We are arriving on a cruise ship, Oct 2021, in Malaga would like to take a day tour to Grenada and visit the Alhambra. Recommendations for small ( or private) tour guides/ companies greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23240 posts
With the distance involved and the demand for Alhambra tickets, I would take the cruise ship's excursion. I know it is expensive but there are times when the cruise ship excursion is the best option. You do not want to have to catch up to the cruise ship at the next port.
PS Should have asked before -- what is your time in port at Malaga? If you are there till 10 pm or so, then my ressponse would be different.
Posted by
Reading, PA, USA
1583 posts
Current cruise ship regulations (by the cruise industry association) will not let you go anywhere ashore except with a cruise run tour. Now this may change by October.
Posted by
Washington DC
27057 posts
This should not be an issue with a high-end tour, but be aware that there is at least one company which in the past offered Alhambra tours that didn't include the Nasrid Palaces, which are the No. 1 site in the complex. It's the ticket including the Nasrid Palaces that is the first to sell out.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11155 posts
Should have asked before -- what is your time in port at Malaga?
For this type of question, knowing the ship's arrival and departure time is a critical bit of info.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10176 posts
There are several that people from our ship hired. See Cruise Critic cruisecritic.com for recommendations and reviews from pre-covid times. Expect some changes.
Frank is right about the time in port and whether you should stick with the cruise’s excursion or do your own. If you miss the ship and it’s a transatlantic, your next port could be Madeira or one of the Canaries.
Bob is right about you not being allowed off ship today without a ship’s excursion to maintain the bubble.
Finally, if the choice to do your own is available in the future, and you have a long day in port, I have always found small private excursions faster paced and include more sites. Fingers crossed it will work.
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2394 posts
Make SURE that any tour ACTUALLY GOES INTO THE ALHAMBRA. I signed up for the only ship excursion that was listed for Granada. At the tours presentation, they announced that that tour did not go into the Alhambra but they added an additional tour that would go into the Alhambra. I quickly went and changed to that tour