Personally, I always find the French restaurants on ships a bit disappointing when they're not downright awful. I prefer world cuisines that I'm less familiar with and don’t cook myself. Right now, I’m loving the Indian food—they’ve got the spices just right here. 😎
This summer on the Viva, where we were in a balcony cabin, we also got a call reminding us about dinner at the bistro that same evening and that men shouldn’t come in shorts 😎.
Last year, we didn’t get that call.
You have to admit, the decor in the French restaurant is stunning.
I did notice a very slight drop in quality, but their mushroom velouté is delicious, and I always get the lobster with the extra charge because when it’s cooked in cream and mushrooms, it’s the only way to forget it’s frozen—nothing like Breton lobster!
The other restaurants are more ordinary. We swapped the Mediterranean restaurant for the Italian one at the last minute, even though it was much cheaper, and we really liked it.
Another evening...
Another specialty restaurant called Food Republic. A $50 package deal.
It's a bit of a world cuisine, leaning more towards Asian.
You order using iPads, and then it's served at your table. It's prepared fresh at the counters you can see across from the tables.
The restaurant itself isn't fancy at all. Just wooden tables and chairs.
The food is good and very filling. That said, nothing gourmet either.
Another evening...
We ordered Indian food to eat on our terrace.
Unfortunately, the photos aren’t great because it’s nighttime and my phone isn’t great in low light...
It’s a restaurant where I also went once at lunchtime—you order on iPads, and it’s kind of a global cuisine system.
The Indian food is really good.
You place the order with the butler, and they bring it to the room.
However, you have to go get the wine yourself at the bar. The butler can’t bring alcohol to the room.
I think you can ask room service for it, but there’s a fee, so it’s not really worth it since the bar is just an elevator ride away and it’s The Haven’s bar.
Regarding layovers
I don’t have much to say since they were mostly beach stops.
Classic Saint-Martin was our third or fourth time, so I just stayed at the beach near the ship, which we walked to from the boat on the way there. My partner then went for a run while I sunbathed and swam.
I took a water taxi back to the ship. $5.
Charlotte Amalie: we did U.S. immigration on board—it was well organized, and we had priority with The Haven, so no waiting.
We took a taxi to Maegan Bay.
$15 per person, and I think the entrance fee was $8 or $10. Then it was $20 for a sun lounger—it’s a gorgeous beach.
I’ll post some photos of it.
For the return trip, it’s either a kind of minibus or a taxi depending on availability, and it’s the same price for the ride back.
Sure enough, the beach near the port in St. Martin is really beautiful and super convenient. Plus, it has everything you need for a great day (no need to go to Maho Beach, where there’s barely any beach left after the last hurricane).
For St. Thomas, if the ship isn’t docked downtown, a taxi is a must for sightseeing.
But for Magens Bay, I see the prices haven’t changed—and honestly, I don’t think it’s worth it. There was a time when this beach was really famous, even a must-see in St. Thomas, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore.
And don’t even get me started on the drinks—they’re outrageously expensive! Sure, we’re in St. Thomas, but it’s way too pricey for what you get!
My gut tells me your conclusion is going to be a positive one!
Here we are in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
I really had high hopes for this stop, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a success.
First off, there were very few NCL excursions—and none to Saona Island, not even to a beach or Punta Cana.
Punta Cana is still about 1h15–1h30 away, and I didn’t dare go on my own. Given the chaos at the port of La Romana, I’m glad I didn’t.
This port is honestly a joke to me.
Even though the stop was long, it didn’t feel long enough to try booking an excursion to Saona on my own—plus, the weather wasn’t great, and it even rained part of the morning.
All I wanted was to go to Bayahibe Beach.
First, it’s a mess with the taxis—or at least, there are quite a few scams.
You start by negotiating the taxi price, and they tell you it’s for at least 4 people. They give you a price, but then it turns out that price is only if you’re 6 people *and* everyone’s going to the same place...
Otherwise, it’s not the same price—obviously, it’s more expensive. Then they say they’ll only take you if you book the return trip too, and again, everyone has to have the same return time. Since you don’t know half the people in your taxi, you can imagine how complicated that gets.
We had to get out of the taxi because out of the 6 we’d finally managed to gather, two people didn’t want to go to the same place. So those two got out, and we had to wait to find two others who *did* want to go to the same place—the beach—and who also wanted to return at the same time.
Long story short, all this chaos took nearly 45 minutes... I almost turned back.
Eventually, we got there, but not at the price we were initially quoted. At some point, you just have to go. From what I remember, it was $20 per trip, and since we were 6, that’s still a pretty hefty sum for such a poor country!
During the ride, 4 people started hesitating about going to Saona instead... The driver, probably seeing an opportunity, stopped at the boat departure point and tried to drop us off so we could walk to the beach. We refused to get out of the taxi and waited about 15 minutes while he negotiated a boat for the 4 of them. The negotiation probably didn’t work out because they came back to the taxi, trying to convince us to go with them in some kind of small boat... We refused, and apparently, the price didn’t suit them either, so they got back in the taxi. Finally, we made it to our beach...
It’s the public beach at Bayahibe... meh.
Nothing like the huge white-sand beach we were expecting...
There was a hotel nearby, and we hoped we could rent a spot for the day or even half a day to be on a nicer beach, but there was a guard, and it wasn’t possible—it was only for hotel guests.
So we had no choice but to rent two sunbeds on the public beach, which looked like they’d seen better days. About $10 each, if I remember right.
For 4 hours, it’ll do, especially since it rained several times.
At one point, they brought us a menu to order food—we hadn’t planned on eating, so it was actually good timing, but the prices were shocking in dollars and in English, the kind of tourist trap you’d expect.
I loved this stop! Just a heads-up—there isn’t much to visit; it’s a beach stop.
It’s a cruise port, but it’s really well set up with everything right at the exit.
There are free pools, plenty of shops and bars, and a free public beach.
There’s also a paid public beach, a beach club, within walking distance from the ship.
I booked it as a simple boat excursion because it was cheaper—with NCL, I had a 50 € credit per excursion.
Actually, it was just the entry to the Beach Club.
From what I remember, it was 70 €, so it cost me 20 €. That price included access to the beach, sun loungers, umbrellas, and all-inclusive drinks.
It was a great deal.
Plus, the Beach Club was really nice—there were plenty of loungers, it was quiet, the beach was pretty, and there were showers and servers coming by to ask what we wanted to drink. The cocktails weren’t amazing—too sweet, as usual—but it wasn’t a big deal.
All in all, a fantastic day of relaxation.
That beach stop was great—it let us really enjoy the island’s facilities.
But honestly, the beach didn’t seem very clean (sargassum in spots). Given what you paid ($70), they could’ve cleaned it up.
And here we are at the last stop!
Falmouth, Jamaica.
After this, we’ll have 2 days at sea before arriving in Galveston.
Well, this stop was extremely disappointing.
Actually, it’s mostly the excursion that’s disappointing.
Priced at 89 € (but still $50 for the first person).
The real letdown is the Beach Club.
First, the organization for getting into the minibuses is a bit slow… but mostly, there’s almost a 45-minute drive for a 5-hour excursion—that wasn’t mentioned.
I was already a little annoyed and frustrated, but in the end, 3 hours would’ve been more than enough given the Beach Club and especially the fact that there’s no shade!
It was stated that chairs would be included in the price, but instead of loungers, they were wooden chairs in full sun!
Also, supposedly a meal served—it turned out to be a piece of chicken with rice… which I didn’t eat, being a bit wary of the hygiene I noticed on this beach.
Same goes for the drinks—they were awful!
In short, this last stop won’t leave great memories. Thankfully, the sea was nice and beautiful! But the sun was beating down hard!
After that, we’ll have two days at sea... we’ll still get to enjoy the relaxation, food, drinks, etc. It’s time now to take stock of The Haven.
Following that, there’ll be a little bonus with a day in Galveston, a night at Houston airport, and three days in Cancun.
Here’s a comparison between NCL’s "Haven" and MSC’s direct competitor, the Yacht Club...
Of course, this is a personal take based on "my tastes."
**The Haven cabin advantages:** a bit better than a YC1, especially thanks to the larger bathroom, L’Occitane products, and above all, the bigger, better-designed balcony: a real high table for eating, very comfortable armchairs, plus a lounger with a mattress, and also a very large king-size bed.
**Room service:** way more choices than on MSC, and the option to have all restaurant meals served in the cabin.
**The Haven’s indoor and outdoor restaurant:**
**Menu:** a bit more upscale but repetitive (the menu doesn’t change, but there’s plenty of choice and a different "special" dish at every meal). For example, unlimited lobster every day.
Excellent service. Very calm and refined.
For me, The Haven wins here.
3) **Indoor bar (lively) and outdoor bar**, but no real TSL (Top Sail Lounge), just separate lounges. No music. No snacks during the day, unlike the TSL.
Yacht Club wins here.
It’s different.
**One pool:** two levels with an infinity pool and another with a jacuzzi, plus very comfortable armchairs/deck chairs.
The Haven wins here.
But no buffet.
However, the restaurant is on the same deck and accessible from outside.
Option for hot snacks all day.
**Shows:** meh... but there’s a reserved space for Haven guests.
**Priority disembarkation/embarkation** with a private elevator and separate entry/exit, so no conflict with other passengers.
The Haven wins here.
**Dress code:** very, very casual... you’ll either love it or hate it.
**Concierge:** open from 8 AM (or earlier if in port) and closes at 8 PM.
Okay, it’s less than in the YC, but honestly, I never need the concierge at night... or really during the day either.
For me, the value for money was excellent, but that’s also because I think I got a great price for The Haven.
I’d love to try The Haven—it sounds great! I like the Viva and the Prima outside of school holidays, but since I don’t want to do a transatlantic crossing, I’m guessing the price must be pretty steep 😎. So I’m thrilled to have discovered it through your review!
Thanks Nathalie for your review—it really gave us a sense of what The Haven is like.
It might just "broaden" our cruise options...
Next time, I’ll definitely check out the prices.
Best,
Claudine
Thanks to you, I’m discovering—with joy, amazement, and a touch of excitement—that this awesome site is up and running. I had no idea at all... "I’m never told anything!"
I’m really enjoying your trip report, and I’m joining in with all of you.
Thanks for this great review that introduced us to NCL’s "Haven."
After my disappointment with the Sky in the Indian Ocean last year, your review might just make me give NCL another chance and try a Haven cruise sometime in 2027—if I can find a good deal like you did!
Nope...
And apparently during school holidays or spring break, it’s pretty awful.
There are a lot of really big suites with multiple bedrooms, after all...
Yes! - We... And you interest us, because MSC just canceled our transatlantic for March 2027, and we now have a chunk of our schedule to renegotiate. We don’t know NCL at all.
No one spoke French in The Haven, even though there were quite a few French-speaking Canadians.
It's best to avoid summer and American school holidays, but anyway, that's not really the kind of trips you take.
For the transatlantic crossing, there were 4 or 5 of them.
A bit annoying in the pool, but otherwise, we never saw them in the restaurant
No, didn't try it.
I struggle with the "YC" concept and the size of the ship. Plus, the price differences between cabins don't inspire confidence.
But honestly, we never really looked into it properly.
We arrived in Galveston on time.
Priority disembarkation for The Haven.
Luggage retrieval.
Headed to the Uber/Lyft zone—the ride is short since it’s to get to a store that offers luggage storage because there isn’t any at the port. The Uber fare is less than $10, and each suitcase costs $5.
We already know Galveston because we visited it during a road trip.
Today’s goal is to let Alain run his 10th 10K on the beautiful beach where I’ll be waiting for him.
After that, we’ll grab a bite at a diner for some Cajun specialties.
We negotiated with the Uber driver from earlier to pick us up in town and then take us to Hobby Airport—or at least to the airport motel for the night before our flight to Cancun tomorrow.
We’ll spend the night in a pretty decent Days Inn motel at Hobby Airport. It feels weird being in a hotel without a car and no road trip!
Decent breakfast at 6:00 AM.
Shuttle to the airport in less than 5 minutes.
Flight at 9:00 AM with Southwest, on time and smooth—drinks and snacks included. 2-hour flight.
We arrived on time in Mexico.
Baggage claim was a bit slow.
Shuttle to the Riu Dunamar included.
More tomorrow 😔
Cancun: Riu Dunamar.
We loved this hotel.
Everything was great.
The room was gorgeous with a stunning ocean view, the restaurants were good, and the food was high quality.
The all-inclusive was excellent.
The beach was beautiful.
No towel wars!
In short, we had a really pleasant 4 and a half days.
The hotel was very accommodating and let us keep the room until 4 PM on our last day, which allowed us to really enjoy that final day.
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Croisières › États-Unis / Bahamas / Mexique · 14 replies
Je me présente brièvement: Vincent, 30 ans, originaire de Lyon, ceci est la 3ème croisière après une première expérience avec RC et une deuxième avec MSC (un…
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
Nous ferons la prochaine croisière CFC en Norvège et nous sommes à la recherche du programme des excursions ainsi que leur tarif.
Pour ceux qui auraient effectué cette croisière par le passé pourriez vous me communiquer ces renseignements ?
Je sais que la compagnie ne communique pas sur le sujet sinon 8 semaines avant le départ. J'aime m'organiser à l'avance et éviter les mauvaises 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 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
Another evening...
Another specialty restaurant called Food Republic. A $50 package deal.
It's a bit of a world cuisine, leaning more towards Asian.
You order using iPads, and then it's served at your table. It's prepared fresh at the counters you can see across from the tables.
The restaurant itself isn't fancy at all. Just wooden tables and chairs.
The food is good and very filling. That said, nothing gourmet either.
Another evening...
We ordered Indian food to eat on our terrace.
Unfortunately, the photos aren’t great because it’s nighttime and my phone isn’t great in low light...
It’s a restaurant where I also went once at lunchtime—you order on iPads, and it’s kind of a global cuisine system.
The Indian food is really good.
You place the order with the butler, and they bring it to the room.
However, you have to go get the wine yourself at the bar. The butler can’t bring alcohol to the room.
I think you can ask room service for it, but there’s a fee, so it’s not really worth it since the bar is just an elevator ride away and it’s The Haven’s bar.
We’ll spend the night in a pretty decent Days Inn motel at Hobby Airport. It feels weird being in a hotel without a car and no road trip!
Decent breakfast at 6:00 AM.
Shuttle to the airport in less than 5 minutes.
Flight at 9:00 AM with Southwest, on time and smooth—drinks and snacks included. 2-hour flight.
We arrived on time in Mexico.
Baggage claim was a bit slow.
Shuttle to the Riu Dunamar included.
More tomorrow 😔
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!