Casablanca Cruise Holidays
Casablanca, also known in Romanised Arabic as ad-dar al-bayda or as the Romanised anfa in the local Berber dialect, is the largest city in Morocco and thanks to a certain 1942 Hollywood movie of the same name featuring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it is arguably the most famous city in the Kingdom of Morocco.
The city is located on Morocco Atlantic coast almost directly north of Marrakesh and south-west along the coast from the city of Rabat, which makes it a great destination for heading off and exploring the beautiful and historic country of Morocco but with so much on offer in the city itself, many cruise holidaymakers choose to stay in Casablanca and take in the culture and many interesting sites on offer.
The city is and coastline is dominated by the impressive Hassan II Mosque, which makes for a picture perfect setting for visitors to take in the views out over the Atlantic coast but there is lots more to Casablanca which has the position of one of the biggest and successful cities in North Africa with many international organisations basing themselves in the city.
From a cruise holidaymakers point of view, the port is a busy but industrial port that may not make for the most scenic welcome to Morocco and thanks to the size of what is one of the world’s largest man made ports, the majority of visitors will choose to take a shuttle bus from the cruise dock to the city centre.
Cruises To Casablanca
Casablanca Cruise Guide
If you have booked a cruise to the port of Casablanca and are researching what is on offer when visiting, our Casablanca cruise guide brings you all of the information you need to make your day ashore one to remember whilst if you are in the process of choosing whether a stop in the city is the right choice for you on a cruise of the area, then we bring you all of the information you need to make an informed decision.
Although the city does not have the same amount of attractions as many other cruise ports of call on a Mediterranean cruise and it may not have be as tourist friendly as other destinations in the region, that is actually its biggest charm and reason to visit for many cruise holidaymakers.
With most itineraries that include Casablanca either heading to the Canaries or stopping off as part of a cruise of the Mediterranean, a stop in Casablanca offers a different experience for visitors and makes for a memorable day on shore for most who visit and whilst some will not take to the city, for many it is somewhere that will remain long in the memory.
Type of Cruises Available
There is new cruise terminal in the port, but the best options available for those wanting to visit the city are for cruises that offer a stop in Casablanca as a port of call.
For the widest availability of cruises to Casablanca, you will have to opt for a fly cruise starting from a number of the Mediterranean leading cruise ports such as Barcelona, Genoa and Marseille offering cruises by the region’s leading cruise lines such as MSC and Costa.
For those not wanting to fly, you are restricted to only a few cruises every year from the United Kingdom with the majority of them offered by luxury lines.
Casablanca Cruise Port Location
The cities new cruise terminal is the largest in north Africa and by far the largest in Morocco and offers all of the facilities expected by cruises.
Located near to My Youssef Pier on the outer wall of the large port, it is well over a mile walk back into the city centre, so a shuttle bus is often the best option for those simply heading into town.
Casablanca Attractions
The biggest attraction in the city is the stunning Hassan II Mosque, which is actually located on the shore near to the new cruise terminal and dominate the seafront in the city.
The quartier Habous neighbourhood is a great place to stroll around and whilst there are lots of tourist and trinket shops in the area, it still gives an authentic taste of Morocco. The Old Medina area is a great place to enjoy some of the more historical building in the city.
Whilst walking around the city, other sites of interest include the Mahkama du Pacha (the oldest stone building in Morocco), the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Ville Art-Deco, the Royal Palace of Casablanca, and the beautiful Notre Dame de Lourdes church.
The Morocco Mall is a good choice to avoid any bad weather and offers a large aquarium to pass away the time.
Casablanca Shorex
If you are wanting to head away from Casablanca and see what else is on offer in the country, there are a number of great days out to explore on a shore excursion including trips to Rabat and Marrakesh.
Other options include camel trekking, quad biking, or trips to see the stunning Atlas mountains.
Best Time To Visit
Casablanca can be visited via cruise all year around but it can get incredibly hot in the summer months and with most of the attractions and activities on offer outside with little shade, it is perhaps best to visit during the cooler but still warm month of May/June or September/October.
Transport
Although a lot of the main attractions can be explored on foot in the city and travelling around it is perhaps best left to organised tours due to the chaotic nature of transport in the city, the city does have a modern tram network that is relatively simple and safe to use.
The majority of cruise lien swill operate a shuttle bus from the port to the city centre or the port will organise a service, so visitors simply wanting to wonder the main streets will be able to do with ease whilst those wanting to take in all of the points of interest and historic buildings on offer may be best using an organised tour of the city, with a range offered by most cruise lines and by independent local companies.
Cruise From United Kingdom
If you would like to enjoy a cruise to Casablanca without the need to visit an airport, the great news is that there is a wide range of cruises to Casablanca directly from the UK
The majority are cruises to the Western Mediterranean which h allows you to enjoy great itineraries of southern Europe and north Africa, all without the need to fly.
Cruise From Southampton
If you are searching for a No Fly cruise to Casablanca, we would recommend searching for cruises out of the port of Southampton as it is the UK leading cruise port that offers to widest range of itineraries, ships, and lines.
