Casablanca cruise port

Where the ship docks

• Casablanca Cruise Terminal (Jetée Moulay Youssef) · 1 km to the centre

  Inaugurated on 18 September 2025; first ship 26 September 2025. About 650 m of quay, three gangways (one fixed, two telescopic), a terminal building and parking for 44 coaches. Takes ships up to 350 m long. Operated by Global Ports Holding under a 15-year concession from 1 January 2026. One guide notes that shops and amenities are still limited.

Can you walk? Partly. The city centre is about 1–1.25 km from the berth, but the route crosses a working industrial port and depends on which passenger exit is open. Guides advise against walking it, especially in heat. Once in town the Old Medina is walkable; the mosque, the Habous quarter and the Corniche need a taxi.

Getting to town

When to head back

Be back on board 60 minutes before all-aboard if you stayed in Casablanca; on a Rabat trip, be on a train due into Casa Port at least 2 hours before all-aboard.

Weekday rush-hour traffic is slow, and the drive from the Corniche or the Habous quarter to the port can take much longer than the distance suggests. Taxis have to reach the terminal through the port gates. Leave the city 30 minutes earlier than you think you need to: from the centre, the mosque, the Habous quarter or the Corniche, set off for the port at least 105 minutes before all-aboard.

If you are running late: Take a taxi straight to the cruise terminal and show the driver the port name in your daily programme. If you will miss all-aboard, call the port agent number printed on your daily programme.

Where people go wrong: Passengers arrive at the Hassan II Mosque in shorts or between tour times, or attempt Marrakech independently by train.

A day in Casablanca

Assumes the ship docks at 08:00 and all-aboard is 17:30, outside Ramadan, on a day other than Friday.

1. 08:30Off the ship. Take the shuttle or agree a taxi fare at the quay for the Hassan II Mosque.
2. 09:00Arrive at the mosque in clothes that cover shoulders and knees. Buy tickets (140 MAD) for the 10:00 tour, or the 09:00 tour if you are early.
3. 10:00Guided tour of the prayer hall. Shoes are removed and carried in a bag.
4. 11:15Walk along the ocean front, then into the Old Medina for its lanes and walls.
5. 12:15Lunch at La Sqala, the restored 18th-century bastion on the medina walls.
6. 13:45Taxi to the Habous quarter for its arcaded souks and pastries at Pâtisserie Bennis.
7. 15:00Taxi to Mohammed V Square and the art deco centre; short stop only.
8. 15:45Taxi or shuttle back to the cruise terminal, allowing for traffic.
9. 16:30Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.

What to see

Beaches

What to eat

• Traditional Moroccan breakfast: eggs with khlii (preserved dried meat), msemen, baghrir · La Sqala (Old Medina walls)
• Cornes de gazelle (almond-paste pastries) · Pâtisserie Bennis, Habous quarter
• Lamb tagine · La Sqala (Old Medina walls)
• Fresh fish grilled to order · Central Market (Marché Central), city centre: buy fish and have a nearby café grill it
• Mint tea and coffee in an old-style café · Café Imperial, Habous quarter

On your own or a ship excursion?

Skip the ship tour for Casablanca itself if you are comfortable negotiating taxis: the mosque runs fixed-time tours you can join on your own, and the medina and Habous quarter are short rides apart. Take the ship's excursion for Marrakech. It is about 240 km away, the train alone takes close to three hours or more each way, and if a train runs late the ship will not wait. Rabat is the borderline case: fine by train on a long call if you build in a large margin, easier on a ship tour.

Common mistakes

• Arriving at the mosque in shorts or a sleeveless top.

  Cover shoulders, torso and knees. The rules forbid shorts and sleeveless clothes.

• Turning up at the mosque between tour times, or for a midday tour on a Friday.

  Check the tour times before leaving the ship. On Fridays the last morning tour is 10:00.

• Getting into a taxi without agreeing the fare.

  Agree the destination and price before setting off, and carry small dirham notes.

• Trying to do Marrakech independently by train.

  It is close to three hours or more each way by train. Use the ship's excursion.

• Walking out of the port from the ship.

  Use the shuttle or a taxi; the route goes through a working port and the exit points vary.

• Planning on cash machines or changing money back at the end.

  Dirhams cannot be taken out of Morocco or easily changed back. Withdraw only what you need and spend it.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety

Casablanca is a large, busy city. Petty theft is common in medinas and crowded areas: pickpocketing, bag-snatching and thefts of visible jewellery and bags by passing motorcyclists. Keep valuables out of sight and avoid quiet streets. Traffic is fast and road crossings need care. The UK government notes that people posing as official guides often harass tourists; official guides carry a badge. Women may receive unwanted attention; loose clothing that covers arms and legs helps, and it is required for the mosque anyway. Do not swim off isolated beaches: the Atlantic surf is strong and lifeguards are often absent. Emergency number: 190.

Scams to know

• Unofficial guides in and around the medina who attach themselves to visitors and then demand payment. Official guides carry a badge; decline politely and keep walking.
• Taxi fares that change at the end of the ride. Agree the price before getting in or insist on the meter.
• Strangers offering directions who lead you to a shop or ask for money. Use an offline map.
• Card fraud and goods swapped for inferior ones after purchase. Watch your card and check items before they are wrapped.

Accessibility

The berth is alongside with gangways, so there is no tender transfer. The mosque's huge courtyard and prayer hall are level, but shoes must be removed and carried. The Old Medina has narrow, uneven lanes and is hard going for wheelchairs; the Corniche promenade and the centre around Mohammed V Square are flatter and wider. Ask the ship whether its shuttle buses are accessible, and arrange an accessible car through the shore excursion desk if needed, as ordinary taxis are small.

If it rains

The mosque tour is mostly indoors and works in any weather. Add the covered souks of the Habous quarter, a long lunch at a restaurant, and the Museum of Moroccan Judaism (closed Saturdays). Skip the Corniche walk in rain and wind.

Crowds

The mosque is the bottleneck: ship tours and independent visitors aim for the same tour slots. Take the earliest tour you can reach, and avoid Friday midday, when there are no tours after 10:00. The medina and Habous quarter are calmest in the early afternoon. On weekdays leave the Corniche or Habous for the port before the late-afternoon rush.

Casablanca cruise port FAQ

Sources

Checked October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

1. Fondation de la Mosquée Hassan II – visit times and ticket prices (official)
2. Global Ports Holding – Casablanca Cruise Port (operator)
3. Maroc.ma – the new Casablanca cruise terminal (government portal)
4. GOV.UK – Morocco travel advice: safety and security
5. GOV.UK – Morocco travel advice: getting help
6. Hespress – New cruise terminal: 53 ships and nearly 94,000 passengers (January 2026)
7. CruiseMapper – Casablanca cruise port
8. What's In Port – Casablanca
9. Celebrity Cruises – Casablanca port guide
10. Seat61 – Train travel in Morocco
11. Wikipedia – Rail transport in Morocco
12. 12Go – Casablanca to Marrakesh trains
13. Le Matin – New bus, busway and tram fares in Casablanca
14. Wanderlust – Three days in Casablanca
15. Atlas Obscura – La Sqala
16. Lonely Planet – Rick's Café