Gibraltar

[Tina.w12]

Our cruise stops in Gibraltar in September, is it possible to do all of the following:

 

Cable car to the top and down

 

Rock tour

 

Dolphin tour

 

And what is the best method to get to the cable car from the cruise terminal.

 

Any other advice welcome regarding Gibraltar.

 

Thanks

[John Bull]

Our cruise stops in Gibraltar in September, is it possible to do all of the following:

 

Cable car to the top and down

 

Rock tour

 

Dolphin tour

 

And what is the best method to get to the cable car from the cruise terminal.

 

Any other advice welcome regarding Gibraltar.

 

Thanks

 

Cablecar & rock tour are much the same thing.

 

Cablecar - you have to get to the bottom station, which is by Alameda Gardens - about a 30 minute walk or a taxi ride from the ship. The cablecar doesn't operate in moderately windy conditions, and there are often long lines after about 10am. Cablecar takes you to the top - from there it's a 2 minute walk to the apes den, a 10 - 15 min walk to St Michael's Cave, and a longer walk - in the opposite direction - to the Great Siege Tunnels, which overlook the airport & Spanish border.

Most folk who go by cablecar prefer it because they enjoy walking & they like to keep to their own timetable.

The intermediate station doesn't operate in summer - so you need to go to the top, & if you walk from there to other sights you need to return to the top to get the cablecar back down.

Price depends on the season.

 

Upper Rock tour - by shared taxi or van. You can take a taxi tour from the cruise terminal, drivers will put groups together (unless you want the vehicle to yourselves, but you will pay the cost of a full vehicle). You'll then be driven up the Rock, with time at each of those places, and when you come back down the driver will drop you where you wish - most prefer to be dropped at Casemates Square, at the bottom of Main Street, so the can explore the town by themselves & return to the ship later on foot (about 15 - 20 min walk) or taxi or bus. But if you prefer, the driver will take you back to the ship at the end of the tour. Tour lasts vaguely about 90 minutes. Current cost is 25 euros / £22 per person, both currencies accepted - I don't know about cards or USD..

 

The above are do-it-yourself, but may be available at higher cost thro' ship's excursion.

 

I don't know whether / how you can take a dolphin-watching boat ride, other than as a ship's excursion.

Use ship's excursion timings to decide whether you can go up the Rock (by cablecar or taxi/van) and dolphin-watching.

You certainly won't be able to do all three, but you wouldn't want to do both cablecar and Rock tour.

 

JB :)

[Tina.w12]

Thanks JB, I have been doing a lot more research and came to the same conclusion about the cable car. We plan on doing the rock tour via car, hopefully sharing. I have managed to book a dolphin tour for 2pm, I have done this online. So hopefully plan on the rock tour in the morning and the dolphins in the afternoon, should be a good day

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[John Bull]

Thanks JB, I have been doing a lot more research and came to the same conclusion about the cable car. We plan on doing the rock tour via car, hopefully sharing. I have managed to book a dolphin tour for 2pm, I have done this online. So hopefully plan on the rock tour in the morning and the dolphins in the afternoon, should be a good day

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Itinerary says you're in port 8am to 5pm. So you should have plenty of time for both.

No need to find sharers or pre-book for the upper Rock - there'll be taxis & minibuses at the terminal, the tour is pretty standard & the drivers/rep will organise sharers amongst those there.

 

But I suggest you get out early, about 9am, there may not be enough vehicles or sharers later, traffic on the Rock can get gummed-up later, & you'll want a big window between tours.

 

It's a one-way system up the Rock. You'll get a southerly photo-stop (to Africa) on the way up, then about 20 mins in St Michael's cave & the same at the Apes Den, on the ridge and with west (Atlantic) & east (Med) views, though clouds often roll up the eastern face & obliterate that view. Another 20 minute stop at the Great Siege tunnels (not the WW2 tunnels) with northerly views over the isthmus. Then back down to town or ship.

Thinkin' about it, more like 2 hrs than 90 mins.

 

If you are taken straight back to the ship you'll have time for a good lunch.

Or if you bale out at Casemates Square you should have time for a beer or snack in Casemates Square (meals there are poor) or a walk through the shops & minor sights of Main Street. Try the Angry Friar in Main Street for pub grub.

 

JB :)