Bonsoir MYOSOTIS la salle de restaurant n'a rien a voir avec la salle des spectacles.Pour ma part vous pouvez partir tranquilles car aucune odeur de cigarette nous a dérangés. lors de notre croisiére les personnes qui fumaient aller sur le pont ou dans les restaurant a l'extérieur et dans les coins fumeurs.Et dans les soirées nous n'avons vu personne fumer.Amicalement et bonne soirée
En ce qui nous concerne nous avons egalement juge le forfait boissons prohibitif car nous ne buvons que tres peu, nous avons donc achete les bouteilles d'eau a table et une bouteille de vin qui nous etait remise lors des repas jusqu'a ce que celle ci soit terminee. A 16 H au bar pres de la piscine vous avez egalement le the, cafe, jus de fruits avec sandwiches, viennoiseries, patisseries qui sont compris dans le forfait. En souhaitant a tous les heureux Coraliens qui sont sur le depart de passer une merveilleuse croisiere - Amicalement a tous
En ce qui concerne les tenues de soirees lors de la soiree du Commandant, pour les Messieurs, une chemise et un pantalon a pinces font l'affaire, pour les Dames une robe, rien de bien obligatoire, mais une tenue plus habillee. Dans la journee les tennues decontractees sont les bienvenues d'autant plus lorsque nous partons en excursions il faut souvent marcher et prevoir de bonnes chaussures. Pour le repas du soir, pas de short ni de maillot de bain biensur dans le restaurant.
🙁pardon il est vrai que je n ai ps du tout ete clair j aurai du me relire en lisant depuis le debut j ai vu que a malaga il y avait des cars rouges et je voulais donc savoir combien coutait les billets voilà merci et encore dsl pour mon manque de précision merci
OK Izeu pas de probleme, mais nous n'avons pas pris les cars de la ville mais fait l'excursion prevue par le bateau, je pense que certains ont du mettre des commentaires concernant les visites faites eux memes je vous souhaite donc bonne lecture afin de retrouver les renseignements qui vous seront utiles . Certainement est ce plus abordable que les excursions oraganisees, qui sont quand meme assez cheres.Bien cordialement
les billets sont à 15 €.
A priori réduction de 5 € avec la carte du Coral.
J'ai fait une demande aux offices de tourisme de Malaga et Ibiza à ce sujet.
3 jours après j'avais dans la boite aux lettres de quoi organiser au mieux notre escale.
Par ailleurs, voici le lien des cars rouges de malaga
Bonjour IZEU a part IBIZA ou nous avons pris une navette gratuite car l'escale était d'aprés midi et le retour était a 22 heures malaga ainsi que toute les escales nous les avons faient a pied le navire ne nous laisse pas trés loin du centre et aprés plusieurs heures passées dans le bateau sans rien faire il vaut mieux marcher pour dégourdir nos jambesJe suis désolé je ne peux pas vous donner de tarif .
Bonjour Izeu, comme le precise Hollidays, nous eprouvons quand meme le besoin de marcher lors des escales surtout qu'il ne faut pas oublier que la table est tres bonne a bord du Coral. Mais si vous visitez par vos propres moyens les villes, ayez toujours en tete de ne pas louper l'heure de depart du bateau car celui ci n'attend pas les retardataires. Le fait d'avoir vu lors de nos 2 croisieres a bord du Coral des passagers louper le bateau et avoir ensuite ete obliges de le rejoindre plus loin me fait penser a chaque fois a signaler de toujours etre tres vigilants sur ce point quitte a revenir plutot un quart d'heure avant l'heure precisee. Bonne journee a tous - amicalement
je suis mdrrrrrrrrr Klint le commandant a bord - Pour nous depart dans 9 jours et nous commencons a passer en revue tout le necessaire a ne pas oublier - amicalement
Jusqu’à ce jour je n’étais pas convaincu de prendre un forfait boisson (non alcoolisé)
Le prix est de 56 € pour la durée de la croisière
Voici l’analyse inverse concernant le temps passé à bord
1 de 16h30 à 9h30
2 de 15 à 9h
3 de 9h30 à 16h
4 de 24h à 7h
5 de 11h à 13h
6 de 19h à 19h le lendemain
7 de 23h à 9h
8 de 14h à midi le lendemain
J’ai compté une moyenne d’une bouteille d’eau par personne.
Donc 7 x 2.5 = 17.50 €
Reste donc sur le forfait pour l’amortir 38.50 €
En prenant une moyenne de 2.50 € le verre ca fait 15 verres soit 2 par jour.
Le premier jour, il faut bien fêter l’arriver sur le bateau donc 1 verre + 1 pendant le repas + 1 autre durant la soirée. Donc 3 verres
le deuxième jour, nous arrivons à Palma à 9h pour partir à 15h. De retour un verre, à l’apéro un autre verre, durant le dîner, un autre et un autre pendant la soirée. Ca nous donne 4 verres
3 ème jour, nous naviguons jusqu’à malaga de 9h à 16h, un verre le midi, un autre dans l’après midi, soit 2 verres
Gibraltar – Tanger, 1 verre durant le repas
De Tanger à Ibiza : 1 verre à l’apéro, 1 durant le repas, un pendant la soirée, le lendemain 1 à midi et un dans l’après midi : ca nous fait un compte de 5
De retour de Gènes, 1 verre au repas du soir et un autre dans la soirée d’adieu.
Donc en minimisant la consommation ca nous fait : 17 verres.
(17 x 2.5€) + 17.50 € d’eau = 60 €
On gagne déjà un peu
Pour ceux qui se souviennent, quel est le prix d’un coca ?
Autre petite question, lors des escales, aux heures de repas, comment avez-vous fait ?
Bonjour Klint effectivement cela va tres vite, la bouteille d'eau est a 2, €50 pour 1, 5l la bouteille de vin la moins chere etait a 15€, etant donne que nous consommons peu d'alcool, nous avions surtout achete des bouteilles d'eau, (2 par jour ) il ne faut pas oublier qu'a 16H on peut egalement boire a volonte, jus de fruit, the ou cafe autour de la piscine, en fait notre facture boissons n'etait pas tres elevee, nos depenses les plus importantes etaient pour les excursions nous avons fait toutes celles organisees par le bateau. Lorsque nous etions en excursion aux heures des repas, un repas est compte dans le montant de l'excursion c'etait le cas lorque nous sommes alles visiter les jardins de l'alhambra et nous avons regrette le repas a bord car celui prevu dans l'excursion n'equivalait en rien le resto du coral. Nous perdons donc le repas a bord et payons un repas supplementaire qui n'etait vraiment pas fameux.Dans notre croisiere a venir le 31 mai nous avons egalement une excursion qui va durer la journee complete, (visite de Florence et pise pour une duree de 10H) mais le Rhapsody (MSC) nous laisse le choix soit d'un temps libre lors du repas ou excursion avec le repas inclus, nous allons donc choisir l'excursion sans le repas et chercherons par nous meme un resto a notre convenance. En vous souhaitant une tres bonne journee - amicalement
Bonne roisiére a vous ainsi que toutes les parsonnes qui partiront avec vous dimanche Je pense qu'au retour vous aurez de bons souvenirs a nous rémémorés Beaucoup de joie et un bonjour a tanger et a ibiza de ma part ainsi que de mon mari nous avons beaucoup apréciés ces deux villes Amicalement
mais pour les excursions que l'on fait seule ca fait perdre un repas.
Bon honnêtement ce n'est pas grave mais il faudra juste trouver de quoi manger (avec service rapide quand meme) comprendre la carte, les serveurs et se faire comprendre
KLINT si mes souvenirs sont bons vous ne perdez pas de repas car les excursions sont faites pour ne rien perdre le restaurant attend les personnes qui arrivent aprés l'heure du midi et qui ont fait une excursion tout est calculé car n'oublié pas vous avez payéz votre croisiére?
En principe les repas peuvent etre pris a bord vous pouvez tres bien partir le matin visiter une partie de la ville et revenir manger a bord pour ressortir a nouveau l'aprem quand il y a suffisamment de temps avant le depart. En ce qui concerne Tanger, je pense qu'il est preferable de prendre la visite guidee surtout si vous voulez entrer dans le souk, si on ne connait pas je pense qu'on peut facilement s'y perdre, et surtout rester tres vigilants, des personnes qui faisaient partie de notre groupe d'excursion se sont fait derober leur appareil photo sans meme qu'aucun de nous se rende compte de quoi que ce soit et pourtant nous nous suivions de tres pres. Mefiez vous egalement des Taxis, a Casablanca nous avions negocie le prix d'un taxi et a l'arrivee le prix etait different, en plus ce taxi nous conduisait uniquement dans des boutiques ou je pense le chauffeur devait toucher une commission sur les ventes.
c'est exact hollidays, sauf pour certaines excursions qui sont tres lointaines telles que les jardins de l'alhambra qui durent toute la journee et le repas est inclus dans le prix de l'excursion donc on perd le repas a bord
Nous avons visités tanger sans aucun probléme dés la sortie du bateau vous avez des personnes qui vont marchander pour vous faire visités la ville n'hésité pas nous nous l'avons fait avec un couple de belges pour quinze euros a quatre le monsieur nous a fait visité tanger a pied sous la pluie et il n'était pas trés jeunePar contre faite attention a l'heure car tanger n'a pas la meme heure que nous et vous risquez d'etre en retard pour le bateau AmicalementEt faite atention au vol
Tout a fait desbell l'ahambra était assez loin et il fallait faire les repas en dehors du batau Une question que je me pose avez vous eues la soirée mauresque lors de votre croisiére?Pour notre part nous avons eues 3 soirées J'éspére que tout va bien pour vos enfants et que la croisiére se passe bien Amicalement
Re coucou Hollidays, nous avions eu 3 soirees a themes si je me souviens bien egalement, une soiree mauresque, une en bleu et rouge et une deguisee. Nous partons le 31 Mai prochain mais pas avec le Coral mais a bord du Rhapsody la Cie etant MSC, je viens de recevoir deja une bonne nouvelle notre cabien a ete surclassee, j'avais reserve en derniere minute la semaine derniere et il ne restait alors que des cabines interieures, et a un prix tres attractif donc une tres bonne surprise pour cette fois - bien amicalement a vous
Puisque l'on parle de coût des boissons, j'aurais aimé savoir quels étaient les équipements payants? J'ai vu qu'il y avait une piscine (que je pense gratuite, quand même), un casino, un salon de beauté, un salon de massage, un sauna (il n'y aurait pas aussi un jaccuzzi, par hasard?) et une blanchisserie. C'est simplement pour savoir comment occuper le temps en mer...
Je suis toujours à la recherche de croisieriste partant le 6 juillet (mais bon j'ai encore le temps de les rencontrer sur le site!)
Merci pour vos réponses!
Bonjour Myosotis, rassurez vous le temps passe tres vite a bord, il y a de nombreuses animations, une petite piscine, un sauna, salle de gym (gratuits) solarium, biensur casino, salon de beaute, coiffeur, blanchisserie sont payants, et puis avec les excursions chaque jour on a peu de temps libre. En vous souhaitant une tres belle croisiere - cordialement
je viens de me faire une petite synthèse des excursions décrites sur le forum,
et je m'aperçois que l'on ne dit pas grand'chose sur IBIZA,
à part que le port est en pleine ville.
A tous ceux qui ont déjà fait cette croisière, que pensez vous d'IBIZA, qu'y a t-il à voir ?
y a t-il un bus touristique ?......
Hollidays, qu'avez-vous apprécié dans cette ville, dont vous soulignez votre satisfaction dans votre dernier message. ?
Nous sommes arrives le soir a Ibiza et notre guide est sur le quai et nous accompagne en autocar pour visiter la vieille ville fortifiee a pied, de la nous avons une magnifique vue sur l'ile de Fromentera, puis nous revenons vers le port ou nous degustons un verre de Sangria, puis visite des boutiques avant de rejoindre le bateau.
Je suis parti de toulon il y a 15 ans j'habite maintenant aux Pennes Mirabeau (juste à coté des bateaux de croisière).
Comme je suis un grand fan de rugby et plus particulièrement du RCT qui joue la montée en top14 dimanche, j'ai trouvé que l'avatar était approprié.
JE joue au rugby, pas loin de chez vous, à la seyne sur mer.
J'ai toute ma famille sur Toulon, donc j'y vais assez régulièrement
Je viens juste de realiser que c'etait le sigle du RCT de Toulon les rouges et noirs. Nous sommes en effet pas tres loin puisque nous sommes a l'entree de Sanary sur Six fours les plages ( plage de Bonnegrace) que vous devez connaitre. Vous etes en effet bien place maintenant pour les Croisieres. En vous souhaitant une bonne journee - amicalement
J'habite à Bruxelles, et je pars avec ma femme et ma fille de 16 ans le 6 juillet prochain à bord du Coral.
Qui d'autres ?
J'ai lu que Myosotis22 partait le même jour.
L'année passée, je suis parti du 8 août au 18 août 2007 à bord du Sapphire (1ére croisière).
Excellents souvenirs.😎
Bonjour Michel, et bienvenue parmi les Coraliens je pense que vous trouverez des participants du forum avec vous et que vous pourrez partager ainsi d'agreables moments a bord - bien cordialement
Bonjour klint comme je l'aie déja explique tanger nous l' avons visité avec un guide qui se trouvait a la sortie du bateau vous verrez il y aura plein de guide véhiculés qui vous amméne au centre ville en voiture.Ensuite ce guide vous fait visiter la ville tous les monuments le souk et tout cela pour nous 15 euros a 4. Bien entendue a pied la visite de la ville ne se fait pas en voiture. Essayé de faire la visite avec un autre couple c'est plus amusant et aussi plus prudent
Amicalement
Comme vous l'avez dit IBIZA est une ville touristique nous nous l' avons visités tout seul.Nous avons visités la vieille ville ainsi que le centre beaucoup de petit commerçants.Trés sympathiques.Nous avons trouvé que c'était assez sympa.J'éspére que pour votre part vous serez séduit par cette ile.Amicalement Et bon wwek end i
Ce matin j'ai la désagréable surprise de constater que le lien concernant le "Retour de croisiere a bord du coral " est inactif, avec dicsussion fermee sur…
Nous sommes rentrés le 29/06/2008 de notre croisière à bord du Coral. Sincèrement malgré tous les avis positifs que j’avais pu lire, je ne pensais pas être…
Nous avons aimé: - le site de Portofino (excursion Gênes), - Santorin: nous avons grimpé la falaise à pieds ; 588 marches, 35 mn. sans se presser, spectacle…
Nous sommes rentrés d'une magnifique croisière en YC sur le fameux "MERAVIGLIA". Eh bien, ce bateau porte bien son nom, il est, ce n'est que notre avis…
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
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!
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.
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant 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,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
😉Hi there,
A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk.
I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!