Bonjour,
Je lance l'idée : et si nous nous groupions pour réserver une croisière en groupe, afin d'obtenir un tarif exceptionnel ?
Comme il faut bien commencer, je propose
les vacances de Pâques (16/04/2011) sur un MSC qui va de Venice à Istanbul.
ou les vacances de Toussaint (Octobre 2011) en Méditerranée.
A vous !
Pacific Dream février 2010, MSC Fantasia en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2010... et Avril 2012.
NCL Epic Miami-Mexique-Honduras en février 2011.
MSC Splendida en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2011.
RCI Allure of the seas février 2013... et NCL Breakaway New-York - Bahamas ...dès qu'il sort !
je trouve l idee geniale peut tu me donner plus d infos
Nom du bateau itineraire je reve de partir de venise mais beaucoup de frais au depart de toulon DUREE tres important car MOI je bosse 😉 j attends ta reponse avec impatience.
Qui est partant.RCT.
titi avait déjà lancer cette idée. le problème c'est d'arriver à trouver d'abord une date qui convienne au plus grand nombre. en étant en activité c'est compliqué. c'est surtout ca le gros problème.
après il y a l'itinéraire. va falloir trouver un truc qui plaise à tous.
Bon et bien moi je pensais plutot au iles greques pour la prochaines avec depart de venise sur un costa ... Voila effectivement ca va pas etre simple mais pourquoi pas, laissons venir!!!
Prenez peut-être le problème à l'envers, choisissez une croisière, une date et négociez un prix pour disons 15 cabines double de catégorie moyenne (je ne connais pas le terme exact). Lorsque vous reviendrez avec une proposition concrète chiffrée et avantageuse, là vous arriverez à recruter des candidats... mais pas moi donc.
Hello,
Bon ça me semble très compliqué. Comme le dit mguibentif, Il serait plus intéressant de choisir d'abord une croisière, de dealer un prix avec BSP ou Azur et de le proposer aux membres de ce forum.
On verra ça...
Pacific Dream février 2010, MSC Fantasia en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2010... et Avril 2012.
NCL Epic Miami-Mexique-Honduras en février 2011.
MSC Splendida en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2011.
RCI Allure of the seas février 2013... et NCL Breakaway New-York - Bahamas ...dès qu'il sort !
et ensuite comment tu peux faire jouer les réductions de tout à chacun
y en a qui en on plus que d autre avec les cartes
ben écoute je vais de mon coté demandé une simulation sur les tracés que je serais succeptible de partir
ensuite je ferai mon rapport
après tout ; ça ne coute rien de demander ; au contraire!😄😄
tres bonne idée!!!🙂
heu juste un petit bémol pour que le plus de monde soit concerné il faudrait choisir une date où toutes les zones scolaires soient en vacances en même temps par ex à la toussaint, fin d'année...car le 16 avril les enfants de notre académie ne sont pas encore en vacances...😕
sinon pour le principe c'est ok qui ne tentent rien n'a rien...🤪
coucou tout le monde
alors l itineraire c est quoi?
Par contre moi je dis deja si y a katamachinMON BRUNO il va pas vouloir y aller et moi si y a pas MON BRUNO je viens pas avec vous NA.
Non je plaisante mais moi deja en mer a cette periode ( je parle pour aout).
Pas facile à organiser un TRUC pareil mais j avoue ça serait vraiment SUPER .RCT
Bonjour,
Moi je suis assez pour le principe, mais la croisière au mois d'avril n'est pas possible pour moi, je suis plus disponible en Novembre, est ce que ça pourrait fonctionner aussi.
tout est possible ; mais fx a parlé de paques ou la toussaint (octobre)
le probleme dans cette organisation sont les dates
bon maintenant j ai plus de précision quant à moi car avec MR MADI hier soir on a fait le point et voici mes dates arrétées:
du 13 au 20 aout ===> voilà donc pas trop le choix🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️
j ai fait le tour de ce qui se fait actuellement dans mes dates et pour une croisière avec des escales jamais faites (sauf kata-truc )😄😄mais bon
je suis très limitée pour les dates
maintenant rien ne t empèches de faire ta proposition ; voir sur une agence du net
si tu trouves du monde pour ta croisière et des dates qui correspondent
alors fait comme moi et demande un devis pour plusieures cabines
sais-t on jamais!!!!
en tout cas l'idée est super bonne !
on lache pas! on suit
😏😄😄
Si je peux me permettre, il faudrait peut-être voir si l'agence vous accorderait une réduction, exprimée peut-être en pourcentages, pour une réservation de x personnes sur plusieurs bateaux différents (je veux dire à des dates différentes) ?
bonjour Madi,
ce serait très sympa de partir à plusieurs avec un bon prix, et je me demandais si la semaine de fin d'année ne serait pas la période qui pourrait convenir au plus grand nombre.
Et comme les prix sont élevés une bonne remise serait appréciable, et quoi de plus sympa que de commencer la nouvelle année sur un bateau en s'amusant avec des gens sympas...😉
ah c'est sur! le projet en lui meme est super tentant, mais voilà meme si on est tous d'accord sur le principe c'est les dates qui ne correspondront pas pour le plus grand nombre que nous sommes:
deja pour moi; noel oui, 😉 mais pas la derniere semaine de decembre! 🙁
bon, certes on sait deja que mathilde participera pas ! 😄😄 et ça quelque soient les dates !!héhé je la chambre un peu😏😏
mais comme on a dit , celui qui part voit avec son agence se fait proposer une tarification de groupe et ensuite: go!
reste plus qu à trouver les participants😎
bon vendredi ! je suis encore à la madi-maison et j apprécie ce moment de répis; dehors il fait doux, les oiseaux chantent , j 'entend juste à cet instant le ronronnement d un petit avion .....🙂
Je ne monterai pas sur ton truc flottant, je ne recevrai pas de string, je ne tomberai pas du lit peu solide à armature en ferraille, je ne me ferai pas mouiller à Katamachin et je n'aurai pas de carte Blacktruc, tu vois, je suis quand même les débats...
^ha lala toi tu me fais rire alors , c est le moins que je puisse dire
Je ne monterai pas sur ton truc flottant, je ne recevrai pas de string, je ne tomberai pas du lit peu solide à armature en ferraille, je ne me ferai pas mouiller à Katamachin et je n'aurai pas de carte Blacktruc, tu vois, je suis quand même les débats...
Hello Madi,
Non je n'ai pas eu le temps de m'en occuper. J'ai des semaines un peu hard avec mon boulot.
Vivement dans 8 jours : NCL EPIC, départ de Miami pour le Mexique et le Honduras.
Mais dès mon retour, le blues aidant, je demanderai un devis...
Bon WE.
FX
Pacific Dream février 2010, MSC Fantasia en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2010... et Avril 2012.
NCL Epic Miami-Mexique-Honduras en février 2011.
MSC Splendida en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2011.
RCI Allure of the seas février 2013... et NCL Breakaway New-York - Bahamas ...dès qu'il sort !
ah oui dis donc: superbe trip en vue ! oufff j'partirai bien avec toi; t 'as pas une tite pla-place dans tes bagages!
j'ti promet; j'me f'rai toute pitite, pitite!! 😄😄
tu as vu j ai commencé sur deux sites; réponse de AB croisieres demain; le devis ci dessus émane de chez azur croisières
c est diable vrai qu'ils sont polis et on l air aimable ces gens là
de plus sur ma boite mail; ils m ont envoyé toutes les infos
bon bas j'ti souhaite un very good trip my friend
tu viendras nous dire aurevoir (snif snif) tu penseras à nous autres derrières nos claviers
et tu nous feras un beau compte rendu de ce magnifique TRIP
at soon my friend fx😄😄
Non, désolé, pas de place la semaine prochaine.
Mais en voilà aussi une idée qu'elle est bonne : Partager une cabine !
Bon, pas simple, faut bien se connaitre et avoir pas mal de tolérance. Mais why not.
Voilà encore l'objet d'un autre topic.
Pacific Dream février 2010, MSC Fantasia en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2010... et Avril 2012.
NCL Epic Miami-Mexique-Honduras en février 2011.
MSC Splendida en Méditerrannée fin octobre 2011.
RCI Allure of the seas février 2013... et NCL Breakaway New-York - Bahamas ...dès qu'il sort !
Coucou madi
te voilà on te trouve quand on te cherche
regarde plutôt en fin d' année c est pas une mauvaise idée
Noël ou jour de l an
et je pense qu azur croisière peut mieux faire et il a web croisière et ils sont très sympa aussi
En hiver un tour de la mediteranee occidentale c est bien. On peut trouver le soleil.
Bon courage dans tes recherches on attend les retours
bisous du soir
line
Bonjour Madi suis partante a bord du Magnifica ? mais pas pendant les vacances de Pâques🙁 et pour allez a Venise prevoyez vous l'avion .? MSC met un vol spécial au départ de Marseille ce printemps.
effectivement hier , j ai appelé en suivant la majorité des conseils : azur croisiere, je suis tombée sur charlotte, très gentille de surcroit!
je lui ai expliqué le concept du voyage groupe
en fait elle propose meme les cabines aux choix des voyageurs avec la reduction groupe
c 'est à dire : pas obligé de reserver par exemple 10 cabines de meme catégorie
réduction d'environ 10% meme pour 5 cabines!
+ reduction des cartes pearl, aquamarine, ....
j ai pas beaucoup appuyé sur le tarif, laissant ainsi une marge de manoeuvre 😏
je lui ai dit que je venais de la rochelle et que mon souci et le souci d autres personnes c'est de venir jusqu à venise; elle m a proposé un vol (msc)! + acheminement à partir de 350e ; à partir de ...
J ai fais une simul pour l avion moi deja au départ de bordeaux: c meme pas la peine
escale à paris etc..
vol sec depuis paris : on trouve à tous les prix, compter de toute façon un minimum de 300 euros par personne en plus de la croisière
mais dans le cas d un voyage de ce type, soit croisière + vol, je sais qu'il est fortement conseillé de faire un groupé par une meme agence
en cas d annulation, retard etc... ça sera mieux pris en charge
si on prend l'avion solo, en dehors de la croisière et que l'avion a un souci, ou que l'on
soit en difficulté ; bref on loupe la croisière et on peut pleurer sur un quelconque remboursement
donc prévoir un groupé: croisière +vol
voilà donc meme pour moi un cout supplémentaire en plein mois d aout
mais quoiqu'il en soit: paris==>venise pour moi par exemple
et vous desbell: nice===>venise
Le vol MSC est prévu de Marseille -- Venise par contre pour nous c'est hors vacances scolaires donc je pense que ca ne sera pas possible mais cette croisière nous plairait bien en fait c'est le fait d'embarquer à Venise qui nous gêne le plus jusqu'en 2006 il y avait encore le train de nuit au départ de Nice mais supprimé il y a bien un train mais il part de Bercy et avec les valises 🙁 sans oublier les limites en poids des bagages par avion, quoiqu'il s'agit que d'une croisière de 8 jours, mais je pense qu'il faut aussi attendre les promos ou les prix deviennent très intéressants.
oui j'ai lu aussi dans les pages forums ce train qui part de bercy et qui apparemment arrive au coeur de venise!
13 heures de trajet (bon j ai fais pire cette année!)😕
par contre c'est le prix que je n'ai pas
pour le vol MSC je pensais depuis paris! 🏴☠️ mince là j ai pas bien du suivre 😕
l avion c plus rapide mais moi le problème reste cette fouttue peur
et aussi les promos de dernières minutes c vrai ; mais au risque ensuite de s y prendre trop tard; pas d avions ou trop cher ;idem pour les trains
hum! pas facile tout ça!hein😎
Au départ de Bercy on doit trouver les prix il s'agit de l'Artésia et je pense qu'il s'agit d'un train de nuit donc en wagon lit c'est impec du moins ca l'était avec celui qui partait de Nice nous arrivions reposés au petit matin a Venise à Santa Lucia.
Mais les filles il y a easy jet au départ de Paris si tu prend le billet 2 mois avant il faut compter moins de 100. € aller retour au de départ de Paris pour Venise
Merci Alicecaroll en effet on ne peut pas trouver moins cher mais vol non réservé par la compagnie de croisières il faut prévoir les impondérables et partir la veille sinon adieu la croisière🙂
mais c'est un risque à prendre car indépendant du pack croisière en agence
sûre! que le tarif que tu annonces est intéressant mais s il y a du retard, des grèves, un gros pépin, un probleme technique sur l'avion qui empeche d arriver à temps pour la croisière: aucun recours possible....
bon je sais que c'est rarissime; '(les grèves bcq moins)🤪
c'est comme tout dans la vie on prend ou pas de risque!😮
Bonjour, nous partons pour Venise d’ici peu. Nous avons un hôtel à Mestre et nous aimerions savoir quel bus peut nous rendre de l’hôtel de Mestre au Port de Marghera. Merci.
Hi,
We’ll be visiting Barcelona for the first time on our upcoming cruise.
I was wondering if it’s better to book a taxi in advance to get from the train station to the cruise terminal, since there’ll be four of us. Are there enough taxis around that we won’t have to wait too long?
For the return trip, same question—are there enough taxis, since we have a flight to catch? Though I doubt we’ll know in advance which terminal we’ll dock at.
I came across this site below—has anyone heard of it?
https://taxibarcelona.taxi/fr/
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hi everyone, we're going on a week-long cruise and I have a question: can we travel by train and on a cruise with small refrigerated injectable syringes?
Do we need to complete any formalities?
And how should we store them?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
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.
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 looking for a group of people available to share an excursion to the Trollstigen (Trolls’ Road).
We’ve contacted a local provider who’s offering us the following rates:
- 6,325 NOK for 4 people
- 6,874 NOK for 5 to 8 people
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to discuss!
Happy planning to everyone! !
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
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!
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 ...
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.
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