Hi everyone, I’m new to this forum and I’m going on a Costa cruise in three weeks with my family (there’ll be 14 of us in total). The planned stops are: Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza, Palermo, Rome, and Savona. Given the high cost of the excursions offered by Costa, I’m looking for tips and great deals. In your opinion, what are the best excursions to do at these stops? Which sites shouldn’t be missed? Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

SANDRINE🙂

I’d love to get some tips for DIY excursions during our cruise. The scheduled stops are Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo, Rome, and Savona. Thanks in advance!

Hi,

We’re planning a Mediterranean cruise with either MSC or Costa—any recommendations on which to choose? Could you share the pros and cons of each?

We’re 2 adults and 1 young adult (18). Thanks for your feedback! Val

Hi,

Is it possible to get promotions on the MSC Yacht Club section? What strategy should I adopt to get the best prices: book in advance or at the last minute? Is it better to book directly with MSC or through a third-party provider to get the best value for money? Thanks

I’ve finally gotten around to writing a review of our transatlantic cruise on the Costa Fortuna. We’ve always loved cruises, especially transatlantic ones. In recent years, we were MSC customers (Diamond card). But this year, we decided to return to Costa, though there was one downside: we lost all the points from our old Costa card (I think we were "Gold"). Still, since we’re former customers, the company generously gave us 1 point and the bronze card. It’s better than nothing.

Our departure nearly went wrong. The ship was leaving Marseille on Friday, December 22 at 2:00 PM, and we were told to be at the port by 10:30 AM. This unusual departure time meant we had to travel to Marseille the day before (since we live in the Paris area). So, we booked a flight from Orly to Marseille on the 21st at 5:15 PM. But December 21 was a particularly rough day in France with a big snowstorm. And as everyone knows, planes and trains don’t handle snow very well. At Orly, in the waiting area, everyone was anxious as the minutes ticked by. The departure time kept getting pushed back in 15-minute increments. They eventually let us board the plane with no guarantees. Once inside, the captain announced we were waiting for a takeoff slot. About an hour later, he said the plane needed de-icing and the wait could be long since airport staff were overwhelmed. Miraculously, after what felt like forever, the de-icing truck finally arrived, and we took off—over two hours late. When we landed in Marseille, the terminal was practically empty. Luckily, our hotel wasn’t too far away.

We later found out that passengers who took the train were even less lucky—trains were canceled. Later, at our table, we met a neighbor who had boarded in Malaga by plane because his Paris-Marseille train had turned back. He’d incurred extra costs, lost two days of the cruise, and had quite a bit of stress.

The next day in Marseille, our boarding went smoothly. We were surprised by the large number of passengers. We later learned that 1,300 people had boarded in Marseille. Since the ship wasn’t full (between 2,300 and 2,500 passengers), the French were in the majority (a rare occurrence). We noticed during the cruise that the French are just as loud as the Italians. The only upside? At least we could understand what was being said.

More to come later.....

We’ve just returned from a cruise that my wife and I will remember—unfortunately, not in a good way. There’s so much to say that I’ll proceed chapter by chapter. Pre-Cruise On January 24th, 2025, I booked through a supposedly attentive cruise agent the repositioning cruise of the CFC Renaissance to the French West Indies, initially departing from Le Havre, then from Dunkirk, on November 1st, 2025. The return flight was included in the price of this trip. From January, right after booking, this adventure got off to a bad start. Used to major cruise lines, I asked my agent to reserve a table for 4 at the "Vatel" restaurant for the second seating, and to link this reservation to the cabin of friends traveling with us. First brush-off: "Ask the maître d’ at the restaurant entrance on the first night."

"To govern is to foresee, and to foresee nothing is to head for disaster," as Émile de Girardin said.

Following this maxim, in February, I started looking for transportation to Le Havre, which was initially the departure port. Then, I asked the travel agent which airport the return flight would land at. I knew flights from Pointe-à-Pitre to Paris served both main Parisian airports. Here, I found myself like a ping-pong ball between the cruise agent and CFC: The cruise agent said, "Ask CFC," and CFC replied, "No, your agent is your intermediary—ask them." It went back and forth like that. Impossible to pre-book the flight that would take us back to our final destination. During the summer, we learned that the departure port was no longer Le Havre but Dunkirk. We canceled our transfers to Le Havre but, of course, lost the cost of the reservations. Meanwhile, we purchased our "Beverage" package—we chose the "Fraîcheur" option, which included all non-alcoholic cocktails, canned sodas, fruit juices, bottled water, and regular coffees. This detail is important for the rest of the story. Every month, I followed up to find out the return airport. Nothing until October 28th (3 days before departure), when CFC finally informed me it was Orly, along with the flight number and time. Of course, on top of booking at full price, I had to arrange my final transfer home. Since I had very little time before the return flight, I had to book an Uber in a rush for the Orly/CDG transfer. Right after, we were told that our first stop in Lisbon—the most anticipated for many cruisers—had been canceled due to a strike at the port of Lisbon and replaced with Vigo, Spain. A completely unremarkable stop—nothing outstanding. As you can see, the prelude was already problematic, yet we’re far from reaching the peak of our disappointments. .......... to be continued soon.

Hi everyone, We’re looking for info on the stopovers in NEWCASTLE, SOUTH QUEENSFERRY, INVERGORDON, and LERWICK. Cruise departing from Hamburg. Thanks in advance to those who can tell us if the ports are far from the cities, what there is to see, and whether we can manage excursions on our own... Have a great day

Hi there, We’re taking a cruise in February departing from Miami with stops in Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Belize.

I’m looking for advice on which excursions to pick for this cruise. Thanks!

Hello everyone, So happy to be back on this Forum! We’re heading off on another cruise—our 7th—after a 5-year break... We’ll be leaving from Venice on April 26th with stops in Kotor, Mykonos, Santorini, and Ancona. Could you help me plan the stops by sharing tips, tricks, and advice? For those who already know me, you know we prefer not to take the cruise line’s excursions but instead organize everything ourselves. Thanks in advance to everyone, and looking forward to chatting with you all!

Hi everyone,

Would you have any tips for excursions on the MSC Splendida cruise: Marseille / Livorno / Cagliari / Palermo / Malta / Barcelona

Is it possible to do some excursions on our own?

Thanks in advance,

Have a great evening

Patrick

Hello, I’m reaching out for your valuable advice before our Caribbean cruise on the Seascape (departing February 22, 2025, from Miami).

In Jamaica, we’re considering the excursion to the Green Grotto Caves. If anyone has done this excursion, what did you think, please? We also planned to take the “Tulum Mayan Ruins” excursion in Mexico and the “Island-to-Island Panoramic Tour, Hell and Starfish Point” in the Cayman Islands. Unfortunately, these two excursions are fully booked. What do you recommend? Can we visit on our own (not the Mayan ruins, as they’re too far and the risk of missing the ship is too high in my opinion)? Is it safe enough? Will these excursions be available on the ship (in case of cancellations, for example)? For your information, I’m traveling with my parents, who are 80 years old. Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions...

Hi, Thanks for sharing the sites to discover. Best,

Hi everyone and happy 2025, full of dreams! During our Costa cruise on the *Delisioza* from May 3rd to 10th, we have a stop in Bari (2:00 PM to 8:00 PM), and we're torn between two 5-hour excursions: "The Sassi of Matera" or "The Tale of the Trulli of Alberobello." For those who’ve been to both, which one would you recommend? Thanks for your replies or tips!

Hi everyone! We’ve booked a cruise on the Costa Smeralda for early November 2025 (ports of call: Barcelona, Cagliari, Naples, Civitavecchia-Rome, Genoa). This is our first cruise, so I need your help for some sightseeing tips. I checked Costa’s website for excursions, but the prices are pretty steep! I saw that it’s possible to get a Costa Go Round ticket with multiple stops—this seems really practical for some destinations. Has anyone tried it? How does it work? Is it useful for seeing several sites in the city? If you have any tips for sightseeing without blowing our budget for 3 people, I’d love to hear them. Thanks so much! :)

Hello soon-to-be retired travelers flying from Orly to Fort-de-France! We’re taking the transatlantic cruise on the Virtuosa, which departs from Fort-de-France on Saturday, April 5th and arrives in Le Havre on Sunday, April 20th. Are excursions possible without necessarily going through MSC for Guadeloupe, St. Martin, the Azores, and Lisbon? Has any forum traveler already done this cruise and have some tips and advice to share with us? Thanks in advance.

Hello, I’m going on an MSC Norway cruise in May, and I’m a bit lost when it comes to choosing excursions 😅 Here’s my itinerary: Hamburg, Ålesund, Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Trondheim, Molde Fjord, Bergen, Hamburg. I’m looking for advice and opinions: must-see places, and is it possible to organize excursions independently from the cruise line (there are 4 of us)? All your experiences would be super helpful 😊 Thanks in advance

Good evening, cruise friends! I’m planning my Japan cruise with Costa.

Is it more worthwhile to book excursions before departure? With MSC, yes, because you save 15%, but what about with Costa?

For those who’ve already done this cruise, do you have any tips or recommendations, please? We’re staying 1.5 days before and 3 days after in Hong Kong. Thanks in advance! Chantal Ports of call: Hong Kong - Keelung (Taiwan) - Japan (Naha - Kagoshima - Tokyo - Kobe - Nagasaki) - Busan (South Korea) - Hong Kong

Hi, Do you know any companies or individuals offering day excursions for cruise passengers who disembark in the morning and have to wait for their evening flight, with luggage? Thanks in advance

Hi everyone ... We’re planning to do the 83-day Cunard cruise ... departing from Southampton on January 10, 2027 aboard the Queen Anne ... has anyone done it ... or have any info ... or tips ... for example ... deck and cabin choices ... drink packages ... excursions ... etc. ... anything good to know about this ship??? Thanks everyone ...

Hi there! I’m going on a cruise with MSC on the World Europa this coming October. Stops: Genoa, Naples, Messina, Malta. Has anyone visited Mount Etna and Pompeii? Could you share some tips for each of these stops? I’d like to explore on my own without booking the ship’s excursions. Thanks for your advice!

Hello,

My husband, our two teens, and I are going on a cruise on the COSTA Esmeralda at the beginning of July. We’re thinking of exploring the ports on our own. Do any of you have recent experiences or tips to share? Are there shuttles between the port and the city center? Are they free? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hi everyone, In October 2026, my wife and I are going on a cruise on the Nile. My question is: do they accept euros for personal expenses? Thanks everyone!

Hello,

We (a family of two adults and two kids) are going on our first cruise this August on the Costa Esmeralda. To make sure everything goes smoothly, I booked a suite. I have a few questions to prepare well and I’m definitely open to any tips.

I read that a restaurant is reserved, specifically the Bellavista. What confused me a bit is that I saw others mention the Panama. I’m pretty sure it’s the Bellavista, especially after checking the ship’s layout.

About this restaurant: - Is it accessible on embarkation day, say around 1:30 PM? - Same question for when we return from excursions around 1:30 PM

I’ve done my research otherwise, but I’m still open to any advice.

Thanks in advance to all cruisers who take the time to reply.

Hi there,

We’ve booked the CFC Viking Legends cruise (departing on 03/31/25), and the excursions have just been posted on the CFC website. What a disappointment... Stop in Copenhagen: 2 excursions offered, one of which includes +1.5 hours of walking Stop in Oslo: 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Stop in Sandnes (Stavanger): 2 excursions, one of which is a hike Lysekil (Sweden): 1 excursion, same as in Kristiansand and Zeebrugge.

We hesitated to book without knowing the excursions in advance, but the itinerary interested us. We were expecting more options for excursions... Since the ship leaves the day before from Zeebrugge, let’s hope there’s still space for the excursions. I’ll share our experience after we return from this first CFC discovery. MUM49

Hello, We’ll be sailing on the Renaissance with CFC to southern Norway from July 4 to 11, 2026, departing from Dunkirk (the cruise was booked through "Planète Croisière"). When entering some personal details or pre-selecting options on the CFC website, I’m wondering about the "optional" categories for drinks and WiFi. I’m actually a bit surprised by these extra charges, as we weren’t used to them on other cruises (Australis in Patagonia; Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express in Norway and Alaska; Rivages du Monde in the Arctic or on the Douro River; a Nile river cruise in Egypt), where we sometimes had access to basic drinks at meals and free WiFi when near land. Anyway, for those who’ve already taken a CFC cruise on the Renaissance, could you share some advice? Specifically about the most basic drink package, called "Fraîcheur" (238 € for two), which doesn’t seem to be described anywhere. The "Premium" package seems excessive (490 € for two for the week) for light drinkers. As for WiFi, it’s 10 € per day per person. While I find that price acceptable for parking our car in Dunkirk, it feels overpriced here (especially since it was free on the Nordlys "Coastal Express" just 3 or 4 years ago). So, I’d love to hear from experienced cruisers who’ve been on this ship! Looking forward to seeing the excursion prices, which should be available soon! 😐

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m starting to look into small solo cruises, for now in November. It’s my first cruise, so I’m a bit nervous. Anyone potentially interested in 7 days in Italy, Tunisia, and Spain? If you’ve got any tips, I’d love to hear them. Looking forward to reading your replies

Hi everyone, Little cruise heading north... First stop: Copenhagen. There’s a good chance the boat will dock at OCEAN QUAY, which is over 5 km away from the Little Mermaid! I’m struggling to figure out how to get there by taxi, bus, or shuttle. Thanks for your tips! I can still walk, but 5 km through the port area... Have a great rest of the day!

Cruise on the MSC Virtuosa with stopovers in Pointe-à-Pitre, Antigua, St Kitts, Philipsburg, and Tortola from March 8 to 15, 2025. Is it better to book MSC’s excursions, or are there easy ways to explore on our own in some ports?

Thanks for your feedback!

Danielle

Hello,

My family and I (2 adults and a 6-year-old girl) are going on a cruise in January to the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. We’re departing from Guadeloupe, where we live. This is a first for me because personally, I’m not a fan of this kind of trip (I prefer traveling on foot with a backpack, but I want to make my family happy 😉). I’m used to planning my trips from A to Z, so it’s unthinkable for me to take the excursions offered by the cruise line (too crowded and too expensive). I’ve already sent a few requests to car rental companies on these islands, but if you have any contacts or great tips, I’d love to hear them! 🙂 I’m also wondering what itineraries to do during these short days ashore? Which places or activities shouldn’t be missed? (Preferably nature, culture, no shopping—unless it’s local crafts worth the detour!)

Anyway, I’m open to all your advice

Thanks so much!

Hi everyone, I'm really tempted by the idea of French-style cruises on smaller vessels, and I'm looking into CFC. I’d love to hear your experiences and feedback. Thanks, and have a great day!