almeria - melilla

[karellevrau]

Hello all,

any comment on the ferrycrossing from Almeria to Melilla?

Kar El

[kitmax]

Hi kar el
Almeria to Melilla? - Are you heading for Morocco?
Suggest you go straight to Nador...
I did Almeria to Nador last November – It was nice and easy, a ‘piece-of-piss’ in fact..
I bought my ticket at a fuel station about 100 miles north of Almeria. I think it cost around £60 and I paid with MasterCard.
I arrived at Almeria Port which is adequately signed, got into the right queue and joined a load of very friendly Moroccans on the quayside.
Don’t get onto the Mellila queue by mistake, both queues are alongside each other.
If you are quick, you can get your visa on board – but after a while the queue is so long I suggest you abandon it and get it at Nador instead.
The crossing took about 10 hours. Bar food and soft drinks on board, not much else. Take a sandwich and something for breakfast! Cabins are available but I roughed it in the café all night and save a few euros...
Nador was very efficient, though the younger gendarmes are not past asking for a small ‘cadeau’. Don’t give them anything, unless you have something to hide…
Port clearance took around an hour.
100 metres out of the port there is a Bank cash dispenser which takes MasterCard and spews out Moroccan Dirhams. Fantastic.
Another bonus, my UK mobile telephone (with Global Roaming) worked in most parts of Morocco, especially the main towns and most desert areas.
I have some notes on my website about the miles and times from France which may interest you. Check out ‘Morocco off piste’ on the opening page
Bon Voyage


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Kitmax - Traveller
Desert Pictures at
http://www.kitmax.com/kitmax/kit03ph...velgallery.htm
homepage http://www.kitmax.com

[fireboomer]

I am planning to take the ferry out of Almeria too. But I have read or heard somewhere that Melilla is a real hassle and Nador is really easy going. That would second what Kitmax is saying. Go for Nador.

If you are planning to be around Marocco in May let me know. I will be there basicly the whole month.

[karellevrau]

Thanks kitmax,

we travel with 7 landies. Would it be possible to get the tickets at the spot or is it safer to buy them in advance (since the number of vehicles and time of year : july).
Is it crowded that time of year?

Are Nador and Melilla 2 different stops or just one after the other? Any difference in price between both?

Kar El

[karellevrau]

Hello fireboomer,

we will be in Morocco end of july. I allways thought that Nador would be nastier then Melilla.

Anyone else experience on that??

Kar El

[kitmax]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by karellevrau:
Kitmax - Would it be possible...? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Kar El

"Would it be possible to get the tickets at the spot (Almeria) or is it safer to buy them in advance"
I sugest you buy them a few days in advance rather than a few weeks - you never know which of the seven Landies (or their drivers) might not arrive on time! I'll see if I can look up the name of the shipping agent so you can deal direct with them.

"Is it crowded that time of year"? Don't know, but this is not a tourist route and I suspect it doesn't get seasonally crowded.

"Are Nador and Melilla 2 different stops" No - they are two different destinations served by two different shipping lines going to two different countries!
Melilla is a Spanish enclave, and you still have to "cross" into Morocco even though you are already in North Africa (same as the Ceuta crossing).
"Any difference in price between both?"
Maybe marginal, but I doubt it...
Bon chance
Kitmax



------------------
Kitmax - Traveller
Desert Pictures at
http://www.kitmax.com/kitmax/kit03ph...velgallery.htm
homepage http://www.kitmax.com

[fireboomer]

Found a website where you can book tickets between Spain and Marocco. I also found the route Almeria-Nador. What I like is that it is an overnight boat in both directions. Don't wonna loose precious day-time off course.
Please check the link, any comments or thoughts are welcom:
https://www.trasmediterranea.es/tm/sirena0i.htm

Other question: I am thinking on taking the off road tyres with me and put them on in Nador. is it a realistic idea to do this on the boat? Or shouldn't I even bother to ask?
The road tyres I would put in storage in Nador. Who knows a good place (person, restaurant, family,...) where I can drop them of?

[karellevrau]

Kitmax,

thanks for the info.


By the way; nice website you have.

Kar El