Nous serons en escale à Yalta et Odessa cet été, je suis très fan des belles églises (ou autres monuments) avec des jolies couples (style Russe pour situer), pourriez vous m'indiquer les plus jolies sur Yalta (ainsi que la situation par rapport au port)
Idem sur Odessa
Merci beaucoup pour vos infos (je précise qu'il ya aura un enfant en bas âge avec nous)
Pour finir le nid d'hirondelle sur Yalta est il facilement accessible depuis le port ?
bonjour ,
à Yalta , vous pouvez très facilement aller à pied jusque la cathétrale Nevsky (c'est mon avatar )-photo sans flash possible , en dehors des offices religieux fréquents , elle est visible depuis le bateau au port , vous débarquez dans la ville .balade facile et sympa sur le front de mer quelques belles statues en bronze devant certains hôtels
le nid d'hirondelle est loin du port .
Odessa est un peu plus grande et compliquée , mais très riche en visites de toutes sortes à pied
le bateau accoste dans la ville au pied du fameux escalier Potemkine , voir la place de la reine Victoria , le musée de la marine le théâtre , les statues de bronze qui animent les jardins etc etc , vous pouvez faire un tour en ville , revenir déjeuner sur le bateau et repartir si votre escale dure la journée entière
vous avez à proximité du théâtre et du petit marché d'artisanat populaire , une cathédrale orthodoxe( cathédrale de l' annonciation je crois )a l' architecture plus européenne (flèche et non coupole ou bulbe )par contre très jolie à l' intérieur -photo interdites même sans flash -
il y a aussi une imposante cathédrale russe orthodoxe (coupoles dorées ) mais beaucoup plus éloignée , difficile d'aller à pied, sans doute mieux vaut négocier un taxi à plusieurs .
quitte à me répéter , je rappelle que tous les panneaux de rues sont écrits en cyrillique , donc , se procurer un vrai plan avant de partir (celui du bateau est nettement insuffisant , même les habitants d' Odessa ne le comprennent pas ) et avoir le sens de l' orientation !
bonne croisière !
Pour Yalta et Odessa, vous pouvez regarder sur mon blog de comptes rendus (lien dans ma signature).
Sinon, comme le souligne Sisivelo, il faut un bon plan car le cyrillique est une vraie barrière pour celles et ceux qui ne conaisent pas la langue.
Avec un smartphone équipé d'un GPS (à partir de l'I-Phone 4 par exemple), il vous est possible sinon de télécharger des applications payantes (de l'ordre de 2 à 3 €) de type CITY MAP 2GO. Cela vous permet de télécharger les cartes de pas mal de villes gratuitement lorsque vous êtes en France et d'utiliser cette dernière en vous localisant avec le GPS du téléphone sans utilisé de Data donnée (comme cela pas de surprise sur votre forfait de téléphone). De plus, vous pouvez marqué les lieux que vous voulez voir (mode recherche avec le nom du lieu à voir) ce qui vous facilite le trajet pour vous y rendre avec le GPS.
Merci à tous les deux pour cette réponse que je n'avais pas vue, j'ai du supprimer sans faire exprès ma notification de message et j'étais passée à côté, je vais regarder précieusement le contenu de vos posts, je suis en train de préparer mes escales et vos infos me seront bien utiles 🙂
Bonjour,
Nous avons fait une croisière en mai dernier, nous avons adoré les escales de Yalta et Odessa, je vous joins un petit compte rendu, je vais tenter de retrouver les coordonnées de notre taxi Léonid il m'a donné son mail je vais essayer de le retrouver si cela vous intéresse.
Lundi 13 mai YALTA capitale de la Crimée, station climatique la plus connue d’Ukraine
A 11h15 nous réunissons à quitter le bateau dans les premiers avec nos amis, nous avons décidé de prendre un taxi tous les 4 pour visiter les sites ensembles. Nous sommes accueillis par une haie que dis-je, une horde de chauffeurs de taxi qui hurlent de tous les côtés.
Nous marchons tranquillement et soudain une petite voix « visites pour français », hop nous allons voir ce chauffeur qui nous propose de nous servir de guide pendant 3H1/2 pour 50 euro à 4, il nous attendra à chaque visite. OK, il parle français c’est super on accepte. Léonid notre charmant chauffeur-guide (qui a autorisé la photo) nous a laissé sa carte pour de futurs clients.
Nous quittons la ville pour monter au palais de la Livadia (résidence d’été du tsar Nicolas II) où ont été signé les accords de Yalta avec Staline, Roosevelt et Churchill.
Les cars MSC ne sont pas encore là nous sommes pratiquement seuls. Nous découvrons la grande salle où ont été signé les accords, la salle à manger avec des vitrines de vaisselle, les salons, salon de musique et à l’étage les appartements. Le palais est parfaitement entretenu, les meubles ne sont pas tous d’époque, mais ceux qui le sont, sont magnifiques. Toutes les fenêtres donnent sur des balcons où terrasses avec une vue panoramique sur la mer noire.
Nous descendons nous promener dans le magnifique parc qui entoure le palais, et nous découvrons que depuis notre arrivée, un réalisateur et des comédiens se sont installés pour tourner un film historique,
Nous retrouvons Léonid qui nous dépose devant l’église orthodoxe de Saint Michel que nous pouvons visiter en se couvrant la tête, l’intérieur est magnifique, nous pouvons prendre des photos. Juste à côté un bâtiment, il s’agit de « l’école du dimanche », il s’agit une institution privée qui reçoit le dimanche les jeunes qui souhaitent devenir pope.
Nous poursuivons notre retour sur la ville en passant devant le nid d’hirondelle, attraction touristique qui n’est en réalité qu’un édifice aux allure de château de conte de fée, bâti en 1912 par un aristocrate allemand. Perché sur une falaise qui surplombe la mer, le site est actuellement fermé pour travaux de sécurisation, et d’embellissement (à priori en temps normal il y aurait un restaurant)
Nous poursuivons notre descente sur la ville Léonid nous arrête pour faire des photos à un point de vue sur la ville, il nous explique sa vie à Yalta, il a deux activités (taxi et photographe pour des cérémonies) pour que sa famille (femme, fille, mère et belle-mère) ne manquent de rien, ils vivent ensembles dans la même maison. Nous parle des personnes françaises connues en Ukraine, Mireille Mathieu, Patricia Kaas, Gérard Depardieu , qui a acheté un domaine pour cultiver de la vigne et faire du vin de Crimée qui commence à être bon et connu.
Le temps passe, il est temps de revenir au bateau, il est 13 h 30 nos souhaitent déjeuner au restaurant, de notre côté nous allons nous restaurer en vitesse au bistrot pour redescendre visiter le port de plaisance et faire quelques achats (bouteilles de vin de Crimée). Nous traînons tranquillement dans la ville que nous trouvons agréable, achetons, rédigeons et postons nos cartes postales Ukrainienne. Nous revenons sur le bateau
Il est 18 heures, Au revoir Yalta, nous t’avons aimé et nous reviendrons, le pilote nous fait coucou, nous voguons......
Mardi 14 mai Odessa
Nous arrivons dans le port vers 8 heures, et après un bon petit déjeuner àt 9 heures nous partons avec nos amis, aujourd’hui nous resterons dans la ville, belle ballade à pieds. A la sortie du bateau face à nous le fameux escalier Potemkine, inventé par l’architecte Bofford, nous montons les 192 marches, il permet d’accéder à la ville directement, il y a la possibilité d’emprunter un funiculaire.
Nous apprécions beaucoup cette ville, les maisons ont une architecture très élaborée, nous découvrons le théâtre (nous ne pouvons y pénétrer) l’extérieur est en travaux, la cathédrale magnifique (photos interdites avec ou sans flash) et l’opéra qui rivalise paraît-il avec celui de la scala de Milan et le Bolchoï de Moscou.
Nous poursuivons notre ballade dans les jardins très agréables, des allées de châtaigniers ou marronniers en fleurs forment des tonnelles magnifiques, nous apprécions la fraicheur sous les arbres car il fait vraiment très chaud.
Nos rentrent déjeuner sur le bateau de notre côté nous faisons un longue ballade en bord de mer et nous restaurant dans un snack bien sympathique et surtout bien arboré, après notre longue marche nous retournons sur le bateau pour le départ de 16 h 30. Et bien voilà nous quittons l’Ukraine, et la mer noire, nous avons adoré.
si vous avez besoin d'information sur ce voyage vous pouvez m'envoyer un MP
Cordialement
Nicole
J'aurais besoin de quelques infos concernant deux de mes escales de croisière, Yalta et Odessa. Je rêve de voir des belles églises avec des jolis dômes colorés…
Nous partons en croisiere sur le lirica avec escale à YALTA et ODESSA Merci de m'indiquer la marche à suivre pour visiter ces deux villes sachant que nous…
Je suis à fond dans mes préparatifs!! J-6!!! il serait temps que je m'y mette! Je me demandais s'il y avait au pirée, à istambul, à yalta et à odessa, comme…
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
Hi everyone ...
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 staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
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’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
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,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
