Tunis and Algeria - travel warnings

Did a search and while there were postings re: these ports from this year - they were earlier in the year.

With continued travel warnings for both areas (from the US) - for cruises / cruisers visiting these ports - is there a concern? Have checked other boards and other lines have changed ports from these.

Looking at a last minute Dec sailing that stops in both ports.......

thanks for any feedback -

Did a search and while there were postings re: these ports from this year - they were earlier in the year.

With continued travel warnings for both areas (from the US) - for cruises / cruisers visiting these ports - is there a concern? Have checked other boards and other lines have changed ports from these.

Looking at a last minute Dec sailing that stops in both ports.......

 

thanks for any feedback -

I've booked for January and we will go where wherever Viking takes us with confidence that if there are any worries about either of those ports of call, that they will be changed. Viking has sailed that itinerary a couple of time already in 2017 and I posted links to threads about them in the January 4 roll call (it is only one page long, so you won't have trouble finding them).

We took the Viking Carthage optional tour while in Tunis and felt very safe. There were armed drivers with us the whole time. There was one lady, a writer for Cruise Critic, who took the taxi into town by herself. She also said she felt very safe.

Thank you both for your honest responses and Peregrina for the link to the roll call posting.

Not sure how comfortable I am with the armed drivers and police escorts...but to stay on the ship for 2 ports does not make sense either. While I know no country or city is safe in this day and age, it does cause me to rethink my plans - and while I never want to let outside forces determine where I can and cannot travel...just not sure about this one.

thank you again

Thank you both for your honest responses and Peregrina for the link to the roll call posting.

Not sure how comfortable I am with the armed drivers and police escorts...but to stay on the ship for 2 ports does not make sense either. While I know no country or city is safe in this day and age, it does cause me to rethink my plans - and while I never want to let outside forces determine where I can and cannot travel...just not sure about this one.

 

thank you again

Then take a look at Iconic Cities, which is the Barcelona to Rome cruise that will be sailed both the week before and the week after the Southern Med Discovery cruise that you were looking at.

Thanks Peregrina

Wish we could but DW still teaches so tied to the school year with vacations for now.

See that you are from Boston - my youngest attends college in Boston - such a great city - the more we visit the more we love the city and she absolutely enjoys the city and all it has to offer.

thanks again

For myself I am happy to travel anywhere as long as it is not against our UK Foreign Office advice. I believe that the last cruise passengers that were killed were actually in Fort Lauderdale Airport earlier this year. That would certainly not stop me from visiting Florida.

Thanks Peregrina

Wish we could but DW still teaches so tied to the school year with vacations for now.

See that you are from Boston - my youngest attends college in Boston - such a great city - the more we visit the more we love the city and she absolutely enjoys the city and all it has to offer.

 

thanks again

I know that one! DH works full time plus teaches during winter semester. He can't leave until Christmas eve because of work and has to be back to teach by MLK day.

Agreed Boston is a great place to go to school and a great place to visit.

Did a search and while there were postings re: these ports from this year - they were earlier in the year.

With continued travel warnings for both areas (from the US) - for cruises / cruisers visiting these ports - is there a concern? Have checked other boards and other lines have changed ports from these.

Looking at a last minute Dec sailing that stops in both ports.......

 

thanks for any feedback -

We were in Tunis and Algiers last January with Viking and liked that particular itinerary well enough that we're doing it again this January. We felt perfectly safe in both ports and it never crossed our minds not to go on the planned excursions. Yes, there were guards to escort our tour buses but I thought they were pretty unobtrusive. I hardly noticed them because I was so busy looking at the scenery and architecture.

In Algiers we visited the Martyrs Monument which included a bus tour through the city. I really wish their government wouldn't charge such a high visa fee (I think about $150 or so per person) because I'd have really liked to have wandered around the city on my own. There was plenty of time to have done so. As such we were restricted to our tour and the only time we got off the bus was to walk around the monument. People were friendly towards us and the city is grand in a decaying kind of way and it would have been interesting to have explored a bit. Ah well. In January we plan on going on one of the extra fee tours which hopefully will be more extensive.

In Tunis we had a marvelous time on our tour of Carthage and the pretty little village of Sidi Bou Said. This was an extra fee tour but afterwards we talked to other cruisers who told us the included one was excellent as well. Our guide was very informative and lively and the day went by quickly. We saw many beautiful and ancient things and learned a great deal. I have to say it was one of my favorite days on the cruise. We can't wait to go back in January to see more of this country.

We were in Tunis and Algiers last January with Viking and liked that particular itinerary well enough that we're doing it again this January.

Well, I hope you have chosen the January 4 sailing.:)

Well, I hope you have chosen the January 4 sailing.:)

We are indeed. I will join the Roll Call today.

We are indeed. I will join the Roll Call today.

 

 

 

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Sweet!! Not only do I look forward to meeting you but we will now have a resident expert on board.

I wrote about our visit to Tunis earlier this year but since many are going again (worth it!), I will repeat it again. Outside the exit from the ship (through some shops), there are not only the tour buses but also taxis for hire with fixed prices (for 4 if you are only 2, you pay the 4 price but it was not terrible). We took one because we wanted to spend more time than allowed on the Viking tour at the Bardo musuem. The taxis had to tell the police at the exit where they were taking us and who we were. After our time at the Museum (really great), our taxi driver took us to the market in the town and would have taken us elsewhere if we wanted. The police checked at least one more time to make sure we were okay. We returned to the ship to take the last included tour of the day. It was not as good as our private tour and very rushed. Do consider these taxis which were carefully monitored at the end of January. The included tour guides were okay but our private taxi driver was even better.

I wrote about our visit to Tunis earlier this year but since many are going again (worth it!), I will repeat it again. Outside the exit from the ship (through some shops), there are not only the tour buses but also taxis for hire with fixed prices (for 4 if you are only 2, you pay the 4 price but it was not terrible). We took one because we wanted to spend more time than allowed on the Viking tour at the Bardo musuem. The taxis had to tell the police at the exit where they were taking us and who we were. After our time at the Museum (really great), our taxi driver took us to the market in the town and would have taken us elsewhere if we wanted. The police checked at least one more time to make sure we were okay. We returned to the ship to take the last included tour of the day. It was not as good as our private tour and very rushed. Do consider these taxis which were carefully monitored at the end of January. The included tour guides were okay but our private taxi driver was even better.

Could this same taxis take us to visit Cathage?

Could this same taxis take us to visit Cathage?

Yes. Here are the prices:

Taxi to Medina: 4 seats 40 euro// 6 seats 60 euro// 8 seats 80 euro

Taxi to Carthage and village of Sidi Bou Said: same prices as to Medina

Taxi to Medina, Sidi Bou Said, and Carthage: 4 seats 60 euro// 6 seats 80 euro// 8 seats 100 euro

Yes. Here are the prices:

 

Taxi to Medina: 4 seats 40 euro// 6 seats 60 euro// 8 seats 80 euro

Taxi to Carthage and village of Sidi Bou Said: same prices as to Medina

Taxi to Medina, Sidi Bou Said, and Carthage: 4 seats 60 euro// 6 seats 80 euro// 8 seats 100 euro

Thank you!