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

We’ve just returned from a cruise that my wife and I will remember—unfortunately, not in a good way. There’s so much to say that I’ll proceed chapter by chapter. Pre-Cruise On January 24th, 2025, I booked through a supposedly attentive cruise agent the repositioning cruise of the CFC Renaissance to the French West Indies, initially departing from Le Havre, then from Dunkirk, on November 1st, 2025. The return flight was included in the price of this trip. From January, right after booking, this adventure got off to a bad start. Used to major cruise lines, I asked my agent to reserve a table for 4 at the "Vatel" restaurant for the second seating, and to link this reservation to the cabin of friends traveling with us. First brush-off: "Ask the maître d’ at the restaurant entrance on the first night."

"To govern is to foresee, and to foresee nothing is to head for disaster," as Émile de Girardin said.

Following this maxim, in February, I started looking for transportation to Le Havre, which was initially the departure port. Then, I asked the travel agent which airport the return flight would land at. I knew flights from Pointe-à-Pitre to Paris served both main Parisian airports. Here, I found myself like a ping-pong ball between the cruise agent and CFC: The cruise agent said, "Ask CFC," and CFC replied, "No, your agent is your intermediary—ask them." It went back and forth like that. Impossible to pre-book the flight that would take us back to our final destination. During the summer, we learned that the departure port was no longer Le Havre but Dunkirk. We canceled our transfers to Le Havre but, of course, lost the cost of the reservations. Meanwhile, we purchased our "Beverage" package—we chose the "Fraîcheur" option, which included all non-alcoholic cocktails, canned sodas, fruit juices, bottled water, and regular coffees. This detail is important for the rest of the story. Every month, I followed up to find out the return airport. Nothing until October 28th (3 days before departure), when CFC finally informed me it was Orly, along with the flight number and time. Of course, on top of booking at full price, I had to arrange my final transfer home. Since I had very little time before the return flight, I had to book an Uber in a rush for the Orly/CDG transfer. Right after, we were told that our first stop in Lisbon—the most anticipated for many cruisers—had been canceled due to a strike at the port of Lisbon and replaced with Vigo, Spain. A completely unremarkable stop—nothing outstanding. As you can see, the prelude was already problematic, yet we’re far from reaching the peak of our disappointments. .......... to be continued soon.

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 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,

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, Do you know any companies or individuals offering day excursions for cruise passengers who disembark in the morning and have to wait for their evening flight, with luggage? Thanks in advance

Hi there, In June we’re taking a cruise called "Pearls of the Baltic" on board Renaissance CFC Cruises—with stops in Kiel (Germany), Gdańsk (Poland), Rønne (Bornholm), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden).

This layover in Gothenburg doesn’t really inspire me—could you tell me what’s worth seeing? Are there locals offering excursions around the area by van right when you leave the port, like you often see on Caribbean cruises?

I saw there’s a hop-on hop-off bus, but I’m not sure if there’s a stop near the terminal.

What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance! Best regards,

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 everyone! We’d love to share some great tips for excursions with French speakers. If you’re on the same cruise, I’d be interested! We’ll be spending a few days in Tokyo and Seoul. Please let me know if you’ll be on the Norwegian Spirit or if you’ve already done this cruise—we’d love to hear about the best places to visit since the guides aren’t very cruise-friendly. Thanks so much!

hi there A group of friends and I are going on a CroisiEurope cruise along the Danube in September, from Vienna to Bucharest. The excursions are optional and, in my opinion, pricey. I’m convinced we can manage on our own... * In Vienna, is it easy to visit the city and Schönbrunn Palace in one day? (Since we only have a day, is it better to explore the palace grounds or the interior?) ...97 € * In Bratislava, is visiting the castle and hiking in the Little Carpathians worth it? ...79 € * Budapest: Széchenyi Baths ...119 € and the Great Market Hall ...84 € * Kalocsa: the Puszta nature reserve and a horseback riding show ...76 € * Novi Sad: a panoramic bus tour followed by a walk to Petrovaradin Fortress ...41 € * Ruse: visiting the Rusenski Lom Valley ...43 € For all these cities, can we get around on our own? If so, should we take a bus, a taxi, or is it enough to be good walkers? (Share all your tips!) Thanks in advance for your feedback. Best regards

Hi everyone,

Would you have any tips for excursions on the MSC Splendida cruise: Marseille / Livorno / Cagliari / Palermo / Malta / Barcelona

Is it possible to do some excursions on our own?

Thanks in advance,

Have a great evening

Patrick

Hi,

We’re planning a Mediterranean cruise with either MSC or Costa—any recommendations on which to choose? Could you share the pros and cons of each?

We’re 2 adults and 1 young adult (18). Thanks for your feedback! Val

Hello, I’m reaching out for your valuable advice before our Caribbean cruise on the Seascape (departing February 22, 2025, from Miami).

In Jamaica, we’re considering the excursion to the Green Grotto Caves. If anyone has done this excursion, what did you think, please? We also planned to take the “Tulum Mayan Ruins” excursion in Mexico and the “Island-to-Island Panoramic Tour, Hell and Starfish Point” in the Cayman Islands. Unfortunately, these two excursions are fully booked. What do you recommend? Can we visit on our own (not the Mayan ruins, as they’re too far and the risk of missing the ship is too high in my opinion)? Is it safe enough? Will these excursions be available on the ship (in case of cancellations, for example)? For your information, I’m traveling with my parents, who are 80 years old. Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions...

Hi there, I’ve put a deposit down for the Norwegian fjords cruise on the Preziosa in August 2025. I didn’t go for the drinks package at 1300 € for two for fifteen days—it seems a bit steep, especially since I don’t drink wine, just a few cocktails, and no fizzy drinks like Coke or Fanta. Could anyone share the drink price list on the ship, please? Also, I couldn’t find the prices for the excursions on this cruise, just the descriptions. Would anyone have the prices they could share with me? Thanks so much! Have a great day. Cathy

Hello,

We had booked a sea-view cabin through a Costa advisor in October 2023 for a departure on 13/10/24 on the Costa Favolosa, with a cruise lasting until 22/10/24. When we saw the cabin, what a disappointment: only one stool, no armchair or sofa like we were used to with Costa. The sea view wasn’t great because of a film on the porthole, and the cabin faced the crew promenade. The space between the wall and the edge of the bed was about 30 cm... not easy for getting into bed. We immediately asked to change cabins. After two days, the answer was that no cabins were available. We spent our days in the lounges because there wasn’t enough room for two people to sit—one had to sit on the stool and the other on the bed... Two days before disembarking in Marseille, reception offered us a sea-view cabin on deck 2. We asked to see it: what a difference—space, a sofa, an armchair, a stool, and a real sea view. Unfortunately, with only two days left before disembarking, it was difficult for us "seniors (85 and 73 years old)" to pack our suitcases and bags, unpack them in the new cabin, deal with the walker, and then repack two days later for disembarkation. We filed a complaint with Costa’s customer service, which responded quickly: "You found the cabin small. Please note that our cabins meet standards and are allocated accordingly. It is indeed possible to change cabins if the ship’s occupancy allows it. We offered you this change, which you later declined." In the end, they offered a "commercial discount as an exceptional gesture for booking a future cruise." This cabin 9201 is for one person, not two. The onboard staff were always as friendly and smiling as ever. There were long lines to access the buffets, so it was better to go to the restaurant at lunchtime when we didn’t have excursions. The shows were varied, and the indoor pool was very chilly. We won’t be sailing with Costa again. We’ve booked with MSC for 2025, but after reading some reviews... Mum49

Hello, We’re considering a cruise that stops in Izmir and offers 3 excursions: EPHESUS 'EPHESUS & THE HOUSE OF THE VIRGIN MARY' EPHESUS AND THE TERRACE HOUSES Could you give us some advice? Thanks! Best regards,

Hello, I’m going on an MSC Norway cruise in May, and I’m a bit lost when it comes to choosing excursions 😅 Here’s my itinerary: Hamburg, Ålesund, Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Trondheim, Molde Fjord, Bergen, Hamburg. I’m looking for advice and opinions: must-see places, and is it possible to organize excursions independently from the cruise line (there are 4 of us)? All your experiences would be super helpful 😊 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🙂

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!

Iceland cruise on MSC PREZIOSA I'm looking for excursions to do from the cruise ports of REYKJAVIK, ISAFJORDUR, and AKUREYRI without booking through MSC, thanks

Hi there! We're going on an MSC cruise and will be stopping in Genoa, Civitavecchia, Palermo, and Ibiza. Could anyone tell us how to do excursions on our own? Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone and happy 2025, full of dreams! During our Costa cruise on the *Delisioza* from May 3rd to 10th, we have a stop in Bari (2:00 PM to 8:00 PM), and we're torn between two 5-hour excursions: "The Sassi of Matera" or "The Tale of the Trulli of Alberobello." For those who’ve been to both, which one would you recommend? Thanks for your replies or tips!

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! We’ve booked a cruise on the Costa Smeralda for early November 2025 (ports of call: Barcelona, Cagliari, Naples, Civitavecchia-Rome, Genoa). This is our first cruise, so I need your help for some sightseeing tips. I checked Costa’s website for excursions, but the prices are pretty steep! I saw that it’s possible to get a Costa Go Round ticket with multiple stops—this seems really practical for some destinations. Has anyone tried it? How does it work? Is it useful for seeing several sites in the city? If you have any tips for sightseeing without blowing our budget for 3 people, I’d love to hear them. Thanks so much! :)

Hello soon-to-be retired travelers flying from Orly to Fort-de-France! We’re taking the transatlantic cruise on the Virtuosa, which departs from Fort-de-France on Saturday, April 5th and arrives in Le Havre on Sunday, April 20th. Are excursions possible without necessarily going through MSC for Guadeloupe, St. Martin, the Azores, and Lisbon? Has any forum traveler already done this cruise and have some tips and advice to share with us? Thanks in advance.

Hi, We’d like to take a simple river cruise on the Douro! Onboard entertainment and bus excursions don’t appeal to us. CroisiEurope, etc., wouldn’t suit us. Any other suggestions??? Thanks

Have any of you done this cruise? We booked the excursion package—I hope we made the right choice! I hope it’s not too long or too tiring, since we’re 73 and 76. Thanks

Hi, I have a stopover in Messina—is it possible to get to Taormina without booking the ship’s excursions?

Hi there, I’d like to ask . . . Are all included meals on board the boat when we’ve purchased excursions? With the boat, I mean. Is it ever the case that the included lunch is served en route for the group at a restaurant, or do we always have to return to the boat to eat and then head back out in the afternoon to continue the visits? Thanks in advance!

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