That evening, the vibe had completely changed. Some English passengers came on board for a three-day mini-cruise to Southampton. Thankfully for us, it was the end of our trip.
A waiter told me they were only there to drink and party.
There were "corpses" (empty bottles and glasses) all over the floor, and the staff spent their time picking them up.
People were completely wasted.
Luckily, we were on the 9th floor, so we didn’t hear them too much, but I talked to a couple on the 5th floor who found it unbearable.
They say Italians are loud, but the English and Germans aren’t any better!
It was so chaotic that the captain had to make an announcement to the whole ship around 2 AM.
Hamburg seems like a really beautiful city—I don’t know it at all. Still sunny, you were lucky!
It’s wild that the captain had to make an announcement to try to calm down the partiers. No wonder the cruise line limits drinks to 15 per day with their packages—you’d think that wouldn’t be enough. 😏
The shift in vibe is so noticeable during the Christmas cruises. When the passengers boarding for the New Year’s cruise start arriving, everything changes. 😄
Hamburg seems like a really beautiful city—I’ve never been there. You were lucky with the sunshine!
It’s crazy that the captain had to make an announcement to try to calm down the partiers. No wonder the company limits drinks to 15 per day with their packages—you’d think that wouldn’t be enough. 😏
The shift in vibe is so noticeable on Christmas cruises. When the New Year’s Eve passengers start boarding, everything changes.
Hi Catherine,
About the 15-drink limit, I totally agree with you, but if there are two people in a cabin, that’s 30 drinks—and that’s probably enough to get drunk.
I think they must’ve brought their own bottles of alcohol on board because MSC is pretty relaxed about that. I also don’t think alcohol was the only thing they consumed—you know what I mean to get into that state. 😅 Anyway! !
Today was disembarkation day. We went to the buffet for breakfast because it was going to be a long day.
We had to vacate our cabin by 8 AM and leave the ship by 9:30 AM. We had a meet-up at 9:30 AM in the theater to disembark. However, the disembarkation process itself went smoothly, by number. Everyone respected their assigned number, so there weren’t any issues on that front.
The real problem was the port of Le Havre. The port is supposedly new and recently built, but it’s a total mess. I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s definitely room for improvement. Honestly, when you compare it to the port of Ponta Delgada in the Azores or Hamburg’s port, those are proper ports. This one? A complete disaster. I wasn’t the only one saying it—there were two ships docked, the NCL Sky and ours. People were asking, "What is this?" Anyway.
The disembarkation process was well-organized when leaving the ship, but once we got inside the luggage retrieval area—whatever it’s called—it was chaos. In short, there’s a lot of work to be done.
**Conclusion:**
Since my cruise on the Mein Schiff was canceled and I didn’t want to spend a lot (I wasn’t sure when Mein Schiff would reimburse me, as it was a significant amount), it had nothing to do with this cruise. We were just looking for a short, affordable cruise to relax and take a break. Then I came across this flash sale, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s happened to me before—spending a lot on a cruise and coming back disappointed. But this time, I’m really satisfied.
I’ll start with the negatives because, let’s be real, no cruise is 100% perfect. There are always a few downsides.
1. **Cabin**
* The cabins are well-designed and spacious, but there’s a lack of storage, so we had to leave some things in our suitcases.
* **Bathroom:** The toiletries provided were just shower gel and conditioner. No tissues... We asked for some, and the cabin steward told us, "No, MSC doesn’t provide those, sir." My wife wanted tissues, so we ended up buying some during our first stop.
* Towels: Same issue. You get one large towel and one small one. If you want an extra towel, you have to ask.
* The cabins are serviced twice a day, but in the evening, they only come to change the towels. Eventually, I told them, "Just give us the towels—no need to come just for that."
2. **Bar**
* In the bars at night, you can’t get napkins unless you ask. When you order a cocktail or a snack, you need something to wipe your hands, but no—napkins aren’t provided. They put your drink down with a little coaster on top, but that’s it. I had a Mauritian server who always prepared napkins for me when I arrived. They were the same paper towels you find in the restrooms, but at least it let me wipe my hands.
**Positives:**
Honestly, I think the fact that the cruise wasn’t fully booked played a big part in why we enjoyed it so much—it met almost all our expectations.
1. **Ship**
* The MSC Virtuosa is stunning and packed with modern features, including its spectacular gallery and immersive LED ceiling that changes ambiance.
Between the outdoor adventure course and the multiple pools, there’s plenty of excitement and relaxation. A special shout-out to the robotic bartender, which makes futuristic cocktails—it’s a unique experience.
The casino, shows, and Swarovski staircase add a touch of luxury and entertainment.
It’s a true floating palace where every detail is designed to impress and inspire.
2. **Food**
* No complaints here. We ate really well, whether at the buffet or the restaurant.
* At lunch in the restaurant, the food was good, but the service was a bit slow. That’s why we ended up sticking to the buffet.
The pool is heated and supervised, which is a big plus. There are also large jacuzzis, so no need to wait in line—there are enough for everyone. Though, the fact that the ship was only about 40% full probably helped.
The entertainment was great, with something for everyone, whether in the theater or the bars.
MSC has really improved compared to 2021–2022. If this is the new standard, I think we’ll be back often. Honestly, there’s not much to complain about.
**Drinks Package:**
We initially chose a package that included everything (flights, transfers, cruise, tips, and drinks), but we had the option to skip the drinks package. My wife and I figured it wasn’t expensive, so why not?
In the end, it wasn’t worth it for us. My wife doesn’t drink alcohol, and I only have two aperitifs at lunch and two in the evening—about four drinks a day on average. Plus, whenever I asked for a good whiskey, I had to pay extra. During the day, I’d order basic cocktails, but in the evening, I’d have to pay extra for something decent. Otherwise, I would’ve needed the premium package.
Even with the basic package, we weren’t saving money. I ended up talking to two couples (one English couple we met on an excursion and one French couple) and offered to buy them drinks since we weren’t using our package. I’d get them drinks at lunch and dinner, but we still never exceeded the daily limit of 30 drinks (15 each).
I also noticed that having a drinks package encourages overconsumption, which isn’t great for your health. Next time, I won’t get a package. I’d rather drink when I feel like it—at dinner, I’ll order a bottle of wine that can last me three or four meals. Thankfully, I found these people to share with—they were thrilled.
Thanks for reading! My next cruise will probably be at the end of the year if all goes well. I’ll be semi-retired in a few months, and my wife, who’s still working, will try to take some unpaid leave. If it works out, we’re planning a 29-day transatlantic cruise with MSC and another 19-day transatlantic with Celebrity early next year.
Hi Alfred,
Thanks so much for this really detailed and enjoyable trip report. I didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, but it seems like readers are pretty quiet or shy? 🙁
It’s really great that this cruise—though very different from what was initially planned—turned out to be a success. In your misfortune, you were lucky, and that’s a good thing. But don’t expect all future MSC cruises to be of such high quality, especially when it comes to the exceptional amount of langoustines. Still, I think MSC is making efforts to generally raise their standards. 🙂
On my last cruise, the cabin was only cleaned once a day, and the steward didn’t come by in the evening. But honestly, I didn’t find that bothersome—though the lack of tissues was more annoying, so I bring my own box now. 😉
Wishing you a wonderful pre-retirement and, I’ve no doubt, many more amazing cruises to come! 😎
Hello Alfred,
Thank you so much for this really friendly and detailed review—it was a pleasure to read. I didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, but it seems like readers are pretty quiet or shy? 🙁
It’s really great that this cruise, though very different from what was initially planned, turned out to be a success. In your misfortune, you were lucky, and that’s a good thing. But don’t expect all future MSC cruises to be of such high quality, especially when it comes to the exceptional amount of lobster. Still, I think MSC is making efforts to generally raise the standard. 🙂
On my last cruise, the cabin was only cleaned once a day, and the steward didn’t come by in the evening, but I didn’t find that bothersome. What bothers me more is the lack of tissues, so I bring my own box. 😉
I wish you a wonderful pre-retirement and, I have no doubt, many more great cruises to come! 😎
Hi Catherine!
Thank you for your message—it really made my day and warmed my heart.
About this forum, I’m a bit disappointed and surprised because I feel like it’s not what it used to be, and that’s really too bad.
There are so few reviews, and when you post one, there’s very little encouragement. That said, I’ll keep posting them as usual. At least it’ll bring a little cheer to this forum, but that’s just how it is—you’ve got to roll with it.
I don’t think all cruises are like this, so it’s best not to get your hopes up. This one was truly exceptional. If I ever do another, I’ll go in with my eyes open. As long as the food is good and the price is right, there won’t be any issues.
Hi Alfred,
Thanks for your super-detailed account—I really enjoyed reading it.
I compared it with my own experience on the Virtuosa.
It was a 22-day loop from Hamburg to the Canary Islands in January 2023.
The price advertised in November was unbeatable, especially for a solo cabin.
And at that price, the ship was packed to the brim.
That was a real problem. There’s very little space to relax—way less than on older ships. The gym is also smaller, and the entertainment areas, like the dance floor or gym, are ridiculously tiny.
Lines at the buffet, endless queues to get on and off at ports. Restaurants fully booked. Even had to wait to order a coffee at noon—only two bars served it. And always the feeling of being in the middle of a crowd.
You had to rush to sign up for the theater to get a seat. Then queue again to get in, just to make sure you’d be decently placed with your friends.
Otherwise, I loved the itinerary and the length. And I met some really nice people.
The real issue was the ship being completely full and the limited capacity of the public and entertainment areas.
I’m glad you had great conditions. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
Sorry for the late reply—I’ve been a bit wiped out lately.
About the comparison with your cruise on the Virtuosa, I completely agree with you. When the ship is at full capacity, it must be something else, with crowds everywhere as you mentioned. But that wasn’t the case at all this time, and for me, that really helped make the cruise a success.
By the way, you told me the price you saw in November was unbeatable. For this one, in April, the rates were also very low. I think the inside cabins started at 400 €, and it was probably a flash sale that only lasted a few days.
Despite that, the ship wasn’t full. I should also mention there were very few port stops—maybe that’s why. But hey, it worked out great for us, and we had a fantastic cruise.
Maybe we should try a transatlantic at another time to see. Honestly, though, I don’t have much negative to say.
I’ve been lucky enough to go on several cruises with different companies, and honestly, this one was flawless. Apart from a few minor details, there’s really nothing to complain about.
Hi Alfred,
Thanks for this awesome report—it really makes me want to do a transatlantic crossing! I’ve been wanting to do one for ages, but every time I plan it, something unexpected comes up. Anyway, I’ll get there eventually!
Do you know how many cabins were still for sale? Because low occupancy seems to be the key to a successful cruise like this 🙂
I see I won’t be the only one in early retirement this year 😎—hope your wife won’t have to wait too long 😉
Hi Alfred,
Thanks for this great review!
It really makes me want to do a transatlantic cruise! I’ve been wanting to do one for ages, but every time I plan it, something unexpected comes up... Anyway, I’ll get there eventually!
Do you know how many cabins were still for sale? Because low occupancy seems to be the key to a successful cruise like this 🙂
I see I won’t be the only one in early retirement this year 😎 I hope your wife won’t have to wait too long 😉
Hi Isa,
Thanks for your message.
Absolutely, a transatlantic cruise is great because there are fewer kids running around, it’s significantly cheaper, and it’s rarely 100% full.
According to my server, the ship was only about 40% occupied. I don’t know exactly how many cabins were still for sale, but the occupancy rate was pretty low.
Honestly, you should try a short transatlantic cruise first—there are 15-day options to the Caribbean or Brazil, for example.
As for me, I’m retiring two years earlier than planned. There’s a voluntary departure plan at my job, and I’m taking advantage of it. Now, only my wife is still working part-time—just two days a week. I hope she can retire soon so we can enjoy life, because you never know what tomorrow holds.
[😉]Hi Alfred,
I’m totally on the same page as you—we really need to make the most of things while we can.
That’s why I’m taking early retirement so I can do it at the same time as my husband, so we can enjoy it together.
Life can change in a second, and we’re fully aware of that.
Have a great weekend!
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.