On y arrivera à tous se rencontrer à bord d'un bateau 😄 et puis peut être qu'au dernier moment une frenésie de départ me reprendra et pourquoi pas fin Mai sur le fameux F ca ne ferait que 3 fois 😄 mais chuttttttt ne rien dire à PAP 🙂 bah ca serait une surprise , mais avant Mai il va falloir trouver à s'occuper en Février, Mars et Avril.
J'ai tout de même envie d'essayer une Transat mais il me faudrait trouver un pédalo hyper rapide pour rejoindre l'amerique du Sud car ma bete noire c'est l'avion 😠
Les valises sont bouclées il faut dire qu'au retour je procède au lavage et remise en place de ce qui peut rester dedans comme cela elles sont pratiquement toujours prêtes au départ😉
quand tu achete le forfait boisson sur le bateau payes tu tout de suite ou à la fin de la croisière?
Pareil pour les frais de service?
merci pour ta réponse et bonne journee
Mais aucun problème nous sommes la jusqu'a mardi prochain pour essayer de répondre et de renseigner,
Lorsqu'on achete les packs boissons a bord ils sont débités avec la facture totale en fin de croisière souvent environ 15 jours après notre retour sinon plus.
les 15% sont ajoutés automatiquement au prix du pack
En fait il faut deja compter 11 jours a 6€ par personne
+ tous les achats à bords en ce qui concerne les bars + 15%
C'est l'éternelle différence entre *dépense* et *sortie de trésorerie* :
sur le bateau, tu as un "compte bateau" avec une "carte de paiement" (carte Costa, Carte MSC..) : chaque fois que tu fais un achat (donc une *dépense*), ce compte est débité en temps réel : c'est le cas d'un forfait boisson. c'est aussi le cas du forfait de séjour qui chez Costa (et MSC ?) est maintenant débité au jour le jour : tu peux ainsi suivre ton compte bateau (TV de cabine, impression papier demandée à la réception) au plus près.
Quand tu quittes le bateau, tu reçois la *facture* que tu as *réellement à payer* (jusqu'à présent, tout était "virtuel") : c'est à partir de ce moment là qu'ils vont débiter ta *carte bancaire* d'un montant égal à ta facture (note pour les comptables : par le crédit du compte bateau, qui se retrouve donc à zéro).
A ce moment là, tu te retrouves donc avec un débit de carte bancaire qui suit son chemin habituel : si elle est "à paiement immédiat", ton compte bancaire est débité dans la foulée (et donc il y a *sortie de trésorerie*, puisque à ce moment là et à ce moment là seulement, tu "perds" réellement de l'argent), si elle est "à débit différé", ton compte bancaire ne sera débité qu'à l'échéance habituelle de ta carte et la *sortie de trésorerie* sera donc repoussée de quelques jours encore.
Bref, ce qui est important à savoir, c'est que ton compte bancaire ne peut en aucun cas être débité *avant* que tu aies quitté le bateau (pour les dépenses sur le bateau, bien sûr, si tu fais une carte bancaire à terre, elle suit son chemin habituel).
C'est ce qui fait que finalement, qu'on te débite sur ton compte bateau les frais de séjour au jour le jour ou à la fin, qu'on te facture les excursions au fur et à mesure ou en bloc au début, en dehors du fait qu'il faudra en tenir compte dans ton suivi de compte bateau, ça ne change rien pour ton compte an banque.
Dans le meilleur des cas, comme ça m'est arrivé une fois, tu seras même prélevée en décembre pour une croisière de mai... Je finissais par croire qu'ils avaient "oublié"... 😇
Que ce genre de notion ne soit pas enseigné dès le primaire... oui, je pense... 😉 Ca permettrait sans doute d'éviter pas mal de situations de surendettement...
Mais bon, ça serait sûrement "gênant" pour certains commerçants peu scrupuleux... 🤪
puisque que l'on parle de carte bancaire. je vais avoir la visa premier. ca me donne quoi comme avantage en croisière ou en voyage ? avant et après ? bon on m'a bien expliqué quelques trucs mais bon... je suis sur que je vais apprendre des trucs grace à toi... 😉😛
je te remercie de ta réponse et je te remercie aussi desbell
je sias que je vous pose bcp de question mais je suis novice et j'essaye de savoir comme mon voyage va se dérouler
bonne soiree
Grace a ma CB je ne prends pas les assurances proposées par les agences, par contre si je reserve plus de 3 semaines a l'avance je compléte tout de même par l'assurance annulation, autrement aucun probleme.
En cas de perte ou vol des papiers (CI, permis de conduire etc.. les frais pour les refaire sont pris en charge)
Nous avons également des reductions sur certaines chaines hotelieres "Accor" Cinema, voyages
Autorisation assez important de dépassement en cas de probleme
retraits également plus important a l'etranger et en france
( cela est fonction de la carte choisie)
En définitve malgré le cout de cette carte on s'y retrouve rapidement quand on voyage pas mal.
PAP va certainement t'apporter des précisions supplémentaires 😄
Mais deja on sait qu'il faut prévoir le parapluie🙁
Et Bruno, nous allons bientôt avoir un troisième membre au club !!!!!
Je ne souhaite pas que vous ayez d'aussi mauvaises conditions météorologiques que nous et j'espère que vous pourrez bien profiter de votre croisière.
Bien cordialement.
La vie, c'est comme la bicyclette, il faut avancer si vous ne voulez pas perdre l'équilibre (Einstein)
Merci Gélatine 😄 on ne peut pas avoir pire que ce nous avions eu en Décembre 2009 à Madère, des déluges de pluie avec coulées de boue, toutes les excursions annulées, et cette fois en Décembre 2010, le port de Madère était fermé 🤪 accostage a Lanzarote en remplacement.
Et les filles,
Attention dans le club Katakolon sous la pluie nous sommes deux membres : bruno et moi et bientôt peut être une troisième avec Desbell. ALors il faut payer votre cotisation si vous voulez adhérer c'est à dire prouver par une photo que vous avez fait une escale à Katamachin sous la pluie.
Pour vous rassurer, chez nous il fait un soleil magnifique mais très froid.
Bien cordialement
Gélatine
La vie, c'est comme la bicyclette, il faut avancer si vous ne voulez pas perdre l'équilibre (Einstein)
Et Bruno, nous allons bientôt avoir un troisième membre au club !!!!!
chouette. mais en cherchant bien on va remplir un stade. il est pourri ce bled... 🤪 et pas que pour la météo. j'ai aussi en travers les escrocs qui louent des scooters dangereux, les serveurs qui refusent de vous servir quand il pleut, donc souvent... c'est du vécu... 😉 des plages introuvables mais au fait, elles servent à quoi ? des passants désagréables vous envoyant bouler lorsque l'on demande quelque chose, olympie ou il n'y a plus grand chose à voir, kata ou on a fait le tour en 30 mn chrono...
rien que dit penser, j'ai une poussée d'urticaire... 😠
PAP va certainement t'apporter des précisions supplémentaires 😄
Hello bruno, Hello desbell !
ben pas grand chose, tu as presque tout dit :
Les cartes dites "haute de gamme" (VISA Premier, AMEX Gold, Gold-Mastercard...) ont toutes :
- un paiement presque toujours à débit différé (tu choisis le plus souvent avec ta banque entre 10, 20, ou 30 du mois)
- des prestations d'assurance pour les voyage, comme de l'assurance décès en cas de crash aérien (pour tes proches...), certaines assurances annulations, assurance vol/perte/déterioration bagages, et d'autres assurances aanalogues, pour peu que (c'est FONDAMENTAL) le voyage aiut été payé avec ladite carte
- des prestations d'assistance (pour toi, ton épouse, tes enfants mineurs même sans toi...)
- des possibilités de retraits (en France ou à l'étranger) supérieures à la "carte de base", et que tu peux d'ailleurs moduler avec ton banquier soit de façon permanente, soit de façon ponctuelle (genre "allo Monsieur le Banquier, je viens de payer par carte VISA Premier la croisière autour du monde pour toute la famille, veuillez augmenter mon plafond *pour ce mois-ci*", ce qu'il fera volontiers si ton compte en banque suit... 😉 ). Je ne recommande pas par contre de mettre de façon permanente des seuils de paiement ou/et de retrait trop hauts, les limites sont une sécurité.
- des tas d'avantages promotionnels chez une foultitude d'enseignes partenaires... (même si cela fait souvent double emploi avec les cartes de fidélité : exemple : la VISA Premier et surtout la VISA Infinite te donnent des réduction cheez les Hôtels ACCOR, mais non cumulable avec les cartes ACCOR "a-club" FAVORITE GUEST...)
- et ce pour un tarif souvent compétitif (voire nul..).
Les cartes dites "très haut de gamme" (VISA infinite, AMEX Platinum, Platinum-Mastercard) ont les mêmes choses, mais avec des plafond plus élevés. Attention, elles sont très chères, faut que le jeu en vaille la chandelle... Par exemple le summum du summum, l'American Express Platinum est à plus de 500 euros par an (et je crois que tu dois justifier d'une venu annuel de plus de 100 000 euros.. 🤪 ). Mais bon, si ton avions se plante, tes héritiers décrochent le jack-pot... 😇🤪. A l'inverse, avec une banque en ligne dont je ne donnerai pas le nom, mais "qui annonce les thunes haut et fort" 😇 et où la couleur verte domine, la Platinum Mastercard est *gratuite* si tu peux justifier de 4000 euros par mois de revenus - pas forcément domiciliés chez eux - , ou de 50 000 euros placés chez eux )
Je rappelle aussi que certaines banques en ligne distribuent les cartes "haute de gamme" (voire les "très haut de gamme" comme exemple donné plus haut) *gratuitement* (sous réserve de pourvoir justifier d'un certain revenu, sans pour autant devoir le domicilier chez elles (tu gardes ta banque habituelle), ou d'un certain patrimoine (livret, assurance vie) déposé chez eux.
Mon conseil pratique : sauf les cas où elle est "gratuite", bien lire les brochures des cartes "haut de gamme" ou "très haut de gamme" avant de les acheter, pour voir si on a le retour sur investissement.
Un dernier conseil pour les assurances "croisières" (annualtion, bagages, maladie etc...) : bien lire ce que donne la carte bancaire et ce quie propose le croisiériste ou l'agence. ce n'est pas toujours exactement la même chose, et en plus, comme il y a souvent des plafond, on peut toujours les "cumuler", mais bien sûr comme pour toute assurance, *dans les limites de la dépense réelle* (qu'il conviendra de chiffrer) : exemple : perte de valise garantie pour 500 euros par la carte, et pour 800 euros par l'agence de voyage, faudra les justifier, les 1300 euros, si tu veux les toucher... (d'où l'importance de garder les factures des fringues chères...). Ne jamais oublier que s'ils retrouvent ta valise et qu'elle ne contient pas ce que tu avais déclaré, tu risques 3 ans de prison et une grosse amende... 😉
pour les réduction en hotels, comment tu fais pour les faire valoir ces dites réductions ?
quand aux héritiers, encore faut t'il qu'ils sachent qu'il y a quelques chose à réclamer... sinon, la banque, comme les assurances, se gardent bien de les relancer ! venez chercher vos sous... 😏
pour les réduction en hotels, comment tu fais pour les faire valoir ces dites réductions ?
Tu présentes ta carte, et éventuellement un justificatif quelconque de l'offre promotionnelle...
quand aux héritiers, encore faut t'il qu'ils sachent qu'il y a quelques chose à réclamer... sinon, la banque, comme les assurances, se gardent bien de les relancer ! venez chercher vos sous... 😏
Maintenant, depuis peu, les banques et organisme d'assurance sont tenues (pas la loi française) de rechercher les destinataires... IL avait été démontré il y a quelques temps que quelque 50 milliard d'euros étaient ainsi en "attente de paiement"...
PS : mes enfants savent tous que j'achète toujours mes croisières avec mes Cartes bancaires THG ... Comme ça, en cas de naufrage... 😉 ça les aidera à se consoler... 😎
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Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
hi there
Here’s the cruise schedule for 2026.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members.
2 essential rules:
1) never "quote" the calendar when replying—this’ll avoid any confusion
2) follow the format below
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry!PLEASE respect the templates!
COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF CRUISES 2026:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Nous ferons la prochaine croisière CFC en Norvège et nous sommes à la recherche du programme des excursions ainsi que leur tarif.
Pour ceux qui auraient effectué cette croisière par le passé pourriez vous me communiquer ces renseignements ?
Je sais que la compagnie ne communique pas sur le sujet sinon 8 semaines avant le départ. J'aime m'organiser à l'avance et éviter les mauvaises surprises .
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
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!