Alhambra

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 8/12/2019 at 12:52 PM, snorkle lover said:

Hi Wendy,

 

The itinerary lists it as 

Granada ( Motril)

 

It is the only port that does not have 

the excursions listed as of today.

We are scheduled to book our

excursions the end of this month.

 

Perhaps they are working on a tour

for Alhambra, I hope.

 

Yeah, well as I said, they wouldn't stop there otherwise. I'm not a bucket list person, but I do tend to collect UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Alhambra is near the top for me.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[sierrafloridacruiser]

On 8/11/2019 at 2:55 PM, BettyDol said:

Hi Snorkel lover,  We will be on the Apr 3, 2020 Explorer cruise, Miami to Barcelona.  If this is the same cruise you will be on, I was able to book our excursions a few days ago and I have some info about the available Granada tours officially offered.  No.1: Granada and the Alhambra.  It cost $179.00, is 8 and a half hours long and includes lunch and guide.  80 mile ride.  No. 2 is: Granada on your own. It is free, 7 and a half hours and does NOT include entry fees or lunch.  The third option is Granada:  the soul of Andalusia.  It is free, 9 hours long and does NOT include the Alhambra.  There are 21 shore excursions offered.  One we have taken before was one of my most favorite excursions ever.  It is Picasso's Malaga.  I am not an art expert or particularly a Picasso fan and maybe it was the excellent guide we had, but it was a great tour.  I have also been twice to Granada and the Alhambra and both times it was a great experience.  Long day, but worth it!  I hope this info is helpful >

I am bumping up this thread with some questions about excursions to Alhambra. We are booked on the TA in April, our first Regent cruise. We didn’t book until Christmas time and by then the Option 1 listed above was already sold out. I have booked the free excursion that takes you to Granada but then you are on your own. I know we need the advanced tickets, but I would much prefer it to be a guided experience so I’ve been looking on Viator. Lots of options that include the admission already but I’m not sure what the “must see” parts are because every tour seems to offer different parts of the complex. Also hoping we won’t have trouble connecting with the tour when we get to Granada. I’d much prefer to do the whole thing with Regent but at this point, not an option. 
 

Any tips or advice appreciated! 

[toseaornottosea]

We were on Voyager 3+ years ago, Barcelona to London and stopped in Malaga.  We prefer to use private guides so we took the Granada on your own coach.  We had previously booked a guide using Tours By Locals.  We arranged to have the guide meet us at the drop-off point for Granada on your own excursion.  From there we went to the Alhambra.  The guide took care of all arrangements at The Alhambra.  We had a great tour.  We made a brief stop for lunch before the guide returned us to the drop-off point for the bus for the return trip to the ship.  Easy-peasy.

[sierrafloridacruiser]

2 hours ago, toseaornottosea said:

We were on Voyager 3+ years ago, Barcelona to London and stopped in Malaga.  We prefer to use private guides so we took the Granada on your own coach.  We had previously booked a guide using Tours By Locals.  We arranged to have the guide meet us at the drop-off point for Granada on your own excursion.  From there we went to the Alhambra.  The guide took care of all arrangements at The Alhambra.  We had a great tour.  We made a brief stop for lunch before the guide returned us to the drop-off point for the bus for the return trip to the ship.  Easy-peasy.

 Thank you so much for this information! 

[Belfast Taxman]

Whilst the Alhambra complex is large, and of course utterly amazing and beautiful, I would say that in a three hour tour you would have seen all the absolutely must do bits. For me however there is a further must do outside the complex itself which is to climb the streets of the neighbouring Alabacin (plaza SAN Nicolas I’d suggest as a good start), late afternoon is best if time permits (and that is the real advantage with Motril). I promise you a view you will never forget.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Belfast Taxman

[wishIweretravelling]

Alhambra is one of the few excursions that you are unlikely to get from being waitlisted. Regent is allotted only a certain number of tickets, and they can't use many different entry times because of the length of the drive from Malaga (I'm assuming that's your port). So, they can't just add another bus. And this is a tour much in demand. So, I'd recommend getting that private guide lined up asap rather than just hoping for for a call from the wait list.

 

[sierrafloridacruiser]

2 hours ago, wishIweretravelling said:

Alhambra is one of the few excursions that you are unlikely to get from being waitlisted. Regent is allotted only a certain number of tickets, and they can't use many different entry times because of the length of the drive from Malaga (I'm assuming that's your port). So, they can't just add another bus. And this is a tour much in demand. So, I'd recommend getting that private guide lined up asap rather than just hoping for for a call from the wait list.

 

I didn’t even bother waitlisting it because I’m sure this is true. 
 

Now I’m not even sure if we can go at all. The private tours I’m finding either can’t guarantee the ticket time or they are late afternoon ticket times which won’t work with drive back to Malaga for the ship departure. 
 

I am consoling myself with the fact that Malaga is on a whole lot of cruise itineraries (particularly the TA crossings) and that we have just started what I hope will be a frequent cruising career (God willing!). This is our first cruise to the Mediterranean and basically to Europe (We’ve previously only been to England and Scotland on land trips). And we wouldn’t have to spend four hours r/t on a bus, which my husband wasn’t real keen on. So now I’m looking at the alternative excursions in or around Malaga. Doesn’t have to be with Regent necessarily as we are ok doing private things or even exploring on our own if it’s not too complicated. Any suggestions welcomed!  

Edited February 1, 2020 by sierrafloridacruiser

[Belfast Taxman]

Sorry if Granada is not possible for you but do not despair if you are in Malaga as there is plenty to do there. The cathedral is beautiful if you like Baroque and if you have an interest in Picasso then the museum is quaint. Alternatively there is good shopping to be had or another possibility is the lovely old fashioned food market. One other longer journey tour may be to Córdoba, the Mesquita and the old town there is a worthy alternative to Granada.

[Camillus112]

Talking about shopping in Málaga, if you are into shoes, there is a shop in a corner after a block up from the Calatrava port that carries lovely styles at very reasonable prices.  I bought a pair more than two years ago, have gotten many complements, and they still look like new.

[flossie009]

Mijas Village is a very attractive location to visit on a half day tour when docked in Malaga 

[toseaornottosea]

If you are truly interested in the Alhambra you will find private guides available thru Tours By Locals on the day you are in Malaga and as per my earlier post (post #28) the guide we hired (Federico Abril) happens to be available when you are in Malaga.  https://www.toursbylocals.com/Granada-Tours  We took his 3 hour Alhambra Palaces and Generalife Gardens Private Tour using the "free" Regent coach to and from Granada.  He met us at the coach.  We went on thetour and he returned us to the coach in time for the return trip to Malaga and the ship.  Otherwise you will find plenty t do in Malaga as others have mentioned.

[Emdee]

6 hours ago, sierrafloridacruiser said:

I didn’t even bother waitlisting it because I’m sure this is true. 
 

Now I’m not even sure if we can go at all. The private tours I’m finding either can’t guarantee the ticket time or they are late afternoon ticket times which won’t work with drive back to Malaga for the ship departure. 
 

I am consoling myself with the fact that Malaga is on a whole lot of cruise itineraries (particularly the TA crossings) and that we have just started what I hope will be a frequent cruising career (God willing!). This is our first cruise to the Mediterranean and basically to Europe (We’ve previously only been to England and Scotland on land trips). And we wouldn’t have to spend four hours r/t on a bus, which my husband wasn’t real keen on. So now I’m looking at the alternative excursions in or around Malaga. Doesn’t have to be with Regent necessarily as we are ok doing private things or even exploring on our own if it’s not too complicated. Any suggestions welcomed!  

I think we are booked to visit Cordoba from Malaga in case you want to join us.We were in Malaga last year and picked up a taxi tour for 90 Euro. It was fairly comprehensive with stops at the main sites with some great views and finally tapas at the market at a bar suggested by my DD. The Bocarones were to die for.

 

Rather than doing Granada out of a ship would suggest that you do Granada and Seville pre or post cruise  some other time. I did it from a ship but DD did it on her own and her pics are lively.

[Floridiana]

On 8/11/2019 at 10:40 AM, Hambagahle said:

Or rent a car and drive up.

 

The Alhambra has timed entrance tickets and needs to be booked way ahead. It is easier to get in with a tour.

[orvil]

I've used Viator.  You can book single and small group tours with a guide through them.

[sierrafloridacruiser]

Thank you for all the great suggestions!  Toseaornottsea, I’ve sent Federico a message to see if he can accommodate us on that date. Fingers crossed. And Emdee, thank you for the suggestion to join y’all - if we can’t get the Alhambra tour worked out, that’s an option we would love. 

[sierrafloridacruiser]

Woohoo! Thanks to Toseaornottosea we are going to tour Alhambra with Federico. Thrilled that we will get to have this experience!  And I love this message board and all the helpful Regent cruisers. 
 

Any suggestions at the other ports on this cruise (Funchal and Alicante) would be welcomed!  We did not choose it based on port stops but more as our transportation to Europe and the timing of it, and to experience a crossing and a Regent Explorer cruise. After the cruise, we are staying in Barcelona for five nights and then flying to Budapest to meet up with two couples and do a Crystal River Cruise on the Ravel.  We have hotel reservations in Barcelona at the Cotton House and a list of suggestions from family and friends for tours and restaurants etc while we are there, but other than the hotel, I haven’t finalized any plans yet. 

[Floridiana]

We were in Funchal last November on a different ship. We booked a ship's tour for the cable car and the bucket/sleigh ride down. We saw people doing it on their own. The cable car tickets were easy to buy downtown. The cable car's upper station is in easy walking distance from the sleigh ride's upper station. Tickets can be purchased right there. I don't know how you then get back downtown. We had the bus.

 

Our ship was docked the furthest away from downtown of the 3 ships in port. Might have been a 30 minute walk, they might have a shuttle bus. We went back on the tour bus because we had used the downtown stop to purchase Madeira vine. The bottles are heavy.

 

I recommend the wine and both rides, great views and scary fun.

[EAGLESLOVER]

When in Barcelona before boarding the explorer we has a wonderful tour of LaSagrada Familia and Gaudi properties with Barcelona day tours. Highly recommend 

[Belfast Taxman]

Re Funchal - for me, forget the downward sleigh ride. The upward cable car to Monte and beyond is great if you don’t suffer from vertigo, but if you really like heights then take a tour bus to Cabo Sao Girao, some of the highest cliffs in the world, with the glass walking platform, nothing below you for over 700 feet, personally I hated it, but then I dont like heights. There is a lot more to Madeira than Funchal.

[Belfast Taxman]

Re Barcelona - Sagrada Familia is an obvious choice, but you should book a timed entrance in advance, for me the best time is late afternoon on a sunny day, where the effect of the sunlight on the windows as you walk around is amazing. If you don’t like heights do NOT take the lift up the main spire!

[snorkle lover]

Eagleslover,

So happy to hear this about Barcelona Day Tours since we

booked with them in April prior to our cruise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

In Funchal we just walked into town, and through the fish market area, then just picked up a taxi/guide who took us around the island for a very reasonable fee.  No sleigh ride for us, but we did take a funicular down a cliff side to the sea, outside of town.  The Botanical Garden is very nice. 

[Emdee]

3 hours ago, sierrafloridacruiser said:

Woohoo! Thanks to Toseaornottosea we are going to tour Alhambra with Federico. Thrilled that we will get to have this experience!  And I love this message board and all the helpful Regent cruisers. 
 

Any suggestions at the other ports on this cruise (Funchal and Alicante) would be welcomed!  We did not choose it based on port stops but more as our transportation to Europe and the timing of it, and to experience a crossing and a Regent Explorer cruise. After the cruise, we are staying in Barcelona for five nights and then flying to Budapest to meet up with two couples and do a Crystal River Cruise on the Ravel.  We have hotel reservations in Barcelona at the Cotton House and a list of suggestions from family and friends for tours and restaurants etc while we are there, but other than the hotel, I haven’t finalized any plans yet. 

In Madeira  we have taken the Santana and North Coast tour as there are some good views.

Been a couple of times to Alicante. We enjoyed a walking tour of the town both times some lovely promenades. This trip we will visit Murcia.

[wishIweretravelling]

The sleigh ride in Funchal is a lot of fun. And why not do it through the ship since it's an included tour?