Ferry to Morocco
 

We will be going to Morocco early Sept , do you guys recommend to book earlier or just show up . any recommendation to stay on the cheap side for the crossing( anywhere in Spain is OK for us )
Thanks

A few km to the north east of Algeciras at km 116 of the A7 autovia is the Casa Bernado Macias service area which includes a hotel/restaurant. Rooms are about €28 for a single, they also have twenty or so bungalow cabins which sleep two people for the same price.

In the satellite view at http://tinyurl.com/ybd4kbs8 the bungalows are the dark green building to the left with parking immediately outside. I prefer the ones to the rear so there's less noise.

In the restaurant the sopa de mariscos (shell fish soup) with pernod is to die for.

As far as the ferries are concerned, check out the rates at http://www.aferry.to

Stick in Algeciras to Tanger Med as a starting point and it will give you all the ferries and all the crossing alternatives. If you want an open ticket you may need to go onto the individual ferry operator's website (or wait until you get to the port).

The alternative is a ticket agent called Carlos, see http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...fa-ceuta-33321

ferry
 

Thanks Tim

I went recently and took the Ferry from Almeria to Nador.
I wanted to visit the East of the country so it took me closer quicker. On the way back I slept on the Ferry as it set off about midnight.

Fyi: last time I looked I noticed ferries from Almeria > Melilla (ie: Spain to Spain) where much cheaper than Almeria > Nador.
You just got to put up with the border.
Was a scrum years ago - dont know about now.
Nador is always dead easy.

The 'ports' of Melilla and Nador are actually right next door to each other at Beni Ansar, separated by a fence. Land one side you are in Spain (Melilla), land the other side and you are in Morocco (Nador).

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...4!4d-2.9344493

Ferries to Melilla are cheaper as the fares are subsidised by the Spanish government, but the border post highlighted on the map above is absolutely horrible and after three entries that way, on my last trip I decided to pay more and enter via Nador which as Chris writes is easy.

As an aside, I normally travel on my KTM 690 R which is equipped with mousses rather than inner tubes. On the last crossing the sea was a bit rough and the bike tied down so tightly it must have deformed the mousses. So for the first 10km it was like riding a rocking horse.

Good to have it confirmed.
Love to save a penny, but chickening out for Nador seems worth it then.
Only a day from the desert too; the only hassle I find it arrives at 5pm-ish, so hard to sort out insurance without spending a night.

I am planning my trip to Morocco and this is the first time someone has recommended booking online! Everyone seems to say go to a ticket office, we have been told the one by the Carrefour in Algeciras. Have you booked online and did it all go smoothly?

I always use aferry.com. Simple and reasonable....saves all the messing in Spain.

I didn't say to book online, I said check out the rates online. Aferry.to gives you an idea of rates but sometimes doesn't include offers on discounted returns etc, so I look at aferry.to, then look on the individual operator's website. I then aim to get to the port to catch a particular ferry, but only buy the tickets when I know the ferry is on time.

(Although for Almeria to Melilla I do book online if I want an overnight cabin).

Ferry
 

As a quick follow up we took the ferry Thursday from Algeciras to Tanger Med, cost us 76 Euro/bike and passenger. Easy immigration on board and then 10 mn for the tip as explain by others. The insurance for 30 days was 92 euro per bike.we stayed the previous two night at Bernado service hotel and had great food there ( tabut and sopa de marisco).we stayed last night at camp Azilane in chafchaouen , great city to visit but camp is bit run down.
Thanks to all .

Not many (any?) good campsites in the north. Azilan is in a great location but the facilities need updating. Al Boustane in Martil is similarly bad as is Camping Achakar at Cap Spartel. A shame as there are some fantastic ones across the rest of the country.

Happy trails,

Peter

Only thing half way decent I've found is Camping International at Moulay in the north.

Out of Interest , what was the cost of the ferry at the Port. I'm heading off that way in 10 days.
Cheers

We paid 76 euro per bike including one rider

Is that one way?

Just been quoted 100 Euros for an open return to Tangier Med, Rider & bike via Carlos. Seems reasonable to me.

Free cake and bottle of wine as well from Carlos :D

Which port in Spain would you guys recommend in the context of price, speed and ease of entry into Morocco.
Tarifa or Algeceris?

Am I correct in thinking that the crossing from Tarifa doesn't go to Tangier Med? If so that could be the decider.
Thanks.

Answering my own question :innocent:
Just did a quick online price comparison and it looks like Alegeceris is way cheaper.

And also by far the busiest. It is huge.
Turn up there any time and there's a ferry leaving shortly.

Just back, used FRS from Algeciras - Tangier Med, €170 open return, 1 person and a vehicle, though it went via Gibraltar. :thumbdown: Nice but could of done without the 3hr crossing.

Balearia went from €175 (April) to €256. I normally try a couple of places on the way down the AP4 toll road just south of Sevilla, portacabin in a service area, first is AML and there's a Balearia cabin further down the A381.

Failing that the trusted Carlos, who also prints out a D16, a cake and a ok bottle of Rio Tinto. :thumbup1:

On ioverlander, Camping Achakkar was marked closed in May for major refurbishment over several months so should be open for the coming season

Lordy, 200 euro open moto return on AML this morning.
Normally pay < half that, but it was now or 6 hours later.
That’s what you get for winging it...

Balearia portacabin on the way down to Algeciras €195 open return for 1 per and vehicle. But ferries at 1000, 1600 and 2200.
Checked in the port, prices up around €300 and Carlos still €170 with FRS.
I'll stick buying tickets from him in the future, at least they're reliable IMHO.

Safe travels.

Ferry to Morocco
 

170, wine and cake from Carlos yesterday

And a suspiciously smooth and organised crossing compared to normal


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We're crossing Dec 21 with two vehicles eight passengers, one way

aferry says €250 carlos says €270 - per vehicle
isn't that expensive ?
even for xmas?
or is it the going price these days.
I think the most I ever paid was €170, one way ticket, with five in the Land Cruiser.

Trying to book with Intershipping on their website
I get quoted 1 vehicle w 8 pass €325
with 2 vehicles 8 pass €365
but cant get through their booking system, yet.
Yes I know Tim Cullis says to stay clear of Intershipping but they appear to be 200 euros cheaper at the moment
(finally I called them and the price given through their online booking is incorrect)

Is there any reason to think that it would be cheaper at the last minute?
Has it ever happened that all ferries were sold out?


Going straight to the ferry lines,

Best deal is Algeciras-Ceuta for €223 on Balearia's and Trasmediterranea's website that may be as good as it gets then
Vehicle is 76 each passenger 33.
Aferry is €30 more. Tanger Med is €100 more. Per vehicle.

Edit: in the end, got tickets from Carlos to Ceuta 200 UKP per vehicle + four passengers.

Happy with that, but border crossing takes hours in Ceuta. Tanger Med they can be very strict with documents.
Easiest crossing now may be Tarifa - Tanger Ville, only 20-25 vehicles so quick and you may not even have to get out of the car.

Algeciras-Tanger Med
 

Crossed last week.
Got to port early and went to main ticket offices.Was quoted E325,E375 and E377 at Transmed plus 2 indepentents for return for 2 people plus Qashqai.Is this an early morning scam?
Went back to Viajes Normandie(Carlos) and got the same on Balereas for E200 plus the usual bottle of wine and cake. Happy days.

The world moves in mysterious ways:cool4:

As above, just come back, €200 open return for 2 people and vehicle.