Going ashore at Cassablanca

Does anybody know if this is a tender or does the ship dock ? Is there a shuttle bus to the main square ?

Thankyou

The ship docks and there is a shuttle, but personally I wouldn't be going ashore in an Arab country at the minute. Our stop in tunis has been changed to Malta.

Moroccans aren't Arabs

OK, North African country then. I've seen enough souks and mosques to last me and my husband was almost robbed in the market in Casablanca.

Our guide in Casablanca was quite proud of the way that they kicked out the Jews and replaced them with Muslims. Casablanca is an overrated s**thole. It really isn't worth it IMHO - Rabat is OK.

A couple of years ago we did a land tour in Morocco, it's a fabulous country with some fabulous people. Unfortunately Casablanca is not really representative of the rest of the county. However we have stopped there a couple of times on cruises. My advise for what it's worth is, book a ships tour . If you don't want to go far , book the city tour including the Mosque it's an amazing building otherwise book something further afield, Rabat maybe. Casablanca is quite a difficult city to negotiate on you own. Whatever you do enjoy Morocco , we did.

We called at Casablanca on our cruise in 2011 and after taking the shuttle bus to town, visited the mosque and souk on our own, but I don't think I would do it at the moment - which is a shame really.

Michele

We visited Casablanca in 2012. We walked from the ship into the town. We had a guide take us round the souk and it was interesting. I have to say the place is falling to bits and they are underpinning most of the buildings.

We had pre booked a table at Rick`s Café for lunch as it was a special birthday that day. I have to say our lunch was delicious. The whole experience in Rick`s Café was excellent. The town I wouldn`t rush back to.

Regards to all

P&W

I would not bother booking a cruise that called at casablanca and if, by chance we did call there i would stay aboard. Last time i spent the day watching some men pretending to paint a harbour crane. they painted the same beam several times so i presumed they were an 'undercover' security team. That day we had a Royal Navy ship in port which made me feel more relaxed.

Casablanca is the pits of a place. If the ship happened to dock there I would stay on the ship and enjoy the sunshine. If you do want to see something of Morocco take a ship's tour.

Aurora last November...the ship's dock was covered with a thick, black oily looking substance which covered everyone's shoes, then walked back on to the ship. Turned out to be a spillage of black molasses....an angry captain told us all that a severe letter would be written.

Where the shuttle bus ends, there was a co-ordinator who would help anyone who wanted to see a specific sight, such as Rick's or the mosque.

It's interesting to see four lanes of traffic crammed into a two lane road, and to watch taxis just stopping in the middle for passengers...Shame it's so dowdy, as the buildings are splendid.

We stopped at Casablanca a couple of years back and did a ships tour to the mosque, souk and a general drive around

I quite liked it but wouldn't rush back

Our Christmas cruise on Oceana stops at Agadir - not sure I am going to get off the ship. wish they would change it to Cadiz or Gibraltar

Aurora last November...the ship's dock was covered with a thick, black oily looking substance which covered everyone's shoes, then walked back on to the ship. Turned out to be a spillage of black molasses....an angry captain told us all that a severe letter would be written.

Where the shuttle bus ends, there was a co-ordinator who would help anyone who wanted to see a specific sight, such as Rick's or the mosque.

It's interesting to see four lanes of traffic crammed into a two lane road, and to watch taxis just stopping in the middle for passengers...Shame it's so dowdy, as the buildings are splendid.

I was on this cruise too and very glad I had worn old trainers! My cabin steward, bless him, managed to get most of the goo off.

I was alone so didn't fancy going ashore independently and took a P and O tour, the one involvling lunch and belly dancing which I thoroughly enjoyed. We had a good tour around the city, along the coast and saw the mosque and Hassan V square but I am glad I didn't try to do it alone. In Europe I happily go ashore and wander around alone at my own pace.

We stopped at Casablanca in October 2013. We took the shuttle bus into town, walked past some of the beautiful French colonial buildings then down to the mosque which is incredible, then back through the Medina, bought a lovely bag for our daughter, then back to the main square and shuttle bus back to the ship. It is an interesting and vibrant city and we didn't have any problems. We were surprised by the dire warnings on board telling us not to do it independently. Our table companions did a tour to the Portugese town of El Jadida and were very impressed. Another couple we met did the tour to Rabat but found it a very long journey.

We called in March 2013 on Oceana. There was plastic sheets put down to protect the carpet. We did a ship tour and thoroughly enjoyed it, stopping at the mosque and enjoying Moroccan tea as well as the sights.

I was on this cruise too and very glad I had worn old trainers! My cabin steward, bless him, managed to get most of the goo off.

I was alone so didn't fancy going ashore independently and took a P and O tour, the one involvling lunch and belly dancing which I thoroughly enjoyed. We had a good tour around the city, along the coast and saw the mosque and Hassan V square but I am glad I didn't try to do it alone. In Europe I happily go ashore and wander around alone at my own pace.

That was lucky! We watched many women going off to explore wearing fancy sandals, and some we spoke to had thrown them out, thinking it was oil. We watched two women officers, in their uniform Cuban heeled white shoes, desperately trying to wipe the gung off on the carpet path across the dock. By the time we sailed, sand had been scattered across. Captain Julian was unamused at the sail away....:eek: