Thanks Alain,
Yes, fortunately, but in this case, the organization isn’t going to be much better than the boat! 😠 😠 😠 🙁 What they’re about to put us through is unimaginable!
oh wow! that iceberg is absolutely stunning!!
Now that you’ve "left" Iceland, did you like the country?
I often look at cruises for this destination, and I find them really expensive... so I’m thinking a road trip must be really great...
And why not do a cruise from there to Greenland afterward, which also appeals to me, I must admit... though I might be getting a bit ahead of myself—I don’t even know if it’s possible!
Iceland was really beautiful, with stunning green landscapes similar to what you’d see in Ireland or Scotland. But it’s actually Ireland or Scotland I’d rather return to...
For the geological side, it’s great if you haven’t seen Yellowstone before... because after that, it’s like visiting a zoo after an African safari. Aside from the massive tectonic plate rift, which is truly impressive.
I hope I don’t offend anyone, but I found that Iceland’s reputation is a bit overhyped compared to reality.
There’s no denying that Iceland is very expensive, even on a road trip. The huge increase in tourism over the past few years has sent accommodation prices skyrocketing.
It’s okay to dream big—the main thing is to have plenty of adventures in mind! 😉 😎
Your travel journal reads like a novel, and like many others, I’m waiting for the next part—I get the feeling this isn’t over yet. Thankfully, there are some stunning photos! I hope you won’t be put off cruises altogether. Given the price of such a cruise, it’s worth asking questions about an organization like this. What did the other passengers think?
Thank you for reading and for your kind words. As you said, I’m glad I at least got to take some photos.
No, I’m not upset with cruises in general—it’s actually my favorite way to travel. I love boats and the sea too much! What I didn’t find on this one, I hope to find and make up for on the next. And from this one, I’ll try to keep the best images—that’s what photos are for.
What really bothers me is the completely unjustified price. And you haven’t even seen the worst of it yet. For such a price, everything is managed on the cheap—bare minimum, the lowest cost, everything is stingy and miserly, whether it’s the food, accommodations, or the organization of stops and excursions.
Many passengers were very unhappy, especially by the end of the cruise, and all you could hear in the hallways were complaints and reproaches.
Nuuk, located at the mouth of the fjord, is surrounded by the sea and mountains.
We booked a boat excursion in the fjord without being able to find out its duration or time despite our requests. No one knows or wants to say. You have to wait until 9 p.m. the night before to find out by checking lists posted at the reception.
The boat will be docked from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and our fjord trip is scheduled for 6 p.m. with a return at 8 p.m. That’s about an hour of cruising in the fjord, not counting transfers, for 120 € per person—and at a time when you’d rather be doing something else.
We wanted an excursion to fill the afternoon because there isn’t much to do in Nuuk. We didn’t want to rush through a tour at the last minute in the evening. We’re so disappointed we don’t even feel like going anymore.
Once again, they didn’t have enough excursions for all the passengers, so we easily resold ours to people who were thrilled.
At 2 p.m., we set off on foot toward the so-called “historic” center without waiting for the shuttle. About a 20-minute walk.
240 km south of the Arctic Circle, Greenland’s capital, which we’re passing through, feels soulless and very Americanized—but not in a good way. These regions must be grim to live in during winter with only a few hours of sunlight per day. It’s already so bleak in summer.
The harbor district is the historic center. The small colorful houses brighten up the bay.
From the top of the promontory, there’s a lovely panoramic view. The tiny cathedral, dating back to 1832, is closed.
Behind the historic village, rows of identical apartment blocks where Inuit families were housed stretch along the shoreline.
Two kayaks are out on the water, and when you see them practicing and rolling in the cold water, you think, “Maybe we were lucky our excursion got canceled.”
Actually, these aren’t the same kayaks—they’re very slim, very narrow, made for one person. They’re made of a simple wax-coated canvas stretched over a wooden frame.
The Greenland National Museum is on the harbor. The tour group from the boat catches up with us, and we can discreetly enjoy the explanations. The guide explains that to buy a traditional costume, you have to order it 2 years in advance, and it costs around 7000 €. That seems outrageous to me.
I really liked this chart explaining the use of each type of fur. Each one has a specific purpose.
These mummies (three adults and a baby), dating from the 15th century, were found at the bottom of a cave in the 1970s and are perfectly preserved thanks to the cold, dry air.
Soft, lovely lights illuminate the landscape to end the day.
At sea Tuesday, August 14
Our lecturer’s storytelling talent brings Ernest Shackleton’s incredible Antarctic epic to life with emotion. We already knew the story, but hearing it told so well is pure joy.
We cross the Arctic Circle at 11 a.m. The sun is shining, and the sea is like glass. We’ve been really lucky with the weather.
Tomorrow is the highlight of the cruise—Ilulissat and its UNESCO-listed ice fjord—but also the biggest disappointment Rivages du Monde has in store for us.
lol, you really know how to keep your audience on the edge of their seats...
finally, Greenland...
I was a little worried you’d say that about Iceland... since I’ve done Yellowstone...
anyway, I can’t wait to hear the end of this thriller ;)
I don’t think a cruise is the best way to discover Iceland.
Having done it once before as a road trip (around the island) four years ago, and this year on a cruise, I much preferred the first option.
What makes Iceland so charming is the contrast.
Being able to go from a lunar volcanic landscape to a lush fjord in very little time, from a sunny black sand beach to a glacier with blue hues, etc.
The geological formations and geysers aren’t the most impressive out there, but such a diversity of landscapes and environments is hard to find elsewhere in such a condensed way.
For me, the road trip formula allows you to explore at your own pace, enjoy the variety of stunning landscapes passing by, and linger in unlikely spots with no one around for miles.
A cruise is generally a way to "skim" a place to get an idea of it and return if you liked it.
For some destinations, it’s perfect, but for Iceland, I don’t think it’s the best way.
I’m planning to go back, but as a road trip again.
It was during dinner last night that the news leaked out: « Excursions will leave from and return to the ship. No transfers will be organized for disembarking. »
Not believing our ears, we head down to reception to get more details. The revolution is already brewing.
Faced with general discontent and disappointment, the "red jackets" are dismissive and insolent. They openly sneer and roll their eyes. They’re annoyed by our complaints and show outright contempt for us. There’s nothing we can do—they’re just mocking us.
At sunrise, the sky is clear, and the day promises to be beautiful.
We’re at sea, 10 miles from the coast. The ship doesn’t drop anchor—it just stays in position. Supposedly, it’s impossible to get closer to the port because of the ice and icebergs. (And if you don’t believe that one, I’ve got another story for you…)
We have no way to reach land. The cruise director tells us they can’t use the lifeboats because they’re not equipped to navigate through ice. (Where’s the ice, then?)
Our excursion to the Ilulissat Icefjord by sea starts at 10 AM and lasts only 2 hours—just one hour of actual navigation, another unpleasant surprise. We’re lucky with our timing; some people had their turn at 7 AM!!!
We board a small, charming fishing boat, but the pleasure is ruined by the frustration. There are 11 of us on board, and we’re counted repeatedly like cattle.
The tourist ride is certainly a good alternative—or a nice supplement—for all these small fishermen. And for us, it’s a pleasure to board these real fishing boats, which have been thoroughly cleaned. No fishy smells tickle our nostrils.
We approach the icefjord—there’s nothing to say… just look. And don’t forget, this tour barely lasted an hour on-site.
Our guide is a baritone. The poor guy is shivering and worried about his throat. He translates the few explanations given by a crew member about how the ice forms.
A few whales come by to say hello.
Finally, a seal colony—the first since we left!
A few last beautiful icebergs before turning back.
The icebergs in this icefjord make for a stunning landscape, but it’s nothing compared to the magic of Antarctica.
After this outing (or before, since we didn’t know the schedule), we had planned to walk to Disko Bay. A path in the national park along the heights of the shore overlooks the fjord and offers a fantastic view of the sea of icebergs. It’s a different vantage point to discover this site.
Unfortunately, we were forbidden from doing so—we were confined on board. Those who didn’t have excursions weren’t allowed to disembark at all.
Rivages du Monde calls this a "port of call"! We were going to be stuck on the ship all day, even though this was the most beautiful "stop" of the cruise and the weather was perfect. We were prisoners, locked up—this was the first time I’d ever seen anything like it. A server confirmed that this happens every time they stop here. It’s a real scam to sell this "stop at sea" as a "port of call" when you’re not even allowed to set foot on land.
A few days earlier, I had gone to the excursions desk to ask about the walking path in the national park. They gave me the information but conveniently failed to mention our upcoming captivity.
If we had been warned in advance about this forced confinement, we would have booked a second excursion for the afternoon. But, as usual, we weren’t told about the ban on disembarking until the last minute—the night before, after 9 PM.
Back on the ship, it was still hard to accept being held on board for the day. The cruise director tried to make us believe the lifeboats weren’t suited for navigating through the ice.
We asked for private transport—several of us wanted this solution. It was impossible to arrange; they refused.
We tried to get spots on an afternoon shore excursion, but everything was fully booked.
At the last minute, we managed to take advantage of a cancellation, but there was only one spot. My husband, very generously and chivalrously, let me have it. But it was heartbreaking and guilt-inducing to go alone when there should have been four of us.
The Astoria was alone in the middle of nowhere, with only a few small ice floes—far fewer than in any fjord when you approach a glacier.
The sky clouded over in the early afternoon, creating a beautiful light—completely different from this morning.
Arrival in Ilulissat: Where is the ice that supposedly prevents the Astoria from approaching or launching its lifeboats?
At the entrance to the port, the Seabourn Quest was anchored and disembarking its passengers by lifeboat.
Two water taxis were docked and waiting for potential clients. So it was entirely possible to disembark with private transport.
Minibuses took the excursion group to the starting point of the hike above Disko Bay at the old heliport. Below is the map of the national park that I couldn’t find before leaving—just in case it’s useful.
This excursion is just a small part of the hiking trip I had planned to do with three others. The trail is marked and secured on very damp, even marshy peat ground.
And around a bend, the landscape appears over Disko Bay.
The icebergs in Disko Bay break off from the Jakobshavn Glacier, which comes directly from the ice cap. It’s located 70 km further up the fjord and moves about 40 (to 46) meters per day. It’s the fastest glacier in Greenland, with speeds three times higher than in the 1990s.
The fjord is between 3 and 6 km wide here. Its production is enormous—it calves about 10% of Greenland’s glaciers on its own. This is likely where the iceberg that sank the Titanic originated.
Some icebergs are so tall—over 1000 meters—that they can get stuck in the fjord for several years before reaching the ocean.
Access to the shores is forbidden due to tsunami risks. The banks can be flooded at any moment by a tidal wave if a glacier breaks or flips. It’s a stunning sight if you’re safe.
A few whales are frolicking peacefully.
Returning with all these beautiful images in mind—images we should have enjoyed as a group of four and in freedom.
Tonight, most passengers are angry, frustrated, and disappointed when this was supposed to be the highlight of the trip. Being locked up, imprisoned, and held on board against our will—when we paid for a cruise with a stop in Ilulissat—what do you call that? I can only think of one answer: a scam. We were deceived.
Out of curiosity, I checked: for 2019, the same equivalent cruise on the Astoria is currently 4,550 € for an outside cabin over 14 days. With Hurtigruten, a cruise on a similar route over 12 days on their brand-new MS Roald Amundsen (same size as the Astoria) is 5,620 € for an outside cabin. On the MS Fram, for 17 days and a ship with half as many passengers, it’s 8,100 €. I didn’t check Ponant, but I imagine their prices are comparable to the Fram, with guaranteed landings (weather permitting) every day.
I’d much rather pay a little (or even a lot) more and be on a ship where they don’t treat me like dirt. Sorry you had such a bad experience—at least you had good weather. I hope you still have great memories of those stunning landscapes, but traveling all that way just to spend the day going in circles is truly pathetic.
Hello everyone!
Just a little backstory—my username comes from the year I took my first cruise.
Sixteen years and nine cruises later, I’m currently on my 10th, this time in the Yacht Club interior.
I’m taking you along with me!
Left Marseille on Wednesday, October 21st.
After train troubles (issues on the Paris-Marseille line), then getting lost at La Joliette—years ago, I’d taken the metro and the port bus, thinking I had to go left once near the port, but no, the little gate is on the right after the shopping center.
Wait, she took the metro and bus to the Yacht Club?
Yep! After waiting 15 minutes for the shuttle, once the bus dropped us off, it was a 15-20 minute walk to the ship.
Finally, we made it to the boarding dock.
Headed toward the little Yacht Club flag, where a nice young woman checked our IDs and gave us luggage tags.
She walked us through security (we got to skip the line).
After that, we went to the Yacht Club lounge, where two butlers were waiting. They offered us drinks, and a third person arrived to check passports and handle registration. Then, they gave us a form to pick a complimentary bottle—I didn’t do it right away.
I felt a little rushed by everyone.
I’ll explain more later in my story.
Today, we’re in Barcelona.
A few photos to come in the meantime.
Hi 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 just got back a few days ago from our cruise on the Equinox.
While our previous cruises had gone more or less as planned, this one was full of setbacks from start to finish.
Here’s the 10-night itinerary:
10/20 Barcelona
10/21 Palma de Mallorca
10/22 at sea
10/23 La Spezia
10/24 Civitavecchia
10/25 Naples
10/26 at sea
10/27 Valletta
10/28 Palermo
10/29 at sea
10/30 Barcelona
The only port we knew a little was Rome, since we’d spent a night there a long time ago.
We booked through Logitravel in June 2026—the V2 balcony cabin was 3,199 € for four people.
I’d hesitated to book, and sure enough, it wasn’t a great deal. A month later, in July, the price for the last V2 cabins at the front was 2,744 €, the category above (midship) was 2,953 €, and the one above that (midship with a larger balcony) was 3,117 €.
Usually, I book ocean-view cabins, but none were available.
Also, when I booked, I’d chosen select dining (it was listed as available on Celebrity’s site), but when I received the cruise booklet, I discovered we’d been assigned to the second seating. I think it’s pretty poor of Logitravel not to keep us better informed about the change.
At the time of booking, the most convenient option from the north for transportation seemed to be the train there and the Barcelona-Brussels flight back. But if I’d waited until July, I would’ve had a good round-trip deal from Brussels too. I’ll come back to that.
Instead of spending a night in Barcelona, where hotels for four are very expensive, I’d opted to split the trip into two parts: the train to Montpellier the day before departure, then the Montpellier-Barcelona train the next day.
The trip to Montpellier went pretty well, but the first letdown: when we arrived, it was pouring rain, and the department was on orange alert for rain. So much so that the SNCF screens suggested postponing travel if possible and warned of potential train cancellations—right during the 24 hours we were traveling! Needless to say, the trip started off more stressful than anything else.
Our train arrived at Sud de France station, and I’d booked a hotel (Appart’City Saint-Roch, very nice) near Saint-Roch station since our train the next day was leaving from there.
Because of the rain, I couldn’t even show the kids a bit of Montpellier. We just went to dinner close to the hotel and went back to sleep, crossing our fingers that our train the next day wouldn’t be canceled.
It rained a lot during the night, but by the next morning, it had calmed down a lot. We got an email in the morning from Renfe saying our train would finally leave from Sud de France. So we had to leave the hotel earlier to get to the station.
The train was announced with a few minutes’ delay, but it was there, and we eventually arrived in Barcelona without any issues, just a little quarter-hour late.
When we got to the Barcelona station hall, there was a huge "Taxis" sign on the left directing us outside (Peiro Square). There was a line of taxis and a few people waiting, but it moved quickly.
It was around 1 PM when we got into a taxi, and we were expected for boarding between 1:30 and 2 PM.
We got a very friendly driver who spoke French. The ride cost about 25 €, which was a good deal for four.
We dropped off our suitcases at 1:25 PM. There were quite a few people, but it moved fast.
Passport check, we were told the rooms would be ready at 2 PM, and we boarded.
To be continued: arrival on board
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
We returned last night from the LE RHIN EN FETE cruise with Croisieurope.
We were notified the day before boarding of a change in boat and itinerary.
Here’s what was originally planned:
- Day 1: Boarding in Strasbourg at 6 PM. Departure on the cruise.
- Day 2: Oberwesel-DUDESHEIM
Sailing toward ST GOAR to see the LORELEI rock, then a visit to Reichenstein Castle and sailing toward Rudesheim.
- Day 3: Rudesheim-MANNHEIM
Up the Rhine to Mannheim and a visit to Heidelberg Castle.
Sailing back to Strasbourg.
- Day 4: Strasbourg by *bateau mouche* in the morning. Afternoon show at the Royal Palace in KIRWILLER and return to the boat.
- Day 5: Disembarkation in Strasbourg at 9 AM.
Here’s what we actually did due to the change in boat and itinerary because of the Rhine’s water level.
I assume this had been known for some time...
- Day 1: Strasbourg to Mainz or nearby by COACH. Departure around 4:30 PM. About 217 km.
We arrived at the boat at 9 PM because the driver had trouble finding it.
- Day 2: MAINZ-RUDESHEIM
Morning sailing to ST GOAR to see the LORELEI. Lunch at Reichenstein Castle
(as originally planned). 30-minute coach ride each way.
- Day 3: RUDESHEIM-MAINZ
Morning sailing to Mainz.
Afternoon excursion to Heidelberg Castle (originally planned). 91 km each way.
- Day 4: Mainz to Kirwiller by coach, about 207 km each way.
Lunch and show at the Royal Palace: very good.
- Day 5: MAINZ-STRASBOURG, about 194 km by coach.
We left Mainz at 7:30 AM to arrive at Strasbourg train station at 10:05 AM.
In short, 110 km of sailing and over 1000 km by coach... a joke for a cruise, and about 14-15 hours of coach travel.
We came back exhausted.
We had booked a PRM cabin on the FRANCE but ended up with a standard cabin on the MONET... about 11 m², separate beds that couldn’t be moved together, and difficulty showering (only one shower taken in 4 days, not to mention the struggle to get up from the toilet... sorry, but it’s really problematic for a PRM person).
The visits were very interesting.
All the crew on the MONET: excellent. Meals were also excellent.
Following this change in boat and itinerary, Croisieurope is offering us a 150 € voucher per person for a future cruise.
We booked this cruise after a promotion (1 paying, 1 free) during their conference in Angers on 07/10/26. We think Croisieurope was already aware of the navigation difficulties on the Rhine.
There were no company boats in Strasbourg... and cruises are still being sold with departures from Strasbourg.
We’re very skeptical about traveling with Croisieurope again...
Have a great day, everyone! Mum49
Hi everyone, I’m going on a cruise at the end of January with MSC and I’m looking into the excursions I could do. I’d like to know if I can do the excursions on my own or if I absolutely have to go through MSC based on safety levels.
We’ll be stopping in Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cartagena in Colombia, Puerto Limón in Costa Rica, Belize City, and Colón in Panama.
Thanks!
Emeline
Has anyone here tried GigSky’s “Cruise + Land” eSIM during your cruise?
I’ve seen on various forums that they offer some great deals. For my part, I found a one-month plan (5 GB) for 78 €, whereas MSC charges 290 € on board.
Since we can’t afford to go completely offline (especially my wife—we need to stay in touch for several reasons), we absolutely need an internet plan.
Hi there,
I’m looking into a Mediterranean cruise on the Splendida in YC.
I’d love to know if it’s a ship with a lot of triple and quadruple cabins in the Yacht Club.
The thing is, I’m planning to depart from Malta, and either the cruise ends during the French school holidays in October with a departure from Marseille—which means there’s a risk of lots of kids on board—or the other option is a departure on October 30th, which might also have some French kids during the first part of the cruise.
I read that some ships in the Fantasia class have more triple or quadruple cabins than others, but I’m not sure if the Splendida is one of them.
If anyone has that info…
PS: This isn’t about starting a debate on traveling with or without kids… I’d just like a quiet week, and that’s not always easy in a small space with lots of children around.
I'm considering a cruise on the Hurtigruten Coastal Express from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen over 11 days in mid-March 2027.
Has anyone already done this trip?
I think it’s a great way to discover the Norwegian coast with the chance to see magnificent northern lights, but isn’t the trip a bit *too* long?
There are about thirty stops, but most last only a few minutes, with just one daily stop of over 2 hours, which gives a quick glimpse of a few towns but doesn’t allow for a full excursion.
Is the supplement for an outside cabin with a porthole (800 € for 2!) really worth it?
It’s more pleasant than an inside cabin, but do you spend enough time in your cabin to make the most of it?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this journey.
Best regards.
Hello, I’ll be on the Costa Serena from April 27 to May 4, 2027. Given that the excursions offered by Costa can sometimes be pricey, what would you recommend for the following stopovers?
Cagliari.
Tunis.
Palermo.
Marseille.
Thanks for keeping in mind that we’re in our sixties and one member of our small group can’t handle very long walks (so no more than 6 km in a day).
Thank you for your help.
Hi, I’m about to go on a cruise on the Costa Smeralda but I’ve never been on a cruise before. Could anyone share the à-la-carte drink menu? I’d like to know if the prices are excessive, since the MyDrinks drink packages, for example, cost 266 € per adult.
Have a great day! 😉
We're leaving on August 25th for a Danube cruise from Vienna to Bucharest. The travel agency refuses to postpone this cruise despite navigation changes due to the exceptional drought, which include bus transfers that don’t interest us.
Have you had any experiences with this that you’d like to share?
Just back from our first cruise on the Renaissance, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about life on board. Our feelings are mixed—we wanted a change after several MSC cruises, but the value for money on this repositioning cruise left us torn.
After taking advantage of successive promotions, we finally secured a well-located balcony cabin for 2600 € (almost 50% off the brochure rate). Given the amenities and the ship’s age, this now feels like the absolute maximum we’d pay for that period.
Overall, we were happy with our vacation on board, but a few details—when added up—left us with a somewhat mixed impression.
The pros:
- Ship size
- Reasonable noise levels, except in the restaurants (aside from the covered pool area)
- Spacious balcony cabin (20 + 5 m²) with plenty of storage and a bathtub with jets
- Understated, tasteful decor
- French language spoken on board
- Friendly staff for the most part
- 100% French-speaking clientele
- Decent food with French dishes (even with an Indian chef)
- Tables for two available (though the ship was full, so no changes possible)
- Some high-quality shows, thanks to an excellent English-speaking troupe
- Interesting lectures (especially on history and cetaceans)
The cons:
- Unreliable air conditioning in common areas (you’d go from a freezing lounge to a hot one, as if the system only worked in certain spaces at certain times)
- Aging ship with a few glitches (noises, AC, toilet flushes, lights) reported at reception (luckily, our only issue was the bathroom door not closing...)
- Industrial, thawed-out bread and pastries (a letdown for a ship with a French image)
- Limited fruit selection (often just apples and watermelon/melon) and not much variety in vegetables
- Worn, sometimes stained restaurant towels
We’re not ruling out another cruise on the Renaissance—their itineraries are unique—but only at a very competitive price.
Hi everyone,
I’m going on a Mediterranean cruise in November and I’m looking for some "tips" to visit the cities of Naples, Messina, and Valletta in Malta without booking the ship’s excursions, which are really expensive.
Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions. We’re a group of 6 people.
Looking forward to hearing from you...
Best,
M
PS: We’re also stopping in Genoa and Barcelona—even though we know these two cities, we’d still love any tips for visiting them!
Thanks
Hello everyone,
We’re a senior couple signed up for a 13-day cruise in Japan on the Princess Sapphire, departing from Yokohama on April 8, 2027.
Are there any other French speakers on this forum who’ll be on this trip?
Hoping for a reply...
Hi, we're heading to Venice soon. We have a hotel in Mestre and we'd like to know which bus can take us from the Mestre hotel to Marghera Port. Thanks.
Hi everyone ...
We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ...
departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ...
has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ...
for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc.
... anything good to know about this ship???
Thanks everyone ...
Hi,
We’ll be visiting Barcelona for the first time on our upcoming cruise.
I was wondering if it’s better to book a taxi in advance to get from the train station to the cruise terminal, since there’ll be four of us. Are there enough taxis around that we won’t have to wait too long?
For the return trip, same question—are there enough taxis, since we have a flight to catch? Though I doubt we’ll know in advance which terminal we’ll dock at.
I came across this site below—has anyone heard of it?
https://taxibarcelona.taxi/fr/
Hi everyone, we're going on a week-long cruise and I have a question: can we travel by train and on a cruise with small refrigerated injectable syringes?
Do we need to complete any formalities?
And how should we store them?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Hi everyone! I’m used to sailing on a sailboat with two or three people—it’s amazing. But I’d love to try the experience of a cruise. Just to clarify, I’ll be going alone. My first question: are there other solo travelers on these cruises, or is it mostly couples and families?
For a first cruise, I’d prefer a short one (maximum 8 days). Do those exist? And on the smallest boat possible. I live in Marseille, so a departure from Marseille would work, but I’m open to other ports too. If you have a cruise line to recommend and a destination you’ve enjoyed, or if you’ve had a great experience on a more intimate-sized ship, I’d love to hear about it!
We just returned from a cruise from 08/13/26 to 08/20/26 on the MSC ORCHESTRA with stops in Tarragona, Valencia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, and back to Marseille.
The ship was fully booked. Deck chairs were already occupied by beach towels early in the morning, and there were only 1 or 2 people in the pools... However, on the day the Italians disembarked, there were very few towels on the deck chairs.
We found the Italians less talkative.
We had a balcony cabin on deck 9, starboard side. The cabin was spacious, but the sofa was facing the desk, making it a pain to watch TV (neck strain guaranteed). So, we changed the sofa’s orientation to face the TV (we put it back in place on disembarkation day).
There were 325 French speakers on board, and a lot of staff from Mauritius, which made communication easier.
No annoying announcements about bingo, etc.—a nice change from COSTA.
For dinner, we were at the first sitting at 7:45 PM, at a table for 6. On the first night, we were two "gray-haired" couples at the table. The second night, two young women joined us but asked to change tables after seeing us...
The show for our dinner time was at 10:15 PM and ended around 11:00 PM. We found that a bit late for us. The shows were varied and of good quality.
The restaurant menus offered plenty of choices, but at the buffet at lunchtime, there were a lot of dishes with quite a few carbs. Afternoon tea from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM included some great pastries, among other things.
We had an issue with the air conditioning and bad odors in the cabin one afternoon. I reported the problem to the reception, and staff along with our cabin steward came to check the cabin. The issue was resolved that same afternoon.
Two days later, we were surprised to find a bag with items inside: 2 MSC mugs and 2 MSC thermos flasks that keep drinks hot or cold for 10 hours. It was a gift from customer service following the bad odors in our cabin. We weren’t expecting this at all and thanked MSC’s customer service.
For excursions, MSC always offers port-to-city-center transfers for 14 € per adult in Valencia and Tarragona, and 12 € per child. In Livorno, it was 10 € per adult and 7 € per child.
In Civitavecchia, there was a shuttle to the train station for 6 €.
On the MSC for Me app, there were "promotions" on certain excursions.
We really enjoyed this cruise, but we couldn’t revisit some stops (Tarragona and Valencia) on our own because it was too hot.
Great evening: Mum49
Hi there!
I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October.
Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta.
Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii?
Could you share some tips for each of these stops?
I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions.
Thanks for your advice!
Hello!
After a lot of hesitation between different cruise lines (Explora, Oceania, YC, HAL, NCL) and several destinations like Norway, Ireland, and Iceland,
I finally chose NCL’s Star for Iceland.
I had already looked at this itinerary when I went to Scotland in April with CFC, but it was really expensive.
You should know that CFC often offers last-minute deals 45 days before departure (the point when you can no longer cancel or modify).
So, I got a great opportunity and grabbed it.
Departure is on August 23rd.
Hi everyone,
I’m staying in a suite on the Pacifica in October and I can’t find any details about the suite benefits beyond the elite restaurant, the butler, and the espresso machine.
What about breakfast and meals served free in the cabin, and the spa?
Costa’s been cutting back on perks for Gold members, and it seems like suites are next.
Thanks for your replies!
