Casablanca Shore excursions

[esmiralda]

Hi, all. I am leaving on the Costa Luminosa departing Savona on September 29th and cruising to Spain and Portugal with a stop in Casablanca. Having never been to that particular place before, I want to make the most of my stay. We are in port from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm.

I see that many of the shore excursions involve LONG bus rides and am willing to make the trip, if it is worth it. The choices include Fes, Menkes, Marrakech, and then tours of Casablanca with stops at the Hassan II Mosque, and one that includes Rabat with the Hassan Mosque.

I'm not a shopper and don't need a long stop at a marketplace.

I'm able to keep up with a tour as I am in good physical health.

Please help me choose.

Thanks

[G.M.T.]

The last time we were in Casablanca, we did the ship's excursion to Marrakesh, it turned out ot be a very long and tiring day (over 8 hours sitting in the bus). The tour guide rushed everything with regards to the very long walk in the souk unless we were in one of the shops owned by his relations - carpet sales room, jewelary, arabian chemist. Other than the souk, we didn't see very much. The restaurant for lunch - well I like my food, but that day I went hungry.

 

We should have done our home work, if we had done then we would never have chosen the Marrakech trip, but tours in and around Casablanca and the the Hassan II Mosque.

 

Ron

[Capricruiser]

I'm a fair Morocco expert and I think if you can handle the three hour bus ride, then Marrakech would probably be the best of the excursions offered. Contrary to Ron's experience, the food is quite good - cous-cous and veggies slow cooked in a "tajine" together with either beef or chicken would be the norm. Very true about the stops for carpets, perfumes, etc. but tours in the Arab world are like that. The huge Djemaa el-Fna square is one of the most entertaining places you'll ever find in the world.

If you choose to remain in Casablanca then I agree with Ron - definitely go see the Hassan II mosque. It's the largest in the Moslem world outside of Mecca.

[Whitby Lass]

We were in Casablanca in January. We got a cab into town in the morning and had a short tour of the town, there are many taxi drivers on the quayside looking for business but be careful to negotiate a fair price and be clear as to where you wish to visit..... it pays to do your research first.

 

In the afternoon we took the ship's tour to Rabat and enjoyed it thoroughly. Hope you enjoy your visit to Morrocco, there is a lot to see in such a short time.

[italyforme]

We will be on the same cruise leaving Savona on September 29. After some research, we've decided against the long bus rides and are planning to spend the day exploring Casablanca, probably just with cabs to the mosque and the habous which is supposed to be quite interesting. There are some nice restaurants on the beachfront which have been recommended to us (and we do like to eat!!).

 

Bill

[esmiralda]

Thanks to all for your good information. I think I iwll skip the long bus rides, especially if it involves lots of shopping stops. I will see the mosque and maybe get to Rabat in the afternoon.

 

You all saved me a lot of time and trouble, not to mention the wrath of THE BIG GUY - otherwise knows as Robert, my husband!!

 

Thank you.

 

Esmiralda - otherwise known as Ellen

[esmiralda]

There are some nice restaurants on the beachfront which have been recommended to us (and we do like to eat!!).

 

Bill

 

 

So Bill, would you share the names of the restaurants that were recommended to you? Robert and I LOVE to eat, and we would really enjoy something special in Casablanca.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ellen

[italyforme]

Hi Ellen:

 

An acquaintance of mine, who is Moroccan,has suggested Restaurant du Port de Peche, which is apparently just outside the port. Tripadvisor and other reviews have talked about walking along la Corniche and checking out the menus. We aren't finding a lot of options for private shore excursions so we may just use taxis to explore the city. Have you made definite plans yet?

 

Bill

[esmiralda]

Hi, Bill, thanks for the info.

 

No, no concrete plans yet. I am meeting with my small group tomorrow for dinner and we will discuss things then. I'm usually a person who likes to plan in advance, but haven't done so this time. If my husband and I were traveling alone, I would have, but friends are along and I don't want to alienate them with lots of excursions. Also, Robert and I have been to Spain and Portugal before. Casablanca, on the other hand, is new to me and I want not to miss anything. Just my nature.

 

I was thinking of the excursion package - Casablanca, Seville and Lisbon. The Casablanca part of the package is the trip to the mosque and Rabat. It's 11 1/2 hours!!! I don't think my gang will go for it, although they should see Seville and Lisbon. We'll see.....

 

Thanks again for the restaurant info. I appreciate it.

[italyforme]

Good luck with your plans. I usually have everything planned weeks in advance, but the Casablanca piece has been slow in coming together. We've decided to engage a local tour guide for the day and will do some time in the markets and have a nice lunch and see some of the local architecture. It should be a nice relaxing day for us. I'd be happy to hear about what you decide to do.

 

Bill

[aussietwo]

Good luck with your plans. I usually have everything planned weeks in advance, but the Casablanca piece has been slow in coming together. We've decided to engage a local tour guide for the day and will do some time in the markets and have a nice lunch and see some of the local architecture. It should be a nice relaxing day for us. I'd be happy to hear about what you decide to do.

 

Bill

 

G'Day Bill

 

I am just researching Casablanca for our cruise in March. Did you manage to engage a local tour guide and if so can you recommend the guide. Any other advice will be appreciated. Thanks Ros :)

[KatetheWanderer]

If you want exotic and old Morrocco, head to Marrakech, the Gateway to the Sahara for the experience of Djemaa el-Fna square as suggested by Capricruiser. The square is something to behold. You can get your picture cheek to cheek with a cobra for one euro. The snake charmer will assure you "no bite". You walk through endless souks and see all manner of man. Casablanca is modern and kind of a yawn according to friends that didn't go to Marrakech. Forget the movie. Rick's is not there. I was told that the ship was crowded by 1pm with all the passengers who took a brief stroll around the city and quickly returned to the ship. For many it was their least favorite port. I thought the meal on the Costa shore excursion to Marrakech was good in an amazing resturant. Bear in mind though that Morrocco has some issues. A nail bomb was detonated at a cafe this past April targeting tourists at Djemaa el-Fna square. More than a dozen people died in the terrorist attack. Marrakech was the only shore excursion I took on Costa. Overpriced but the guide was good. The ride in the bus is interesting with sectacular views of the Atlas Mountains and the various casbahs. I am not a fan of the herd aspect of shore excursions but I wasn't taking a chance on just any old guide given the fluid situation in Morrocco.

[Capricruiser]

Hi Kate and welcome back. I trust your transatlantic on the Atlantica was enjoyable. Beautiful ship and a great staff (at least when I was on it a couple months ago). Regarding your Morocco excursion, I'm glad you had a good time. Out of all the shore excursions I've taken with Costa and MSC I can recall only twice not having an excellent guide. Besides seeing all the wonderful sights and scenery I want someone knowledgeable explaining things for me, thus the reason why I don't like "taxi tours." Morocco remains one of the most varied nations I've ever been to from their spectacular mountains to desert to dense forests to beautiful coastlines and those wonderful imperial cities. The only negative thing about the guided tours there is the inevitable stops at carpet, perfume, herbal, etc. factories and showrooms.

[KatetheWanderer]

Hi Capri! You are absolutely right about the Atlantica. Great food and a beautiful ship. A splendid voyage! I will sail with Costa again and recommend it to anyone. I was in 5203 with a balcony. The shower curtain never attacked. Best shower I've had on a ship. My Filipino steward kept my room in tip top shape. Our Peruvian waiter was just a peach. I have sailed on five ships with RCL, five with Norwegian, three with Disney, two with Carnival, one with the Big Red Boat. The Atlantica was the prettiest and most interesting of all with its Italian and cinematic influences. As to the reports about some of the Italians crowding and pushing, I can confirm this to be true. When I got into line at the American counter in Miami after disembarking, it felt strangely wonderful that no was trying to cut, push against me or almost trample me. Most nights on the ship, we shared horror stories at dinner and laughed our socks off. When the line corruption happened, the Americans were frozen and aghast. It was often a German who would pipe up and tell the Italian to get back in line. The embarkation was a prolonged process involving a mass of humanity pressing in a funnel to two agents. Once on the ship however, my luggage was already in the room with fresh fruit. A delicious buffet spread awaited on Deck Nine. Nineteen days of relaxation and fun had begun.

 

Even though the crowding is a fact, I should also note that when I toppled onto a big rock climbing at the beach or struggled with a suitcase up a flight of stairs in Italy, it was always an Italian rushing to my aid. The same can't be said of the English or the Americans anymore. When I asked directions in the towns and cities, the Italians were unfailingly sweet and would almost walk me to my destination. I've always loved Italy and the culture. Never noticed the line thing or the pedestrian rage much until I cruised with a couple thousand of them. Just one of those cultural differences for which one must be prepared. Observing, noting and laughing about it later might be the best way to properly survive it. It is part of the adventure.

 

Smoking on the ship was not an issue for me. I'm sensitive, never having taken a puff in my life, but it seemed contained and normal for a cruise ship. The air flow was good. We had very few children because of the length of the voyage. Most were very little.

 

My only other knowledge of a shore excursion experience was on Tortola. The Costa-offered excursion to The Baths on Virgin Gorda was for 99 euro (approx. $140 U.S. with transaction fee). The excursion was unguided with round-trip taxi to the ferry, roundtrip ferry tickets and taxi vouchers from the Virgin Gorda dock to The Baths with a drink and lunch at the Top of the Baths cafe. I did the exact same trip without the lunch for almost $100 less. The ferry is a red-topped salmon-colored building ten minutes walk from the ship (keep bearing to the left following the shore line). I beat the Costa excursion and boarded at the 9am sailing. The ferry round-trip including round-trip taxi on V.G. was $38 U.S. The entrance to The Baths was $3. The rum punch at the Top of the Baths after my all day visit was $6.50. I noted that the excursioners were lined up for rice, chicken and beans for their included lunch. I saved my calories for later back on the ship for its free and more expansive cuisine. I ate my banana and my roll from breakfast with my rum punch. For an unguided tour, Costa's price to The Baths was criminally exhorbitant. Still, Costa afforded me an incredible vacation for an incredible price. Its profit has to come from other services beyond the cost of the cruise ticket. The choice to buy drinks and excursions is for each passenger to make. Some have more disposable income than others. Just keep track of the bill on the monitor on the television in the room. Especially on a long cruise. My bill only came to 156 Euro because I chose to tip directly rather than let Costa decide who gets how much. Others came to a few thousand and there was some shock amongst the less experienced cruisers.

 

Back to The Bath's excursion-- unfortunately, I timed my departure from V.G. to coincide with the excursion's return. I could have left on the later or earlier ferry because they run every 45 minutes. Another Costa ship was docked on Tortola. The crush of flesh, pushing and shoving to get onto the ferry back to Tortola was unspeakable. Once onboard, I wanted to scream --NEWSFLASH!! this is not Italy and we are not pigs and donkeys. Having no confidence that any but a few would comprehend the seeds of my outrage in English, I remained silent, steeling myself for the disembarkation. (I have vowed to learn more choice Italian before I cruise Costa again). I and five French women remained seated until all the other passengers were off.

The only other gripes I have is that there are not enough treadmills in the gym which closes at 8pm along with the ship jacuzzis. Too early. I love a late run and a soak. My solution was a sunrise run on Deck Ten for 45 minutes most mornings. I usually never run that long but the wood is great for a softer tread. Those mornings were the most lovely part of my trip. The moon was low in the sky when we were crossing the Atlantic. Sometimes, the sun was coming up on one side with a still brilliant moon on the other side. No one is on Deck Ten at 6am except the occasional deck swabbies with a mop. I was Queen of the World. Hee Hee.

 

The shows were all entertaining and always provided enough in English to enjoy. For such a long cruise, I thought the entertainment was well done. For the crossing, they showed a recently released movie in English every afternoon in the theater. Wished they had more English channels. I ended up devouring more books as a consequence so it might have been for the better that the telly was unintelligible for me for most shows like all the American shows that had been redubbed in Italian.

[Capricruiser]

Sounds like you had a great time. The pushing and shoving don't bother me at all but it's not just the Italians, the Germans are very professional and even the Brits seem to be learning how to do it. Great fun! Anyway, when you have time be sure to write a full review of your cruise for the CC member cruise reviews. The Atlantica doesn't get many reviews and the transatlantics are almost zero.

[chrispb]

Sounds like you had a great time. The pushing and shoving don't bother me at all but it's not just the Italians, the Germans are very professional and even the Brits seem to be learning how to do it. Great fun! Anyway, when you have time be sure to write a full review of your cruise for the CC member cruise reviews. The Atlantica doesn't get many reviews and the transatlantics are almost zero.

Whaddya mean "even the Brits are learning how to do it"? Ahem, we invented it - it's properly called queuing:D

[Capricruiser]

Whaddya mean "even the Brits are learning how to do it"? Ahem, we invented it - it's properly called queuing:D

And outside the UK it's called pushing and shoving... lol

[KatetheWanderer]

After the ferry fiasco, I had to laugh when I spotted this article by Googling "Italians" and "queuing"--

"Italians, on the other hand, don't do queuing. At a bus stop people drift along from all directions and stand around admiring their own reflections in the shop windows until the bus arrives at which point there is general pandemonium; old ladies are shoved under the bus, elbows are freely used and any tourists are left bruised and bewildered on the pavement as an impossibly full bus heaves away without them."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/4204780/Post-office-queuing-system-is-just-the-ticket-for-Italians.html

[JLOaks]

Visiting Casablanca Sept. 26 - any recommendations for local tour guides?

Any ideas on cost of using cab for tour guide for 4 people

[miaminautigal]

Visiting Casablanca Sept. 26 - any recommendations for local tour guides?

Any ideas on cost of using cab for tour guide for 4 people

 

I was in Fez and Marrakesh and a tour guide was super cheap with a car for a half day it was US40, CB should be the same. Negotiate, it is a tradition in Morocco. However my recommendation is use the 16 hours in port to go to Fez or Marrakesh on the Costa excursion. While CB has fame from the movie, it is not that interesting.

 

BTW check the boards that discuss ports, not the cruise line, you'll probably find more info.

[OleSalt]

Some years ago I did a T/A on the Costa Victoria. The Marrakech tour was the best I have ever been on. Clean A/C bus, guide spoke better English than I do. Plenty of time for all the sights plus the open square bazaar (bizarre) grand finale.

Take it, you won't be disappointed.