Ma croisière sur le MSC Opéra a été annulé suite à une collision à Venise..nous avons embarqué le 2 juin à Venise et sommes restés à quai toute la semaine.....à bord, il nous a été promis un remboursement intégral de la croisière, des forfaits souscrits, des billets d, avion et des différents transferts. À ce jour mon agence m’a bien remboursé la croisière, mais pas l’avion et MSC ne m’a toujours pas remboursé les forfaits boissons souscrits....quelqu’un est-il dans le même contexte????
Nous attendons toujours que notre agence de Monaco nous rembourse , je les relance souvent mais rien pour l'instant .
Pouvez vous me dire avec qu'elle agence vous êtes passé svp.
Bonjour
Je suis passé par Logitravel pour le voyage et la croisière. A ce jour la croisière m’a Bien été remboursé mais j’attend pour le voyage avion. J’avais souscrit sur le site MSC un forfait boisson, celui ci m’a été aussi remboursé.
En conclusion il reste le billet avion à récupérer. Bon courage.
En Italie, l'association des consommateurs va réclamer à MSC, en plus des remboursements, une indemnité pour "vacances ruinées". Pour la France, je ne sais pas...
Passer une semaine à Venise sans avoir à subir les tarifs vertigineux des restaurants et des hôtels, c'est vraiment ce qu'on peut appeler de mauvaises vacances😉
Je n'en reviens pas
Mais je comprend tout à fait pour des Italiens.
Venise était le point d’embarquement....de plus c’était la 4° fois à Venise. Cette ville est super pour y passer 2/3 jours, mais une semaine c’est beaucoup surtout quand on a rêvé des îles grecques pendant l’hiver. ....
Je viens d, être avisé par logitravel que MSC ne remboursera pas le voyage avion au motif que je suis arrivé 2 jours avant......je constate que MSC ne tient pas ses engagements et que l’agence de voyage ne fait pas grand chose pour défendre mes intérêts .
Logitravel et MSC marchent la main dans la main pour minimiser les remboursements, et il est vrais qu’il vaut mieux , pour une agence de voyage , mécontenter un petit client particulier que de se fâcher avec une multinationale telle MSC
Je viens d, être avisé par logitravel que MSC ne remboursera pas le voyage avion au motif que je suis arrivé 2 jours avant......je constate que MSC ne tient pas ses engagements ...
A priori MSC respectera ses engagements (ou plutôt son assurance) mais seulement ce qui concerne la croisière !
Formellement c'est un billet d'avion pour un voyage "global" avec 2 parties une ville et une croisière!
Le mieux essayer de négocier une participation pour moitié et si besoin demander l'avis du Médiateur du tourisme , mais je crains que la réponse soit dans le sens de celle donnée par MSC
Bon voyage et surtout voyagez zen!
Michel France (85)
Le directeur de la croisière avait pris le soin de convoquer tous lés francophones à une réunion d’information suivie de questions/réponses..il a bien précisé que les frais de transports seraient totalement remboursés et même dans mon cas avec une arrivée 48h à l’avance.je constate la malhonnête de MSC qui fait passer des faux messages à bord pour calmer les vacanciers déçus, puis qui applique le contraire.un des présent a enregistré sur son portable la discussion et je tente de le retrouver afin de pouvoir prouver à MSC qu, ils n’ont aucune parole......cela ressemble tout simplement à de l’escro
Juste pour info concernant cette croisière annulée , l'agence de Monaco par qui je suis passée vient au grand bonheur de nous tous , nous rembourser intégralement avec les vols .
C'est un vrai soulagement , car en voyant les commentaires on se faisait pas mal de soucis !!
Courage pour ceux qui ne le sont , il ne faut pas les lâcher et les relancer par mails .
Super pour vous. De mon côté l’agence Logitravel ne bouge pas le petit doigt. A moi de me débrouiller seul. J’ai définitivement supprimé de mes contacts cette agence qui n’a pas de respect vis à vis de ses clients. Un bon conseil : fuyez les !
Je viens suite à mon in’tervention en direct auprès de MSC obtenir le remboursement des vols ainsi que des transferts par logitravel. Cette agence est catastrophique, elle ne défend pas ses clients, décidant de façon unilatérale ce que MSC rembourse et transmet auprès de cette ste les justificatifs qu, après de fortes pressions.
Logitravel est un bon distributeur de billets de voyage, mais au moindre problème ils font preuves d’incapacite........
Il y a exactement 1 an le MSC Opéra a eu un accident à Venise. Accident qui a été complètement minimisé par MSC, (ce sont des choses qui arrivent dixit le patron de MSC) alors que nous sommes passés à 2 doigts d'une catastrophe énorme.
Pour ceux que ça interresse (c'est un peu long mais très instructuf) et en particulier ceux qui étaient à bord ce jour là et de voir à quoi ils ont échappé. voici le compte rendu du tribunal de Venise qui a été rendu il y a quelques jours. . De lire celà est hallucinant, ce niveau d'incompétence il n'y a pas de mots.
Mais bien sûr ça .... c'était avant .......... 😉
j'ai utilisé un traducteur sur Internet parce que le document est long, Quelques tournures de phrase sont étranges mais n'enlève rien à la compréhesion.
VENICE - La concaténation sans faille des erreurs et des échecs. Un cocktail mortel, celui qui, le matin du 2 juin 2019, a réalisé le pire des cauchemars, matérialisé par l'Opéra Msc qui s'effondre, perd son cours, s'écrase sur un bateau fluvial et fait tomber une partie du quai de San Basilio au bout du canal de la Giudecca, tandis que les habitants du quartier sont réveillés par le sifflement sourd du gratte-ciel flottant. La séquence d'erreurs a été cernée par les conseils des procureurs adjoints de Venise, Andrea Petroni et Giorgio Gava. Une société de conseil pour laquelle un défaut technique de production n'a pas eu d'incidence sur le crash. Parce qu'elle peut être réparée.
PLUS D'INFORMATIONS
ERREURS
Le fusible qui allume la chaîne d'événements est une défaillance du système d'automatisation signalée par l'ordinateur du navire à 7h26 du matin, alors que l'Opéra était encore à 2 miles de l'entrée du Lido. De là, ce fut une cascade de négligences à partir de la sous-estimation de l'alarme à laquelle s'ajoute la violation par le géant de la mer des limitations de vitesse imposées à ceux qui traversent la lagune. Ensuite, cela a commencé par l'exécution tardive de la procédure d'urgence ; l'absence de conseils de la part des autres officiers ; la "non-application" de l'arrêt en cas de propulsion d'urgence. Jusqu'au "manque d'exercices périodiques" de la part du Msc pour la gestion de l'urgence et du danger de collision. Six suspects. Des positions différentes de celles mises en évidence par l'avis du procureur, qui d'une part souligne les responsabilités des autres membres de l'équipage jusqu'alors non enquêtées et d'autre part absout en fait les capitaines de remorqueur et les pilotes du port, reconnaissant le mérite d'avoir évité un épilogue plus sombre que celui des blessés.
Parce que le bateau fluvial River Countess risquait de faire naufrage comme les nombreux bateaux qui sillonnaient le canal de la Giudecca ce matin-là. Pour éviter le pire, précisément "l'intervention des remorqueurs Angelina C et Ivonne C", la présence du quai de San Basilio, le "fonctionnement" du sifflet et la disponibilité de l'équipage du bateau fluvial.
DYNAMIQUE
Il est 7h26 du matin le 2 juin 2019. À Venise, nous célébrons la fête de la Sensa (l'Ascension) et c'est aussi le jour où la Sérénissime renouvelle son mariage avec la mer. Dans le plan parallèle conçu par le destin pour ce jour-là, à l'extérieur de l'embouchure du port du Lido, sur les écrans du tableau de bord du Msc Opera, de retour dans le lagon après une croisière en Méditerranée, une alarme apparaît en raison d'une défaillance dans un module électrique du tableau de bord qui alimente, entre autres, la timonerie depuis le tableau de bord, la commande des tours d'hélice.
Cette alarme est complètement ignorée par le chef électricien et le chef mécanicien. Et de sorte que pour restaurer le panneau technique "il aurait suffi (...) de réinitialiser deux interrupteurs". En fin de compte, l'accident du River Countess - qui aurait également coulé si l'angle d'impact avait été différent - a été la conséquence d'une "sous-estimation de l'alarme" de 7,26. Pendant une heure, en effet, l'alimentation électrique de la timonerie depuis le tableau de bord, le contrôle des révolutions de l'hélice et donc de la vitesse du navire, n'était plus assuré par le réseau principal mais par une alimentation électrique ininterrompue qui a fonctionné régulièrement pendant environ une heure, contre les 30 minutes prévues.
Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, la sous-estimation a également été combinée avec la vitesse tenue par le gratte-ciel flottant qui, entre le Lido et le Fort Sant'Andrea, dépassait, par endroits, la limite de 8 nœuds ; et celle de 6 nœuds entre le Fort Sant'Andrea et San Basilio même si "le capitaine devait passer par le canal du port de Venise à une vitesse toujours inférieure à 5,8 nœuds". Une "imprudence du commandant Siviero" liée à d'autres mauvaises manœuvres et à l'activation tardive et incorrecte des différentes procédures d'urgence. Une fois les batteries chargées, qui ont maintenu les commandes du MSC Opera pendant une heure, le navire est soudainement devenu ingouvernable avec un gouvernail inutilisable et des systèmes de propulsion ordinaires hors service. Cependant, ce sont les inspections à bord du navire de croisière effectuées dans les jours suivants qui ont fait dire aux techniciens que "malgré la panne et les difficultés de câblage, le navire pouvait être gouverné depuis le pont" selon la procédure d'urgence. Alors que le contrôle de la propulsion "aurait permis d'arrêter les hélices immédiatement". De ce qui se passait depuis plus d'une heure, l'équipe du Msc Opera n'a pas remarqué avant 8.27.16. A 8.27.34 heures, le capitaine entame les manœuvres "pour tenter de corriger la trajectoire du navire" qui continue à tirer sur tribord "et à diriger l'avant vers le centre du chenal".
Et bien qu'aucun des autres officiers sur la passerelle n'ait conseillé la bonne manœuvre, "les timoniers n'étaient pas formés à l'utilisation de la direction d'urgence". À 8h28-21, le capitaine a également constaté l'absence de propulsion. "Une exécution rapide aurait certainement permis de ralentir ou d'arrêter complètement le mouvement du Msc Opera et d'éviter la collision, même avec l'aide des remorqueurs. L'ancre était inutile : le navire avançait à 6,8 nœuds, trop pour être utilisé. Donc, à 8h31 et 16h, le crash à San Basilio. C'est là que l'Opéra s'arrête le 2 juin à 8h33 et 11h11. L'abordage, compte tenu également de la perfection de l'action des remorqueurs, aurait pu être évité si le Msc Opera avait coupé les hélices "comme prévu par les procédures d'urgence en cas de danger d'abordage" et s'il n'avait pas "mal" exploité le port Pod.
DEFENSE
"Msc - lit une note - a pris note des conclusions du rapport technique final qui reconnaît que les dommages ont été causés par un défaut technique remontant à la construction du navire dont Msc est totalement irréprochable et qui n'a pu être identifié par les contrôles réguliers auxquels le navire a toujours été soumis. Cette défaillance technique a entraîné une situation d'urgence sans qu'aucune alarme critique n'apparaisse sur les écrans de bord, créant ainsi une situation totalement imprévisible. Le personnel du navire a eu un temps de réaction très limité et c'est cette réaction, parmi toutes les difficultés de la situation, qui a permis de limiter les dégâts au minimum.
Oui, cela, ça ressemble à un compte rendu d'audience fait par un journaliste (ou un pas journaliste)... au demeurant tendancieux, parce que "gratte-ciel flottant" pour l'Opéra... 🤪 Que dire alors du Grandiosa ? ou des derniers RCI...
Ce qui serait intéressant, c'est de pouvoir lire in extenso (seule lecture objective) le jugement, ses attendus, ses décisions.
Et de savoir quel a été le verdict et la condamnation éventuelle, et si un appel a été formé.
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!
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 ...
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 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
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,
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!
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?
Mais je comprend tout à fait pour des Italiens.
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
