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Colourful coasts 11/12/09

Maisie May

By Maisie May,
in Island Cruises

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Maisie May

Maisie May

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Hi, found this site today. Have been cruising twice on Escape and once on Star. Looking forward to the trip. Hopefully sea not too rough! Would like some trip advice. Have read threads about Agadir but wonder about Lanzarote and other Canaries. Haven't been to any before. Was it easy to do Madeira on your own? Would like to see as much as poss but hate to be ripped off and don't want to pay a fortune to be led to a shopping opportunity! Would be fun to spot some of the other contributors. Perhaps we should all wear a red rose! (joking!):D

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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Hi Maisie,

We are onboard with you, me, the wife and our 2 sons in their 20's. The youngest on has just graduated from university and we had promised him a holiday when he'd finished.

Those who have not long come back said the weather was fine and sea not too rough.

PORTS.

There is a lady called Biaria who lives in Funchal who gives advice over on the Ports of Call section. She's suggested doing Funchal on your own if it's your 1st visit. There are two hop on hop off sightseeing buses. On the yellow one the ticket is also valid for local buses. There is also the cable car at the end of the seafront that will take you up the hill to Monte for 10 Euro single and about 15 return. From Monte you can come down on the toboggan for 25 Euro or a sled for 2 people.

Also there s a HOHO sightseeing bus in Las Palmas.

The only places we are definitely doing a ship's excursion is in Agadir to Taroudant and to see the tree climbing goats. It is highly recommended by those who did it recently.

And in Lanzarote we are doing the Fire Mountain.

 

I'll post some links with pics of me and DW last time aboard the Escape and Pujro who has just come back has posted pics of the excursion leaflets.

 

Berwyn

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freckleton

freckleton

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Hi, found this site today. Have been cruising twice on Escape and once on Star. Looking forward to the trip. Hopefully sea not too rough! Would like some trip advice. Have read threads about Agadir but wonder about Lanzarote and other Canaries. Haven't been to any before. Was it easy to do Madeira on your own? Would like to see as much as poss but hate to be ripped off and don't want to pay a fortune to be led to a shopping opportunity! Would be fun to spot some of the other contributors. Perhaps we should all wear a red rose! (joking!):D

 

 

Myself husband Mother & Brother are on the same cruise we leave Manchester at 08.25am. Its the 1st time my Mother & Brother have ever been abroad so hope the weather is kind & the sea not too rough. Husband & I did the Mediterranean Sprit on Escape last summer.

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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Myself husband Mother & Brother are on the same cruise we leave Manchester at 08.25am. Its the 1st time my Mother & Brother have ever been abroad so hope the weather is kind & the sea not too rough. Husband & I did the Mediterranean Sprit on Escape last summer.

 

Hi Maisie,

We did that one April last year. It was our 1st cruise and we were hooked.

My wife keeps wanting to take her dad abroad, he'll be 80 in February but hasn't got a passport. And no inclination to get one. I think he saw enough abroad when he did his National Service in 1950.

 

We haven't been on holiday as a family since Florida 1980. I have a bad enough time getting Delyth on the plane but I didn't realise the eldest was terrified of flying too.

 

Typically, Mrs. who has been fine all year started with cold type symptoms yesterday. We're banging her full of antibiotics in case she's a bit rough when we get there and they think it's Swine Flu' :eek:

 

Berwyn

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freckleton

freckleton

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Myself husband Mother & Brother are on the same cruise we leave Manchester at 08.25am. Its the 1st time my Mother & Brother have ever been abroad so hope the weather is kind & the sea not too rough. Husband & I did the Mediterranean Sprit on Escape last summer.

 

 

that should have read never been aboard, mum is 89 got her 1st passport this year & it was free cause she is over 80. (really should read the thread for spelling mistakes before posting)

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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that should have read never been aboard, mum is 89 got her 1st passport this year & it was free cause she is over 80. (really should read the thread for spelling mistakes before posting)

 

Don't worry, my keyboard's got Dyslexia too most of the time.

Berwyn

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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Myself husband Mother & Brother are on the same cruise we leave Manchester at 08.25am. Its the 1st time my Mother & Brother have ever been abroad so hope the weather is kind & the sea not too rough. Husband & I did the Mediterranean Sprit on Escape last summer.

 

Sorry, in my 1st reply to that one I thought it was Maisie replying to me.

I think I need to turn my brain on or visit Specsavers :D

 

Berwyn

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pujro

pujro

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What time are you expecting to be aboard Maisie?

We are flying from Manchester at 7a.m. and should be aboard by 1p.m.

 

Berwyn

 

We did 7am from Manchester a few weeks ago and were aboard before 1pm, no hitches at all.

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suzyqholidaygirl

suzyqholidaygirl

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Hi, found this site today. Have been cruising twice on Escape and once on Star. Looking forward to the trip. Hopefully sea not too rough! Would like some trip advice. Have read threads about Agadir but wonder about Lanzarote and other Canaries. Haven't been to any before. Was it easy to do Madeira on your own? Would like to see as much as poss but hate to be ripped off and don't want to pay a fortune to be led to a shopping opportunity! Would be fun to spot some of the other contributors. Perhaps we should all wear a red rose! (joking!):D

Madeira was great. Easy to do on your own. Get taxi to the cable car which takes you up to the tobogan ride. Great views.

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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Madeira was great. Easy to do on your own. Get taxi to the cable car which takes you up to the tobogan ride. Great views.

Hi Suzy,

What did you do after the toboggan ride as far as getting back into town. As it doesn't go all the way to the bottom?

Never thought of a taxi, I thought all the ones at the docks would ideally be touting for you to go on a tour

 

Berwyn

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suzyqholidaygirl

suzyqholidaygirl

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Madeira was great. Easy to do on your own. Get taxi to the cable car which takes you up to the tobogan ride. Great views.

Lanzarote was worth the Fire Mountain Excursion. Took us on a tour through the volcanic National Park with good commentry. Stopped at the top for demonstrations of water blow holes and showed us how hot the earth beneath our feet really was. brush wood catches fire in seconds. Good job there is nothing to burn up there!

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Cymro1953

Cymro1953

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How did the cost of doing it that way compare with the excursion?

 

Hi Masal,

The ship's excursion "Taste of Madeira" costs £34. It includes the cable car but not toboggan.

D.I.Y. The cable car is 10 Euro to go up + the taxi.

If you get the City Sightseeing bus it costs 12 Euro and stops near the bottom of the cable car and you can use it after to go round after.

 

http://www.city-sightseeing.com/index.phtml?command=search&clear-search=true&destinations=Funchal

 

 

I did price an excursion online with one of the local firms recommended on here, but for an excursion practically the same as the ship's it was not much cheaper and we'd have had to pay for the cable car extra.

Not long to go now, 5 days for us and not much over a week for you. :D

 

Berwyn

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