thomson destiny colourful coast

[cegi]

anyone been on the magical marrakech tour on this ship,i know its a long trip (12hrs) out of agadir costing about £56 each, any info would be a help. thanks

[welshlass]

We have done this itinary quite a few times, the last time we were there was a year ago, we did not do a tour we were going to do our own thing, this did not happen as when we got off the destiny people who had already been out in taxis were telling stories off being charged double what they had been quoted, somebody else would not pay so the driver dumped them in the countryside. So i would say going on an organised trip in this port is a good idea the other ports are easy to do on your own.

[allangraham]

Taxi drivers at the port in Agadir pick up tourists to go to the souk, when they get there a friend is waiting to show them around, he will take them to shops he gets commission from, so you get over charged. Book a private city tour or private guide, you will be safer and not get ripped off. If anyone wants info on tour companies or trustworthy guides send me your email, I am only too happy to help.

[cegi]

anyone been on the magical marrakech tour on this ship,i know its a long trip (12hrs) out of agadir costing about £56 each, any info would be a help. thanks

we normally do the ports on our own but as marrakech is a good distance from the port of agadir we would prefer to do the organised ships tour which i agree is overpriced, however if anyone has actually done the organised ships tour called magical marrakech i would be interested to hear any comments. thanks a lot for all help

[cegi]

anyone been on the magical marrakech tour on this ship,i know its a long trip (12hrs) out of agadir costing about £56 each, any info would be a help. thanks

we normally do the ports on our own but as marrakech is a good distance from the port of agadir we would prefer to do the organised ships tour which i agree is overpriced, however if anyone has actually done the organised ships tour called magical marrakech i would be interested to hear any comments. thanks a lot for all help

[allangraham]

we normally do the ports on our own but as marrakech is a good distance from the port of agadir we would prefer to do the organised ships tour which i agree is overpriced, however if anyone has actually done the organised ships tour called magical marrakech i would be interested to hear any comments. thanks a lot for all help

I have not done the tour myself but with 4 hours traveling time each way and only 4 hours in Marrakesh it seems a lot of money for what you get.

[kruzseeka]

We did the Colourful Coasts two years ago and went on the Taroudannt trip which was 5 hours in total (about an hour's journey each way) and cost £26 compared with the Marrakech trip which was £58 and was a 12 hour trip with 3.5 hours travelling each way.

 

We stopped briefly en route to see and photograph the tree-climbing goats and had a refreshment stop for fresh orange juice or sweet mint tea (included in price).

 

Taroudannt is known as 'little Marrakech' so I imagine it has much of the flavour of Marrakech - although obviously not the 'real thing'.

 

There was a visit to the souk and some free time to explore on your own - but like others on this thread, it could be a bit intimidating and you certainly have to be alert to being pestered, or even tricked. A local tried to persuade us to leave a rendezvous point claiming our guide went down a different alley in the souk. We did not go but heard that others had been duped and got lost. They had to pay the locals to find the way back!

 

We did enjoy Taroudannt though and felt we'd had quite an experience of Morocco so perhaps if you are not sure about all the travelling to Marrakech, this may be an option worth considering.

[allangraham]

Taroudant is known as little Marrakesh and offers much the same as Marrakesh only on a smaller scale. Taroudant is a walled city with 95% of the city still within the walls, Marrakesh as grown so big that 95% is now outside the walls. Local tour companies offer a tour to Taroudant that picks you up from the port in Agadir at approx 8.30am and as you back around 4pm to make the sailing, 5.5 hours in Taroudant, including lunch for 330 dirhams, (33 Euros per-person). The drive to Taroudant takes you towards the Atlas Mountains and stops to see the tree climbing goats and on the return you may see herds of camels, not always guaranteed, but the goats are. If anyone would like information on the company we used and thoroughly enjoyed please ask and let me know your email address and I will pass it on. Taroudant is well worth a visit, a real taste of authentic Morocco.

[emac]

Please could Lauraneill or allangraham please send me details of tours of Taroudant. Going on Destiny the end of March.

e.mcneillyathvrc.net.

 

Thanks

[Miz Oh]

My husband and I are on a Destiny Thomson Cruise at the end of March (Friday 28) and will be heading to Agadir. We would like to explore the city, see the sights and souks. I would be really grateful if you could give us pointers for tour companies or how we could do it alone. Cheers.

 

Book a private tour company and you will save a lot of money. The cruise lines tours are over priced and not as good as a private one, you get to see more and far cheaper. The guide on the ships tours only stops at shops that he gets commission from, so you get over charged, sometimes as much as 50%.

I know a guide that makes a fortune from the cruise ships, he waits at the gate to the souk for tourists to arrive then moves in. If anyone needs info on good tour companies in Agadir or a good trustworthy guide send me an email. I am only too happy to help.

[Miz Oh]

My husband and I are on a Destiny Thomson Cruise at the end of March (Friday 28) and will be heading to Agadir. We would like to explore the city, see the sights and souks - or probably Taroudant. I would be really grateful if you could please give us pointers for tour companies or how we could do it alone. Cheers

 

 

Taxi drivers at the port in Agadir pick up tourists to go to the souk, when they get there a friend is waiting to show them around, he will take them to shops he gets commission from, so you get over charged. Book a private city tour or private guide, you will be safer and not get ripped off. If anyone wants info on tour companies or trustworthy guides send me your email, I am only too happy to help.

[CRUISE LOVER PARTY]

we went on this trip last year and ar ealso off tomorrow the 28th.

 

I hated agadir as its just hassle from the moment you leave the ship. we went on a trip to the souk and fabtasia:- it was hassle from beginning to end...........dont take a photo of anyone unless you want to pay them afterwards. ............... I was told i was a cheapskate numerous times............i was very impressed they were so obsevant and congratulated them on their observational skills....................We met many who had the same experiance and all we spoke to said if they went to agadir again they would stay on the ship. Marakech is a long way 3.5 hours ont he coach but if you intnd to do it i really would pay the extra and let thomson organise the trip it is just not worth all the hassle and aggrevation. we met someone who was collected in a txi and taken to someones house then they drove off. they were hassled for money. they got out and managed to get back to ship just in time.

 

sorry if i sound a misery but we had looked foward to thispart of the trip and hated it.

 

madiera is fab and so is la palma, gran canria, lanzarote. madiera is possible to do cable car and the basket ride without paying the cost of the trip:- the garden tour is lovely too as part of this.

 

neway must get back to packing................unfortuneatley they are moving the destiny to the carribean next year.....shame as i love this small ship

[Swerve]

In 2006 we did the five and half hour trip to Taroudant and it was the most frightened we've ever been.

 

Our guide was excellent with history etc, there was a welcome 15 minute break on the way there where mint tea, juice was provided. We also saw the goats in the tree's, I kid you not !

 

Approaching the walled city was very impressive. It was down hill after that. Whilst we saw what one would expect to see, the backstreets, the traders etc we were left alone whilst the guide was with us. But, and this was the scary part, he arranged for us all to meet at a pre-arranged time in the square, fine no problems with that and off he went for a break or whatever.

 

What no one was ready for were the beggars, pickpockets, youngs kids walking around us as if shepherding us so they could pick off their target(s). We were literally corralled and it was not a nice state of affairs.

 

Thankfully the guide and bus driver were found around the corner and agreed for us to get on the coach for safety.

 

If you do go to Taroudant make sure you have a guide with you at all times !!

[hiitscharlie]

Hi The Taroudant trip sounds like a trip my wife and I may enjoy, we are not really into the hussle and bussle but would like to experience a true feel of Morroco. Please send me the company you used. How did you contact them? i.e from the ship or before you left home?

Best regards Charlie

 

Taroudant is known as little Marrakesh and offers much the same as Marrakesh only on a smaller scale. Taroudant is a walled city with 95% of the city still within the walls, Marrakesh as grown so big that 95% is now outside the walls. Local tour companies offer a tour to Taroudant that picks you up from the port in Agadir at approx 8.30am and as you back around 4pm to make the sailing, 5.5 hours in Taroudant, including lunch for 330 dirhams, (33 Euros per-person). The drive to Taroudant takes you towards the Atlas Mountains and stops to see the tree climbing goats and on the return you may see herds of camels, not always guaranteed, but the goats are. If anyone would like information on the company we used and thoroughly enjoyed please ask and let me know your email address and I will pass it on. Taroudant is well worth a visit, a real taste of authentic Morocco.

[Cymro1953]

Hi,

I know you are looking to the end of the year, but this time Thomson's were not doing the Marrakech trip due to big road works on the road there and it would take too long to get there and back. I don't know how long these will last.

 

This is the Agadir section of my review from our cruise last month :-

 

Agadir. If there is one place we did not like it was here. I am not one who advocates staying aboard when in port but if I was ever on a ship that docked in Morocco again I definitely would not get off. We had been to Alexandria in June on our cruise and visited the Pyramids and Cairo and should have been prepared, but this place was worse. The whole place looks like it is built on a rubbish dump that is still in use. We did the Taroudant excursion and it was interesting, we went round the old market, but afterwards be prepared for haggling at stalls when the guide takes you to the touristy bit. The tree climbing goats were really interesting. We were glad to get back aboard.

 

Berwyn

[Cymro1953]

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1120293

 

Also have a look at this thread. There are several posts on Agadir there.