nous sommes rentrés hier d'Egypte , nous sommes très satisfaits rapport qualité prix c plutot très bien nous avions qq apprèhensions... bruit du moteur ds le bateau... guide bien ou pas ..le facteur chance etait avec nous on entendait un peu le ronronnement des moteurs ms rien de trop gènant et notre guide RAHNIA était très interressante ss nous "gaver " comme d'autres que ns entendions..bref nous recommandons marmara pour cette croisière le personnel du bateau est tres agréable le programme est bien organisé pas très fatigant comme on avait pu lire car il y a des temps pour souffler, nous recommandons l'excursion en bateau à moteur pour voir les iles , faire du dromadaire et visiter le village nubien ce fut une matinée tres appréciée de tous le cout 27 € par pers , ce programme sur 8 jours permet de voir les principaux temples et d'ajouter le CAIRE ça vaut vrt le coup pour le musée et les pyramides mm si le Caire est extrememnt pollué et bruyant par la circulation , c à voir notre hotel y etait tres luxueux, seul bémol boissons trop chères.. au Caire on peut prendre un taxi il faut prendre un taxi blanc qd vous aurez vu les vieux taxis noirs vous comprendrez!! il vaut mieux que le chauffeur parle anglais si comme ns vous vous debrouillez un peu en anglais vous vous en sortirez mieux... on a eu un chauffeur qui ne parlait qu'arabe on n'a pas pu se faire comprendre ...on a eu un chauffeur qui parlait anglais et là , on a pu faire une balade tres sympa avec des arrèts photos ..
MARMARA : Combiné Nefertiti bateau et hôtel 5* - du 21 au 28 mars 2010 – départ de Marseille / Evaluation réalisée par Carole, Isabelle, Magali, David, Francis et Régis / note globale 15 / 20 😎
1er jour : France – Louxor
Assistance aux formalités d’enregistrement et embarquement à destination de Louxor...Ok très bienPrestations à bord selon les horaires de vol. Accueil par notre correspondant, transfert au bateau et nuit à bord...Hôtesses et stewards de Lotus air bavards et bruyants pour un vol de nuit. Repas trop tardif pour pouvoir dormir un peu. Eclairage de la cabine maintenu allumé, pourquoi ?Accueil efficace de Moustapha pour le transfert en bus et l'attribution des cabines sur le bateau.Regret, tout le monde n'a pas repéré qu'il y avait des possibilités de change à l'aéroport en pleine nuit.Nuit très très courte... mais pour la bonne cause !Premier petit déjeuner au restaurant du bateau bonne impression, copieux et varié. Cela se confirmera par la suite même si le cadre est un peu vieillot et poussiéreux...2e jour : Louxor - Esna - Edfou
Visite du temple de Karnak, dédié à la gloire du dieu Amont.Pas beaucoup dormi... tout de suite plongé dans l'antiquité... Notre guide Camélia fait des merveilles et nous tire de notre torpeur due à la nuit presque blanche.Traversée du Nil pour la visite de la nécropole de Thèbes, située sur la rive gauche du Nil.On regrettera que la traversée ne soit pas en bateau avec bus de l'autre coté. Le trajet pour chercher un pont à 20 ou 40 km est un peu long...Découverte de la vallée des Rois, où la plupart des pharaons de la XVIIIe à la XXe dynastie se firent inhumer et la vallée des Reines, qui accueillait les épouses royales, mais aussi les membres de la famille.Le cadre est impressionnant. Il faut faire l'effort d'entrer dans les tombes même si on est harassés.L'interdiction de faire des photos, y compris sans flash, est mal vécue.Le village des pilleurs de tombes, vu à la télé, est en train de disparaître.Puis continuation vers les deux imposants colosses de Memnon.A voir... donne surtout une idée des tremblements de terre subis dans cette zone.Déjeuner et l'après-midi, Retour au bateau et navigation en direction d'Edfou en passant par l'écluse d'Esna*. Dîner et nuit à bord.Repas très correct pour celui qui accepte de ne pas être à la maison et dans ses pantoufles. Attention pour certains, les crudités peuvent être un piège à cause de l'eau de lavage... Ils s'en rendront compte un peu plus tard.Repos bien mérité... sieste et / ou farniente sur le pont supérieur. Superbe croisière... Paysages magnifiques de la vaste oasis qu'est le Nil. Le bateau tiendra l'horaire pour passer l'écluse.Nous devons rester à la même table pendant toute la croisière... Chance, ça se passe tout de suite bien entre nous 6 (3 couples) Imaginez l'inverse !Nuit bruyante pour ceux qui sont près des moteurs !3e jour : Edfou - Kom Ombo
Départ pour la visite d’Edfou, la ville sainte de Horus et du temple édifié en son honneur. Ce temple aux dimensions extravagantes est le mieux conservé de toute l’Egypte.La personnalité de Camélia, notre guide, apparaît... Un peu prof... n'aime pas les élèves dissipés. Ils la font hausser la voix au milieu du vacarme des touristes et des autres guides... Mais nous sommes là pour nous cultiver...Navigation vers Kom Ombo. Visite du majestueux temple de Kom Ombo, dont la particularité est d’être dédié à deux divinités : Sobek (à tête de crocodile) et Horus (à tête de faucon). Dîner et nuit à bord.Croisière bis... Toujours aussi agréable...Visite du temple de Kom Ombo sous le soleil couchant et enfin les projecteurs... ambiance différente à faire une fois.Nuit RAS sauf pour les moteurs, hantise des dormeurs !4e jour : Kom Ombo - Assouan
Navigation jusqu'à Assouan.La tourista fait des ravages dans le petit groupe 1/6 cloué au lit. Bon encadrement par notre accompagnateur très dévoué.Pour des autres visite des souks d'Assouan ou...Excursion à supplément : visite des iles ou du village Nubien selon les sources d'information… Nous aurions aimé des messages plus clairs sur cette option ! En fait balade en barque à moteur au milieu de bien modestes cataractes. Nos pilotes (2 barques) trouveront le moyen de se rentrer dedans ! Sans dommage, sauf qu'ils ont failli écraser un « local » qui nous collait un peu dans son frêle esquif. Ensuite balade à dos de dromadaire... Pendant 20 minutes on ne voit que du sable et des pierres ; on se croirait au milieu du Sahara... Les chameliers sont sympas. On arrive au village « Nubien ». L'intérieur de la Villa est authentique... mais le cadre fait plutôt banlieue d'Assouan. Notre accompagnateur de perd à justifier une place de la femme soumise à l'homme qui n'est plus de ce siècle... Nous regrettons l'absence de notre guide.Après le déjeuner, visite du haut barrage donnant naissance au lac NasserLe barrage... Il faut être fan de technologie... Ce n'est pas la hauteur qui est impressionnante, mais plutôt le volume d'eau stocké... et pour cela il faut imaginer qu'il remonte jusqu'au Soudan. Notre guide archéologue s'en sort plutôt bien...Temple de Philae, voué au culte de la déesse Isis.Un véritable joyau raconté par un ancien membre de l'équipes qui a contribué à le sauver des eaux (notre guide Camélia... quelle chance !)Dans la foulée visite business d'un souffleur de verre... un marchand de parfum... La ficelle pour contourner la contrefaçon est un peu grosse !Autre supplément, le son et lumière au temple de PhilaePour notre groupe 2 participants...Dîner et nuit à bord.Le malade est toujours malade... aller et venue toute long de la journée entre le lit et le pont. Les autres résistent encore... Ils auraient apprécié une petite soirée dansante... Avec un peu d'animation pour créer des liens entre les GM... mais ce n'est pas le club !5e jour : Assouan - Abou Simbel - Le Caire
Départ matinal en autocar vers Abou Simbel (en cas de fermeture de la route à Assouan, le transport se fera en avion sans supplément).En fait départ tardif... donc pas de lever de soleil sur Abou Simbel. La route est très bonne et rapide. Les horaires sont tenus.Visite de ce superbe temple construit par Ramsès II au XIIIe siècle avant J.-C. et qui a été déplacé morceau par morceau avec le concours de l’Unesco pour éviter d’être inondé par le lac Nasser.Très belle visite. Malheureusement photos interdites à l'intérieur. Attention ne pas confondre café turc et expresso dans le « café » proche du site !Notre malade fait les visites mais dans un triste état !Transfert à l’aéroport et envol à destination du Caire. A l’arrivée, transfert à l’hôtel. Dîner et nuit à l’hôtel.Un peu long entre l'aéroport et l'Hotel : le « Moevenpick Hotel Cairo Media City » http://agence.voyages-sncf.com/pub/agent.dll/qscr=dspv/nojs=1/htid=804623/crti=4/photo-hotel?TAHotelCode=804623 L'Hotel est super chambres nourriture, piscine... un peu fraiche... mais beaucoup de chose sont payantes et chères (billard, téléphone, accès internet...)6e jour : Le Caire
Départ vers le plateau de Guizeh, symbole de l’Egypte antique, avec ses trois pyramides : Kheops (la plus grande, construite vers l’an 2690 avant J.-C, l’une des sept merveilles du monde), Kephren et Mykerinos, gardées par le célèbre Sphinx au corps de lion et au visage de pharaon.Comment se rendre en Egypte sans voire les Pyramides et le Sphinx. C'est géant... Notre guide a super bien géré les horaires pour que nous ne soyons pas dans la grande foule... qui plus est du vendredi !L'institut au papyrusExplication très simplifiée de la fabrication. Nous sommes très encadrés pour ne pas oublier les achats ! Mais bon, ça fait partie du jeu !Déjeuner puis retour au Caire.Restaurant limite, surveillez la monnaieVisite de bijoutier obligatoire... Enfin ça fait partie du jeu et il faut bien faire des achats...En supplément, visite de Sakara et Memphis pour les autresLa visite de Sakkara et de la pyramide à degré du pharaon Djoser est une merveille malgré le monde qui afflue… Visite d’un mastaba de vizir avec des décorations ayant trait à la vie courante (encore d’une fraîcheur extraordinaire malgré les siècles !) puis de la tombe de Téti 1er (attention à la descente très ardue) – on regrette beaucoup de n’avoir pu prendre des photos à l’intérieur du mastaba…Ouille, la tourista touche 2 autres GM de notre groupe... Ils tiennent bon dans les visitesFarniente à l'hôtel pour les unsÇa ne vaut pas l'ambiance du bateauAprès, son et lumières aux pyramides.Joli mais un peu dépassé dans les éclairages et les commentaires... (pensez à emmener une petite laine car les nuits sont froides au Caire)Dîner et nuit à l'hôtel.
7e jour : Le Caire - Guizeh - Le Caire
Journée entière consacrée à la découverte de la capitale égyptienne et visite du musée national des Antiquités, mémoire exceptionnelle des différentes dynasties pharaoniques.Le musée est engoncé dans la ville tentaculaire. pas trop de queue... La stratégie des guides pour les horaires est effectivement la bonne. Musée un peu vieillot, poussiéreux et plein... des touristes... comme un oeuf ! Notre guide fait de son mieux pour nous montrer et surtout commenter l'essentielDéjeuner...dans un self au bord du Nil. Le cadre est caché par des bâches en plastique... le repas est limite et il faut veiller à ce que les bons comptes fassent les bons amis...Après le déjeuner, supplément... pour les unsmosquée d’albâtre de Mohammed Ali, église copte st Serge, synagogue Ben
Ezra (une façon toute différente d’appréhender le Caire et le mélange des religions !) : à voir !Suivi d'un passage dans les souks... après midi bien rempliePromenade dans les souks et farniente pour les autres...Beaucoup de trajet en bus pour un temps utile limité.Dîner et nuit à l'hôtel.Notre groupe mit à profit cette soirée pour faire le débriefing du voyage... dans le salon de l'hôtel, ambiance marocaine (sic !) C'est une autre façon d'en profiter encore. Méthode... chacun devait donner un note et la justifier avec les point forts et faibles... ensuite chacun devait donner son moment fort du voyage et l'expliquer... La soirée s'est poursuivie à deviser de tout et de rien.8e jour : Le Caire - France
Selon les horaires de vol, transfert à l'aéroport. Assistance aux formalités d’enregistrement et envol à destination de la France.Contrairement au groupe parisien nous disposons de la matinée pour se prélasser à l'hôtel. Le déjeuner au Caire ne vaut pas le détour... si ce n'est le plaisir d'être ensemble...Les formalités et le vol se passent sans encombre y compris pour ceux qui transportent des souvenirs encombrants !
De retour de croisière COSTA sur le PACIFICA "LES TERRES SAINTE", je vous livre mes conclusions et bon plans à réaliser au profit des excursions très/trop…
Nous voici de retour (précipité) de notre voyage (Nubie Eternelle, Club Med) Les 2 croisières (le Nil sur le bateau du Club le Légacy et le Kasr Ibrim sur le…
Nous revenons d'une croisière sur le Nil du 20 au 27 mars. Nous sommes arrivés à Louxor le 20 mars et nous avons fait la descente du Nil. C'était merveilleux.…
Je n'étais pas cliente mystère mais cliente à isoler pour M. J'ai payé 1200 euros chambre individuelle comprise... Les sites sont magnifiques le météo super…
Et bien ça y est les vacances sont terminées snif snif... mais elles était géniales température à Louxor environ 32° chaleur assez sèche arrivée à LOUXOR…
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
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
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 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!
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!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
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!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Hi,
We received a promotion from our CFC agency offering cruises at up to 40-100% off, and among other details: CFC organizes parking for departures from Dunkirk.
"Unattended parking located about 12 minutes away, fenced off with barriers, at a rate of 10 € per day. Drop off passengers and luggage at the Model Pavilion, and a CFC shuttle will take you from the parking lot to the Model Pavilion every 15-20 minutes. Same for disembarkation. You can book through your agency or on their website. No refunds if the booking is canceled; payment is due at reservation."
Have a great day,
Guylène
PS: Personally, we’d rather keep our vehicle in a free, supervised parking lot and take a taxi to the Model Pavilion.
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!