Bonjour, je ferai prochainement une troisième croisières. La première fut avec Carnival vers les Caraïbes de l'est, la 2e avec NCL vers les Caraïbes de l'ouest et la prochaine sera avec Royal Carabeen vers les Caraïbes du sud. Je sais qu'à chaque escale, lorsqu'on revient sur le bateau, nos bagages sont passés aux rayons X et si nous avons ramené de l'alcool, ça se voit et on se fait saisir nos bouteilles qui nous serons remis à la fin du voyage. Quelqu'un a dit l'autre jour que si nous transvidions l'alcool dans des bouteilles de soda, ça passerait (ex. vodka dans une bouteille de seven up). Toutefois, je me posais la question à savoir comment fonctionne ce type de rayon X? Est-ce par la forme de la bouteille? Pour la densité? Etc... Lorsque j'ai voyagé avec NCL, ils ne voyaient pas toujours les bouteilles que nous ramenions. Ainsi, certaines furent saisies et pas d'autres. Quelqu'un sait comment ça marche ces rayons X?
Je me pose les mêmes questions car je voyais des gens se faire prendre les bouteilles d'alcool alors que moi je montais avec des sodas et ils ne me fesaient pas ouvrir le sac pour voir ce que c'étais alors qu'on voyait bien les bouteilles à l'écran ; je vais voyager sur ncl et j'aimerais beaucoup à funchal acheter 2 ou 3 bouteilles de madére pour prendre mon apéritif sur mon balcon . quelque chose me tracasse également ; ils empêchent de remonter à bord avec de l'alcool aux escales mais on peut aller au restau avec sa bouteille personnelle d'alcool en payant quelque chose .
les scanners detectent la forme de la bouteille, donc effectivement, si vous êtes accros à l'alcool vous pouvez le transvaser dans une bouteille de soda...à condition que votre main ne tremble pas trop...car sinon, l'opération sera inutile et coûteuse!!!!
Ce n'est pas la première fois que je lis ça, mais ça me fait toujours le même effet 🤪.
Donc sur ce genre de croisière on se fait scanner ses sacs au retour et on se fait confisquer des biens personnels ?..... 😕 Au nom de quel droit ?.... 🤪
non, non, non...On scanne par sécurité (eviter le drame du Achille Lauro).
Il est interdit d'apporter de l'alcool à bord (idem dans un bar, un restaurant ou une discothéque sur terre)
On ne vous "pique" rien, on vous restitue tous les produits confisqués au moment du débarquement.
🏴☠️Tu peux boire aux escales, acheter des boissons et les boire à bord, tu peux acheter des bouteilles dans la boutique à bord et les boire dans ta cabine....mais tu peux aussi profiter d'une croisière pour faire bien autre chose de plus sain et de plus culturel!!! Boire ou s'instruire, il faut choisir.
Il n'est absolument pas interdit, en tous cas pas par la loi à ma connaissance, d'apporter d'apporter sa propre boisson dans un restaurant ou un bar en France ; dans certains pays c'est même un usage assez fréquent.
Je ne crois pas à l'argument de la sécurité.
Ça peut-être du sens qu'ils voient la forme de la bouteille. Par contre, lorsqu'on est monté à bord après avoir passé au Duty free, nous avions 2 bouteilles de grand marnier, une dans chaque bagage à main. La mienne a passé mais pas celle de mon conjoint? Pourtant, les deux bouteilles étaient identiques! Alors je me suis demandé si dans le même sac que la bouteille non détectée, j'avais quelque chose qui avait empêché le scan de voir la bouteille? Il doit donc y avoir un moyen de camoufler la bouteille avec autre chose mais quoi?
Pourquoi on a pas le droit d'amener de l'alcool à bord, j'ai ma petite idée, il y a d'abord la question sécuritaire, on veut éviter que des gens s'ennivrent et causent problème. Mais je crois aussi que c'est une question d'argent, pour eux, quand on achète l'alcool à bord, c'est très payant.
Ce n'est pas une question d'être accro à l'alcool mais bien de pouvoir prendre un petit digestif sans que ça coûte la prunelle de nos yeux.
Avec NCL, ils semblaient tolérer qu'on ramène de la bière à bord car chaque fois que nous en avons acheté sur une île, ils ne les ont jamais saisis. Par contre, on achetait la même sorte que sur le bateau. Ainsi, si nous allions à la piscine avec une bière à la main, personne ne pouvait savoir si cette bière venait du bar ou non.
😉Deux bouteilles de Grand Marnier!
J'espére que la croisière a duré plus d'une journée et que ce n'était pas des magnums sinon le débarquement a dû être mémorable.
Ce qui me rassure tout de même, c'est de savoir que dans votre couple chacun a sa bouteille .
Au moins on a quelque chose à partager!
Salut aux deux babies saouls (babysou 21!!!)
Allez je plaisante.
😏exact pour le train, mais avec le tgv le voyage est tellement rapide que l'on peut manger à l'arrivée( à moins que la vitesse ne vous laisse l'estomac dans les talons!!)
Moi quand je prends le Tgv il y en a pour 4 heures, et vu l'inconfort de l'engin ce n'est jamais par plaisir.
Je suis très sérieux, il y a des endroits où on amène son vin.
Hé bien, si ça peut vous rassurer, non ce n'étaient pas des magnums. Je vous rappelle également qu'une seule bouteille est demeurée en notre possession, l'autre ayant été saisie. La croisière durait 11 jours, on a donc bu une seule bouteille sur 11 jours. Le vin, on l'achetait à bord lors de nos soupers et s'il en restait, ils nous gardaient la bouteille pour le souper du lendemain. Finalement, sur les îles, on achetait parfois de la bière que l'on ramenait à bord, le scan laissait passer la bière et les sodas. Quant aux bouteilles que l'on achetait sur les îles comme le rhum jamaïcain, certaines ont été saisies et d'autres non mais on ne les a pas bu à bord, on les a ramené à la maison. Une croisière est quand même onéreux et si on peut sauver un peu de $$ sur l'alcool, je n'y vois aucun problème. Donc, mes petits blagueurs, je ne demande pas votre avis sur ma façon de consommer l'alcool mais simplement du moyen d'en avoir à bord sans que j'y laisse toutes mes économies.
Je ne crois pas avoir donné d'avis sur votre façon de boire de l'alcool ; je me suis juste étonné de la facilité avec laquelle vous semblez admettre qu'on vous "saisisse" vos biens.
pas la peine d'aller faire une croisiere pour acheter de l'alcool il ny a qu'à aller en espagne c'est moins cher!!!!!lol En plus on ne fait pas n'importe quoi sur un paquebot il y a des réglementations mais comme on est français on a tjrs tendance à les contester lol je viens de faire une croisiere sur un bateau américains ou les mesures de sécurités sont draconienes ce qui est plutot rassurant de nos jours Pourquoi pendant que l'on y est ne pas amener son lit sa table de nuit ses fauteuils son cibi de pinard MDR
Des règles ?.....
Une des règles fondamentales me paraît le droit de disposer de ses biens.
Ceci dit je comprends qu'il faille éviter que les croisières se changent en orgie d'alcool avec ce que ça peut engendrer de dérangement, de bruit, de violence... Mais je suis toujours aussi gêné que l'on préfère la prohibition à l'éducation, la privation à la limite de la légalité d'un bien à l'explication et l'adhésion contractuelle.
Je n'en reviens tout simplement pas de lire que des passagers transvident de la boisson dans des bouteilles de soda pour économiser. Je trouve ça tellement radin.
Les compagnies de croisière et le personnel à bord font leur argent avec les boissons. La bouffe est excellente et le service impeccable Je ne peux croire que quelqu'un qui se paie une croisière, est incapable de se payer quelques verres au bar. Quand t'as pas les moyens, tu bois moins.
Certains restaurants au Québec permettent d'apporter son vin, d'autres non. Tu choisis l'une ou l'autre option.
Les bateaux de croisière ne le permettent pas. A nous de s'y conformer ou de choisir un hôtel tout inclus
C'était mon humble opinion
Tu as bien raison Michel, certaines personnes sont mesquines. Mais bon, faut faire avec. Je ne sais pas si cette personne peut se payer bien des croisières mais de mon côté, je serai bientôt à la retraite, et donc, je dois tenir mon budget si je veux vivre une belle retraite. Et, sans être alcoolique, pour moi, prendre un peu de vin en mangeant et un digestif en soirée m'apportent du plaisir. Ma foi, il faut bien se faire plaisir dans la vie et ce, sans que ça nous coûte la peau des os!!! Comme dirait l'autre, c'est mon humble avis!!! hi hi hi. Déjà qu'une croisière ou tout autre voyage, ce n'est pas donné, si on peut économiser un peu, je ne vois pas le mal!!! Je voudrais ajouter que je viens de sortir d'un cancer où j'ai dû subir chirurgie, chimiothérapie et radiothéraéie, alors je veux vivre à plein ce qui me reste à vivre et me faire plaisir, qu'en déplaise à certaines personnes. Alors, mon but avec ma question n'était que d'avoir de petits trucs pour pouvoir avoir un peu d'alcool à moindre coût sur le bateau, c'est tout, pas me faire critiquer parce que je veux économiser un peu, j'aimerais bien pouvoir me payer quelques voyages ici sur terre avant de partir pour le grand voyage. Merci de ta sollicitude Michel, ça me fait du bien de voir que certaines personnes peuvent me lire sans me juger et me donner quelques trucs.
Bonjour babysou21, Pour avoir voyagé avec Royal Caribbean dans les Caraibes (2005-2006), je peux vous dire que nous n'avons aucun problème lors de nos escales à monter à bord avec nos achats d'alcool. Prendre un petit apéro ou digestif dans notre chambre ou sur notre balcon ne fait pas de mal à personne, je suis bien d'accord avec vous qu'en déplaise les moralisateurs. Si vous voulez un petit truc, je vous dirais qu'en arrivant dans la ville de destination, si vous avez peur que l'on vous confisque aux escales, mettez votre bouteille dans votre valise et non dans vos bagages à mains. Je vous souhaite de merveilleuses croisières pour l'avenir et une bonne santé pour en profiter. Bonne croisières
C'est ce que je voulais baysou21, n'ayez aucune crainte je suis persuadée que aurez une merveilleuse croisière. Je vous le souhaite de tout coeur. Si vous désirez d'autres conseils n'hésitez pas.
Nous recherchons un groupe de personne disponible pour partager une excursion en direction de la route des trolls.
Nous avons contacté un prestataire local
Qui nous propose un tarif de :
- 6325 nok pour 4 personnes
- 6874 nok pour 5 à 8 personnes
N hésitez pas à nous contacter pour échanger sur le sujet
Bons préparatifs à tous !
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
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?
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
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!
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! 🚢😊
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!
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,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.