Nous avons fait une croisère sur le costa europa en novembre 2006 et ça nous laisse un souvenir impérissable!
Notre itinéraire était : Savone, Naples, Alexandrie, Chypre, Rhodes, Athènes et Olympie.
C'est un bateau trés beau, grand mais pas trop ce qui fait qu'il y a de la place pour tout le monde. Le personnel était super, trés attentionné.
Les excursions sont plutôt chères mais on ne vous pousse pas à les prendre et des infos sont données si vous vous voulez vous débrouiller seuls.
Cependant c'est super bien organisé !
LE piège a éviter selon moi c'est les photos qui sont trés chères: 7, 95 la petite et 11, 95 la grande.
Je me tiens à votre disposition si vous avez des questions plus précises.
Nous c'est sûr nous repartirons en croisère et nous n'avons absolument pas été déçus par costa (c'était avant la mise en place des pourboires obligatoires). Bateau trés propre, presonnel à vos petits soins et repas super avec beaucoup de choix notamment au restaurant une carte avec plusierus entrées, plusieurs potages, des pates, des plats principaux, des desserts: tout ça au choix et en quantité illimité !!
Bon préparatif et peut être à bientôt
merci pour tous ces renseignements! On commence à décompter les jours jusqu'au départ, on est impatient
de savoir ce qu'est une croisiere. On adore les voyages et nous n'avons jamais expérimenté les croisières. Mon
mari m'a offert ce superbe cadeau pour mon anniversaire au mois de juillet, depuis je décompte les semaines!!!
On hésite à prendre un forfait boissons (vin), qu'en penses-tu ?
On a réservé toutes les excursions sauf Rhodes qui peut se visiter apparement facilement, on ira probablement
voir Lindos par nos propres moyens (bus).
maintenant je dois aller au boulot, si j'ai d'autres questions je reviendrai t'ennuyer !
Tu parles que tu es impatiente, il y a de quoi ! Nous on n'n pouvait plus Ca passe vite mais c'est super, ce sont des vacances différentes, bien sûr le passage dans les différents pays est rapide mais donne un bon aperçu...
Pour Rhodes vous avez bien fait, la ville est au pied du bateau, nous n'avions pas non plus prit d'excursions, c'est la ville du shoping pas cher! Ceintures de marques entre 3 et 12 euro!!!
Pour le forfait vin, je ne peux malheureusement pas te conseiller puisque nous n'en buvons pas ! (belle économie 😉 ). Nous avions un forfait eau à 23 euro environ mais attention ce sont des bouteilles italiennes de 75 cl je crois, ils te remettent les bouteilles emtamées le lendemain sur la table sans que toi tu es à t'en soucier.
Nous avions prit toutes les excursions également et n'avons pas regretté sauf celle de Chypre. Budget excursions pour 2 adultes (nous étions avec notre fille de 2 ans et demi et pour elle c'était gratuit, elle a même eu droit à son panier repas pour l'excursion en Egypte) : 600 euro.
Bonne journée au boulot et à bientôt bien volontiers (c'est toujours agréable de pouvoir parler de ce merveilleux voyage)
Pour l'anecdote, nous avons sympathisé avec un jeune couple lors de cette croisière qui ont été tellement enchanté qu'ils repartent en avril !!
En ce qui concerne Chypre pourquoi l'excursion vous a-t-elle déçue? Nous avons choisi l'excursion
Curium, Odomos, Apollon est-ce la meme que vous?
On se pose aussi des questions sur ce que l'on doit emporter comme vêtements car nous faisons aussi
l'Egypte et La Lybie, on ne sait pas trop quelle température il y fait fin mars. De plus d'après ce que j'ai
lu sur le forum les tenues très habillées ne sont plus d'actualité sur le bateau (robes longues et costumes).
C'est un peu dommage...Pour une fois que l'on pouvait les sortir du placard!
Faut-il vraiment 2 jours pour se repérer sur le bateau?
Bonjour,
Nous nous sommes revenu ce lundi de cette croisière, c'était super à part peu-être le mal de mer, si vous êtes sujet penser à prendre des médicaments si non ils en on au bureau des informations sur le bateau. Pour les excursions nous n'avons pris que Naples et Egypte le reste ce fait bien tout seul il y a un service de navette tout est très bien organiser, contrairement à ce qu'on peut penser Tripoli est une ville super sympa et les gens ne vous harcelle pas comme en Egypte ou ils sont sponsoriser je pense par une grande marque de colle forte, se qui casse un peu le bonheur de se trouver au beau milieu des pyramides.
Si besoin de renseignements n'hésitez pas à me contacter sur mon mail.
A bientôt
nous avons déjà reçu aujourd'hui nos documents de voyage, nous pensions pas les recevoir si vite! La croisiere
devient bien réelle...
Merci à genin pour ses infos. On a une meilleure impression de Tripoli, c'est dommage qu'en Egypte les gens sont aussi collants et je comprends que c'est agaçant alors que l'on voudrais profiter pleinement de ce que l'on a devant les yeux. Faut-il réellement payer pour pouvoir rentrer avec un appareil photo ou une caméra en Libye?
Je n'ai pas encore rencontré quelqu'un qui part sur l'Europa le 24 MARS, serions-nous les seuls ?
Bonjour,
Pour la Lybie il ne faut rien payer pour les photos et les caméras sauf pour certains sites mais il vous dirons tous à bord et en plus ça despend de l'excursion que vous allez choisir.
En ce qui concerne votre départ vous ne serez pas seul on trouve vite à qui parlez si vous n'étes pas trop sauvage.
A bientôt.
en ce qui concerne l'excursion que nous avons réservé via mycosta en Libye, nous avons choisi
Leptis Magna et il était indiqué que 12 euros nous sera demandé pour l'utilisation d'un appareil photo
sur les sites archéologiques et pour le musée (21euros pour une caméra😕).
A propos d'autre chose, j'espère que nous aurons assez de temps pour trouver la navette à
l'aéroport de Nice pour aller à Savone et que l'on ne va pas arriver ventre à terre comme certains !
Nous atterissons à 11h35 à Nice et la navette part à 12h30, ça sera chronomètré je pense ! On va devoir trouver un plan de l'aéroport de Nice et déjà l'étudier pour ne pas perdre de temps...
ne vous faîtes pas de soucis car avec costa vous n'avez rien à faire c'est très bien organiser. De plus quand nous sommes partis le bâteau à eu un retard de 5heures car des passagers venant d'angleterre en avion n'étaient pas encore là. Alors no soucis
a bientôt
moi et mon epouse allons faire une croisiere sur le costa europa en aout; grandes civilisation antiques.
jai lu que vous disiez que l'excursion RHODES n'etait pas utile, pourriez vous me dire svp celles ke je peux faire moi meme par mes propres moyens sans passer par l'excursion proposée par costa?
merci a vous
jai aussi vu sur le site de costa que je pouvais reserver un forfait eaux minerales: 13 bouteilles a 23 euros, mais comment cela fonctionne t-il, est ce que c une bouteille par repas ou par jour?
si vous avez des informations utiles je vous en serai extremement reconnaissant
Bonjour,
pour les excursions c'est une question de choix, de savoir si l'on veut visiter des sites historiques ou pas, et surtout de budget car nous nous sommes 4 et les excursions ça chiffre vite. Personnellement nous avons pris comme excursion à Naples le train de sorrente (sous la pluie) mais c'était bien, l'Egypte nous avons fait les pyramides avec 4x4 et chameaux c'était super et les enfants ont addorés le chameau. C'est tout ce qu'on à prix comme excursions, nous sommes descendu seul pour toutes les autres pays, même la Lybie.
Pour le forfait eau on vous donne un petit carnet de tickets et vous pouvez les utiliser comme vous le désirez à n'importe quel moment de la journée. Mais ce n'est pas utile de réserver à l'avance, les serveurs vous le proposeront automatique.
Pour le forfait boissons il n'y avait pas beaucoup de personne qui avez ce type de forfait. Il y à aussi le forfait cafè ect.... Perso on ne l'a pas pris.
Si vous désirez plus info n'hésitez pas même sur mon mail perso ça ne me dérange pas.
A bientôt.
PS : pour les fumeurs les cigarettes sont plus avantageuse à Malte au duty free du port, 15euros la cartouche, que sur le bâteau c'est plus cher je crois me rappeler que c'était 115euros les 5 et attention pour la douane c'est seulement 2 cartouches par adultes, après chacun fait ce qu'il veut.
y a t-il controle des papiers d'identité a chaque port d'escale ou seulement au port d'embarquement le 1er jour?
car si c'est a chaque escale on perd du temps pour les excursions ou les visites
merci a tous ceux qui ont fait ce genre de croisiere costa (italie grece) de leurs aides
Nous partons nous aussi à bord du Costa Europa le 27 mars 2007 !!!
Nous sommes impatients, et heureusement la date de départ approche. Nous avions déjà fait une croisière aux Caraïbes avec ensuite une transatlantique en 2002, et c'est un souvenir inoubliable.
Nous avons pris des excursions à Naple, en Egypte, en Lybie et à Malte. Pour les deux autres escales, nous comptons nous débrouiller. Je n'ai pas encore trop regardé pour orgniser les visites que nous faisons par nous mêmes (il va falloir que je m'y mette !!!).
Attention de ne pas vous tromper de date de départ car le Europa largue les amarres le 24 mars de Savone et non le 27😉!!!! ( voir votre réponse du 9 mars 2007 à 22h03)
Nous sommes content de savoir qu'il y a quelqu'un qui partagera le même voyage que nous et qui a déjà eu de bonnes expériences.
Nous serons sur le pont 6 cabine 6134.
Et vous?
Peut-être aurons-nous l'occasion de nous rencontrer?
Avez-vous pris une cabine intérieur ou extérieur et sur quel pont?
Qu'avez-vous réservé comme excursion dans chacun des pays?
Nous avons pris Naples (Pompei), Egypte (4x4, chameaux et pyramides), chypres ( curium, apollon, omodos ), Lybie ( Leptis Magna), Malte ( aventures en 4x4), Rhodes( nos propres moyens )
Milles excuses, c'était une "fôte" de frappe ; je m'en suis rendue compte après.
C'est bien le 24, je ne risque pas de l'oublier !!!
Nous sommes sur le pont N° 9, cabine 9034.
Pour les excursions, nous avons pris : POMPEI (on s'y retrouvera donc) LE CAIRE, LE MUSEE EGYPTIEN ET LES PYRAMIDES DE GIZEH LE MUST DE MALTE SABRATHA ET LE MUSEE DE TRIPOLI
Pour le reste (Limassol et Rhodes), nous nous débrouillerons par nous mêmes. Mais il faut que j'y travaille encore.
Nous arrivons à Nice par le vol depuis Strasbourg à 11h35 et prendrons la navette pour Savone à 12h15.
Et vous ?
Bonsoir,
Nous avons réservé notre vol séparément (car moins cher) depuis Bruxelles et nous atterrirons à Nice à 11h25 au Terminal 1. Après quoi il restera le dernier sprint pour attrapper nos bagages et trouver notre autocar de transfert pour Savone au terminal 2 avant 12h15!😛
On a déjà étudié le plan de l'aéroport par coeur pour ne pas se planter.
alors plus que 10 jours avant le départ!😎 Comment se passe les préparatifs (excursions et planning)?
Je pense que je vais commencer les bagages déjà dimanche, car je travaille jusqu'à vendredi 23. On commence
à etre impatient et vous?
Nous seront ravi de vous rencontrer samedi dans le bus comme ça on pourra discuter durant le trajet
jusqu'à Savone... si on se trouve! 😊 Vous allez pouvoir nous raconter vos expériences précédentes, était-ce
avec Costa?
Impatients, c'est sûr, nous le sommes !
Mais mon mari et moi avons tous les deux un travail prenant qui ne nous lâche pas ! C'est le stress de l'avant départ, pour pouvoir tout terminer.
En plus, il sera en déplacement toute la semaine prochaine pour rentrer vendredi soir très tard.
Cela va nous obliger à préparer les valises dimanche.
Nous avons effectivement déjà fait une croisière il y a 5 ans sur le Costa Romantica (Caraïbes et transatlantique). C'est un souvenir inoubliable.
On pourra se raconter tout cela durant le trajet jusqu'à Savone !
Bonjour,
Pour l'Egypte nous avons fait Les pyramides + 4x4 + chameau c'était super toute la famille a adoré par contre évitez de visiter l'Egypte seul...... Si vous voulez plus de renseignement n'hésitez pas à me contacter sur mon mail perso pas de soucis
A bientôt et surtout bonne croisière.
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Bonjour
Je pars en croisière avec la compagnie MSC à bord du World Europa en octobre prochain.
Escale Gêne, Naples, Messine, Malte.
Avez vous fait le Volcan Etna et Pompéi?
Pouvez vous me donner des conseils dans chacune de ces étapes?
Je souhaite me déplacer par mes propres moyens sans prendre d'excursions du bateau
Merci pour vos réponses
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
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?
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
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Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
