I’d like to travel from Budapest, Hungary, to Vienna, Austria, this summer by hydrofoil on the Danube. A one-way trip. Is that possible? What’s the price, the name of the boat company, and where can I book? Thanks

hi, I got back on October 22nd like you, and just a quick question—was your bank card debited? Because for me, still nothing so far.

Hi, we're heading to Venice soon. We have a hotel in Mestre and we'd like to know which bus can take us from the Mestre hotel to Marghera Port. Thanks.

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

Nicko Cruise notified me today about an 8 €/night/person fuel surcharge for my river cruise in July 2026. On their website, they also list 10 €/night/person for ocean cruises.

Thoughts for the cruisers currently in the UAE...

Apparently MSC has kept its ship docked in Dubai for now...

Good evening,

After my first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun with a very classic itinerary (Osaka / Tokyo) in April 2024, I’m revisiting my original idea: a cruise that would let me explore other parts of the country. The options are pretty limited since I’m restricted to school holidays. After some quick research on cruise sales sites, it seems Princess Cruises might be the best fit (dates + itinerary). I’ve only sailed with Costa before, so I have a few questions before deciding whether to go ahead with this idea: - Is Princess really upscale? Is there a dress code? - My English is pretty basic—will that be an issue? - For a cruise in Asia, what kind of food is served on board: the same as on other cruises worldwide, or specifically Asian? - What’s the average age of passengers? - Any other specifics I should know?

Thanks so much for your answers.

Hi there,

I need to take the Explora I ship for a cruise departing from Venice (Fusina port) in mid-October.

We’re spending two days in Venice beforehand. How do we get to the ship? Is it easier to take the train back to Mestre and then a taxi? Are there taxis at Mestre station? Do we need to book in advance? Do you know of a reliable company?

Explora doesn’t offer a bus transfer and mentions a water taxi for 360 €!!!!

Thanks in advance for your help. Best regards, Claudine

Hi there, I’d love to go on a Mediterranean cruise, but I’m a bit nervous about doing it solo. Thanks for your advice!

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 everyone, I’m back from my 10-day cruise to Japan and South Korea and wanted to share my experience. Before leaving, I searched the forums but found very few firsthand accounts of this kind of trip.

Just so you know, a cruise isn’t some slow, easy trip—every port stop is an adventure!

We flew from Marseille with Lufthansa via Frankfurt, with a short 1.5-hour layover that was just enough, though we still had to sprint to make our connection. We’d booked seats with extra legroom, which was great—we were next to premium economy, so we had a good spot. The airline hadn’t sold all the premium seats and kept making announcements to attract takers, but no discounts!

After about 12 hours, we arrived at Tokyo Haneda feeling pretty wiped since we hadn’t slept. The time difference is 7 hours, so we landed in late morning in Japan. We took the free rail shuttle to central Tokyo. The entry process went smoothly thanks to the Japan web app. For the subway, we’d registered our Suica card, but we hadn’t anticipated how tricky transfers could be when stations don’t always have elevators—bit of a hassle, but still cheap! Navigating the subway is super easy, though. We’d bought a SIM card on Amazon beforehand, so everything was smooth.

We’d booked a room at the Grand Hazelmon Hotel, which is near the Imperial Palace. It’s a quiet business district in the evenings and well-connected by subway.

I’d opted for a half-room, so I was worried about space, but it was fine—no smaller than a London or Paris hotel room! Breakfast was included and really good.

We even had dinner there one night—dishes were around 9 € at a 4- or 5-star hotel, so we didn’t hold back.

In the afternoon, we visited the Imperial Palace. You can’t go inside, but it’s a green oasis—surprisingly peaceful despite Tokyo’s 36 million people—and very secure.

I’ll share more of my adventures later!

Hi everyone, After several cruises with Italian companies (MSC and Costa), we want to try something different. We’ve roughly selected the same itinerary (the Greek islands, Croatia) and we’re torn between three ships: the Voyager of the Seas, the NCL Breakaway, and the Celebrity Ascent. In your opinion, which one should we choose? Note that we’ll either be in an interior or ocean-view cabin at best, since balconies are way too expensive for our budget. We’re also looking for activities for our teens (13 and 15 years old)—shows, entertainment—and most importantly, something that sets these ships apart from MSC and Costa. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’ve booked a cruise on the Preziosa to Brazil in October 2025. I’d like to know if we can get a taxi right from the ship to São Paulo airport from the port of Santos. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 2:40 PM, and we dock at 8:00 AM. MSC has an excursion planned, but we’d arrive at the airport too late. Thanks to anyone who can give us some info. Best regards,

Hi there, On the MSC Musica, there’s no Yacht Club—do you know if there’s a dedicated Aurea restaurant? Thanks in advance for your reply..

Hi there, I found a cruise on the Queen Victoria departing from Southampton, but the trickiest part is getting to Southampton. We’re leaving from Marseille or Paris if that’s easier. Thanks for your tips, have a great day!

This isn’t a full review but a quick summary, since I’m short on time and won’t be able to do a proper one.

Our cruise started in Port Canaveral (Orlando), and there are no longer direct flights from Paris. So, we had to take a connecting flight with British Airways (code-share with American Airlines):

Paris / Miami / Orlando and the return Orlando / Philadelphia / Paris.

Three days before departure, I went on British Airways’ website to check in and buy exit-row seats so my wife could stretch her legs. That’s when I saw that one leg of the return flight (Philadelphia / Paris) had been canceled.

I called the airline, and they confirmed the flight was indeed canceled, and the agency I bought the ticket from had been informed back in September. But the agency never told me—or just forgot. So, I called GO Voyages, and it was the same old story: blah, blah, blah...

They offered me a flight with two connections, the last one in London (with an airport change at my expense—about 80 €). I refused because I’d bought a ticket with only one connection, and on top of that, there were taxi costs for the airport change.

After some back-and-forth, GO offered to refund the ticket—but in a month. So, I ended up buying two last-minute tickets at my own expense while waiting for the refund.

Never again with GO for flights—their customer service is terrible, and everything is outsourced....

The cruise I was disappointed with this cruise.

Isa was right—the service at Celebrity has really gone downhill.

The buffet was fine—everything was fresh and varied. But in the restaurants (especially the main one), the dishes were really basic (as the Canadians say) and simple (nothing like Princess).

The ship showed signs of wear and was even dirty in some places. I had to ask for our cabin to be redone when we arrived because the bathroom didn’t seem very clean.

The "Elite Club" perks are fading fast—so much so that you don’t even feel like going (just a glass of sparkling wine and some mediocre appetizers). You have to fight to get another drink if you don’t like that sparkling wine...

Before, in Concierge Class, the bottle of sparkling wine was in a champagne bucket on the coffee table with ice. Now it’s just in the fridge.

The appetizers served in the cabin around 5 PM weren’t appetizing at all. The list goes on...

Luckily, I didn’t pay much for this cruise, or I would’ve really regretted it.

The ports of call (Key West, Nassau, Puerto Plata)

I’ve already stopped at these places before, so it was just beach time and sightseeing...

Still, I had a great week under the Caribbean sun, and it was a nice break.

I’d only cruise with Celebrity again if the price was right or there was a big promo.

See you soon for more adventures! Alfred

Hi everyone,

I’ve been thinking about an Antarctica trip for a while now and it really appeals to me, but I’m not sure how to start my research. First off, is it better to leave from Chile or Argentina (assuming we’re not departing from France)? Is it more reassuring to travel on a large ship or a medium-sized one? What aspects should I check (total number of days, number of excursions, well-known vs. lesser-known companies, local agencies, etc.)? What are the must-sees I shouldn’t miss, and what’s unnecessary? Thanks for sharing your experiences! Best, Dominique

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!

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,

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 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 everyone, we're going on a week-long cruise and I have a question: can we travel by train and on a cruise with small refrigerated injectable syringes? Do we need to complete any formalities? And how should we store them? Thanks in advance for your feedback.

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, 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, I’m looking for a cruise for two adults over 75 (with meals included, etc.) to visit Egypt—specifically the pyramids along the Nile and the Cairo museum. Looking forward to reading about other travelers’ experiences. Thanks.

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

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, I was wondering if any of you have dealt with a death. Does the Gold card reimburse the full cost of the trip, please?

Hi there! Celebrity is venturing into river cruises and will have 5 boats built at the Saint-Nazaire shipyards. Mich74

Hi everyone, A little feedback on our 12-day cruise in early November on the Lirica.





The Lirica is a human-sized ship with 2,500 passengers for an old-school cruise—no extra-charge themed restaurants or bars, but large lounge bars with plenty of seating. We had no trouble grabbing a drink. The meals are decent, the staff is always helpful, but the ship is starting to show its age, and the cabins aren’t exactly fresh anymore. The low point: the shows were the worst we’ve seen in eight cruises—barely up to camping standards.

Day 1 Boarding in Venice. Since the ship now departs from Marghera, there’s a transfer from the terminal to the ship by water shuttle. Day 2 At sea. Day 3 Katakolon We’ve already visited Olympia twice, so we did some shopping at the port and the only shopping street. Day 4 Heraklion Excursion with MSC to the Palace of Knossos and shopping. It’s a bit pricier than doing it on your own, but you get the guide’s explanations.





After visiting the palace, we explored Heraklion—a very lively city.

Day 5 Rhodes The ship docks just steps from the old town, a magnificent city surrounded by its ramparts.







Visit to the Palace of the Grand Masters.