Tangier for Cruisers

Hi CCers! I rely on this site for cruise information and I thought perhaps I could add something in hopes of helping someone else. Tangier was a problematic port for me and there wasn't a whole lot of information on it. I used tripadvisor and got some good information, but largely from travelers who have been there more than once.

Tangier is not a big port, Crystal had a transfer that took everyone to the town, just outside the medina. As expected and reported, we were immediately approached by many individuals wanting to give us a "tour". We avoided them and replied "La Shrukran", but they are persistent. This port was unpopular with many on our ship simply because it is rather stressful, being followed and constantly approached.

So here's my view. It has a good amount to see, and the medina and market are worth walking around in. We got lost a lot, and we were walking a neighborhood for a while and admired all of the pretty doors and paintings on the houses. That was actually the best part, as no one followed us there. There is so much history in Tangier, and the American Legation museum is worth doing. Humorously, it was there that we dealt with our first money cheat attempt. When questioned why our change was short, the clerk said "we don't have change". That repeated in a different form after having lunch. Apparently the view is that tourists can't do math. My humble opinion is that if your ship transfers you to the town, get off the bus and look for a teenager, no doubt hanging around. Tell him very firmly that you will give him X amount if he leads you to the tourist office. (If you have a good sense of direction and don't wander off, you can do this yourself). Go to the tourist office and hire an official guide. We wandered Tangiers and while we saw everything, we were consistently followed, and ended up falling prey to a tout. Best to just get a guide and then the touts will stay away from you. It would be worth the cost just to avoid all of the stress that comes with that port and you'll learn more too. You do not need a ship tour, just a guide. I knew this, but got diverted and began wandering. Get the guide, then wander.

At the end of it, I was so fed up with the port that I paid a kid to lead me out back to my ship. That would not have happened with a guide. I really thought that we could do this port by ourselves, but I would definitely do it differently if I went again. Tangier really needs to create a tourist "safe zone" within the medina and market, it would pay for itself ten fold. We didn't buy anything, but there's a lot to see and buy.

Hope this helps someone!

We went to Tangier a couple of years ago and loved it. We were happy independently, but we have travelled extensively in North Africa on land holidays - some may well want a guide.

I agree the American Ligation is well worth a visit and would also suggest a walk through the medina and places like The Cafe de Paris (popular with ex pats in the 50's and 60's - google for location, it is in the main town, not the medina) and also the Hotel Continental, where we had a lovely lemon chicken tajine each in their historic restaurant over looking the port (we took lots of photos in the hotel).

We were in a 30,000 ton 'R' class ship and were docked on a pier right at the foot of the town and medina. Walk left, enter the medina and walk to the RHS and you will come to the gate of the Hotel Continental, which you can see as you approach the town.

We always dress down and modestly (e.g. jungle pants and loose long sleeves), and always look as though we know where we were going. Apart from leaving the pier, when we just ignored the vendors - using 'La shuckran' (no thank you in Arabic) as needed, the only time we had hassle, was when someone said 'hello' to us in the medina - that was someone from the ship, and was with a tour group. We were then identified as from the ship and people seemed to come at us from all sides. We backtracked and avoided other tour groups and had no probs whatsoever after that. We speak french, which is well understood there, so using that made us look more like knowing tourists, rather than cruise passengers, who are usually looked upon as more gullible. I would not suggest a ship's tour which leaves free time in the medina, because of our experiences there.

Great port IMO, enjoy.