Great to see VF back in action! However, is it normal that we can’t upload more than 10 photos per post? If so, that’s a real shame!

Looks like I’m the first to post a review, but I’m sure others will follow to keep this forum—our forum—alive. Once again, a BIG thank you for bringing it back!

I got home yesterday but still can’t sleep, so I’d rather share this amazing cruise I just took on the Royal Princess.

Last year, I did almost the same itinerary on the Ovation OTS (Royal Caribbean), and it was mixed at best—let’s just say it was disappointing.

The itinerary: - Los Angeles - 5 days at sea - Honolulu - Hilo (replaced by Kona) - 5 days at sea - Papeete - Papeete - Moorea - 3 days at sea - Pago Pago (Samoa Islands) = canceled - 1 day at sea - International Date Line crossing - 1 day at sea - Tauranga - Tauranga - Auckland

I booked this cruise over a year in advance through the Logitravel agency. I chose a Balcony Category D cabin because the Cat B cabins on this ship class don’t have a sofa. I like having a couch in the cabin so I don’t have to sit directly on the bed when I come in.

My last cruise with Princess was years ago, and after last year’s disappointment with Royal Caribbean (Ovation OTS), I decided to give Princess another try. Not only did I love the itinerary, but the cruise was longer, and there was a new port for me—Pago Pago—which unfortunately got canceled.

Honestly, I can tell you I didn’t regret my choice for a second—this cruise will stay with me forever. Everything, or almost everything, was PERFECT!

After Oceania, I’d rank Princess in second place, and I think their service is a notch above Celebrity. You’ll see why as you read this review.

From what I remember, Catherine Isa and others have already tried this ship class and loved it.

Here we go! Day 1: Departure from Roissy to Los Angeles on an Air France flight.





Last year, I flew Air Tahiti Nui (ATN) for the same route, and I can tell you it was WAY better than AF in terms of comfort and service. Unfortunately, ATN now flies very few routes to Los Angeles, preferring to transit through Seattle to get to Papeete. So, I had to go with AF. Back in 2018, I did a Paris/Papeete flight with AF and was a bit disappointed with the 24-hour journey. Anyway!

During this flight, we had one meal and a snack before landing in LA. Drinks were available throughout the flight. We arrived on time in LA.

Before taking off from Roissy, I downloaded the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app—a mobile app for travelers with an ESTA to save time at customs (only for those returning to the U.S. at least a second time). It lets eligible travelers skip the long lines at customs when arriving in the U.S. After filling out a form and answering a few questions about your trip in advance, you get a ticket that lets you access a special line with shorter wait times. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the ticket, so I had to wait in the regular line. Thirty minutes later, I got the ticket, but it was too late—I was already in the visitor line. It took us 1.5 hours to get through immigration.

Since I’m traveling again in January next year, I’ll try MPC again to see if it works.

After leaving the airport, I took a taxi to my hotel on Hollywood Blvd, but the driver tried to scam me to make more money. Last year, the same ride cost $50, but this time, he took a long detour to run up the meter. When I saw it hit $80, I told him that last year the same trip cost $50, and we weren’t even there yet. He said, “You’re going to a hotel on Hollywood Blvd, and you’re quibbling over a few dollars?” I told him I wouldn’t pay that much because I saw he took a longer route (via Google Maps), and if needed, I’d call the police. Then he said, “Let’s work something out.” I told him I’d pay $50, just like last year—not a cent more. When we arrived, he said, “Give me $60, and we’ll call it even.” So, I gave him $60. If I hadn’t said anything, he would’ve charged me over $100. Oh well!

Our hotel (Lowes Hotel) is on Hollywood Blvd. It’s a really nice hotel with a rooftop pool. That said, it’s not worth 330 € per night plus 30 € per person for breakfast. But since we’re on Hollywood Blvd, everything’s overpriced.













We checked into our room with a view of the Hollywood Sign (as requested). We dropped off our things, then relaxed by the pool with a drink before taking a stroll down Hollywood Blvd.





That evening, we went to dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel, just 100 meters from our hotel—a legendary Hollywood hotel where Marilyn Monroe used to stay regularly. In fact, her suite still bears her name. Honestly, the hotel is really old, and I didn’t think much of it—or the dinner. We headed back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow we had a tour booked to see the stars’ houses and Beverly Hills.

To be continued: Beverly Hills/Hollywood tour and embarkation.

Hello,

As you may have read or heard—or I’m letting you know now—CFC is merging with Ambassador Cruise Line 😉

I’ve sailed with Ambassador twice already, and honestly, this merger makes total sense! Both companies offer the same type of service (with Ambassador’s English touch), and they generally have similar ships and target the same clientele.

To be honest, I think this is great news! I really hope Ambassador’s influence rubs off on CFC, especially in fixing all the issues I’ve had on Renaissance that I’ve never encountered on Ambassador (food quality, service, cabin problems, etc.).

Leading Ambassador are real cruise enthusiasts—passionate people with a clear marketing direction and a much more professional way of working with travel agents than CFC.

In short, I think this is fantastic news 🙂

Plus, Renaissance will be in the Caribbean next winter, so I assume European cruises will run on Ambience and Ambition. If English doesn’t scare you (too much), and you like the cozy ship vibe with great value for money, check out Ambassador—they’ve got some amazing itineraries! 😉

If you’d like more info on Ambassador, just ask 😉

What do you all think?

Here are a few photos of Ambience

Hi everyone,

It was totally by chance that I found this cruise while chatting with Alfred in November 2024. It wasn’t planned, but the price was attractive—one of those "great deals" from Ponant that I love and that don’t exist anymore. Since everyone’s wondering, here’s the answer without waiting for the end of the story: after my various loyalty discounts, I paid **3,250 € per person** for 8 nights/9 days on the expedition cruise *The Essentials of the Seychelles*.

Expedition cruises are by far our favorites. The outings are done by Zodiac with the ship’s naturalist guides, everything’s included, and there’s no need to add any excursions or prepare anything.

We’re liking long flights less and less, so to break up the trip, we decided to stop over in Doha for four days on the way there and one day on the way back.

I’m happy to share the good and not-so-good moments, the great surprises, and the disappointments of this trip with you.

Hi everyone,

What a joy to be back here and pick up where we left off after all these months of hiatus.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story of this little trip around the Eastern Mediterranean. This cruise was the perfect way to satisfy our longing to return to Greece and Istanbul. The end of the season, until late November, is the best time to visit the Mediterranean in my opinion—when climate disruptions don’t get in the way.

Departing from Trieste, our stops were Katakolon, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Corfu, and Bari, before returning to Trieste and then Venice, where we planned a very short 24-hour stay.

We left home at 6:15 AM—our first cruise departure since moving to Normandy. What I miss most about living in the Gard is how close we were to Marseille Airport. No more hopping over to Marignane in an hour; now we have to plan for a three-hour trip to CDG, even under the best conditions on an early Sunday morning.

It was impossible to book a hotel night before our flight because, starting in April, the Ibis was priced at 450 € per night, and the Mercure was flirting with 800 €—breakfast not included, of course. 😏

I had a feeling there must’ve been a conference or something going on… Turns out, it was just the auto show. They simply adjusted the room prices to match the cost of the cars. 😛

Our flight took us to Venice, where we caught a FlixBus to Trieste. We arrived at Trieste’s train station in the afternoon and walked to our hotel in the city center.

After treating ourselves to an amazing pizza at a restaurant (Di Napoli Maestri Pizzaioli, Via Armando Diaz 10) for a very reasonable price, we enjoyed the mild evening temperature while exploring the stunning buildings of this charming city by night. These magnificent structures are a testament to the city’s past. Trieste became Austrian in 1382 due to its complicated relationship with Venice, and it wasn’t until 1918, at the end of World War I, that it became Italian again. The city’s lighting beautifully highlights the architecture of the buildings.

The terraces were lively, and the atmosphere was so warm and inviting that we wanted to stay out even longer.



But we’d been up since 4 AM, so we were happy to retreat to the quiet of our hotel, located in the pedestrian center just a few steps from the port (Urban Hotel Design—highly recommended).

More to come soon.

😉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

I’ve just returned from a cruise on the COSTA DELIZIOSA and wanted to share my thoughts for anyone considering this cruise line.

**Boarding in VENICE:** AVOID – it took a total of 3 hours before we could finally board!

**CABINS:** Our group had booked cabins with portholes. These were on the first deck, around cabins 1230 to 1257, and they were fine—no complaints. BUT some of us had cabins in the 13xx range, and that was a completely different story. These were right next to the engines, with an UNBEARABLE noise level!!! Those guests had to fight to get their cabins changed. One couple, after two days of hassle and endless discussions, finally got a balcony cabin. However, another couple was DOWNGRADED to a tiny INTERIOR CABIN—even though they had originally booked a porthole cabin!

COSTA clearly doesn’t care about its customers. Of course, these guests are still pursuing compensation, but their cruise was ruined.

Now, let’s talk about meals, the MY DRINK package, and the shows.

**Self-service meals:** NOT GREAT AT ALL. The buffets were chaotic—no pizza buffets like on MSC (because if you want pizza, you have to pay for it!). No pasta buffets either, unlike MSC.

**Restaurant meals:** Overall, they were okay, but whatever you do, don’t order the "3 Chefs" dishes—you’ll be very disappointed! And if you dine at the 3 Chefs restaurant, the menu costs 59 €!

**MY DRINK package:** In theory, ALL DRINKS ARE INCLUDED except for certain alcohols. They leave a large bottle of mineral water in your cabin, but if you drink it, they charge you for it despite the package. And on top of that, you’re only allowed 7 small bottles of water, while the number of alcoholic or non-alcoholic cocktails is unlimited?????

**SHOWS:** HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! They only lasted half an hour, with no elaborate costumes, no real choreography—just one or two singers or a juggler on stage performing the entire evening’s show.

And the sound system? UNBEARABLE—so loud!

We had dinner during the second seating—which we really didn’t appreciate—and since meals ended at 10:30 PM, we’d look for a quiet spot afterward, but there wasn’t one! Music was blasting everywhere, and it was WAY too loud!

Another issue: The satisfaction survey. **Would you recommend COSTA to your friends and family?** Then the presenter gives you this whole speech about how the staff works 24/7 and that if you say you’re not satisfied, you’re punishing the hardworking crew. It’s emotional blackmail—unbelievable!!!

The staff, though, was absolutely lovely—housekeeping, waiters, everyone was so kind!

**Final verdict:** NEVER AGAIN with COSTA. For them, it’s all about MAXIMIZING PROFITS. If I ever go on another cruise, it’ll be with MSC or another line.

Hi! We’ll be in El Nido at the end of February. We’d love to explore the magical islands around it—any tips or guided tours you’d recommend? There are three of us, including a 10-year-old girl, and this will be our last stop before heading home!

Philippines Trip 2024

Flight Paris → Manila

Wednesday, 12/02

Flight Manila → Cebu Sunnyside Moalboal Guest House Guesthouse – 400 m from the beach

Thursday, 13/02 Turtle-sardine tour: 8 € per hotel? Departure between 6 AM and 3 PM Duration: 1 h to 1 h 30

Friday, 14/02 Sharks and waterfalls? Departure at 3 AM?

Or just sharks for 15 €

Saturday, 15/02 Nothing planned or diving

Sunday, 16/02 Watch out: taxi at 8 AM

2 h 10 min drive

Arrival at Quartel Beach Oslob at 10:00 AM Ferry departure from Quartel Beach Oslob at 11:30 AM, Arrival at Bohol, Momo Beach Panglao at 1 PM

50 min taxi / 1000 PHP (15 €) by tuk-tuk or 1500 PHP (24 €) by taxi

We arrive at Southside Hotel at 2 PM

Check if we can get room 7, which is set apart from the others, based on the reviews

Rest and walk along the river

Monday, 17/02 We visit the tarsiers

Tuesday, 18/02 The Chocolate Hills

Wednesday, 19/02 A kayak tour? A cruise?

PS: We sent an email about a dolphin tour—possible for 200 € Abraham Tour to contact for more info and rates

http://whales.bohol.ph/packages.php

Still deciding if we’ll do it.

Thursday, 20/02 Departure from Bohol to catch the flight in Cebu: Leave the hotel at 7 AM

2 h ferry ride Arrival at Pier 1: 11:20 AM

30 min to the airport

Arrival at 1:15 PM: 90 min before the flight, so 1 h 30

Arrival in Coron at 4:05 PM at a homestay

Friday, 21/02 Tour with Hakim or Coron Travel

Then a tour with Hakim’s team: reef and other islands Hakim’s rate between 3200 PHP (50 €) and 2150 PHP (33 €) Coron Travel rate: 1700 PHP (27 €)

Saturday, 22/02 Exploring the area

Sunday, 23/02 Tour with Hakim or Coron Travel

Monday, 24/02 Private tour with Hakim

Tuesday, 25/02 Travel time: accommodation to port is a 5-minute walk?? Arrival at the port at 6 AM Departure from Coron Port at 7:30 AM Ferry travel time: 3 h 30 Arrival at El Nido Port at 11 AM

11-minute drive

Wednesday, 26/02 Boat trips with Go Paradise? Contact via Messenger

Thursday, 27/02

Friday, 28/02

Saturday, 1/03

Sunday, 2/03 Book a Grab for 9 AM Drive to El Nido Airport: 12 minutes Arrival at the airport at 9:30 AM–10 AM Departure at 11:55 AM Landing in Manila at 1:25 PM NAIA Terminal 2 Travel time: 26 min Book a Grab for 2 PM

Hotel in Manila at Malaki Festive

Monday, 3/03 Possibility to explore the city for 3 hours?

Tuesday, 4/03 Departure from Manila at 7:45 PM

Landing in Hong Kong Terminal 1 at 10:15 PM Layover: 1 h 50

Wednesday, 5/03

Landing in Paris Terminal 1 at 7:35 AM

Hello everyone! What a pleasure to be back on this forum after all these years… Goodness, we’re clearly far from the days of backpacking solo and carefree! Today, I’m well and truly "tied down," with two adorable little anchors—ages 3 and 5½—keeping me on my toes 😊 But here we are, finally mustering the courage to dive back into adventure, backpacks and all… this time as a family! We know traveling with young kids won’t be a walk in the park, but we’re ready to adapt. And for that, I’ll need your brilliant advice! Here’s our plan: We’ve got our tickets for Kochi, from December 28 to January 5, 2026. From my research, I’ve seen that this period is super lively in Kochi, with lots of festivities. I’ve also read that despite the crowds, it’s generally pretty "kids-friendly." Can any of you confirm this? I figure it’d be a shame to miss all the fun, especially if there are parades (with or without elephants… even if I’m not a fan of the concept, I know my kids would be amazed…). As for the itinerary, I’m still a bit unsure. Since New Year’s Eve falls right in the middle of our trip, it complicates the idea of doing a loop around Kerala. Here’s what I’m considering so far:

December 28: Arrival in Kochi, then we’d head straight to Marari Beach (or a similar beach) to settle in and let the kids get their bearings.

December 30: Houseboat cruise in Alleppey

December 31: Back to Kochi, to enjoy the New Year’s festivities

We’d stay in Kochi until January 1 or 2, then head to Munroe Island for a few more relaxing days before heading home

January 5: Flight back to France

My big question: Is spending New Year’s Eve in Kochi with kids a good idea? Or should we arrive, then leave the city quickly to avoid the crowds? Thanks in advance for your feedback, experiences, and tips. I’m all ears for any suggestions to make this first (real) family trip as smooth as possible 😊

Hi everyone, Here’s a little story about what happened to me—I was supposed to go on a cruise on the CELEBRITY INFINITY on February 16th, but nothing went as planned 😕 We left for Athens on February 14th, had a good flight, and stayed at the same hotel as last year, the PHIDIAS PIRAEUS HOTEL, which we really liked. But this year, it was disappointing—no upgrade from BOOKING, so a smaller room and, above all, noisy because of a compressor sound.... Anyway, we arrived in the late afternoon, took a walk, and found a really nice restaurant in the pedestrian streets of Piraeus. The next day, the 15th, we maybe thought about going to the island of Aegina, but we got up a little too late, so we just went for a walk. We came back to the hotel for a break, then got ready for a massage I had booked online. I absentmindedly checked my phone… an email from CELEBRITY announcing the cancellation of the cruise!!! That’s a first for us—we were a little shocked by the news 😕 TO BE CONTINUED....

Hi there, Here’s a little recap of my cruise on the CELEBRITY INFINITY from February 14th to 23rd. Itinerary: Athens / Thessaloniki / Thessaloniki / Kusadasi / AT SEA / Cyprus / AT SEA / Rhodes / Heraklion / Athens / Athens Since the cruise ended on Monday, we had to leave the ship on Sunday to go back to work on Monday 😕 Bring on retirement! This was our 34th cruise, and the price was around 1,300 € per person for AQUACLASS. Just to remind you, AQUACLASS includes spa access, a cabin with a hydro-massage shower, and a dedicated restaurant. For once, I have to say we didn’t get a good deal—prices dropped two months before departure, and we could’ve had AQUACLASS in a guaranteed cabin for 1,000 € per person. So, I think for January/February cruises, it’s better to book last-minute. We arrived in Piraeus on the 12th in the evening. The hotel was great—"Phidias Piraeus Hotel"—close to the center, with a spacious room (upgraded by Booking to a junior suite). The breakfast was decent, and the price was 125 € for two nights, all included. The cherry on top? The hotel offers free shuttles to the cruise ship on departure day—really awesome! We’d never visited Piraeus before, and it was a lovely surprise. Not only was the weather gorgeous, but the walk was really pleasant—the port, the beach, the little streets. It was way nicer than I’d imagined! TO BE CONTINUED: BOARDING 😉

Hi everyone, Okay, here I go—I haven’t done a cruise review in ages, and even longer since I’ve posted one on this forum. So, this is kinda your fault, Catherine, if I’m getting back into it... I just hope I haven’t lost my touch!

It’s a transatlantic cruise, so there are a lot of sea days. That means this review will mostly focus on the ship, especially the "Haven" section, which doesn’t get much coverage on this forum. There’ll definitely be some comparisons with MSC’s Yacht Club, since they’re direct competitors.

This will be my third cruise with NCL—a company I really love—but my first in The Haven.

My two previous cruises were on smaller ships: the NCL Sun for the Chilean fjords and the NCL Spirit in February 2025 in Asia, departing from Taiwan and arriving in Korea. I *loved* the Spirit.

Alright, let’s get started!

This trip was booked almost last-minute in early October for late November, after I had to cut short my August trip for medical reasons.

At first, when I looked at this cruise, I hadn’t specifically decided to go for The Haven. I wanted a relaxing cruise but still with destinations I hadn’t been to before. I kinda stumbled upon this one, and the itinerary appealed to me. I also found the balcony cabin price pretty good—around 2800 € for a balcony cabin (for two), all-inclusive package included. Not including flights, of course. In the end, we decided to try The Haven (obviously not the same price), but I think we got a great deal for the promised perks.

Itinerary: Departure from Lisbon, arrival in Galveston, Texas. Stops: St. Martin, St. Thomas, La Romana, Cabo Rojo, Falmouth in Jamaica.

Hi everyone,

As promised, here’s my review of the cruise I took from the 5th to the 19th on the MSC Virtuosa.

As you know, I had initially booked a cruise with Mein Schiff departing from Dubai (from Dubai to Cape Town). It was a 22-day cruise. Due to the issues in the Persian Gulf, my cruise was canceled by Mein Schiff.

So, we started looking for a Plan B because we really wanted to go. Especially my wife, who had just had a minor procedure and needed some rest. Since she had already taken time off, she was determined to travel. However, we were looking for an affordable Plan B since we weren’t sure when Mein Schiff or the airline would reimburse us.

While browsing online, I found a 15-day cruise departing from Pointe-à-Pitre (including flights, transfers, the cruise, and drinks) for a price of 1,200 € in a Fantastica balcony cabin. We thought, *Why not?*

I should mention that I’m not usually a big fan of MSC. My last experience with them was post-Covid (I took two cruises, one in 2021 and another in 2022), and it was honestly a disaster. We didn’t want to repeat that, but after talking to Catherine, who told me she was very happy with a short Christmas cruise, we decided to give it a try.

I have to say, I was left speechless. Honestly, the cruise was absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to complain about (or just a few minor details). In terms of service and food, I felt like I was on a premium cruise line. I’d even say MSC has nothing to envy from some of those companies. While premium lines like Holland, Celebrity, and Royal are cutting back on services, I think MSC has made huge improvements. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting this at all. You’ll see what I mean as we chat more.

I won’t do a full review like I usually do because there weren’t many stops: 1. We boarded in Pointe-à-Pitre 2. We stopped in Saint-Martin 3. Then it was a direct crossing to the Azores...

This cruise was really about relaxing, even if it’s not the kind of trip we usually take.

First off, I’m not a big fan of "flight and cruise" packages. I asked if we could leave two days early, but they said it wasn’t possible. We had to take the flight, then the bus, and board the ship directly.

It’s not really my thing, but given the price we paid and since we really wanted to relax, we thought, *Why not?*

Here’s the itinerary:

Boarding in Pointe-à-Pitre Saint-Martin Five days at sea The Azores Four days at sea Hamburg One day at sea Le Havre



But as I mentioned, it wasn’t about the itinerary. It was really about taking a break and unwinding. Honestly, I came back thrilled.

Departure and boarding details to come

Hi everyone, just wanted to say how happy I am to be back on this forum—it really helped me out on my previous trips. I’ve missed it these past few years, so thanks for bringing it back to life! Long live Voyage Forum! We’re boarding the MSC World Europa next month. I’d love to hear any tips or see photos from anyone who’s already been on this ship. We’ll be in cabin 14135 if anyone’s been in the same one. Thanks in advance! Seb

Hi there, it’s been a good 15 years since I last set foot in Thailand.

Back then, I spent 6 weeks there with my partner, traveling backpacker-style without ever booking anything in advance, and we always managed to find a guesthouse. Now we think our son is old enough to travel the same way.

Do you still find it just as easy to snag a guesthouse room everywhere?

What’s the average price range these days in the north and the south?

For our route, we’re thinking roughly BKK / Koh Tao / Koh Samui / Krabi, then the Chiang Mai area. Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hi there,

To celebrate an anniversary, we’re dreaming of a truly amazing luxury cruise where we’d be pampered.

We’ve already traveled in the Yacht Club on MSC. It was fantastic, especially since it was in the fjords.

But do you have any other cruise lines to recommend?

Hi everyone, I’ve spent two solid months reading the Lonely Planet and pretty much every post about Thailand here, plus French and English blogs. Now I’d love to get your expert opinions on our itinerary. We’re heading off in August 2025 with our 7-year-old daughter. We only have a maximum of three weeks off, and I’m keeping an eye on flight prices before booking (1400 € per person really stings 😕). So here’s what I’ve planned—let me know if you spot any major issues or if I’ve been way too "optimistic."

D1 - Arrival in Bangkok / rest, quick visit, overnight stay D2 - More temple visits, etc. D3 - Morning flight to Chiang Mai D4 - More Chiang Mai sightseeing D5 - Day trip to Chiang Rai (guided tour to book: blue and white temple), return to Chiang Mai late in the evening D6 - More Chiang Mai visits / Elephant Nature Park in the afternoon D7 - Morning flight to Koh Samui, sightseeing D8 to D10 - More Koh Samui visits D11 to D13 - Ferry to Koh Phangan D14 to D15 - Ferry to Koh Tao D16 - Return to Koh Samui, then flight to Bangkok D17 - Day trip to Ayutthaya, return to Bangkok in the evening D18 - Flight back to France :(

I know a lot of you recommend heading straight to Chiang Mai to recover from the international flight, but my partner and I NEVER sleep on planes (personally, I’ve been flying to Taiwan since I was little and have never slept more than an hour on a 14-hour flight...), so it’s essential for us to rest upon arrival . That’s also why I opted for domestic flights instead of the sleeper train—I know we’d lose over 10 hours and wouldn’t be able to rest properly in those conditions. And I’m sure you’ll also say BKK > North > South is too much for three weeks, but I really want to see as much as possible. Given how much the flights will cost, I’m not sure when we’ll be able to come back 🏴‍☠️.

So, questions: 1. Since we’ll only be in Bangkok for a maximum of two nights and need to easily reach the airport with luggage (and a child), which neighborhood should we prioritize? We’d love to experience the evening vibe of Asian night markets, ideally within walking distance of the hotel or just a few metro stops away. I’ve looked at Chinatown, but the BTS seems far... Should we go for somewhere near BTS Saphan Taksin or BTS Krungthonburi? But is the area lively in the evening with food courts, etc.? We’d also like to treat ourselves to a hotel with a pool.

2. Have we planned too many days in the south? Should I skip Koh Tao and just do Koh Samui + Koh Phangan? My partner and daughter aren’t strong swimmers, so we’re looking for beautiful beaches without too much current. Crowded beaches don’t bother us—we just want stunning turquoise waters without killer waves . Going all the way to Koh Tao and then back to Koh Samui to catch the flight to Bangkok seems too stressful. Is it still possible these days (I haven’t seen any recent posts on this) to head to Koh Samui in August and decide on the spot how many nights to spend in Koh Phangan or Koh Tao based on how we feel, booking hotels as we go? Or is that too risky?

If you have any better suggestions for fitting all this in while reducing internal flights, I’m all ears for your great tips

Hi there, I’m heading to Quebec from 08/07/26 to 08/21/26 with my wife and our two sons, aged 8 and 10. I’m sharing my itinerary below—if you have any suggestions or feedback, I’d love to hear it!

Day 1: Arrival in Montreal on Friday, August 7th around 2 PM (it’s also one of my sons’ 8th birthday!). We’ll head to Westmount via public transit or taxi to pick up our Airbnb.

Day 2 & 3: Exploring Montreal.

Day 4: Picking up our rental car (not yet booked, but likely with Hertz via BSP Auto). We’ll explore the area around Montreal and then head to Montebello for the night.

Day 5: Visit to Parc Omega, staying overnight in Montebello (Airbnb).

Day 6: Heading to Shawinigan, possibly catching an evening show at Cité de l’Énergie. I’ve spotted Motel Auberge Pique-Nique for the night.

Day 7: Mauricie National Park. Overnight in Shawinigan.

Day 8: Heading to Lac Saint-Jean. I’ve looked into the Village Historique Val-Jalbert, but many say there are better options for visiting an old village, like the Village Québécois d’Antan near Quebec City. We’ll stay somewhere around the lake.

Day 9: Day around the lake, then overnight in Saguenay. FYI, August 15th is a holiday in Quebec (like in France), so some places might be busier or closed.

Day 10: Heading to Tadoussac. Staying overnight at the youth hostel to meet other travelers.

Day 11: Day in Tadoussac—whale watching and a guided forest excursion to see bears. Another night in Tadoussac.

Day 12: Heading to Quebec City, possibly stopping at Montmorency Falls along the way. We’ll pick up our Airbnb along the St. Lawrence River, not far from the aquarium.

Day 13 & 14: Exploring Quebec City and its surroundings.

Day 15: Returning to Montreal to catch our flight in the late afternoon.

I’ve tried to stay in the same place for two nights in a row for logistical reasons—it’s easier with kids. So far, only the Airbnbs are booked. For the rest, motels seem like the most budget-friendly option. I’d also love to find B&Bs with meals included, like Gîtes de France, but I’m not sure if that’s a thing here—I’m struggling to find options.

Don’t hesitate to let me know if this itinerary seems too packed. I’ve been mindful of the distances, but unfortunately, we can’t do everything, so we’ve had to make some tough choices.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can chime in!

Hi there,

We’re heading out at the end of February for a road trip with our two kids, ages 3 and 7. Our itinerary includes Ait Ben Haddou, Tizi-n-Tichka, Sourate, Tinghir, Zagora, Ouarzazate, Ouzoud, and Essaouira. I’d love recommendations for accommodations, restaurants, and typical/spectacular spots to visit. We’d like to spend a night in the Zagora desert. We’re looking for authenticity and a friendly vibe—not tourist traps—for our trip. We’ll be there during Ramadan—any tips? Thanks in advance!

Your fellow globetrotter’s perspective is invaluable.

Hello,

A few months ago, I posted a message in the Southern Africa section about a family trip in July/August. In the end, since I had too much trouble deciding on the destination and procrastinated too much with the planning 😎, I changed my mind and we’re going for a completely different trip—to Madagascar, a country we already know a bit since we’ve traveled there several times for 4 to 6 months each time, though our last visit was back in 2012!

The tickets are booked: 19 days on the ground (excluding arrival and departure days in Tana), spanning July and August.

We’re not looking to rack up landscapes (and kilometers). The kids really want to see lots of animals, while we mostly want to show them what daily life is like in Malagasy villages. So ideally, we’d like a trip split into two parts: - For 8/10 days, a hiking portion. The idea isn’t to do a tough trek in very remote areas but rather to walk from one village to another. Let’s say 3-4 hours a day. And when we arrive in each village, we’d have time to explore a bit, chat with the locals, let our kids play with the village children, etc. Stay with locals when possible. Move to a new village every day or every 2-3 days. - A few days visiting 1 or 2 national parks (with lemurs if possible to keep everyone happy!) - With the inevitable travel days, we’ll quickly hit 19 days.

Does this kind of trip sound doable (and fun) to you? Do you know of any villages that would fit our hiking plans?

I don’t have a preferred region yet, except that very dry landscapes appeal to me less. My real love from past trips was the highlands and their bright green rice paddies against red earth, but I’m a bit worried about the cold at this time of year.

After my initial research (thanks to this forum), I get the impression that the Ambalavao/Ambohimahamasina area might meet our criteria. I saw there are "accueil paysan" (farm stays) in that area, which could match what we’re looking for and would let us visit Andringitra National Park and Ranomafana on the way there or back.

But I’m open to all your more original ideas!

For logistical questions (transport, guides, accommodations, etc.), I’ll tackle those later—it’ll depend on the area we choose.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions

Hi there. About a month ago, I posted a potential itinerary for Bulgaria and Istanbul, but in the end, since we found some relatively cheap flight tickets to Istanbul, we decided to go for a trip to Turkey instead.

When? 2 weeks, late August (14th to 29th) Who? Dad, mom, a 17-year-old teen, and an 11-year-old child

Here’s our plan: do you think it’s doable? Any practical tips?

We start with 4 full days in Istanbul (5 nights) Then, we rent a car and head to Ephesus. We stay there for 1 day (2 nights) After that, we drive to Kaş. We stay there for 4 full days (5 nights), enough time to relax a bit, see Kaputaş Beach and Kekova, the site of Myra, the site of Patara, and possibly the site of Çıralı/Olympos—even though it’s a bit far—and Saklıkent Gorge. From Kaş, we spend 2 nights near Denizli to see Pamukkale and Aphrodisias. Is it possible to visit both sites in the same day? Then, we travel from Pamukkale back to Istanbul, return the car, and spend one last night in Istanbul.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Hi there, I’m really sorry if this question has already been asked several times—I’ve been scouring blogs, forums, and various sites for a while now, but I still have some more specific questions for our trip...

First off, we’re a family of four with two kids aged 10 and 14. We’ve already been to Thailand and Laos five times with them (each trip lasting a month or six weeks), and we’re huge Thailand lovers, but this year we’d like to discover Indonesia, which we don’t know at all (for a duration of 4 or 5 weeks between late June and late July). We travel pretty "roots" style with a budget of 100 € per day and avoid touristy areas as much as possible. We get around using local transport, rent scooters, and take our time (for a one-month trip, we usually visit 4 destinations to really soak it in). So here are my upcoming questions:

For a first visit, I wanted to focus on a single island—Lombok—by taking a flight from Paris to Denpasar and then a boat to Lombok. Do you think the following route would work? - Kuta Lombok - Gili Gede - Gili Meno - Tetebatu

I saw there’s a local boat to Lombok—has anyone here taken it before? For those who’ve been there during this period, do you know if Gili Meno and Gili Gede get crowded, or should we focus more on the coasts? To get between these spots, are there buses, or do we need to take private taxis? As for accommodations, we’re used to booking triple rooms for all four of us in Thailand. For those who travel with kids, do you know if that’s doable in Indonesia, or should we book two double rooms instead?

Last (slightly silly) question: We want to go to Indonesia because our son dreams of seeing beautiful marine life while snorkeling—I think Lombok is a good choice for that. But my daughter is a huge fan of those "knick-knack" markets full of Chinese trinkets that you find all over Thailand. Do you know if Lombok has any day or night markets where we could go?

Thank you so much for your help! !

Hi everyone,

After letting our backpacks gather dust for several years, we’ve decided to set off on another adventure—this time as a family, with our 10- and 12-year-old kids! We’re planning a trip from mid-June to the end of July, with two stops: Cambodia (2 weeks) and Indonesia (4 weeks). But before diving into the details, we’ve got quite a few questions and doubts.

About Cambodia: We know this period is the rainy season. Is it really a good idea to go then? And if so, is it better to start with Cambodia and then move on to Indonesia, or does the order not matter from a climate perspective? Here are the activities and sites we’ve shortlisted: · The Mekong and Irrawaddy dolphins: do we actually have a chance of seeing them? · The Mondulkiri Project (elephant sanctuary): is this an ethical project? We want to avoid any form of animal exploitation. · The temples of Angkor: are 2 or 3 days enough to fully enjoy them? · Floating villages: where should we go for an authentic experience? Is it possible to spend the night there? · Hikes with waterfalls, lakes, etc.: are there any must-do treks? · And most importantly, what activities or sites would appeal to kids?

For Indonesia: We were there 15 years ago and loved our itinerary: Yogyakarta / Borobudur → Bromo → Kawah Ijen → Bali → Gili Trawangan. This time, we’re torn: · Retracing part of that route to share it with our kids (even if revisiting the same places isn’t super appealing), · Or exploring new regions. What’s almost certain is that we’d like to spend about two weeks in Raja Ampat. For the other two weeks, we’re undecided. We’re looking for kid-friendly ideas for places and activities, while avoiding too many connections for budget and environmental reasons. Since we’ll already see temples in Cambodia, we’d like to mix things up.

And finally… On our last trip to the region, we traveled without kids and went super free-spirited: only the round-trip tickets were booked, and we improvised the rest day by day without any major issues finding accommodation, food, or accessing the activities we’d spotted. Do you think this style of travel is still doable with two kids? Or has it become too risky or stressful? Are there regions where the "backpacker" approach is still possible, and others where it’s better to book in advance? And for certain activities or sites, is it recommended to hire guides?

Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences!

Hi everyone, We’re two families planning a trip to Egypt with our kids during the autumn 2025 holidays. Our youngest will be 5 1/2 at the time. Do you think this is a good idea? Is a guide absolutely necessary? We were hoping to travel independently (4 adults and 4 kids).

Here’s what I had in mind—let me know if this seems doable or if I’m way off 😉 - Day 1: Cairo (Khan el Khalili souk, Saladin Citadel, and maybe a museum if possible) - Day 2: Saqqara necropolis - Day 3: Giza Plateau - Day 5: Fly to Luxor and visit Luxor Temple in the evening - Day 6: Visit Karnak Temple early in the morning, relax in the afternoon, and a felucca ride in the evening - Day 7: Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple - Day 8: Hot-air balloon ride and Medinet Habu Temple - Day 9: Bus to the Red Sea for diving and chilling until our return flight.

I tried to leave some downtime for the kids, but I’m not sure how realistic the visiting times are. Thanks so much for your thoughts!!

Hi everyone,

We’re heading out as a family from July 2nd to 16th on a loop from Montreal to Montreal. We’re a couple with a little girl who’ll be turning 7 in July, plus my in-laws (one of whom uses a wheelchair).

Here’s our itinerary:

Wednesday, July 2: Arrival in Montreal in the early afternoon – picking up the car at the airport – exploring the city and overnight in Montreal Thursday, July 3: Montreal – overnight in Montreal Friday, July 4: Visit to Parc Omega – overnight in Saint-Jérôme Saturday, July 5: Heading to Trois-Rivières – visit to a sugar shack (Chez Dany? or another name?) – exploring the old town – overnight in Trois-Rivières Sunday, July 6: Shawinigan – Le Village du Bûcheron in Grandes-Piles? – black bear watching (probably not doable for wheelchair users, I think?!) – overnight in Trois-Rivières Monday, July 7: Heading to Chicoutimi – Saguenay – day at Lac Saint-Jean / Val-Jabert – overnight in Saguenay Tuesday, July 8: L’Anse-Saint-Jean – Saguenay Fjord National Park – overnight in Saguenay Wednesday, July 9: Tadoussac – exploring the area and the town – overnight in Tadoussac Thursday, July 10: Whale watching – Baie-Sainte-Catherine – overnight in Tadoussac Friday, July 11: La Malbaie – Baie-Saint-Paul – overnight on Île aux Coudres Saturday, July 12: Exploring the area? – overnight on Île aux Coudres Sunday, July 13: Montmorency Falls – overnight in Quebec City Monday, July 14: Quebec City – overnight in Quebec City Tuesday, July 15: Quebec City and return to Montreal – overnight in Beloeil Wednesday, July 16: Montreal – evening flight

We’ve booked our rooms to ensure a wheelchair-accessible room is available. When searching on Expedia or Booking, few hotels have rooms with a shower accessible for wheelchairs (so a real PMR room). However, these are cancelable, so if something really stands out, I’m all ears 😉.

We’ve booked our car through BSP Auto and we’re flying with Air Transat.

Thanks for any feedback and tips for the visits.

See you soon 🙂 Jennifer

Hi there, We’re heading to California at the end of July for a road trip with our two kids, aged 7 and 9. Here’s our planned two-week itinerary: Los Angeles - San Diego - Palm Springs - Yosemite - Carmel and Big Sur - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles. We don’t want to go to San Francisco. Does this itinerary sound good to you? Any recommendations for accommodations, especially in Yosemite and Carmel?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hello everyone, We’ve decided to head to Quebec next year—it’s been a dream for the whole family (after watching so many travel shows and the like...). There’ll be five of us: 2 adults, 2 teens (16 and 13), and a child (8 years old). We’re all pretty good walkers, though maybe the teens a little less so—it’s just that age, you know? 😊 That said, they’ve got no problem doing 15 km hikes, just not every single day.

We’re planning to go from July 23 to August 14, arriving and departing from Montreal, so almost 3 weeks. I’ve started looking into logistics and accommodation prices, but before I dive into bookings, I’d love some advice on the itinerary. I’ve read a few threads here and there. Our idea is to visit between 3 and 5 different places over the 3 weeks, so that means the same number of accommodations. The goal is to optimize travel as much as possible—I’ve realized that getting around can take a long time. I think the first two days will be in Montreal to adjust to the time difference, and the last two in Quebec City, though that’s not set in stone.

Anyway, I’m not really sure about the route. I’ve got time to plan everything, but I know the longer we wait, the more expensive and scarce accommodations will get. Same goes for budget—we’ve set aside a mid-range budget, flights included: 3k per person (1k for the flight). So if you’ve got any great tips or advice, we’re all ears!

I was thinking of going up the St. Lawrence River, but I’m not sure how long that takes or where to stop. Maybe there are other places worth visiting farther away...

Anyway, thanks for reading this far! If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate.

Thanks, everyone.

Hello, I’ll be in Greece with my two daughters, aged 10 and 13, from July 6th to 27th. I’ve planned a route that seems fairly coherent, but I’d love to hear your thoughts:

J1 – Arrive in Athens in the afternoon and head straight to Corinth for the night J2 – Relax (beach) and visit Corinth or nearby – night in Corinth J3 – Mycenae + Epidaurus + Nafplio – night in Nafplio J4 – Mystras + Olympia – night in Olympia J5 – Delphi – night in Delphi J6 – Meteora (monasteries and more) – night in Kalambaka J7 – Meteora (nature walk) – night in Athens J8 – Explore Athens – night in Athens J9 – Explore Athens – night in Athens J10 – Ferry to Santorini + visit – night in Santorini J11 – Amorgos or another island – night in Amorgos J12 – Amorgos or another island – night in Amorgos J13 – Amorgos or another island – night in Amorgos J14 – Naxos – night in Naxos J15 – Naxos – night in Naxos J16 – Naxos – night in Naxos J17 – Paros – night in Paros J18 – Paros – night in Paros J19 – Paros – night in Paros J20 – Paros – night in Paros J21 – Ferry from Paros to Athens (is this possible?) – night in Athens J22 – Departure late morning

I’d like to know if there’s a town in the Peloponnese where we can stay and visit everything from there—I’d prefer not to change hotels every night. Are there any stops I can skip? Any must-see additions? I’d love to find pools or beaches to cool off at the end of the day—with the heat and the kids, we’ll need to refresh after sightseeing! For the Cyclades, I’m thinking of spending just an afternoon and evening in Santorini before moving on. I’m looking for authentic, quiet, beautiful islands with few tourists and nice beaches. Should I book all our rooms before leaving, or can we improvise a little? Thanks for your tips!

Hi everyone, We’re a family of 5—2 adults and 3 kids aged 8, 10, and 16. We arrive on 20/04/2026 at noon at Ouarzazate Airport and return on 29/04/2026 at noon from Marrakech Airport. We plan to rent a car in Ouarzazate and drop it off in Marrakech.

What we’d love: discovering the landscapes of southern Morocco, meeting locals, and experiencing the desert. We’d prefer to stay in comfortable, clean places with nature views—not too noisy. We’re aiming for half-board (except in Marrakech). We don’t want to feel rushed, but I’m not sure what to skip.

This is our first time doing a somewhat itinerant trip, and it’s our first family trip abroad. We don’t want the kids to get tired of daily hotel changes, which is why I’m questioning the options in my draft itinerary. I’d be so grateful for your thoughts on it, and if you have any great recommendations—especially some with pools!

As for prices, I’m struggling to gauge what’s reasonable. For 5 people, we quickly need 2 rooms, and for nicer places with pools, I’m seeing rates around 160 € to 190 € per night. That seems expensive to me.

Hi everyone, This’ll be our second trip to Japan this summer, after a trip in February 2019 to Tokyo, Kyoto, the Alps, and Kanazawa. We’d planned a hiking, onsen, villages, and volcanoes stay afterward, which was supposed to happen in April 2020, but the COVID crisis forced us to cancel everything, and we’ve been chomping at the bit ever since. In the meantime, we’ve had two kids, who’ll be 4 and 5 next summer. They walk well and eat just about anything. We’re thinking of arriving in Osaka and heading quickly to Kyushu, where we’d stay for 3 weeks. I’m looking for info but mostly finding tips for older kids. So here are a few questions—if you can help: - I get that renting a car would be best, but we’re not planning to do that in Fukuoka. I was thinking of a car-free block in Fukuoka-Beppu (taking the bus for the transfer), then heading farther south by car. - For the kids, if you’ve got tips on places or festivals they might enjoy—or classics to avoid with them... - For hiking, I’d love any advice on 3-4 hour hikes, keeping in mind Aso if it’s calm. Yakushima, if we can swing it and you don’t advise against it. And do you know of an area where we could do a 2-3 day trek (something like the Kumano Kodo)? - I know it’ll be hot, but I’m struggling to gauge if it’s worse than Southeast Asia, for example. We’re not planning to go to Tokyo in the middle of summer, but I’d like to know if it’ll be really tough with the kids—especially in Fukuoka. Just wanted to thank all the forum contributors, including those who might not have answers for me. Your posts have been a huge help and inspiration over the years. Pierre-Yves

Hi everyone,

Let me introduce myself—I’m Christophe. I’m taking the plunge and planning my first trip to Japan for late February 2026. There’ll be five of us: my wife and I, and our three daughters, aged 12 and 15. Between the internet, travel agencies, and social media, there’s info coming from all directions, but it’s tough to find clear, objective, and relevant answers. I’d like this first trip to follow a classic route: 4/5 days in Tokyo 4 days in Kyoto (Nara) 2 days in Osaka (maybe Universal Studios) I’ve got a few questions—could you share your thoughts? 1. Is it better to return to Tokyo to catch our flight home, or is flying out directly from Osaka a better option? 2. For accommodation, would you recommend a hotel or an Airbnb? Since there are five of us, I think we’d like a small kitchen and a bit of space. 3. The famous JR Pass: is it worth it, or should we just buy tickets for each trip? I’ve read that the JR Pass has gotten more expensive and isn’t the ideal solution anymore, especially if you’re staying in the same cities for several days. 4. We’d like to have two phones—do you recommend eSIMs or a pocket Wi-Fi?

That’s it—I hope you can help shed some light on this. Thanks! Christophe