Review of a disappointing cruise with Rivages du Monde in Iceland and Greenland (page 7 of 8)

Yes, you're right—and by bus, no less! I’m sorry to see you didn’t read or understand my message properly. I’ll return the favor: you can "do" Yellowstone in 3 days—or even less... for... those who think it’s too hot there!!

Why by bus? Ugh, your arrogance is painful to see.

sorry, it wasn’t arrogance at all... just humor.....!!!! Not everyone likes the same things or the way they’re done... and that’s a good thing! I’ll just remind you that this discussion started because someone complained about the lack of visits and the time allocated for sightseeing, especially for spotting polar bears during their Spitzbergen cruise.... let’s leave it at that if you don’t mind... I wish you a wonderful next cruise... mine will be on a small 15-meter sailboat from Pointe-à-Pitre to Les Saintes... (;-))....

Good thing it’s not too far—15 meters long is still quite a shake! Have a good crossing, and let others, well, accept, I mean, enjoy their trips or cruises however they like. To each their own—Iceland in 3 days? Fine by me, I’d go just to see it. 😏

Hi Hervé, You’ve just logged onto a forum dedicated to cruise enthusiasts. There’s no point in trying to compare it with other ways to travel. Everyone has their own advantages, for sure.

Hello,

Your opinion is clear, and your arguments are solid and respectable.

I’m not without experience in this region. However, its history in the 18th century, linked to that of Denmark, as well as the origins of its earliest settlers, don’t captivate me beyond a quick curious glance. The local geology would be far more interesting in my eyes.

Thanks for your perspective,

Best regards,

You all feel so superior with your tiny boats and criticizing large cruise ships without ever having tried them... What arrogance! Oh no, silly me, it's just humor. 😕 It’d be so much more interesting to talk about what we actually know instead of citing baseless assumptions. The person who shared their cruise experience is an expert, and if they complained about a lack of time and poor organization, they had every right to. This isn’t a generalization about cruise ships—don’t take it personally.

hi there, and I hope you’ll take my opinion in the spirit it’s meant. Not claiming to be an expert on cruise ships or anything else… but I think—and it’s something we’re starting to realize—(I just canceled an Alaska cruise because of this, even though our HAL cruise was great and we loved it).

Some destinations are perfect for cruises, and you know we’re big fans… but others just don’t work. Cruises are fantastic for the comfort they offer: discovering multiple countries in a short time without having to move your luggage, great food, minimal logistical hassle… we’re all for that +++.

But for some destinations, it’s not ideal. You end up in ports at the ends of the earth (that was a bit our experience in Nova Scotia, New France, etc.), and I feel the same about Alaska… and maybe Iceland too. It’s obvious you can’t claim to *know* Iceland after just two port stops.

Both options have their merits, and both are great. Just not for the same reasons. And honestly, the experience feels more *real* on a road trip than on a cruise.

I agree that not all destinations are suited to the cruise formula, but it also depends on what you're looking for and your personal tastes. For our part, in Iceland, we were able to see a lot by going with a local guide. What we saw in 3 days was enough for us—we got a good overview of the Icelandic landscapes, and that’s exactly what we were after since we didn’t want to spend 15 days of vacation there. So, for our personal situation, the cruise was a perfectly suitable way to experience this destination.

Your photos are gorgeous!! My dream😎 What do you recommend about this cruise—I’m thinking of doing it with MSC this year. (I took the liberty of sending you a PM) Josiane

hi there is this cruise tempting you? it did me 😉 but not with this company—I’m even planning to book it tomorrow.... Josiane

Hi Josiane,

This cruise is very beautiful, but as you said, not with this company!

so you’re recommending this cruise to me? It’d be with MSC Orchestra!

DM reply about the Astoria adventure ;)

Hello,

I was also in Ilulissat at that time on the *Soléal*. We stayed at anchor because the ferry has priority, and there were three ships of the same size: the *Fram*, the *Océan Diamond* (formerly *Diamant du Ponant*), and the *Soléal*, all at anchor, and we all had shuttles with the dinghies. There were also Danish military personnel conducting safety exercises. During this stop, we did three excursions: the fishing boat (they have exclusivity), the romantic walk along the fjord, and we treated ourselves to a flight over the icefjord.

I don’t understand why they left you offshore and refused the dinghies.

A few photos of Ilulissat: https://subantarctiques.blogspot.com/2018/08/icefjord-en-avion.html



The whole cruise: https://subantarctiques.blogspot.com/2018/07/kangerlusuaq.html



Have a good evening

I don’t understand why you’d leave us offshore and refuse the tenders.

Hi Marie-Claude,

It really is incomprehensible and unimaginable until you’ve experienced it.

Good evening Catherine, I made a mistake—it wasn’t by rowboat but by Zodiac that we went ashore. But the problem was pretty much the same. Have a good evening, Marie-Claude

Hi Marie-Claude,

Yes, with Ponant they use Zodiacs, but on the day we were in Ilulissat, the Seabourn Quest was anchored at the entrance of the port and was disembarking its passengers with its tenders.

Hi everyone, Despite some comments, I’m going to try the cruise on board the MS Astoria. (Especially with the promo—buy one, get one free.) But I still have a few questions: What should I wear in Greenland? (Ski jacket? Hat? …) What should I wear on the boat? (They mentioned it’s very chilly!!) Are there themed evenings like on MSC or Costa, or not at all? Is the pool heated? (I’m bringing my son along.) Thanks again!

hello

However, for some destinations, it's not as great because you end up in ports at the end of the world. (That was a bit our case in Nova Scotia, New France, etc.) In my opinion, it's a bit similar in Alaska...

And it's really obvious that the discovery feels more "real" on a road trip than on a cruise.

This message is a bit old... but I can't agree with you about Alaska. Having done both, I can tell you that Alaska can be discovered in two ways... On a road trip, allowing you to see the interior of the land with very interesting stops, but the cruise is also very useful for discovering landscapes accessible only by sea. For example, the magnificent Hubbard Glacier, with its unsuspected splendor and grandeur! But it's remote and only accessible by sea, of course! Juneau, the administrative capital of Alaska, is only accessible by sea and air! And so many other places... So as I've already told you, a cruise in Alaska is great, but with a road trip portion too! And vice versa!! The cruise also lets you "rack up" miles that would be very tiring by car.

As for the more general topic, while it's true that cruise stops are often just a way to get a "glimpse" of the country, they're sometimes the best way to discover them. I'm thinking especially of Norway, which, in my opinion, is best discovered by sea... But also many Caribbean islands, which, if you're not keen on lying on the beach for a week, can easily be explored in just a few hours.