J'ouvre cette discussion sur cette croisière où nous venons de nous inscrire.
Pour l'instant, j'ai consulté les plans du navire et ne semble pas être trop mal tombé (Avant du pont 6 - Cabine Handicapé)
J'ai également regardé les excursions proposés sur les différentes escales mais souhaiterai être autonome lors des visites sauf quelques unes où la présence d'un guide est primordiale.
Ce sera notre première croisière et avec 3 semaines de mer, nous souhaiterions minimiser les points négatifs rencontrés au fil des pages de ce forum pour n'en garder que le meilleur.
Plus habitués, aux treks engagé sur la même durée, nous serions donc intéressés pour connaître les points clés de la réussite de ce voyage ainsi que quelques tuyaux de connaisseurs. (Faut-il prendre le forfait boissons, prix des boissons à bord hors forfait, prix des communications GSM et Internet Wifi, fonctionnement des activités à bord, organisation des débarquements aux escales, ...etc.)
Et que cette discussion puisse également servir à rencontrer par avance des futurs participants à cette croisière. (Départ de CDG, le 16/03/13 via Zurich, retour de Venise à CDG le 07/04/13)
Nous participons à la même croisière que vous.
Et comme vous c'est notre première croisière. Nous aimerions connaitre aussi quelques tuyaux sur les croisières.
Apparemment, le forfait boisson n'est intéressant que si on boit toute la journée, durant la croisière (vins à table, cocktail ...) mais si c'est un ou deux verres par jour cela ne vaut pas le coup... Selon l'hôtesse de l'agence de voyage.
Voilà ce que nous avons eu comme information.
Bonjour,
Nous nous questionnons pour l'horaire du repas : Soit 19 heures soit 21 heures ? Quel horaire choisir ?
Si quelques personnes peuvent nous porter conseil.
Et pour les excursions avez vous choisi les excursions Costa ou passer par d'autre agence, type Alter Nativ ?
Quelques conseil seraient les bienvenue.
Bonjour,
Nous sommes également inscrits pour cette croisière..Comme pour vous, il s'agit d'une première!
Toutes les suggestions pour la vie à bord, les excursions, etc. seront les bienvenues.
A bientôt donc,
Géry et Nicole
🙂 bonjour Steph, je me permets de vous répondre, en effet mon mari et moi en sommes à la 10e croisière dont 3 transats. Nous sommes par ailleurs très indépendants, mais la croisière est pour nous un moment de détente et il faut bien le dire de luxe. Au départ nous prenons toujours un forfait boissons, vous verrez votre bouteille d'eau servie durant les repas part très vite. Par la suite nous ramenons de l'eau aux escales lorsque cela est permis😕.
Les boissons à bord en dehors des repas où l'on vous sert de l'eau en carafe (pas terrible) sont chères. Nous nous accordons quelques cocktails, eux-aussi son assez chers, mais cela fait partie du plaisir de la croisière.. La connexion wifi est de prix raisonnable. En ce qui concerne les visites, nous sommes assez indépendants aussi soit nous louons une voiture, une petite moto, mais pour le brésil où nous sommes déjà allés nous prenons les taxis, pas très chers et sympathiques en sachant ce que nous voulons faire dès le départ. Nous n'avons jamais été eu de problème au contraire, vous pouvez éventuellement partir avec un couple et partager les frais de transport, ça peut-être sympa. Pour les arrivées aux escales, si vous êtes indépendants des groupes (nombre important de bus et .... de croisiéristes)vous descendez tranquillement après eux et en sortant du port des taxis vous attendent sans problème. Pour ce qui est des activités à bord, cela dépend de vous, si vous aimez les jeux de ponts, apprendre à danser etc... il y a le choix, je dois reconnaître que je préfère lire sur un transat et faire du sport dans la salle de gym où vous avez tous les appareils possibles et modernes. Vous avez aussi l'opportunité de jouer au bridge, échecs et autres il suffit pour cela de s'inscrire sur une liste de façon à créer des tables de préférence de personnes ayant la même langue. Cela permet de rencontrer des gens agréables.
J'espère avoir répondu en partie à vos questions, je crois que vous ne regretterez pas cette croisière, les arrivées aux différents ports avec la découverte de la ville depuis le port ainsi que toutes les manips pour l'accostage...ah les sirènes du bateau !!! on ne s'en lasse pas. D'ailleurs nous ( re)faisons comme vous cette croisière mais nous resterons trois jours à Venise.
😊bonjour, vous posez la bonne question concernant les repas : 1e ou 2e service. Tout dépend de vos habitudes .... et de votre âge. En ce qui nous concerne nous préférons et de loin le 2e service ça prolonge agréablement la journée.
Nous apréhendions un peu notre 5ème croisière, mais première transat. Cependant, le message de Montousse nous a rassurés. Pour notre part, croisière signifie découvertes, mais aussi relax. Donc pas question d'excursions de 7 à 8 h, avec un repas vite fait mal fait. Pour les escales Brésiliennes, nous choisirons des sorties de 1/2 journées en taxi ou avec Costa, ou à pied à Maceio. Les escales à Santa Cruz, Malaga et Dubrovnik permettent de jolies promenades depuis le bateau. A Madère, plutôt que de rester sur Funchal (beau parc et marché), une balade en 4X4 est très chouette. Nous découvrirons Malte et Corfou.
Comme Montousse, nous prenons les forfaits eau (à table) et bière (danser donne soif !). Par contre le soir, nous choisissons le 1er service car nous préférons voir le spectacle après le repas.
A disposition pour d'autres questions, et excellente croisière.
Bonsoir,
Nous venons de nous inscrire à cette croisière, c'est notre 1ère transat de ce côté et nous nous demandions à quelles escales il était possible d'aller se promener à pied directement du bateau. D'après ce que je lis ce serait donc possible de Maceio, Santa Cruz, Malaga, Dubrovnik. Savez-vous ce qu'il en est d'Ilheus, Salvador, Recife, Funchal et Corfou ? La Valette c'est sûr, nous y avons fait escale en mai.
Merci de nous communiquer vos infos.
Je reviens vers ceux qui m'ont signalé leur présence à bord du Costa Fascinosa pour savoir si vous aviez effectué des réservations d'excursions, lesquelles et avec qui ?
Je n'ai pas eu beaucoup l'occasion de préparer cela mais à moins de 3 semaines du départ, il faut quand même s'organiser un peu pour recenser les incontournables.
Bonjour, nous n'avons pas encore réservés d'excursions. Pour l'Europe, nous allons nous débrouillés seuls.
Nous pensions réservés l’excursion à Rio de Janeiro avec le bateau "paysage Rio". Après, pour les autres villes, nous n'avons pas eu le temps de nous décider.
Bonjour,
Nous aussi pensons faire l'Europe seuls, peut-être même une partie des escales du Brésil mais nous déciderons une fois à bord, par contre avons réservé hier Paysages de Rio.
A plus tard.
Nous avons reçu notre dossier la semaine passée par mail et nous avons également réservé l'excursion "Paysages de Rio" ce jour.
Pour les boissons, on verra sur le bateau mais il n'est pas sûr qu'il y ait encore d'autres choix que le forfait All Inclusive car Costa veut ne laisser que celui là à terme. Les paiements à bord se feront en €uro dans le sens Amérique > Europe.
Et je n'ai toujours pas de smoking !!!! que faut-il au minimum ? pour les soirées mondaines auquelles nous sommes peu habitués.
Pour les boissons si vous ne voulez pas le All Inclusive, il y a au restaurant des packs vins + eau ou eau seulement à # prix. Bien sûr les cocktails, bière ou autres sont en +.
Pas besoin de smoking, un pantalon et une veste suffisent même pour les soirées conseillées habillées. Certains en portent mais ce n'est pas la majorité.
Votre message concernant le pack all inclusive pour les boissons m'a laissé un doute. En effet jusqu'à présent il était possible de prendre un pack boisson au point d'embarquement. Aussi j'ai téléphoné à Costa, il semblerait que le pack existe toujours mais qu'il faudra le prendre sur place, peut-être durant le premier repas auprès du serveur? Je trouve que plus de 19euros par jour pour l'all inclusive c'est vraiment cher.
En ce qui concerne votre question concernant un smoking il n'y a aucune obligation, mais lors de la soirée du commandant un costume habillé est préférable avec une cravate ou éventuellement un noeud papillon. En ce qui concerne cette soirée vous verrez une file de croisieristes attendre pour être accueillis et là vous aurez droit à la photo avec le commandant... avant d'entrer dans la salle de spectacle. C'est le moment durant lequel beaucoup de personnes seront en tenue de soirée. Pour nous, les femmes, en effet c'est l'occasion de l'année de mettre une robe longue ou pas mais habillée, ça nous change de nos jeans , d'autant que dans la journée nous serons en "décontractées" et plutôt sport pour les visites. Au pire si vous hésitez sur le bateau il y a toujours des boutiques où l'on trouve cravates et vêtements du soir pour les dames.
Bonjour tout le monde,
Départ prévu à l'heure de Roissy pour Zurich dans une heure mais la correspondance pour Sao Paulo ne se fera que demain matin. On nous invite à l'hotel pour ce soir.
Cela signifie que l'on arrivera vers 17h00 et que le bateau va attendre la qurantaine de passagers en provenance de Paris.
On vient d'avoir le contact avec Lamelia, dans le même cas que nous.
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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
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,
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 myself.
I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…
Okay, I’ll stop rambling…
The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast.
We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person.
My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.
We’d checked in online to board faster.
We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride.
When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start…
After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed.
At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd.
With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect.
We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.
We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride…
We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception.
Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation.
The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated.
They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲.
That was the last straw…
It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in.
Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.
I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc…
TO BE CONTINUED
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!