Review of our first experience with CFC

Hi there, By sheer chance, a family housewarming in Brussels gave us the opportunity to depart from Zeebrugge for our first experience with CFC, allowing us to discover ports we didn’t know (which has become rare). After some questions before departure while browsing the forums, we discovered this company with great pleasure. Of course, luck may have played a particularly favorable part: dream weather, a sea as calm as a lake, and boarding and disembarking almost as if the ship were reserved just for us, since during our departure from Zeebrugge, only a small number of passengers were taking advantage of the unoccupied cabins from the previous cruise ending in Le Havre. As a result, we couldn’t get a suite, but our balcony cabin was very functional, with plenty of storage and a whirlpool bath we thoroughly enjoyed. Admittedly, the carpet was a bit worn, but it wasn’t a big deal. Having a large enough table allowed us to have breakfast in the cabin (our usual habit) in excellent conditions. The ship, a reasonable size, was pleasant, in great condition, and had many comfortable lounges. A large enclosed and heated space with a pool, jacuzzi, and deck chairs offered a calm atmosphere without intrusive activities (which is rare). I won’t mention the entertainment since we barely participated, but I think there was plenty of choice, including a "special bridge" activity. The restaurant had a lovely setting, with quick service and particularly attentive staff, reminding us of cruises from the past. The food was good quality and well-presented, though portions were quite small—something big eaters might regret. We loved the charm of an old-fashioned theater with comfortable seats and a table for drinks. The shows were fairly high quality, though opinions may vary. They catered mainly to a French-speaking audience, which is quite rare, and featured a live orchestra. The excursions seemed reasonably priced for what they offered, but we didn’t participate since we prefer organizing things ourselves. To sum up, we were pleasantly surprised by this "old little ship" with a mostly French-speaking, very attentive staff, all in a great atmosphere.

Copenhagen for a self-guided day trip... you can easily visit several interesting sites on foot: start by walking to the Little Mermaid, then continue along Allamegade Street to Amalienborg Slot, near Marmorkirken, followed by the famous Nyhavn before heading to Kunsthal Charlottenborg and Christiansborg Palace, enjoying the free viewpoint from the top of the tower. Of course, there are many other things to see in Copenhagen... but a day is short!

Oslo over two days—the ship was downtown, with the Oslo Pass, in addition to walking tours near the ship along Karl Johans Gate (cathedral, National Theatre, university, Royal Palace, City Hall, Akershus Fortress, the Nobel Peace Center, and the Opera), we were able to go to Bygdøy by ferry and stroll through the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, then take the metro to the famous Holmenkollen ski jump and its ski museum. We would’ve loved to visit Vigeland Park, but we ran out of time...

Sandnes: shuttle bus from the boat to the city center, then a train to Stavanger, a very pleasant cruise to Lysefjord, followed by a walk through the old town and the cathedral.

Kristiansand and Lysekil: strolls through the towns.

I read that there were a lot of sick people? And in particular, one passenger blaming her issues on the cruise line but not answering my question—namely, whether she was vaccinated against the flu and Covid. Personally, I didn’t hear any coughing—well, no more than on most cruises. It’s obvious that in enclosed spaces with air conditioning and elderly passengers, not to mention the weather, there are always plenty of sick people on cruise ships. You’ve got to keep things in perspective; the complainers don’t make a statistic.

Hi there, Yeah, nobody was really coughing, but I noticed more and more people wearing masks as the days went by. Either they had symptoms or just wanted to protect themselves, right? Have a good day

Thanks so much for your very detailed review! Wasn’t there a lecturer on this cruise? We’ve done two cruises on the Renaissance and really enjoyed the excellent lecturers and the generally courteous and respectful atmosphere—even the grumblers and never-satisfied folks didn’t complain, even though one elevator was out of service the whole time

Hi there, There were conferences on sea days, but I’ll let everyone decide based on their own expectations.

It’s such a shame you couldn’t make it to Vigeland Park! We spent a good hour there with a guide who knew the subject inside out. An extraordinary journey through symbolic bronze and granite sculptures over 900 m. Plus, with the sun out, the sculpted reliefs were stunning. If you ever go back to Oslo, make sure it’s at the top of your list!

It’s always the same dilemma—you have to make choices... But it does let you stop over in the same port multiple times with pleasure and always do different visits with new discoveries.

Hello,

Many thanks for the very interesting report—I read it carefully.

our balcony cabin was very functional, with lots of storage and a whirlpool bathtub

We’re going to try this cruise line on September 27th, balcony cabin. Is there a whirlpool bathtub in all balcony cabins? Is breakfast in the cabin free of charge? What was your cabin number, and do you have any photos?

The restaurant in a pleasant setting, with quick service and particularly attentive staff, which reminded us of our cruises in the past...

What types of cuisine are served at lunch and dinner—is it open seating? Did you try any of the specialty restaurants?

See you soon, Alexandre

Hello, Your post brings back great memories from the golden days of VoyageForum! Our cabin was No. 9410—I think all the balcony cabins are equipped the same way, and you can have breakfast (no extra charge) in your cabin. But the best thing to do is call Marseille; they’ll give you all the details you need. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, but I’d recommend arriving early for lunch since only one floor is open, and it’s not free seating. We were always assigned a table for two, and in our experience, the staff was efficient and attentive (though that’s just our take). The French cuisine was varied, well-presented, and good quality, but the portions were small. That said, you can easily ask for extras—we always got cheese! The afternoon tea offered a great selection of pastries, along with coffee, cappuccino, tea, etc. We didn’t try the other restaurants. I hope your cruise goes as well as ours did! Best regards,

Hi Eterlous,

The afternoon tea offers a varied selection of pastries with a choice of different coffees, cappuccino, tea, etc.

On my two CFC cruises, there was only afternoon tea on sea days. Is it now available every day?

Our cabin was No. 9410

There are no balcony cabins with numbers in the 93xx or 94xx range.

Best regards

Small mistake #9140

From what I remember, there were snacks every day.

Hi Micax,

Tea time every day from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM with little pastries, shortbread cookies, and cookies, plus drink vending machines available—but by 4:30 PM, the snack time was over. We got back from a CFC excursion at 4:30 PM, and everything had been cleared away. As for dinner at the restaurant, there were six of us at the table. A Belgian couple had requested a table for two when they booked but ended up with us at a table for six. Meanwhile, we had asked for a table for two or even four people. The couple didn’t come back to the restaurant that evening, and we found them at the buffet later, which we joined after three dinners in the restaurant. We arrived at 6:30 PM, and our table service ended at 8:15 PM... For lunch, we tried the restaurant once. We were seated at a table for six, refused, and were then moved to a table for four. There’s plenty of choice at the restaurant, but the portions are small—example: starter with three asparagus, main course with meat or fish, a quarter of a potato, and one slice of carrot. The food is good, and there’s a good selection at the buffet, except maybe for the raw vegetables, which were pretty much the same every time. Overall, we’re happy with this cruise and the French-speaking environment on board, and we weren’t "overwhelmed" by announcements. We wouldn’t hesitate to travel with CFC again, but we’ll ask for a cabin with a shower. Mum49

Hi Mum, In December 2024, the tea-time—only on the 2 days at sea—took place in the Panoramique (Deck 12) from 3 PM to 4 PM. At Vatel, after negotiating with the maître d’hôtel, we managed to get a table for two upstairs. The staff was very efficient, even if they weren’t French-speaking. We ate all four courses in about an hour. If we sat down at 6:30 PM, we could even finish in time to catch the 7:30 PM show. On the other hand, breakfast at Vatel was a disaster—we always ended up at the buffet. Same for lunch: at 12:30 PM, we often had to fill a table of eight, and by 2:00 PM, we were still sitting there. Some passengers left before dessert to go to the 2:00 PM movie, an activity, or a spa meet-up.

Unlike in September, when we had a terrace cabin with a malfunctioning AC and toilet, a terrace door that wouldn’t open from the outside, etc., our balcony cabin in December had no issues except for the very worn (and thus very slippery) bathtub and the safe that only opened or closed half the time. Best regards

Hi Jean-Marie,

Your post brings back great memories of the golden days of travel forums...

You're absolutely right, it's coming back nicely.

I was wondering about a table for two. I'll get in touch with the shipowner. Same table every time?

Varied French cuisine, well-presented and of good quality, but with small portions—though you can easily ask for extras (we always had cheese). The afternoon snack offers a varied selection of pastries with different coffee options, cappuccino, tea, etc.

Thanks so much for the really helpful and interesting details.

See you soon, Alexandre

Hi Alexandre, I’m not sure what your schedule preference is, but the second service seems simpler. I’d recommend calling the head office in Marseille to express your preference, but it might also be helpful to visit the restaurant when you arrive to check with the maître d’ if your request was accommodated. Best regards, Jean-Marie

Good evening,

Indeed, we’ll head straight to the restaurant when we arrive.

Is there room service (outside of breakfast) for balcony cabins?

Thanks a lot, Have a great evening, Alexandre