New Cruisers with loads of Questions - Souks and Sangria

[mcrterry]

Hi

Just booked on the IE 31.07.12 for Mr&Mrs Manchester and our 11 yr old daughter. I think through reading these forums pages my initial fears are fading but I can't find much info from cruisers about the excusions. Looking at the destinations I personally can't see the value as I am sure the things we wish to see can be done better and certainly cheaper (monkies on the Rock etc). Can I ask what are other peoples experiences of this and am I just a grumpy cynic1

Ta muchly

[Rebel Rouser]

I think you will find that Ekco and Kruzseka are the best people to advise on trips, they will probably advise whats best ;) we tend to do our own thing when in ports and use the money we save for certain treats during the holiday :D like dining in the Oasis every night.

[jenny wren]

Hello mcrterry....we will be doing this itinerary as the first week of our cruise and are just beginning to sort out what we shall do in each port....we have decided to do a trip in Tangiers but that will probably be the only place...mainly because we don't like being hassled in the street which you tend to get in Morocco!!

Gibraltar is easy to do on your own (but depending what you want to do not much cheaper than ships trips!) it is about a 20 min walk into the Main street where the shops are...there's a large square called Casemates Square with cafes etc. then the shopping street leads away from it....this is the place for duty free cigs, perfume, etc. but check the ship prices before you buy anything as its not always cheaper!! If you walk right up this street you come to the Governors palace and Trafalgar cemetery and a bit further to the cable car....its quite a walk but there will be taxis at the port entrance if you need one...join the queue and they will fill each taxi as they go (minibus type) I think its about 20 pounds per person for a Rock tour...there will also be Dolphin watching boat trips advertised by the port entrance I seem to remember.

We haven't been to Valencia or Cartagena but we have been to Malaga several times and here also it is easy to look around on your own...there are also buses which travel further afield and also a hop on hop off bus which are usually good value....slightly to the right as you stand with your back to the sea, and inland a bit, there are some Roman 'ruins' set in very attractive gardens and a castle on top of the hill, which we had a pleasant wander around for a few euros. Nice shops and a church/cathedral to look at.....I think there is a new marina here so not sure where the shuttle bus drops passengers off now, but if youre fit it may be worth walking from the ship and looking at what's here...we can tell you when we get back from our cruise, as we go next week!!

 

Valencia has a tourist bus I've discovered for 15 euros and also one to the Albufeira Natural park also for 15 euros which is probably where we will go....if you put the place names into Google you will get plenty of info.

Hope this helps!! :)

[mcrterry]

Helps!!?? Jenny your a star this is exactly the type of information I was hoping for. Have a great trip and look forward to hearing about it on your return.

Thanks Again

[Rebel Rouser]

Jenny ... many thanks...forgot your abundance of knowledge :)

[jengef]

Thanks jenny that's a help for me too. What a great group of people we have on this forum.

[mcrterry]

Thanks jenny that's a help for me too. What a great group of people we have on this forum.

 

 

Are you doing the same cruise Jengef?

[jengef]

Are you doing the same cruise Jengef?

 

I'm going on the 19/6. Can't wait :D

[shipshape.com]

Jenny Wren's given all the info about the other ports, thanks. In Valencia, I would recommend the hop on - off bus too, probably need to get a shuttle bus first into the centre as it's quite a bit away from the port, don't miss a chance to see the science park, sounds boring but the buildings are amazing. I can't remember if the shuttle bus goes past it or not. Cartagena is easy enough for a stroll around, plenty of shops. There's a roman theatre to look around, or there's a panoramic lift that gives you some good views.

 

Have a great holiday:cool:

[jenny wren]

Thanks Shipshape....Yes I forgot to say that we'll need to get the shuttle at Valencia into the centre....not sure where it will drop us though...but I'm sure we will be able to get street maps from the excursions desk...I know last year they had excellent street maps of Rome when I asked (as we did it ourselves)...I've seen photos of the science park which do look amazing!

 

Thanks for the tips on Cartagena :)

[mcrterry]

The advice is really good I feel I'm going to have to print it off to remember it!

[jenny wren]

Yes I always download all the info to the pc and then print it off later and take with us......I can't remember anything from one day to the next ...sign of old age methinks !!!!!:)

[Rebel Rouser]

Better not agree with JW as she might slap me when we meet next week :D

[Mr DJH]

Hi

Just booked on the IE 31.07.12 for Mr&Mrs Manchester and our 11 yr old daughter. I think through reading these forums pages my initial fears are fading but I can't find much info from cruisers about the excusions. Looking at the destinations I personally can't see the value as I am sure the things we wish to see can be done better and certainly cheaper (monkies on the Rock etc). Can I ask what are other peoples experiences of this and am I just a grumpy cynic1

Ta muchly

 

 

Very good, we are booked on the same trip with my 15 and 12 year old sons. Same as you initial fears of reviews fading and now very much looking forward to the trip !!

[mcrterry]

Very good, we are booked on the same trip with my 15 and 12 year old sons. Same as you initial fears of reviews fading and now very much looking forward to the trip !!

 

 

have you and yours cruised before Mr DJH?

[Bellaburgundia]

Hi guys, just found this from the IE Useless Info thread. Me and hubby are on the 31 July trip with 17 year old son and 13 year old daughter...we were last on board 4 years ago but decided to return as our son will be 18 next year so probs our last family holiday :( We haven't done this itinerary before but are only planning to do a paid trip to the beach on the Cartegena day. The buses in Gib are apparently free so we're going to try to find our own way to the rock and book a local tour. also daughter desperate to see dolphins so I am looking at the Dolphin Safari book online option before we go, which works out cheaper than the ship's excursion. Unsure what to do in Tangier, would like to see the science park in Valencia though.

[Bellaburgundia]

PS Do not worry about the cruise - it's fab and has ruined every European hol we've been on since our first IE trip 7 years ago! Nothing compares :)

[MallorcaChap]

Bellaburgundia,

 

The buses in Gibraltar aren't free. There is a Taxi (minibus) shuttle service from the ship to the town and back which is £3 return. Once in the town, it is easy to book a rock tour.

As for Tangier, if you have never been there it is probably worth doing the City Tour, but I would advise against going out on your own - it isn't the nicest place I've been to.

[Bellaburgundia]

Thank you for this advice - no idea which forum I'd got the free Gibraltar bus info from!

Claire

[jengef]

In Gibraltar we walked from the ship about 15 mins to the start of the square and got a minibus(taxi) for22 euros each that took us to the rock, the cave, then up to stop for photos with the monkeys then stopped at a little castle on the way down where you can go to the top of the tower for views across Gibraltar, then back to the starting point. The shopping street is ful of shops we have back home but cheaper and slighty different stock.

Cartagena, walk of the ship and to the left is a line of restaurant /cafes then across the main road into the pedestrian street that leads to shops and the entrance to the museum that leads you to the roman ruins. Great little frozen yogurt shop there as well

Valencia 4euros for a return shuttle bus from/to ship. Drops u off in city and it's about a 15 min walk to cathedral and the indoor market. Passing other shops etc on the way. They give u a good street map and return is every 15 mins I think.

Malaga I only went to the beach which was fine shingle not sand. And tangiers I only got of and looked at a couple of market stalls right next to the ship and got straight back on board.

Oh we also got a taxi from the ship in Valencia 5euros to the beach ( las auras, I think) there's a whole line of stalls selling clothes and holiday trinkets then a whole line of restaurants. The beacch is fine sand, but word of caution the sand is extremely hot, burn your feet kind of hot so keep ur flip flops on. Plenty of showers to wash sand off as well

[shipshape.com]

Thank you for this advice - no idea which forum I'd got the free Gibraltar bus info from!

Claire

 

I read somewhere too that the buses were free, might be the normal buses, the shuttle buses run from the terminal to the main square for £3 return. We did this and then strolled along to the cable car. There was also rock tours on offer just as you came out of the terminal.

Never went ashore in Tangiers, as been before and seen all we wanted to see, but like the previous comments, would recommend a city tour.

In Malaga we walked up to the Gibralfaro castle. The shuttle bus drops you at the same point the hop on off bus goes from.

Cartagena, we just had a relaxing stoll around.

Valencia, we took the shuttle bus in then got the hop on off bus to the science park. We went on a tour of the opera house there which was good. There was hop on off bus stop within a 10 minute walk of the port, so we really didn't need to get the shuttle bus but didn't realise this. Also the Grand Prix had been on the day before so got to walk through part of the track and see them dismantling everything.

[Bellaburgundia]

In Gibraltar we walked from the ship about 15 mins to the start of the square and got a minibus(taxi) for22 euros each that took us to the rock, the cave, then up to stop for photos with the monkeys then stopped at a little castle on the way down where you can go to the top of the tower for views across Gibraltar, then back to the starting point. The shopping street is ful of shops we have back home but cheaper and slighty different stock.

Cartagena, walk of the ship and to the left is a line of restaurant /cafes then across the main road into the pedestrian street that leads to shops and the entrance to the museum that leads you to the roman ruins. Great little frozen yogurt shop there as well

Valencia 4euros for a return shuttle bus from/to ship. Drops u off in city and it's about a 15 min walk to cathedral and the indoor market. Passing other shops etc on the way. They give u a good street map and return is every 15 mins I think.

Malaga I only went to the beach which was fine shingle not sand. And tangiers I only got of and looked at a couple of market stalls right next to the ship and got straight back on board.

Oh we also got a taxi from the ship in Valencia 5euros to the beach ( las auras, I think) there's a whole line of stalls selling clothes and holiday trinkets then a whole line of restaurants. The beacch is fine sand, but word of caution the sand is extremely hot, burn your feet kind of hot so keep ur flip flops on. Plenty of showers to wash sand off as well

 

Thanks, Jengef - particularly for the Valencia advice - we were going to book the beach trip at Cartagena for 15 euros each, the 5 euro taxi to Las Auras sounds much more appealling :)

[Bellaburgundia]

Thank you shipshape - will take your advice about the Science park and buses. Great help :)

[mcrterry]

Hi, I'm just working out our budget and how much cash to take etc. Can anyone tell me if the drinks tab etc and the trips can be paid by credit card. This may sound silly but whats the currency on Gibralter stering and or euro?

[jenny wren]

Yes...all on board charges i.e. drinks, spa, hairdresser, excursions,etc. are charged to your onboard account and you can register your credit card when you check in at Palma....it is the easiest way and they don't charge extra for using it. So you will then receive a paper copy of your account during the last night on board and it will automatically be charged to your CC after you've left the ship (the day after in our case).

In Gib you can use sterling or euros but make sure you don't get Gib pounds in your change as it is not legal tender in UK...not such a good rate if you use euros......we used our debit cards.