Hi everyone,
Okay, here I go—I haven’t done a cruise review in ages, and even longer since I’ve posted one on this forum. So, this is kinda your fault, Catherine, if I’m getting back into it... I just hope I haven’t lost my touch!
It’s a transatlantic cruise, so there are a lot of sea days. That means this review will mostly focus on the ship, especially the "Haven" section, which doesn’t get much coverage on this forum.
There’ll definitely be some comparisons with MSC’s Yacht Club, since they’re direct competitors.
This will be my third cruise with NCL—a company I really love—but my first in The Haven.
My two previous cruises were on smaller ships: the NCL Sun for the Chilean fjords and the NCL Spirit in February 2025 in Asia, departing from Taiwan and arriving in Korea. I *loved* the Spirit.
Alright, let’s get started!
This trip was booked almost last-minute in early October for late November, after I had to cut short my August trip for medical reasons.
At first, when I looked at this cruise, I hadn’t specifically decided to go for The Haven.
I wanted a relaxing cruise but still with destinations I hadn’t been to before. I kinda stumbled upon this one, and the itinerary appealed to me. I also found the balcony cabin price pretty good—around 2800 € for a balcony cabin (for two), all-inclusive package included. Not including flights, of course.
In the end, we decided to try The Haven (obviously not the same price), but I think we got a great deal for the promised perks.
Itinerary: Departure from Lisbon, arrival in Galveston, Texas. Stops: St. Martin, St. Thomas, La Romana, Cabo Rojo, Falmouth in Jamaica.
Thanks Nathalie, it’s really sweet of you to jump in! It’s such a joy to read you again!!!
I don’t know The Haven and I’m really excited to discover it.
So, I’ll continue...
Well, we won’t keep you in suspense then! 🙂
What made us decide on The Haven was the price—we really think we got a great deal.
Normally, The Haven is expensive, even pricier than MSC’s Yacht Club.
I’d wanted to try it for ages, but the prices were always way too high.
This time, though, the price was 6300 € for both of us for two weeks.
I also got a small 8% discount by booking through a travel agency,
so the total came to around 5900 €.
That price includes the room—we chose the "cheapest" suite.
This cabin is a bit bigger than the Yacht Club’s balcony cabins, and the balcony is larger too, with a proper lounger, two chairs, and a big high table for eating.
We really loved the layout—the bed, for example, is a king-size, and I’m not sure the YC has a king (I think it’s a queen, if I remember right).
There’s tons of storage space.
The bathroom is gorgeous, with a huge walk-in shower and separate toilet. The toiletries are L’Occitane, and they’re really nice.
I’ll come back to the room with photos once I’m on board—I haven’t been there yet.
As for the price, it’s all-inclusive, and all drinks are covered up to $15 each (unlimited). In The Haven, you also get every type of coffee available, which isn’t the case on NCL even with the all-inclusive package. However, like the rest of the ship, bottled water isn’t included, but we had a carafe of water in the fridge every day.
The price also includes the flight from Marseille to Lisbon.
There was a flight deal, so I took it, and honestly, there was almost no difference in price with or without the flight.
For a reasonable price, I could’ve added the return flight, but I didn’t for personal reasons—mostly Air France miles 😅. From what I remember, NCL charged around 600–650 € per person for the flight with Air France.
In this price, we also get 300 minutes of internet each. Yeah, it’s not unlimited.
We also have 5 specialty restaurants included,
and a $50 discount per person for one excursion.
That’s it for the price.
I booked less than two months before departure—around October 5th or 6th, I think—for a November 27th departure.
It's now November 27th, and we have our flight to Lisbon at 6 AM.
Originally, I had chosen to leave on the same day as the ship's departure, which was the 28th, but we were arriving relatively late. So, I got a bit stressed and changed the flight for an extra 50 € to arrive the day before.
In the end, it wasn't necessary because we found out a few days before the cruise that due to strikes at the port of Lisbon, the ship wouldn't be able to depart on the 28th as planned.
The ship will stay docked for three nights: the night of the 27th to disembark passengers from the previous cruise on the 28th as scheduled, and the night of the 28th since the ship can't leave before the 30th.
Unfortunately, the stop in Punta Delgada has been canceled for the same reason.
Of course, we were a bit disappointed, but these are the ups and downs of travel. In the end, I didn’t regret it because it allowed me to visit Sintra, which I didn’t know and is truly magnificent.
Nothing special to say about the flight—it's a TAP flight, and it was on time. The only drink service we had was water; there wasn’t even coffee. But it was a small plane with two seats per row, so it was fine.
Upon arrival, there was no passport control since we’re in the Schengen Zone.
We picked up our luggage and took an Uber to the hotel.
For a one-night stay, I chose the Ibis Styles Liberdade, and it was really great—excellent value for money.
We arrived at the hotel around 8:30 AM, and since we left home so early, we had breakfast at the hotel for 12 € per person. It was a very hearty buffet and really good.
The hotel kindly upgraded us—well, we laugh about it at Accor—and gave us the room right after breakfast.
Since we woke up at 3 AM, we took a little nap before heading out to explore Lisbon, a city we already knew but is really charming.
The city center is beautiful and within walking distance from the hotel.
After that, we used Ubers to get around.
Unfortunately, Belém Tower is under renovation, so we ended up taking a walk by the seaside before returning to the hotel. We enjoyed the complimentary aperitif offered by the hotel and then had dinner at a small restaurant nearby.
And then, bedtime 😴
Tomorrow is embarkation day.
Due to the strike, we received instructions not to arrive at the port before 11 AM because luggage wouldn’t be handled before then.
Since we went to bed early, we’ll wake up early... It’s now the 28th, and we’ll take the opportunity to stroll around the hotel and check out the Christmas markets while enjoying another excellent breakfast—with Portuguese pastries, of course.
Thanks for these “details” 😉 that really make things more concrete. The price is excellent! I love the Occitane products—we had them on Ponant a few years back. And the separate toilets are a real plus.
For someone who hasn't done a travel journal in a while, I think you haven't lost your touch. We're just missing a few photos and it'll be perfect!
We had the chance to chat in PM about this cruise, and I think the price was really great. Sure, it's a transatlantic with quite a few sea days, but the price is still amazing for The Haven.
Boarding.
We had a boarding time at 11:00 AM, which was supposed to be the first slot since we’re priority.
We’d been warned that it wouldn’t be possible to drop off luggage or check in early due to the strike at the port of Lisbon.
There was a Facebook group for this cruise, and by morning, people were already complaining and showing the line to queue up to drop off bags that couldn’t actually be dropped off...
Around 10:30 AM, we took an Uber—we were about 10–15 minutes from the port.
When we arrived, there was already a huge line; it had just started for luggage drop-off...
There were no signs indicating we had priority for The Haven, nor was there a butler in sight.
So, I went inside to ask for info.
Meanwhile, Alain was already in line with the suitcases, pretty annoyed...
Anyway, inside, they told me to come back with our luggage and that our bags would be prioritized and taken directly inside. An employee came with me, pulled Alain out of the line, and helped us with the bags—we didn’t have to wait at all, which was such a relief...
After that, though, we still had to queue a bit for security, and there was no priority there, but it wasn’t too complicated or long.
Right after that step, we were immediately taken care of by The Haven butlers. We were brought to a separate lounge where there was food and drinks to snack on (no alcohol).
We were asked to sit down, and staff came to collect our passports and QR codes.
It was super quick—less than 10 minutes. We got our room keys right away.
Then, we were escorted to the ship, and we went ahead of everyone else, but through a separate line, so there was no issue with other passengers.
We were taken directly to The Haven’s private elevator.
It wasn’t even noon when we were in our room, which was already ready.
Here are the photos of the room.
We love it.
Next post: the first lunch 😋. And let me tell you—you eat *really* well in The Haven! !
Hi Nathalie,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts—I’m excited to check out THE HAVEN 😉
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
This morning’s post is all about the food on November 28th.
A little food porn... Yes, there’ll be a lot because, let’s be honest, you eat *really* well on NCL, and even better in The Haven.
What we also loved is that we can eat indoors or outdoors.
The service is excellent and quick—something we really appreciate.
Just so you know, for cruises booked in Europe, the all-inclusive package is included in The Haven, but that’s not the case for those who book in the US or Canada, who have the option to include the "More at Sea" package or not.
In our case, it’s included—I assume we’re paying for it somehow—but as a result, all drinks are covered.
The weather’s nice in Lisbon, and since we’re not at sea, there’s no wind, so we can easily eat outside.
We boarded quickly, and for now, no one’s eating outside yet—just inside.
Here’s the lunch menu and the photos.
I think the presentation is really pretty, and on top of that, it was delicious.
The scallops dish was a bit small—next time, I’ll ask for a double portion because they were excellent.
That said, with the soup, starter, scallops, and dessert, it was more than enough!
P.S. The lobster bisque was really good too, with real chunks in it.
Hi there!
The private pool deck with sun loungers, bar, and jacuzzi is absolutely amazing.
The view of the wake is stunning, and the space is really beautiful and comfortable.
There’s always plenty of room.
There are two decks—one with the pool and one with the jacuzzis.
Servers are constantly circulating.
Yeah, okay, this is The Haven. (So it's kind of like a private section of the ship.) Texte It's not really comparable, even though I did enjoy the Spirit.
I'll move on to breakfast now 😉
I have to say, this cruise is mostly going to be about eating, drinking, and relaxing... That's pretty much the point of transatlantic crossings 😄
Hello,
So today is November 29th.
We had a great night.
Today the ship is still docked, so we decided to visit Sintra.
Originally, I hadn’t planned on it since we were supposed to be at sea heading toward Punta Delgada.
We woke up early and were among the first to go for breakfast, which opens at 6:30 AM on port days and 7:00 AM on sea days.
There’s only one place to have breakfast here, which is different from the Yacht Club where there are three spots: the restaurant, One Pool, and TSL.
Here, it’s at the restaurant, which is actually a mix of all three since you can have it outside or inside.
You’ve got a buffet with plenty of choices, and it’s really good—especially the pastries and fresh fruit.
There’s also an à la carte menu for hot dishes, coffee, and fresh juice.
I found it super convenient because orders are taken quickly, and then you can help yourself at the buffet, so there’s practically no waiting to eat
And here are a few photos of the restaurant itself.
We were pretty much able to get a table for two by the picture window with an ocean view every day—morning, noon, and night.
The restaurant is quiet, and what I really appreciated was that, unlike on the new MSC ships, there’s no TSL noise to disrupt meals. Alain, who’s really sensitive to ear issues like tinnitus, really appreciated that.
Hi Nathalie,
Yeah, I can read you... from Doha, whenever I get 5 free minutes.
It seems to me that The Haven at the back of the ship should be more comfortable than the YC all the way at the front, right?
Hey Nathalie, still around too!
Most of the photos you posted on FB weren’t visible outside your group—at least I couldn’t see them. Plus, a travel journal is way nicer to read 😎
We're early risers 😉, I think most people got up later.
But it's true that even though The Haven was full, we never felt crowded, noisy, or had to wait for a table in the restaurant, no matter the meal. I think part of it is that while all the cabins were booked, it wasn't full in terms of people... For example, there were very few kids or big families. Though I hear the vibe is different during American school holidays and even more so during Spring Break.
Oh... Weren't you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?
I’ve always preferred being at the back of boats—I think the view of the wake is the best on the ship.
The big advantage is the One pool (even if they don’t call it that)
You don’t get that feeling of being closed in like you do in the Yacht Club, where it’s still pretty glassed-in to act as a windbreak.
It also means, since there’s less wind exposure, you can have umbrellas everywhere, and that was really nice because the hunt for shade has often been a problem.
About the bistro
While I loved it on the Spirit, we were really disappointed with it on this ship. I honestly think that because the food in The Haven was excellent, the service was fast and efficient, and it was so quiet, we found the bistro just okay by comparison—especially since it was extremely noisy. We had the same feeling in most of the specialty restaurants... it’s just that we were so comfortable "at home."
The only specialty restaurant I really enjoyed was the Italian one because we could eat outside—it was mild out, quick, tasty, efficient, and pleasant with the ocean view.
Nathalie, I confirm—I really enjoyed my Southampton-Barcelona cruise in October 2023 on the Prima, the Viva’s twin. Hardly any families, and I didn’t enjoy the one on the Viva in Greece in July 2025 as much. Too many families and kids... but obviously, I wasn’t in The Haven.
These two ships still have the advantage of a large outdoor area.
I’ll move on to the stopover in Sintra.
I’m going to have a hard time choosing just a few photos—I really felt it was worth it.
It was beautiful and interesting.
I didn’t regret at all staying an extra day in Lisbon.
It’s not exactly nearby—you should count on nearly an hour from the port with traffic.
The fare is around 30 € one way, same for the return.
And we paid 7 € to connect between the two palaces.
Pena Palace.
Wow, it's quite a climb to get there!
There’s also the option to take a paid shuttle to the top.
But hey, we had to walk off all that food we ate!
The palace is truly stunning, the view is absolutely gorgeous, and I really loved it.
Just realized I have very few photos because my phone battery was acting up, and I had to turn it off most of the time to save enough battery to call an Uber.
So, no photos of the second part! But it was less impressive than this part anyway, so you’ll have to make do with these!
Oh... Weren’t you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?
We left the day after the American president asked his citizens to leave Qatar. I just figured that if the Iranians struck, it’d be more likely the American base than the capital. 😉 Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t have to witness the fireworks. For us, it would’ve been a shame to cancel everything. Though the thought did cross my mind the next day at Roissy for another reason... But I’ll save that story for my trip report. 😉
After a good restorative nap,
A little stroll on deck 8 (outside The Haven), even if the weather is a bit chilly and not super nice.
It's really great because you can walk all the way around the ship outside on this deck.
I find it really lovely and pleasant.
Okay, so the review about The Haven is almost done...
I’ll post a few more photos of the "food"—yeah, on a transatlantic cruise, all you do is eat (or almost).
We had 5 specialty restaurants—I’ll list them too—but the quality was below The Haven’s restaurant, especially in terms of service and the lack of calm.
I’ll also add the port stops, but none were mind-blowing. That said, I wanted beach time, and I got beach time ;)
The shows? Meh, not great.
Hi Nathalie,
I’m still following you, now from Victoria, Seychelles. Thanks for taking the time to write this trip report—it’s so much more vivid and enjoyable to read than those quick FB posts.
So we have a specialty restaurant package (5).
One evening on this transatlantic, we went to eat at the French bistro restaurant.
Here’s a funny little anecdote.
Earlier in the afternoon, we got a call in our cabin from Le Bistrot restaurant to confirm our reservation for the evening. This was the first time that had happened... but what really stood out was how much the person insisted on telling us what to wear for dinner. They kept stressing that men needed to wear sleeves and a collar, along with dress pants and proper shoes. They even specified that it was a restaurant with a somewhat upscale dress code.
It made me smile because I think that, since The Haven is so laid-back in terms of dress code, they must be cautious and don’t want to offend their more privileged guests, so they’d rather warn them that there’s a required dress code. That’s how I interpreted it, anyway, since this is my several time sailing with NCL, and never before has a specialty restaurant called to tell me to dress up!
Anyway, we *loved* the bistro on our February cruise on the Spirit—we even used our two-visit package for this restaurant because we thought it was that good.
This time, though, we were disappointed...
The menu is the same...
I think that because we’re in The Haven, where the food is exceptional and you can pretty much get the same dishes on demand—even the lobster, which is an extra charge at the bistro—we just didn’t enjoy the bistro as much.
The Haven restaurant is quiet, fast, and the servers are starting to recognize us, so we simply preferred it over the bistro.
The bistro was packed, the servers were overwhelmed, and it was really noisy. I think that played a big part.
I’m still sharing the photos, though!
So this restaurant is part of the "More at Sea" package.
If you want to book it as an extra, it’s $60 per person.
As mentioned before, the Bistrot sur le Sky restaurant isn’t worth the $60, and I found the dishes pretty average for a French restaurant. We ate there three times, and it was really nothing special. Good thing it was included in the package.
It’s still weird that someone called you to ask you to dress up for the restaurant! At the same time, there are people on cruises who act like they’re at a "campsite" and show up in flip-flops and swimsuits. Maybe that’s why they insist on the "dress code" being respected! !
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Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
Hi 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.
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
And I’m heading straight into the evening meal next.
The next post will be about the outdoor space: sun loungers, bar, pool, jacuzzi 😊
Hello,
So today is November 29th.
We had a great night.
Today the ship is still docked, so we decided to visit Sintra.
Originally, I hadn’t planned on it since we were supposed to be at sea heading toward Punta Delgada.
We woke up early and were among the first to go for breakfast, which opens at 6:30 AM on port days and 7:00 AM on sea days.
And here are the photos...
I find it really annoying to post photos here compared to Facebook where it’s done in 3 seconds
And here are a few photos of the restaurant itself.
We were pretty much able to get a table for two by the picture window with an ocean view every day—morning, noon, and night.
The restaurant is quiet, and what I really appreciated was that, unlike on the new MSC ships, there’s no TSL noise to disrupt meals. Alain, who’s really sensitive to ear issues like tinnitus, really appreciated that.
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!