Cruises

Hi everyone,

I’m back from this “mixed” two-week cruise in the Indian Ocean on the Norwegian Sky.

Originally, I had booked a cruise with AIDA (also in the Indian Ocean), but unfortunately, the company decided to cancel it and offered us other options, which we declined because the dates didn’t work for us.

Since my wife really wants to do a cruise in the Indian Ocean, but very few companies offer this destination, it’s a bit complicated—especially when the dates don’t line up. Finding a good compromise between companies and timing is tough. Retirement can’t come soon enough!!!

After some research, I found a really great itinerary with Silversea (a luxury cruise line) for a 19-day cruise from Cape Town to Victoria, stopping in Madagascar (2 days), Praslin, La Digue... But my wife couldn’t get the time off. Not only was the itinerary amazing, but the price was unbeatable (5,200 € per person for a balcony suite, all-inclusive). What a shame—I would’ve loved to try this company, but maybe next time (if we’re lucky enough to have the chance).

My wife tried to take unpaid leave but wasn’t successful... Oh well!

On my end, I have more flexibility with vacation time since I travel a lot for work, so I can accumulate my days off and take them when it suits me.

So, we settled for this cruise (the only one that matched my wife’s vacation dates). Sure, we weren’t thrilled about the ship, but the itinerary wasn’t bad. We figured, why not?

I requested a quote from Logitravel, and after a discount, we paid 2,600 € per person for a balcony cabin (category BA) with the More At Sea package, which includes: 300 minutes of internet, premium drinks, 5 restaurants, and discounts on excursions...

The itinerary:

Day 1 Dubai (UAE) Boarding 11:59 PM Day 2 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 7:00 AM Day 3 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 2:00 PM Day 4 Sea day Day 5 Sea day Day 6 Sea day Day 7 Sea day Day 8 La Digue (Seychelles) 10:00 AM 8:00 PM Day 9 Mahé (Seychelles) 7:00 AM 8:00 PM Day 10 Sea day Day 11 Antsiranana (Madagascar) 7:00 AM 6:00 PM Day 12 Sea day Day 13 Pointe des Galets (Réunion) 8:00 AM 9:00 PM Day 14 Port Louis (Mauritius) 7:00 AM Day 15 Port Louis (Mauritius) 8:00 AM

After booking the cruise, I started looking for flights (Paris/Dubai and Mauritius/Paris). It’s peak Easter vacation time, so tickets are crazy expensive... I ran several simulations on Skyscanner and was shocked by the prices.

A direct flight from Paris to Dubai with Emirates is 1,400 € per person (one way), and the return from Mauritius to Paris (also with Emirates via Dubai) is 1,350 € per person.

Given these outrageous prices, I decided to book a flight with a layover. The best value I found was with Qatar (via Doha) for 650 € per person, with a 2.5-hour layover in Doha, and a direct flight from Mauritius to Paris with Corsair for 750 € per person.

With the More At Sea package, we had a 300 € credit per person for flight tickets (as long as we booked through NCL).

I requested a quote, and they offered: OUTBOUND: April 18, 2025 – Egyptair CDG-CAIRO 10:05 PM-2:30 AM February 19, 2025 – CAIRO-DUBAI 5:30 AM-10:55 AM RETURN: May 3, 2025 – Kenya Airways Port Louis-Nairobi 6:50 PM-10:10 PM, Nairobi-CDG 11:50 PM(+1)-7:30 AM (price: 950 € per person).

Sure, the price was good, but we didn’t want to fly with those airlines, and NCL didn’t have any other options. So, we booked our flights ourselves.

D-Day: Departure from Paris on April 18 with Qatar via Doha:

Two days before leaving, I checked in online and took the opportunity to buy seats near the emergency exits since my wife tends to get swollen legs on long flights. So, she prefers having extra legroom (cost: 132 € per person). It’s a bit pricey, but peace of mind is priceless.

Usually, when I have an early flight from Roissy, I always book a hotel the night before (near the airport) to avoid stress and not miss my flight. But since it was school vacation time and Good Friday, we decided to leave very early from home...

The flight was scheduled for 9:05 AM. We live 70 km from the airport and had to be there by 7:05 AM.

We barely slept... Up at 4:30 AM, and by 5:45 AM, our Uber was outside. We arrived at the airport (Roissy Terminal 1) by 6:50 AM.

Check-in was smooth—less than 10 minutes, and our bags were dropped off with boarding passes in hand.

This was my first time flying out of Roissy Terminal 1 since it was renovated for the Olympics. Wow, it’s a huge improvement—nothing like the old “camembert box” we used to know!

A few photos:

















Coming up: Layover in Doha

Hello! We’re heading out on a cruise from Copenhagen soon, and I’d love to know how to get from the central train station to the MSC Poesia’s embarkation port using public transport. How do we get from the ship to downtown Oslo? What’s there to do in Eidfjord? I’ll admit I visited Copenhagen and Oslo a long time ago, so I’m guessing the ships might’ve changed their docking spots by now 😅

Hi there, I’m going on a cruise with a stop in Casablanca. I’d like to know if there’s a shuttle or bus from the ship to the train station? How far is it on foot otherwise? Thanks for your help! Mamysosso

I just got a mind-blowing response. I wanted to book 2 back-to-back cruises in the French West Indies on the Renaissance—arriving in Guadeloupe on December 23, 2025, and returning from Martinique (the end-of-cruise city) on January 13, 2026.

And guess what? It’s impossible because they’re pre-packaged deals. The only solution is to book just one cruise—not two in a row. It’s UNBELIEVABLE.

CFC, the French cruise company—well, no. It’s actually CAC, an English cruise company with "civil servants" wearing blinders.

I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve often combined two back-to-back cruises without any issues, but those were on "bare" ships. All they had to do was get me to Guadeloupe with the first cruise and have me depart with the second cruise’s start. It’s easy to book plane seats!

For the record, last year I did two back-to-back cruises in the Mediterranean, spending Christmas and New Year’s on the same ship.

Handing control over to the English wasn’t a good solution.

Oh well, I’ll find somewhere else with more open-minded people.

I’d love to get some tips for DIY excursions during our cruise. The scheduled stops are Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo, Rome, and Savona. Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone! Booked the cruise a year in advance for a departure from Rio on April 5th. Air France flight to Rio on April 3rd, arriving at the Windsor Plaza hotel, very well located just 300 meters from Copacabana Beach, with a pool on the 15th floor offering a view of Rio. The next morning, a behind-the-scenes visit to Rio’s Carnival—there were still some floats not yet dismantled and a little samba session. At noon, lunch on Copacabana Beach, which was deserted due to rain and gray skies all day.

Saturday, April 5th, boarding the *Marina*—still raining :( To get around Rio, we used Uber, which was really cheap—5 euros for a 15-minute ride, while taxis cost double... Arrived at the cruise terminal, boarding was very quick as usual with Oceania. The cabins would be ready around 3 PM, with luggage at the cabin door. We had booked an inside cabin. Despite numerous offers from Oceania to upgrade (with a supplement, of course), we stuck with our first choice. It’s worth noting that at least 200 cabins remained unoccupied—about 800 passengers for this transatlantic crossing... Last September, since the cruise wasn’t filling up well, Oceania lowered the price by 1,000 euros per person for an inside cabin—a great deal for us, as they adjusted the rate downward when we asked.

For this cruise, weekends and drinks at the table were included—champagne, wine, beer...—plus an onboard credit that’s now only for excursions (before, it was more flexible—another downgrade, lol).

Headed to the Terrace Café for our first meal, and what a surprise when we saw the changes... No more staff mixing your chosen salad, and way fewer options: big bowls of salad, trays of potato salad, beets, lentils—I don’t remember seeing that before—thin slices of cold cuts and cheese. On the meat side, not much choice and lower quality. Desserts also had fewer options. Well, we’ll make up for it at Jacques on the first night ;) The menu hasn’t changed much—it’s still top-notch. The seasoning is average, but it’s a safe bet.

A little note on the 15-day cruise: we ate at 11 different restaurants—3 at Jacques, 3 at Polo Grill, 3 at Toscana, and 2 at Red Ginger. Not bad for two weeks ;) A French officer invited us to Toscana, which was really nice of her. Polo Grill is still amazing—I’d rank it second after Jacques, with Toscana third and Red Ginger last. I think since the ship wasn’t full, it was easier to get into these restaurants ;)

The staff was, as always, excellent. There were 3 French employees on the *Marina*: 1 waiter at Jacques, 1 manager at Wave, and 1 officer in the offices.

In the afternoon, Tea Time had way fewer pastry choices than before... Cost-cutting seems to be happening at every level. We met people who used to stay in Penthouse Suites—before, they got a bottle of champagne in their suite every night, but since January, it’s been Prosecco instead... Just a small example of Oceania’s cost reductions. At the Terrace Café in the evening, there was no more lobster on this cruise :(

Still, the value for money on this cruise was excellent given the price we paid per person. This transatlantic crossing had 4 stops in Brazil, 1 in the Cape Verde Islands, then Dakar in Senegal, and ended in the Canary Islands.

Mich74

Hi there, I have a layover in Naples in September and have two quick questions: - Does the boat still dock in the city? - Hotel: Could anyone recommend a 3- or 4-star hotel in the city that you’ve personally stayed at (I’m past the age for "editorial recommendations")? Ideally, it’d be close to the "San Carlo" theater, where I need to go in the evening. Thanks everyone! Francis

Hello, we’re taking the Celestyal Journey in August. We’re used to cruises, but we don’t know this company or this ship. I know it’s not very big, but that fits our expectations better these days. If anyone has already been on this ship, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for your feedback!

Hi there, Here’s a little recap of my cruise on the CELEBRITY INFINITY from February 14th to 23rd. Itinerary: Athens / Thessaloniki / Thessaloniki / Kusadasi / AT SEA / Cyprus / AT SEA / Rhodes / Heraklion / Athens / Athens Since the cruise ended on Monday, we had to leave the ship on Sunday to go back to work on Monday 😕 Bring on retirement! This was our 34th cruise, and the price was around 1,300 € per person for AQUACLASS. Just to remind you, AQUACLASS includes spa access, a cabin with a hydro-massage shower, and a dedicated restaurant. For once, I have to say we didn’t get a good deal—prices dropped two months before departure, and we could’ve had AQUACLASS in a guaranteed cabin for 1,000 € per person. So, I think for January/February cruises, it’s better to book last-minute. We arrived in Piraeus on the 12th in the evening. The hotel was great—"Phidias Piraeus Hotel"—close to the center, with a spacious room (upgraded by Booking to a junior suite). The breakfast was decent, and the price was 125 € for two nights, all included. The cherry on top? The hotel offers free shuttles to the cruise ship on departure day—really awesome! We’d never visited Piraeus before, and it was a lovely surprise. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but the walk was really pleasant—the port, the beach, the little streets. It was way nicer than I’d imagined! TO BE CONTINUED: BOARDING 😉

Hi everyone, I’m so glad VOYAGE FORUM is back up—it’s such a lifesaver for us travelers!! Next May, I’ll be going on a cruise on the COSTA DELIZIOSA with stopovers in SPLIT, DUBROVNIK, KOTOR, CORFU, KATAKOLON, and BARI. Since the forum closed during COVID, all the discussions stopped at the same time. So, I’d love to hear from anyone who’s done this cruise to share some tips about the stopovers. Thanks in advance for your help!

Does anyone have any tips for visiting Rome from the Civitavecchia port of call with a guide taxi? Thanks for your reply! M.B

Bonjour Retour sur une agréable croisière sur le Costa Smeralda avec un itinéraire très classique sur un bateau qui l’est beaucoup moins !. Voici mes remarques et réflexions avec un minimum de commentaires pour ne pas entrer dans le « jugement », ça sera donc du factuel que chacune et chacun pourra « accommoder » à sa guise. Nous avons une pensée toute particulière pour celles et ceux qui sont à bord en ce moment et ne pourront pas descendre aux escales en Italie, ainsi que pour toutes et tous les déçus des croisières suivantes annulées jusqu’au 3 avril et dont certain(e)s avaient déjà subi une annulation en fin d’année suite au retard de livraison du bateau de plus de 2 mois… J’ai subi moi aussi un report et ai du me bagarrer avec Costa avec pour finir avec une LR/AR afin de pouvoir conserver les conditions assez exceptionnelles que j’étais parvenu à avoir !!! Pour faciliter la lecture il y aura 2 envois, texte et photos, avec en premier : ce que nous avons apprécié :

La motorisation au GNL plus écologique. La présence de gel antibactérien devant les ascenseurs à chaque niveau ainsi que dans divers endroits du bateau et de nombreux lave mains à l'entrée de tous les restaurants, avec un membre du personnel pour rappeler gentiment à l’ordre les étourdis. La toujours grande gentillesse et serviabilité du personnel. L’absence de l’ambiance style galerie commerciale grâce à la bonne disposition et à la qualité des boutiques et des bars. La qualité des repas et la rapidité du service. L’organisation de la réception avec les tickets et le confortable salon d’attente. Les ponts extérieurs très agréables bien qu’il n’ait pas fait très chaud. La fluidité des embarquements (y compris à Marseille) et des débarquements. Les très nombreux bars et endroits avec ou sans musique tant à l’intérieur qu’à l’extérieur. Les nombreux systèmes d’ouverture automatique des portes par simple passage de la main. Notre cabine allongée (je l’avais choisie) qui faisait oublier le rétrécissement en largeur. Il y a effectivement moins d’étagères et de tiroirs, mais la penderie est grande. En emportant (comme toujours) beaucoup de cintres type pressing et en mettant les gilets de sauvetage sous les lits, nous avons eu largement assez de place à 2. Avoir ENFIN une porte coulissante pour accéder au balcon ! La prise électrique sous une table de chevet et les prises USB sur le bureau L’aménagement du cabinet de toilette avec une douche sympa et beaucoup d’étagères. La réactivité du personnel du SPA qui n’a pas hésité à dégager une personne qui se croyait « propriétaire » d’un lit de repos. La présentation agréable du journal de bord qui ne ressemblait pas à un avis de décès comme ceux du Mediterranéa en janvier. La décoration du bateau, mais là on entre dans le subjectif donc prudence…

Bonne journée

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vvuv1WSKGQ69Ac9i9

Hi Poupou, if you could add us to your awesome calendar: from September 10th to 20th, 2025 clown 83: CFC Renaissance/Kotor-Dubrovnik/departure and return port Marseille

Bonjour, Nous venons tout juste de rentrer de notre croisière sur le Smeralda, nous étions 4 cabine balcon 17001, belle cabine avec grand balcon salle de bain très pratique par contre rangement un peu juste pour 4 (Petite penderie et petite étagère) . Restaurant attitré El Meneghino repas bon et copieux. Buffet pour selon que c'est un gros bateau nous avons tjrs trouvé des tables libres et cela à différents horaires petit déj ou déjeuner par contre la nourriture est bonne mais peu variée. Regardez bien le journal de bord pour les horaires des repas ça change tout les jours avec différents choix soit resto-buffet soit resto avec menu fixe soit buffet. Piscines et jacuzzis très petits et bondés et malgré le beau temps de cette semaine dans l'ensemble nous n'avons jamais vu l'aquapark ouvert. De nombreux bar ou vous trouvez facilement des places pour boire un verre au calme ou en musique. Théâtre très petit et qui à des horaires particuliers sur une semaine nous avons pu voir que 2 spectacles le reste à la TV dans la cabine. Nous avons fait 2 excursions avec Costa celle de Rome avec le train express très agréable et celle de Pise en liberté bien gérée aussi. Voilà dans l'ensemble nous sommes assez satisfait de notre voyage mais nous gardons une préférence pour MSC . Bon dimanche.

Hi, I was wondering if any of you have dealt with a death. Does the Gold card reimburse the full cost of the trip, please?

Hi there, By sheer chance, a family housewarming in Brussels gave us the opportunity to depart from Zeebrugge for our first experience with CFC, allowing us to discover ports we didn’t know (which has become rare). After some questions before departure while browsing the forums, we discovered this company with great pleasure. Of course, luck may have played a particularly favorable part: dream weather, a sea as calm as a lake, and boarding and disembarking almost as if the ship were reserved just for us, since during our departure from Zeebrugge, only a small number of passengers were taking advantage of the unoccupied cabins from the previous cruise ending in Le Havre. As a result, we couldn’t get a suite, but our balcony cabin was very functional, with plenty of storage and a whirlpool bath we thoroughly enjoyed. Admittedly, the carpet was a bit worn, but it wasn’t a big deal. Having a large enough table allowed us to have breakfast in the cabin (our usual habit) in excellent conditions. The ship, a reasonable size, was pleasant, in great condition, and had many comfortable lounges. A large enclosed and heated space with a pool, jacuzzi, and deck chairs offered a calm atmosphere without intrusive activities (which is rare). I won’t mention the entertainment since we barely participated, but I think there was plenty of choice, including a "special bridge" activity. The restaurant had a lovely setting, with quick service and particularly attentive staff, reminding us of cruises from the past. The food was good quality and well-presented, though portions were quite small—something big eaters might regret. We loved the charm of an old-fashioned theater with comfortable seats and a table for drinks. The shows were fairly high quality, though opinions may vary. They catered mainly to a French-speaking audience, which is quite rare, and featured a live orchestra. The excursions seemed reasonably priced for what they offered, but we didn’t participate since we prefer organizing things ourselves. To sum up, we were pleasantly surprised by this "old little ship" with a mostly French-speaking, very attentive staff, all in a great atmosphere.

Hi there, On the MSC Musica, there’s no Yacht Club—do you know if there’s a dedicated Aurea restaurant? Thanks in advance for your reply..

Is it possible in Cinque Terre to do the village walk without getting off the small boats? Sea view. A bit limited by the stopover time on our cruise. Thanks for your reply.

Hi everyone, In a month, I’ll be on the *Renaissance* with Compagnie Française de Croisières. I’d just love to hear your thoughts on this ship—what you liked, what you liked less, etc. Thanks to all of you! Have a great day

During the stopover in Cadiz, Costa offers a bus transfer for a self-guided visit to Arcos de la FRONTERA and Jerez de la FRONTERA. Given the distance from Cadiz and the size of these towns, do you really think we’ll have enough time? What do you think?

Hi, I’m looking for a tour of Reykjavik with a local from the cruise port at MSC Terminal in June for 4 people—a full city tour with explanations in French. Thanks

Hi everyone, I’ve booked a cruise on the Preziosa to Brazil in October 2025. I’d like to know if we can get a taxi right from the ship to São Paulo airport from the port of Santos. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 2:40 PM, and we dock at 8:00 AM. MSC has an excursion planned, but we’d arrive at the airport too late. Thanks to anyone who can give us some info. Best regards,

Hi there,

We’ve booked the CFC Viking Legends cruise (departing on 03/31/25), and the excursions have just been posted on the CFC website. What a disappointment... Stop in Copenhagen: 2 excursions offered, one of which includes +1.5 hours of walking Stop in Oslo: 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Stop in Sandnes (Stavanger): 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Lysekil (Sweden): 1 excursion, same as in Kristiansand and Zeebrugge.

We hesitated to book without knowing the excursions in advance, but the itinerary interested us. We were expecting more options for excursions... Since the ship leaves the day before from Zeebrugge, let’s hope there’s still space for the excursions. I’ll share our experience after we return from this first CFC discovery. MUM49

Hi! I’m doing the Viking Legend cruise, and if you have any great tips, I’d love to hear them. We’re not big on excursions—we prefer to explore on our own. So if you can help us out, that’d be amazing. Thanks in advance!

Hi Has anyone sailed with the French company CFC? What do you think? Haven’t seen many reviews about this company.

Looking for reviews and suggestions for this Costa Serena cruise with the flight from Paris CDG to Hong Kong. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

Can anyone give me some info about this Spa Access day? We traveled with Costa until 2017, and back then, spa access wasn’t just for a day—it was for the entire cruise if you were staying in a suite... Times change, I guess. When I check MY COSTA, under Thermal Space Access Day appointments, it’s possible to book every day, even at sea, but with payment required on the site. Do we need to book this day on board if we want to take advantage of the free day? Or do we book it on the site and the freebie is applied automatically? Are sea days included in this case? Since 2017, we’ve been traveling with MSC YC, but this time, we’re going as a family with kids and grandkids, so the YC is a bit too much of a luxury and not really suitable for 3 kids.

Thanks for any feedback!

Hello, I'm looking for photos of a family cabin for 4 people with a porthole for the Pacifica cruise. Also, I wanted to know about the noise level and whether the ship moves a lot.

Pouvez vous me dire si le site promocroisières est fiable, car c'est par lui que j'ai eu l'offre (avantageuse) ? Merci beaucoup 🙂

Hi, I’m taking a cruise in Japan on the Diamond Princess from May 23 to June 5 and would love to hear from anyone who’s done it. Also, can we pay on board with Euros? Is it easy to use Wi-Fi when we’re ashore? What’s the weather like—do we need warm clothes or not? Are the excursions essential, or can we manage on our own outside of Tokyo, where we have a guide? If not, which excursions would you recommend? Thanks in advance for your replies. Betty from the islands