Location: Casablanca, Morocco, Africa.
Summary: A long‑awaited visit to Casablanca fell short of expectations due to a poorly run city tour, limited sightseeing, accessibility challenges, and a general sense that the city lacked the warmth and cleanliness experienced elsewhere in Morocco.
Today the MSC Lirica docked in Casablanca, a destination I’d long hoped to visit and one that had been firmly on my bucket list. I joined a combined coach-and-walking tour, ready to explore the city’s highlights. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to the anticipation.
City Tour Disappointments
The tour devoted an astonishing 2½ hours of a 5‑hour excursion to the Hassan II Mosque alone. As a result, we saw very little of Casablanca itself. The guide’s behaviour only added to the frustration:
- She spoke almost entirely in French, addressing only 8 of the 39 passengers.
- The English-speaking majority were largely ignored while she joked exclusively with the French group.
- She shouted at a woman in the mosque who wasn’t even part of our tour.
- She abandoned us during the mosque visit, leaving Jean and me to navigate the site on our own.
Hassan II Mosque Visit
The mosque was undeniably impressive, vast, intricate, and architecturally stunning. Unfortunately, the guide’s explanations dragged on endlessly, especially her repeated focus on cleansing rituals. Jean needed help walking, so another passenger and I supported her around the site while the guide disappeared.
Market Visit & City Impressions
We made a brief stop at a local market, which was dirty and littered with fish guts. It was a stark contrast to the clean, vibrant market in Tangier the day before. I wouldn’t have eaten anything here, despite happily sampling food in Tangier.
Accessibility Challenges at the Port
Returning to the ship proved difficult. The walk from the coach drop-off was long, and although a kind man helped by pushing Jean in a wheelchair, she still had to climb a steep, narrow gangplank to board. MSC Lirica offered no proper accessibility setup at this port, no ramp, no switchback walkway, nothing.
Final Thoughts on Casablanca
I’m glad I’ve seen Casablanca at least once, but I wouldn’t return. The city felt less clean and less welcoming than Tangier, and the tour itself was poorly organised. Morocco is a beautiful country filled with warm, generous people, but Casablanca didn’t show that side particularly well.
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