbean cruise. A few months ago, we received an email from PRINCESS changing the itinerary—DUBLIN and EDINBURGH were replaced by two Scottish islands. We were a little disappointed, but since we’d never sailed around the UK, we didn’t really know any of the ports anyway. The itinerary was: SOUTHAMPTON AT SEA KIRKWALL INVERGORDON AT SEA STORNOWAY GLASGOW BELFAST AT SEA CORK AT SEA PORTLAND LE HAVRE SOUTHAMPTON

A 13-day/12-night cruise for 1350 € per person in a guaranteed deluxe balcony cabin. PRINCESS assigned us a balcony cabin on deck 8 with a large balcony. We ended up happy with our cabin, even though we’d initially preferred a higher deck. I’ll admit I hesitated to choose this cruise because of the weather—I love sunshine and good weather—but the desire to discover new ports won out, especially with the promise of heading to Corsica afterward to soak up some sun again 😉

On PRINCESS, as Catherine mentioned, there’s no card—everyone has a medallion! I loved this system, which unlocks your cabin door as you approach. It’s really well thought out!

We took the EUROSTAR from Lille to London, then a train from London to Southampton the day before. We stayed in a nice IHG hotel near the port.

EMBARKATION It’s Friday, August 1st. After a good breakfast and a quick check-out, we realize our UBER app isn’t working in England ;(. We have to go back to reception to ask for a taxi because, even though the hotel is close to the port, the ship is still over 2 km away—hardly ideal with luggage! The problem is that many hotel guests also requested taxis... so we wait a good 30 minutes before ours arrives! We get to the REGAL PRINCESS pretty quickly but are shocked to see a huge line outside!!! We hadn’t seen that in over a decade! Not the best start! 🙁



TO BE CONTINUED!

Hi there,

We’ve booked the CFC Viking Legends cruise (departing on 03/31/25), and the excursions have just been posted on the CFC website. What a disappointment... Stop in Copenhagen: 2 excursions offered, one of which includes +1.5 hours of walking Stop in Oslo: 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Stop in Sandnes (Stavanger): 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Lysekil (Sweden): 1 excursion, same as in Kristiansand and Zeebrugge.

We hesitated to book without knowing the excursions in advance, but the itinerary interested us. We were expecting more options for excursions... Since the ship leaves the day before from Zeebrugge, let’s hope there’s still space for the excursions. I’ll share our experience after we return from this first CFC discovery. MUM49

Great to see VF back in action! However, is it normal that we can’t upload more than 10 photos per post? If so, that’s a real shame!

Looks like I’m the first to post a review, but I’m sure others will follow to keep this forum—our forum—alive. Once again, a BIG thank you for bringing it back!

I got home yesterday but still can’t sleep, so I’d rather share this amazing cruise I just took on the Royal Princess.

Last year, I did almost the same itinerary on the Ovation OTS (Royal Caribbean), and it was mixed at best—let’s just say it was disappointing.

The itinerary: - Los Angeles - 5 days at sea - Honolulu - Hilo (replaced by Kona) - 5 days at sea - Papeete - Papeete - Moorea - 3 days at sea - Pago Pago (Samoa Islands) = canceled - 1 day at sea - International Date Line crossing - 1 day at sea - Tauranga - Tauranga - Auckland

I booked this cruise over a year in advance through the Logitravel agency. I chose a Balcony Category D cabin because the Cat B cabins on this ship class don’t have a sofa. I like having a couch in the cabin so I don’t have to sit directly on the bed when I come in.

My last cruise with Princess was years ago, and after last year’s disappointment with Royal Caribbean (Ovation OTS), I decided to give Princess another try. Not only did I love the itinerary, but the cruise was longer, and there was a new port for me—Pago Pago—which unfortunately got canceled.

Honestly, I can tell you I didn’t regret my choice for a second—this cruise will stay with me forever. Everything, or almost everything, was PERFECT!

After Oceania, I’d rank Princess in second place, and I think their service is a notch above Celebrity. You’ll see why as you read this review.

From what I remember, Catherine Isa and others have already tried this ship class and loved it.

Here we go! Day 1: Departure from Roissy to Los Angeles on an Air France flight.





Last year, I flew Air Tahiti Nui (ATN) for the same route, and I can tell you it was WAY better than AF in terms of comfort and service. Unfortunately, ATN now flies very few routes to Los Angeles, preferring to transit through Seattle to get to Papeete. So, I had to go with AF. Back in 2018, I did a Paris/Papeete flight with AF and was a bit disappointed with the 24-hour journey. Anyway!

During this flight, we had one meal and a snack before landing in LA. Drinks were available throughout the flight. We arrived on time in LA.

Before taking off from Roissy, I downloaded the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app—a mobile app for travelers with an ESTA to save time at customs (only for those returning to the U.S. at least a second time). It lets eligible travelers skip the long lines at customs when arriving in the U.S. After filling out a form and answering a few questions about your trip in advance, you get a ticket that lets you access a special line with shorter wait times. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the ticket, so I had to wait in the regular line. Thirty minutes later, I got the ticket, but it was too late—I was already in the visitor line. It took us 1.5 hours to get through immigration.

Since I’m traveling again in January next year, I’ll try MPC again to see if it works.

After leaving the airport, I took a taxi to my hotel on Hollywood Blvd, but the driver tried to scam me to make more money. Last year, the same ride cost $50, but this time, he took a long detour to run up the meter. When I saw it hit $80, I told him that last year the same trip cost $50, and we weren’t even there yet. He said, “You’re going to a hotel on Hollywood Blvd, and you’re quibbling over a few dollars?” I told him I wouldn’t pay that much because I saw he took a longer route (via Google Maps), and if needed, I’d call the police. Then he said, “Let’s work something out.” I told him I’d pay $50, just like last year—not a cent more. When we arrived, he said, “Give me $60, and we’ll call it even.” So, I gave him $60. If I hadn’t said anything, he would’ve charged me over $100. Oh well!

Our hotel (Lowes Hotel) is on Hollywood Blvd. It’s a really nice hotel with a rooftop pool. That said, it’s not worth 330 € per night plus 30 € per person for breakfast. But since we’re on Hollywood Blvd, everything’s overpriced.













We checked into our room with a view of the Hollywood Sign (as requested). We dropped off our things, then relaxed by the pool with a drink before taking a stroll down Hollywood Blvd.





That evening, we went to dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel, just 100 meters from our hotel—a legendary Hollywood hotel where Marilyn Monroe used to stay regularly. In fact, her suite still bears her name. Honestly, the hotel is really old, and I didn’t think much of it—or the dinner. We headed back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow we had a tour booked to see the stars’ houses and Beverly Hills.

To be continued: Beverly Hills/Hollywood tour and embarkation.

Hi everyone,

What a joy to be back here and pick up where we left off after all these months of hiatus.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story of this little trip around the Eastern Mediterranean. This cruise was the perfect way to satisfy our longing to return to Greece and Istanbul. The end of the season, until late November, is the best time to visit the Mediterranean in my opinion—when climate disruptions don’t get in the way.

Departing from Trieste, our stops were Katakolon, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Corfu, and Bari, before returning to Trieste and then Venice, where we planned a very short 24-hour stay.

We left home at 6:15 AM—our first cruise departure since moving to Normandy. What I miss most about living in the Gard is how close we were to Marseille Airport. No more hopping over to Marignane in an hour; now we have to plan for a three-hour trip to CDG, even under the best conditions on an early Sunday morning.

It was impossible to book a hotel night before our flight because, starting in April, the Ibis was priced at 450 € per night, and the Mercure was flirting with 800 €—breakfast not included, of course. 😏

I had a feeling there must’ve been a conference or something going on… Turns out, it was just the auto show. They simply adjusted the room prices to match the cost of the cars. 😛

Our flight took us to Venice, where we caught a FlixBus to Trieste. We arrived at Trieste’s train station in the afternoon and walked to our hotel in the city center.

After treating ourselves to an amazing pizza at a restaurant (Di Napoli Maestri Pizzaioli, Via Armando Diaz 10) for a very reasonable price, we enjoyed the mild evening temperature while exploring the stunning buildings of this charming city by night. These magnificent structures are a testament to the city’s past. Trieste became Austrian in 1382 due to its complicated relationship with Venice, and it wasn’t until 1918, at the end of World War I, that it became Italian again. The city’s lighting beautifully highlights the architecture of the buildings.

The terraces were lively, and the atmosphere was so warm and inviting that we wanted to stay out even longer.



But we’d been up since 4 AM, so we were happy to retreat to the quiet of our hotel, located in the pedestrian center just a few steps from the port (Urban Hotel Design—highly recommended).

More to come soon.

Hi everyone,

It was totally by chance that I found this cruise while chatting with Alfred in November 2024. It wasn’t planned, but the price was attractive—one of those "great deals" from Ponant that I love and that don’t exist anymore. Since everyone’s wondering, here’s the answer without waiting for the end of the story: after my various loyalty discounts, I paid **3,250 € per person** for 8 nights/9 days on the expedition cruise *The Essentials of the Seychelles*.

Expedition cruises are by far our favorites. The outings are done by Zodiac with the ship’s naturalist guides, everything’s included, and there’s no need to add any excursions or prepare anything.

We’re liking long flights less and less, so to break up the trip, we decided to stop over in Doha for four days on the way there and one day on the way back.

I’m happy to share the good and not-so-good moments, the great surprises, and the disappointments of this trip with you.

Hi everyone,

We were offered a visit to the Renaissance by the new CFC cruise line through Croisiland. After reading all the reviews—some very harsh, others glowing—I wanted to form my own opinion without having to book a full cruise to test it out. This visit to the ship at the port of Le Havre for 49 € per person came at the perfect time, even if I’m a bit put off by having to pay for a ship tour. That’s not how it usually works with other cruise lines, as far as I know.

The Renaissance is a former Holland America Line ship, built in 1993 and renovated in 2023. We’re familiar with this style of ship since we took a long cruise in Polynesia in 2014 on one of its sister ships, the MS Statendam. We remember it as a charming small ship with a lovely pool terrace at the very back.

Off we went this morning for a relaxing day on a ship—always a nice change!

The Pont de Normandie is the last elegant structure you see before entering the vast and rather smelly port area of Le Havre.



The area around the port where the Renaissance is docked is total chaos—cars everywhere and only a handful of taxis. We were supposed to have a reserved parking spot in front of the terminal (we’d even given them our car model and license plate), but we were denied entry. There’s no paved public parking, so we left the car on a vacant lot.



CFC was officially acquired by the British cruise line Ambassador Cruise Line in January 2025. Ambassador Cruise Line, launched in 2010, already owns two ships of the same type and age. They wasted no time repainting the funnel in their new colors.



The line of passengers disembarking and waiting for taxis is endless... and taxis are trickling in. Is this the aftermath of yesterday’s strike, or is this the norm in this port? Either way, I feel bad for the poor travelers waiting—it’s going to be a long haul. Many are leaving on foot, dragging their suitcases. Compared to the port of Marseille, this is pretty dismal.



Forty spots were available for this visit organized by Croisiland, but we ran into a good hundred people at the meet-up. A group from the AVF (Accueil des Villes Françaises) of Le Havre will be joining us. Our Croisiland group consists of twelve people, if I counted right.

Security clearance is done alphabetically, and we quickly board the ship. Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter.

To be continued...

Hi Has anyone sailed with the French company CFC? What do you think? Haven’t seen many reviews about this company.

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!

Cruise on the MSC Virtuosa with stopovers in Pointe-à-Pitre, Antigua, St Kitts, Philipsburg, and Tortola from March 8 to 15, 2025. Is it better to book MSC’s excursions, or are there easy ways to explore on our own in some ports?

Thanks for your feedback!

Danielle

Hi,

Is it possible to get promotions on the MSC Yacht Club section? What strategy should I adopt to get the best prices: book in advance or at the last minute? Is it better to book directly with MSC or through a third-party provider to get the best value for money? Thanks

Hi everyone, I’m starting to look into small solo cruises, for now in November. It’s my first cruise, so I’m a bit nervous. Anyone potentially interested in 7 days in Italy, Tunisia, and Spain? If you’ve got any tips, I’d love to hear them. Looking forward to reading your replies

Hi everyone, As you can see, it says "guaranteed ocean view" on the booking. And here’s the result: a tiny cabin with the view completely blocked. I paid for a porthole, and when I went to see the MSC receptionist, they told me it was impossible to change cabins. Yet later, I found out that someone in an inside cabin was upgraded to an ocean-view porthole—good for them, but I feel like they really messed with me. I’m so disappointed; I’d saved up for this. And I’m furious that they don’t care at all about my dissatisfaction. I’m thinking about contacting a mediator to see if they can help. Do you have any advice? Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

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.

Departure and boarding details to come

Hi everyone, just wanted to say how happy I am to be back on this forum—it really helped me out on my previous trips. I’ve missed it these past few years, so thanks for bringing it back to life! Long live Voyage Forum! We’re boarding the MSC World Europa next month. I’d love to hear any tips or see photos from anyone who’s already been on this ship. We’ll be in cabin 14135 if anyone’s been in the same one. Thanks in advance! Seb

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

Total of 16 days on the ship with the advantage of one day at sea and one day in port, so time to rest in between. NORWEGIAN JOY: 1-Food not as good as on Costa and MSC (fewer dish choices or repetitive meals, no region-specific meals, meats are good but desserts are really not good at all, no real exotic fruits despite the regions you visit, and even the other fruits like melon and pineapple aren’t ripe). No need to dress up for evening meals: freestyle, so don’t bring too many evening outfits. 2-No fixed time or place for meals: queues every time in the restaurants, tables assigned based on your group size, so it’s hard to interact with other passengers. 3-Passengers mostly American: shows cater to their taste, fewer musical-style performances in the theater compared to Costa and MSC. 4-Excursions are very expensive and always in English. Americans still leave huge tips for the guides. ITINERARY: 1-Miami departure port (airport: 3-hour queue for passport control!) 2-2 days at sea, then Cartagena in Colombia: definitely don’t take the Pirates excursion (it’s terrible, even for kids—they make you run all over the city for their lame "show"!). You can even stay at the port where there’s a beautiful park called "Oasis" with lovely birds... and a café. Otherwise, while visiting the city, buy t-shirts ($10 USD—the best quality and markets of all the regions visited) or taste ripe exotic fruits you’ll never find on the ship ($3). 3-Colon/Panama: several interesting excursions to the locks (old and new). They use highways, so you don’t see much of the country. Crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the canal and the lake: not much view of cities during the passage, just a few islands and greenery on the lake. 4-Puntarenas/Costa Rica: We took the coffee plantation tour, which lets you drive through villages and see more of the country. 5-Guatemala: Highly recommended excursion to Antigua: a very pretty old town with a human scale, lots of women trying to sell you all sorts of things but always with a smile and full of color. Enjoy bargaining—it’s a real connection with the locals. 6-Acapulco/Mexico: a big city that reminds you a bit of Rio/Brazil. Beaches right near the port if you want to swim, as well as little shops selling everything. The famous cliff divers: it’s crowded, so it’s hard to find a good spot to really see them jump. Lots of police and heavily armed military, so probably best not to take risks venturing alone into the poorer neighborhoods like favelas in the hills. 7-Vallarta/Mexico: a gem, a small and very pleasant seaside resort with a lovely promenade, lots of colors, statues, souvenirs, and cafés.... 8-Cabo San Lucas/Mexico: The ship stays at sea; you go ashore by small boats from the port. Lots of shops, restaurants, etc., right at the port if you don’t want to take an excursion. It’s quite chilly early in the morning on these small boats, so bring a jacket. 9-Los Angeles: disembarkation—another 3-hour queue for passport control. If you have a flight right after, be careful: either ask for disabled assistance on the ship (they have a fast exit) or hire paid porters who also get you out quickly.

Hi everyone, It’s been 6 years since we last went on a cruise... We’re heading back to sea on April 26th on the Lirica (MSC). For those who’ve recently sailed with MSC, could you let me know if there are still dress codes for the evenings and, if so, what they are? Thanks in advance. Have a great day

Hi, I’m going on a solo cruise from Marseille to Hamburg—13 nights, 4 days at sea on the Costa Favalosa. The stops are Genoa, Barcelona, Málaga, Cádiz, Porto, A Coruña, Le Havre, and Hamburg. I’ve booked a Costa excursion for Porto and Hamburg that ends at the airport. I plan to explore the other stops on my own (I’ve already visited Barcelona and Málaga). The stops should be pretty easy to do solo, but I’d love any tips on A Coruña. I’d also like to know if there’s a shuttle to get out of the port in Le Havre or go into the city center. Looking forward to exchanging ideas with others who might be doing this route! Best, Varoise

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!

Hi there,

To celebrate an anniversary, we’re dreaming of a truly amazing luxury cruise where we’d be pampered.

We’ve already traveled in the Yacht Club on MSC. It was fantastic, especially since it was in the fjords.

But do you have any other cruise lines to recommend?

Hi everyone,

Can anyone give me some info about this Spa Access day? We traveled with Costa until 2017, and back then, spa access wasn’t just for a day—it was for the entire cruise if you were staying in a suite... Times change, I guess. When I check MY COSTA, under Thermal Space Access Day appointments, it’s possible to book every day, even at sea, but with payment required on the site. Do we need to book this day on board if we want to take advantage of the free day? Or do we book it on the site and the freebie is applied automatically? Are sea days included in this case? Since 2017, we’ve been traveling with MSC YC, but this time, we’re going as a family with kids and grandkids, so the YC is a bit too much of a luxury and not really suitable for 3 kids.

Thanks for any feedback!

I’ve finally gotten around to writing a review of our transatlantic cruise on the Costa Fortuna. We’ve always loved cruises, especially transatlantic ones. In recent years, we were MSC customers (Diamond card). But this year, we decided to return to Costa, though there was one downside: we lost all the points from our old Costa card (I think we were "Gold"). Still, since we’re former customers, the company generously gave us 1 point and the bronze card. It’s better than nothing.

Our departure nearly went wrong. The ship was leaving Marseille on Friday, December 22 at 2:00 PM, and we were told to be at the port by 10:30 AM. This unusual departure time meant we had to travel to Marseille the day before (since we live in the Paris area). So, we booked a flight from Orly to Marseille on the 21st at 5:15 PM. But December 21 was a particularly rough day in France with a big snowstorm. And as everyone knows, planes and trains don’t handle snow very well. At Orly, in the waiting area, everyone was anxious as the minutes ticked by. The departure time kept getting pushed back in 15-minute increments. They eventually let us board the plane with no guarantees. Once inside, the captain announced we were waiting for a takeoff slot. About an hour later, he said the plane needed de-icing and the wait could be long since airport staff were overwhelmed. Miraculously, after what felt like forever, the de-icing truck finally arrived, and we took off—over two hours late. When we landed in Marseille, the terminal was practically empty. Luckily, our hotel wasn’t too far away.

We later found out that passengers who took the train were even less lucky—trains were canceled. Later, at our table, we met a neighbor who had boarded in Malaga by plane because his Paris-Marseille train had turned back. He’d incurred extra costs, lost two days of the cruise, and had quite a bit of stress.

The next day in Marseille, our boarding went smoothly. We were surprised by the large number of passengers. We later learned that 1,300 people had boarded in Marseille. Since the ship wasn’t full (between 2,300 and 2,500 passengers), the French were in the majority (a rare occurrence). We noticed during the cruise that the French are just as loud as the Italians. The only upside? At least we could understand what was being said.

More to come later.....

Hi everyone, A little feedback on our 12-day cruise in early November on the Lirica.





The Lirica is a human-sized ship with 2,500 passengers for an old-school cruise—no extra-charge themed restaurants or bars, but large lounge bars with plenty of seating. We had no trouble grabbing a drink. The meals are decent, the staff is always helpful, but the ship is starting to show its age, and the cabins aren’t exactly fresh anymore. The low point: the shows were the worst we’ve seen in eight cruises—barely up to camping standards.

Day 1 Boarding in Venice. Since the ship now departs from Marghera, there’s a transfer from the terminal to the ship by water shuttle. Day 2 At sea. Day 3 Katakolon We’ve already visited Olympia twice, so we did some shopping at the port and the only shopping street. Day 4 Heraklion Excursion with MSC to the Palace of Knossos and shopping. It’s a bit pricier than doing it on your own, but you get the guide’s explanations.





After visiting the palace, we explored Heraklion—a very lively city.

Day 5 Rhodes The ship docks just steps from the old town, a magnificent city surrounded by its ramparts.







Visit to the Palace of the Grand Masters.