Help needed with Gibraltar!

[kadey]

Hello! We stop in Gibraltar in September from 7 am to 10 pm. It seems both private tours and ship tours are about 2-3 hours long.  The often include 3 activities. 
 The ship is excursions are pricey but not crazy. The private tour prices for two hours are crazy!!

Please tell me about your experiences n Gibraltar! Is it easy to find taxis and get around on your own?   Is shopping and cafes located at the bottom if the rock or is old town a separate ? We have a lot of hours in Gibraltar to fill!  Thank you for any advice or suggestions.

[Over from NZ]

This is the best one if you can get a group of 8 - 

 

https://www.rocktoursgibraltar.com/packages/ultimate-tour

 

It's not that expensive - just under Eu$100 each. Gibraltar is amazing. The tour is 7-hours.. so if you've got lots of hours there you can still shop etc. afterwards. The place is small.. so after the excursion.. do the shopping.. have the meal etc.. and then either walk back to the ship or take a short taxi ride. 

[Senga]

@kadeyHave you joined your cruise Roll Call?  Ours has lots of small group tours for the various ports so you might get lucky.

[kadey]

18 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

This is the best one if you can get a group of 8 - 

 

https://www.rocktoursgibraltar.com/packages/ultimate-tour

 

It's not that expensive - just under Eu$100 each. Gibraltar is amazing. The tour is 7-hours.. so if you've got lots of hours there you can still shop etc. afterwards. The place is small.. so after the excursion.. do the shopping.. have the meal etc.. and then either walk back to the ship or take a short taxi ride. 

Thank you! We did book with them!

[kadey]

12 minutes ago, Senga said:

@kadeyHave you joined your cruise Roll Call?  Ours has lots of small group tours for the various ports so you might get lucky.

Yes,  I started the roll call! I love doing pre trip research. I was looking for ideas from people who have been to Gibraltar before and no one from our roll call had.

 I really enjoy the Cruise Critic community and I appreciate that you tried to give me some great  direction! 😀

[Senga]

We have booked John Lopez Rock tour for 8 on our Enchanted Princess roll call for September 11th.  John Bull always gives good advice and seems to think this tour, although expensive, gives value.  I have read some comments that make me leery of regular taxi drivers so we shall see.  🤞🏻

[Over from NZ]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:51 AM, kadey said:

Thank you! We did book with them!

Good for you! It's a great day out.. so much to see. The 7-hours was just enough with a stop for lunch. So glad we did that excursion.. was one of the best we've done. Enjoy!

[John Bull]

Provide that you can fill the van, you have chosen well 🙂.

 

The WW2 Tunnels are currently closed, I don't know when they will re-open.

Your tour is effectively the standard Upper Rock tour but with other inclusions and a more-leisurely time-frame, plus a sea-level circumnavigation. 

 

The rest of this post is for others.

 

Prices in Gib. have risen significantly since the pandemic, some of that increase is down to quite high inflation in most of Europe

 

There's a list of Gib tour operators' websites on

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2928358-gibraltar……private-tours/#comment-65634222

 

For pretty-well every tour that I've booked anywhere in the world, ships' prices have always been significantly higher than the equivalent booked with a local operator.

You do need to compare tour itineraries and inclusions carefully - prices & other factors vary, but value-for-money is about the same for most local operators.

As in Europe & much of the world. a private tour for two will be massively more expensive than shared tours.

 

Due to the narrow & twisty roads on the upper Rock, the biggest vans seat 8 to 10 passengers - anything larger will go no further than St Michael's Cave, which is pretty pointless.

1. You can book seats-in-van.

2 Or, provided you leave the ship at about the same time as the rest of the herd, you can simply join a van at the cruise terminal for a standard Upper Rock tour - this includes all admission charges. If you get off earlier than about 8.30 or much later than the herd you might have a long wait for the van to fill - or if late the vans might have already deserted the cruise terminal in favour of the Spanish border, the coach park, or other spots.

In both cases, at the end of the standard tour the driver will give you the option of being taken back to the ship or baling out at Casemates Square, which is at the bottom (northern) end of Main Street - you can then explore the minor sights (like the Alameda Gardens, the little Trafalgar cemetery, and the Governor's Residence), the shops & pubs & cafes of Main Street before heading back to the ship - a 20-minutee walk or taxi-hop from Casemates Square.

(You can also ask to be dropped at the entrance to the WW2 tunnels, halfway down the Rock &  after the Great Siege Tunnels  - these are guided tours which go every 15 to 30 minutes - and get back down to town on foot by following your nose or by bus from just below the Moorish Castle. But the WW2 tunnels are currently closed).

(you can also ask your driver if at the end of the tour he can give you circumnavigation of Gib at sea-level - it takes from about 25 minutes plus, whether it's worthwhile will depend on the cost and how many others in the van are willing to join you.)

3. Or you can do the same as the OP and book a whole van & share via your RollCall, This gives you some control over who you share with, and the opportunity to personalise your tour.

 

You don't need a guided tour of the town, it's easy to DIY.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[kj_connections]

What's the most cost effective way to see St. Michael's cave?  Looks like the cable car (one way) + nature reserve is £34.5 per person.  Is a taxi tour cheaper than this if I have a group of 8 (4 adults 4 kids)?

[John Bull]

12 hours ago, kj_connections said:

What's the most cost effective way to see St. Michael's cave?  Looks like the cable car (one way) + nature reserve is £34.5 per person.  Is a taxi tour cheaper than this if I have a group of 8 (4 adults 4 kids)?

 

 

Cheapest is a local bus ride (#2 or #10) then a 15 - 20 minute steep uphill walk.

 

There are tours which visit only St Michael's Cave - in larger vehicles than the van tours because it's possible to visit the cave without being committed to the narrow upper Rock one-way system. But I don't know who operates them.

 

You might be able to negotiate a van to just St Michael's Cave, wait for you (30 minutes is plenty), and bring you back.

 

A standard upper Rock van tour won't be any cheaper for your party of 8 - most vans hold 8, and van-loads are put together at the cruise terminal (and Spanish border & other places). But having a van to yourselves gives you the flexibility within the normal time-frame (or longer by negotiation) to spend longer or shorter time at the various stops, including St Michael's Cave. And an upper Rock tour is a much easier and  more comprehensive tour than you can achieve by using the cable-car and Shanks's.

 

JB 🙂

[kj_connections]

13 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Cheapest is a local bus ride (#2 or #10) then a 15 - 20 minute steep uphill walk.

 

There are tours which visit only St Michael's Cave - in larger vehicles than the van tours because it's possible to visit the cave without being committed to the narrow upper Rock one-way system. But I don't know who operates them.

 

You might be able to negotiate a van to just St Michael's Cave, wait for you (30 minutes is plenty), and bring you back.

 

A standard upper Rock van tour won't be any cheaper for your party of 8 - most vans hold 8, and van-loads are put together at the cruise terminal (and Spanish border & other places). But having a van to yourselves gives you the flexibility within the normal time-frame (or longer by negotiation) to spend longer or shorter time at the various stops, including St Michael's Cave. And an upper Rock tour is a much easier and  more comprehensive tour than you can achieve by using the cable-car and Shanks's.

 

JB 🙂

Thanks John!  I may do the option of bus and then the steep 15-20min walk, then walk back down back to the ship.  I'll be in port for 9 hours so I think that's plenty of time unless you think it is not wise.

[INKaren]

Would this be from cadiz?

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, INKaren said:

Would this be from cadiz?

 

No.

It's for the many cruise ships which port in Gib.

 

Altho Cadiz and Malaga are both just 90 minutes from Gib., there's no suitable public transport or tours for cruisers, and travelling by car (rented car or private tour) has its complications at the Spanish / Gib. border.

Folk who vacation in the Spanish resorts and visit Gib by car are always advised to park in one of the many parking lots on the Spanish side of the border and cross the border on foot - this is much quicker than joining the long & slow line to cross by car. And for a visitor a car is a handicap in Gib. where parking can be difficult and private cars aren't permitted up on the upper Rock.

 

You have many other options........

- ships berth close to the streets and alleyways in the charming old-town district of Cadiz, so for a laid-back day there's no need for a tour or guide or transport

- Seville is a little further than Gib., but easy by ship's excursion or - for the more adventurous - by train.

- Jerez de la Frontera and its sherry bodegas is 30 minutes or less by road or train.

Also in Jerez is the world-renown https://www.realescuela.org/en/main/  , altho its a lottery whether your date & hours in port fit in with a show, a tour of the stables, carriage museum, etc. is worthwhile. Sandeman's bodega is a few minutes walk from there.

- fix a tour or rent a car to visit some of the hill-top "white villages" in the area like Medina Sidonia and Vejer de la Frontera, perhaps even as far as spectacular Ronda. an hour & 40 minutes from Cadiz but on an attractive route.

 

Google those places, see what you think

 

If you rent a car, choose an agency with a depot at Cadiz rail station - most agencies are in the commercial part of Cadiz, a couple of miles from the port, 

 

JB 🙂

[ollienbertsmum]

On 7/22/2023 at 1:07 AM, kj_connections said:

Thanks John!  I may do the option of bus and then the steep 15-20min walk, then walk back down back to the ship.  I'll be in port for 9 hours so I think that's plenty of time unless you think it is not wise.

 

John Bull always gives good advice.  Catching a number 2 bus up Europa Road and then hiking up the Rock is the cheapest way to go.  If you have 9 hours in port so you should have plenty of  time as long as you set out early.    You still have to pay for the entrance to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.  Prices have gone up recently according to the Website it is now 18 pounds sterling for an adult http://www.visitgibraltar.gi/see-and-do/tours-excursions/mediterranean-steps-12

 

There is an advantage of doing it yourself.  Although I do think the taxi tours are great and the drivers act as your guide, they do not take you everywhere that is included in the ticket.  So (as far as I know) you miss out on the Skywalk, the Windsor Bridge, the City under Siege exhibition, O’Hara’s Battery.  These are not the highlights, but they are of interest.  

 

I know that John says it is a 15 to 20 minute walk up to St Michael’s Cave - when it is hot, it feels like more than 20 minutes.    I have added a few photos so that you know what you will be rewarded with when you get up the Rock.  

 

Getting down is probably easier than getting up - keep your eye on your watch though.    It is not worth getting a bus back to the town centre.   Once you come down by the Tower of Homage you will see steps that will get you back through the old town.  You are in Main Street and you could stop for a drink or just carry on another 15 minutes (but flat this time) to the ship.  You will be glad that you wore sensible shoes.  

 

[kj_connections]

Appreciate all the information and help!

[little britain]

@John Bull how much are the fill-the-van tours at the cruise terminal now please? I recall it being about €25pp a few years ago. 
Thanks 

[John Bull]

53 minutes ago, little britain said:

@John Bull how much are the fill-the-van tours at the cruise terminal now please? I recall it being about €25pp a few years ago. 
Thanks 

 

Yes, I recall the same. 

But as well as inflation a big increase in the admission to the Upper Rock Conservation Area (included in taxi tour prices along with other admissions) and about £50 is now being mentioned

 

JB 🙂

[Malleykatt]

Just to add. Visited today and the WW2 tunnels are now open again.

[ethan1171]

Any recent experiences with taking a taxi to the rock and sightseeing? Where is the best place to find one after getting off the ship? We are with Enchanted Princess at Gibraltar on September 11. I have sent a note to http://www.gibraltartaxiassociation.com but I have not heard back with a quote...

[ollienbertsmum]

1 hour ago, ethan1171 said:

Any recent experiences with taking a taxi to the rock and sightseeing? Where is the best place to find one after getting off the ship? We are with Enchanted Princess at Gibraltar on September 11. I have sent a note to http://www.gibraltartaxiassociation.com but I have not heard back with a quote...

 

To be honest I am not surprised that you have not got a reply from the Taxi Association.  They are not renowned for being good at booking.  I think they would rather rely on who is available at the time. That does not excuse laziness in not replying to you.   The service for rock tours is good though as far as I know.  I think that what happens is that you can queue up at the port and they fill up the taxis.  As long as you leave the ship reasonably promptly (before the traffic builds up) I don’t think that you will have a problem.    If you want a private tour you would have to pay the going rate for 8 minus the cost of the entrance to the Nature Reserve for the empty seats.  You can also consider ‘Inside Out Tours’ they do a 7 hour tour that has 12 stops.  It is expensive compared to the 3 hour tour but covers much more.  If you have 8 people it could be a good alternative.  I have no personal experience getting any taxi tours to tell you about though.  

 

What I can report on is that the queues for the cable car are crazy long.  I have a walking route through the gardens beside and nearly daily the queues are out of the building.  Taxi drivers wait around for people to opt for a taxi tour instead.  With the brutal temperatures I often feel like telling the tourists to take a taxi instead.  I think I would probably come across as a scammer!!!  

[DUTRAVEL]

Does anyone know if Bus Route One is running in Gibraltar? Google maps only show Bus Routes 5 and 10.

[John Bull]

@DUTRAVEL

 

Gibraltar bus route map (Route 1 is in green)

 http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi/bus-network-map/

 

Route 1 stops & timetable 

http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi/routes-and-timetables/route-1/

 

JB 🙂

Edited August 29, 2023 by John Bull

[DUTRAVEL]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

@DUTRAVEL

 

Gibraltar bus route map (Route 1 is in green)

 http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi/bus-network-map/

 

Route 1 stops & timetable 

http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi/routes-and-timetables/route-1/

 

JB 🙂

Thanks!!

[ollienbertsmum]

17 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

Does anyone know if Bus Route One is running in Gibraltar? Google maps only show Bus Routes 5 and 10.

 

Where exactly do you want to go from and to?  It might be an ‘interesting trip’ for a tourist in the same way that the Yangon Circular train was for DD and me when we were on a backpacking trip.  It is a very small bus.  I would think that it is easier to walk although there are a few steps on the way.  

[DUTRAVEL]

37 minutes ago, ollienbertsmum said:

 

Where exactly do you want to go from and to?  It might be an ‘interesting trip’ for a tourist in the same way that the Yangon Circular train was for DD and me when we were on a backpacking trip.  It is a very small bus.  I would think that it is easier to walk although there are a few steps on the way.  

Thanks cannot do steps, that's why I'm looking to go on the bus. I have to be more creative than those who can walk everywhere.