What No Gibraltar?!?!

[snaefell]

We are on Arcadia's 19 night Med cruise departing Southampton May 14th,quite pleased to have sorted all our shore excursions & then today I get an email from P&O advising that the excursion we had booked in Gibraltar is no longer operating & that I should choose another,when I go looking Gibraltar is no longer part of the itinerary,it is replaced by Malaga,pretty annoying when we were really looking forward to Gibraltar.

We haven't been notified of the change of itinerary,seems a strange way to do it,I wonder how/if I would have found out if we hadn't had an excursion booked😒

[jeanlyon]

Yes, looking at the itinerary, it is now Malaga followed by Lisbon.

[Britboys]

I appreciate you are disappointed but I'd be over the moon. Much, much better port imho...

[Yorkypete]

Personally I thought Gibraltar was a waste of time. I found it rather grubby  and would not even get off the ship if I ever called there again.

[wowzz]

Absolutely a change for the better.

I'm surprised P&O didn't charge you a supplement for an improved itinerary. 

Malaga is so much better than Gib.

[Britboys]

4 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

Personally I thought Gibraltar was a waste of time. I found it rather grubby  and would not even get off the ship if I ever called there again.

I only got off there last September for a walk, a coffee, free WiFi and Duty Free Gin from the Cruise Terminal...

[rumbalizw]

You're missing nothing . Malaga is great . 

[Josy1953]

9 hours ago, Britboys said:

I only got off there last September for a walk, a coffee, free WiFi and Duty Free Gin from the Cruise Terminal...

We do exactly the same.  The first time we went there we went up to see the macaques and had a stroll around the town but now we just have a quick stroll then back to the ship.  Last time we were there we didn't even go into any of the shops because there was another large ship in and everywhere was crowded.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Josy1953
Bad spelling

[majortom10]

We must be the only ones who like Gibraltar. We enjoy walk into town and have a look round harbour to the left and the head into town for a browse round the shops.

[lincslady]

It is not so much that Gibraltar is not worth a visit or two, it is, but Malaga has a lot to offer which is at least as interesting, and probably more beautiful.  Worth looking it up online, and seeing what excursions P and O have to offer.  

[Cathygh]

Alcohol in the shops in town is far cheaper than at the duty free shop at the port.  Last time we got the bus to Europa Point, strolled around, got the bus back to the Trafalgar cemetary, walked back through town, picked up a botttle of Southern Comfort for the DH and diamond earrings for me. What's not to like?

[Beckett]

11 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We must be the only ones who like Gibraltar. We enjoy walk into town and have a look round harbour to the left and the head into town for a browse round the shops.

I do majortom10.  I follow exactly the same pattern as you. Admittedly it can get very busy depending on how many ships are in port but I still always manage to buy my favoured perfume at an extremely good price. I just like the feel of Gib. My October cruise is calling at Gib and Malaga and I will be extremely disappointed if there's a cancellation. Jane xx

[bobstheboy]

A trip to Gib is a highlight for me. Having served in the RN, Gib was home from home and each ship had it's adopted bar. In the 60's the town was always very active and go in a rivals bar at your peril !

 

I have to have a pint in the London Bar for old times sake.

[zap99]

9 hours ago, rumbalizw said:

You're missing nothing . Malaga is great . 

They could do both. With a 5 port 14 night cruise they would have plenty  of time to do a few extra stops.

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

A trip to Gib is a highlight for me. Having served in the RN, Gib was home from home and each ship had it's adopted bar. In the 60's the town was always very active and go in a rivals bar at your peril !

 

I have to have a pint in the London Bar for old times sake.

I'll give a vote to Gib also.

[Beckett]

6 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

A trip to Gib is a highlight for me. Having served in the RN, Gib was home from home and each ship had it's adopted bar. In the 60's the town was always very active and go in a rivals bar at your peril !

 

I have to have a pint in the London Bar for old times sake.

Thanks Bob - you've just given me a lovely memory of my dad. He served in the Marines and always said exactly the same as you - Gib was home from home. He didn't tell me about the bars though! Have a good day. Jane xx

[terrierjohn]

26 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We must be the only ones who like Gibraltar. We enjoy walk into town and have a look round harbour to the left and the head into town for a browse round the shops.

No, we quite like Gib as well, last time there we just had a walk round the marina and a coffee stop, then back to the ship.

But we do quite like Malaga, although as wheelchair users we generally just stroll along the beach side promenade.

[bobstheboy]

25 minutes ago, Beckett said:

Thanks Bob - you've just given me a lovely memory of my dad. He served in the Marines and always said exactly the same as you - Gib was home from home. He didn't tell me about the bars though! Have a good day. Jane xx

So pleased it brought back memories of your dad. Mind you being a "bootneck" was a problem !!!  Only joking ! X

[Britboys]

We all like and do different things of course. On our first call into Gib we did all the touristy things and had an enjoyable day. I'm not a shopper, only buy aftershave when I actually need it and find the Terminal Duty Free plenty cheap enough for non-standard gins.

I don't find the town itself pretty or interesting and, for me, it is just tooooo British when I'm in the Med... 😀

[Britboys]

32 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

No, we quite like Gib as well, last time there we just had a walk round the marina and a coffee stop, then back to the ship.

But we do quite like Malaga, although as wheelchair users we generally just stroll along the beach side promenade.

Now that all the works for the Tram system have been completed, the Alameda Principal in Malaga city centre has wide pavements, shade from trees, lovely flower stalls and a few cafés. A bit like Barcelona's Ramblas but not as busy. The Calle Marques de Llarios (the main shopping street) is off this and is pedestrianised. The bottom end is flat and the upper end a gentle slope.

[snaefell]

Having never been to Gibraltar we looked for a Med cruise that called there so it is pretty annoying,especially so coming just days after paying the balance,we stopped using Royal Caribbean as they changed the itinerary every time we booked a cruise with them,I had visions of booking a n exotic itinerary with RIC & ending up with a tour of the Irish Sea!😒😒

love the Irish Sea by the way but I have seen it many times!

[mercury7289]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

We must be the only ones who like Gibraltar. We enjoy walk into town and have a look round harbour to the left and the head into town for a browse round the shops.

We do not dislike it, We always visit the Trafalgar Cemetery then just amble around but always finish up in the Chinese restaurant for lunch, not the most appealing looking place, but family run and they look after us very well.

[Harry Peterson]

I like pretty much any port - very rarely do you find a place you can’t happily explore for the few short hours between 10 and 5 or so. If it’s raining, maybe back for lunch earlier.

 

There’s always something to pass the time. Anything’s better than an additional sea day in my book - even a day in Tilbury!

[Snow Hill]

Been to Gibraltar twice, the first time on a cruise in 2011 and then a visit whilst we were stating in a friends villa south west of Marbella in 2017. Both times we met up with a former work colleague of my wife’s who lived there, she took us round the sites on both occasions, but not somewhere I would want to go back to. My wife’s friend has now move to Spain following her marriage to her Spanish partner in 2018.

 

Been to Malaga once during a holiday in Andalusia, we enjoyed the day there, much better than Gibraltar. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Snow Hill

[doog442]

We went up the rock on our first visit, likewise did the tunnels then had a few beers in town. We had a great day, For a first time visit like the OP wanted its well worth doing. On our second visit we got a lift into town and did some duty free shopping, walked up to the cemetery and back then spent the rest of the day on the ship sunbathing. I feel we've done it now. 

 

For a one off its well worth a visit.