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.
Hi Alfred,
I’m really happy this cruise worked out for you after the disappointment of the long-planned one being canceled—it’s such a nice consolation. And at the price you got, it’s a real win. 😏
Hi Alfred,
I’m so glad this cruise met your expectations after the disappointment of the long-planned one being canceled—it’s a real consolation. And at the price you got, it’s truly satisfying.
Hi Catherine!
It’s been a while since I’ve been this happy with a cruise. You’ll see throughout my review, honestly, there’s almost nothing to complain about.
Yeah, we got an amazing price. Sure, there weren’t many ports, but given the services we had, I think we got a great deal.
Just so you know, the price includes: Flight, transfer, cruise, service fees, and the "Easy Package" for drinks.
Hi Alfred,
So glad you enjoyed this cruise!
Like Catherine, I think the price is great for 2 weeks :)😎
Well done!
I’m in for the next one ;)
Hey Isa!
I thought of you on the ship because all the pools were heated to 27°C the whole cruise, and the jacuzzis were a good size (minimum 12 people). Since you love heated pools, you’d have been in heaven—and the jacuzzis were just as great.
Okay, I know I go regularly, but my wife doesn’t. On cruises, she says it’s a "bacterial soup"… but anyway, that’s another story! Still, I thought of you when it came to the pools and jacuzzis—it was perfect!
Our flight was scheduled for 10:50 AM at Orly. We left home around 7 AM. Since it was Easter Sunday, the roads were clear—hardly anyone between my place and the airport. It took about half an hour because we don’t live far from Orly.
I’d checked in online, so all that was left was to drop off our luggage, pick up the boarding pass, and head to the departure lounge to wait for the flight.
About an hour before departure—around 9:30 AM—they started boarding. When we reached the jet bridge, we were all held up because it had come loose.
Nothing serious, we waited about 40 minutes for a technician to arrive. After that, everything went smoothly, and we boarded the plane.
As a result, the flight took off about 45 minutes late. I’d booked our seats in advance and chose aisle seats so I could move around easily and avoid being disturbed.
It wasn’t a long flight—about 8 hours and 40 minutes. We moved around without any issues, and my wife had no problems. Everything was perfect, no issues with heavy legs.
However, the plane was packed—full to the brim—with 30 to 40% kids. That’s when we realized it was school vacation for Zone A. I thought to myself, *"I hope all these people aren’t heading to the MSC."* I hadn’t even realized it was school vacation; I’ve lost track.
As for the meal, with Caraïbes, I’m used to flying with them, and honestly, no complaints. We had an aperitif and a very decent meal tray (with real cutlery, not wooden ones).
Before landing, we got a little snack, which I didn’t try because it was sweet, and I don’t eat too many sweet things.
The flight went well. We arrived at the airport, picked up our luggage, and were met by an MSC agent. I think there were about fifty of us. I expected more, but it was around fifty. The MSC agent led us to the bus. However, someone had a luggage issue, so we ended up waiting over an hour in the parking lot before heading to the ship.
On the way, since it was Easter Sunday, everything was closed—it was dead quiet. For those who know Guadeloupe, between the airport, the port, and the city center, it’s usually packed, but this time it was smooth, almost no one around. Because on Easter Sunday, people go to the beach; they take advantage of it since it’s sacred in the French West Indies. It only took about fifteen minutes—I didn’t even count. When we arrived at the port, a few small shops were open.
We boarded the ship directly. I can’t imagine those who’ve never been to Guadeloupe and go straight to the port—*to me, they haven’t really experienced Guadeloupe.*
The Fantastica balcony cabin is very functional but sorely lacks storage space (nothing like American cruise lines).
Departure from Pointe-à-Pitre
Evening aperitif before dinner
Dinner
When it comes to meals, the portions are really small, but you can order two or even three dishes. As a big eater, I sometimes had two or three main courses or two desserts. As you can see in the photos, the portions are truly tiny.
It’s true that storage space is still lacking on MSC, even in YC.
In my opinion, the best cruise line for this is HAL—it’s what makes Renaissance passengers so happy these days. 😏
I totally agree with your wife about the jacuzzis. 😉
We only passed through Pointe-à-Pitre once, on a bus to catch a boat a long time ago. It was at night, and the city seemed pretty sketchy. We’ve never gone back.
It really makes you want to go! Especially with heated pools and jacuzzis! 😎
I dream of doing a transatlantic cruise!!! 😉
Hi Isa,
Actually, transatlantic cruises are really great. If you've never done one, you should try it to see for yourself. Not a long one, but there are 15-day transatlantic cruises—try one of those, you'll see.
As for me, I really like transatlantic cruises; they let me relax properly. And on sea days, I read, I do whatever I want... I never take part in the games they organize—they're mostly pretty silly (just my opinion).
Even if there are 5 or 6 days at sea, I try to make the most of them. Honestly, transatlantic cruises are great. You should try one and see for yourself.
It’s true that storage space is always lacking on MSC, even in YC.
The best cruise line in my opinion on that front is HAL—what makes Renaissance passengers so happy these days.
As for the jacuzzis, I totally agree with your wife. 😉
We only passed through Pointe-à-Pitre once, on a bus to catch a ship a long time ago. It was at night, and the city seemed pretty sketchy. We’ve never gone back.
Hi Catherine,
I agree with you about Pointe-à-Pitre. It’s really not great, especially in the evening. It’s even worse—it’s dead, and I’d say it’s actually dangerous to go out in the city.
But otherwise, there are some really nice spots in Guadeloupe. I think it’s a shame to leave the airport and head straight to the ship. Even just a short daytime visit could be a nice way to discover the area. There are also:
1. Deshaies
2. Saint-François
3. Sainte-Anne
And that’s not even mentioning islands like Les Saintes—it’s gorgeous! But for Pointe-à-Pitre, I agree with you—there’s nothing particularly exciting there.
Today, we're in Saint Martin. It's our only stop in the Caribbean, so we're going to try to make the most of it. The ship leaves at 6 PM.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
My wife ordered a classic breakfast in the cabin, while I decided to check out the buffet to see how it was.
To my surprise, since it was Easter Monday, the buffet was decorated with chocolates.
It wasn’t bad at all. However, what really surprised me was how well-stocked all the stations were:
1. There was hot food, cold food, sweet, and savory options.
2. The fruit was abundant—I’d never seen so much.
3. They even had smoked salmon and warm leg of lamb.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a well-stocked buffet, and I’m speaking from experience—I’ve been on enough cruises to compare. It looked more like lunch, but it was definitely breakfast. I ate well, and since I have the drinks package, I had some sparkling water to help digest all that food.
After that, I picked up my wife to disembark. It was around 9 or 9:30 AM. In Saint Martin, for those who know, there’s a water shuttle. When you get off the boat, you turn left to buy tickets. It’s $3.50 per person for a round-trip to downtown Philipsburg. You *can* walk, but since my wife didn’t feel like too much walking, we bought two tickets.
Once we got to downtown Philipsburg, since it was Easter Monday, everything was closed. Since it was still early, we decided not to head to the beach right away and instead took a local bus (for $2) to go to Marigot, on the French side.
There, we waited over an hour. Usually, buses come every five minutes, but it was dead quiet. Since it was Easter Monday, everyone was at the beach, and very few people were working.
In downtown Marigot, it was the same as Philipsburg—everything was closed. We saw an open market in the main square and a few restaurants. We took a little stroll by the water and bought some trinkets at the market.
Then we headed back to Philipsburg to finish the day at the beach. That said, on the way back, we saw a few shops that were open, but not all of them. Usually, the main street—if you know it—is packed with people, but this time, only a handful of shops were open. Just so you know, there were still two ships docked: the MSC Virtuosa and a Royal Caribbean ship.
To be continued...
Hi there,
Thanks for this review—we’ve never done a transatlantic cruise. I love reading, but my husband would get bored.
You’d think the shopkeepers in St. Martin don’t need money at all!!
Back in Philipsburg, my son had tasked me with buying him some Five Star Barbados rum, which is hard to find in Paris. I also took the opportunity to buy some good whisky since it’s always worth it. Nothing like the duty-free in Pointe-à-Pitre. The same rum you buy for 15 € in Pointe-à-Pitre can be found in Saint Martin for between 10 and 12 €. I bought Chivas and Jack Daniel’s—half price. So, two boxes. Since we’re heading back to France, there’s no weight issue. I stocked up on drinks.
On the beach, I negotiated two lounge chairs, an umbrella, and Wi-Fi for $15.
But then, things took a turn for the worse. Since it was hot, I decided to go for a swim. Afterward, I got out and dried off. There was a coconut vendor nearby. My wife loves them, so I said, "Here, I’ll buy two coconuts—it’s $5 each." As the man was cutting the coconut, the machete slipped from his hands and grazed my fingers. I had a bleeding finger—it was everywhere. I nearly lost a finger! The man panicked, and the people nearby rushed to get a bandage and patched me up...
More fear than harm. I’ve always heard that when you’re at the beach, even a small cut heals faster in seawater. So, I went back into the sea. We drank the two coconuts, which were nice and fresh. I checked—it was just a graze on the skin. Then, while I was back in the water, suddenly, I couldn’t feel my legs. I started scratching. I’d been stung by two jellyfish. I got out immediately. It was itching all over. I rinsed my leg with cold water. My wife said, "No, no, we’re not staying. Let’s go back to the ship." She told me, "I have my medicine kit. Let’s see what we can put on it."
On the way back, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was itching like crazy. Once we got back on the ship, we put a little insect spray on it to disinfect. But it had already swollen up and turned red. Both my legs were swollen. I decided to go to the ship’s hospital. They told me the consultation would cost $150. Well, I told my wife, "It’s not the end of the world—a jellyfish sting will pass." But I swear, for three days, I suffered. I couldn’t sleep—it was itching so badly. With some soothing cream and antiseptics, it finally went away after three days.
When we boarded the ship—it was leaving at 6 PM—I went up to the pool deck to relax a bit. I had gum in my mouth. While chewing it, my dental implant came loose. That really topped off the day! So, I went down to our cabin, where my wife was napping, and explained what happened. She said, "You can’t be serious—all this in one day!" Luckily, it was a back tooth, so it wasn’t too noticeable. I just left it like that for the rest of the cruise. Since I had internet, I made an appointment with my dentist for when I got back. Anyway, it was quite the eventful day!
After all that chaos—which didn’t ruin the cruise at all (I promise, three days later, it was all forgotten)—it was time for aperitifs and dinner.
We ate well, just like the night before, and drank well too...
I’ll still write another post about the drink package because, for us, it wasn’t worth it since my wife doesn’t drink alcohol. Since I’m the only one drinking, I’ll share how I managed to let others on the ship benefit from it.
What a cursed day! After all that went wrong in one go 🏴☠️ I hope you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while Hope the coconut vendor gave you those for free after such a mishap 😉.
What a cursed day! After all that went wrong on the same day 🏴☠️ I hope you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while I hope the coconut vendor gave them to you for free after such a clumsy moment 😉.
Hey Catherine!
The rest of the cruise is going to be smooth sailing and nothing but bliss!
The coconut vendor didn’t offer me anything, and even if he had, I would’ve refused because he’s a street vendor just trying to make a living, and he really tugged at my heartstrings. Plus, he was panicked and apologized several times.
You know, along the beach, there are several of them with their carts selling coconuts or other things to get by.
During the five days at sea, there’s a culinary event every afternoon—either by the main pool when the weather’s nice or at the buffet entrance.
Each day has a different theme: Oriental, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Italian…
There’s always something planned.
There’s one thing I’ve seen on luxury ships before that surprised me a little: during sea days, staff walk around offering fruit and sandwiches. It’s something new for MSC. I don’t know if it’s just this ship, but if it’s like this on all their vessels, I think they’ll be seeing a lot of me!
I should also mention the ship was only 40% full (according to a server). Was that the reason? I’m not sure. But either way, the five days at sea flew by:
1. There were activities for those who wanted them.
2. There was always the option to step back and find some peace and quiet.
Anyway, I wasn’t bored at all—I always found something to do.
I’ll take this chance to share a few photos of the ship. I think MSC fans will recognize this class: it’s a smaller version of Royal’s Quantum class.
Atrium overlooking the promenade gallery
Promenade gallery with the shopping arcades...
Indoor pool
On every deck, there’s a chair in front of the elevators (super handy for some people)
Hi there,
Thanks so much for sharing!
We did a transatlantic crossing back in 2012 on the MSC Orchestra from Santos to Marseille, and we never found the days at sea long because there’s always something to do.
Mum49
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…
Hi everyone, It was totally by chance that I found this cruise while chatting with Alfred in November 2024. It wasn t planned, but the price was attractive one…
Hi everyone, Okay, here I go I haven t done a cruise review in ages, and even longer since I ve posted one on this forum. So, this is kinda your fault,…
Hello everyone, If you'd like, I invite you to join me for a week-long cruise to northern Greece, visiting ports that are often less crowded with cruise ships.…
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
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.