Je suis nouvelle sur ce site et c'est également notre première croisière.
J'ai trouvé au fil des différentes discussions énormément d'infos très utiles, mais aussi à peu près tout et son contraire....
NCL bas de gamme pour certain, nettement au dessus de la moyenne pour d'autres... Nourriture bonne et variée ou au contraire mauvais fast food à l'américaine... Etc... 🤪 J'imagine que cela dépend des critères et des attentes des uns et des autres, mais du coup je suis un peu inquiète...
Bon, on se fera notre propre opinion et c'est notre 1ère donc nous n'avons pas de points de comparaison.
Par contre sur quelques points objectifs pouvez vous me donner des infos, en particulier sur les dépenses à prévoir à bord ?
- J'ai bien noté les 12 $/jour (mais que certains ont négocié)
- Quel est le prix des boissons : cocktails, vin, sodas etc...
- du supplément pour les restaurants de spécialités ?
- du spa ?
Bonsoir,
je pars le 12 avril sur le même bateau et au retour je pourrai vous donner des réponses sur les dépenses à prévoir à bord et les prix de boissons ou des différents restaurants.
Pour le SPA, je n'utilise pas mais je regarderai les tarifs.
Je crois que tous les prix sont en dollars, et avec le convertisseur de google, 12dollars correspondent à 9,05 euros au cours du 8 mars.
C'est la première fois que je pars sur NCL mais j'ai fait plusieurs croisières avec Costa et MSC, je pourrai comparer et vous donner mes impressions.
Amicalement
Simone42
Nous ferons également cette croisière mais pour nous, départ le 28 avril, je lirai donc avec attention vos commentaires à votre retour.
Ce sera notre 3ème croisière mais la 1ère avec NCL (les 2 précédentes avec MSC). Je suis dans le même état d'esprit que Yelle33 puisque je lis tout et son contraire sur NCL. Je pourrai également lui faire part de mes impressions à mon retour.
Je suis déjà impatiente de partir et de découvrir cette compagnie !
Merci Titi CR très complets et de beaux voyages....
Margauton, Simone arriverez vous en avion à Venise ? Si oui j'aimerais savoir combien de temps ça prend pour arrivez au bateau.
En Clair nous arrivons à 10h15 à Marco Polo - Venise et le départ du bateau est prévu à 18h00 et j'aimerais avoir une idée du temps dont nous disposons pour nous promener dans Venise....
Non, je n'arriverai pas en avion, je pars de Barcelone cette fois ci.
Pour Venise, j'ai fait une fois en train de nuit et deux fois en voiture en couchant près de Venise la veille c'est plus confortable.
Nous arrivons en avion mais 2 jours avant le départ de la croisière, justement pour pouvoir profiter de Venise. Cependant, lors de notre 1ère croisière en arrivant à l'aéroport Marco Polo, nous avions pris le bus n°5 ACTV jusqu'à la Piazzale Roma (c'est la gare routière à env 30 min) ensuite il y a une navette gratuite qui t'emmène au port (elle se trouve sur le côté de la place 5 min). L'enregistrement se fait assez rapidement ( chez MSC en tout cas), nous avions déjeuné au buffet puis nous avons dû reprendre la navette pour retourner sur la Piazzale Roma . On a pu se balader 3h max dans la ville car il faut être au bateau au minimum 30 min avant le départ. On avait pris le vaporetto pour gagner du temps en plus c'est sympa, c'est vraiment typique.
Peut-être pourrez-vous également vous balader dans Venise au retour ? Tout dépend de l'horaire de votre avion...
oui nous aurons une journée entière au retour, nous ne reprenons l'avions que le lendemain, mais j'adore Venise alors si je peux en profiter un peu avant de partir aussi...
" puis nous avons dû reprendre la navette pour retourner sur la Piazzale Roma . On a pu se balader 3h max dans la ville "
Ca serait bien si effectivement on peut embarquer et re descendre ensuite pour se promener.... Vous me direz si c'est également possible avec NCL...
Je ne peux pas vous aider pour la compagnie par contre vu que c'est votre première croisière comme vous le dites vous n'avez pas de point de comparaison ça sera de toute façon super !! 😉
2004 MSC Opéra -> Italie Grèce Turquie Croatie
2008 Costa Classica -> îles grecques
Septembre 2010 MSC Musica -> îles grecques
10-17 Août 2012 MSC Armonia -> Italie Grèce et Monténégro
Nous ferons également cette croisière mais pour nous, départ le 28 avril, je lirai donc avec attention vos commentaires à votre retour.
Ce sera notre 3ème croisière mais la 1ère avec NCL (les 2 précédentes avec MSC). Je suis dans le même état d'esprit que Yelle33 puisque je lis tout et son contraire sur NCL. Je pourrai également lui faire part de mes impressions à mon retour.
Je suis déjà impatiente de partir et de découvrir cette compagnie !
Margauton
Bientôt votre tour.... Belle croisière à vous... 😉
Nous aussi partons le 4 Aout sur le Norwegian Jade. J'espère qu'on pourra se croiser!
J'ai également une question pour les excursions, savez-vous si on peut emporter son déjeuner lors des excursions ou il faut trouver un resto en plus sur place?
Oui surtout que je crois qu'il n'y a pas beaucoup de français......
"J'ai également une question pour les excursions, savez-vous si on peut emporter son déjeuner lors des excursions ou il faut trouver un resto en plus sur place? "
Vous parlez des excursions organisées par NCL ? Si c'est le cas, je ne sais pas nous allons nous débrouiller tous seuls....
Nous allons également nous débrouiller sans NCL. leurs excursions sont vraiment très chères mais si il faut payer double repas ca modére le prix de l'excursion.
Désolée de ne pas avoir donné de nouvelles plus tôt, mais je vais me rattraper !
Déjà, nous avons beaucoup aimé cette croisière, le circuit est vraiment top ! C'était notre 3ème croisière, la 1ère avec NCL, les 2 autres c'étaient avec MSC. Ce que nous avons préféré chez NCL, c'est le freestyle, c'est vraiment bien de ne pas avoir d'horaires pour manger le soir, ni de table attribuée d'office. Nous prenions toujours le petit déjeuner au Garden café, c'est la cafétaria et nous nous installions à l'extérieur à l'arrière du bateau, c'était très agréable, il y a un choix énorme, du salé, du sucré (les pancakes avec du sirop de caramel et des tranches de bananes, délicieux !), les buffets étaient plus variés que sur MSC. Le midi nous mangions là , toujours de la nourriture à profusion, buffet de salades, de grillades, de recettes asiatiques, des plats préparés, ou au bord de la piscine ou des cuisiniers servaient de la viande cuite au barbecue.... le soir nous mangions au grand pacific , on préférait la déco à celle de l'Alizar, sinon les plats étaient les mêmes.
Lorsque vous partez en excursion, vous ne pouvez pas emporter votre repas, rien n'est prévu pour cela, à part des fruits faciles à transporter. Je vous conseille plutôt de goûter les spécialités sur place, la nourriture n'est pas chère en Grèce. En plus, vous n'avez que 2 excursions en journée complète (Mykonos et Katakolon). A Corfou, vous devez être à bord pour 15h et pour Santorin vous débarquez à 13h30. Il y a toujours le snack Great Outdoors d'ouvert et la cafétaria. An niveau des prix des boissons, c'était env 2.20 € le coca et 6-7 € le cocktail. Il y a toujours de l'eau et du thé glacé dispo gratuitement et les distributeurs de glace italienne, les enfants ont adoré!
A propos des excursions, nous avons tout fait par nous même. A Corfou, un bus nous amène du bateau à la sortie du port, nous sommes allés en ville à pied, ce n'est pas très loin, nous avons visité un chateau fort sur les hauteurs de la ville, très belle vue du port.
A Santorin, nous avons pris une chaloupe, je vous conseille d'aller tôt pour recupérer votre étiquette de débarquement , 30 min avant l'horaire prévu, ça vous permettra de quitter le bateau dans les 1ers. Nous avons pris le téléphérique (env. 20 min d'attente) pour arriver dans la ville puis un bus pour Oïa, l'arrêt ce trouve à 500 m de la sortie du téléphérique il y a des panneaux qui l'indique. C'est vraiment la visite à ne pas râter ! c'est magnifique, les paysages de cartes postales! Puis retour au port à dos d'âne pour les enfants.
A Mykonos, il y a une navette gratuite qui circule toute la journée entre le bateau et la ville. Nous avons déambulé dans les ruelles, un vrai labyrinthe mais très agréable car bien ombragé puis nous avons pris un bus pour Paradise beach (env. 20 min, 1.60 le ticket), une jolie page de sable fin où nous avons pu nous baigner. Il y a tout ce qu'il faut sur place pour se restaurer.
Dernière escale, Olympie. A la sortie du port, nous avons loué une voiture (40€ la journée) pour nous rendre à Olympie (env 35 km), le loueur de voiture fourni une carte. C'est très facile de se repérer. C'est une escale que nous avions déjà faite, mais cette fois-ci nous avons pris le billet combiné, site+ musée. C'est vraiment à voir. Les enfants adorent. Au retour, le loueur de voitures nous avait conseillé la plage d'Andreas où nous avons pu nous baigner.
Il y avait peu de français sur le bateau, une centaine je crois. Une réunion en français a lieu le premier jour.
Les spectacles sont inégaux, mais ils ne durent qu'1heure. Il n'y a aucune animation en français, il vaut mieux se débrouiller un peu en anglais. Par contre vous aurez le journal du jour en français dans votre cabine.
Voilà un compte-rendu rapide mais qui j'espère répond à certaines de vos questions. De toutes façons vous serez sur un superbe bateau, vous allez vous arrêter sur des îles paradisiaques donc tout va bien se passer 😉 Moi, en tout cas, je repartirai bien tout de suite!
nous aussi serons a venise le 4 aout mais nous allons partir avec le crown princess pour les isles greques pour 12 jours
jai pris deja 2 fois le jade et je peut vous dire que c est vraiment un superbe bateau avec des annimateurs tres sympa et surement avec le meilleur directeur de croisiere que jai vu
garry est genial
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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 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
Nous ferons la prochaine croisière CFC en Norvège et nous sommes à la recherche du programme des excursions ainsi que leur tarif.
Pour ceux qui auraient effectué cette croisière par le passé pourriez vous me communiquer ces renseignements ?
Je sais que la compagnie ne communique pas sur le sujet sinon 8 semaines avant le départ. J'aime m'organiser à l'avance et éviter les mauvaises surprises .
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
We’re taking an MSC cruise in May, and after the Cinque Terre, we’ll be stopping in Naples. We’d like to know if it’s possible to walk out of the port quickly and reach a nice area of Naples on foot (we’re two older people). While we’re at it, I’ll ask the same question for Palermo, since we’ll be there the next day. Thanks for your replies.
Hi 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!
hi,
I’m leaving Hamburg for Iceland at the end of July. The boat arrives in Reykjavik on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 AM, and I’d like to book a day trip like the Golden Circle or Secret Lagoon… The sites like GetYourGuide and others list departures at 8 AM. If you’ve used these sites with the MSC Preziosa, could you let me know how to go about it?
Thanks! 😉
allyMB007
Hello everyone,
It’s with immense sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our friend Nathalie (nadu). Many of us knew her through this forum, which she loved so much. She enjoyed reading your travel stories, joining discussions, sharing her cruise reviews, and offering valuable advice—always with kindness, gentleness, and discretion.
For me, Nathalie was so much more than just a cruise enthusiast. She was a friend, a deeply kind person who was always there to listen, despite the many health challenges she faced with tremendous courage. We corresponded regularly, and sometimes we had the chance to visit each other’s homes or attend the cruise show together with our respective husbands.
We shared a common dream: when we both retired, we had planned to finally go on a cruise together. Life had other plans, and that trip will forever remain a journey we never had the chance to take. That thought weighs heavily on my heart today.
I’ll remember her as a gentle, generous woman who was always ready to help others. Her presence on this forum will leave a huge void, just as her friendship has in my life.
I send my sincerest thoughts to her husband, her family, and all those who had the chance to know her.
Fair winds, Nathalie. I like to think you’re now sailing on an infinitely calm sea, under an eternally blue sky. You’ll remain in our thoughts and hearts every time we talk about cruises or set off on a new journey.
Rest in peace, Nathalie.
For those who’d like to send a message of comfort and sympathy to her husband, you can send me a PM, and I’ll pass it along.
THANK YOU
Hello everyone,
So happy to be back on this Forum!
We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break...
We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona.
Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice?
For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves.
Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!
Hello,
We’re taking a cruise to Northern Europe with a stop in SOUTHAMPTON.
We’d like to visit the Stonehenge site.
Is it possible to get there on our own (my husband is a wheelchair user), since the MSC excursion to Salisbury is priced at 127 € per person?
There’s also a stop in Rotterdam, and it seems there’s a "miniature village to visit" nearby. Has anyone here been there, and if so, how did you get there?
Thanks so much for your tips. Mum49
If you're traveling on the Costa Diadema from October 17th to 28th, 2026 to Lisbon, we can meet up for a drink. Share our cruising experiences, an excursion, a table...
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hello,
We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière").
When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi.
I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land.
Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers.
As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago).
So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship!
Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
We're considering a new cruise soon and would like to try the Renaissance.
The uniqueness of the promenade cabins appeals to us, but could anyone give us some insights on the following points:
- Is the glass door sufficiently tinted to prevent outsiders from seeing into the cabin?
- Is the soundproofing good enough to block out conversations on the promenade deck?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.
As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.
As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.
So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.
While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*
I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.
I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.
I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops:
1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre
2. We stopped in Saint-Martin
3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...
This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.
First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.
It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*
Here’s the itinerary:
Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre
Saint-Martin
Five days at sea
The Azores
Four days at sea
Hamburg
One day at sea
Le Havre
But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.
We’re stopping over in Rovinj this coming May, and since we’ve already visited the main sights (port, church, etc.), is there a walk we can do on our own—no boat needed—that would fill a morning?
Thanks to anyone who knows the area…
My wife and I are going on a cruise on the MS Vesteralen on August 4th. The ship stays close to the coast to deliver mail and packages. My wife is a musician and is sensitive to the movement of the boat. Which deck and cabin should we choose?
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!
hi, we’re going on a cruise with MSC Virtuosa in the Caribbean. Has anyone done this cruise before and could give us some tips for excursions on the different islands? Thanks for your help
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
Hi there,
So, I booked this cruise...
I know CFC gets a lot of criticism—
- And that it’s not really like the ships I usually take.
But the destination really interested me...
So, I’m giving it a try...
I’m going in with an open mind, thinking I got a good deal, so I’m not expecting the same experience as when I travel with Yacht Club or The Haven.
We’ll see... soon!