Bonjour à tous, je souhaite partir au mois d'Aout 2008 en Egypte (trois adultes un enfant) en croisière et séjour (15 jours) et j'aimerai vos avis sur les meilleurs tours opérator pour ce faire.
Je m'oriente sur les paladiens Nouvelles Frontières. Qui peut m'indiquer ce que valent leur KOUDOO (nouveau club). Il me semble important que les clubs enfants soient francophones.
Les croisières et hotels se ressemblant tous sur catalogues, votre avis m'interesse.
Merci
Voir look voyage parce que ils ont un club totalement francophone(équipe d'animation -mini club) a Hurghada et une croisière sur le nile, ou club med mais attention parceque club-med est loin de Hutghada de 30 km vers le nord.
Bonjour,
Nous revenons d'Égypte avec un enfant de 9 ans. Nous avons acheté les billets d'avion puis nous avons organisé tout notre séjour incluant la croisière avec Madame Céline qui est Française de Merveilleuseégypte.com. Nous avons eu des guides francophones. Notre séjour a été parfait. Nous n'avons aucun point négatif. Service, ponctualité, guide excellent. Cette agence est au Caire et de cette façon, nous avons éviter tous les intermédiaires. Pour moins cher qu'un voyage organisé à partir de chez nous, nous avons eu une van privé pour nous trois ainsi qui des guides pour nous trois seulement.
Tout ce fait par internet et croyez-moi, nous sommes entièrement satisfaits. Vous pouvez organiser votre séjour comme il vous plaît et Madame Céline peut vous faire d'excellentes suggestions. Nos préférences: Abou Simbel est un incontournable et notre nuit dans le désert était fabuleux. Si vous désirez, je peux vous envoyer notre circuit.
Sophie
Bonjour Sophie, nous envisageons une croisière sur le Nil en avril avec nos deux filles de 9 et 13 ans, votre avis nous intéresse: durée du séjour, condition d'hébergement, rapport qualité/prix selon vous. Avez-vous tout organisé avant le départ ou bien une fois sur place?
Merci, Patrick.
Nous avons tout organisé avant notre départ mais une fois sur place, il nous a été possible d'ajouter des visites et de modifier nos horaires dans le cadre d'une journée. (Moyennant un surplus pour les ajouts).
En ce qui concerne les hébergements, c'est madame Céline qui nous a conseillé. ( ex.: 102 euros pour 3 nuits au Caire) Il y a en pour tous les goûts et tous les prix. Notre séjour était de deux semaines.
Rapport qualité/prix: pour nous venant du Québec, la différence de prix est énorme et surtout, nous avons apprécié faire le voyage en famille plutôt qu'avec un groupe dans un gros bus. Je ne saurais dire pour vous. Voyez avec Madame Céline.
Voici notre plan de voyage. Nous avons modifié des petites visites. Nous avons eu le temps de voir plus que ce programme.
Sophie
Jour 1 - lundi 31 décembre 2007 - Le Caire/Alexandrie
Arrivée à l'aéroport du Caire où notre représentant vous accueillera et assistera dans les différentes marches à suivre. Vous serez ensuite accompagnés en véhicule privé jusqu'à Alexandrie (environ 3h de route). Arrivée à Alexandrie, installation chez votre ami.
Jour 2 - mardi 01 janvier 2008 - Alexandrie
Le matin, notre équipe viendra vous prendre chez votre ami. Visite de cette ville construite en 332 avant J-C par l'architecte grec Dinocrates sur l'ordre d'Alexandre le Grand. Visite en premier lieu de la forteresse de Qayet bai récemment restaurée. Passage à la Colonne de Pompée, puis Visite de l’amphithéâtre romain de Kom el-Dick, dégagé en 1963, témoin unique des nombreux lieux de spectacles construits à Alexandrie. Visite de la célèbre bibliothèque d'Alexandrie bâtiment à l’architecture futuriste (bibliothèque et intéressant musée archéologique), visites des catacombes de Kom El Shuqqaffa (Ier et IIè siècle. ap. J.-C.) et ses hypogées sur plusieurs niveaux, qui sont parmi les plus importantes sépultures romaines en Égypte. En fin de visite, retour chez votre ami.
Jour 3 - mercredi 02 janvier 2008 - Alexandrie/Louxor
Le matin, notre équipe viendra vous prendre chez votre ami. Transfert en véhicule privé à l'aéroport intérieur d'Alexandrie pour prendre le vol en direction de Louxor. Arrivée à Louxor, Visite du Temple de Karnak, dédié au principal du culte à la gloire du dieu Amon, mais comme de nombreux autres temples égyptiens, d'autres dieux et déesses y étaient vénérés. C'est le site religieux connu le plus ancien au monde. Et le Temple de Louxor, Il était consacré au dieu dynastique Amon sous ses deux aspects d’Amon-Rê céleste et de divinité ithyphallique. Les parties les plus anciennes actuellement visibles remontent à Amenhotep III et à Ramsès II. Transfert à votre hôtel et installation dans votre chambre. Reste de la journée libre. Son et lumière à Karnak. Nuit à l’hôtel Mercure.
Jour 4 - jeudi 03 janvier 2008 - Louxor
Petit-déjeuner à l'hôtel. Découverte de la Vallée des Rois, où la plupart des Pharaons de la XVIIIème à la XXème dynastie se firent inhumer et la Vallée des Reines, est la nécropole des épouses royales, des filles, parfois des fils des rois des XIXe et XXe dynasties. Puis continuation vers les deux imposants Colosses de Memnon, les derniers vestiges du gigantesque temple funéraire d'Amenhotep III qui n'existe plus de nos jours. Et enfin la visite de Deir el-Bahari le Temple d’Hatchepsout, le temple funéraire d'Hatchepsout, dédié au dieu Amon, mais aussi aux dieux Anubis et Hathor. Ce temple thébain est unique et se distingue des autres temples car il est en partie creusé dans le roc de la montagne thébaine à laquelle il s'adosse, et s’élève sur trois terrasses reliées par des rampes d'accès. En fin de visite, transfert en véhicule privé jusqu'à votre bateau de croisière Le Nile Style. Installation dans vos cabines. Après-midi libre. Diner et nuit à bord.
Jour 5 - vendredi 04 janvier 2008 - Louxor/ Esna / Edfou
Petit déjeuner à bord. En matinée, début de la navigation en direction d'Edfou. Déjeuner à bord. Après le Passage de l'Écluse d'Esna, navigation et arrivée à Edfou dans la soirée. Dîner et nuit à bord.
Jour 6 - Samedi 05 janvier 2008 - Edfou / Kom Ombo
Petit déjeuner à bord. Départ en calèche pour la visite du Temple d'Edfou, la ville sainte d’Horus et du temple édifié en son honneur. Ce temple aux dimensions extravagantes est le mieux conservé de toute l'Égypte. Déjeuner a bord. Navigation vers Kom Ombo. Visite du Temple de Kom Ombo, dont la particularité est d'être dédié à deux divinités : Sobek (à tête de crocodile) et Horus (à tête de faucon). Navigation jusqu'à Assouan. Diner et nuit à bord.
Jour 7 - Dimanche 06 janvier 2008 - Assouan
Petit déjeuner à bord. Visite du Temple de Philae, voué au culte de la déesse Isis, puis la carrière de granit avec l'Obélisque Inachevé et enfin le Haut Barrage Nasser donnant naissance au Lac Nasser. Déjeuner a bord. Puis balade en felouque autour de l’île Éléphantine est le meilleur moyen de ressentir le Nil et de se relaxer au grès du vent. Dîner à bord suivi d’une soirée orientale (danseuse du ventre, Soufi danseur et musique traditionnelle). Nuit à bord.
Jour 8 - Lundi 07 janvier 2008 - Assouan/Abou Simbel/Assouan/Le Caire
Petit-déjeuner à bord. Départ matinal en véhicule privé à destination d'Abou Simbel (en convoi obligatoire, environ 3h de route), visite du temple dédié à Ramsès II et de sa magnifique femme Néfertari. Après les visites retour a Assouan. Le soir, prenez le train couchette en direction du Caire. Diner et nuit dans le train.
Jour 9 - Mardi 08 janvier 2008 - Le Caire/ Oasis de Baharya
Petit-déjeuner dans le train. Le matin, arrivée au Caire, accueil et route en van prive en direction de l'oasis de Baharya. Vous serez accueilli par notre représentant qui vous accompagnera jusqu'à votre hôtel. Réputée pour ses vins dès le Moyen Empire, l'oasis du Nord – Ouhat Mehet – ne fut fermement rattachée au pouvoir central qu'à partir du Nouvel Empire. Elle développa ensuite de fécondes relations avec la colonie grecque de Cyrène. Déjeuner. Visiter le circuit local de l'Oasis de Baharya, les nombreux bains chaud et froid thérapeutiques, les montagnes noires, Gebel Al Ingleez, les montagnes pyramides et le musée de l'oasis. Nuit dans un camp.
Jour 10 - Mercredi 09 janvier 2008 - Oasis de Baharya/Le Caire
Après le petit-déjeuner, découverte près du village de Bawiti, les vestiges du temple d'Amasis et les ruines d'une église. C'est également dans l'oasis que l'égyptologue égyptien Zahi Hawass et son équipe sont en train de mettre au jour un nombre impressionnant de tombeaux et de sarcophages intacts qui ont fait surnommer cet endroit la "vallée des momies". Le site d'El-Qasr a livré aux archéologues plusieurs chapelles consacrées à Apriès, tandis qu'à Qaret Helwa, nous verrons la tombe d'Amenhotep Houy, qui fut gouverneur de l'oasis à la fin de la XVIIIe dynastie. Déjeuner. Retour en véhicule privé pour le Caire à l’hôtel Happy City.
Jour 11 - Jeudi 10 janvier 2008 - Le Caire
Le matin, notre équipe viendra vous prendre chez votre ami ou à l’hôtel et visite du Plateau de Gizeh Pyramides avec les trois grandes pyramides: Khéops, Khéphren et Mykérinos ; et le Sphinx, Lion à tête humaine incarnant le roi ou le dieu sous un aspect vengeur. Reste de la journée libre, visite libre au Caire. En fin de visite, installation à l’hôtel Happy City.
Jour 12 - vendredi 11 janvier 2008 - Le Caire
Le matin, notre équipe viendra vous prendre chez votre ami ou à l’hôtel. Visite de Dachour avec la pyramide rouge et la pyramide Bent. Ensuite visite de la nécropole de Sakkarah avec la célèbre pyramide à degrés du roi Djoser, les pyramides royales, les textes funéraires, les mastabas.... Et pour finir la journée, visite de Memphis, un colosse de Ramsès II en albâtre de belles dimensions.
Le soir, assistez au spectaculaire Sons et Lumières aux Pyramides, La voix du Grand Sphinx vous racontera l'histoire et la vie des pharaons et de leurs grandes pyramides. (Entrée au spectacle non comprise) ou soirée libre au Caire. En fin de visite, installation à l’hôtel Happy City.
Jour 13 - samedi 12 janvier 2008 - le Caire
Notre équipe viendra vous prendre chez votre ami et transfert en véhicule privé à l'aéroport International du Caire pour votre départ.
Merci Sophie pour toutes ces infos, peux-tu me dire combien vous-a couté le séjour?.Je n'ai aucune idée du prix de toutes ces prestations.
Merci, Patrick.
Le montant pour 2 adultes et 1 enfant est autour de 2000 euros. Les frais additionnels étaient les entrées sur les sites, les 5-6 repas, les pourboires et les souvenirs.
moi je suis partie 15j, en 2004 avec croisière sur le nil, puis sejour à Hurghada, avec Fram
et franchement rien à dire
comme tout sejour, le plus long ce sont les transferts et l'attente pour l'enregistrement au depart
mais la croisière nous a bcp plu, du coup, on repart en voyage sur bateau en avril(en mediterranée)
Sur notre bateau, rien à voir avec le luxe de costa et on mange pas mal de poulet, mais les repas en buffet sont assez variés et bons, le personnel tres tres sympa, les cabines pas mal, avec salle de bains avec baignoire et vue sur le nil
Pas de mal de mer, ca bouge pas du tout
Par contre, pour les enfants, je me suis pas renseignée, j'en avais pas encore :)
mais à l'hotel, ca a l'air d'être plus organisé au niveau des clubs pour les activités
tout le monde parlait français
pour les petits ils ont la possibilité de decouvrir la faune marine exceptionnelle rien qu'avec le masque et tuba!c'est vraiment à faire!🙂
Par contre en mai, il faisait déjà chaud pour la visites des temples, alors en aout, charge en crème, chapeau et brumisateur...😉
bonjour, je sais que vous avez poste ce message il y a2 ans mais es ce que je peut avoir votre itinairaire ainsi que les adresse merci - sylvie.montie@neuf.fr voyage egypte
Pour Noël, nous allons offrir à nos parents un voyage organisé (au départ de Nice). Ils ont choisi une croisière en Egypte. Le temps est limité à une semaine,…
Voulons partir en croisière avec promo vacances sur le nil en Aout quelqu'un est t'il déja partis avec ce fournisseur surment merci de vos infos. Nous avons…
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Je compte offrir une croisière sur le NIL à ma femme, nous comptons partir vers le 25 décembre, nous habitons DJIBOUTI (Afrique de l'est) et nous ne rentrons…
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
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 everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Hi,
We received a promotion from our CFC agency offering cruises at up to 40-100% off, and among other details: CFC organizes parking for departures from Dunkirk.
"Unattended parking located about 12 minutes away, fenced off with barriers, at a rate of 10 € per day. Drop off passengers and luggage at the Model Pavilion, and a CFC shuttle will take you from the parking lot to the Model Pavilion every 15-20 minutes. Same for disembarkation. You can book through your agency or on their website. No refunds if the booking is canceled; payment is due at reservation."
Have a great day,
Guylène
PS: Personally, we’d rather keep our vehicle in a free, supervised parking lot and take a taxi to the Model Pavilion.
Hi there,
In June we’re taking a cruise called "Pearls of the Baltic" on board Renaissance CFC Cruises—with stops in Kiel (Germany), Gdańsk (Poland), Rønne (Bornholm), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gothenburg (Sweden).
This layover in Gothenburg doesn’t really inspire me—could you tell me what’s worth seeing? Are there locals offering excursions around the area by van right when you leave the port, like you often see on Caribbean cruises?
I saw there’s a hop-on hop-off bus, but I’m not sure if there’s a stop near the terminal.
What are your suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
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!