Malaga port time extended for Marina 5/26/11 Barcelona to Copenhagen

[kreastman]

I posted this on the Marina 5/26/11 roll call, but thought it might be of interest here, too. We had been disappointed to learn that due to Marina's relatively brief time in Malaga on 5/28/11 (11 AM to 6 PM), Oceania would not be offering the "Granada of the Moors and Alhambra" excursion. However, we just received an e-mail from Shore Excursions saying that they had "reviewed the timing situation" and were extending their stay in Malaga, so the Granada/Alhambra excursion will be offered after all. It's not on the website yet, but should be soon.

[lyndenfa]

Do you happen to know if that tour is usually offered? I have not seen it as such on the Maiden Voyage. I may have missed it and will look again, but you call this "Granada of the Moors and Alhambra" excursion.

Thanks. Lynne

[kreastman]

"Granada of the Moors and Alhambra" is the name of the Granada excursion whenever it is offered. I see that it's not listed among tours offered for the maiden voyage, although Marina will be in Malaga for nine hours (8 to 5) vs. the seven hours originally scheduled on our 5/28/11 cruise. They describe the Granada tour as taking "8 to 9 hours", so probably nine hours in port is cutting it too close. Interestingly, on Marina's return voyage (Miami to Barcelona, 3/28/11), port time in Malaga is 8 AM to 8 PM, and the Granada trip is offered.

[Mura]

As I recall the bus trip up there is an hour and a half each way (including a rest stop which is supposed to be 20 minutes but I think is usually more). The tour of Alhambra itself takes a few hours -- it is 2-1/2 miles long. I know because I asked our guide last time!

 

The first time we did this, with Renaissance (October 1999), we had the morning tour so we must have left the ship around 9am. We got back into Malaga at 6.

 

The last time we did this (March 2009) I booked with a private guide who picked us up around 10am. We did the afternoon tour of the Alhambra (around 2pm) that allowed us time in Granada itself -- the ship's tour hadn't had that luxury.

 

Again, we got back around 6pm.

 

BUT I will also say that when we were in Malaga again in April we finally did the city itself and wished we had more time. There is plenty to do there, but a visit to the Alcobaca is highly advised. We were sorry we didn't have more time there ...

 

But definitely, if you haven't seen the Alhambra that is the #1 thing to put on your "to do" list.

[YoHoHo]

Thanks for the notice Mura.

I now hope they will do this for the Maiden Voyage as well. I too was disappointed to see that this excursion was not offerred.

[De La Cruise]

As I recall the bus trip up there is an hour and a half each way (including a rest stop which is supposed to be 20 minutes but I think is usually more). The tour of Alhambra itself takes a few hours -- it is 2-1/2 miles long. I know because I asked our guide last time!

 

The first time we did this, with Renaissance (October 1999), we had the morning tour so we must have left the ship around 9am. We got back into Malaga at 6.

 

The last time we did this (March 2009) I booked with a private guide who picked us up around 10am. We did the afternoon tour of the Alhambra (around 2pm) that allowed us time in Granada itself -- the ship's tour hadn't had that luxury.

 

Again, we got back around 6pm.

 

BUT I will also say that when we were in Malaga again in April we finally did the city itself and wished we had more time. There is plenty to do there, but a visit to the Alcobaca is highly advised. We were sorry we didn't have more time there ...

 

But definitely, if you haven't seen the Alhambra that is the #1 thing to put on your "to do" list.

Thanx Mura. We're not on your cruise, but we'd be disembarking in Barcelona on 24th Nov on Insignia's "Footsteps of History" cruise. We missed the Alhahambra too the last time we were in Malaga in 08 as our ship, the Costa Serena was in port only from 8am to 4pm.

 

We're taking up your suggestion to put the Alhambra on our "to do" list. We're gonna fly return from Barcelona and spend 2 days in Granada. Hope that's enough time to take in most of the Alahambra.

 

Steve

[Mura]

Two days is more than enough to do the Alhambra! But do get your tickets in advance. They only sell 250 a day, and cruise ships (and I suppose other tour groups) take up a lot of those. The morning tour starts from the Generalife side and the afternoon tour starts from the other side.

 

Granada itself is also interesting. Since we were in town only for the one day I can't specifically say WHAT you should do, but the actual Alhambra tour is maybe 3 hours.

 

(I'm not on this cruise, I was just responding to a question about seeing the Alhambra.)

[kreastman]

The Granada/Alhambra tour from Malaga has now been added to the website for the Marina 5/26/11 Barcelona to Copenhagen cruise. The time in port still shows 11 AM to 6 PM, but I imagine the new, extended hours will be posted soon.

[kreastman]

Shore Excursions says port time in Malaga will now be 10 AM to 7 PM.