Hi everyone,
In a month, I’ll be on the *Renaissance* with Compagnie Française de Croisières.
I’d just love to hear your thoughts on this ship—what you liked, what you liked less, etc.
Thanks to all of you!
Have a great day
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.
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.
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
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
Hi there,
Here’s a little review of our cruise on the Renaissance from October 18 to 29, 2025 (11 nights). It was our first experience with CFC.
Some other forum members were on board too, so we can probably compare notes and correct me if I’m wrong!
The stops were as follows: 10/18 departure from Marseille 10/19 at sea 10/20 Cartagena 10/21 Almería 10/22 Gibraltar 10/23 Cádiz 10/24 at sea 10/25 Leixões (Porto) 10/26 Vigo 10/27 at sea 10/28 at sea 10/29 Dunkirk
First, a quick intro. We’re a family of four with two kids, ages 8 and 11. We booked this cruise in January 2025, right when it went on sale. At the time, it was priced at 763 € per adult (+ 99 € in tips) and 114.45 € per child (under 12, no tips to pay) for an ocean-view cabin (all ocean-view categories were the same price). Since there was also a single-parent offer (meaning one paying adult in the cabin was enough to get the child rate for the accompanying kid), I asked if we could take advantage of this offer to get two double cabins at the same price as one quadruple cabin (to have more space), and yes, it was possible. So we booked two premium ocean-view double cabins side by side. It was the same price as a quadruple. We booked directly through CFC because my husband had a promotional code from his works council. In total, for the four of us, we paid 1830 €, tips included. It’s true we booked early, but the rate was good, and we had the constraint of traveling as a family of four, so cabin choices were more limited. It’s also worth noting that the single-parent offer is limited.
Now, about embarkation: 10/18 Marseille Coming from the north, we took the direct TGV that morning at 7:22 AM, scheduled to arrive in Marseille at 12:24 PM. The trip went smoothly, great weather, and we arrived just one minute late. I had planned to get to the port using the free 35T shuttle from Joliette. To get to the bus stop, there were two options: the metro or walking. Since the weather was beautiful and the kids needed to stretch their legs, we opted for the second option. The route is all downhill, so it was pretty easy even with the suitcases. But I wouldn’t do it the other way around! We arrived at Joliette around 12:50 PM, just in time for the 1:00 PM shuttle, which arrived a few minutes late. Other cruisers got on board too. That day, there were two Costa ships and one MSC ship at the port as well. Traffic was heavy, and the shuttle arrived at the port entrance at 1:30 PM. We were scheduled for 2:30 PM. We were lucky to be at the closest embarkation terminal. So we were among those who had the least walking to do. We dropped off our suitcases and headed to the check-in counter. There were plenty of desks and almost no passengers. So we quickly completed the embarkation formalities—in just a few minutes—and when we boarded, it wasn’t even 2:00 PM yet. We headed to the buffet, where there weren’t many people. As we finished lunch, it was around 3:00 PM when they announced the cabins were ready. We went down to drop off our luggage in the cabins and then went up to the top deck to take some photos. The ship’s daily program said the safety drill would be at 4:00 PM. So we went to deck 6 at the scheduled time. But later, they announced it would actually be at 4:30 PM! In short, we waited 30 minutes for nothing because of a difference between the scheduled and actual time! The drill itself was long. Gathering everyone took about 20 minutes, I think. Just as we finished, they announced the departure, originally scheduled for 5:00 PM, was delayed until 9:00 PM due to latecomers. We went to check out the library, which had tons of board games and books—more than we’d ever seen. What stood out on this first day was that, for the first time, we had a French-speaking embarkation, announcements only in French (except for the safety drill), French-speaking servers, a paper daily program in French, books in French (which we’d never find on another ship), and menus in French. To wrap up the day, we had dinner at Vatel. I had requested the first seating (6:30 PM) and a table for four, and we got it. We were seated upstairs near the window—a very pleasant table that we’d occupy every evening. What was a little surprising, but we got used to it, was that you had to order everything you wanted at once. The portions weren’t big, but you could choose what you wanted. The cheese was French and excellent.
To be continued...
The stops were as follows: 10/18 departure from Marseille 10/19 at sea 10/20 Cartagena 10/21 Almería 10/22 Gibraltar 10/23 Cádiz 10/24 at sea 10/25 Leixões (Porto) 10/26 Vigo 10/27 at sea 10/28 at sea 10/29 Dunkirk
First, a quick intro. We’re a family of four with two kids, ages 8 and 11. We booked this cruise in January 2025, right when it went on sale. At the time, it was priced at 763 € per adult (+ 99 € in tips) and 114.45 € per child (under 12, no tips to pay) for an ocean-view cabin (all ocean-view categories were the same price). Since there was also a single-parent offer (meaning one paying adult in the cabin was enough to get the child rate for the accompanying kid), I asked if we could take advantage of this offer to get two double cabins at the same price as one quadruple cabin (to have more space), and yes, it was possible. So we booked two premium ocean-view double cabins side by side. It was the same price as a quadruple. We booked directly through CFC because my husband had a promotional code from his works council. In total, for the four of us, we paid 1830 €, tips included. It’s true we booked early, but the rate was good, and we had the constraint of traveling as a family of four, so cabin choices were more limited. It’s also worth noting that the single-parent offer is limited.
Now, about embarkation: 10/18 Marseille Coming from the north, we took the direct TGV that morning at 7:22 AM, scheduled to arrive in Marseille at 12:24 PM. The trip went smoothly, great weather, and we arrived just one minute late. I had planned to get to the port using the free 35T shuttle from Joliette. To get to the bus stop, there were two options: the metro or walking. Since the weather was beautiful and the kids needed to stretch their legs, we opted for the second option. The route is all downhill, so it was pretty easy even with the suitcases. But I wouldn’t do it the other way around! We arrived at Joliette around 12:50 PM, just in time for the 1:00 PM shuttle, which arrived a few minutes late. Other cruisers got on board too. That day, there were two Costa ships and one MSC ship at the port as well. Traffic was heavy, and the shuttle arrived at the port entrance at 1:30 PM. We were scheduled for 2:30 PM. We were lucky to be at the closest embarkation terminal. So we were among those who had the least walking to do. We dropped off our suitcases and headed to the check-in counter. There were plenty of desks and almost no passengers. So we quickly completed the embarkation formalities—in just a few minutes—and when we boarded, it wasn’t even 2:00 PM yet. We headed to the buffet, where there weren’t many people. As we finished lunch, it was around 3:00 PM when they announced the cabins were ready. We went down to drop off our luggage in the cabins and then went up to the top deck to take some photos. The ship’s daily program said the safety drill would be at 4:00 PM. So we went to deck 6 at the scheduled time. But later, they announced it would actually be at 4:30 PM! In short, we waited 30 minutes for nothing because of a difference between the scheduled and actual time! The drill itself was long. Gathering everyone took about 20 minutes, I think. Just as we finished, they announced the departure, originally scheduled for 5:00 PM, was delayed until 9:00 PM due to latecomers. We went to check out the library, which had tons of board games and books—more than we’d ever seen. What stood out on this first day was that, for the first time, we had a French-speaking embarkation, announcements only in French (except for the safety drill), French-speaking servers, a paper daily program in French, books in French (which we’d never find on another ship), and menus in French. To wrap up the day, we had dinner at Vatel. I had requested the first seating (6:30 PM) and a table for four, and we got it. We were seated upstairs near the window—a very pleasant table that we’d occupy every evening. What was a little surprising, but we got used to it, was that you had to order everything you wanted at once. The portions weren’t big, but you could choose what you wanted. The cheese was French and excellent.
To be continued...
Hello everyone,
I’ve wanted to take this Norway cruise for a very long time. The first time I booked it was in July 2020 with Azamara. Unfortunately, it was canceled, as everyone remembers. When I tried to book it again, the prices (already a bit high with Azamara) had simply doubled. So, since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out every year for any opportunities...
The last time we sailed with Princess was eleven years ago, and things didn’t go very well. I came back pretty unhappy with their service and quite disappointed. Despite the $600 they gave me as credit for a future cruise, I’d never set foot on one of their ships again.
But this time, the opportunity arose—a fantastic itinerary with lots of stops, a reasonable price for 16 nights (I’ll share the details in the conclusion), and a ship that’s not too big, so to speak, with only 3,000 passengers. I’m not expecting much from the cruise line this time and am boarding the ship with low expectations beyond the itinerary.
Princess has introduced an app to download before the cruise. It’s essential because online check-in is no longer available, and the agency doesn’t send a travel journal. Everything is done through the app. After completing the check-in on the app, we only know that we’ll need to pick up our key, the Medallion, at embarkation by following the blue line in the terminal and presenting our passport.
Up until our departure, the weather forecast for the coming week in Norway is disastrous—rain, rain, and more rain. It was pretty much the same two years ago before our Iceland cruise, and in the end, the weather turned out fine.
If you’re ready to embark on the Emerald Princess to discover this beautiful cruise and the stunning landscapes of Norway, let’s go!
Southampton - Sea day - Bergen - Olden - Åndalsnes - Sea day - Tromsø - Honningsvåg (North Cape) - Alta - Sea day - Molde - Trondheim - Two sea days - Edinburgh - Sea day - Southampton
I’ve wanted to take this Norway cruise for a very long time. The first time I booked it was in July 2020 with Azamara. Unfortunately, it was canceled, as everyone remembers. When I tried to book it again, the prices (already a bit high with Azamara) had simply doubled. So, since then, I’ve been keeping an eye out every year for any opportunities...
The last time we sailed with Princess was eleven years ago, and things didn’t go very well. I came back pretty unhappy with their service and quite disappointed. Despite the $600 they gave me as credit for a future cruise, I’d never set foot on one of their ships again.
But this time, the opportunity arose—a fantastic itinerary with lots of stops, a reasonable price for 16 nights (I’ll share the details in the conclusion), and a ship that’s not too big, so to speak, with only 3,000 passengers. I’m not expecting much from the cruise line this time and am boarding the ship with low expectations beyond the itinerary.
Princess has introduced an app to download before the cruise. It’s essential because online check-in is no longer available, and the agency doesn’t send a travel journal. Everything is done through the app. After completing the check-in on the app, we only know that we’ll need to pick up our key, the Medallion, at embarkation by following the blue line in the terminal and presenting our passport.
Up until our departure, the weather forecast for the coming week in Norway is disastrous—rain, rain, and more rain. It was pretty much the same two years ago before our Iceland cruise, and in the end, the weather turned out fine.
If you’re ready to embark on the Emerald Princess to discover this beautiful cruise and the stunning landscapes of Norway, let’s go!
Southampton - Sea day - Bergen - Olden - Åndalsnes - Sea day - Tromsø - Honningsvåg (North Cape) - Alta - Sea day - Molde - Trondheim - Two sea days - Edinburgh - Sea day - Southampton
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.
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.
My wife and I are going on the "Christmas and Holiday Traditions" cruise from December 22 to January 5.
This is our first time with CFC.
We’ve done dozens of cruises over the past 35 years—including three world cruises with Costa—but we’re tired of the Italian attitude. We’ve also done 3 or 4 with MSC, Club Med 2, and a long time ago, the Mermoz with Croisières Paquet, in short…
Given the reviews, we’re wondering about the all-French aspect, since the Filipino crews are nice but French is complicated for them. And the comments about the food aren’t exactly reassuring. Yes, the drink packages are way too expensive. We’ll have to wait and see how much the excursions cost…
It’s an old ship, so let’s hope everything still works.
See you soon!
Hello everyone,
What a great forum this is! Someone recommended it to me during my last cruise (my first one, too).
After that amazing trip in January this year, I’d love to go again.
But I’d like to know how to negotiate and which travel or booking agency to use to get the best prices. Normally, I book either in Switzerland (very expensive) or directly with MSC, but I’ve been told not to do that. So, I’m here to find the best way to book with MSC. As for dates, I’m pretty flexible, and my departure point—since I live in Switzerland—would be Genoa, Marseille, or somewhere near Rome.
Thanks in advance for all your future responses!
Best regards, Robert
What a great forum this is! Someone recommended it to me during my last cruise (my first one, too).
After that amazing trip in January this year, I’d love to go again.
But I’d like to know how to negotiate and which travel or booking agency to use to get the best prices. Normally, I book either in Switzerland (very expensive) or directly with MSC, but I’ve been told not to do that. So, I’m here to find the best way to book with MSC. As for dates, I’m pretty flexible, and my departure point—since I live in Switzerland—would be Genoa, Marseille, or somewhere near Rome.
Thanks in advance for all your future responses!
Best regards, Robert
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.
"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
Has anyone sailed with the French company CFC? What do you think?
Haven’t seen many reviews about this company.
😉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
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
Hello,
My current dream for a potential (last?) big trip during our winter of 2026 is mentioned in the title.
I’m particularly interested in the ship "Exploris One" (17 nights on board in January-February 2026), operated by the French company EXPLORIS (founded by former Ponant team members), and it seems to be a fully French-speaking experience with a maximum of 120 passengers. The most competitive offer I’ve found so far is through "Croisierenet.com".
So far, we’ve only sailed and landed as far as Cape Horn (with Australis), but beyond the Antarctic Peninsula itself, it’s especially South Georgia and the richness of its wildlife colonies that appeal to me the most (and the least appealing part, of course, is the price! 🤪)
For those of you who’ve sailed along and set foot on these lands—were you truly won over and did you feel, in plain terms, that "you got your money’s worth"? If by any chance you know Exploris, what can you say about it? Same for the reliability and seriousness of Croisierenet.
Given the sums involved, is it wise to wait a few more months before deciding, hoping for bigger discounts as the departure date approaches, while counting on cabin availability in my preferred category? Currently, Exploris is offering discounts of -35% off the listed catalog prices for 2025 cruises and only -25% for 2026... On the other hand, could international flights from Paris to Buenos Aires become more expensive in the meantime? (But it seems the clientele for these cruises is marginal for this international flight, and January-February also appears to be significantly cheaper than November, especially for direct round-trip flights with Air France.)
Thanks for your feedback and any other wise advice! 😉
So far, we’ve only sailed and landed as far as Cape Horn (with Australis), but beyond the Antarctic Peninsula itself, it’s especially South Georgia and the richness of its wildlife colonies that appeal to me the most (and the least appealing part, of course, is the price! 🤪)
For those of you who’ve sailed along and set foot on these lands—were you truly won over and did you feel, in plain terms, that "you got your money’s worth"? If by any chance you know Exploris, what can you say about it? Same for the reliability and seriousness of Croisierenet.
Given the sums involved, is it wise to wait a few more months before deciding, hoping for bigger discounts as the departure date approaches, while counting on cabin availability in my preferred category? Currently, Exploris is offering discounts of -35% off the listed catalog prices for 2025 cruises and only -25% for 2026... On the other hand, could international flights from Paris to Buenos Aires become more expensive in the meantime? (But it seems the clientele for these cruises is marginal for this international flight, and January-February also appears to be significantly cheaper than November, especially for direct round-trip flights with Air France.)
Thanks for your feedback and any other wise advice! 😉
hi there, a group of friends and I are going on a cruise at the end of June with CFC in Norway. I’d love to get some info on the different stops we’ll be making. Most of them are one-day stops (from around 10 AM to 8 PM on average). Here are the stops: Andalsnes, Trondheim, Honningsvåg, Alta, Hellesylt, Sandane, Austefjorden.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Thanks everyone!
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share what there is to see or do in these places.
When I get back, I’ll post what we did—it might help others who come after us.
Also, does anyone know if the boat sticks to the arrival time in Dunkirk for catching tickets to head back south? We’ll plan a buffer just in case.
Thanks everyone!
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?
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?
Hello everyone,
I’m so happy to be back on Voyage Forum Cruises. I’ve missed this forum for planning my cruises over the past few years.
Even though we came back very sick with Covid (diagnosed on disembarkation day) and at first we didn’t want to go on another cruise, the call is too strong, and we’re thinking of going again at the end of the year… 😎
After a big disappointment with COSTA (we were on the DIANANT) that couldn’t be resolved, we switched to MSC in Yacht Club and recently with our kids and grandkids in an Auréa Balcony cabin. But I have to admit, MSC’s dining options don’t suit me as well as COSTA’s.
For the end of the year, I’m torn between Costa Toscana and CFC. Could someone give me info on the latter when traveling in a suite? Apart from the cabin size, no details are provided (dedicated restaurant, for example?).
See you soon on the forum.
Hello everyone,
If you'd like, I invite you to join me for a week-long cruise to northern Greece, visiting ports that are often less crowded with cruise ships.
Itinerary: Athens, Skiathos, Volos, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Limnos, Hydra, Athens
If you'd like, I invite you to join me for a week-long cruise to northern Greece, visiting ports that are often less crowded with cruise ships.
Itinerary: Athens, Skiathos, Volos, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Limnos, Hydra, Athens
Hi there
A few photos from the Explora Journey—the ship is stunning, and I can confirm the dining is on par with Michelin-starred restaurants. Plus, you get to choose between several restaurants where everything is included, even drinks and champagne!
Hi there,
I’m considering a cruise on this ship in the recently introduced Yacht Club category.
Have any forum members tried it?
What are your thoughts? Positive or negative? Which cabins should we go for—or avoid?
We’re already familiar with the Yacht Clubs on the Splendida, Fantasia, Preziosa, and Divina series.
We weren’t as keen on the one on the Seashore—we found it too big.
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Claudine
I'm considering a cruise from Saigon to Siem Reap in Cambodia on the boat *La Marguerite* with Rivages du Monde. I'd love to hear from travelers who've done this cruise. Thanks in advance!
Amantinou
Hi there, The day before boarding the Costa Favolosa for the Norwegian Fjords cruise departing from Hamburg, I'd like to book a hotel. Which one would be the most convenient location-wise relative to the port?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi everyone,
In a month, I’m heading to Greenland with Rivages du Monde.
My question is: which airport do we fly out of to get to Iceland—Orly or Roissy?
Thanks to anyone who’s already traveled with this tour operator for this destination and can let me know.
Have a great day
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 😉
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!
Thanks in advance!
Hi
Has anyone taken the CFC recently?
Thoughts?
Thanks
Thoughts?
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.....
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.....
Hi,
For my upcoming trip to Madagascar in November, I’d like to take a cruise on the Pangalanes Canal.
We’ve been offered a 3-day, 2-night trip between Mananjary and Mahanoro.
Has anyone done this? Are there too many hours on the boat?
Is it worth it?
They’re offering either a bivouac or a hotel—what do you think?
Thanks for your feedback.
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 everyone,
We were offered a visit to the Renaissance by the new CFC cruise line through Croisiland. After reading all the reviews—some very harsh, others glowing—I wanted to form my own opinion without having to book a full cruise to test it out. This visit to the ship at the port of Le Havre for 49 € per person came at the perfect time, even if I’m a bit put off by having to pay for a ship tour. That’s not how it usually works with other cruise lines, as far as I know.
The Renaissance is a former Holland America Line ship, built in 1993 and renovated in 2023. We’re familiar with this style of ship since we took a long cruise in Polynesia in 2014 on one of its sister ships, the MS Statendam. We remember it as a charming small ship with a lovely pool terrace at the very back.
Off we went this morning for a relaxing day on a ship—always a nice change!
The Pont de Normandie is the last elegant structure you see before entering the vast and rather smelly port area of Le Havre.
The area around the port where the Renaissance is docked is total chaos—cars everywhere and only a handful of taxis. We were supposed to have a reserved parking spot in front of the terminal (we’d even given them our car model and license plate), but we were denied entry. There’s no paved public parking, so we left the car on a vacant lot.
CFC was officially acquired by the British cruise line Ambassador Cruise Line in January 2025. Ambassador Cruise Line, launched in 2010, already owns two ships of the same type and age. They wasted no time repainting the funnel in their new colors.
The line of passengers disembarking and waiting for taxis is endless... and taxis are trickling in. Is this the aftermath of yesterday’s strike, or is this the norm in this port? Either way, I feel bad for the poor travelers waiting—it’s going to be a long haul. Many are leaving on foot, dragging their suitcases. Compared to the port of Marseille, this is pretty dismal.
Forty spots were available for this visit organized by Croisiland, but we ran into a good hundred people at the meet-up. A group from the AVF (Accueil des Villes Françaises) of Le Havre will be joining us. Our Croisiland group consists of twelve people, if I counted right.
Security clearance is done alphabetically, and we quickly board the ship. Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter.
To be continued...
We were offered a visit to the Renaissance by the new CFC cruise line through Croisiland. After reading all the reviews—some very harsh, others glowing—I wanted to form my own opinion without having to book a full cruise to test it out. This visit to the ship at the port of Le Havre for 49 € per person came at the perfect time, even if I’m a bit put off by having to pay for a ship tour. That’s not how it usually works with other cruise lines, as far as I know.
The Renaissance is a former Holland America Line ship, built in 1993 and renovated in 2023. We’re familiar with this style of ship since we took a long cruise in Polynesia in 2014 on one of its sister ships, the MS Statendam. We remember it as a charming small ship with a lovely pool terrace at the very back.
Off we went this morning for a relaxing day on a ship—always a nice change!
The Pont de Normandie is the last elegant structure you see before entering the vast and rather smelly port area of Le Havre.
The area around the port where the Renaissance is docked is total chaos—cars everywhere and only a handful of taxis. We were supposed to have a reserved parking spot in front of the terminal (we’d even given them our car model and license plate), but we were denied entry. There’s no paved public parking, so we left the car on a vacant lot.
CFC was officially acquired by the British cruise line Ambassador Cruise Line in January 2025. Ambassador Cruise Line, launched in 2010, already owns two ships of the same type and age. They wasted no time repainting the funnel in their new colors.
The line of passengers disembarking and waiting for taxis is endless... and taxis are trickling in. Is this the aftermath of yesterday’s strike, or is this the norm in this port? Either way, I feel bad for the poor travelers waiting—it’s going to be a long haul. Many are leaving on foot, dragging their suitcases. Compared to the port of Marseille, this is pretty dismal.
Forty spots were available for this visit organized by Croisiland, but we ran into a good hundred people at the meet-up. A group from the AVF (Accueil des Villes Françaises) of Le Havre will be joining us. Our Croisiland group consists of twelve people, if I counted right.
Security clearance is done alphabetically, and we quickly board the ship. Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter.
To be continued...
Hi there!
Here’s a quick review of my cruise on the REGAL PRINCESS.
This was my 35th cruise and my second on the REGAL PRINCESS, which I first discovered in 2017 during a Caribbean cruise.
A few months ago, we received an email from PRINCESS changing the itinerary—DUBLIN and EDINBURGH were replaced by two Scottish islands. We were a little disappointed, but since we’d never sailed around the UK, we didn’t really know any of the ports anyway.
The itinerary was:
SOUTHAMPTON
AT SEA
KIRKWALL
INVERGORDON
AT SEA
STORNOWAY
GLASGOW
BELFAST
AT SEA
CORK
AT SEA
PORTLAND
LE HAVRE
SOUTHAMPTON
A 13-day/12-night cruise for 1350 € per person in a guaranteed deluxe balcony cabin. PRINCESS assigned us a balcony cabin on deck 8 with a large balcony. We ended up happy with our cabin, even though we’d initially preferred a higher deck. I’ll admit I hesitated to choose this cruise because of the weather—I love sunshine and good weather—but the desire to discover new ports won out, especially with the promise of heading to Corsica afterward to soak up some sun again 😉
On PRINCESS, as Catherine mentioned, there’s no card—everyone has a medallion! I loved this system, which unlocks your cabin door as you approach. It’s really well thought out!
We took the EUROSTAR from Lille to London, then a train from London to Southampton the day before. We stayed in a nice IHG hotel near the port.
EMBARKATION It’s Friday, August 1st. After a good breakfast and a quick check-out, we realize our UBER app isn’t working in England ;(. We have to go back to reception to ask for a taxi because, even though the hotel is close to the port, the ship is still over 2 km away—hardly ideal with luggage! The problem is that many hotel guests also requested taxis... so we wait a good 30 minutes before ours arrives! We get to the REGAL PRINCESS pretty quickly but are shocked to see a huge line outside!!! We hadn’t seen that in over a decade! Not the best start! 🙁
TO BE CONTINUED!
A 13-day/12-night cruise for 1350 € per person in a guaranteed deluxe balcony cabin. PRINCESS assigned us a balcony cabin on deck 8 with a large balcony. We ended up happy with our cabin, even though we’d initially preferred a higher deck. I’ll admit I hesitated to choose this cruise because of the weather—I love sunshine and good weather—but the desire to discover new ports won out, especially with the promise of heading to Corsica afterward to soak up some sun again 😉
On PRINCESS, as Catherine mentioned, there’s no card—everyone has a medallion! I loved this system, which unlocks your cabin door as you approach. It’s really well thought out!
We took the EUROSTAR from Lille to London, then a train from London to Southampton the day before. We stayed in a nice IHG hotel near the port.
EMBARKATION It’s Friday, August 1st. After a good breakfast and a quick check-out, we realize our UBER app isn’t working in England ;(. We have to go back to reception to ask for a taxi because, even though the hotel is close to the port, the ship is still over 2 km away—hardly ideal with luggage! The problem is that many hotel guests also requested taxis... so we wait a good 30 minutes before ours arrives! We get to the REGAL PRINCESS pretty quickly but are shocked to see a huge line outside!!! We hadn’t seen that in over a decade! Not the best start! 🙁
TO BE CONTINUED!
Hi there,
Looking for advice on how to get from the cruise stop at La Goulette to Sidi Bou Said on my own.
Cruise is planned for November.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hester
