Bonjour nous partons avec le splendida le 28 fevrier avec nos petits enfants , voilà la raison de notre vigilance , en Tunisie nous aurions aimé aller à si di bou sa id par TAXI.?...
Aucun problème pour cela.
négociez bien le prix du taxi avant et plutot en aller retour.
le chauffeur vous attendra ou vous accompagnera.
merci pour l'info : peut on payer en euro? ou faut il faire du change ?
on se pose la question pour rome : sur le forum je vois que c'est possible en train :qu'en penses tu ?
merci
as tu 1 idée des tarifs ?
pour rome j'ai vu les tarifs de train mais pas pour le bus
et pour tunis as tu utilisé les taxis et quels sont les tarifs , on est 4
bonsoir!
pour les autres escales :Rome en train si possible
genes : balade à pied
Palerme : visite de la ville
Barcelone : centre ville avec bus
et vous ?
je précise que nous sommes avec nos petits enfants : 14 et 5 ans
bonsoir je part également le 21 février sur le splendida !!je n 'ai pas d'info d’annulation pour la Tunisie d'autant plus que msc la propose en excursion sur son site😉
Bonsoir
Pour les taxis à Tunis pour Sidi Bou Said tu as plusieurs possibilités :
- En descendant du bateau il y a un "village", des boutiques et un bureau ou les tarifs des taxis sont négociés et affichés , à mon avis c'est de l'ordre de 40 euros pour quatre .
- Quand tu sors de l'enceinte du port il y a des taxis (ils te démarchent , même sur le chemin), ils te proposent des tours par exemple pour Sidi Bou Said , ils te conduisent , t'attendent et te ramènent au port .Tu peux espérer négocier un peu plus le prix, mais c'est un peu moins sûr . Ils demandent des euros .
-Enfin si tu sors de l'enceinte du port et que tu marches un peu tu vas trouver les taxis "normaux ", les prix sont plus bas, mais il faut payer en dinars.
Avec des petits enfants je prendrais la première solution "officielle" la différence de prix ne sera pas énorme .
Tu as largement le temps de visiter Sidi Bou Said en une demi journée .
Bien cordialement Claudine
Pour Rome le train c'est économique mais il faut marcher assez longtemps pour aller à la gare .
Tu peux prendre l'excursion "Rome en liberté " avec Msc , tu prends le bus au pied du bateau , ils te conduisent à Rome , au Colisee et te redonnent rendez vous au même endroit vers 16 heures 30 . C'est 30 euros par adulte , moins cher pour les enfants .
Tu peux aussi aller avec Civitatours , tu trouveras leur site sur internet . Ils proposent plusieurs choses
-le trajet en bus aller retour pour 18 euros , ils te laissent au Vatican , et te redonnent un lieu de rendez vous pour le retour . Les enfants au dessus de 4 ans payent le même prix .
-Nous avons pris le tour panoramique de Rome , 28 euros , à Toussaint , car j'avais mes petits enfants de 6 et 4 ans avec moi . On te dépose au Vatican pour 1 heure 30 , puis tu vas en bus au Colisee, en voyant plusieurs monuments pendant le trajet .On te laisse du temps à cet endroit , pius on te dépose vers la fontaine de Trevi et la place Navone .Tu as du temps libre avant le rendez vous pour le retour en bus .
Tu réserve sur internet mais tu peux demander à payer dans le bus .
Par rapport à Msc il faut prendre une navette au pied du bateau pour sortir du port , elle te dépose au parking des cars Civitatours . On te demande d'arriver au plus tard à 9 heures 15 , mais , pas la peine de s' affolér pour prendre la navette , ils attendent pour partir . Nous n'étions qu'une douzaine à avoir réservé , donc ils ont prs d'autres personnes et nous sommes partis vers 9 heures 45 je crois .
Ils sont très professionnels , on peut leur faire confiance .
Tu peux me poser des questions si tu en as encore je me ferai un plaisir de te répondre.
Quel est l'age de tes petits enfants ?
Bien cordialement
Claudine .
Sachant que le 2 mars il y a à Civitavecchia le MSC Fantasia, le MSC Splendida et le Costa Fascinosa, un bus de la compagnie serait peut-être préférable au train... 😉
merci pour les infos ...
et bonne année !
mes petits enfants ont 5 et 14 ans
pour rome je n'avais pas regardé les escales des autres croisières !et il est sans doute préferable de reserver le bus civitatour :je vais regarder sur internet
POUR Genes et Palerme avez vous des bons tuyaux ?
Bonjour et bonne année à toi aussi et tous les tiens
Pour Gênes , pas d'hésitation si tu as des petits enfants l'aquarium , même pour les adultes c'est magnifique . Tu peux y aller à pied, en sortant du terminal tu pars sur la droite, tu marches environ 15 minutes (le trajet n'est pas très beau c'est sur un boulevard avec du trafic ).Puis tu es sur une esplanade, il y a un bateau pirate qui peut se visiter (5 €) puis l'aquarium . Il y a un peu de queue pour les billets (20 minutes environ ) tu peux aussi prendre les billets sur internet. Le prix est un peu cher mais c'est justifié. Il faut compter environ deux heures pour visiter .
J'y suis allée à Toussaint avec mes petits enfants de 3 et 5 ans, ils se sont régalés.
Site internet www.acquriodigenova.it prix 24 € adultes 15 € € enfants. Il y a souvent des promotions sur le site .
Je ne connais pas Palerme .
A plus tard si tu as d'autres questions
Cordialement Claudine
rebonjour claudine !
tes infos sont précieuses !!!
pour Barcelone as tu encore des bons tuyaux ?
tu dois avoir quelques voyages en projet ...si je peux te renseigner à mon tour n'hésites pas ...
cordialement
MARIE
Je me permets une intrusion dans ce post pour recommander à tous ceux qui ont l'intention de visiter l'intérieur de la Sagrada Familia de prendre leurs billets sur internet avant. Sinon c'est très difficile, selon les jours et les heures. Les queues sont redoutables.
Bon weekend.
A Barcelone , pour aller en ville le mieux est de prendre les bus bleus , tu les trouveras sur ta gauche en sortant du terminal , ils te déposent au pied des Ramblas . C'est 3 euros aller retour . (La navette Msc est autour de 9 euros ). Il suffit de traverser la place de la statue de Colomb par la droite pour rejoindre le métro . Tu reprends le bus , à peu près au même endroit pour le retour .
A pieds c'est tout de même loin , autant garder ses forces pour marcher dans Barcelone .
A Barcelone c'est bien de voir la Sagrada familia , de l'extérieur . Pour rentrer , la queue est impressionnante, ou alors comme dit plus haut il vaut mieux prendre les billets à l'avance sur internet .
A Barcelone on peut aussi aller au marché de la Boqueira (à gauche de la Rambla en montant ) cest coloré . On peut manger des fruits frais .
Bonsoir
Oui c'est facile de se déplacer en métro à Barcelone .
Il y a un changement pour aller à la Sagrada familia .
Je rechercherai demain et je reviens vers toi pour te donner les informations .
A demain Claudine
Bonjour
Donc pour la Sagrada familia il faut prendre le métro , au pied des Ramblas à la station Drassanes , ligne 3 direction Canyelles changement à Passeig de Gracia puis ligne2, direction Pep Ventura ce sera la 3eme station .
J'ai le guide cartoville de Barcelone , c'est un guide de poche avec des plans par quartier (écrit en caractères lisibles ). Il y a pleins d'informations , dont le plan du métro . Il en existe pour la plupart des grandes villes, ils coûtent autour de 9 euros . Au gré des escales je complète ma collection !
Bons préparatifs
Claudine
Bonsoir
Je ne peux pas te renseigner sur le train pour Rome , je ne l'ai jamais pris .
Lors de notre dernière escale à Chivitavecchia, nours avons pris le tour panoramique de Rome par civitatours. Je l'ai expliqué sur un autre post.
Pour Rome tu peux aussi voir le colisee, le forum romain. Il y a aussi le panthéon (visite gratuite ) , la place Navone , la fontaine de Trévi (en travaux lors de notre passage en octobre ). Il faut soit cibler un thème (Rome antique par exemple ) , sinon on voir les monuments rapidement de l'extérieur .
Je ne connais pas Palerme .
Pour Tunis , tu peux prendre un taxi , soit dans l'enceinte du port à prix négocié , ( 40 euros je crois pour les deux sites que tu veux voir) ou bien en sortant du port, là tu peux négocier un peu .
A Carthage tu peux voir les thermes d'Antonin et le musée .
A Sidi Bou Said tu peux te promener dans les ruelles , jusqu'au panorama sur la mer et faire quelques achats de souvenirs .
J'espère que tu auras des réponses d'autres personnes sur le train , et sur tes autres questions
Bonne croisière
Bien cordialement Claudine
Si quelqu'un d'autre pourrez me renseigner sur le train , car j'ai vu sur le forum qu'il faut aller sur le site http://www.trenitalia.com/, mais quand je tape le jour et mes horaire (09/02/2015 arrivé au port du bateau 10H00 depart 19H00)
Sur ce site il ne me propose que le train rapide soit 36€ aller pour 4 personne
Or d'apres ce que j'ai compris, on peux avoir le billet pour beaucoup moins chere aller-retour, mais je ne vois pas ou aller sur ce site
Si quelqu'un peux donc m'aider, je vous en remercie
Bonjour, nous habitons en lot et Garonne et nous rendons a Marseille pour la même croisiere a la même date. Nous recherchons des personnes pour faire le trajet jusqu'à Marseille ensemble ( histoire de partager les frais).si quelqu'un est intéressé ?!
Nous voilà revenus de escapade au quebec et nous nous remettons à la préparation de notre croisière en méditerranée avec nos petits enfants ! Je connais Costa mais pas msc! Certains disent sur le forum qu'il n'y a pas de chocolat au petit déjeuner? Quelqu'un a des infos ?
Bonsoir
Quelle chance ! La belle province , une destination ou je retournerais volontiers !
Désolée, je ne bois pas de chocolat, donc je ne peux pas te dire . Par contre si tu sais qu'il peut ne pas y en avoir , pourquoi pas en emporter un petite boite dans la valise ? Ça ne devrait pas être trop lourd ! Il y a du lait chaud il me semble .
A bientôt claudine
Merci Claudine!
Toujours fidèle au forum!
Effectivement si je n'ai pas d'informations je vais prendre 1 sachet de chocolat pour mes petits
Pour l escale de Rome je vais réserver civitatour , tu n'as payé que dans le bus?
bonne soirée
Au quebec nous avons eu frette comme ils disent la bas ! Mais avec du soleil, en bref magnifique
Oui, j'ai payé dans le bus pour Civitatours .
J'avais réservé sur les conseils d'une personne du forum qui faisait la même croisiere que nous et c'est elle qui avait demandé ça . C'est plus sûr pour nous si l'escale était supprimée , ce qui arrive parfois .
Bonne soirée Claudine
Bonsoir
Je répond à votre question au sujet de chocolat pour le petit déjeuner
le chocolat est disponible au restaurant et en cabine, quand vous êtes au self il faut le demander au serveur ou demandé directement au bar ;) il n'est pas en libre service !!
Bonne croisière
nous aussi nous avons pris civitatour
par contre sur le site, il demande directement à être payé. Je leur ai envoyé un mail pour savoir si c'est encore possible de payer seulement dans le bus le jour même
en plus pour ceux qui prennent le train par eux-même, il y a des travaux de rénovations a civitavecchia, donc les navettes ne vous dépose plus à 10 mn de la gare mais vous dépose à la gare routière qui est à 25-30mn de la gare ferroviaire.
Merci pour vos réponses à tous
Pour le chocolat c'est OK, mes petits seront contents!
Pour le bus civitatours, nous allons réserver, j'ai vu que nous pouvions correspondre avec eux par courriel, je veux bien d'autres infos si vous en avez
Bonne soirée
Bonsoir,
Le départ est dans 3 semaines! Je vais donc réserver civitatours pour rome, qui a des infos ? Sur le site on me demande de payer, je tente de leur proposer le paiement seulement dans le bus? Qui a des infos?
Merci à tous
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
We're leaving on August 25th for a Danube cruise from Vienna to Bucharest. The travel agency refuses to postpone this cruise despite navigation changes due to the exceptional drought, which include bus transfers that don’t interest us.
Have you had any experiences with this that you’d like to share?
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!