barcelona ferry to morocco

[grizzly7]

hi all
We're currently in southwest France heading for Africa north, west then south. If we take the ferry from Barcelona to Tanger, for our camper it'll cost about £20 more than Algeciras to Tanger or Cueta. This seems odd since one is an hour or so and the other is 24 hours and includes an overnight cabin!
As our camper does 12mpg downhill with the engine off saving 700 miles is quite attractive, as is approaching The Rock from the sea.
Has anyone been on this route?
Any drawbacks? i know i'll be missing on cheapo fuel in Cueta, but not being able to buy insurance in Cueta for Morocco tugs at my conscience.
All help appreciated!!

[uknomad]

Sounds like a bargain! Didn't know of that route; plus you arrive in Morocco fresh and ready to drive.

It'll be good to get your opinion.
All the best, Mark

[armadillo]

the barça - tanger ferry is not cheap. is used by drivers in the way to africa with no car insurance who don't wanna risk the 900eu plus ticket for no insurance

I know nothing i'm from Barcelona.

[Kevin]

You can buy insurance for morocco is an office in Tanger port.

[oldbmw]

Ferry pricing can be quite complicated.
On my last two trips back to the UK it turned out cheaper to pay more. The first time because the "overnight" ferry docked at 3 am, and I dont call that a nights sleep.
I ended up using Brittany ferries instead of my usual LD lines, they are longer crossings, but I arrived at my destination early in the morning having had a nights sleep and breakfast. Travelling overnight can often save a day. To get the timings right for me I had in both cases to depart by one route, and return by another. This counts as a return with Brittany ferries, but as two singles with LD lines. Making the poorer service more expensive. Also when I factored in the travel costs (mileage), LD lines were again more expensive. Until recently they were usually the most cost effective, but twice not so this year. ( actually three, as we will be visiting the UK again soon).

[Piotr]

Hi,
I'm not familiar with this conection but I know that the prices of fuel in Cueta are similar to the prices you will pay down in Morocco or even higher. Ticket to Tanger is much cheaper then to Ceuta (from Algeciras).

br,
Piotr

[grizzly7]

Armadillo I didn't say it was a cheap route! Our camper is 6.5m long and 4m high, most companies are insisting we pay more than a normal sized camper since we'll be parking with freight. Some are waiting for their own people at the port to ring them back to clarify!
Where are you suggesting a 900euro fine is possible for no insurance? Being British my only option is to buy insurance in Morocco, if i sail to Cueta I cannot buy insurance there if there is noone there to buy it from!

[Eric DN]

Hi
Maybe a stupid question :
It seems you are living in France, you cannot take a french insurance ?, in this case it's not needed to pay an extra insurance in Morocco, my french insurance is covering me in Morocco ??

Eric

[armadillo]

Hi Grizzly, sorry for not being clear.

The 900 eu fine (plux extra fines and problems) happens in Spain if you have no insurance in your vehicle, and the police finds you. This will not be your case of course but it's the case of many people who drive a vehicle to Africa in order to sell it. They don't bother to buy expensive Spanish insurance if you just need it for some short time in EU.

So they just take the Barça - Tanger ferry and solve this stupid risk. Once in Tanger they can buy the cheaper local insurance. (or fake the green EU ins. paper)

As said before most European Ins cover Morocco and W.Sahara but you must carry the green ins paper.

I personally dislike the drive back to Barça from Tanger and one day I'd love to take that ferry back "home".

As the film say: If you see a ferry, take it !

[bbuerner]

Just talked to my insurance about Morocco: The covered Morocco since last year on good will but because of some issues they stopped it 2009.

Even if the CoB does show Morocco as covered.

On my green one it is crossed out.

Does anyone have an idea what the charge for the border insurance is?

[Kevin]

Camper van is 480DH for 5 days and 620DH for 10, also available for longer, but I can't remember the prices. Prices are 3 weeks old.