Evidemment, nous aussi, suivons cette discussion et après avoir téléphoné à Emirates, il s'avère qu'il n'est pas possible d'avoir nos emplacements tant que nous n'ayons pas payé le solde. En espérant que MSC fasse le nécessaire aussitôt...
La preuve c'est le commentaire de Anha qui me fait penser qu'une fois le billet émis , on pourra peut être avoir une chance de réserver nos places.
J'ai appelé Jeudi Emirates , et une personne charmante m'a répondu que les billets n'était pas encore émis.....
C'est la première fois que je prend un vol de groupe.. et je trouve plus plus simple la réservation individuelle.
Bonjour,
C’est quand même particulier à cette destination (Emirats). J’ai auparavant pris des vols avec MSC, mais sur Air France, vers Venise, Hambourg et La Havane : jamais eu de problème pour accéder à mon dossier et choisir mes places sur le site de la compagnie (et pour la Havane c’était bien un billet de groupe).
Là, si ça a marché finalement, c’est qu’au 3ème essai je suis tombé sur quelqu’un qui a su « bidouiller » pour nous trouver dans le système de réservation. Il m’a demandé un certain nombre de renseignements (noms, dates, destination, dates de naissances...), ça a pris un certain temps avant qu’il y arrive, à mon avis il est passé par une procédure non standard. Mais j’ai mes numéros de places, donc j’ose espérer que ça a fonctionné. Par contre je n’ai toujours pas l’accès sur le site (je me rappelle avoir lu quelque part que quelqu’un dans la même situation l’année dernière avait ensuite pu accéder à sa réservation).
Nous allons maintenant rentrer dans le concret. Je lance, pour les avis de chacun, le débat sur :
....... - " Ou allons nous nous retrouver la première fois ?? " .... sur le bateau.
Certains d' entre nous ce seront déjà présentés a terre les jours précédents, d' autres, au YC, dès le premier soir, voir avant, qui, dès l' avion. Mais :
- " comme Ali baba et les 7 nains " , ou - " Blanche neige et les 40 voleurs " .... ne mélangeons pas tout : ...... au moins la première fois : - Une belle assemblée des " Voyage Forum ".
Tout anticipations a neurones déployés, faites, Il me semble que le coin le plus tranquille pour nous, serait finalement dans la galette, la haut au centre du navire.
En effet, au pont 16, l' espace octroyé a la discothèque , ne fonctionne pas avant 23 h. Nous disposerions d' une grande surface libre de tout agencement ( la piste de danse ) , même de certains sièges latéraux , d' une vue panoramique exceptionnelle, d' une tranquillité, la ou nos nuisances de conversations ne dérangeraient personne.
Pépite sur la cerise sur le gâteau : il existe une salle genre : " de conférences " avec fauteuils comme au cinéma .... et pupitre juste a coté .... sur un malentendu ....
" Qu' est ce que de quoi que vous en pensez " ?
Quand ?? ! .... Réflexion avec ce qui reste de neurones, ( voir des intérimaires ) :
- Première fin d' après midi, l' embaquement... trop tôt.
- Deuxième, après les retours d' excursions .... possible voir la meilleure heure, car l' escale s' achève a 23 h !!!
- troisième jour escale de 9 a 17 h ... a 18 h ??
- le quatrième jour, et cela est bien tard : journée en mer ... a 11h ????
- ou a votre idée ...
Mon avis :
- suivant les projets de chacun, le deuxième jours Abu dhabi, ... certains ne seront peut être pas dehors après le dîner, et malgré l' appareilage a 23 h : .... nous pourrions cibler 22 h la haut.... ?
......Donc je me pencherai sur la réservation des sièges dans l'avion après ........
Mon agence est rentré dans la manoeuvre, et a vu cela avec MSC ( mais je ne sais pas a quel niveau ) . Elle m' a précisé qu' elle nous donnerait nos numéros de siège cote / cote. 🙂
ok
tu nous diras.
cela aura plus de poids avec l'agence si on peut dire que quelqu'un a les numeros de ses sièges..
parce que sinon on va avoir la réponse de "ce n'est pas possible".. comme la conseillère de croisiland l'a dit à anha alors que celle ci avait bien ses places😉
....... Je crois que c'est au pont 16 et que cela s'appelle Liquid disco.............
- Exactement. .... Tu montres le coté salon, qui peut se transformer en restaurant le soir, mais, de l' autre coté : - il y a l' espace " disco " avec la piste de danses ....
Je crois que nous serions plus libre, et a l' aise, qu' au " bar a vin " vu notre nombre ....
L'idée du pont 16 version Galaxy sur le Fantasia va très bien si l'équipage n'effectue pas de répétition spectacle comme je l'ai déjà remarqué car justement espace très peu utilisé, sinon comme Fillon, il faut un plan B...
Pour le moment de rendez-vous, déjà plus difficile, je vais la faire à la version Nathalie "on est très occupé..."
Pour les passagers du YC, la rencontre sera déjà faite en grande partie, surtout que nous serons déjà à Dubaï ainsi que le bateau, cela dépendra de l'heure de transfert organisé par MSC ?
J'espère que le temps sera meilleur qu'aujourd'hui, il pleut...
Excellent dimanche
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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
Hello
pas de soucis pour une rencontre à cette endroit là.
L'heure est un autre débat...
notamment si on fixe ce rdv un soir.. entre ceux qui mangent au 1er service et ceux au 2e service.
Il sera plus facile pour ceux du yc de s'adapter..
......L'idée du pont 16 version Galaxy sur le Fantasia va très bien si l'équipage n'effectue pas de répétition spectacle comme je l'ai déjà remarqué car justement espace très peu utilisé, ...............Pour le moment de rendez-vous, déjà plus difficile, je vais la faire à la version Nathalie "on est très occupé..."...........
Avé Alexandre,
Le seul risque du pont 16 serait qu' il commence a mettre de la musique avant le début du temps " discothèque ".
C 'est pour cette raison que j' avais limité a 22 h, l' exemple de rendez vous précédemment.
Nous pouvons toujours, aussi, nous retrouver sous les étoiles, plus tard ( voir même au dessus de cette galette ), si la chaleur n' est pas trop forte malgré l' heure . ( souviens toi, sur le " Luminosa ", le toit de la piscine et du grand espace devant l' écran géant était fermé a cause de la chaleur le soir )
Sinon ce sera : quand et ou ..le voudront une majorité, et, bien sur, ... ceux qui le voudront, les libertés de chaque couple sont primordiales.
Personnellement, je serai heureux de rencontrer ceux avec qui nous échangeons ici. et j' irai.
oui je me souvient très bien, d'ailleurs Minouche discutait avec un autre couple sur l'arrière du Luminosa et tombé malade du à la chaleur mais cette fois je vais surveillé...
De toute façon, le feeling se fait tout seul selon les couples et s'installe rapidement si cela passe ou pas, et comme tu le dis, la liberté de chacun est très importante...
Pour les passagers YC, cela sera beaucoup plus simple, TSL oblige pour être au frais ou cuir à la OP...
Moi aussi, je suis content de rencontrer en vrai après le passage de l'écran...
L'étoile fait partie du quotidien pour les passagers YC
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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
Bonsoir Christian
Je me représente sur le tome 2
De mon côté mes places sur Emirates sont déjà attribués certe nous avons payés se vol hors MSC pour être plus tranquille.
À bientôt
De mon côté mes places sur Emirates sont déjà attribués certe nous avons payés se vol hors MSC pour être plus tranquille.
Exactement comme nous, nous avons pris le vol hors MSC avec Emirates et nous avons aussi le choix des places et réservé depuis quelques temps... et même reçu le menu du vol, il est aussi sur leur site.
Excellente journée,
Alexandre
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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
Bonsoir
Je prends les repas au 2 e service également .
Pour le rv 22h cela risque d'être juste car le repas est à 21 h.
Rv lors de la journée navigation ce n'est pas mal à mon avis
Le premier jour de navigation le 28 mars 2017 serait une bonne idée, mais je rappelle qu'il y a aucune obligation, peut-être certains ne désirent pas venir...
Etant beaucoup de monde, il serait intéressant de connaître les passagers qui ne détient pas participer à cet apéro ?
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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
Je rentre de 4 jours d' absence, je raccroche sur le forum.
.. Bon ! - ce n' est pas moi qui décide, et il semble que pour les participants qui se sont manifestés : le jour de navigation a 11 h est privilégié " par plus " pour notre rencontre.
cela serait donc : - le jour N° 4 ... après celui de l' embarquement et les deux jours d' escales qui suivent. a 11 h la haut dans la galette.
Je pense qu' il serait prudent de ne pas associer " apéro et rencontre " .
Les statuts de chacun, différents, ne peuvent qu' alourdir une cérémonie ... déjà d' une belle ampleur. .... D 'autant que dans la galette, a cette heure, je ne suis pas certain que le bar attenant fonctionne.
Par contre : après, ceux qui veulent .... 😛
Nous avons encore du temps pour figer tout cela.
A tous : - de donner son impression, c' est le moment . ( Yoda 😉 )
Je rentre de 4 jours d' absence, je raccroche sur le forum.. Bon ! - ce n' est pas moi qui décide, et il semble que pour les participants qui se sont manifestés : le jour de navigation a 11 h est privilégié " par plus " pour notre rencontre.
cela serait donc : - le jour N° 4 ... après celui de l' embarquement et les deux jours d' escales qui suivent. a 11 h la haut dans la galette.
Je pense qu' il serait prudent de ne pas associer " apéro et rencontre " .
Les statuts de chacun, différents, ne peuvent qu' alourdir une cérémonie ... déjà d' une belle ampleur. .... D 'autant que dans la galette, a cette heure, je ne suis pas certain que le bar attenant fonctionne.
Par contre : après, ceux qui veulent .... 😛
Nous avons encore du temps pour figer tout cela.
A tous : - de donner son impression, c' est le moment . ( Yoda 😉 )
Bonjour
je répond et je donne juste une petite information..
lors de la première rencontre vf en 2015 (certes nous étions moins nombreux..)
Pascal(canneslabocca) (rendons à césar ce qui est à césar) avait suggéré que nous emmenions à cette rencontre) les bouteilles de pétillant reçu en cabine (pour nous les yc) mais aussi je pense pour les black quelque soit leurs étages..
Bien sur ce n'est pas une obligation.. mais je pense que pour tout ceux en all in ce n'est pas non plus "une grande perte"
et cela peut permettre de rendre un peu plus convivial cette rencontre..il faudra juste penser au gobelet en plastique 😉
maintenant ce n'est qu'une idée et aucune obligation...
merci Christian..
c'était une réponse à la problématique que tu avais soulevé (et que je comprend parfaitement)
si tout le monde joue le jeu ce serait super!!
à la limite ceux qui n'auront pas de bouteilles.. (et pas de soucis) s'ils pouvaient prévoir autre chose ( à voir) cela peut même être des choses du buffets pas de soucis !!voir des gobelets.. ce serait une très bonne organisation du coup..
ben les conjoints étaient prévus d'office!! enfin ceux qui veulent bien sur.
Très bonne idée, j'apporte les gobelets et une bouteille. Donc rendez vous jour 4 à 11h à la galette.
Petite question : l'accès à cette fameuse galette est ouvert à tous au faut il montrer patte blanche, sommes en cabine Auréa?
Amitiés
Maghnia
Bonjour,
Nous partirons pour la première fois de Barcelone lors de notre prochaine croisière.
Je me demandais s'il était mieux de réserver d'avance un taxi pour aller de la gare au terminal de croisière, sachant que nous serons 4. Les taxis sont-ils suffisamment nombreux pour ne pas trop attendre ?
Pour le retour, même chose, sont-ils assez nombreux, car nous avons un avion à prendre. Par contre, je doute fort que nous sachions à l'avance à quel terminal nous accosterons.
Je suis tombée sur le site ci-dessous, est-ce que quelqu'un connaît ?
https://taxibarcelona.taxi/fr/
Hi everyone, we're going on a week-long cruise and I have a question: can we travel by train and on a cruise with small refrigerated injectable syringes?
Do we need to complete any formalities?
And how should we store them?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
Hi there,
Here’s the 2027 cruise schedule.
It’s a great way to get ideas and maybe even meet up with other members!
2 essential rules:
1) Never "quote" the schedule when replying—this avoids any confusion.
2) Follow this format:
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
REMINDER Despite my requests, few people follow the requested format. Cruises that stray too far from it won’t be listed anymore—sorry about that. IMPORTANT Please respect the templates!
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THE FORMAT BELOW AND REPLACE WITH YOUR DETAILS IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE
DD/MM - username / SHIP IN CAPS / number of days / cruise title / departure port
DON’T FORGET THE SPACES between the / /
It takes time to fix mistakes, so THANKS TO EVERYONE for your help!
YOUR TURN 😉
NUMBER OF 2027 CRUISES: 1
JANUARY
14/01 - poupou10 / AZAMARA JOURNEY / 74 days / South America Tour / Miami
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Hi 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 looking for a group of people available to share an excursion to the Trollstigen (Trolls’ Road).
We’ve contacted a local provider who’s offering us the following rates:
- 6,325 NOK for 4 people
- 6,874 NOK for 5 to 8 people
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to discuss!
Happy planning to everyone! !
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
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?
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
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 ...
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! 🚢😊
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
Hello,
We’re back from this cruise.
Boarding in Dunkirk: The doors opened around 12 PM. Since we were a bit early, I asked if my husband, who uses a walker, could wait inside instead of outside. I left him with the two suitcases and our two backpacks in the small hall while I parked the car in the reserved CFC parking lot for 10 € per day.
The shuttle that was supposed to take people from the parking lot to the model pavilion was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, but after 15 minutes, nothing. After waiting 15 minutes, I saw a man walking and asked if I could follow him. In 15 minutes, we arrived, and still no sign of the shuttle—it must have passed us. Arrived at the model pavilion.
My husband had already checked in the suitcases with the help of a CFC staff member. The remaining formalities were completed quickly. We were on board by 12:15 PM. Headed to the buffet on deck 11 and waited in a lounge to access our cabin.
At 2 PM, we discovered our balcony cabin on deck 9 at the rear: spacious with a large balcony compared to MSC/COSTA.
Since we were at the rear, cabin 9202, there was always an issue with elevator number 4: "priority."
Elevator number 2 stops at deck 10... and elevator number 3 was often out of order, leaving only number 1 for those with mobility issues to reach the buffet, especially for people who struggle with stairs. Note: only one child on board and lots of "gray hair."
DAY 2: At sea. Lots of activities offered.
Day 3: GOTHENBURG (Sweden). Sunny, 19°C at 11 AM.
Excursion booked with CFC: Gothenburg and Haga for all.
Interesting visit with a great guide. The HAGA district, in our opinion, is full of cobblestones and nothing special, not suitable for people using a cane or wheelchair. Elevator number 3 was out of order again.
Day 4: Copenhagen. 15°C in the morning, showers in the afternoon.
We didn’t book an excursion since we’d already stopped here with CFC in 2025, and based on advice from this forum, we took the hop-on/hop-off bus right in front of the ship. I still went to see the Little Mermaid again.
No TV, but the elevator was fixed.
DAY 5: At sea. Still no TV.
DAY 6: GDANSK (Poland). 15°C, rain all day.
There’s a shuttle to get to the city center.
We took the excursion: Panorama of Gdansk.
The guide left us at the entrance of the city center for 45 minutes, telling us what to visit. Meet-up for the rest of the tour at 3 PM. The bus left at 3:15 PM to cover 10 km to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. We arrived at 4:16 PM... The guide said there are often traffic jams in that direction. We had 10 minutes on site before heading to see the lighthouse and the Westerplatte monument, where we also had 10 minutes.
Many of us wondered why we didn’t do the tour in the opposite direction since they knew there would be traffic...
I went to reception to complain about the organization. The staff member read me the program: we were supposed to start with the lighthouse, then go to the cathedral and stay for 30 minutes before heading to the center of Gdansk for a short guided walk with some free time to buy souvenirs, etc.
The guide did the complete opposite of what was planned and didn’t even give us a guided tour—just dropped us off in the city...
DAY 7: Bornholm Island (Denmark). 14°C, a few sunny spells.
We saw in the excursions that there was a walking tour of RØNNE. So, like many others, we explored on our own. There was a small orchestra welcoming us at the port and two people with city maps. We took the shuttle to leave the port—it ran every 15 minutes. The tourist office was next to the "shuttle bus." A pleasant visit at our own pace.
DAY 8: KIEL (Germany). 18–23°C, nice weather.
We took the "Kiel for all" excursion. Great guide and interesting visits.
The port is in the city, and in 10 minutes, we were in the city center by following a blue line on the ground from the port. Elevator 3 was stuck again... and the TV was back.
DAY 9: At sea. Elevator 3 works.
DAY 10: At sea. Elevator 3 is out of order again...
DAY 11: Disembarkation in Dunkirk.
Cabins had to be vacated by 7:30 AM. Buffet open until 9 AM.
Elevator number 1 was "reserved," leaving only number 2, which doesn’t go up to deck 11... a problem for people with mobility issues who had to cross the entire deck 11 and try to use one of the four working elevators at the front, which were crowded.
My opinion: Interesting stops.
The onboard staff were always welcoming, smiling, and mostly French-speaking.
Evening shows were better than in March/April 2025—better singers, dancers, and presenters, and the costumes were improved.
I liked the "magician" shows less.
There were three onboard lectures by a very cultured person, but they went off-topic and were too historical for my taste. I didn’t attend the other two; my husband went to the second but not the third.
For this cruise, there was a bridge theme, but we’re not players or interested.
We didn’t take a drink package on board—water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas were available.
We had a water leak in our cabin the night before disembarkation. We reported it, and after the technical staff came (with a translator who didn’t speak English), we were asked to leave the cabin for a while for repairs. We went to a lounge, and after 1.5 hours, I checked in at reception. The repair took longer than expected... we had to change cabins... not ideal the night before disembarkation. No balcony cabins were available, so we got an ocean-view cabin, 6075, with a bathtub (impossible for both of us to use). We packed our suitcases, took a shower in our cabin, and moved to the new one. Noise from chairs until 12:30 AM because the cabin was under a lounge, and constant ventilation noise in the hallway... sleep was hard to come by.
Disembarkation: Well organized. We were helped with transporting the two suitcases and bags to the waiting room while I took the shuttle to get the car.
Guylène
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
Hi there,
I'm looking at a cruise in the north.