Hi!
I was wondering if anyone is booked for this tour or actually did it previously. I'm booked for May 21- June 5th.
I did go on a cosmos tour 4 years ago (Best of Europe 20 days) and it was AMAZING!
However, I would still like some feedback from those who have done tour #6830. How were the hotels? Any comments on Morocco?
Any advice/comments appreciated!!!!
Thanks!

I took this tour last year and it was great. Hotels were just ok, but I didn't spend alot of time there. Morocco was great, people were friendly, Marrakesh was my favorite, not so crazy about Fez, if you go to the medina in Fez, don't go alone - can be a scary place. This is a great tour, I'm sure you will have a great time. My tour director was David - he is awesome, he knows everything and has a wicked sense of humor, we loved him.

Hi!

I just came back from the tour!!!! thanks for the advice! Morocco was awesome. I agree with your view of Fez. It was a great city but the medina was a challenge. Everything else was perfect. Hotels, food (ok not the greatest) and we had David as our tour director as well. He was so funny and helpful. Thanks for your comments!
Can't wait to go on another tour soon!

Can you please tell me which optionals are worth paying for? How far are the hotels from the city center? What are the options for dinner since it is not included in some days? Please respond.

As far as the hotels go some are closer to the city center than others. If you are staying at the Praga hotel in Madrid you need to take the #23 bus (just outside the hotel) and it'll take you straight to the Plaza Mayor. It's the last stop so you can't miss it. The others in Protugal and Morrocco have shops and restaurants near them but you either need to walk or take a taxi. There weren't any hotels out in the middle of nowhere.
As far as the optionals, I did all except one which the tour director told us not to anyway.
Excursion to Toledo (enjoyed this VERY much)
Portuguese riviera and sintra- nice drive but kind of boring.
Portuguese dinner and fado- I'd skip it. The dinner wasnt' that great and not worth the $ at all.
Seville- boring. You can see the city by yourself.
Flamenco evening- Loved it. If you like the flamenco dancers, you'll love it.
Ourika valley- This one is a nice cultural experience as you visit an authentic berber home. I thought it was interesting
1001 nights- DO IT!
Morroccan dinner in Fez- this one was not recommended by our tour guide so we didn't do it.
Meknes- I enjoyed this one as well. It's cheap so you might as well do it.

Options for dinner are good. There are many restaurants around and your tour guide will recommend the best restaurants with the best food for the right price. Trust me, you won't go hungry. There is even a Mcdonalds in Fez if you're missing home.

Hope I helped a bit. It was an amazing trip!

hi, i am wondering for this tour, is there any young traveler in this tour? how is the age range? is anymore in the tour for the month of Nov.? I am looking at Nov. 12's date, is it cold by then?

I found that typically with cosmos or any budget tour company, you will find a variety of ages. The first cosmos tour I went on back in summer 2001 the ages were from 8-82! On this specific tour there was a group of college kids and their professors. There were a couple of middle aged single people as well that came on their own. No matter what age you are, I say go for it. You will meet alot of nice people.

As far as the weather goes, I'm no expert but I am assuming spain and portugal will be a little cooler in November than Morrocco. You may want to check out the web for temperatures in those countries. I went in May/June and it was great. Morrocco was very hot but that was expected. The only advantage I would think in going in the winter months would be that there may be less crowds and not as many tourists as there are in the summer.

Can someone tell me about transfer system with Cosmos in Madrid Airport?
Is there a booth we go to when we land?
Also how is the crime situation in Madrid?
Heard a lot about it.
Thanks.

There is no booth per se. Once you've collected your luggage and exit the gate there is a Cosmos representative with a sign and clipboard that say Cosmos. You can't miss her/him. There are other reps from other tour companies but you should have no problem finding your Cosmos rep. On your way home, a taxi comes to pick you up from your hotel ata designated hour and takes you straight to the airport. It's pretty easy.
As far as the crime situation, anytime you travel you have to be careful with your belongings. Pickpocketers are big in all tourist areas.
They tell you to use the hotel safe to put your passports/money etc but I always had it with me in my travel belt under my clothes and had some pocket money in my purse. I walked in the streets at night and I had no problem but you must always be alert and aware of your surroundings. Your tour director briefs you in the beginning and may suggest some safety tips. I had a positive experience in Madrid, but there may be others in this forum that have experienced otherwise.

Hi Supersonic:
Thanks for the information.
We are to take this Cosmos tour in the end of November.
Can you please provide the following info:
1. Money exchange tips.
2. Spain has 220 volts electricity. Do the hotels have 110 volt sockets?
3. What clothes to take: casual, any suits, warm clothes, etc?
Any other tips that will be useful from your experience.
Once again, thannk you.

No problem I'm glad to help!
Money Exchange tips - I actually brought Euros with me from home. Didn't want to worry about going to the banks etc there. If you bring travellers checks you can exchange them at the hotels at no cost instead of going to a bank which can be a hassle. Most small stores don't take TC's. Morrocco uses dirhams but you don't have to worry about getting them from home. As soon as you disembark the ferry from spain to morrocco, your tour director will take you to a currency exchange right there at the port and you can exchange your american$/euros etc there. ATM's are nearby the hotels but the hotels themselves have a currency exchange in the lobby so you can also get your $ there. Morrocco is pretty cheap. Just remember to BARGAIN. They expect you to.
2. No the hotels we went to all had 220 volts so I suggest you bring an adapter with you.
3. You only need one or two nice pairs of pants/shirts etc for the dinners out. But casual light clothing is best as the bus rides are pretty long so you want to be as comfortable as possible. I found the early mornings a little chilly so you may want to bring a sweater or light jacket with you.

As far as any other advice.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..when in Morrocco have an open mind. It's a different culture than Spain/Portugal. It's like another world but the people even though they may seem pushy in trying to sell you things, are wonderful. If you see something you like, don't make it obvious. They can see you coming so bargain and don't be shy to walk away. Something that may cost 250 dirhams you can probably get for half the price. But most importantly, have fun!!!!

Hi Supersonic:
Thanks for your tips. They are very useful.
About the airline tickets: They are so much less buying from the travel agencies than buying from Cosmos - especially the fuel surcharge that they add at the bottom. Do you suggest the tickets be bought 30 days ahead or buy them now. Do you have personal experience about this?
Appreciate you help.

Hi Roger,
Yes I actually did buy it from a travel agency and it probably is a bit cheaper, although with gas prices as they are now, you never know. I booked this particular tour last minute. I booked it in the end of April and I went May 20th. The tour only had one seat left and I needed two. Fortunately, I did end up getting an extra seat.
I suggest if you are planning to go in mid-Nov then you may want to book it soon.

Thanks Supersonic for your prompt responses.
Your advice has been very useful.
I will be in touch with you in case I have any other question.
If there are other people out there with comments & experiences from this trip with Cosmos, please post them.

Just come back from my trip.
It was a great trip with nice people on board. However on our last day in Madrid, my friend's passport, ticket and $$$ were stolen on our way back to Praga Hotel on bus #23. The bus was very crowded. So just have to be careful at all times.

Thanks PCG:
Had heard about a lot of road construction going on in Hotel Praga area.
Are they still blocked off?
What Optional tours do you recommend?
Thanks.

Hi Roger,
No, there wasn't any road construction going on when we were there.
As for the optional tours :

Excursion to Toledo -> very interesting
Portuguese riviera and sintra- don't really like it. We tried the cod fish for lunch at a restaurant, not cooked and also too salty. Also we need to "fight" with the flies while eating.
Portuguese dinner and fado- didn't go, but some people enjoyed it.
Seville- the optional tour is a bit expensive for a city tour. Yes, you can see the city by yourself but I guess won;t be able to appreciate the cathedral without a guide. The city area is within 10-15 minutes walk from our hotel.
Flamenco evening- Enjoyable night, but make sure you get a good seat.
Ourika valley- Interesting, however most of the time is the travelling time. Spent abt half an hour with the family who served us with very good home-made bread and mint tea.
1001 nights- didn't go, heard that the dinner was very rush.
Morroccan dinner in Fez- didn't go, heard that it was entertaining though not performed by professionals. We had our dinner at a nearby pizzaria - nice food and good service.
Meknes- not recommended by our tour director, so no one went. However there is nothing much to do in the afternoon except go for a swim at the pool.

I'm going! I decided on this one instead of just Morocco. Anyone joining the Dec. 17 departure? I'm so excited!