Un petit compte rendu de notre croisière sur le msc Préziosa du 28 aout 2015: nous sommes partis en cabine fantastica intérieure (pas le choix car départ dernière minute), un forfait allégrissimo, nous étions au 1er service au restaurant l Arabesque.
Nous pouvons faire la comparaison tout d’abord avec la Fantasia, pris l année dernière en direction des iles grecques et de Dubrovnik
Niveau bateau : son frère jumeau avec des différences dans les couleurs mais même conception ; un toboggan plus impressionnant et plus long sur le préziosa car plus récent.
Niveau ambiance du bateau, rien à voir ; cela vient peut-être du circuit … Le personnel parle très peu français dans le Préziosa, vous snobe presque et est 10 fois moins aimable et renseignant que sur la Fantasia ; pour étayer mon propos plein de fautes d’orthographe sur les panneaux indicateurs (sur 3 lignes) et Marseille , par exemple, avec un S à la fin !
Les vacances scolaires italiennes finissent le 15 septembre + les espagnols au langage rapide font que vous devez vous acclimater au bruit ! je sais le Français est râleur !
Si non augmentation de la taxe de bord de 1,50 euros en un an (8,50euros/pers/jour au lieu de 7euros en 2014) ; pareil au niveau tarif des escursions et prix prohibitif des navettes
C est vrai que la deuxième croisière vous permet de connaitre les subtilités des escaliers et ascenseurs, du repas du midi possible aux restaurants etc.…
Descriptif croisière
Apres 3h de train, arrivée gare de Marseille saint Charles : nous avons pris un taxi à l aller comme au retour, les files sont fluides et rapides. 20 à 24 euros
C est, à mon avis, le meilleur moyen quand vous êtes chargé ; le dépose navette est assez loin de l embarquement.
Dépose des bagages avec les collerettes indiquant votre cabine (fournit dans votre voucher msc) ; vos valises sont maintenant dans les bras du bateau et elles attendront devant vos cabines
File d’attente, carte croisiériste donnée, photo de départ et hop sur le bateau
Si vous voulez profiter de tous les packs (spa, allegrissimo), il y a un stand pour chacun d’eux avant d’obtenir votre carte
Notre embarquement était prévu 16h00 mais nous sommes arrivés bien avant et il n y a eu aucun problème ; après informations nous n étions que 350 à embarquer
Sur la première croisière, on avait chargé dès l embarquement la carte bleue pour les différents achats ; sur celle ci il fallait le faire vous-même sur le bateau, il y a des bornes devant la réception
N ’oubliez pas de le faire si vous ne voulez pas faire la queue pour prendre une excursion ; arriver au comptoir et s’entendre dire que votre carte n’est pas créditée.
Bien, ça y est nous sommes dans notre cabine pour prendre une petite douche !hop hop et direction la visite
Notre personnel de cabine se présente, rien à dire super pro
Le DAILY program de l escale du lendemain et les différentes instructions sont sur votre lit dans votre langue
Attention ; les serviettes de piscine (orange ici) sont dans votre cabine ; si pas présentes, le demander ; le soir les laisser par terre et pas pliées si vous voulez qu’elles soient changées ;
Sur la fantasia elles étaient près de la piscine et on les rendait au même endroit pour les changer ; plus pratique à mon avis et surtout moins de personne pré-réservant son transat !!
sur votre carte vous est indiqué votre cabine, votre service de diner, vos forfaits boissons, votre point de ralliement sécurité
1er ou 2eme service pour le dîner, la préférence dépend vraiment de chacun
Personnellement je préfère dîner vers 20h plut��t que 22h (présence au restaurant 19h30/45 et 21h30/45 max)
Vu le prix prohibitif des excursions nous avons essayé de faire les visites par nous même
1ere étape GËNES
Donc en sortant du bateau, après la douane
- partir à droite, longer la marina jusqu’au bateau pirate et à votre gauche se trouvera la ville
Ou
-à droite aussi, se trouve un bureau d’excursion
Nous avons pris le tour de la ville en bus découvert avec traduction oreillette à 12 euros/pers (environ 1h)
Il y a aussi un kiosque sur le parvis de la place pour la visite de l aquarium qui se trouve à 10 mn à pieds
BOF voilà ce que me procure la sensation de la ville ; des fils électriques partout dès que vous lever la tête !
2eme étape ROME
Par la lecture du forum, nous avons recouru au service de Carole, française expatriée depuis de nombreuses années, et exerçant la profession de taxi ;
Un de ses véhicules est un minibus (climatisé et possédant la wifi) pouvant contenir 8 personnes ; elle nous prend et nous ramène à la sortie du bateau
C est un trésor de culture, elle nous emmène dans les places stratégiques, là où les bus ne peuvent pas s’arreter, cèdent à nos demandes particulières et nous fait des surprises !
Le prix est digressif selon le nombre de personnes (nous étions 7 et donc35euros/pers) coordonnées en MP si intéressé
Rome est une ville magnifique qui mérite d’être visitée plus longuement
3eme étape PALERME
J espère que la Sicile ne ressemble pas à cette ville
C est sale et plein de tags
Nous avons utilisé un petit train touristique (1 heure environ, 10euros/pers) qui nous fait faire un circuit des monuments ; correct car après , sommes retournés à pieds aux endroits que nous voulions visiter
Vous pouvez utiliser aussi calèche, taxi, moto taxi à votre convenance mais il faut négocier les prix (perso je n ai jamais su faire)
4eme étape CAGLIARI
1ere excursion MSC
Bon guide mais une voix pas très portante
Comme nous étions peu de français, bus partagé avec des anglais ; traduction dans les 2 langues
Bémol : le bus en panne pour venir nous rechercher après le temps libre donc attente sur la place ½ heure au moins
Plus : cette excursion nous a permis de lier connaissance avec des personnes avec lesquelles nous avons poursuivis nos soirées
Navette bateau et pieds sont suffisants pour visiter
5eme étape PALMA DE MAJORQUE
Superbe ville balnéaire, plein de beaux monuments
Nous avons pris la navette payante Msc (12.9euros/pers !!!)comme l’escale est longue rien ne t empêche de prendre cette navette pour aller visiter la ville, revenir au bateau, prendre ton diner, et retourner en ville boire un drink le long de la plage; Nous avons remarqué qu’ il y a aussi des bus de ville à la sortie du port ;
La distance entre le port et la ville est importante (environ1/2heure, mais le retour doit être pénible sous la chaleur)
Guide touristique papier bien fait qui permet de faire un circuit complet de ville à pieds
6eme étape VALENCE
Excursion MSC
C est la seule excursion que je recommande par le bateau car l escale est courte et la ville superbe, mais très étendue
Notre guide , a, cette fois, dû alterner l allemand et le français, mais connaissait vraiment bien son affaire
Voilà on retourne à Marseille
Nos directives pour le débarquement sont posées sur nos lits
Bagages devant la cabine avant 1h00 (notre arrivée est prévue à 13h00) garder un petit bagage à main pour les derniers effets ; il y a une consigne (gratuite) pour celui-ci, de notre petit déjeuner à 13h00
Une couleur attribuée ainsi qu’un salon d’attente pour le débarquement (ex couleur bleu ciel, salon safari lougne ,13h30)
Si vous avez choisit un transfert c est aussi indiqué par une couleur
La note des excursions et achats divers est glissée sous votre porte dans la nuit ; si vous avez opté pour la carte bancaire, vous verifiez, vous signez et vous gardez le double et c est tout ; le montant sera prélevé 1semaine après. Si vous faites des achats de dernières minutes, no problème, vu qu’ils ont déjà vos coordonnées bancaires
Dernier débarquement, récupération des bagages (à Marseille, le hall a des fanions de la couleur et les bagages sont disposés là ; à Venise c’est sur le quai, par couleur aussi)
File de taxi pour aéroport, gare ou autre
Ah j oubliais, beaucoup de sécurité embarquement débarquement ;
Ne jamais oublier sa carte magnétique (scannée dans les 2 sens avec votre photo prise à l embarquement)
Ne pas emmener de canif, ciseaux trop volumineux etc ….ils seront confisqués le temps de la croisière
J ai sans doute oublié des choses mais je suis à votre disposition pour des questions
Le forum m a été utile plusieurs fois, je fais à mon tour de même
Costa Concordia (2-9 mai 2010) - Costa Pacifica (16-27 avril 2011) - Costa Déliziosa (18-29 juin 2013) - MSC Preziosa (10-17 avril 2015) - MSC Armonia (5-10 avril 2016)-MSC Poesia (9-16 juin 2018)
bonjour, nous partons sur le preziosa en novembre sur le même circuit, merci pour votre compte rendu. Pour les coordonnées de Carole à Rome comment procéder ? faut-il réserver avant le départ ou en arrivant ? merci pour ces précisions. bonne journée
bonjour et merci pour votre cr , je prends dailleurs le preziosa le 15 novembre et si vous pouviez me donner les coordonnees de votre guide pour rome svp 🙂 et si des personnes etait interessees pour partager cette excursion ca serait tres sympa merci 😎
Mais un compte rendu magnifique!!! Merci de nous faire part de ton vécu à bord du msc préziosa. Important pour nous, futurs voyageurs.
Une question que j'aimerais te poser : nous arriverons à la gare st charles tôt le matin, nous prendrons le taxi pour le port de croisière. Sachant que l'embarquement se fait dans l'après midi, je voulais savoir s'il y a une salle d'attente où l'on pourrait se reposer en attendant au port.
Lapipelette!!!! 🙂oui il y a une grande salle d attente qui est aussi la salle d embarquement.
Mais un compte rendu magnifique!!! Merci de nous faire part de ton vécu à bord du msc préziosa. Important pour nous, futurs voyageurs.
Une question que j'aimerais te poser : nous arriverons à la gare st charles tôt le matin, nous prendrons le taxi pour le port de croisière. Sachant que l'embarquement se fait dans l'après midi, je voulais savoir s'il y a une salle d'attente où l'on pourrait se reposer en attendant au port.
bonjour Jurassica
as tu eu mon MP
Profite en suis dispo pour l instant j ai vu sur le calendrier tu pars le 6 et moi le 15 novembre
pour Rome nous prenons tjrs le trai
puis on gere! tu peux prendre ensuite le bus opp en hoff
tu verras l essentiel de Rome je ne sais plus combien dure l escale?
A plus
RCT
bonjour nous partons en septembre 2016 comment faut il faire pou reserver un taxi a carole a Rome nous sommes 6
en vous remerciant de vos reponses pacalou14
bonjour nous partons en septembre 2016 comment faut il faire pou reserver un taxi a carole a Rome nous sommes 6
en vous remerciant de vos reponses pacalou14
bonjour d'abord un grand merci pour toutes ces informations qui nous sont précieuses pour le taxi carole combien de temps faut il réserver ( croisiere le 23septembre )?
quand vous envoyez un message a carole elle vous réponds dans quel delai ? j'imagine quelle doit être très sollicitée !!!!
en vous remerciant beaucoup pour votre réponse très bonne journée pacalou
A votre place, je ne tarderais pas avant de contacter Carole car, effectivement, elle est très sollicitée!
Elle répond très rapidement et propose même de vous contacter par téléphone.
Croisières › France › Provence-Côte d'Azur · 31 replies
OUAH!!!! on vient de rentrer de notre première croisière et on pense déjà à la prochaine... Ça y est, avons nous attrapé le virus??? il semblerait, même les…
Je tenais à vous remercier pour vos conseils, vos idées etc... partagés sur le forum. Grâce à vous, j'ai pu préparer cette croisière! A mon tour, je publierai…
Je me suis inscrit il y a quelques mois pour préparer notre première croisière. J'y ai glané pas mal d'infos afin de préparer notre voyage. Pour cette première…
J'entame le CR de notre croisière du mois d'octobre. Petit clin d'œil s'ils me lisent à Monique, Cormo et 2Vaux. Promis, je finirai ensuite (pour ceux qui ont…
Voici le compte rendu de notre croisière du 29/05 au 09/06/2017 à bord du MSC PREZIOSA Nous avions préparé conjointement cette croisière sur VF et quelques…
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
J'envisage une croisière sur l'express côtier hurtigruten de Bergen Kirkeness Bergen en 11 jours mi Mars 2027.
Quelqu'un a t il déjà effectué ce voyage ?
Je pense que c'est une bonne découverte de la côte norvégienne avec possibilité de voir de magnifiques aurores boréales , mais ce voyage n'est il pas un peu "longuet"?
Il y a une trentaine d'escales mais la plupart ne durent que qques minutes , avec une seule escale journalière de plus de 2 heures qui permet d'avoir un petit aperçu de quelques villes mais ne permet pas d'excursion complète .
Le supplément pour une cabine extérieure avec hublot ( 800 € pour 2! ) est il nécessaire ?
C'est plus agréable qu'une cabine aveugle, mais passe t onsuffiamment de temps dans sa cabine pour en profiter ?
merci de me donner vos points de vue sur ce périple.
Cordialement.
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!
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! 😐
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
