Lorsque l'on voyage en yacht club MSC, à partir de quelle heure pouvons nous nous présenter à l'embarquement à Gênes, s'il vous plaît ?
J'ai la possibilité de prendre la navette à Nice (arrivée vers 14h30) mais je me demande si venir directement à Gênes et dormir une nuit avant la croisière ne serait pas plus simple pour découvrir un peu la ville avant le départ du Splendida.
Je vous remercie de vos réponses.
Vous pouvez déjà vous présenter le matin, lors de notre dernière YC en mars 2015, nous sommes arrivés en voiture et à 9h30 nous étions dans le salon réservé YC avec un verre de Prosseco (que 9h30 mais debout depuis 4h, c'est acceptable...) et la possibilité de manger quelques amuses-bouche. Pendant ce temps, un majordome a fait nos papiers, on s'est rendu au guichet pour la photo et la carte de crédit, un minimum d'attente et à 10h30 on était accompagné à bord par un majordome, valises 30 minutes plus tard, donc à 11h30 nous avons prit notre premier apéro au Top Sail Lounge et ensuite notre premier repas au restaurant l'Etoile.
Si vous avez la possibilité d'arriver tot, c'est bien pour visiter le bateau quand il n'y a pas trop de monde et pouvoir déjà manger au restaurant le premier jour.
Je vous remercie de votre réponse.
Nous allons opté pour une arrivée le matin vers 10h.
En dormant une nuit avant la croisière à Gênes, nous serons bien reposées pour découvrir le bateau avant l’arrivée des autres passagers.
Je vais reserver le park and cruise.
En lisant les différents commentaires du forum, il me semble que c’est la solution la plus pratique.
Voyageant avec ma maman, je me vois mal réserver un parking éloigné pour gagner quelques euros et porter les bagages dans Gênes.
Si vous avez utilisé ce service, pouvez vous m’expliquer la marche à suivre lors de l’arrivée (dès l’entrée dans le parking ) et la prise en charge par Msc, svp ?
J’ai lu qu’il fallait arriver par la route "en dessous" de la gare maritime.
En regardant sur Google Earth, il semblerait qu’il y ai beaucoup de travaux dans Gênes (année 2014) et à l’approche de la gare maritime, est ce toujours le cas actuellement, svp ?
Nous avons reservé un bed and breakfast situé juste en face de la gare maritime. Malheureusement, il me faudra faire un long detour puisqu’il semblerait que je ne puisse pas passer directement vers la voie d’en dessous à partir de la gare maritime. Il me faudra donc reprendre la direction de l’autoroute pour rejoindre la fameuse route des parkings.
Des petits détails avant une belle croisière !
Pouvez vous m’indiquer, svp, les horairs d’ouvertue et de fermeture de l’Olivo si vous étiez sur le Splendida ?
Je vous remercie et vous souhaite une bonne soirée.
Vous verrez dès la sortie de l'autoroute, il y a des panneaux partout indiquant le port, vous les suivez et arrivez effectivement sur la route d'en dessous, en fait à la hauteur des quais, vous passez une espèce de "douane" à l'entrée, en fait je n'ai vu qu'une seule fois une personne nous demandant nos tickets de croisière pour passer.
Ensuite, vous vous dirigez au fond, après les ferries, c'est là que ce trouve la gare maritime MSC, il y aura un panneau Park and Cruise, c'est très simple vous ne pouvez pas le rater.
Vous avancez avec la voiture, une personne du parking va contrôler votre numéro de plaques avec la liste des réservation, vous lui laissez les clés et en échange il vous donnera un ticket pour récupérer la voiture au retour qu'il faut tamponner au service comptabilité du bateau (preuve de paiement).
Pendant ce temps vos valises sont déchargées et si vous êtes en Yacht Club, un majordome viendra vous chercher pour vous accompagner dans le salon réservé au check-in.
On a fait le Splendida mais pas en Yacht Club, jamais été à l'Olivo par contre sur le Fantasia le restaurant été ouvert pour le petit-déjeuner (je ne sais pas les heures), ensuite de 12h00 à 14h30 et le soir de 18h30 à ??? j'imagine vers les 22h-22h30.
A la conciergerie du Yacht Club, le maitre d'hotel vous demandera vers quelle heure vous voulez manger.
Quand on était garés pour prendre le ferry à Gênes, on pouvait monter dans la rue au dessus en passant à travers un centre commercial (vérification des tickets de ferry à une guérite) quand on est redescendus prendre le bateau...
En arrivant depuis Voltri, pour le ferry, j'ai noté ceci :
Entrée de Gênes, il y a d'abord à gauche, la gare Genova Francia.
Juste après, il y a un Novotel sur la gauche, une grande enseigne ERG verte, un immeuble en forme de crayon un peu comme à Lyon. Juste avant tout ceci, il faut passer sous un ensemble de passerelles peintes en bleu ciel pastel. Quasiment sous la passerelle, 2 files à droite, marquées « porto » au sol, tourner à droite dans ces files, après 100 mètres, stop et tourner à gauche, passer un petit tunnel.
Ensuite, 100 m. après, premier contrôle, tout le monde semblant entrer par cette porte (pour Tunisie, Sardaigne, Sicile).
On doit se diriger vers l'entrée no 1 nous dit-on. Quand on arrive vers les entrées, tout est fermé (portails). On nous dira plus tard que le portail ouvre à 14 h. Nous poursuivons et passons un autre tunnel (en suivant les indications « terminal MSC Cruise »). Au bout, voire sous le tunnel, il y a moyen de se parquer, mais partout c'est marqué interdit. Il y a quelques voitures et campings-car néanmoins. Sous le tunnel, très glauque, au bout, j'hésite au vu des panneaux d'interdiction. Ca irait si on restait sur place.
Nous revenons en arrière, repassons le tunnel et ressortons. Nous continuons tout droit pour chercher une place au bord du trottoir. Nous trouvons juste avant via « Fiamme Gialle ». Ce qui nous permettra par cette rue de revenir sur l'entrée de la ville avant l'entrée sous la passerelle.
Nous allons nous promener dans Gênes et revenons à 17 h 30 reprendre la voiture, refaire ce qui est noté ci-dessus :
Nous continuons et on nous fait garer dans une file de 3 voitures déjà installées. Voitures à droite et camping-cars et caravanes à gauche.
A côté, bar café, WC et passerelle (avec ascenseur) menant à un centre commercial Coop et au terminal passagers (pour ceux qui arriveraient comme piétons pour embarquer).
On prend la passerelle, on nous a bien dit de nous promener avec nos billets d'embarquement, effectivement, au bout de la passerelle, il y a une guérite avec un surveillant qui nous les demandera au retour...
Dans le centre, quelques magasins, McDo, 1 café, peu de sièges dans le couloir central, WC et consignes bagages au sous-sol ; au premier étage, les bureaux pour acheter les billets des ferries.
Sinon, un grand magasin alimentaire Coop. A sa droite, on peut s'asseoir, zone WIFI gratuit, code à demander et envoyé sur le téléphone portable, ça fonctionne très bien (pendant 2 h. en tout cas selon ce qui est dit, juste testé pendant 1 h environ). On en profite pour manger nos sandwiches.
Sinon, du centre commercial, on peut sortir en ville sur le quai très facilement.
Il y a des personnes garées faisant leurs achats à la Coop, mais pas réussi à comprendre où se trouvait l'entrée du parking...
On voit du hall central les bateaux qui partent, le Carthage qui devait partir à 17 h partira après 19 h 30, le bateau pour la Sardaigne qui devait partir à 20 h 30 partira à 21 h.
Notre bateau arrive à 19 h, nous le verrons accoster depuis le hall.
Nous retournons par la passerelle vers 20 h à la voiture.
...................On a fait le Splendida mais pas en Yacht Club, jamais été à l'Olivo par contre sur le Fantasia le restaurant été ouvert pour le petit-déjeuner (je ne sais pas les heures), ensuite de 12h00 à 14h30 et le soir de 18h30 à ??? j'imagine vers les 22h-22h30.......................;A la conciergerie du Yacht Club, le maitre d'hotel vous demandera vers quelle heure vous voulez manger...........
Bonjour ,
Tous les YC bénéficient de la même organisation. Je dirais également, qu' aux détails des harmonies : les lieux sont identiques. Seuls les " top sail " sont légèrement différents dans les aménagements mobiliers.
Vous connaissez un restaurant : vous les imaginez tous, l'Olivo compris.
Le soir , le restaurant ferme : ... quant il n' y a plus personne. ( c' est la meilleur heure )
étant donné que, en général, on mange tôt, vers 19h, médicaments de Monsieur obligent, on n'a jamais "trainé" au restaurant donc je voulais pas m'aventurer sur les heures de fermeture.
Après deux YC Fantasia, on se rejouis de découvrir celui du Preziosa dans un mois et son Top Sail Lounge agrandi. En plus en YC3, que du bonheur... Avant un retour sur Le Fantasia en YC3 en Septembre.
Cette annee, on s'est fait plaisir, l'itinéraire compte peu, après des problèmes de santé des deux côtés on a envie de vacances en toute tranquilité.
...............Cette annee, on s'est fait plaisir, l'itinéraire compte peu, après des problèmes de santé des deux côtés on a envie de vacances en toute tranquilité.................
Bonjour,
Je m'adresse aux connaisseurs, notamment Christian.
Je suis sur le Fantasia jusqu'à dimanche, en yacht club. Nous avons un vrai pb de cabine, avec des vibrations invivables (16033). Nos majordomes l'ont constaté, elles ont commencé environ 12h après le départ de Gènes.
Je l'ai signalé à plusieurs reprises, mais personne ne semble s'en préoccuper.
Cela nous gâche évidement le séjour, puisque nous n'avons presque pas dormi de lundi. Je suis avec mon épouse enceinte, et notre fille de 3 ans.
Un de vous a t'il déjà connu ce type de souci, et qu'elle est la conduite à tenir dans ce cas (quitter le bateau, etc...).
Je précise que j'ai découvert le monde des croisières il y a 2 ans et 1/2, et j'ai depuis acheté 11 croisières en yacht club (4 pour nous, 7 offertes à des membres de notre famille) et dépensé plus de 80 000€ au total chez Msc en 25 mois. Ce n'est que notre 3ème (après le splendida et le
Preziosa, croisières magnifiques...). J'ai une carte black member avec 12 ou 15 000 Pts.
Une nouvelle croisière sur le preziosa est déjà réservée pour octobre, où nous invitons la sœur de mon épouse et son mari.
Je vous remercie avance.
les 2 concierges me disent avoir fait remonter l'information, mais n'ont pas de solutions à proposer, le bateau étant plein.
Quand je demande si je peux écourter et me faire rembourser au prorata, les concierges me répondent qu'il que c'est du ressort du service commercial.
Les majordomes m'ont dit aujourd'hui qu'ils avaient constaté depuis plusieurs jours les vibrations anormales en faisant le ménage...
Je viens de regarder le plan pour avoir passer à cet endroit en avril à plusieurs reprises, nous n'avons pas ressenti de vibration.
je ne comprends pas sur cet yc1 large qui pourrait faire vibrer de cette façon dans cette cabine ?
Avez vous écris à msc directement ?
Je crois volontiers que le yc est complet.
Le débarquement avant le terme est seulement en cas de problème familiaux comme un décès ou médicaux approuver par le médecin de bord.
Donnez nous des nouvelles du suivi de cette affaire.
Courage
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BouelMogdad, Navarino, Ausonia, Royal Viking Sky, Costa Riviera, Azur Victoria, Mediterranea, MSC Musica-Fantasia-Divina-Splendida-Preziosa, Fortuna, Serena, Magica, Concordia, Pacifica, Luminosa, Costa Neoromantica
Nous partons en croisière à bord du MSC Preziosa le 9 novembre prochain au départ de Palerme. C'est ma 2ème croisière avec MSC (Preziosa aussi) mais ma 1ère en…
J'entame le CR de notre croisière du mois d'octobre. Petit clin d'œil s'ils me lisent à Monique, Cormo et 2Vaux. Promis, je finirai ensuite (pour ceux qui ont…
Je rentre aujourd'hui de cette croisière,, enchantée, comme prévu. Je remercie sincèrement tous les membres du forum pour leur aide dans la préparation. Je…
Cette envie de croisière en Méditerranée nous est venue pendant notre dernière croisière en Asie. Aller si loin pour voir quelques fois des sites ou des…
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
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 ...
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 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'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?
I discovered solo cruises last year, and it was a wonderful experience. Since then, I’ve decided to do one every year, usually between October and March, departing from Marseille or Le Havre.
I travel alone, but I enjoy sharing certain moments with other travelers: having meals together, attending shows, enjoying the evening entertainment, grabbing a drink, or going on a few excursions. Of course, everyone keeps their freedom—the goal is simply to have a good time in a friendly atmosphere.
For the end of this year, I don’t have a cruise planned yet. However, I’m already booked on the MSC Magnifica from October 29 to November 3, 2027, departing from Marseille with an itinerary to Spain and Italy.
If you often travel solo or if you’re on this cruise, I’d love to chat with you before departure. Looking forward to meeting you! 🚢😊
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
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.
If there’s one trip I’ve always wanted to take, it’s a long boat journey far from my daily routine—something like crossing the Atlantic. I first thought about traveling on a cargo ship or similar, as some of these boats used to accept individual passengers, but I’ve read that this has become very rare since COVID. Plus, the options that might work for me are way out of my budget, like Neoline, for example.
A cruise seems like the best solution for me, especially since what I really love is the idea of a long stay on a ship—making stops in different places, exploring them, the change of scenery, and a real break from the daily grind. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I was thinking of doing a 21-day cruise between a port in mainland France (Marseille) and Pointe-à-Pitre. The departure port doesn’t really matter—Marseille, Le Havre, or even a nearby European city would work.
Since I want to travel solo, I’m really keen on cruises designed for solo travelers. MSC has one from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, lasting 21 days, departing next November (so in a few months). The price is within my budget, just over 1800 €.
I see that other cruises with similar routes and durations are planned for next year, November 2027, but the prices are totally different—around 3500 €, which is clearly out of my budget.
So, my question is: do you think I should wait for a possible price drop for the 2027 cruises (if I understand correctly, prices are adjusted based on how full the ship is and how close the departure date is) or should I book the one in November 2026? I could easily take three weeks off this fall. Also, is it too late to book for November 2026? I’ve read that visas might be required for some stops.
For the rest—accommodation in Guadeloupe and the flight ticket back to France—it’s not a problem; I can sort that out pretty easily.
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!
We’re doing the next CFC cruise in Norway and we’re looking for the excursion program and their prices.
For those who’ve done this cruise before, could you share this info with us?
I know the company doesn’t release it until 8 weeks before departure. I like to plan ahead and avoid any unpleasant 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
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,
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!
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
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.
