Juste pour vous relater notre voyage, nous en étions a notre premier voyage hors-frontière. nous avons 47 et 51 ans, un de mes copain de travail qui a fait 3 croisères en 11 mois, me vantait Carnival, nous avons donc opté pour Le Victory vers Cozumel, Grand Cayman et Ocho Rios.... Une chose a retenir, lors de vos réservations, bien stipuler que vous désirez voyager ensemble sur vos vol, notre agent de voyage a fait affaire avec Vacances Air Transat qui eu on fait affaire avec Carnival, résultat... Moi et mon épouse avions un vol direct Air CAnada pour Ft-Lauderdale et notre couple d'amis Delta avec escale a Atlanta pour arriver a Miami, Nous les avons attendu a la gare maritime et nous étions les derniers passagers a embarquer... Pour le retour, Miami vers Atlanta, les 4 ensemble et moi et mon épouse avions un transfert Atlanta-Montréal 40 minutes plus tard tandis que nos amis leur transfert était 3h30 plus tard.... Très plaisant
Le Victory, épaté par la gentilesse du personnel, la bouffe en salle a manger superbe, surtout le Boeuf Wellington... pour ce qui est des buffets, ce sont des buffets et dans tout buffets il y a normalement beaucoup de monde, c'est normal, la pizzeria, super, le déli de même... et les desserts 😉
Pour Cozumel, super, nous avions pris l'excursion en Jeep et l'avons pas regretté, au Grand Cayman, tout était sold out sur le bateau, nous avons donc trouver le même genre a terre sauf que le bateau qui nous a emmené au STINRAY était trèes ordinaire' mais le guide et sa jeune soeur ont été super"
En Jamaique, prenez les excursions du bateau, on a eu l'expérience de se faire achaller par les Jamaicains pas trop correct, vente de drogue et tout, on a finalement trouvé des lieux ou ce genre de personnages sont interdit d'entrer.
Donc en résumé, si vous voulez faire de l'apnée, équipez-vous de votre équipement, pour $100.00 cdn vous aurez votre masque, tuba, palme et veste d'apnée, ça éloigne les ampoules aux pieds et les bobos sur les lèvres, c'est juste vous qui les utilisé, les excursions du bateaux sont super, les guides ont toujours en tête de vous ramener pour l'heure au port. Un peu plus cher mais vous voyez des choses que vous ne verrez pas en taxi.
En terminant, Carnival est pour ceux qui aime ou ça bouge, RCCL est plus tranquille avec des cabines beaucoup plus petites, Mon copain en a fait l'expérience a sa denière croisière, il reviendra a Carnival pour la prochaine, peut-être sur Hawai.
De notre coté, nous avons réservé pour le 5 mars prochain sur le Destiné avec Vacance Air CAnada, l'avion un peu plus cher, mais vol direct et nous serons les 4 ensemble.
Oui, disons qu'il n'y avait pas beaucoup de réponse sur notre sujet, mais disons que sur le forum Le monde des croisières, les croisières sont plus suivies.
Depuis ce temps, nous avons fait celle du Carnival Destiny, une autre sur le Crown Princess ainsi qu'une autre sur le Carnival Valor et pour terminer, l'an dernier un tout-inclus au Mexique... Quelle différence!
Vous pouvez lire les résumés de tout nos voyages ete voir les photos en cliquant sur mon blog.
Ceci est vraiment mon opinion personnel, un tout-inclus est une forme de vacances pour faire la farnienté, le même paysage chaque matin, plage, bouffe et drink à volonté, mais pour moi la comparaison s'arrête là car la croisière équivaut à un nouveau paysage tout les matins au levé du jour, une nouvelle sensation, de nouvelles odeurs, de nouvelles cultures, de nouveaux modes de vie et bien sûr de nouvelles populations.
De plus, et encore une fois c'est mon opinion à moi, la nourriture d'un navire de croisière est supérieur à un tout inclus, je suis un amateur de dessert, daccord, je n'ai qu'un tout-inclus à mon actif, pourtant il s'agissait d'un 5* et les desserts me donnaient l'impression des desserts de tout buffet que l'on retrouvent au Québec, donc je ne me suis pas rassasié.😕
Pour les excursions, je n'aime pas prendre de chance, j'aime mieux payer un peu plus et avoir qqc de recommandé, donc je peux vraiment comparer mes excursions faites à partir des navires de croisière et du tout-inclus, rien à comparer, avec un navire de croisière, il y a un horaire a respecter, donc la logistique est au point, votre excursion de 6h part à 8h30, vous êtes assuré que le tour operator vous attend sur le quai quelques soit l'excursion choisi et vous êtes assuré qu'il vous ramènera au navire car il a été approuvé par la Cie de croisière, on ne fait pas le tour de tout les ports our embarquer des gens.
Si je compare au excursions de notre tout inclus, ouf, la logistique, on repassera! ex: Vous devez être à tel lobby à 7h45 pour prendre le transporteur, 7h45, personne, 8h personne, enfin 8h15 l'autobus arrive, on embarque, on se fait dire que l'on doit passer par un autre hotel, rendu à l'autre hotel, ceux qui vont a telle place, débarquent et attendent l'autre transporteur, pendant ce temps, le temps passe et notre exccursion raccourci et je ne vous parlerai pas du retour.
Autre comparaison encore une fois personnelle, les liens qui se créent entre vos serveurs que vous voyez à tout les soirs et que souvent vous rencontrez sur le navire durant la journée. Le service et la gentillesse à bord d'un navire, dans un tout-inclus, les employés sont pour la majorité très gentils, mais beaucoup sont là dans l'attente du pourboire pour en donner un peu plus et c'est souvent que momentanément.
Bon je vais arrêter ici, mais je vais certainement faire un autre tout-inclus un jour, mais ce sera pour la farnienté et demeurer sur place avec aucune attente de haut niveau, mais ceci dit toujours à l'égard d'un prix comparable du forfait.
En résumé pour un prix comparable, la croisière est de loin supérieur au tout-inclus, pour ceux qui recherchent, la boisson à volonté, vous êtes mieux dans un tout-inclus car la facture sera salée, par contre pour qq qui boit modérement, la croisière est super. Mes factures de consommation ont toujours été raisonnables et je buvais du vin à chaque soir et quelques verres chaque jour.
J'espère ne pas choquer personne, car un goût est tellement personnel. 🙂
non je pense que tu ne choqueras personne sauf ceux qui seraient anti-croisière,
ton analyse est assez bonne, malgré qu'il est difficile de comparer les deux types de voyages,
je dirai que la croisière, c'est à la fois l'hotel club tout inclus (sauf boisson) et le circuit.
tu n'as pas l'inconvénient du circuit où il faut remballer les valises tous les 1 ou 2 jours, et pas non plus l'inconvénient du tout-inclus qui reste au même endroit. Si les escales sont courtes parfois, cela permet quand même de se faire une idée, et peut être d'y revenir sous une autre forme.
c'est un compromis intéressant mais qui ne conviendra pas forcément à tout le monde, certain m'ont
déjà dit que en escale on ne vois rien du pays...que en circuit on voit tout. Parfois c'est vrai, les escales au Mexique ne te permettent pas d'aller à Palenque ou Chichen Itza par exemple.
ton tout-inclus 5*, c'était où?
j'en ai fait 3 (Tunisie3*, Mexique5*, Rép Dom4*)
et
4 croisières Costa avril 2008, Costa Oct 2008, NCL fév 2009, Costa oct 2009
Notre tout-inclus était au Mexique, le Grand Palladium White Sand, si tu veux vois des photos clique sur le lien suivant, tu auras tout de nos croisières et de notre tout-inclus. Mon Blog
aprés une quarantaine de croisiéres je suis tout à fait d'accord avec vous
nous avons testé les croisiéres il y a 20 ans en commencant par les fjords de norvége absolument exeptionnels ( nous y retournons l'été prochain sur holland américa) et pour toutes les raisons que vous dites nous adorons les croisiéres , le fait d'étre dans des endroits différents sans avoir la corvée de faire et défaire les valises , la liberté de faire l'excursion ou de se débrouiller par nous même ou de rester à bord si nous le souhaitons alors que lors d'un circuit , même si vous apprenez à mieux connaitre le pays , allez plus à l'intérieur des terres vous vous levez tôt , vous vous couchez tard et que la visite vous plaise ou non vous devez suivre le groupe . de plus le contact se lie vraiment avec le personnel et parfois des serveurs nous reconnaissent même 10 ans aprés ( alors que je l'avoue nous ne les reconnaissons pas toujours) .
je serais trés tentée par un trés bel hotel tout inclus notamment en république dominicaine mais mon mari ne veut pas . il est vrai que lors d"une croisiére aux caraibes et escale en rép dom nous avons eu le bonheur de passer 1 journée dans un de ces hotels et depuis il se voit encore moins y passer 1 ou 2 semaines de peur de s'ennuyer
c'est vrai que , comme vous dites , c'est une opinion tout à fait personnelle et , même si on adore les cocktail alcoolisés au bout d'un moment on apprécie moins ces cocktails à volonté et on se modére vers les boissons non alccolisées . à ce propos il y a les distributeurs en croisiére dispo au self et lorsque cela est possible on profite toujours des escales pour acheter coca , sprite ou bouteilles d'eau . on se paye simplement un cocktail chaque soir et une bouteille de vin de vin ou de champagne 1 fois dans la croisiére si nous avons quelque chose à féter ou pour un repas de gala . en ce qui concerne les pourboires , le gros probléme pour les européens en général , ils sont amplement mérités et font partie de notre budget croisiére lorsque nous nous décidons à réserver un voyage
c'est aussi pour tout ce qui a été énuméré que j'aime les croisières
on va essayer d'en faire au moins une par an...
mais pas seulement les croisières, les voyages..... du sac à dos au service de la suite 5 *
pour l'instant une croisière pour moi, cela doit bouger... animation, fête, spectacles, orchestre etc...
sommes pas joueurs, donc je ne fais que passer au casino, autrement on profite au maximum de tout ce que s'y passe
c'est pour cela que nous avons trouvé notre compte sur MSC - RCCL - CARNIVAL....
de ce point de vue j'ai moins aimé NCL JEWEL - mais ce n'est qu'une question de goût
j'aime les navires de grande capacité
l'OASIS OF THE SEAS est en projet pour 2011 - pour 2010 peut-être que l'on fera le CARNIVAL DREAM ou NCL EPIC parce que ces navires promettent beaucoup
Une chose est sure je veux essayer toutes les compagnies ...
Dans quelques années, je vais peut-être plutôt pencher vers les croisières calmes, nous aurons l'âge des spectacles avant ou après le diner, puis au lit...
Mais hélas la croisière ne permet d'explorer un pays plus en profondeur - donc nous devons alterner faire des circuits pour être au contact des autochtones - aller dans l'arrière pays et pas seulement les excursions lors des escales
on ne peut tout avoir, mais on peut faire le maximum pour en avoir le plus possible
bonne croisière à tous
une passion : les voyages - découvrir ailleurs, côtoyer d'autres - la croisière, c'est aussi tout cela
COSTA - CIC - MSC - CARNIVAL - NORWEGIAN - ROYAL CARIBBEAN - PRINCESS CRUISES -
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!
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
