Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Casablanca Excursions

Kamfish642

By Kamfish642,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

Kamfish642

Kamfish642

Posted
Posted

Booked for a February 10-day cruise out of Barcelona on the Spirit. There appears to be no shortage of nightmare postings about Casablanca, Morocco. What are the positive aspects and possible excursions? I'm thinking positive here, and hoping that most of the negative reviews are due to cultural differences. Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Froggitt

Froggitt

Posted
Posted

Most people on our Spirit cruise who did a proper excursion did the fancy Mosque tour.

 

We did a self tour. City was a bit of a dump, the market we felt everyone was out to rip us off for the maximum possible. Market was mostly crap fake Chinese or Bangladesh tat. Why they felt a need for 100 shops all selling fake adidas tee-shirts, or 100 shops all selling the same fake Rolexes, I don't know.

 

If they closed everyone down, and only let back in proper artisans or local producers, they would sell an awful lot more.

 

Even Sams place is a fake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Single Cruiser

Single Cruiser

Posted
Posted

Did the mosque one two weeks ago. Whilst the mosque was aesthetically pleasing the tour after that went downhill. When the guide points out highlights like a McDonalds!

 

We then got taken to the "government store" for 20mins!

 

Then a stop at a hotel for a drink

 

Then a walk through some grotty old streets with rubbish everywhere in the street (not even bagged) and what smelt like raw sewage with half dead feral cats running around.

 

Put it this way if I was unfortunate to stop their again I'd stay on the ship!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
trish1c

trish1c

Posted
Posted

I'm disappointed to hear that when the Epic takes over they will be dropping Casablancas. Even with the bad reviews we were looking forward to it just to say we were there.

 

When is the Epic taking over btw?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Single Cruiser

Single Cruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
I'm disappointed to hear that when the Epic takes over they will be dropping Casablancas. Even with the bad reviews we were looking forward to it just to say we were there.

 

When is the Epic taking over btw?

 

Not until winter 2015/16. Oh and hope you like fish as the fish port where it docks had a persistent aroma

Edited by Single Cruiser
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CarolinaMamma

CarolinaMamma

Posted
Posted
Did the mosque one two weeks ago. Whilst the mosque was aesthetically pleasing the tour after that went downhill. When the guide points out highlights like a McDonalds!

 

We then got taken to the "government store" for 20mins!

 

Then a stop at a hotel for a drink

 

Then a walk through some grotty old streets with rubbish everywhere in the street (not even bagged) and what smelt like raw sewage with half dead feral cats running around.

 

Put it this way if I was unfortunate to stop their again I'd stay on the ship!

 

I'm going in 10 days and am still hemming and hawing about what to do. Help me decide!

 

Believe me, I am fine with "cultural differences." I am living abroad, for the second time, and have come across people from a lot of different countries, but the negative reviews of Casablanca are giving me pause as well.

 

It seems the local authorities make it difficult for many private tour guides to do business by not letting them pick you up at the port. And if you DIY I hear you are constantly harassed. I have decided it's either ship's excursion or nothing for us. And I don't generally like ship's excursions because of the time wasted, the fact that you are in a giant herd of people, and the focus on shopping at touristy places for stuff I don't need. We are a family of 5, so ship's excursion is quite an investment. I don't want to drop several hundred bucks for an experience that is going to be hellish.

 

Marrakech looked interesting, but then I read the description about the one bathroom stop at a squatty potty along the way, and the recommendation to bring one's own TP and wipes. That was a little off putting.

 

The mosque seemed to be the highlight of a lot of people's tours.

 

If the markets are anything like they were in Tunisia, I have absolutely no interest in going. The sales people were the pushiest I have ever encountered and kept trying to get to us through our children, making comments to my six year old daughter that were inappropriate, trying to hand my kids "free" stuff, etc. Never again.

 

But I just hate to waste a port and not get off the ship in a country I have never been to before. I am having trouble getting my head around that idea.

 

We have awesome excursions planned for all the other ports on the cruise though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SteveH2508

SteveH2508

Posted
Posted

We did the Exclusive Rabat and Casablanca tour. Rabat was fine - clean (but then that's where the bosses live!) The lunch was excellent.

 

Casablanca is a complete sh**hole IMHO - the only thing of note is the mosque and some spectacular waves on the beach beside it. The rest of it is dirty, smelly and crowded.

 

We would not go back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
buckeye82

buckeye82

Posted
Posted
I'm going in 10 days and am still hemming and hawing about what to do. Help me decide!

 

Believe me, I am fine with "cultural differences." I am living abroad, for the second time, and have come across people from a lot of different countries, but the negative reviews of Casablanca are giving me pause as well.

 

It seems the local authorities make it difficult for many private tour guides to do business by not letting them pick you up at the port. And if you DIY I hear you are constantly harassed. I have decided it's either ship's excursion or nothing for us. And I don't generally like ship's excursions because of the time wasted, the fact that you are in a giant herd of people, and the focus on shopping at touristy places for stuff I don't need. We are a family of 5, so ship's excursion is quite an investment. I don't want to drop several hundred bucks for an experience that is going to be hellish.

 

Marrakech looked interesting, but then I read the description about the one bathroom stop at a squatty potty along the way, and the recommendation to bring one's own TP and wipes. That was a little off putting.

 

The mosque seemed to be the highlight of a lot of people's tours.

 

If the markets are anything like they were in Tunisia, I have absolutely no interest in going. The sales people were the pushiest I have ever encountered and kept trying to get to us through our children, making comments to my six year old daughter that were inappropriate, trying to hand my kids "free" stuff, etc. Never again.

 

But I just hate to waste a port and not get off the ship in a country I have never been to before. I am having trouble getting my head around that idea.

 

We have awesome excursions planned for all the other ports on the cruise though.

 

 

Don't let the potty break put you off. NCL needs to update that info. The rest stops were in modern clean buildings along the highway, with clean bathroom facilities and snack bars/cafes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tv77

tv77

Posted
Posted

We did the non-exclusive imperial Rabat tour. I second the exclusive Rabat review. Very clean, awesome lunch at a restaurant on the water. I believe there were three stops, then a drink stop, then lunch, then a stop at the second largest mosque in the world. Last stop was 20 minutes at a carpet store and spice shop. Very glad we did it vs staying in Casablanca.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Froggitt

Froggitt

Posted
Posted
It seems the local authorities make it difficult for many private tour guides to do business by not letting them pick you up at the port. And if you DIY I hear you are constantly harassed. I have decided it's either ship's excursion or nothing for us.

The ship has a shuttle to the town centre. Where it drops off, there are loads of taxis and tour guides touting for business.....its an alternative to an NCL tour and a DIY walk around the dump.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
4774Papa

4774Papa

Posted
Posted

We did Casablanca in 2011 and very much enjoyed our excursion. We took an NCL excursion to Rabat that also visited the Mosque in Casablanca. It was an excellent tour.

 

Some of our shipmates took a private tour to Marrakesh and loved the city.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Froggitt

Froggitt

Posted
Posted (edited)

Who mentioned oriental carpets? Morocco and North African countries are well known for carpets, and tours are well known for visiting carpet shops. You've gotta be slightly unhinged if you're buying carpets on a cruise holiday.

Edited by Froggitt
Link to comment
Share on other sites
4774Papa

4774Papa

Posted
Posted
Who mentioned oriental carpets? Morocco and North African countries are well known for carpets, and tours are well known for visiting carpet shops. You've gotta be slightly unhinged if you're buying carpets on a cruise holiday.

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years and became somewhat familiar with oriental carpets, having purchased many. Also, read a couple of books on the subject.

 

North African countries are not well known for handmade carpets, with the possible exception of Egypt. The very best quality come from Iran, with Pakistan, India and Turkey in the next level.

 

http://www.internetrugs.com/blog/where-are-oriental-rugs-made/

 

"Oriental rugs are made as far west as Morocco and as far east as eastern China; as far north as Mongolia and as far south as India. Today’s most important oriental rug weaving areas are in Turkey, Iran (Persia), Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and China."

 

 

http://www.internetrugs.com/blog/the-best-rugs-being-made-today/

 

 

I recommend before you purchase any oriental carpets overseas that you shop for a carpet (not to buy, just compare) in the US.

 

Get a sense of what a double knot carpet will cost in the US, so if you find the prices overseas are too high, as a minimum you can bargain. ALWAYS BARGAIN

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 5 months later...
DipBrat

DipBrat

Posted
Posted
We did Casablanca in 2011 and very much enjoyed our excursion. We took an NCL excursion to Rabat that also visited the Mosque in Casablanca. It was an excellent tour.

 

Some of our shipmates took a private tour to Marrakesh and loved the city.

 

As others have said Casablanca doesn't live up to its reputation. The Mosque is worth visiting otherwise it is a run down industrial city. Those that went to Rabat had good things to say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steepndeep

Steepndeep

Posted
Posted
As others have said Casablanca doesn't live up to its reputation. The Mosque is worth visiting otherwise it is a run down industrial city. Those that went to Rabat had good things to say.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, after reading tons of recent reviews tonight, we are going to opt for the Rabat/Casa 1 day tour with the ship.

 

Glad to have a place to look for advice.

 

Thanks,

 

Rob from Canada

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...