Casablanca Walking Tour and Rick’s Café

[friendlyfifer]

I have been booking our excursions for our upcoming cruise. This is the first day that excursions have been open for PV cabins. Unfortunately the above tour is already full. Is it likely that Viking will increase the number of spaces available? Is there a waiting list we can go on? Lastly is there another good tour in Casablanca that we should consider? Many thanks

[Critically Cruising]

If you ever went to one of those "Cheers" knock-off bars, that's what you get with Rick's.  The original you saw in the movie was just a set on the Warner Brothers lot.  This is a restaurant that capitalizes on the old movie to make a new cafe that copies that look.

 

There used to be a "Rick's" in the Hyatt hotel as well, but I think that one closed and was repurposed.

 

Getting out to the Hassan II mosque is one of the more impressive things in Casablanca.  As well as shopping for carpets.

[Berlin Bear]

5 minutes ago, Critically Cruising said:

If you ever went to one of those "Cheers" knock-off bars, that's what you get with Rick's.  The original you saw in the movie was just a set on the Warner Brothers lot.  This is a restaurant that capitalizes on the old movie to make a new cafe that copies that look.

 

There used to be a "Rick's" in the Hyatt hotel as well, but I think that one closed and was repurposed.

 

Getting out to the Hassan II mosque is one of the more impressive things in Casablanca.  As well as shopping for carpets.

Fully agree. Casablanca was our first port on our first cruise in 2011 and we had no idea what we were doing at the time. We simply took the shuttle bus into town from the industrial port and wandered through the open air market to the mosque which was very impressive. We were incredibly lucky in being able to join a small German-speaking group (there were four of us) to tour the mosque, including the hammam.

[Breckski]

Never been to Casablanca on a cruise so can't help with their excursions, but don't miss the Hassan II mosque.  I'm not a fan of all the cathedrals in Europe as they seem to be a dime a dozen.  But this mosque was unique.

[shipboy]

We were on the Southern Atlantic crossing last year and although Casablanca was cancelled, I’m sure I read somewhere that Rick’s Cafe excursion was not available (even though it said sold put on MVJ). May well be due to the reason given by Critically Cruising above.

[OneSixtyToOne]

37 minutes ago, shipboy said:

We were on the Southern Atlantic crossing last year and although Casablanca was cancelled, I’m sure I read somewhere that Rick’s Cafe excursion was not available (even though it said sold put on MVJ). May well be due to the reason given by Critically Cruising above.

I’m shocked, shocked that it might be closed.

[gma1]

39 minutes ago, shipboy said:

We were on the Southern Atlantic crossing last year and although Casablanca was cancelled, I’m sure I read somewhere that Rick’s Cafe excursion was not available (even though it said sold put on MVJ). May well be due to the reason given by Critically Cruising above.

We were on the Southern Crossing in 2019 and that same excursion was full also.  However we did drive past the run down original one (so they said)  when we did the included excursion. We enjoyed the included which was a combination of bus & walking . People who did go to Rick's Cafe said it wasn't much. I do not recall it opening up for more people while on ship. Enjoy this super great cruise, just about our favorite Viking Ocean. Loved all the sea days. 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, friendlyfifer said:

Unfortunately the above tour is already full. Is it likely that Viking will increase the number of spaces available? Is there a waiting list we can go on?

 

Viking uses SOLD OUT as a place holder. I can mean what it says or it can mean that the tour is not being offered on your sailing. You don't know what it means until you click on the tour to see what is going on. Since you are in a PV, unless the tour is super-limited capacity, it is unlike that the tour is sold out and much more likely that it isn't being offered.

 

Viking does not keep a waiting-list. You just have to keep going back to the website to see if seats have become available -- and they just might. People change their mind. People have to cancel last minute. Viking adds more capacity. It all happens without announcement and seats are sold first-come-first-served.

 

In the meantime, while you are checking the website every day, dash off an e-mail (tellus@vikingcruises.com) to Viking telling them how disappointed you are that the tour you so much wanted is sold out. Ask them if they will be adding more capacity.  Since they don't keep a waiting list, they have no way of knowing if they need more space. Include your booking number and a phone number where they can reach you.

[friendlyfifer]

9 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Viking uses SOLD OUT as a place holder. I can mean what it says or it can mean that the tour is not being offered on your sailing. You don't know what it means until you click on the tour to see what is going on. Since you are in a PV, unless the tour is super-limited capacity, it is unlike that the tour is sold out and much more likely that it isn't being offered.

 

Viking does not keep a waiting-list. You just have to keep going back to the website to see if seats have become available -- and they just might. People change their mind. People have to cancel last minute. Viking adds more capacity. It all happens without announcement and seats are sold first-come-first-served.

 

In the meantime, while you are checking the website every day, dash off an e-mail (tellus@vikingcruises.com) to Viking telling them how disappointed you are that the tour you so much wanted is sold out. Ask them if they will be adding more capacity.  Since they don't keep a waiting list, they have no way of knowing if they need more space. Include your booking number and a phone number where they can reach you.

Thank you very much for your detailed response. It is very much appreciated. None of the Casablanca tours are very exciting. We are almost tempted to do our own thing in the city. So often now the included tours are simply a quick bus tour with little or no interaction with the locals. The Rick’s Cafe one would have been interesting but previous participants have not been enthralled.

[friendlyfifer]

2 hours ago, gma1 said:

We were on the Southern Crossing in 2019 and that same excursion was full also.  However we did drive past the run down original one (so they said)  when we did the included excursion. We enjoyed the included which was a combination of bus & walking . People who did go to Rick's Cafe said it wasn't much. I do not recall it opening up for more people while on ship. Enjoy this super great cruise, just about our favorite Viking Ocean. Loved all the sea days. 

Thank you for your response. I think we will either join the included tour or do our own thing. We are so looking forward to the cruise and the extension in Buenos Aires. It seems a good mix of cities and sea days. I was looking forward to Dakar which has now been replaced with Cape Verde. Hope you have another cruise to look forward to.

[gma1]

3 hours ago, friendlyfifer said:

Thank you for your response. I think we will either join the included tour or do our own thing. We are so looking forward to the cruise and the extension in Buenos Aires. It seems a good mix of cities and sea days. I was looking forward to Dakar which has now been replaced with Cape Verde. Hope you have another cruise to look forward to.

Sounds like a good plan. Buenos Aires is a super exciting city that we enjoyed so much. The tour of the old cemetery was very interesting, and we passed by Eva Peron's cript. The entertainment on the ship, with dancers & Gaucho our last night there was so awesome...don't miss it. Dakar is pretty low on our list, so maybe Cape Verde will be better & a better port. We head out on the Polaris

[gma1]

Just now, gma1 said:

Sounds like a good plan. You will so enjoy your adventure! Buenos Aires is a super exciting city that we enjoyed so much. The walking tour of the old cemetery was very eerie & interesting, and we passed by Eva Peron's cript, as well as other famous people. The entertainment on the ship, with beautiful dancers & Gaucho with his whip our last night there was so awesome...don't miss it. It wasn't really advertised well, so we were so happy that we had cancelled our evening dinner show off ship & took in the performance. Dakar is pretty low on our list, so maybe Cape Verde will a more desirable port. We head out on the Viking  Polaris Oct. 11 ...Panama & Scenic South America. So will will see the other side of S. America as well as experiencing that awesome ship.

 

[longterm]

4 hours ago, friendlyfifer said:

I was looking forward to Dakar which has now been replaced with Cape Verde. Hope you have another cruise to look forward to.

We've flown in and out of Dakar twice on our way to South Africa from the US; both times, we were told that it wasn't very safe and that we wouldn't be allowed to leave the plane while it was being serviced for the continuation of our flight down to Johannesburg.

 

From what one of the flight attendants told me on one of the flights, I think you're very fortunate to be going to Cape Verde instead! West Africa--Senegal, Ivory Coast--is not a very safe part of Africa at all.

 

 

[donaldsc]

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Edited September 1, 2023 by donaldsc

[friendlyfifer]

20 hours ago, longterm said:

We've flown in and out of Dakar twice on our way to South Africa from the US; both times, we were told that it wasn't very safe and that we wouldn't be allowed to leave the plane while it was being serviced for the continuation of our flight down to Johannesburg.

 

From what one of the flight attendants told me on one of the flights, I think you're very fortunate to be going to Cape Verde instead! West Africa--Senegal, Ivory Coast--is not a very safe part of Africa at all.

 

 

I quite understand the safety concerns. I particularly wanted to find out about the slave trade and its links with Liverpool and London in the UK. Cape Verde sounds much less interesting but maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

[CILCIANRQTS]

Look into a tour of Rabat, the capital city.

It’s cleaner and safer and has numerous interesting sights, including the President’s palace, mausoleums, a walk through the casbah, a local meal, etc.

It was a very enjoyable day.

[friendlyfifer]

3 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Look into a tour of Rabat, the capital city.

It’s cleaner and safer and has numerous interesting sights, including the President’s palace, mausoleums, a walk through the casbah, a local meal, etc.

It was a very enjoyable day.

Thanks for the suggestion I will do.