Bonjour,
J'ai réservé une croisière COSTA en dernière minute (réservé le 31/08/10) pour offrir un voyage à ma mère (Etat unis et canada).
Pbl le passeport de ma mère a du retard. Le départ est prévu le 21 sept 10.
Je souhaite changer la date de départ (2/10/10) sachant que l'agence a déjà réservé mon billet d'avion.
Y a t il des frais ?
Merci d'avance
Le départ est le 21 septembre ou le 2 octobre ? Je ne comprends pas..
Les changements sont rarements gratuits... Pourquoi ne pas les appeler directement, ce serait quand même plus fiable comme info...
Circuit dans l'Ouest : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=2744058
Floride-Louisiane : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3536861
Une semaine à New York : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4550454
New York, again http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5593646
Ba du coup je souhaiterais partir le 2/10 au lieu du 21/09 ! Ca fait 2 jrs que j'attends des nouvelles de l'agence de voyage, c'est pour cela que j'espérais avoir une réponse.
pour moi c'est une annulation de la croisiére du 21.09.10 avec les conditions d'annulation qui vont avec
et une réinscription et nouveau contrat pour le 02.10.10
les billets d'avion les meilleurs marché sont souvent non annulables non remboursables sauf les taxes
à moins d'un excellent geste commercial de costa ou d'une assurance annulation qui prend en charge les problémes administratifs je pense que cela risque de vous couter cher
( en espérant me tromper )
Costa précise dans ces conditions générales de vente "qu'un problème sur un document d'identité ne permet en aucun cas de prétendre à remboursement".
C'est une annulation "pour convenance personnelle qui, aujourd'hui (entre 1 et14 jours du départ) coûte 50% du prix de la croisière (en principe déjà intégralement payé) 😕
Après demain, nous serons à moins de 10 jours, le coût sera de 75% 😕
Et ce sont les conditions générales Costa, les Agences, parfois, peuvent avoir des conditions personnelles plus drastiques... 😕
Et à ma connaissance, aucune des assurances "classiques" ne prend en charge ce type de problème... 😕 qui n'est pas un "accident" au sens juridique du terme.
Ca c'est pour la croisière. Si le billet d'avion est "indépendant de Costa", c'est effectivement les conditions contractuelles de la compagnie aérienne qui vont s'appliquer (ce qui n'est pas mieux, car effectivement, c'est souvent, en échange d'un prix très bas, "ni échangeable ni remboursable"... 😕 )
Ah oui, d'accord... 😕 Il n'y a pas moyen de faire accélérer les procédures administratives ? Il reste quand même encore 10 jours...
Circuit dans l'Ouest : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=2744058
Floride-Louisiane : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3536861
Une semaine à New York : http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4550454
New York, again http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=5593646
Dernièrement j'ai dû changer ma date de croisière à cause d'un malentendu et il m'en a coûté très cher auprès d'Air France puisque mes billets d'avion étaient payés depuis plusieurs mois. À votre place, moyennant parfois un coût supplémentaire pour activer le processus, j'essaierais plutôt de régler vis-à-vis la livraison du passeport.
Ah oui, d'accord... 😕 Il n'y a pas moyen de faire accélérer les procédures administratives ? Il reste quand même encore 10 jours...
bonsoir. vous avez fait la demande quand ? en France ca met 3 semaines environ. désormais c'est plus rapide. on a du vous donner une date approximative.
en France ca met 3 semaines environ. désormais c'est plus rapide. on a du vous donner une date approximative.
Hum... à PARIS, mon fils n°4, qui partait avec nous le 7 juillet l'a "commandé" à la mi-mars. On lui avait dit "pour Paris, c'est 4 à 5 semaines car on déborde"...
Il a eu son passeport le 15 juin (et il a dû y aller au moins 10 fois pour "prendre des nouvelles", on a même cru à une idylle avec une secrétaire 😉)... "un lot avait été égaré", lui a-t-on expliqué...
Donc j'ai réussi à obtenir les infos dt j'avais besoin sur son passeport par la biais de la mairie qui a fait du "forcing" auprès de la préf. Donc départ maintenu au 21/09.
Pour info j'ai eu la réponse de l'agence, il fallait bien annuler la voyage et re réserver une autre croisière, FRAIS D'ANNULATION : 2000 € (coût total du voyage 4600 € pour 3!!!) C'est hallucinant.
Je suis mauvaise car la croisière qui partait 15 jrs plus tard était 1000 € moins cher sur le coût global du voyage.
Et le pire c'est que j'aurais pu annuler sans aucun frais mais l'agence ne m'a pas propose d'assurance annulation (croisière décidé à la dernière minute) et impossible d'en souscrire une après la réservation.
Bon à savoir une lettre de l'employeur comme quoi il refuse vos congés entre dans les conditions de l'annulation pour ne payer aucn frais.
Et le pire c'est que j'aurais pu annuler sans aucun frais mais l'agence ne m'a pas propose d'assurance annulation (croisière décidé à la dernière minute) et impossible d'en souscrire une après la réservation.
mauvaise agence changer d'agence 😐
je n'ai jamais vu une agence ne pas proposer d'assurance, elle a une marge dessus... La tienne est vraiment gratinée... 🤪
CEPENDANT : si tu as payé l'Agence avec une Carte VISA Premier, VISA Infinite, AMEX Gold, AMEX Platimum, MASTERCARD gold, MASTERCARD platinum, l'Agence a pu penser que puisque ces cartes comportent une assurance annulation et multirisque voyage, il était inutile de t'en proposer une autre. Et c'est alors tout à son honneur.
Mais par contre, un problème de papier d'identité qui n'arrivent pas n'est pas, le plus souvent, une clause d'annulation prévue par les contrats d'assurance standard.
Bon à savoir une lettre de l'employeur comme quoi il refuse vos congés entre dans les conditions de l'annulation pour ne payer aucun frais.
Pas tout à fait. Si ton patron te fait une lettre te disant qu'il refuse ta demande de congés, c'est PAS BON et l'assurance ne jouera pas.
La lettre de ton patron doit dire (enfin quelque chose comme) :
"Pour des raisons vitales pour l'entreprise, et imprévisibles, je me vois dans l'obligation d'annuler les congés du tant au tant que je vous avais autorisé à prendre par mon courrier en date du XX.XX.XXXX."
cette date XX.XX.XXXX devant être antérieure celle de la signature du contrat de voyage (et donc du contrat d'assurance s'il est vendu par l'Agence).
si vous avez une assurance qui prend le fait de ne pas avoir ses congé
sd ; notre assurance carte bleue gold ne le fait pas , et un employeur cool pour vous faire l'attestation cela peut marcher si votre maman et vous figurez sur le même contrat , perso je n'avais pas compris que vous partiez ensemble mais qu'elle partait seule
si ce n'est pas le même contrat les problémes administratifs pour votre maman ne vont pas être considérés comme vous empéchant vous de partir
j'espére de tout coeur que le passeport va se faire trés vite
Désolée de vous contredire, mais IL NE FAUT SURTOUT PAS COMPTER SUR LA CARTE VISA PREMIER POUR UN REMBOURSEMENT QUEL QU'IL SOIT POUR UNE ANNULATION DE CROISIERE à moins d'être à l'article de la mort.
Situation vécue en Avril 2009, après avoir parlé à une employée de VISA extrèmement désagréable me disant
que je n'avais qu'à relire le chapitre des exclusions.
Il est préférable de prendre l'assurance proposée par le croisièriste (Mondial Assistance ou autre) beaucoup plus fiable que Visa Premier.
Bonne journée.
Je ne sais pas quels sont les conditions exactes de la VISA Premier, mais celles de la VISA Infinite ou de la MASTERCARD Platinum sont quand même claires (enfin, y a une vingtaine de pages à lire... 😕), et prévoient des conditions d'annulation. Et aussi bien sûr des exclusions, les problèmes administratifs de documents d'identité en faisant partie. Mais je ne dis pas que ce soit la panacée... Seule la comparaison entre les contrats (leur lecture intégrale est la seule façon de se faire une idée) permet de choisir... Pour moi, je joue sur tous les tableaux, je paie avec une des deux cartes sus-mentionnées, et mon agence m'offre toujours l'assurance "multirisque voyage" (la "sienne", d'ailleurs, pas celle de l'armateur).
Ce qui n'est d'ailleurs pas superflu, les couvertures en cas de pertes ou de vol de bagages pouvant se cumuler (bien sûr comme toujours avec les assurances, dans la limite du préjudice réel).
Après, les Assurances / Assistances liées à ces cartes ne se limitent pas aux annulations de voyages...
Enfin, en cas de problème, j'évite toujours "l'employée VISA"... 😐 Je demande un rendez-vus au directeur de ma banque pour en parler. Non qu'il soit forcément à même de résoudre le problème, mais je sais que lui connaîtra les "bons" interlocuteurs... Ca gagne un temps fou.. 😉
Nous avons eu le cas de devoir annuler un séjour pour raison de santé en 2008 et aucun probleme avec notre Visa de même nous nous sommes fait voler en Mai dernier nos CI et CB, les frais de 25€ par personne pour refaire les CI nous ont ete rembourses par notre Visa.
Par contre notre Agence nous offre en principe l'assurance annulation lorsque nous reservons une croisière si nous reservons 30 jours avant le départ.
cette date XX.XX.XXXX devant être antérieure celle de la signature du contrat de voyage (et donc du contrat d'assurance s'il est vendu par l'Agence).
hello PAP. j'ai eu ce cas lors ma dernière coisière. n'étant pas ur d'avoir mes congès accordés et dans le cas ou ils seraient annulés, j'avais posé la question à l'agence de voyage. on m'a bien confirmé que l'annulation des CP par l"employeur entrait dans les conditions d'annulation.
On est bien d'accord. Ce que les assurances ne couvriront pas, en tous cas celles que j'ai considéré, c'est le cas de figure suivant : tu réserves une croisière de tel jour à tel jour, et APRES, tu demandes à ton patron (out a DRH...) qu'on veuille bien t'accorder ces jours là. Le refus du patron, dans ce contexte, c 'est à dire où les congés n'étaient pas encore "accordés" au moment où tu réserves (et ce d'autant moins qu'ils n'étaient pas encore demandés) risque de faire rejeter le dossier par les assurances.
Par contre, des congés déjà accordés, et refusés à la dernière minute (ou presque) pour raison X par l'employeur constituent un cas valable. Ma formulation de lettre a le mérite de parfaitement mettre les point sur les i pour empêcher l'assureur d'essayer de trouver un motif de ne pas payer (ce qui, qu'on le veuille ou non, est un peu le sport préféré des assureurs... 😕 )
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.
J’ai découvert les croisières en solo l’année dernière et ce fut une très belle expérience. Depuis, j’ai décidé d’en faire chaque année, généralement entre octobre et mars, au départ de Marseille ou du Havre.
Je voyage seul, mais j’apprécie de partager certains moments avec d’autres voyageurs : prendre les repas ensemble, assister aux spectacles, profiter des animations du soir, boire un verre ou faire quelques excursions. Chacun garde bien sûr sa liberté, le but est simplement de passer de bons moments dans une ambiance conviviale.
Pour cette fin d’année, je n’ai pas encore de croisière de prévue. En revanche, je suis déjà réservé sur le MSC Magnifica, du 29 octobre au 3 novembre 2027, au départ de Marseille, avec un itinéraire vers l’Espagne et l’Italie.
Si vous voyagez souvent en solo ou si vous êtes sur cette croisière, ce sera avec plaisir d’échanger avec vous avant le départ. Au plaisir de faire connaissance ! 🚢😊
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 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 there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
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!
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Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
