bon enfin je te trouve 😛 et je lis tout d'une traite ma loute !! j'avais déjà les images manquai le Récit de Madi😏 pour infos moi aussi j'etais surprise de ne pas avoir les excursions à mon arrivée sur le lit lors de ma croisiere de septembre mais voilà ils les donnes en dernieres minutes puisque nous on les as eu dans la nuit avant l'excursion on a flippé quand meme😠
Coucou val
J attends avec impatience la suite et surtout le retour que tu dis avoir été cahotique
Tous disent qu il y a eu des turbulences , moi qui angoisse en avion je commence à m inquiéter
Iles grecques et athènes - Norvège - MSC Sinfonia méditerrannée - MSC Magnifica capitales de la baltique - circuit irlande aout 2013 -
MSC Musica Caraibes (prévision février 2014)
départ pour SAONA.......je suis la premiere levée et j ai eu peur de louper le départ
pour saona , le bateau est à vitesse réduite ça va on aura le temps d aller déjeuner en haut ! surprise les enfants nous suivent , il est très tôt et la "cantine" sera vide
d enfants et de cris
(perso j ai pas trouvé tant de cris que cela ni d ailleurs pour une fois trop de gaspillage dans les assiestes! c bien la première année ! 🙂
dehors le jour se lève, au moins je suis sure de ne pas louper l excursion tant que le
bateau n'est pas stationné! j ai hâte de voir stéph et je vais aussi faire la connaissance de titienne ! 😛je crois qu il doit être moins de 8h quand nous descendons au pont 5 et qui vois-je ? je reconnais assez facilement titienne , il est
accompagné de ses parents , adorables personnes entre autres avec sa maman j ai
bien discuté sur le bateau ; c agréable , j apprécie
et ma steph, ma stééééééééééé ph !!!enfin !! dans mes bras !!!😇 ses cousins, son mari , agréables comme tout !
ah là je suis aux anges ! ça y est nous sommes au complet , déjà nous sommes tout exités par le départ , nous cherchons en bas ou peut etre cathy, à premiere
vue on ne voit personne ; nous nous dirigeons tous vers les serviettes oranges
bien pratique sur le quai , très bonne idée j avoue!
nous filons droit devant sans trop savoir , puis quelques instants plus tard des cris de l autre coté et des grands signes , ça s agite
c'est cathy qui nous fait signe ; stégim notre interlocutrice lui donne le nombre
de personne et nous nous engouffrons dans un mini bus ou une grosse voiture; je crois que nous sommes 12 à l intérieur ou bien 9 je ne sais plus; toujours est il
que le conducteur veut nous coller deux filles de plus ; là on dit non et cathy idem
on est serré comme des sardines
c est titienne qui a failli s en coller une , sur les genoux ^^ hein sacré titienne ça t aurait pas déplu ^^ lol
bien, la porte du mini bus se referme sur nous et nous voilà partis, stéph parle fort , y en a qu une qu on entend , mais j adore , je me marre à chaque fois qu elle parle c plus fort que moi , en fait elle parle pas , elle crie ^^ mdr
et puis le volant du chauffeur qui fume , alors là c'est parti pour des éclats de rire et comme ça pendant 45 minutes ; c 'est bon le ton est donné pour la journée je
crois !!!! super en tout cas 😇😇
nous arrivons 50 minutes plus tard, et descendons jusqu au bureau de cathy situé
en face de pro excursion ; pas évident d etre en face mais bon, elle gère notre
cathy !!! comme une pro !!!
nous passons chacun notre tour et payons notre journée, puis nous suivons cathy
jusqu au bateau qui va nous emmener au "paradis-saona"
stegim en bonne volontaire détache les petits bracelets verts en papier que nous
porterons toute la journée , comme des enfants en colo nous nous exécutons sans
bronchés 😏 c'est vrai qu ils tiennent bien ces bracelets
quelques manoeuvres délicates pour approcher du bord afin que l on puisse monter plus aisémment, quelques coups de gueule aussi , cathy n a pas toujours son mot à dire pour placer ses bateaux et elle a du fil à retordre avec une personne peut
complaisante qui ne lui fait pas de cadeaux ; c 'est comme dans la jungle le roi lion n est pas toujours le roi ; arf c dommage quand même ces quelques coups de dents mais bon , il faut se montrer parfois sinon, on est vite bouffer !
bravo cathy, !!! te laisse pas faire !
nous devons porter les gilets de sauvetage et ma gorge finalement sera protégée
par le vent , propulsée par le bateau rapide ; sur le coup ça n avance pas , mais
d un coup ça part , je peux vous dire , faut s accrocher sec quand on s y attend pas ! là aussi le ton est donné
et ça s 'ccoue mon amie , les secouettes dans le dos ! houlààà meme steph je l entend plus ! moi je ris sous cape ! mais elle a pris la saucée tout à l heure , elle a du boire salé ^^ hihi😎; d un coup je l entend plus; sa cousine malheureusement a demandé à changer de place tant ça saute à l avant , (je vous aurez prévenu)
😛
la meilleure place je dirai au milieu on a moins de secousse mais tout autant de bouillon ^^ j ai pas eu le temps de photographier les poissons volants que l on a vu passer quel dommage, c'était un bien joli spectacle;
une demi heure plus tard , peut etre plus, nous arrivons après un virage très serré sur une premiere plage ou nous ne devons pas descendre mais seulement écouter les instructions de cathy : donc ici nous reviendrons dans deux heures pour le déjeuner pendant que je vais préparer , pendant ce temps vous allez sur l autre bout de l ile là ou peu de monde a la chance d aller , vous prendrez les boissons et apéritifs, baignades ;
en gros , on ne sort pas du bateau et on attend d aller plus loin ; et le trajet durera presque aussi longtemps que le premier tronçon à quelque chose prêt , sauf que l on s habitue à la vitesse ; je me dis quand meme que si le bateau se renverse on en réchappe pas ; ça me fait penser à la chute du "cigare" de casiraghi , à ce moment là , en tout cas j y pense ! 😕
Nous arrivons enfin à destination et effectivement nous sommes pratiquement seuls sur cette partie de l ile, en tout cas , pas vu grand monde en arrivant à part
les rares marchands ambulants; quelques bonnes mains transportent la glacière, une table est dressée pour recevoir les gobelets en plastique, assiettes pour chips
y a du rhum je crois , perso je fais pas attention à ça, j aurai préféré du café mais
y en a pas alors je me contente d un jus d orange , oui il est bon d ailleurs , j en
reprend un autre gobelet;
je fais des photos à pleuvoir , l instant est magique, paradisiaque, au moins on sait
puisque l on voit ! là ! c est juste devant nous! cette étendue d eau , d un bleu
si franc au lointain, puis des nuances de vert au centre plus teinté de blanc au fur et à mesure des bancs de sable; c juste magnifique
.............
malheureusement il est 23h et je dois vous laisser
à demain pour la suite
juste un peu de pub et on se retrouve demain à la meme heure
Oh non tu nous fais languir !! 🙂
Merci pour tous ces détails, on sait tout, c'est super
J'ai justement réservé cet aprem et j'ai eu la réponse 30 mn après, efficaces 😉
Bonne nuit Val
On attendra demain ...
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
😏😏 Je vais finir au Vinatier (Hopital Psy de LYON) si je dors avec l'appareil photo ....... donc demain si je n'apparais pas c'est que M. Pilou m'a fait interner 🤪 😏 😏
Il n'est de plus beau sourire, qu'un sourire qui nous est rendu........
Bonjour,
Je suis avec passion tes comptes rendus et t'en remercie. Comment te trouver sur facebook, , je ne suis pas experte. J'aimerai savoir quelle sont les excursions à faire par soi même. Nous sommes 4 seniors dont 2 pas très vaillants. Merci beaucoup
Simone
Merci Steph
je peux donc regler Cathy en dollars
plus interressant pour nous
il me semblait avoir lu qu elle voulait des euros
tant mieux pour nous!
Coucou Rosa,
J'ai reçu son mail hier, c'est note : règlement en € ou $ pas de CB
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
Bonsoir , je pense que pour régler en $ , faut en avoir sur soi et le tour est joué , mais pour cela faut avoir le prix en $ , encore que si le prix est 75 $ et que l'on a pas de $ , le ""change "" est vite fait 75$ = 75 € 😠
Bonne soirée
@ + Denis ....
Bonsoir
J ai payé deux places en euros (70€) et les deux autres en dollars ( 53$)
Voilà il peut y avoir fluctuation mais ça ne sera pas énorme
A moins d un crash boursier , lol !!
bien ! c est l heure ! on se réveille ^^ bien assis dans votre fauteuil vous somnolez ; si si je vous vois !!
alors hé l aventure saona continue non? vous voulez bien ? alors on y retourne
c'est maintenant sur vos écrans^^ 😏
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
C est pareil puisqu elle fait la conversion au taux du jour : 70€= 53$ ( quel avantage ?)c est idem (??)
Sinon j ai rien compris alors de
Ce qui est avantageux ou pas
Je croyais qu on était avantage de payer en dollar quand des
Vendeurs peu scrupuleux disait 1€=1$ alors la oui il faut payer en dollar pour ne pas se faire arnaquer !
bien , vous vous rappelez donc , la table est dressée et nous savourons pour les uns le punch et les autres le jus d orange! ou le coca , les chips sont super bonnes je ne sais pas d où elles sortent mais je les trouve bonnes; ok je sais c pas bon pour le régime, alors on laisse tomber 😛
Nous sommes les premiers arrivés , c 'est super agréable ! comme robinson crusoé je pars seule à la découverte de l ile , faut bien que j aille me cacher quelque part et j ai pas prévu de me baigner maintenant; aujourd hui j ai laché le foulard , plus rien et je tenterai le bain , je tousse encore mais tant pis; c décidé
l eau n est pas si chaude que ça , meme du mal à rentrer , mais se baigner en décembre alors quoi ! on va pas faire la fine bouche quand meme^^ va donc voir en France si on se baigne à l heure qu il est pfff 😇
je suis ravie du cadeau de mes enfants un bel appareil étanche à 3 mètres qui prend de bien jolies photos mais on ne les voit qu après sur la tablette et on se régale dans la cabine !
on mitraille à tout va, on en profite, j ai un stock de piles avec moi et c 'est bien utile; jérome fera meme de la vidéo sous marine, il s amuse bien avec le
jouet ;
l attroupement près de la table de fortune s estompe et chacun prend ses marques sur la plage, personne ne se gène, on a toute la place pour nous, ça va pas durer encore longtemps , mais pendant ce temps il faut profiter de n être que nous! jalousement térritoire gardé😄
MR MADI se réveille d une sieste , ma foi y en a qui utilisent leur temps de pause à bon escient ^^ mais voici l heure de lever le camp ; Cathy nous attend pour le déjeuner ;
nous ré-embarquons, re- gilet de sauvetage et d un coup nous voilà parti , on ne vogue pas , on vole ^^ 😇 même pas peur!
pas de poisson volant sur le retour! mince j avais armé mon appareil cette fois
tant pis!
et après un virage bien serré et d autres marins d eau douce rincés nous "attérissons" hop à terre !
😉
le buffet est dressé , ça sent bon le barbecue, je ne pensais pas qu il serait
déjà fait! les plats sont protégés on ne voit rien ,
juste les salades composées aperçoit -on
nous prenons place à la meilleure table , puisque nous serons servis les premiers , à peine aurons nous fini de déjeuner que les derniers servis gouteront juste à leur plat !
alors oui!!!on a choisi la bonne table ^^ les assiettes nous sont remplies , une
langouste entière au barbecue, déjà prète , encore bien tiède , chaude oui
enfin hummmmm c 'est trop bon !
des petites saucisses fumées accompagnent le tout ! c est exquis ! le ptit jésus en petite culotte comme on dit 😏
le dessert plus simple , des fruits frais en salade, mais ça fait couler le tout ;
ah ! j allais oublier : j ai eu mon café ! là par contre hauteur du café : deux pouces , un peu juste 😕 mais bon y en a eu !
nous avons la chance d avoir fini les premiers , donc on peut sortir de table et
mes enfants du coup , décident d aller voir les cabanes d artisanat , je décide
de les suivre après avoir siroté le café
l endroit à 5 minutes à pied est tout mignon, nous disposons que de peu de temps car cathy nous a prévu une surprise ! et oui donc 10 minutes shopping
et hop !
bien , vous allez ralez mais c de bonne guerre, je reviens j ai moi aussi une course à faire
alors quoi , on se fait 5 minutes de pub et on remet ça
Si 1$=o,73€ comme tu dis alors ça veut bien dire que 1€=1,3698$
Tu fais : 1/0.73=1,3639$
Voilà ! Non ? Je mettais le
Dollar au taux de Change du bateau 1,33..
londres le sterling est a 0,73 pour un euro donc plus fort le sterling
le dollar a 1,33 pour 1 euro donc l'euro est plus fort
si la monnaie étrangère est en dessous de 1 euros elle est plus forte que l'euro et si elle est au dessus elle est plus faible je peu pas etre plus simple mdrrr pour ceux qui n'ont pas compris désolé mais là peut plus rien faire lol
Norvégian Gém NCL, Horizon CDF, musica MSC, Allure of the seas RCI, sérénade of the seas RCI, Symphony of the seas RCI, Régal PRINCESS, Fantasia MSC, seaside MSC, explorer of the seas RCI
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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
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
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
😉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!