Colourful Coasts 01/01/10

[julie62]

Not long for us to wait now- is there anyone else sailing from Tenerife on the 1st Jan?

 

Has anyone any information on the excursions available from the ship - I have checked them out on the Thompsons website but wondered if anyone could review them and give me an idea of the cost.

 

Has anyone travelled the islands independently and got any advice available. How easy is it to use public transport or get taxi's and can you advice on doing the excursions independently.

 

We are a party of 6 and really looking forward to the cruise - I have been to the canaries in Jan before and the weather was lovely but what is the weather like in Madeira in January.

 

Any advice would be welcome

[Cymro1953]

Hi Julie have a look at these on the link. Pujro is just back and has kindly posted them there for us.

http://s782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/pujro/IE%20excursions/

 

As well as those there are HOHO sightseeing buses in both Funchal and las Palmas.

The only place that people definitely recommend a ship's excursion is Agadir.

 

Anything else you want to know just ask and one of us will usually have the answer.

 

Berwyn

[slammer99uk]

Mum, myself and daughter will be joining you onboard :)

 

Just have to get the Fred Olsen Christmas markets cruise out of the way first :D

 

Jerry

[pujro]

Not long for us to wait now- is there anyone else sailing from Tenerife on the 1st Jan?

 

Has anyone any information on the excursions available from the ship - I have checked them out on the Thompsons website but wondered if anyone could review them and give me an idea of the cost.

 

Has anyone travelled the islands independently and got any advice available. How easy is it to use public transport or get taxi's and can you advice on doing the excursions independently.

 

We are a party of 6 and really looking forward to the cruise - I have been to the canaries in Jan before and the weather was lovely but what is the weather like in Madeira in January.

 

Any advice would be welcome

 

Doesn't look too bad on average in January, not unlike November http://members.lycos.co.uk/HolidayWeather/madeira.htm

We were there Nov 16th, it was dull/rainy in the morning but beautiful in the afternoon and 24 degrees. We sat sipping "drinkies" in the sun for several hours!

Incidentally, the sea conditions were lively around Madeira too, don't know if that's always the case though.

[julie62]

many thanks for info

 

Can anyone review the ships tours - did you enjoy them, were they value for money.

 

Has anyone done their own thing and seen the islands independently- I have heard there is a water park in Tenerife, has anyone been?

 

How easy is it to get form the port to the botanical gardens in Madeira?

 

Agadir is the one place we were thinking of staying on the ship, or perhaps the jeep safari trip, has anyone done it?

[Cymro1953]

Hi Julie,

In Funchal you can get up to the Gardens by the cable car at the end of the seafront. It's about 10 Euro single and 15 return. Also if you go on the yellow HOHO bus, you can use the ticket on the local buses. No 31 and 31A go up there.

Also if you go up to Monte on the cable car you can have a ride on the toboggans, 25 Euro per sledge for 2 people.

 

It would be a shame to stay on the ship, we are going on the Taroudant trip. It's not too far and you get to see a lovely old walled town and a chance to browse the souk and market. And the tree climbing goats. People who have just been on it said it was a lovely day.

 

Only a week and a bit to go for us :eek::D, exciting

 

Berwyn

[Betty Rizzo]

Not long for us to wait now- is there anyone else sailing from Tenerife on the 1st Jan?

 

Has anyone any information on the excursions available from the ship - I have checked them out on the Thompsons website but wondered if anyone could review them and give me an idea of the cost.

 

Has anyone travelled the islands independently and got any advice available. How easy is it to use public transport or get taxi's and can you advice on doing the excursions independently.

 

We are a party of 6 and really looking forward to the cruise - I have been to the canaries in Jan before and the weather was lovely but what is the weather like in Madeira in January.

 

Any advice would be welcome

 

Hi Julie, We thought the excursions were reasonably priced but the only one we did was Madeira. Also if you have never been to Lanzarote I recommend the trip up Fire Mountain. Spectacular views of the volcanic craters! All other ports we walked from the IE except Agadir where we caught a red 'taxi' to the beach/promenade which will cost between 7-10 euros (have correct amount as drivers don't give change, unless you want to tip them!).

 

Wish I was going back there again soon!

[megabby]

Hi. Please don't stay on the ship in Agadir. You will miss out on a really interesting place. The Taroudant trip is really great and the locals are just people, they may have a different culture to ours but just take a look at British inner cities and you will find much more to be afraid of.

 

The people we met on the trip were fine- just have an open mind and accept them for who they are.

[Cymro1953]

Hi. Please don't stay on the ship in Agadir. You will miss out on a really interesting place. The Taroudant trip is really great and the locals are just people, they may have a different culture to ours but just take a look at British inner cities and you will find much more to be afraid of.

 

The people we met on the trip were fine- just have an open mind and accept them for who they are.

 

Hi,

Yes it's a very good point. The locals are OK

It's just the pushiness of the peddlars that puts DW off.

At least here we can go ashore without and armed guard and in an armed convoy, unlike Egypt in June. :eek:

 

Also as Betty said, the excursions are reasonable compared to the U.S. cruise lines. About 40% cheaper for exactly the same ones.

 

Berwyn

[Betty Rizzo]

Yes, I agree with Megabby, the locals were fine.

 

Although we only stayed around the beach/promenade/marina area we were not pestered once! Even a couple of youths who thought we were lost because we were heading out of the area did not persist, only explaining how to get back to the port on foot.

 

There's plenty of police and I reckon Agadir is safer than my own city.