I’ve wanted to take this Norway cruise for a very long time. The first time I booked it was in July 2020 with Azamara. Unfortunately, it was canceled, as everyone remembers. When I tried to book it again, the prices (already a bit high with Azamara) had simply doubled. So, since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out every year for any opportunities...
The last time we sailed with Princess was eleven years ago, and things didn’t go very well. I came back pretty unhappy with their service and quite disappointed. Despite the $600 they gave me as credit for a future cruise, I’d never set foot on one of their ships again.
But this time, the opportunity arose—a fantastic itinerary with lots of stops, a reasonable price for 16 nights (I’ll share the details in the conclusion), and a ship that’s not too big, so to speak, with only 3,000 passengers. I’m not expecting much from the cruise line this time and am boarding the ship with low expectations beyond the itinerary.
Princess has introduced an app to download before the cruise. It’s essential because online check-in is no longer available, and the agency doesn’t send a travel journal. Everything is done through the app. After completing the check-in on the app, we only know that we’ll need to pick up our key, the Medallion, at embarkation by following the blue line in the terminal and presenting our passport.
Up until our departure, the weather forecast for the coming week in Norway is disastrous—rain, rain, and more rain. It was pretty much the same two years ago before our Iceland cruise, and in the end, the weather turned out fine.
If you’re ready to embark on the Emerald Princess to discover this beautiful cruise and the stunning landscapes of Norway, let’s go!
Southampton - Sea day - Bergen - Olden - Åndalsnes - Sea day - Tromsø - Honningsvåg (North Cape) - Alta - Sea day - Molde - Trondheim - Two sea days - Edinburgh - Sea day - Southampton
Hi Catherine 😉 How exciting! I’m the first to hop on board to follow and share your wonderful moments from this cruise, which I gather enchanted you.
Looking forward to the rest 😎
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Southampton, boarding and first steps on the ship.
We don’t have a set boarding time. We try showing up at 10 AM, and to my surprise (I’d forgotten we had priority with our Platinum status), we board almost immediately among the first passengers.
Boarding is extremely simple and quick, just like it’s described in the app.
It’s a lovely surprise to discover how beautiful this ship is—like new—after visiting the Renaissance. Yet it was built by Fincantieri shipyards back in 2007.
The weather is so nice that we can have our first meal on the terrace. What a joy these first moments of a cruise are... And we made the right call—it was the only time the weather let us enjoy this terrace and the bar at the very back of the ship.
View of one of the two central pools—the water isn’t heated, and there’s no indoor pool on this ship.
Well, well, a Celebrity buddy at the other end of the port.
The Medallion, which replaces the cabin card, unlocks the door as we simply approach—it’s really great.
The balcony cabin is very pleasant, with soft, light colors, plenty of storage, and a superb, practical dressing area. It’s on Deck 10, which I love on Princess ships because of the size of its very large balconies—we made full use of them when there was too much wind or loud music on the upper decks.
The safety drill is very simplified and not at all restrictive, with no crowding since everyone does it individually whenever they want, after watching the video on TV—but before departure, of course.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025,
Southampton, boarding and first steps on the ship. (continued)
A little party is taking place on the pool deck for departure. Dancers and musicians help us have a great time. Just before the ship leaves the dock, they belt out an ABBA classic that really gets the atmosphere going. The dancers get the passengers involved in their routines, and the party continues as we sail along the Hampshire coast.
We pass Netley Castle, built in the 16th century by... Bluebeard (Henry VIII). It’s an old fort meant to protect Southampton from French or Germanic invasions.
In the shops, pretty Russian nesting dolls are on display but marked down—has the destination lost its appeal?
The carpets here are really beautiful, nothing like others we’ve seen recently. 😉
The variety show in the theater is typically American, Broadway-style, and we definitely don’t like this kind of show any more than usual.
At the first restaurant we try, the line is 30 or 40 people long. At the second, the line is shorter, but we’re told there’s a minimum 35- to 40-minute wait for a table for two. We agree to share a table with six other people. Once seated, the wait for someone to take our order is so long, and the noise level so high, that we end up excusing ourselves and leaving to retreat to the café, where the quiet is a real balm for our poor ears.
Princess already had this crowding issue at mealtimes in their restaurants when we used to cruise with them regularly over 11 years ago. They clearly haven’t figured out how to fix it. And this wait was *before* the theater crowd poured out—it was packed...
The World Fresh Market buffet (the café) offers a wide selection of dishes, international and from all corners of the globe—it’s fantastic. The setup is similar to Celebrity’s, with several islands that improve flow and avoid congestion and long waits. Everyone serves themselves. The dishes we tried were really good. Each evening, a different specialty is featured.
Opening hours are very flexible, from 6 AM to 10 PM without interruption, so you can grab a bite anytime.
For the past few days, I’ve been eagerly waiting for your review.
I’m jumping on board to follow along, and I know I’ll have plenty to read for the next few days.
Tell me, you’ve got a balcony that’s *insane* (as the kids say these days).
For the buffet, I totally agree with you—on Princess, the food stations are really well presented and well stocked, whether it’s at the start or end of service.
As for the noise in the dining rooms, I think it’s because the ceilings are too low...
Hi Alfred,
I’m so happy you’re joining us for this wonderful cruise.
Yes, these balconies were amazing—on this itinerary, they were a real plus, and we took full advantage of them, way more than when they’re small.
The sun is shining, the wind is light. In the sun, with a light jacket, it’s not unpleasant at all.
What a joy to do nothing—just read, soak up the sun, and wonder which restaurant to choose for lunch, eat outside or inside? A truly relaxing moment.
We opt for a burger and fries to eat in the sun without leaving our lounge chair. No guarantee the weather will stay this nice, so we’re making the most of every opportunity that comes our way.
This first day at sea ends with what used to be a "gala evening" but has since become a "welcome evening." The difference is simple: the gala meal has been replaced with the same menu as the other days, but the photo business remains. Americans love these snapshots taken by the photographers—there are even lines at several spots.
For this welcome evening, the company’s specialty is the champagne fountain. It’s a tall pyramid of champagne glasses carefully and delicately stacked, with champagne poured in a cascade from the top glass, trickling down into the others. It’s a fun and spectacular little moment.
After the captain and an entertainment manager open the first bottles of champagne, many people want to be immortalized pouring champagne over the pyramid—and once again, a long line forms, much to the photographers’ delight.
A glass of champagne is offered to spectators during this evening. Luckily, it’s not the same one used for the cascade, though it’s still not great. 😉
We try a second experience at the restaurant. It’s earlier than yesterday, so we hope it’ll be easier. We only wait 10 minutes to get a buzzer, which makes us wait another 20 minutes. Once at the table, it’s 20 minutes for the starter and another 15 for the main course. We get the message—we’d rather skip dessert and head to deck 15, which is much calmer and more peaceful. At the restaurant, the servers are so rushed and stressed that we feel like we’re bothering them, even though they’re doing their best. It’s really not pleasant, and we won’t be trying that again. Thankfully, the food was very good, and the dessert too.
We continue the evening at the Irish Café, listening to a recital of Irish music and songs. Beautiful, melodic, or lively—we have a wonderful time.
My favorite cruises are the Norwegian fjords.
Two with MSC, twice to the North Cape—once for the midnight sun, once for the snow in May.
Geiranger, of course, Molde, Tromsø, the Lofoten Islands, Ålesund.
The Briksdal Glacier and Briksdal, which has shrunk by more than half in 20 years—it was catastrophic; we barely recognized the site because of the difference.
The third was on the Queen Mary 2, a floating museum.
Everything is beautiful—the smallest chandelier, the fresh flower bouquets in the welcome hall, plenty of little "secret" nooks. The two gentlemen from the company who dance with passengers without partners.
The small lounges with musicians of different styles, tea time....
The afternoon piano concerts—"Grieg," of course, since we’re in Norway.....
And the crazy urge to do a fourth one for the landscapes I never tire of.
If any of you haven’t taken a cruise in Norway yet, you’ve got to fill that gap—you won’t regret it. What do you think, 4rine?
Norway is a really beautiful destination and it’s perfect for a cruise. I get why people love going back, but it’s not my favorite spot—there were things I didn’t love. I’ll talk more about that in the conclusion. 😉
Hope you get to do your fourth one soon! 😎
Nestled between seven mountains, Bergen is the second-largest city in the country and one of the oldest, founded in 1070. It was the former capital of Norway in the Middle Ages and thrived as a center of the Hanseatic trade (a league that protected and secured commerce), as evidenced by the Bryggen harbor district with its colorful wooden houses from the 14th century.
We arrive in this lovely city smoothly.
The ship was supposed to arrive in Bergen at noon, but we dock half an hour early. Unfortunately, the rain shows up at the same time.
We decide to take our time to avoid the crowds at the café and let the rain pass. It was the right choice.
We quickly cross the city and its tourist market—we’ll explore it more later in the late afternoon.
We want to take the funicular up Mount Fløyen. The station is easy to find since it’s right in the city center. We’ll take it if it’s not too crowded; otherwise, we’ll hike up the trail.
Perfect—there’s no one around. We board quickly for this easy ride up the heights of the city. In just 6 minutes, it climbs 320 meters, offering a stunning view. The price is 130 NOK (11 €) per person.
The view is gorgeous as soon as the sun graces us with its presence.
The temperature isn’t very high—13-14°C—ideal for the hike we want to do.
We have a bit of trouble at the start finding our way. The signs aren’t clear, and the names don’t match what we have... But after some hesitation, detours, and backtracking, we find the right path. There are two lakes to see.
Skomakerdiket pond is tiny, but even without the sun, the soft spring colors are vibrantly fresh—the place is charming.
The path climbs and dips between the trees or through wide stretches of wild meadows.
And we reach the edges of the second lake, Strorediket*.
Deep in nature, the only sounds are the silence, the birdsong, and the murmur of water.
The moss covering the ground and the base of the trees looks like a thick, soft carpet you almost want to lie down on.
We head back down to Bergen via the hiking trail. This path under the trees is lovely—it winds gently toward the heart of the city. We don’t regret doing it downhill at all.
A few gaps in the trees offer a pretty view of the city.
*Disclaimer: I used AI on my photos to remove "eyesores"—as someone here I loved reading used to say—like trash cans, cars, or other details that spoiled the images.
The view of all these pointed roofs is surprising.
It makes you want to explore these neighborhoods away from the tourist center, which are full of charm.
Heading back to the city, we passed this church with an unexpected steeple. Holy Cross Church was built in 1150. It has burned down several times and has been restored and modified many times, giving it its unique appearance. Unfortunately, we won’t see the inside—it’s completely closed.
In the Bryggen harbor district, the oldest part of the city, the pretty colorful houses all house shops or businesses aimed at passing tourists.
This former trading post exported dried cod from the north of the country, fur, leather, and other goods. It imported grain, wine, beer, fabric, and hardware from the Baltic Sea countries.
This entirely wooden district has been devastated by fires many times, but each time it has been rebuilt in the same style, on the same foundations, and with the same materials.
A few passages allow access to the somewhat austere alleys behind this gleaming facade.
Today, the huge terraces of bars and cafés sprawl along the quays by the water.
After walking 20 km, we’re pretty tired when we get back to the ship.
After relaxing for a bit, we head straight to the World Fresh Market, which suits us perfectly. The food is good, and tonight for dessert, there are crepes made to order with a wide choice of toppings, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And it’s delicious!
A big thank you for this lovely story (as always) and what can I say about your photos—they’re truly stunning!
I hope you get to enjoy a quiet dinner (at least one evening) in one of the restaurants! It’s such a shame to go to the buffet every night (even if it’s well-stocked and varied). But if you’ve done that so far, the wait and/or noise must be really unbearable.
Hi there, By sheer chance, a family housewarming in Brussels gave us the opportunity to depart from Zeebrugge for our first experience with CFC, allowing us to…
Hello everyone!
Just a little backstory—my username comes from the year I took my first cruise.
Sixteen years and nine cruises later, I’m currently on my 10th, this time in the Yacht Club interior.
I’m taking you along with me!
Left Marseille on Wednesday, October 21st.
After train troubles (issues on the Paris-Marseille line), then getting lost at La Joliette—years ago, I’d taken the metro and the port bus, thinking I had to go left once near the port, but no, the little gate is on the right after the shopping center.
Wait, she took the metro and bus to the Yacht Club?
Yep! After waiting 15 minutes for the shuttle, once the bus dropped us off, it was a 15-20 minute walk to the ship.
Finally, we made it to the boarding dock.
Headed toward the little Yacht Club flag, where a nice young woman checked our IDs and gave us luggage tags.
She walked us through security (we got to skip the line).
After that, we went to the Yacht Club lounge, where two butlers were waiting. They offered us drinks, and a third person arrived to check passports and handle registration. Then, they gave us a form to pick a complimentary bottle—I didn’t do it right away.
I felt a little rushed by everyone.
I’ll explain more later in my story.
Today, we’re in Barcelona.
A few photos to come in the meantime.
Hi everyone, I’m going on a cruise at the end of January with MSC and I’m looking into the excursions I could do. I’d like to know if I can do the excursions on my own or if I absolutely have to go through MSC based on safety levels.
We’ll be stopping in Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cartagena in Colombia, Puerto Limón in Costa Rica, Belize City, and Colón in Panama.
Thanks!
Emeline
Has anyone here tried GigSky’s “Cruise + Land” eSIM during your cruise?
I’ve seen on various forums that they offer some great deals. For my part, I found a one-month plan (5 GB) for 78 €, whereas MSC charges 290 € on board.
Since we can’t afford to go completely offline (especially my wife—we need to stay in touch for several reasons), we absolutely need an internet plan.
Hi there,
I’m looking into a Mediterranean cruise on the Splendida in YC.
I’d love to know if it’s a ship with a lot of triple and quadruple cabins in the Yacht Club.
The thing is, I’m planning to depart from Malta, and either the cruise ends during the French school holidays in October with a departure from Marseille—which means there’s a risk of lots of kids on board—or the other option is a departure on October 30th, which might also have some French kids during the first part of the cruise.
I read that some ships in the Fantasia class have more triple or quadruple cabins than others, but I’m not sure if the Splendida is one of them.
If anyone has that info…
PS: This isn’t about starting a debate on traveling with or without kids… I’d just like a quiet week, and that’s not always easy in a small space with lots of children around.
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
Hello, I’ll be on the Costa Serena from April 27 to May 4, 2027. Given that the excursions offered by Costa can sometimes be pricey, what would you recommend for the following stopovers?
Cagliari.
Tunis.
Palermo.
Marseille.
Thanks for keeping in mind that we’re in our sixties and one member of our small group can’t handle very long walks (so no more than 6 km in a day).
Thank you for your help.
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, I’m about to go on a cruise on the Costa Smeralda but I’ve never been on a cruise before. Could anyone share the à-la-carte drink menu? I’d like to know if the prices are excessive, since the MyDrinks drink packages, for example, cost 266 € per adult.
Have a great day! 😉
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?
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,
I’m going on a Mediterranean cruise in November and I’m looking for some "tips" to visit the cities of Naples, Messina, and Valletta in Malta without booking the ship’s excursions, which are really expensive.
Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions. We’re a group of 6 people.
Looking forward to hearing from you...
Best,
M
PS: We’re also stopping in Genoa and Barcelona—even though we know these two cities, we’d still love any tips for visiting them!
Thanks
Hello everyone,
We’re a senior couple signed up for a 13-day cruise in Japan on the Princess Sapphire, departing from Yokohama on April 8, 2027.
Are there any other French speakers on this forum who’ll be on this trip?
Hoping for a reply...
Hi, we're heading to Venice soon. We have a hotel in Mestre and we'd like to know which bus can take us from the Mestre hotel to Marghera Port. Thanks.
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 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
Hi,
We’ll be visiting Barcelona for the first time on our upcoming cruise.
I was wondering if it’s better to book a taxi in advance to get from the train station to the cruise terminal, since there’ll be four of us. Are there enough taxis around that we won’t have to wait too long?
For the return trip, same question—are there enough taxis, since we have a flight to catch? Though I doubt we’ll know in advance which terminal we’ll dock at.
I came across this site below—has anyone heard of it?
https://taxibarcelona.taxi/fr/
Hi everyone, we're going on a week-long cruise and I have a question: can we travel by train and on a cruise with small refrigerated injectable syringes?
Do we need to complete any formalities?
And how should we store them?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
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 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!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
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 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
to be continued...
Today, the huge terraces of bars and cafés sprawl along the quays by the water.
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.