Thanks for this lively report as always!
This ship is the spitting image of the Grandiosa, which I took in YC in the Mediterranean, and I can assure you the calm you enjoyed was due to the low number of passengers. Because when these ships are full, it’s *super* crowded everywhere—even in YC, it’s really noticeable!
Hello,
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!!
Hi Marie Christine,
Sorry for the late reply—I hadn’t seen your message!
If you love reading, you should definitely try a transatlantic cruise; you’ll really enjoy it.
Hello,
Thank you so much for sharing.
We did a transatlantic crossing in 2012 on the MSC Orchestra from Santos to Marseille, and we didn’t find the days at sea long at all because there’s always something to do.
Mum49
Hi Guylene,
Transatlantic cruises—you either love them or you don’t. But as far as I’m concerned, I’m totally into them, as the kids say! Not only are they cheaper, but there are also fewer kids running around. Generally, there are very few children on transatlantic cruises.
I’ve been lucky enough to do transatlantic crossings with several companies: Oceania, Celebrity, Royal, Princess, Holland, MSC...
But the company I like the least for transatlantic cruises is Holland because, honestly, it’s dead boring (whether it’s during the day or in the evening).
Other than that, I’ve never been bored on a transatlantic cruise.
Thanks as always for such a lively trip report!
This ship is an exact copy of the Grandiosa, which I took in YC in the Mediterranean, and I can assure you that the calm you enjoyed was due to the low number of passengers. Because when these ships are full, it’s absolutely packed everywhere—even in YC, it’s really noticeable!
Hello Marcus,
Thanks for your message!
I can imagine that when the ship is at full capacity—meaning 100% full—it must be something else. I’m not surprised at all.
I stopped going to the buffet for breakfast to limit the damage since there were too many temptations.
My wife keeps ordering breakfast in the cabin (juice, coffee, croissants...), and we’ll have a plate of fruit every morning at the Atmosphere Bar near the pool, where there’s a mini buffet with fruit and pastries. Perfect for snacking throughout the day.
During the sea days, we had a small issue in the cabin—no soap in the bathroom. I picked up the phone to call reception, but it wasn’t working; there was no dial tone.
So I went down to reception to report the problem. They immediately sent a technician. The next day, I received a message of apology along with some petits fours and a bottle of Prosecco.
I was surprised because it was just a simple dial tone issue, but they explained that the guest must be fully satisfied and wanted to apologize with this little gift.
Even though Prosecco isn’t really my thing, it’s the thought that counts, and I really appreciated it.
There was also the gala evening where I thought people really played along. Sure, some folks were walking around in shorts everywhere, but most made an effort.
However, what surprised me was seeing people walking around in bathrobes all day. You’d see them in the casino, in the shopping gallery, and even in the restaurant. Just strolling around in their bathrobes like they’re putting on a show—it’s ridiculous!
We even met a couple on the 16th floor, where the indoor pool is. We crossed paths and said hello. The first thing they said to us was, “We’re with the rich crowd.” My wife replied, “Good for you, because we like to mix. That’s why we’re with the common folk.” NO COMMENT!
Today, we're in the Azores, specifically in Ponta Delgada. After five days at sea, we’re finally on solid ground. It’s Sunday, and just like in Saint-Martin, everything is closed, so there are very few shops open.
We disembarked around 9:30 AM. Since we hadn’t booked anything in advance, I’d looked online, especially on GetYourGuide, but didn’t find anything, so I figured we’d see what was available once we got there.
At the exit of the ship (about 300 meters from the dock), there were quite a few drivers offering tours and visits. However, it was pretty hard to negotiate. Eventually, I found a driver who offered a 4-hour tour for 50 € per person. I negotiated the price down to 35 €, but he only agreed on the condition that he’d find 6 people total.
He had us wait to the side. After half an hour, since he hadn’t found the two missing people (there was already an English couple with us who had accepted the full price), he was honest: he told us we’d leave anyway and that he’d honor the negotiated price. He even told the English couple, “This gentleman is a great negotiator, so instead of 50 €, you’ll only pay 35 € like him.” The two of them were so happy they thanked me.
The driver doesn’t speak a word of French (it’s actually not easy to find a French-speaking guide), but since I speak a little English, it wasn’t a problem. He’s very chatty and really friendly. He took us on a tour, giving us lots of explanations about Ponta Delgada, and then we visited different places.
Visit to the Furnas Valley and tea plantation
Belvedere of Pico do Ferro
Furnas Volcano… Start of the visit
Then, Tea Plantation and factory (which is still operational but closed since it was Sunday)
At the end of the visit, I took his card and told him, "You never know, just in case," because he was really nice. So I gave him a 5 € tip.
He then dropped us off in the city center. There were a few small shops open, but almost everything was closed.
This city is gorgeous. It’s really too bad that almost everything was closed (even the church).
We still took some lovely walks around the city and got back on the ship just in the nick of time.
It was a truly beautiful day that we all enjoyed.
Some truly stunning views, a fantastic visit, and all under glorious sunshine—what more could you ask for? Yeah, the shops opening, I forgot about that
It was such a lucky break to have this stopover in such beautiful weather. This cruise was definitely a great choice. 😎
Thanks for sharing and for the photos. We’ve always wanted to visit Ponta Delgada, but few cruises offer this itinerary.
Regarding MSC, we really appreciated last year that they called us to the reception to check if everything was going well and if we had any specific needs for my husband, who uses a wheelchair.
Have a great weekend! Mum49
Here we go again for four days at sea. During these days, it's the usual routine: sleeping in, a plate of fruit for breakfast, then a late lunch around 1:30 or 2 PM.
On the first day, we had lunch at the restaurant. It was good, but the service was a bit slow.
We thought we should head back to the buffet instead since there’s more variety and, since the ship isn’t full, there’s space everywhere.
On the second day, when we arrived at the buffet around 1:30 PM, we saw a long line. It was the “Seafood Festival.”
As I got closer, I saw: lobster tails, shrimp, grilled prawns, baked oysters, langoustines, mussels, scallops...
It was insane (as the kids say)! I’ve never seen anything like this on a cruise ship, except maybe on Holland America back in the early 2000s.
Catherine, let me know if I’m wrong, but I think HAL used to do seafood brunches with all-you-can-eat seafood, except it was cold. Here, everything was grilled.
I don’t know if they stocked up in the Azores or just wanted to empty the freezers, but even the MSC regulars said they don’t usually get this. We ate pretty much just lobster and prawns with salad; we went all out.
Around 3 PM, just before closing, a Mauritian server offered us more since there was still some left. Since we were full, he said, “In that case, you can take a little and bring it back to your cabin for an aperitif.” That’s what I did—I took a plate of lobster tails with lemon and left it on the balcony for our 7 PM drinks.
It was really incredible. Even on Oceania, we’ve had lobster before, but it’s either in the restaurants or in the evening. Having this much lobster available for lunch is just crazy.
After eating well, my wife went down to the cabin for a nap. I headed up to deck 16 (by the pool) to digest a little and do some reading.
In the evening, around 6 PM, I had two whiskies as an aperitif. I sat on the balcony to keep the smell out of the cabin and enjoyed the lobster tails I’d brought back.
Then we went to the restaurant just for fun, to meet the people we usually dine with in the evening. We barely ate—just had one dish and a dessert.
Gorgeous views, a fantastic visit, and all under a beautiful sun—what more could you ask for? Yes, the shops opening, I forgot about that
It was lucky to have this stopover in such great weather; this cruise was definitely a good choice. 😎
Hi Catherine!
Too bad about the shops, but we still had a really nice day since the great weather showed up for the meet-up.
Thanks for sharing and for the photos. We’ve always wanted to visit Ponta Delgada, but few cruises include it in their itinerary.
Last year, we really appreciated that MSC called us to the reception to check if everything was going well and if we had any specific needs for my husband, who uses a wheelchair.
Have a great weekend! Mum49
Hi Guylene,
We fell in love with Ponta Delgada and will probably go back, but for a stay of a few days.
Hi Alfred,
What a beautiful visit during this stopover in Ponta Delgada, and what amazing light!
It was truly a fantastic cruise that makes you want more.
That said, I wonder if the deck chairs are always that empty... because that really contributed to the success of this trip!
Sure enough, it was with HAL that we had those amazing seafood buffets on sea days. I loved those cruises so much!
With MSC, I’ve never seen buffets like that, even in the YC. It really feels like they just want to empty the freezers. You were lucky to hit the right ship at the right time.
The Azores look gorgeous, and I’d love to go for a short stay too—but it’s one of those "someday..." plans. 😉
Hi Alfred,
What a beautiful visit during this stopover in Ponta Delgada and what brightness!
It was truly an amazing cruise that makes you want more.
Afterwards, I wonder if the deck chairs are always so empty... because that really contributed to the success of this trip!
Hi Isa,
I completely agree with you. The fact that the ship was only 40% full really contributed to the success of this cruise. According to the servers, for them, the ship was almost empty, even though there were still a few people around.
That’s why MSC had a flash sale and tried to fill it up, but unfortunately, it didn’t work.
Still, we have to admit there were a lot of sea days, which put off quite a few people.
In the end, given the price we paid, we weren’t bothered at all, and it was all a bonus for us.
You're right, it was indeed at HAL where we had those amazing seafood buffets on sea days. I loved those cruises so much!
At MSC, I’ve never seen buffets like that, even in the YC. It really feels like they just want to empty the freezers. You were lucky to hit the right ship at the right time.
The Azores look stunning, and I’d love to go for a short stay too, but it’s one of those "someday..." plans. 😉
Hi Catherine,
I had the same thought as you—it seemed like they were just trying to empty the freezers, which is why we had so much seafood at the buffet. Honestly, I’d never seen anything like it.
As for Ponta Delgada, it’s my absolute favorite. That’s why we’re looking into a short stay there, maybe in the fall. It’s so beautiful and lush. Plus, it’s not too far from Paris (well, when I say "not too far," everything’s relative, right?)
MSC set up a shuttle for 17 € to get to the city center. I compared it with Rome2Rio since the port is really far from downtown—it takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and honestly, MSC’s shuttle was the better deal. So, we decided to take it.
That said, the organization was really lacking:
1. There were only two shuttles for almost the entire ship (the others were reserved for excursions).
2. When disembarking, there was an endless line with at least an hour’s wait. Even crew members who had a few hours off ended up turning back.
3. On the way back, around 2 p.m., there was a full two-hour wait to get back on the bus. Some passengers ended up calling taxis or Ubers (a couple told me they paid 40 € to get back).
4. By 4 p.m., there were still so many people that the company had to call in extra buses last-minute.
Once in the city, we took a "Hop-on Hop-off" bus. We paid 35 € per person to explore the city and its surroundings.
The downtown port where you can take a small boat for an Elbe River excursion, with views of the Elbphilharmonie and the Speicherstadt.
The canals.
City Hall: A striking building constructed in 1720 (19th-century architecture) right in the heart of the city, towering over everything with its majestic presence.
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…
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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.