Has anyone taken the Tangier and Asilah Tour with NCL Epic?

[gam888]

Visiting Tangier in April with the Epic. Thinking of taking the Tangier and Asilah tour for 8 hours with the ship, it's $146 with lunch. There are shorter tour for 4 hours around 62. I thought since we will not be returning to Tangier any time soon, and we have a long port day, might as well see two places instead of the shorter tours that only visit Tangier.

Has anyone taken this tour with the ship, how was your experience, do you feel rushed? Do you get taken to a carpet factory or gift shops that you have no interested in, and end up having to spend time there? How is the lunch?

 

Normally we always explore a port on our own using public transportation, or sharing a taxi with other people. But we are interested in seeing Asilah (looks very interesting on the videos we saw on youtube posted by other travelers). So we thought we might consider the ship tour this time, although it is kind of expensive. Any other info on Tangier is welcome!

[backsbanny]

Tangier was one of the wirst ports ive ever been..we just did a short tour going to the kasba old city hercules caves and the soouk and i know next time if i ever go again it will be a stay onboard day for me...on my 10 day canary cruise this year this port of call was by far the worst!!

[Windsailer]

I was on the Epic last month and actually enjoyed Tangier. We did the Tangier and Camel Photo Stop through NCL. HOWEVER, the brief camel photo stop was in a parking lot at a construction site, and no ocean in the background. Once we got to the Kasbah, we were led down the hill (with little historical or cultural commentary) to the Medina to - you guessed it - a rug shop! After the 20 minute "presentation" two people on the tour wanted to buy carpets, so our main guide abandoned the rest of us. We were then taken to the second unscheduled stop - a fancy argan oil shop for yet another long presentation. We were then led outside to wait, and wait and wait for the main guide who never showed up. We were then taken to a hotel to wait and wait and wait. And there was no time for shopping - none at all.

 

If you're booking a NCL excursion make it clear to the excursion desk that you don't want any unscheduled carpet or gift shop stops. We did that and it was clear from our next excursion that the tour company had been told that and the gift shop stop the guide had planned wasn't going to take place.