bonjour .nous avons eu une reponse de bumpiing tours a roseau.ils nous proposent une excursion de 5 a 6 heures pour 50 dollars.pour le tour il faut etre au maximum 12 personnes. j espere que d autres personnes ont reservé cette excursion .le programme champagne reef , titou gorge , traffalgar falls, botanical garden. nous allons reservé nous sommes 4.si vous etes interesse.!!
nous avons reservé l excursion consols tours a st lucie.
Pour bumpiing tour vous avez bien fait de réserver car d'après Vsylvie sur ce site elle détaille bien même très bien sa sortie avec eux et elle en a était ravie malheureusement pour moi ce ne sera pas possible je ne sais pas faire de plongée car j ne supporte pas le masque soit la sortie a l 'air superbe .
En ce qui concerne consol tour je vais suivre son conseil je vais faire une sortie Mer , elle explique également sa sortie qui pour elle n'a pas était terrible .
Bonjour,
En ce qui nous concerne, nous partons de Pointe à Pitre le 24, nous sommes sur le pont 11 et avons le même forfait boisson !!!
Je commence à me poser des questions pour le contenu de la valise et les excursions.
Peut-être nous rencontrerons nous ?
Bonjour
Effectivement pour la valise ce n'est pas très évident comme nous partons du froid pour aller au chaud , de cela je reprends ma check list , le plus important c'est shorts, t-shirts , maillots, casquettes , lunettes solaire +crème solaire , spray pour les moustiques , robes de soirée, petite veste pour le soir et foulard à cause l air conditionné , chaussure légère , sandalette +chaussures de marche , petit sac à dos , parapluie pliable+bas de contention pour l'avion , quelques sacs plastiques et pour les médicaments , spray pour la gorge te le nez , antidouleur, maux d estomac, désinfectant , pansements etc..Pour le reste cela dépend de chacun .Pour les excursions :GUADELOUPE: location de voiture - SAINTE -LUCIE :catamaran avec MSC - BARBADE : certainement un taxi pour visiter la ville - PORT OF SPAIN : tour de la ville et spectacle culturel avec MSC - DOMINIQUE : balade aux sources chaudes titou gorge avec MSC car j'avais pris contact avec un tour local mais pas de réponses et puis nous l'Anglais c 'est approximatif donc ce sera avec MSC et puis GRENADE là une petite sortie sans excursions de prévue . voilà maintenant il serait quand même temps que l'on se presse pour les valises car le départ c'est samedi prochain !!!! Nous aussi nous sommes sur le pont 11 . La chambre 11207 et pour le repas c'est le premier service .Pour le premier jour ça va être chaud , on arrive à Fort de France à 16H15 le temps de récupérer les bagages , prendre un taxi pour le port car nous n'avons pas de transfert prévu puis se faire enregistrer chez MSC , recevoir notre carte MSC pour le séjour qui nous servira comme carte de crédit , le temps d'aller dans notre cabine et de se rafraîchir et bien je pense que pour le premier service ce sera trop tard tant pis nous irons manger au buffet et puis un peu de détente et pas trop tard au dodo car le lendemain lever tôt car récupération de la voiture à 9h maximum .....Au plaisir de se rencontrer .....
Bonjour,
Merci pour votre réponse complète et concise.
Nous avons la cabine 11100.
Nous avons pris les excursions ste-lucie, barbade, grenade(je ne me souviens même plus du contenu).
Sommes ouverts à une sortie en commun, location voiture ou taxi, (si affinités bien-sûr; on le saura après le premier apero !).
Bon week-end.
Bonjour
Voilà
pour la Guadeloupe : voiture de location
Sainte Lucie : croisière Catamaran et pitons réservé
Dominique:Balade aux sources chaudes et titou gorge réservé
Pour le reste on verra
On a dit cooolllll ces vacances !!!
Et bien la date de départ approche j'espère que toutes les personnes de ce groupe que j'ai eu l'occasion de rencontrer sur ce site passeront d'excellentes vacances et que les valises sont bientôt terminées ce qu 'il n'est pas tout à fait mon cas , donc il va falloir me presser un peu .
Bonnes fins de préparatifs.
Le compte à rebours est en route.
Bonne croisière en attendant votre retour pour les premières impressions.
Pour nous, départ le 21 février de Pointe à Pitre.
bonjour,
bonne preparation a vous aussi.les valises se preparent.
point a pitre, :bueno bapteme
st lucie: consols tours
barbade: visite a pied
port of spain:plage des pigeons
dominique:bumping tours
grenade: a voir
fort de france:jardin de balatra
bonnes vacances.
Nous faisons la même croisière que vous le 21 février et aurons la même cabine 11100. Avez-vous été contents de la cabine et du bateau ? Pouvez vous nous faire un petit compte rendu si vous avez le temps ?
bonjour
Nous voilà de retour
C'est sans regrets que nous avons passé une nuit sur Paris avant de partir parce que vu la circulation nous avions peur d'arriver en retard . Mais par contre nous avons eu des problèmes avec Air Caraïbes, places réservées depuis Mars 2015 et lors de la confirmation des vols 48h à l'avance , PLUS DE PLACES , on était séparés dans l'avion alors 2 jours avant le départ on a stresser et pour finir que l'on a dû négocier à l'enregistrement pour être du moins ensemble mais pas au places de départ et pour le retour on a payé un supplément pour bloqué les places alors pour air Caraïbes ATTENTION.
Sinon pour le bateau , un peu déçue car plus petit que les 2 derniers de la même compagnie , salle de sport petite , moins de salons donc moins de soirée après le spectacle comme sur le DIVINA et SPLENDIDA et en plus notre demande de table de 2 n'était pas réservée donc on s'est retrouvé avec un couple pas très bavard qui heureusement pour nous n'est plus venu les autres jours .
Pour le buffet du midi prendre la spécialité du jour pour dire de changer un peu , pour le petit déjeuner nous y allions entre 7H ET 7H30 parce que plus tard trop de monde . On avait la formule Fantastica donc on avait droit au petit déjeuner en chambre , c'est agréable si l'on trop fatigué et de se réveiller en douceur . Comme on avait pris l'allegrissimo , on demandait au bar pour la nuit et le lendemain matin , 2 grandes bouteilles d'eau car celles qui sont dans votre chambre sont payantes .Si vous avez pris ce pack vérifier toujours qu'il soit mis O sur votre facture ., toutes les boissons avec un * vous n' y avait pas droit .
A suivre .....
Bonjour
En ce qui concerne les excursions
Arrivée à POINT A PITRE 8h
petit déjeuner à 7h descendu 8H 15 Voiture récupérée à 8H30
Pour la Guadeloupe , on avait réservé une voiture avant de partir sur Hertz 59.40 EUROS( agence de Bergevin )
parfait . on a visité le musée du café à vieux Habitants ( café Chaulet ) Petit mais bien , sur la route vous pouvez vous arrêter à la cascade aux écrevisses , attention il y a toujours beaucoup de monde puis on a visité le jardin botanique de Des haies ( ancienne demeure de coluche ) beau domaine et puis pause plages , agréable pour se rafraîchir un peu puis on devait faire Saint Anne mais pas eu assez de temps on a traîné on est rentré à 16H30 quand même et l'on devait embarquer pour 17H30, chouette journée .
Tenue vestimentaire pour le soir : VERT BLANC ROUGE.
Pour le lendemain SAinte Lucie , on avait réservé une excursion avant de partir sur MSC pour éviter la course le premier jours pour les excursions
Déjeuner 7H30 cabine ,8H45 rendez-vous au théatre pour départ excursions ( pas oublier les bouteilles d'eau )
croisière en catamaran et pitons (72 PP) cher mais bien , 4 h de balades .Comme on avait fait pas mal de routes la veille on n'avait pas envie de reprendre la route le jour suivant c'est pour cela que l'on avait choisi le bateau et pas trop long .
Tenue vestimentaire pour le soir :TENUE DE GALA
Pour les sorties sans excursions sortie plus rapide au pont 4 .
BARBADE
Sortie libre
Journée détente
Vous demandez BUS LOCAL in ENGLISH OF COURSE !!! enfin comme on peut et là on a pris le bus local qui nous conduit hors du port à l'entrée de la ville 2 EUROS PAR PERSONNE , là on a demandé THE BEACH après avoir passé le pont en bois prenez à droite , on a pris sur la plage une sortie bateau épave et tortues masque et tubas fournis ( 25 DOLLARS PP) , super !!!! surtout que c'était une première pour moi. Superbe plage .
TENUE VESTIMENTAIRE DU SOIR : BLANC
nous avions pris le premier service pour le dîner à 18H30 .
nous avons fait la même excursion sur le catamaran sans le savoir, nous avons bien apprécié et avons rapporté des coups de soleil en prime.
je suis allée voir à la porte de votre cabine à plusieurs reprises ( le couloir en face de la nôtre) mais je n'ai pas osé frapper.
en tout cas, notre première expérience de croisière nous a beaucoup plu et nous réfléchissons déjà à la prochaine.
BONJOUR
eh bien c'est dommage , il fallait frapper !!!!!
et pour l'excursion on s'est peut être parlé sans le savoir , non ?
J avais oublié le papier du numéro de votre chambre et comme je n 'avais de photos de vous c'était compliqué , c'est dommage , je me répète .
TRINIDAD Port of Spain
Arrivée à 9h
On a décidé avec d ' autres Francophones de prendre un taxi -bus comme il y en a partout .
Il nous a proposé un circuit rapide de la ville puis de nous emmener à Maracas Bay , une belle plage en traversant la montagne. Alors attention la route est assez sinueuse donc un conseil ne vous mettez dans le fond du bus , une des passagères était malade .Pour une durée de 4 h , on a payé 20 dollars pp.
On va dire une sortie détente .
Tous à bord pour 16H30
TENUE VESTIMENTAIRE : thème années 60 -70 -80.
DOMINIQUE
On avait réservé une sortie avec MSC .
Balade aux sources chaudes et Titou gorge. 55 pp.( RESERVEE AVANT LE DEPART)
Sortie du bateau vers 10H
le bus nous a emmené tout d abord à Titou gorge , (toujours dans la montagne par une route sinueuse ) là on vous met une sorte de bouée et vous nager 10 min dans une eau froide mais le décor est exceptionnel .(une séquence du film "Pirates des caraïbes 2 "a été tournée là .)
Puis on redescend aux sources chaudes .
Alors là , super il y a plusieurs bassins d'eau chaudes , faîtes les tous , ils ont une température différentes du moins au plus chaud ( AGRÉABLE ) en dégustant une noix de coco fraîche .
Ne pas oublier le maillot , je le dis car assez bien de monde ne l avez pas donc ils n ont rien fait .
Bizarre , ils nous regardaient se détendre .
TENUE VESTIMENTAIRE : GALA .
Avec ce soir un beau spectacle à voir " STARWALKER " ( SOSIE DE MICKAËL JACKSON)
GRENADE ( ST GEORGES)
Là , on a fait une sortie cool
On a pris le petit train qui donne droit avec le billet une entrée au fort et au musée .
Notre chauffeur parlait français et il nous bien expliqué l' histoire de ST Georges
Bien pour une sortie reposante .
Sinon d 'autres on pris une sortie pour la visite de l'usine de noix de Muscade , ils ont apprécié .
Voilà ......
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Bonjour
Je pars en croisière avec la compagnie MSC à bord du World Europa en octobre prochain.
Escale Gêne, Naples, Messine, Malte.
Avez vous fait le Volcan Etna et Pompéi?
Pouvez vous me donner des conseils dans chacune de ces étapes?
Je souhaite me déplacer par mes propres moyens sans prendre d'excursions du bateau
Merci pour vos réponses
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
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
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
We're leaving on August 25th for a Danube cruise from Vienna to Bucharest. The travel agency refuses to postpone this cruise despite navigation changes due to the exceptional drought, which include bus transfers that don’t interest us.
Have you had any experiences with this that you’d like to share?
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
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.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
Hi everyone,
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!
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
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
