Any recent taxi tour from the pier in Gibraltar experience?Questions.

Just trying to fill in our last bit of the budget before we leave for our Med cruise in a few weeks. While in Gibraltar (7 am to 5 pm), we intend to get off the ship around 8 am or so and line up at the dock in the hopes that we could join a mini bus/taxi to do a tour up the rock to see the apes and see St. Michaels Cave. Last I could find on CC from 2018 was that the vans are filled with about 6 people for GBP 150 total (GBP 25 pp).

Just wondering if anyone has done this same plan this year and if my prices are correct and that the tour would inlcude the apes and the cave. At the pier, is there someone who puts together the groups into the taxis? Or do we need to find others to join us ourselves? We aren't looking for a full day tour, just enough to see these highlights and then stop in town for a few pints and shopping for British goods. Thanks for any input.

We will be there in October. I was wondering what are the chances of getting one of these private taxi/minis when a ship is in port. I see that our ship, the Sapphire, is running several of these tours for $79 a person.

We will be there in October. I was wondering what are the chances of getting one of these private taxi/minis when a ship is in port. I see that our ship, the Sapphire, is running several of these tours for $79 a person.

Why on earth would you pay $79 when the local operators are only charging 25 GBP. I've only driven into Gib, but when we were there last a couple of months ago there seemed to be plenty of places offering tours.

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No recent experience, but they've been running these shared van tours on the same format for years.

Last I heard was last year or this year at £25, and there won't be any massive increase.

The marshals at the rank by the cruise terminal put van-loads together, usually 8 or 10 - so there's no need for you to put a group together, though if you meet like-mindeds during your cruise you can go ashore mob-handed and be sure that you'll not be stuck with unsuitable sharers, though that's no big deal.

St Michael's Cave is the first proper stop. It opens at 9am, so the first vans will probably leave closer to 8.30.

At the end of the tour take up the driver's offer to drop you at Casemates Square, at the bottom of Main Street. Lots of outdoor cafes in the Square tho they're tourist traps so the quality of food won't be special. Try a pub or two further up Main Street, like the Angry Friar.

Duty-free prices are extremely variable and window-pricing scams common - so shop around before you buy, & mentally tally-up what you think the total should be if you buy several items in one purchase. Same with dual £ / € pricing. And if you use plastic, decline any offer to convert to the currency of your card cos that'll be at a horrible exchange rate. Get charged as priced and in whichever of £ or € gives you best value, and let your card issuer convert to your home currency.

And Gib is a dumping ground for last-year's electronics. If there's a phone, camera, whatever that you intend to buy, go armed with exact model number, home prices etc.

At $78, ship's tour will be over-priced (aren't they all :rolleyes:), but might be more extensive & include stuff at sea-level like the 100-ton gun and Europa Point. So it might not be as big a rip-off as the figures suggest.

JB :)

No recent experience, but they've been running these shared van tours on the same format for years.

Last I heard was last year or this year at £25, and there won't be any massive increase.

 

The marshals at the rank by the cruise terminal put van-loads together, usually 8 or 10 - so there's no need for you to put a group together, though if you meet like-mindeds during your cruise you can go ashore mob-handed and be sure that you'll not be stuck with unsuitable sharers, though that's no big deal.

St Michael's Cave is the first proper stop. It opens at 9am, so the first vans will probably leave closer to 8.30.

At the end of the tour take up the driver's offer to drop you at Casemates Square, at the bottom of Main Street. Lots of outdoor cafes in the Square tho they're tourist traps so the quality of food won't be special. Try a pub or two further up Main Street, like the Angry Friar.

Duty-free prices are extremely variable and window-pricing scams common - so shop around before you buy, & mentally tally-up what you think the total should be if you buy several items in one purchase. Same with dual £ / € pricing. And if you use plastic, decline any offer to convert to the currency of your card cos that'll be at a horrible exchange rate. Get charged as priced and in whichever of £ or € gives you best value, and let your card issuer convert to your home currency.

And Gib is a dumping ground for last-year's electronics. If there's a phone, camera, whatever that you intend to buy, go armed with exact model number, home prices etc.

 

At $78, ship's tour will be over-priced (aren't they all :rolleyes:), but might be more extensive & include stuff at sea-level like the 100-ton gun and Europa Point. So it might not be as big a rip-off as the figures suggest.

 

JB :)

Thank you JB for sharing your knowledge

If the ship charges $78, then the taxi tours are a better value option. After the tour of the Upper Rock the taxi will drop you where you want. I am not sure that we are a dumping ground for electronics. Gibraltarians are fairly discerning in their choice of electronics. I certainly know that if it is perfume, cosmetics or jewellery like Pandora that interests you, then prices are much better than the UK.