Welcome to Casablanca’s cruise port guide. Most travelers associate Casablanca with the Marrakesh Express and the movie Casablanca although the reality is often much different. Most people love Casablanca for everything it is. A big raw city with its busy dirty Medina, the incredible mosque and its true fascinating Islamic heritage. Casablanca is something to prepare for. Most cruise ships visit it in combination with the Canary Islands and compared to this you are stepping into a whole new world. It is different. Different from anything you would expect. You have tons of options on what to see and do and why not fall into this captivating culture by just embracing it. Staying in town is a good option as Casablanca is where you would get a real feel for daily life in Morocco. There are so many neighborhoods to explore that are all different from one another. Take in the culture, the smells, the food and the way of life. Hopefully this is something that you are open to and if you are, you can get carried away in a city like this. The true Morocco is waiting for you here.
Travel information Morocco
Official currency – Moroccan dirham
Accepts Euro / Us dollars – sometimes in tourist areas
Creditcards – are often not accepted
Drives on the – right
Timezone – UTC +0
About Morocco
Inhabitants – 33,8 million
Official language – Arabic and berber
Capital city – Rabat
Kingdom of Morocco
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Moroccan Arabic language
Good day – يوم جيد – yawm jayid
How are you? – كيف حالك؟ – kayf halk?
Thank you – شكرا – shukraan
Cruise ship – سفينة سياحية – safinat siahia
Port – ميناء – mina’
Also visit our cruise port guides for:
Cruise Port Guide Casablanca – Morocco: docked
In Casablanca your cruise ship is going to be docked. It is docking in a big container port that needs some instructions. The Casablanca port is a huge area stuck to the city centre of Casablanca. You are allowed to walk in the port, but you’ll need to walk for about 2 km to reach the exit of the port, which is also the start of the city centre and where you will find the Medina.
There are no facilities in the port. Usually there are no shops, no maps or tourist information at the cruise dock. Most cruise liners will provide a shuttle bus. Check with your cruise line what the case will be for your cruise. If they provide a shuttle bus they often bring you to the Medina of Casablanca which is the perfect location to start a journey by foot through the city. Be aware though there are a lot of pushy sales men at the shuttle bus stop.
Taxis in Casablanca
There are taxis waiting for you at the pier. There are 2 types of taxis in Casablanca: red and white ones. The red taxis are the small ones and the white taxis are the big ones. Don’t expect to much comfort from the taxis as usually these are old vehicles. They do not have a meter so you’ll need to negotiate with them. The drivers will accept US dollars and Euro. Usually a ride from the cruise dock to the city centre (Medina) will cost you around 10 euro and if you try to get back from the city to the port (cruise dock) expect you pay about 5 euro. Tours are often given for about 40 – 50 euro a day.
Remember to negotiate and to check the vehicle before you step in.
Public transportation system
There is a train station at the exit of the port that opened up in 2015. You can check the train schedule on http://www.oncf.ma/Pages/Accueil.aspx. Please know the train station is at the exit of the port and is called Casa Port. A famous place to visit by train is the city of Rabat.
There is also a modern tram system in Casablanca that you could use, although it is not very extensive. Go to http://www.casatramway.ma/fr/reseau to check their route. The page is only available in French or Arabic, but if you know the tram line is the orange line on the map it will get you a long way.
If you have read anywhere else that Casablanca is an outdated dumb. Think again! These are outdated posts. Check out this pictures underneath of 2012, 2013 and 2015. Things are changing.
Be open minded and enjoy the ride. In Casablanca you want to be a traveler and not a tourist.
Destination and distance from port:
Casablanca city center 2,5 km south west of the port
Casablanca Medina 2,5 km south west of the port
Hassan II Mosque 4,5 km west of the port
Rabat 90 km north east of the port
Al Jadida 108 km south west of the port
Marrakesh 250 km south of the port
FAQ about Casablanca
– Is Casablanca safe?
Yes, it is. Remember that if it wasn’t safe, your cruise line wouldn’t go there.
– Do taxis take US dollars and Euro?
Yes, in general they do.
– Do the shops at the Medina take US dollars and Euro?
Yes, they do.
– Can I go to Rabat independently?
Yes, preferably by prearranged tour or by train.
Angle rue d'Alger et boulevard Rachdi, quartier Gautier, Morocco
