Review of the CFC RENAISSANCE's 'EN VOGUE' experience

😉Hi there, A few months ago, CFC put the EN VOGUE experience on sale, departing from Dunkirk. I booked this package to test the boat and onboard services for myself. I’d read a lot of reviews mentioning numerous issues on board, so I wanted to see for myself what it was really like…

Okay, I’ll stop rambling… The package included boarding at 6 PM on Friday, dinner, a show, an overnight stay, and breakfast. We chose an interior cabin for this experience—since the boat wasn’t leaving the dock, we didn’t see the point in paying more… All in all, it cost 130 € per person. My mom joined us; she got the same cabin for 130 € with no single occupancy supplement.

We’d checked in online to board faster. We took the train to DUNKIRK, then a taxi to the shuttle pavilion—7 € for the ride. When we arrived at the pavilion, we were told to wait because there was a connection issue with check-in. Great start… After about ten minutes, we were finally allowed to proceed. At the counter, they said they didn’t have our cabin cards and no record of our check-in… Very odd. With no solution, they put us on the bus and said we’d sort it out at reception. Perfect. We went through security, and they confiscated our water bottles—never seen that before! Then they said my mom had a corkscrew in her bag, so they searched it… but there was no corkscrew. Total amateur hour… They eventually dropped it.

We got on the bus for a ten-minute ride… We boarded the ship with a crew member and headed to reception. Turns out, we weren’t the only ones in this situation. The nightmare began… Only two staff members were handling all the issues, and everything seemed complicated. They told my mom her cabin had been given to someone else 😲. That was the last straw…

It took forever—they had to redo the entire check-in. Finally, they told my mom her cabin was good to go; they’d mixed her up with someone else… After a solid half-hour, we could finally head to our cabin.

I’m determined to test everything: the pool, jacuzzi, show, restaurant, spa, etc… TO BE CONTINUED

First impressions... Well, the start isn’t great... Hoping the rest will be better... I’m really looking forward to your thoughts on the cabin, food (restaurant and buffet), ship... pool... I’ll admit, I’m already a bit nervous because I took the risk of booking a 10-day cruise on it...

Hi Isabelle, I’m not at all surprised by this start—I totally recognize the conditions and the vibe, that “slightly chaotic” feel from our visit in May 2025. On top of that, we were greeted by a foul odor at the gangway!

hi Catherine we escaped the nauseating smell but hey, we had other compensations 😏

this is just MY PERSONAL FEELING so maybe what bothered me won’t bother you

Alright, I’m taking you aboard the *Renaissance*—and first up, we’re heading to the inside cabin, a first for us in 36 cruises! We’re pretty pleasantly surprised—the cabin isn’t tiny at all, and the bathroom is really decent. That said, some marks on the walls remind us this ship isn’t exactly brand new...









Nice move by CFC—some sample cabins were open so we could check out the outside cabins, which are *exactly* the same size as the inside ones.



The balcony cabins are great too!



The promenade deck cabins are similar to the balcony ones, but they’re on Deck 6—I’m not a huge fan. I’m guessing the curtains will often be closed to avoid prying eyes... There are two reserved seats in front of each cabin, and you can enter either from the hallway or the promenade deck. It’s a smart setup, but it doesn’t beat the privacy of a balcony.



I didn’t see the suites...

Okay, I’m closing the cabin now—sorry to the peeping Toms! 😉 Time to put on my swimsuit and test out the pool and jacuzzis... 😉

Do you approve of the balcony cabin? That’d already be great.. PS For the cabins on the promenade deck—you can’t see anything from the outside looking in. I had this cabin when it was with HAL

Okay, I hope everyone had time to put on their swimsuits... 😉 We're off to the pool! Head to LIDO deck number 11, same level as the buffet. From this point of view, it's exactly the same setup as the old COSTA ships—the pool area is similar.









There’s a retractable roof, which was closed yesterday because it was really cold in Dunkirk. Our first impression was that it was still very cold in this area, even with the roof closed. I see my husband heading toward the pool—his toe comes right back out... it’s freezing! What a disappointment!!! A completely unusable pool. I flag down a passing crew member, who tells me it’s not heated—ugh, how useless! A POOL THAT’S UNUSABLE! So, all we have left are the jacuzzis. The first one is cold, the second is heated—it’s not super hot, but it’s okay. I try to find the button to turn on the bubbles and realize there isn’t one 🙁 These two jacuzzis are connected—one bubbles for 40 seconds, then it’s the other’s turn, and so on. It’s not a real jacuzzi—no bubbles on your back, just bubbles coming from the floor. THE WORST JACUZZI I’VE EVER SEEN! I’m EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED, and at this point, I know CFC isn’t for me. We love spending a little time at the pool every day, but here, forget about it . This kind of pleasure isn’t part of the CFC cruise experience. It’s a real shame because there’s so little to do on board... Sea days must be pretty boring 😕 We get bored quickly in this so-called jacuzzi... Note that pool towels aren’t available—they’re given out in the cabin (one each). So, we decide to head back to change and head to the indoor decks and bars before dinner... TO BE CONTINUED !

Yeah, the balcony cabins seem comfortable... but just a heads-up, in the rest of my review you’ll see there’s also a bit of luck (or bad luck) involved when it comes to cabins on the CFC. 😕

Good point about the pool—I’d be really disappointed if it’s not heated! Do you have any idea what the temperature was like?

Hi there, Regarding boarding, you weren’t so lucky. For us in Marseille, no issues at all. At 2 p.m., it was super smooth. No technical problems. Just goes to show, it can go really well too 😊 As for the pool, I didn’t go. It’s not my thing. The kids only went on the really hot days, and even then, it was barely big enough to get in. Not like on RCI, where they splashed around no problem in Northern Europe in an outdoor pool.

Towels are usually provided near the pool. Probably, this setup was specific to your short stay.

Which deck was the balcony cabin you visited on? I’ll be on Pont Neuf

Good for the pool, I might be really disappointed if it’s not heated! Do you have any idea what the temperature was?

It’s honestly not easy to estimate the water temperature, but I can tell you we weren’t the only ones who brought our swimsuits—everyone who went to test the water ended up backing out.

Hello, Regarding boarding, you weren’t lucky. For us in Marseille, no problem at all. At 2 p.m., it was very smooth. No technical issues. Shows that it can also go really well 😊 As for the pool, I didn’t go. It’s not my thing. The kids only went on very hot days, and even then, it was just about bearable to get in. Not like on RCI, where they splashed around without any problem in Northern Europe in an outdoor pool.

I don’t think it’s just about luck or bad luck because a lot of people had issues... and if that had been the only problem... Thanks anyway for confirming that unfortunately this pool is really cold :/

Which deck was the balcony cabin you visited on? I’ll be on Pont Neuf

This balcony cabin is also on deck 9

I just saw this:

" Our Pools

Enjoy a refreshing moment in one of our two pools while admiring a breathtaking view."

That "refreshing moment"... 🏴‍☠️

I just saw this:

" Our Pools

Enjoy a refreshing moment in one of our two pools, while admiring a breathtaking view."

A refreshing moment.... 🏴‍☠️

For once, this isn’t false advertising! [;]

Hope you have better luck with the food...

TO BE CONTINUED... Back in the cabin, we quickly change to explore interior decks 7 and 8. Ships of this generation have split decks—the RENAISSANCE is no exception. So, when you go down to deck 7, you end up in front of the VATEL restaurant, and it’s a dead end.



We head back up to deck 8 to cross the deck, passing by different bars. The decor is tasteful, and there aren’t many people since tonight everyone is on the same "EN VOGUE" plan. Deck 7 has a lot of conference rooms?





There are also plenty of shops, but since we’re docked, they’re obviously closed. Here’s the à la carte restaurant between TERRE ET MER.



These spaces are pleasant—various bars with occasional live music, which I really liked.







A quiz is organized here—it’s in French, which is nice. But be warned: contrary to popular belief, the ship isn’t entirely French-speaking.

We end up stopping for a drink. There’s a violinist playing, and it’s really pleasant to listen to.



The price of drinks is reasonable, at least for non-alcoholic beverages (6 € for a non-alcoholic cocktail). I took photos of the menu if anyone’s interested. The cocktails are good.



Off to the restaurant—tonight there’s only one seating, so you have to arrive between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM. We pass the library before reaching the VATEL.



TO BE CONTINUED: THE VATEL RESTAURANT

I hope you're starting to get hungry—I'm taking you to VATEL! Normally there are two seatings, but for the VOGUE experience, you need to arrive between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM. It's 8:05 PM, and there's a queue at deck 8, but it's moving... we're asked to go down to deck 7—same queue, it's a bit ridiculous, oh well. There are three of us, and we're given a table for four. The bread is already on the table. They come to serve us water in a carafe, which is really nice—not forcing us to buy a bottle of water. Then the menu arrives, and it looks pretty good. I just regret the absence of "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" items because even if we like something tonight, it might not be there later in the cruise. We order different starters and main courses. Right away, I should mention that the dessert and cheese selection is a bit disappointing.









Now, you're probably wondering if the dishes were good? Honestly, it was okay—we enjoyed it. The only downside was the seasoning; it seemed like the food was cooked without salt, which sometimes made it taste a bit bland. Otherwise, the meat was good quality. For some dishes, the portions were small (like the mozzarella tomatoes and the salmon dish), but it didn’t bother us too much. The real weakness was the service! It was very slow, even though there were empty tables around us. I can’t imagine how it’d be when the restaurant is full... The reason? Not enough staff—something you notice right away if you’re used to cruises. There were only two kids on board, and that was enough! We had to deal with screaming and shouting—not because they were crying, but because their parents let them run around the stairs in the middle of the restaurant, and when they were at the top, they’d yell to be heard. I shouted "STOP" several times, which calmed them down a bit! But seriously, shame on the parents and grandparents who were laughing and taking pictures while the kids slid down the stairs on their stomachs. 😠 Originally, CFC was supposed to be ADULTS ONLY! What a shame. :( My husband skips his coffee so we don’t miss the show at the theater, which starts at 10:15 PM.













TO BE CONTINUED WITH THE SHOW...

Well... the food looks okay... that's something at least!

Yes, the overall experience was positive if we don’t factor in the service. Just so you know, I seem to have been blocked from the CFC CROISIERES group opened by the PLANETE CROISIERES agency—I’m waiting for an explanation since I’ve been factual and haven’t disrespected anyone. One thing’s for sure: if this is confirmed, it shows the agency’s intellectual dishonesty in avoiding the issue! I’ll keep you updated on what happens next since I’ve asked them for an explanation!

Hi, Yeah, I really get the feeling there was some censorship going on. The person who posted the pics of the gross cabin got kicked out too... I don’t think that’s very respectful on Planète Croisières’ part. Basically, you’re not supposed to leave negative comments...

Ah, the service... I remember it being slow—if I recall correctly, it took two evenings during the cruise. After that, it was fine. There were "always available" options during our cruise. Has that changed, or did you have a special card? I feel for you with the kids. During the holidays, there were a few children at Vatel, and we were lucky never to be disturbed. They were very respectful. Outside of holidays, it must be very quiet.

I just got a response from the PLANETE CROISIERE agency. They confirmed they kicked me out, supposedly because my comments were 100% negative... Obviously, I was talking about the boarding process and the pool... They would’ve liked me to be more balanced in my remarks. Sorry, but I’m not here to promote PLANETE CROISIERE’s commissions—I’m just here to share the facts. So, it really bothers them. No doubt they get a nice commission from CFC, so they don’t want people hesitating to book through CFC. They also told me they censored other testimonials... Of course, they call it "moderating" instead of censoring—it’s more politically correct. Unfortunately, this just confirms that this agency is dishonest (intellectually speaking). I’d already booked with them before, and I can assure you they won’t get a single cent from me again!!! Thankfully, there are much more honest agencies out there! During this experience, I actually met several travel agents, and I can tell you none of them were convinced by this company. There aren’t many serious agencies left—it’s really sad!

PS: After my response to PLANETE CROISIERE—and trust me, I didn’t hold back—I just got a slightly more honest reply:

"I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m just doing my job. I’m required to moderate repeated negative comments on a group managed by the agency, as was the case this morning, and you weren’t the only one concerned. If I hadn’t done it, CFC and other users would’ve blamed me. It’s not personal at all."

Okay, sure, the poor little moderator might be paid by the agency... But I don’t think that’s legal, especially not in front of a large public audience. I think we should report the group. Actually, I’m not really sure how it works, but if a group is paid by a travel agency, it becomes a commercial group—should it be declared as such? I completely agree with you that this isn’t normal.

Ah, the service... I remember it being slow, I’d say for two evenings during the cruise. After that, it was okay. There were "always available" options during our cruise. Has that changed, or did you have a special card... I feel for you with the kids. During the holidays, there were a few children at Vatel, and we were lucky never to be disturbed. They were very respectful. Outside of holidays, it must be very quiet.

Hi, I think the absence of the "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" option is indeed linked to the current trend. Regarding service, let’s hope there’s more staff during regular times, because on top of being inexperienced, they’re also understaffed.

Okay, sure, the poor little moderator might be paid by the agency... But I don’t think that’s legal, especially not for a general audience. I think we should report the group... Actually, I’m not really sure how it works, but a group paid by a travel agency becomes a commercial group—is it even declared as such? I totally agree with you that this isn’t normal.

Thanks! The "poor little moderator" is part of the agency; his name is Lylian. I’m not sure about reporting it, but it doesn’t cost anything to do so. For me, it won’t be easy since I no longer have access.

1. Misleading business practices If an agency: deletes all negative reviews only keeps positive reviews gives a falsely perfect image 👍 This could be considered misleading under consumer law (especially in France, for example).

Thanks, Isabelle, for this account—not just about the visit but also about the methods and abuses of the “moderators.”

When I took the Renaissance tour, there were only a few of us, so it was easy to spot the agency reps. After the tour, I saw a certain P...J... Pro, who’s very active on FB, praising the tour and the company, making it seem like he’d actually been there—which was completely false...

Censorship is totally in line with this company’s approach. If you ask about the source of a smell during the tour, the guide answers, but there’s no smell. 😕

Thanks Isabelle for sharing your experience. Your review was a real pleasure to read—I even laughed out loud a few times.

This ship is way too old-school for me, and that shower curtain (which I remember all too well from my Costa days ages ago) is just a no-go 🙁

Nathalie, I checked out your itinerary—it’s honestly really well done.

Looking forward to the next posts 😎

Thanks Isabelle for sharing your experience. Your review was a real pleasure to read—I even laughed out loud.

This ship is too old for me, and that shower curtain I remember all too well from Costa ages ago? No way 🙁

Nathalie, I saw your itinerary—it’s honestly really good.

Looking forward to the rest 😎

My last cruise on NCL in The Haven was perfect in terms of service, but the itinerary was totally uninteresting... I guess this time it’ll probably be the opposite 😅 There were other cruises, like with Celebrity in May, but they didn’t have the same ports—bigger, more industrial, and harder to explore on shore. The one advantage CFC might have is that since the ship is small, it visits different ports... That’s what appealed to me. At first, I wanted to book a suite, but in the end, there were so few extra perks—same restaurant for everyone, no special spaces—and the price was double that of a balcony cabin, so I didn’t see the point...

Hi Isa,

Thanks for this review you’ve shared about the CFC. Catherine visited last year and had pretty much the same comments as you.

It’s an old ship from Holland America Line that was supposedly renovated, but it’s not HAL anymore.

When you see the reviews on TripAdvisor, you start to wonder. On the other hand, I get the Facebook reviews now—real reviews are censored. LOL! Anyway, the upside is that the food seems pretty good, but that’s not everything. For a cruise, it’s all about the whole experience. On top of that, when I look at the prices, it’s not cheap, and I don’t understand why. If you really search on Celebrity, Royal, or other lines, you can find similar rates. Either way, this company has never appealed to me.

For regular cruisers like us, this line isn’t for us.

Well, I’m waiting for the conclusion, even though I think we already know it. In my opinion, it’s going to be pretty negative.

Alfred

1. Deceptive business practices If an agency: deletes all negative reviews only keeps positive reviews gives a falsely perfect image 👍 This can be considered misleading under consumer law (in France, in particular).

That’s totally true. I’m thinking about reporting them to the fraud control authorities. A report was also made on FB, but I doubt it’ll lead to anything—it’d take several people reporting them...

Thanks Isabelle for this testimony not only about the visit but also about the methods and abuses of the “moderators.”

When I took the Renaissance tour, there weren’t many of us, so it was easy to spot the agency reps. After the visit, I saw a certain P...J... Pro, who’s very active on FB, praising the tour and the company, making it seem like he’d actually been there—which was totally false...

Censorship is totally in line with this company’s spirit. When you ask about the source of a smell during the tour, the rep answers, but there’s no smell. 😕

Thanks, Catherine! We’re talking about the same guy and the same agency PLANETE CROISIERE . So you’ve witnessed their lies and manipulations too... it’s really SHAMEFUL and so disappointing! 😕

Thanks for following along, Alfred! You're right, their prices are really high, and I don’t get it either... I haven’t reached a conclusion yet because I still have more to share with you 😉

Thanks a lot, Cathie! I share your opinion—you can’t make something new out of something old. That’s why, even with upgrades, all sorts of technical issues keep popping up, unfortunately... On top of that, you can really feel the amateurism of this company in so many ways—it doesn’t help at all.

Alright, this time I’m taking you to the theater. Like on all ships, it’s located at the front. It spans two decks—Deck 7 and Deck 8. There was only one show for the evening: THE OSCARS. The theater space is pleasant, with servers coming and going to ask if we’d like a drink, just like at the start of COSTA...



The stage is equipped with a large screen at the back, but there don’t seem to be any other fancy features (like a revolving stage or anything).



The performance lasted about 50 minutes, telling the story of award-winning films. Between segments, there were clips from movies or musicals performed by the ship’s dancers and singers. We really enjoyed the well-paced show.





After the show, the cast was waiting for us at the exit, and we thanked them for the great time. We were too tired to go to the dance party afterward, so I can’t tell you about that...

Back in the cabin, shower, and pajamas... But there’s a problem—a loud, annoying ventilation noise! We tried adjusting the AC every way we could, but nothing worked... After 20 minutes, I decided to call reception. They were aware of the issue but couldn’t do anything—there was a ventilation problem in part of the ship they couldn’t fix... 😕 I can tell you that noise was *really* annoying for sleeping, even if we eventually passed out from exhaustion. Good night, everyone! TOMORROW FOR THE NEXT PART 😉

I can’t stand dishonesty and censorship. I left a comment on the post, and right away Lylian messaged me privately. I didn’t hesitate to tell him exactly what I thought and I posted the same message about deleting negative reviews... But he dodged the issue....

And I booked my cruise with them through that infamous P...🤪🤪

As for the higher prices, I think it’s just math. A small ship with fewer passengers has higher operating costs than a big ship with lots of passengers. Plus, I think the French spend a lot less onboard than Americans do on U.S. cruise lines—that plays a role too. But that’s just my opinion. Also, compared to MSC and Costa, and even some American cruise lines, it seems they serve foie gras and duck breast to offer more upscale products—the food looks more high-quality, at least based on the menus I’ve seen.

Did you get a chance to check out the evening buffet?

Hello, Sorry, the evening buffet wasn’t open for EN VOGUE, but it should be during a real cruise. I was able to try the breakfast buffet—I’ll talk about it later. As for PLANETE CROISIERE, they’re really pathetic for acting this way. This won’t save CFC, ugh. On top of charging high cancellation fees, we now know this agency is dishonest! Originally, this agency was created by someone who lives not far from me. Their father owned a physical agency in Mouvaux, and they don’t know it, but I know them! I don’t know if their father is aware of their practices… he seemed pretty honest back then. Anyway, at least now we know what this agency is worth! Regarding the price, I still find their rates quite high, even if the food seems decent. That’s not everything—disastrous organization, not being able to swim, and numerous onboard issues. There are definitely better options out there!

Hi,

Not long ago, I called Croisiland to ask for an MSC quote. My contact told me that MSC had removed the discounts linked to their Facebook partnership with Croisiland. At the same time, I read on FB that Planète Croisière had partnered with MSC and was offering extra discounts. Is this blatant, or am I just being suspicious?

which way?

Hi Catherine!

All this is so surprising!

Anyway, I’ve never trusted this agency, and I’m not ready to book with them.

Once, I asked this person (the one in question) for a quote for a Celebrity cruise. When I saw how they operated, I preferred to finalize the quote with another agency I usually work with.

I also think they’re dishonest. From what I understand, this person on Facebook organizes a lot of group trips, which I really don’t like.

I’m sticking with the agencies I usually travel with. That’s final—it’s not for me.

Hey Yeah... but it wasn't him who did the censoring—it was his boss...

Hello,

Not long ago, I called Croisiland to ask for an MSC quote. My contact told me that MSC had removed the discounts linked to their FB partnership with Croisiland. At the same time, I read on FB that Planète Croisière had partnered with MSC and was offering additional discounts.... Is this blatant, or am I being paranoid?

Hi Catherine, yeah, that *is* weird... you’re talking about the discounts linked to the LARGUEZ group, right? That group isn’t exactly transparent either... 😕 unfortunately.

Anyway, whenever there’s money involved, it’s all about the commissions! Personally, I miss the old AZUR agency. 🙁

they all agree, don’t they! I’m lumping them together! The proof is that the other one dodges the subject when you ask them

Alfred, do you always book through the same agency? Could we get a hint? 😉

You always book through the same agency? Could we get a hint? 😉

Hi Isa,

Since Azur Croisière closed, I’ve been buying all my cruises either from Croisiland or Logitravel.

Yeah... I’ll admit, ever since I’ve been reading all this, I’m a bit apprehensive... Okay, I chose it for the itinerary, but if everything around it is awful... And my husband’s grumbling next to me that I’m going to put him off cruises🙁... I’d spotted a Celebrity cruise leaving in May with a great Aquaclass rate... But the itinerary was way less appealing... Lots of complicated industrial ports and short stops.

Anyway, the wine’s been poured, so we’ve got to drink it😎