Nous pensions dormir, et bien non en lisant le today nous voyons que nous serons à l’entrée du canal vers 3 heures du matin, que nous serons le bateau de tête de convoi la navigation devant commencer à 6 heures.
A partir de 4 heures nous sommes réveillés, et nous nous levons régulièrement pour voir les bateaux dans la nuit, notre cabine à l’arrière du bateau est le meilleur endroit pour vivre ce passage du canal.
Vers 5 heures15 nous sentons le bateau bouger, nous sortons de la cabine, le convoi s’ébranle, nous saurons plus tard que compte tenu du trafic le départ a du être avancé. Nous sommes suivis par 2 remorqueurs puis des bateaux de commerce, le convoi est long nous ne verrons jamais plus de 4 bateaux à cause de la distance entre les bateaux.
Nous passerons la journée sur notre terrasse, à filmer et photographier, bien sur nous montons au self se servir le petit déjeuner que nous descendons prendre sur notre terrasse, nous nous faisons servir le déjeuner dans la cabine, notre majordome nous offre une bouteille de champagne pour l’occasion( nous en sommes à la cinquième depuis le début de la croisière).
Il y a plusieurs passages particulièrement impressionnants : le croisement du convoi des bateaux qui descendent dans le grand la Amer (il y a des bateaux partout) puis le monument aux morts et le monument de baïonnette à Ismaïlia, et enfin le Pont de Al Quantarah. Tout au long de la traversée il y a un contraste énorme entre la rive ouest irriguée urbanisée et très verte et à l’est le désert. Quand nous naviguions sur le canal il a fait jusqu’à 43°C avec 7% d’humidité, au soleil on avait l’impression de cuire, à l’arrivée en Méditerranée la brise s’est levée la température a perdu 15 °C en 15 minutes et l’humidité est remontée à 65%.
La sortie du canal a été très émouvante, tous les pilotes, les remorqueurs, les militaires, nous faisaient de grands signes en klaxonnant le Deliziosa leur répondait, ce fut un grand moment.
Une fois en Méditerranée, nous sommes remontés vers la crête, direction l’Italie.
A 10 heures nous étions au lit et cette fois ci nous avons dormi tard.
Quitter le canal avec les pilotes venant nous saluer, les gens nous fesant de grands signes avec les bras a été effectivement très émouvant. Ce fut comme si on nous remerciait d'être aller leur rendre visite après tout ce qu'ils ont vécus lors des derniers mois.J'ai également passé toute la traversée du canal sur mon balcon, c'était a suffoquer de chaleur mais j'ai apprécié chaque instant.
bonjour,
Oui nous aussi nous l'avons pris comme un remerciement de leur avoir rendu visite.😉
Nous reviendrons les voir bientôt, c'est un pays magnifique
Comme vous l’aurez compris 2 jours de repos complet, je me suis même pris un nouveau massage pour me remettre de toutes ces émotions, la température a chuté 16 à 17 en navigation c’est juste, nous sommes moins dehors nous en profitons pour visiter le bateau, prendre des photos.
Ce soir soirée de gala de l’au revoir, car des passagers descendent à Rome. Donc encore un cocktail !!!! Le champagne a coulé à flot durant cette croisière, repas de gala avec la fameuse omelette norvégienne excellente, ensuite bal des officiers, un très joli spectacle puis le buffet de minuit, nous voulions le voir, il est vrai que les sculptures et les tableaux étaient magnifiques, nous sommes allés nous coucher avant l’ouverture du buffet, nous n’aurions de toute façon pas été capables d’avaler une bouchée de nourriture.
19 avril en mer
Aujourd’hui belle navigation, nous passons le détroit de Messine, puis dans l’après-midi, nous naviguons autour du Stromboli, même si c’est plus beau de nuit, c’est quand même impressionnant, tout le monde est sur le pont, mais bien que le navire soit au ralenti, il ne fait vraiment pas chaud.
Ensuite soirée danse et chansons demain nous serons à Rome.
20 avril Civitavecchia (Italie)
Nous avions choisi le transfert en train cher mais rapide 45,00€ par personne. Dans certains cas c’est peut-être intéressant pour nous cela ne l’a pas été, car nous étions à Rome la semaine Sainte, le mercredi matin c’était audience du Pape, donc la place Saint Pierre était inabordable, nous partons à pied traversons le Tibre arrivons place Navona, de là allons au Panthéon, puis vers la Rome antique nous allons jusqu’au Colisée, le palatin, puis nous repartons vers la fontaine de Trévi, la place d’Espagne, la Place du Peuple, et décidons de retourner à Saint Pierre en longeant tranquillement le Tibre. Quand nous arrivons place Saint Pierre la file d’attente pour rentrer dans la basilique est telle que nous savons que nous n’avons pas le temps, c’est la même chose pour le musée du Vatican, nous retournons donc tranquillement à la gare avec 2 heures d’avance il est 14h30 notre train est à 16h30. Donc nous achetons 2 billets pour Civitavecchia 4,10€ l’unité et prenons le train immédiatement, à 15h15 nous sommes arrivés, 15h25 à l’entrée du port, une navette nous conduit au bateau à 15h30 nous sommes dans notre cabine.
Nous allons manger, prendre le thé puis pour la dernière fois au spa.
Ensuite les valises, puis c’est l’heure du dernier dîner, comme il n’y a pas grand chose qui nous plait comme animation, nous finissons nous bagages.
21 avril Savone (Italie)
Arrivederci……
Nous débarquons à 9 heures, nous allons à la gare de Nice notre train est à 13h30. Un suicide le matin à Golf Juan a bloqué le trafic, notre train partira à l’heure, à Marseille un incendie à proximité des voies nous bloquera une 1heure30, finalement nous sommes à 20heures 30 à la maison, demain nous nous occuperons des valises, des lessives des courses, bref de tout ce que nous avons oublié pendant 3 semaines.
En conclusion je voudrais dire que nous avons adoré cette croisière, nous souhaitons la refaire en 2013 si la situation politique de la région le permet. Tout ce que nous avons vu est magnifique, ce que nous n’avons pas pu voir nous donne envie de revenir très vite.
dommage pour Rome. la visite a été réduite. mais c'est toujours comme ca lors des événements religieux place saint pierre. dimanche dernier, ca n'a pas du être triste non plus aux abords de la place.
Pour notre part, nous avons adoré cette balade dans Rome la semaine sainte.Nous avons pris le transfert en bus de Civitavecchia à Saint-Pierre (29 euros). Départ 9 h 30, arrivée à Saint-Pierre à 11 heures. Le guide, très intéressant, nous donne rendez-vous à 16 h 45 au même endroit. Nous voila partis pour une superbe promenade dans les rues romaines. Le nez au vent. Bien sûr, nous n'avions pas mis à notre programme la visite de la Chapelle Sixtine ni celle du Vatican. Nous voulions juste respirer l'air de Rome. Les cloches n'arrêtaient pas de sonner. Tellement de monde différent, une certaine
ambiance, chaleureuse et en même temps recueillie. Les religieux et religieuses de tous les pays en tenues très colorées, très joyeux.En gros, c'était la fête. De plus, partout des portraits de Jean-Paul II bientôt bienheureux. C'était vraiment une superbe journée qui a clôturé de façon magistrale cette magnifique croisière.
bonsoir Bruno,
ce n'est pas très grave nous y avions passé 2 semaines merveilleuses il y a 2 ans, donc c'était une piqure de rappel... Une petite pièce dans la fontaine de Trévi pour être certain de revenir😉😎
Et puis 5 heures de marche c'est déjà bien nous étions un peu crevés😛
Et de toute façon cette croisière a été tellement belle que nous n'avons que des beaux souvenirs.
Je te souhaite une belle croisière, avec du beau temps
Sylvianne
coucou Joëlle
nous aussi nous avons adoré notre ballade dans Rome mais commencée à 9H30, donc finie un peu plus tôt que vous, mais tu avais déjà préparé les valises pas moi😉
Nous commençons les travaux lundi😐😮, un mois à camper. Il faudra vite repartir en vacances après pour récuperer
Bisous à vous deux
Bonjour, effectivement le bateau a accosté à 8 h 30 mais les autres excursions ont démarré à 8 h 45 et nous à 9 h 30.
En fait pour nous c'était juste un transfert port/Saint-Pierre A/R. Nous étions à 18 heures sur le bateau pour un départ à 19 h.
En conclusion à ce compte rendu, je vais dire quelques mots sur le bateau, les services à bord etc....
Le bateau est très beau, le personnel dans sa majorité est adorable, nous ne jugerons pas les animations nous n'y participons jamais. Les spectacles sont sympas, nous avons toujours trouvé des chaises longues sur le pont arrière, la nourriture est tout à fait correcte, le service bon.
Nous ne jugeons pas le service Costa en nous demandant si il y avait plus ou mieux avant mais simplement sur deux critères:
Le rapport qualité/prix: Pour nous il est excellent, beaucoup moins cher que d'autres compagnies avec un service très bon. Nous pouvons trouver un meilleur service des mets plus fins etc....mais il faut parfois payer 50 % plus cher voire le double.
La durée et la qualité des escales: absolument parfait et cela nous a permis de vraiment profiter de cette croisière.
Si nous ajoutons à cela un effort certain pour parler français, les excursions en français, tant que nous trouverons des destinations qui nous plaisent proposées par Costa nous partirons avec cette compagnie.
Pour nos croisières dans la zone amérique et Pacifique, bien entendu nous partirons avec d'autres compagnies plus à même de nous proposer ce que l'on recherche.
Je souhaite de belles croisières à tous ceux qui vont bientôt partir
Sylvianne
comment juge tu la déco intérieure du déliziosa par rapport au luminosa ? les avis sur le luminosa sont bons. il parait qu'il est moins clinquant, moins coloré que les autres costa. et le déliziosa ?
bonjour Bruno,
J'ai trouvé le Deliziosa sobre en effet, la couleur dominante est rouge rose, surprenant au début, mais en fait très joli et même reposant.
Les indications lumineuses au dessus des passages ressortent moins que sur d'autres bateaux.
Les cabines sont un peu tristounettes moquette marron, canapé marron.... Mais bien quand même.
Il y a de belles sculptures en verre, le spa est exactement le même que si le luminosa mêmes mosaiques même couleur.
Les fauteuils des bars sont plus confortables que sur le Luminosa (il y a avit eu beaucoup de critiques, ils ont du corriger)
Donc en conclusion très beau bateau,
Je mets quelques photos mais je ne suis pas douée pour les photos du bateau
Photos 1 2 3 l'atrium qui donne une iidée de la couleur dominante du bateau
photo 4 le théâtre
photo 5 le grand bar Mirabilis ( entre le théâtre et le casino)
photo 6 exemple de sculpture sur verre (nombreuses sur le bateau)
photo 7 piscine pont 9 avant
photo 8 bar et piscine pont 9 arrière
Bonjour,
je devais être tout près de chez vous ce matin, pas très loin de la gare TGV, il commence à y avoir beaucoup de monde qui circule....Vivement la prochaine croisière....Au moins là tout est calme et reposant...
A bientôt
Sylvianne
Quel bonheur de vous retrouver ici et de reprendre les bonnes habitudes, après tous ces mois d’interruption. J’espère que le récit de ce petit tour en…
Très déçue par cette croisière. Nous avions fait auparavant 3 croisières avec MSC et une avec COSTA et nous étions enchantés. Ce ne fut pas le cas pour celle…
Tout d'abord meilleurs voeux à tous pour cette nouvelle année. D'autres posts ont déjà évoqué cette croisière. Voici ma contribution. C'est ma 2e croisière…
C'est notre seconde croisière avec ce croisièriste.Nous avions déjà fait un tour de Corse que nous avions beaucoup aimé.Je précise que je recherche avant tout…
Chers croisiéristes, De retour sur une croisière Méditerranée sur le MSC Preziosa (du 17 au 24 octobre 2015 ; départ de Gênes après un transfert depuis la…
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
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
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!