Tenerife / Funchal Madeira / Malaga

[Belfast Castle]

We will be visiting these ports on Navgator in early November 2009.

 

Anyone with any tips - do's don'ts etc - what sort of weather can we expect etc

 

Thanks everyone

[divepal]

I too am interested in any feedback on these ports.

[HeinBloed]

We just returned from all three places:

 

Funchal:

 

you can find some photos here:

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/2009/01/tag-5-auf-msc-fantasia-day-4-on-msc.html

 

The English translation is under progress. Guess maybe early February 2009 - but you are going later the year...

 

We had a great tour with Bendixtours and we saw much more than the ship's tour. We paid 56 EUR incl. lunch for 8 hours for a group of 4.

 

Tenerife:

 

Due to rainy day and because we need urgently an Internet cafe we did not moved too much around. But some information how you get in and out the cruise terminal.

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/2009/01/tag-6-auf-msc-fantasia-day-6-on-msc.html

 

The English translation is under progress. Guess maybe early February 2009 - but you are going later the year...

 

Malaga:

 

We had a taxi tour and it was great as we saw places other cruisers did not see. We would not have seen it if we walked all the ways. Just the view from the hotel parking was worth the money we spend.

 

The best place we saw:

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/2009/01/tag-9-auf-msc-fantasia-day-9-on-msc.html

 

The English translation is under progress. Guess maybe mid February 2009 - but you are going later the year...

 

Check again next month for the English translation.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

Day 5 in Funchal on Madeira is avaialble now in English:

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/2009/01/tag-5-auf-msc-fantasia-day-4-on-msc.html

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

Sorry for taking longer time, but it was so cold here that I became sick and was unable to make any thoughts in English.

 

But now I am back and Day 6 is available now with Tenerife:

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/2009/01/tag-6-auf-msc-fantasia-day-6-on-msc.html

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[MMDown Under]

Hope you are feeling better.

 

I always enjoys your blogs/comments/photos. Thanks so much for taking the time to include English comments.

 

We visited Tenerife and Madeira on Lirica in November, so really appreciate the trouble you go to sharing the information you gather. Brought back many happy memories of these beautiful places.

 

BTW Saga Ruby is going to be in Brisbane next month on her final Commonwealth a-t-w cruise. I must try to go to see the ship, as it looks beautiful.

[wenglish28]

I am not on your cruise but have found cruise critic helpful to me when going cruising so just searched Madeira for what people are using for trips. The cab driver's name is Teresa and she has been taking day trips to different parts of the island for 24 years and she knows other taxi drivers who take mostly trips. Her contact is tmgfranca@portugalmail.pt and can arrange other drivers for independent trips. You can now use the original roads to get out and see Madeira BUT take the faster roads back to the port. So more time is spent on sightseeing. The other charges are approx 150 euros for a 6 seater taxi and 8 seater is 250 euros. When you go above 4 seats there is a government allowed 25% extra but the prices above include this. These rates are for a 7 hour day. So for 4hours the rate should be 75 - 80 euros in a 4 seat taxi , 100 in 6 seater and 170 in 8 seater approx. Teresa can be paid in dollarsor euros. The weather varies so take an umbrella

All visiting Madeira the red HOHO bus does go to the viewpoint over the NUNS VALLEY FOR A 15 MINUTE STOP. BUT this bus group is causing problems for the locals- to many buses and the company is not from Madeira. It has placed a bus stop just outside the port with Employees encouraging cruise visitors to take the tour. The yellow bus company is Madeiran and runs most of the local buses for the islanders and is approx only 10 mins walk further on and you can take 2 tours for your 10 euros. The blue tour visits Camara do Lobes at 10.00 ,11.30, 14.30 and 16.00 while the yellow tour is every 20 minutes

There are 2 CABLE CAR ROUTES -FROM THE END OF THE PROM UP TO MONTE - 10 euros up or 15 euros return OR 21.50 for cable car and Madeira Story near to the cable car.

Hope this is useful

Cheers Roger