En consultant la webcam Costa ce jeudi 17 septembre vers 07h30 je constate que ces deux navires partis hier de Savone sont à l'arret ou à petite vitesse dans le Golfe du Lion.
L'état de la mer est calme et il semble que ces batiments procèdent à des recherches en mer.
Que s'est-t-il passé?
Des amis de VF pourront peut-etre nous en dire plus par la suite.
L' EUROPA après être partit de Toulon, a passé le détroit de Messine et file en direction de sa nouvelle escale dont voici les coordonnées :
latitude 42° 10' 40'' N et longitude 4° 29' 40'' E.
Le navire qui se trouve à coté de l'Europa n'est pas l'Atlantica.
L'Atlantica, lui aussi parti de Toulon pour Gênes fait route sur Malaga dont les coordonnées sont les suivantes :
latitude 42° 10' 25'' N et longitude 4° 28' 36'' E.
Comme vous le voyez, les coordonnées ne sont pas les mêmes. Je vous invite à voir ce site plus complet qui vous donne la position de tous les paquebots Costa sur carte et les vues par Webcam avant et arrière.
Il arrive que la mer soit d'huile comme disent les marins et comme la webcam est fixe de part l'image, on a l'impression que le navire ne bouge pas.
Renouveler votre visite sur ce site en faisant fonctionner les 2 webcam et vous verrez que les navires seront à quai dans quelques heures.
Je suis certain d'avoir consulté le site que vous mentionnez et maintiens que ces deux navires partis hier de Savone sont restés plus d'une heure à l'arret sans doute pour des recherches en mer.
L'Europa a repris sa route le premier depuis peu suivi de l'Atlantica.
Souhaitons en tous cas qu'il n'y ait rien eu de grave.
Nous saurons peut -etre lequel de nous deux a bien vu.
Bonne journée.
Excuses moi de te contre dire, mais l'Atlantica ne file pas sur Malaga mais sur Barcelone
Il est parti hier de Savone pour une transat, arrivée au Québec le 2 octobre je crois
Je connais quelqu'un qui est à bord, nous en saurons plus dans quelques temps
😉Oui, c'est vrai, Véro, tu as raison car je n'ai pas regardé le catalogue mais la carte qui permet de voir la situation de chaque navires. Pour l'Europa, elle indiqué que celui-ci devait se trouvait faisant route sur Messine !!!
Mais de toutes façon, ce n'est pas grave car mardi, je serais à Savone. J'en saurais plus sur cette soi-disant question de retard ou d'un éventuel problème des 2 bateaux en mer !!!
Je pense à un passager en retard qui a rejoint l'un de 2 bateaux à la nage (lol).
Le presse locale italienne ne fait aucun écho sur quoique se soit.
T'inquiète pas mon petit Jean - Claude , je sais ce que c'est que le manque de croisière, ça commence par du délire et on en arriverait à mordre, c'est ttteeerrrrrrriiiiiiibbbbbbblllllllleeee 😉
Je ne douta pas un instant de vos dires sur cette affaire. J'ai regardé immédiatement la position des navire par rapport au site webcam costa.
D'ailleurs, celle de l'Europa n'était pas à jour, ce matin. C'est pour cela que je m suis planté sur la destination de ce navire.
J'ai consulté la presse locale et rien n'a été dit l'incident ou l'accident.
Sachez une chose que je me formaliserais absolument pas si votre inquiétude se révélait bonne. En général, Costa ne diffuse pas des informations de ce type et on le sait après soit par des croisièristes ou un article paru dans un journal.
Atlantica et Europa sont maintenant à Barcelone arrivés avec environ 2 heures de retard sur ce qui était programmé.
Ceci correspond aux "ronds dans l'eau" qu'ils ont effectué ce matin pour un exercice ? une recherche ?
Bien sur comme vous le dites Costa ne communiquera pas là dessus et par Vero34 nous aurons peut-etre l'explication par la suite.
C'est dommage que vous n'ayez pas pu suivre en direct par la webcam ce matin.
Vous partez dans quelques jours sur Mediterranea ;😎 c'est celui que je préfère , actuellement , de la Flotte Costa.
Vivez plein de belles journées et d'aventures.
Je savais bien que ce mail venant de Tunisie était remplit de chaleur.
Ceci dit, ce matin je me suis mis sur webcam costa. J'ai vu que les 2 bateau était en mer mais pas fais attention si à l'arrière, on pouvait voir le mouvement fait par les hélices. Effectivement, c'est vrai puis ensuite, j'ai voulu voir la carte de positionnement des navires et là, mon étonnement de voir la position de europium vers le détroit de Messine.
J'en conclu que la carte n'était pas à jour pour l'Europa et que celle de l'Atlantica, elle par contre, montrer le bon positionnement du navire.
Ensuite, j'ai fouillé la presse italienne locale de Savone à Gênes car comme vous le savez pour vendre de la feuille de chou, il y a toujours un journaleu bien placé. Rien vu mais je cherche car il doit sortir quelque chose de cette interrogation.
Vous vous rappelez de l'incident du Romantica, en baie de Santos ou Buenos Aires, qui avait brulé un générateur électrique.
Nous avons eu une info par la suite sur "Mer et Marine" et j'ai trouvé sur des sites italiens, des infos de passagers qui avaient eu en plus des déboires sur le service retour avion.
J'ai un ami qui travaille au Palacrociere de Savone et mardi, j'en saurais plus.
Merci en tout les cas de cette réaction qui est combien importante pour les amoureux des croisières et de tout ce qui peut en découdre.
et merci pour votre perspicacité qui vous a permis d'avoir cette info.
Il me semblait bien que le scénario correspondait à une recherche en mer.Dans ces cas les navires les plus proches sont réquisitionnés et font preuve d'une solidarité obligatoire mais aussi naturelle et consentie.
Cet homme à la mer aurait pu etre aussi un passager ou un plaisancier dont l'embarcation avait coulé.
Heureusement la température de l'eau était encore chaude et l'état de la mer parfaitement lisse.
La solidarité des gens de mer a bien joué pour une issue.........Heureuse.
Vous avez raison, meme si pendant des heures on recherche une personne quel qu' elle soient, que l' on perde meme une journée, j' aprécie que ce soit un code chez ces gens qui voyagent en bateau, cela vaut la peine, meme si cet homme n' a pas ete sauvé au moins sa famille va pouvoir recupérrer le corp et en faire son deuil.
Bravos a ces marins toujours pret a aider les gens dans les difficultés.
De plus quand on sait cela on part plus tranquille en croisière.
Amicalement Rosa et Thomas
et de plus vous avez raison de souligner que , dans ces circonstances tragiques , la famille du défunt pourra etre aidée à faire son deuil.
Mais ne restons pas dans le morbide.
Vous vous apprétez , je crois, à partir sur l'Europa un navire à taille humaine dont les échos sont favorables.
Hélas il quitte la Flotte Costa dans quelques mois et je ne pourrai en juger moi meme avant avril prochain.
Trés belle croisière à vous deux.
Amicalement.Michel
BONJOUR KYPRIS JE RENTRE DE CROISIERE SUR L, EUROPA ET VOUS AVEZ RAISON JE SUIS RAPIDEMENT MONTE SUR LE PONT CAR LE BATEAU TOURNAI EN ROND PRES DE L, ATLANTICA ET UN HELO ETAIT EN TRAIN D?HELITREUILLER QUELQ?UN OU QUELQUE CHOSE 2 CANOTS ETAIENT A L?EAU ET A CE QUI RESSEMBLAIT DE LOIN A UNE GROSSE UNITE J?AI PU PRENDRE UNE PHOTO AVEC LE PORTABLE L, HELICO ETANT AU RAS DE L, EAU MAIS C?ETAIT ASSEZ LOIN LE TEMPS QUE JE REDESCENDE EN CABINE PRENDRE LA CAMERA C, ETAIT TROP TARD ET L, HELICO ETAIT REPARTI NOUS AVONS EU UNE ANNONCE NOUS EXPLIQUANT QU?UN HOMME DU COSTA ATLANTICA EN ROUTE POUR UNE TRANSAT ETAIT TOMBE A L, EAU ET QU, IL AVAIT ETE REPECHE AVEC SUCCES MAIS AVONS APPRIS PLUS TARD QU, IL ETAIT DECEDE JE PENSE QU;IL N, ONT PAS VOULU NOUS GACHER LE VOYAGE NOUS AVONS PRIS UN PEU DE RETARD MAIS HELAS LE PAUVRE MARIN N, EST PLUSPAIX A SON AME EN TOUS CAS BONNE FUTURE CROISIERE A VOUS
RE BONSOIR JE CROIS QUE CA C, EST PASSE AU ALENTOUR DE 6H15 QUAND JE ME SUIS LEVE VER 7H30 L;EUROPA ETAIT VITESSE LENTE TOURNAIT EN ROND PRES DE L, ATLANTICA ET L, HELICO TRES BAS SUR L, EAU MANOEUVRAIT POUR RECUPERER LE MARIN JE PENSE QUE CA A DURER 2H30 A 3H CAR NOUS SOMMES ARRIVES A BARCELONNE VER 15H30 A LA PLACE DE 13 H MAIS C, EST BIEN QU, IL Y AI EU CETTE SOLIDARITE BONNE SOIREE JACK
Bonjour,
J'étais sur le Costa Atlantica lorsque cet accident s'est produit. Il s'agissait bien d'un homme d'équipage tombé à la mer. Les recherches ont commencées à 6 H du matin et nous avons repris la route vers 9 H 30. Par contre, en ce qui concerne l'état de ce marin, nous n'avons eu que des renseignements contradictoires (mort, transféré à l'hôpital) mais rien d'officiel sans doute pour ne pas plomber l'ambiance. Bonne journée.
Le Costa Atlantica sera au port de La Rochelle le 07/11/2012 pour présenter le bateau une journée à bord (82 euros) ou deux trois jours en mer en l'honneur de…
Croisières › France › Provence-Côte d'Azur · 16 replies
Début octobre, nous envisageons de faire une croisière avec COSTA ATLANTICA "Les Grandes Civilisations Antiques pour 12 jours. Cette croisière est au départ de…
Costa va lancer une nouvelle offre « tout compris » du 24 avril au 8 juin 2018 sur une sélection de croisières. Cette offre comprendra outre la pension…
Je pars prochainement sur le Costa Diadema. Je logerai dans la cabine 11001 qui est indiquée comme "Samsara Suite vue mer avec véranda et jacuzzi (SV)".…
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.
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
Nous ferons la prochaine croisière CFC en Norvège et nous sommes à la recherche du programme des excursions ainsi que leur tarif.
Pour ceux qui auraient effectué cette croisière par le passé pourriez vous me communiquer ces renseignements ?
Je sais que la compagnie ne communique pas sur le sujet sinon 8 semaines avant le départ. J'aime m'organiser à l'avance et éviter les mauvaises 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
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
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
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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!
