que me préconisez vous comme visite dans ces villes ?
merci d'avance
Bonsoir,
Je viens de réserver cette croisière des que je trouve des infos, je vous tiens au courant .
Si vous avez avancer dans vos recherches, je serai intéressée par vos bons plans.
A bientôt
je croyais qu il n y avait plus de places pour cette croisiere!
pour les villes espagnoles je compte prendre mon guide michelin et s il y a les cars touristiques à 2 etages qui s arretent aux cites touristiques
ce qui m int ce serait un guide parlant francais pour tanger et casa Peut etre à plusieurs en minibus Peut etre regarder sur les sites et reserver de france
j'envisage de partir sur le Costa Classica le 22 octobre prochain pour la croisière :
Saveurs des terres du soleil : Espagne et Maroc
Des astuces ,
Des conseils ?
Merci d'avance
Nous avions déjà visité Valence l'année dernière lors d'une escale l'année passée .Nous avions pris la navette Costa a 9€50 par personne , un peu cher à mon goût, qui faisait l'aller-retour toute la journée du bateau au centre-ville.
Nous sommes allé au Marche central et visité la Cathédrale qui possède le saint Graal.
Aujourd'hui , nous hésitons à approfondir ce que nous avions vu avec une visite guidée par le biais d'une valencienne parlant français , voir le lien
Malaga
Malaga est une ville espagnole, capitale de la Province de Malaga faisant partie de la Communauté autonome d'Andalousie. Malaga est situé à l'extrémité ouest de la mer Méditerranée et dans le sud de la péninsule ibérique, à environ 100 kilomètres à l'est du Détroit de Gibraltar.
Située au centre d'une baie entourée de chaînes de montagnes, son district couvre une superficie de 395 km2 On retrouve deux rivières, le Guadalhorce et la Guadalmedina.
Malaga fut fondée par les Phéniciens au VIIIe siècle av. J.-C., ce qui en fait l'une des plus anciennes villes d'Europe. Au XIXe siècle, la ville a connu une activité notable sur les plans industriel et révolutionnaire qui en a fait la première ville industrielle d'Espagne, et lui a valu les titres « Toujours intrépide » et « La première dans le danger de la liberté ». Récemment, la ville a subi la première étape des épisodes les plus sanglants de la guerre civile espagnole et l'explosion du boom touristique dans les années 1970.
Arrivé 9h00 Départ 23h00
Navette Costa pour sortir du port 6€ A/R,
Bus public tout de suite à la sortie du terminal 1,50€ la place
Préférence à pied environ 20mn ( avec une marche tranquille) et on longe des commerces qui sont nouvellement installés sur le port ( aux prix fort intéressant).
Lieu à visiter :
Découverte de Malaga avec un bus touristique.
Compagnie City Sightseeing (Ces bus partent de l'ancien petit phare très visible des bateaux) : Durée 80 minutes
Tarif 17 euros Adulte
8,50 euros enfant de 5 à 15 ans
Mais tout et faisable à pied :
L'Alcazaba est un palais et une forteresse bâtie par la Taifa des Hammudites au XIe siècle dans la ville andalouse de Malaga. Bien qu'elle soit reliée au Château du Gibralfaro, les deux fortifications sont deux monuments distincts et d'époques différentes.
Le château du Gibralfaro
Il a été construit au XIVe siècle par Yusuf Ier de Grenade, sur un site phénicien qui contenait également un phare qui donne son nom à la colline (entrée payante)
Maison Picasso (entrée gratuite)
Musée Picasso (Entrée payante)
Cathédrale de l’incarnation (La Manquita)
Les parties inférieures de la cathédrale sont de style gothique, alors que les façades sont, quant à elles, de style baroque.
Plaza de la Merced :
Jolie place ou règne une activité commerciale et artisanale - dans un angle se trouve la maison natale de PICASSO
Au passage pour les fumeurs (le prix des cigarettes au duty free : 80€ les 4 cartouches de malboro blanche) Tanger
Tanger est une ville du nord du Maroc, dans la région du Rif occidental. Elle est le chef-lieu de la région de Tanger-Tétouan et de la préfecture de Tanger-Asilah. Située à l'extrémité nord du pays, la ville est la principale porte du Maroc sur l'Europe, dont elle est séparée par les 14 kilomètres du détroit de Gibraltar. Sa population s'élevait à 669 685 habitants au recensement de 2004, en faisant la cinquième ville du Maroc. Elle a été surnommée « la ville des étrangers » en raison de ses nombreuses colonisations (les Phéniciens, les Romains, les Vandales, les Arabes, les Portugais, les Anglais, les Français et les Espagnols).
Arrivé 8Hh00 Départ 18H00
La traversée du port n’a rien de transcendant, mais c’est toujours intéressant d’y voir l’activité. Ici à Tanger une usine de poisson, des petites échoppes de restauration, de poissons. Nous sortons du port en à peine 30 mn. Nous arrivons tout de suite sur une grande place au pied de la Médina. Traversons cette place. Prenons la petite montée à droite
Pour 90 euros pour nous 6 (minibus à l’état impeccable), le guide local (en sortant du port prénommé Mohamed, un vieux bonhomme que je vous recommande… 82 ans, une patate d’enfer et une connaissance de Tanger intarissable) nous a promené ( en minibus avec chauffeur) voir les principaux centres d'intérêt de la ville (les hauteurs ainsi que la liaison mer atlantique-mer méditerranée et ensuite il nous a amené à la Médina (souks) et nous l'a fait visitée à pied en nous donnant des tas d'explications très instructives sur la ville et son histoire.
Sinon le parcours est fléché dans la Kasbah
Lieu à visiter :
grande promenade le long de la plage (avenue Mohamed VI)
le Grand Socco, énorme marché permanent
le petit Socco
la légation américaine (ouvert 10h-13h—2€ sauf le dimanche)
la Kasbah de Tanger construite sous le règne du Sultan Moulay Ismaïl au XVIIème siècle
le monument de Dar El Makhzen transformé en musée des arts marocains de Tanger.
La pharmacie berbère (lieu incontournable des croisiéristes)
Ne pas manquer de boire un thé à menthe….
Pour les achats :
Casque BEAT (pour les enfants 8€ pièce)
Veste en cuir ( 100€) : de très bonne affaire à faire
Casablanca
Casablanca (maison blanche) est une ville du Maroc, chef-lieu de la région du Grand Casablanca et capitale économique du pays, située sur la côte atlantique, à environ 80 km au sud de Rabat, la capitale administrative.
Lors du dernier recensement de 2004, sa population était de 2 949 805 habitants6 (2 946 440 pour la municipalité de Casablanca et 3 365 pour celle du Méchouar de Casablanca7).
Rendue légendaire par le film Casablanca (1942), la ville possède un patrimoine architectural moderne important, dû à la diversité architecturale qu'elle a connue pendant le XXe siècle, où elle était alors le « laboratoire de la modernité » d'une nouvelle génération d'architectes qui débarquaient directement des bancs de l'École des beaux-arts de Paris.
Arrivé 08h00 Départ 23h59
Nous avons négocié un taxi minibus (juste en sortant du bateau) pour nous 6 (40€ par personne) pour nous faire visiter les villes de RABAT et CASABLANCA de 9h15 du matin jusqu’à 18h du soir (je vous recommande notre chauffeur M. INJAR Ali –
email :injarali@hotmail.fr , mobile : 0661511455) très patient et vraiment fort aimable)
Pas de navette sinon. La sortie du port est vraiment lointaine (compter 30 min en marchant correctement)
Sortie du port, à 200m prendre taxi rouge (11dh = 1€) : 3 personnes max
le souk est directement à proximité ( peu d’affaire intéressante, et il faut vraiment négocier)
Lieu à visiter :
RABAT :
Le palais du roi du Maroc (le roi devait venir ce jour la !!!)
La Kasbah des Ouadaï
Mausolée de Mohamed V
Le fort de CHellah
CASABLANCA (tarifs des taxis)
la mosquée Hassan 2 (10 à 15dh) -- Cout Entrée (Adulte :120dh, enfant : 30)
la Médina (30dh maxi),
SOUK de derb ghalef ( 25dh maxi)
Le quartier des Habbous ( 30dh maxi),
Patisserie BENNIS
Le vieux centre,
La corniche, Carthagéne
Carthagène est une ville espagnole située en bordure de la mer Méditerranée dans la communauté autonome de la région de Murcie, dont c'est la capitale législative. Elle compte 218 210 habitants1, ce qui en fait la vingt-quatrième ville espagnole au niveau de la population, répartis sur un territoire communal de 558,3 km2. La ville se trouve au sud de la plaine dénommée Campo de Cartagena, espace naturel qui forme son aire métropolitaine et comprend une population totale de 409 586 habitants.
La ville de Carthagène fut fondée par le Carthaginois Hasdrubal le Beau en 227 av. J.-C., probablement sur une installation ibérique ou tartessienne antérieure. De plus, une activité commerciale importante existe dans la zone depuis au moins le VIe siècle av. J.-C..
Arrivé 08H00 Départ 18H00
Bus touristique (visite de la ville 40 min) : 7€
Mais tous ce fait très correctement à pied (le bateau accostant directement en centre-ville)
Lieu à visiter :
Le château de la concepcion (le promontoire est intéressant mais payant)
Le théâtre romain au cœur de Carthagéne (ne pas payer l’entrée pour le visiter…aucun intérêt) Il suffit de faire le tour à pied et la vue du théâtre est encore plus jolie vue d’en haut)
La maison de la fortune
l'Augusteum
Le fort de Noël (il faut prendre la navette maritime… une prochaine fois !!!)
Le musée ds les arènes
Le musée maritime (superbe) ainsi que le sous-marin en exposition (superbe aussi)
Valence
Naples est une ville d'Italie, capitale de la province homonyme et de la région de Campanie. Avec 956 739 habitants en 2012, c'est la troisième commune italienne pour sa population, après Rome et Milan. Son aire urbaine, qui compte 4 434 136 habitants, en fait la deuxième du pays après celle de Milan2, et l'une des plus grandes cités méditerranéennes.
Fondée durant l'Antiquité, capitale du Royaume de Naples et du Royaume des Deux-Siciles, la ville et, en général, tout le Mezzogiorno subit un déclin socio-économique relatif depuis l'annexion au Royaume de l'Italie en 1860.
À Naples se trouve la Villa Rosebery, l'une des trois résidences officielles du président de la République italienne. La ville abrite aussi le siège d'un commandement interalliés et interarmées (Joint Force Command Naples - JFCNP) de l'OTAN né le 15 mars 2004 en remplacement du commandement des forces alliées du sud de l’Europe (AFSOUTH).
Arrivé 08H00 Départ 19H00
Accostage au port « Muelle COSTA »
Nous sommes sorti à pied du port (5 min à peine).
Lieu à visiter:
Prendre bus de ville n°4 (1,50€) Plaza de la reina ( centre ville) ou
Utiliser le service des bus rouges (17€ adulte, 10€ enfant) ( 15 min à pied du terminal)
la tour de la Miguelete
Le centre historique (la cathédrale et la Plaza de la Virgen, la Plaza Redonda, mercado central, Palacio Marques de Dos Aguas, la plaza del Ayuntamiento (hôtel de ville), gare du nord, les Arènes…)
La cité des Arts et des Sciences (peu d’intérêt !!!)
BARCELONE
Barcelone est la capitale administrative et économique de la Catalogne, de la province de Barcelone, de la comarque d'El Barcelonès ainsi que de son aire urbaine et de sa région métropolitaine, en Espagne.
Elle est la deuxième ville d'Espagne en termes de population et d'activités, la onzième ville la plus peuplée de l'Union européenne et la sixième en incluant sa banlieue3: Plus de 5 millions de personnes vivent dans l'agglomération barcelonaise4. La majeure partie des municipalités adjacentes sont en outre rassemblées dans l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona.
Arrivé 08H00 Départ 18H00
Lieu à visiter :
Navette payante pour sortir du port (3€ l’aller-retour) si vous êtes au terminal D ( le plus loin)
La Rambla
La sagra familia
Le parc Grell
La torre Agbar
Bus touristique : Barcelana Bus Turistic
Tarif 24 euros
Ligne bleu et rouges (2h)
Bateau le COSTA CLASSICA
Bateau en fin de vie pour ma part... Tres sobre pas de fioriture mais mal entretenu
par contre, on y mange fort bien ( rien à dire la dessus)..
Félicitation aux équipes en cuisine ainsi qu'au serveur indonesien
le manager Jean Luc EVEQUE me fait penser à un vendeur de CARREFOUR ( il brasse du vent et parle pour ne rien dire)
Tres peu de spectacle intéressant ( beaucoup de danse ) 3 spectacles au total sur 8 jours ( cela fait beaucoup)
Par contre les escales sont fort bien placé ( 8h-18h voir 23h)un seul bemol lors de la soirée blanche l'avant dernier soir, il aurait du la prévoir la veille de la journée en mer.
Bonjour,
Il est vrai que les plages horaires étaient très larges et c'est pour cela que l'on avait choisit cette croisière qui était notre première avec Costa. Nous partageons vos impressions sur le bateau et nous avons été un peu déçu par les spectacles.
Nous avons visité toutes les villes par nous-même. Pour Casablanca, nous avons fait tout à pied et en tram (que je recommande pour son prix et sa propreté irréprochable).
Nous avons particulièrement apprécié Carthagène, facilement visitable à pied.
Nous partons le 29 avril sur le costa atlantica (si vous avez des commentaires sur ce bateau ils sont les bienvenus) cabine grand balcon pont 6. Quels tuyaux…
Je pars en croisière avec croisières de France du 24 au 31 août, suite à un imprévu de dernière minute, la personne qui m'accompagne ne peut plus venir. Je…
Je suis nouvelle sur ce forum et je pars en croisière avec Costa dans trois semaines, accompagnée de ma famille (nous serons 14 au total). Les escales prévues…
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
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
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!
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
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 considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
