Tunis - Port Information

[CruizingNut]

Information for this port has proven to be sketchy and limiting. :confused:

 

We are sailing off soon and the tour that was recommended is not available on line. Now we are looking for plan B.

 

Calling all cruisers for advice!

 

Any tour companies that have a website?

 

Taxis - What's should we expect to pay?:eek:

 

Sights - Where to go? What to see?

 

Food - Any recommendations for a truly authentic Tunisian meal?

 

Shopping - Is there something I MUST bring back?

 

Thank you in advance for your great advice :)

[lmf27]

Here is one site I used when deciding what excursion to do.

 

tourismtunisia.com

 

You could also e-mail them about guided tours at info@tourismtunisia.com

 

Another site for a guided tour is www.maltours.com

 

I found another site with great pictures and descriptions, I will look around for it and post it.

 

To help answer a few of your questions.

 

Cabs - I heard of the drivers haggling from 20 to 30 euro.

 

Food -I called a local travel health clinic in Chicago and they not to eat anything that wasn't fully cooked. We did get a Ftair, it is a doughnut with sugar and cinnamon. Two for 1 euro in Sid Bou Said.

 

Wish you luck.

Lyn

[lmf27]

Some helpful tips if you are doing Tunis on your own or a private tour. The ship doesn’t get into Tunis until 2:30. Passengers that have excursions scheduled have to be at their meeting point and in line for passport control by 2:30 and some at 2:45. They start to allow passengers not taking part in excursions to meet between 3 and 4 to go through passport control. It takes some time getting everyone off the ship, so this wait might be awhile. All aboard by 7:00 and departure for Malta is at 7:30.

From our experience with the excursions offered, it is a drive to get everywhere. Most of our time was spent on the bus. About a ½ hour to get to all places or longer. Just keep an eye on your time. They will wait for the Costa excursions, b/c a Costa rep is with all excursions. But when you do things on your own, they don’t wait.

Best wishes to all.

[jstrutton]

We saw the same responses on this board and I immediately went to the Costa website and booked the tour on Panaromic tour of Tunis and shopping for 49 Euro pp. So, not sure whether it is allowing anymore, but we did it last week. One caution is that once you book it, you are stuck with it and can't delete it online. We figured that we would just play it safe and go ahead and book it. See ya on board...Senay & Jay

[bimms]

The Tunis excursion was one of my favourite.Not long enough but very good. We did the sightseeing/shopping, it's the best by far.You get a taste of everything. All excursions are worth the money as you get off first see a good mixture. We did a couple alone and regretted it.

Have fun

Bimms

[goldencup]

I agree that the excursions are worth the money. You couldn't possibly see as much in the time available if you 'go it alone'.

[CruizingNut]

Thanks. Still very confused since I really did not want to go to the shopping areas and those are the only 2 tours left. :mad:

 

Why pay money to have someone dump you off in a flea market? :confused:

 

It's amazing how little information about this port is available. :eek:

[ozzietraveller]

We chose not to do a tour, so when we got off the ship, we walked around the corner and there were many taxis and mini buses.

 

We took a tour on the mini bus it cost 10euro, it was a guided panoramic tour and shopping with commentary the same tour organised from the ship cost 49 euro

[CruizingNut]

Really!!! Where? Make a right.. left? Do you remember what it was called?

[ozzietraveller]

When you get off the ship, follow everyone else, the mini buses and taxis are standing in the same place as the organised tour buses, it's behind a big shed, anyway you won't miss it.:D

 

Enjoy your cruise, it was fantastic, by the way don't waste your money on the ship excursions, it is much cheaper to do your own thing.

 

Each port you get to, it is very easy to get around.

 

On Palma de Mallorca, you catch the bus outside the terminal and it will take you to the city, it's too far to walk.

 

Barcelona I did Panoramic tour of Barcelona & shopping cost 40 euro, total waste of money, we were driven past the olympic swimming pool, taken to a hillside to view the city, then to Gaudis Sagrada famiglia and then dumped across the road for half an hour at a tacky and expensive souvenir shop, after that we were taken to the shopping strip and dumped there.

 

Valletta I did Mdina and Mosta, that was quite interesting, but I didn't get time to go to Valletta and apprantely Valletta is worth seeing and you can do that on your own.

 

Palermo the port is just a short stroll from the heart of the city. You can catch the bus and go to Mondello beach or you can also go to see Saint Rosolia, it is a church dug into a mountain, its worth seeing.

[CruizingNut]

Thanks Ozzietraveler!!! This is great. Adventure... Here we come. :D

[zeby]

Dear Cruizingnut

 

Just a quick note to let you know what we paid for taxis, the going rate in Malta was 50euro for 2 to 2 1/2 hours as you walk from the ship the taxi racks have signs advertising there prices you can't miss it, and was great value, our taxi driver was great and much easyer then being on a bus with 30 people. Then in Palermo it was a lot dearer the starting price was 150euro for 2 hours but as you walk further from the ship the prices get cheaper we ended up paying 80euro, all the sites are within walking distance from the port, 3 hours is heaps of time. So next time I would go to the information tour site on the ship and ask for a map and ask them to point out the sites, you save money and get to burn off some of the food! Make sure you stop for coffee some of best coffee shops they say are found here. Enjoy Zeby

[CruizingNut]

Thanks Zeby..... I will report back! :cool:

[AndrewJ]

Re: Guide in Tunis. We were on the Magica in August 2005 and had a great time. We arranged a guide in Tunis in advance. It was very successful - they were waiting on the quay with our names on a signboard. The car was a minibus, very modern and comfortable, with air conditioning and seat belts. Driver + english speaking guide. We had arranged to go the the Bardo Museum and then onto the souk in the Medina. 4 hours for EUR 125 in total (3 passengers). Email contact batouta.voyages@planet.tn.