{"id":3810,"date":"2011-08-14T15:48:37","date_gmt":"2011-08-14T15:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/?p=3810"},"modified":"2020-11-02T21:09:13","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T21:09:13","slug":"to-tangier-on-the-marrakech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/?p=3810","title":{"rendered":"To Tangier on the Marrakech"},"content":{"rendered":"

COMANAV, then the state-owned shipping company of Morocco, established operations between Sete in Southern France and Tangier in 1974 following the acquisition of the former Vikingfjord, later Prinz Hamlet II, which they refurbished in a suitably Moorish style and put into service as the Agadir. The ship therefore began the first truly long-haul car ferry service to Morocco and, despite sailings in each direction requiring two nights aboard, the operation soon proved to be a success and by the mid-1980s a decision was made to order a purpose-built ship.<\/p>\n

\"COMANAV's<\/a>
COMANAV's Agadir, which served the company between 1974 and 1986. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The lobby aboard the Agadir.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Marrakech on her berth at Tangier Med.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Chantiers d\u2019Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire was chosen and the new ship, to be named the Marrakech, slotted intriguingly into the passenger ship orderbook just before the cruise ship Star Princess, SNCM\u2019s first Daniele Casanova (now the M\u00e9diterran\u00e9e) and Brittany Ferries\u2019 Bretagne. For two vessels built in reasonably close succession by the same yard for broadly similar length crossings, when one steps aboard the Marrakech and the Bretagne it is difficult to imagine two more divergent ships. Whilst the Bretagne firmly established the AIA-designed form of French modern as Brittany Ferries\u2019 house style, in many respects the Marrakech could have been a product of the 1970s. She is unabashedly a ship of state with deluxe and distinctly indigenous-looking first class saloons – the ship being, along with the Koningin Beatrix (1986) and Kronprins Harald (1987), amongst the last clutch of major European-built ferries to be delivered with separate classes onboard. A sailing from Sete to Tangier in May 2011 provided the opportunity to enjoy this chunky-looking classic on the route for which she was designed. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The panel in the main lobby documenting the ship's role in taking King Hassan II to Algiers in 1988 where Arab leaders discussed how to respond to the First Intifada.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Marrakech was designed not only to be the national ferry flagship but also, when the occasion demanded, to become the de-facto royal yacht of King Hassan II. This is demonstrated on board today in the large panel in the main lobby which states that the ship transported Hassan to the June 1988 Arab League summit in Algiers. The King died in 1999 and the royal family has long since relinquished their use of the ship and, as we shall see, whilst the delicately detailed first class saloons created for their use have stood the test of time well, in other areas the ship has rather been allowed to fall into less than perfect repair. <\/p>\n

The class division was evidently designed with a change to single class operation in mind and, after the simple expedient of opening two doors on Decks 5 and 6 there is little the general passenger might notice in terms of orientation save for the transition from puke-coloured lino to blue carpeting in the cabin areas and the observation that there are two shopping areas along the starboard-side arcade, one open plan, richly-lit and decorated with designer goods in display cases whilst the other is a small, fluorescent-lit box where cigarettes and chocolate are the staple commodities on offer.<\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>
On the berth at Sete, four hours before departure. Note the heavily-laden camper vans already lined up on the quayside waiting to board, a characteristic feature of the North African routes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sete's<\/a>
Sete's slightly run-down passenger terminal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Boarding in Sete was via the vehicle deck which is a simple lorry-height affair split by a chunky centre casing peculiar to the extent that a small sliver of cabins are squeezed in on the upper level. Whilst plenty of ferries have cabins in side casings, this is a fairly unique arrangement, the only similar concept I can think of being the original incarnations of Viking Line\u2019s Aurella as well as the 1960s Dieppe-Newhaven sisters Villandry and Valencay which had cabins and some small saloons inboard of the mezzanine vehicle deck. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Marrakech's vehicle deck.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Deckplan.<\/a>
Deckplan. Click for larger image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deck 5 is the main cabin deck, with the section aft of the amidships lobby being the former second class where things are very basic with bare off-white walls, no decorative touches and no en suite facilities. Forward, the first class cabins are of their time (if not a touch earlier) although no longer in pristine condition; in most convertible sofa-beds provide for the popular habit of spending the entire crossing cooped up in the cabin. A small range of luxury suites are provided on Deck 7, whilst on the deck above, just aft of the bridge, an old-school radio room can still be found where in previous times passengers could pass messages through the hatch to be wired ashore. <\/p>\n

\"Our<\/a>
Our slightly spartan two-berth, former first class, cabin. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Complete<\/a>
Complete with working radio...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"...<\/a>
... and baby blue bathroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The former First Class reception area, amidships on Deck 5.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lobby<\/a>
Lobby detail. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Just<\/a>
Just aft of the main lobby, the former second class cabin area has an altogether less luxurious feel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"One<\/a>
One of the basic cabins in the second class section of the ship.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deck 6 is the saloon deck where, forward, a quite outstanding pair of First Class rooms remain intact. Overlooking the forecastle is the \u2018Mamounia\u2019 Bar with central dance area and live music whilst the astonishing Moroccan Saloon is just aft of this on the port side. This is furnished in dark red with an intricate, hand-painted ceiling and wall and table lamps which at night-time diffuse their light into a kaleidoscope of patterns against the bulkheads. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The 'Mamounia' Lounge, forward.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'Mamounia'<\/a>
'Mamounia' bar counter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Salon<\/a>
Salon Marocain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Salon<\/a>
Salon Marocain - ceiling detail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Salon<\/a>
Salon Marocain at night.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A starboard-side arcade is the main circulation route on board and, heading aft, next is the former first class \u2018El Bahia\u2019 restaurant followed by the open-plan shopping area. <\/p>\n

\"Entrance<\/a>
Entrance to 'El Bahia' restaurant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'El<\/a>
'El Bahia' restaurant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'El<\/a>
'El Bahia' restaurant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'El<\/a>
'El Bahia' restaurant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
Leaving the restaurant and returning to the starboard-side arcade, this is the view looking aft.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One then moves into the former second class area where a pair of more simple shop areas can be found (one now in use for storage) whilst, aft again, is what was the only public room in this class, an open-plan space with cafeteria (\u2018El Bahja\u2019) to port and lounge area (‘Salon Agdal’) to starboard. There remain some quite detailed touches, with the wooden carvings on the bar counter of particular note but the general d\u00e9cor is somewhat stripped back and could easily come from a ship built a decade earlier. Right aft is the former second class outside deck, furnished with wooden benches and interrupted on the centreline by the box enclosing the bottom of the swimming pool in the former first class area above (as if to really kick second class passengers in the teeth about the pleasures first class were enjoying, there are small windows on either side actually looking into the bottom of the pool).<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>
Looking aft in the former second class 'Salon Agdal'.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'Salon<\/a>
'Salon Agdal'.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'Salon<\/a>
'Salon Agdal' bar counter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"'Salon<\/a>
'Salon Agdal' detail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The cafeteria area to port.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The final major saloon is directly above the cafeteria\/bar and this fulfilled the function of first class lido bar and, come the evening, nightclub. Just forward of this is the conference room\/cinema which was out of use but appeared to have previously been used as an area of reclining seating. We were told that COMANAV no longer sell deck or seat passage on the ship as there is not enough money in it for them although with her passenger capacity of less than 650 one would have thought it would be profitable in the peak Summer migration season. That said, one of our tablemates in the restaurant advised that, even with her current capacity, the ship can be awful at these times when \u201cthe children running around make it a nightmare???; from what we were told it seems little short of a miracle that the intricate detailings of so many of the original saloons remain in such good condition. On this occasion, with probably no more than 100 passengers on board, such considerations were thankfully for another day. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Lido bar\/nightclub on Deck 7.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Bar<\/a>
Bar counter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"DJ's<\/a>
DJ's booth for use in nightclub guise. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Officers'<\/a>
Officers' mess, Deck 7.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Radio<\/a>
Radio room, Deck 8.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Marrakech<\/a>
Marrakech Miscellany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Marrakech<\/a>
Marrakech Miscellany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fairly extensive outside decks are in quite poor condition; the lido area is covered with rather dirty matting and the swimming pool looked filthy but in any event remained covered by its netting throughout. At some stage it has lost its surround which means its sheer edges are now flush with the deck which must be disconcerting on a rough crossing when passengers are struggling to find their feet. The rest of the outside decks are somewhat pitted and the wooden deck railings in severe need of varnishing. In contrast, one of the crew could be seen hard at work polishing the brass on the staircases and the desk in the reception area which, in line with the other saloons, was in pretty good condition. <\/p>\n

\"Aft<\/a>
Aft outside deck with swimming pool. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Anyone<\/a>
Anyone fancy a swim?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The swimming pool area seen in better days.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Deck<\/a>
Deck 9 abaft the funnel. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Deck<\/a>
Deck 9 forward, aft of and above the bridge. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Final<\/a>
Loading the vans.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tug<\/a>
Tug assistance to move off the berth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Leaving<\/a>
Leaving Sete.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As with previous experiences aboard COMANAV, the food was average, although it seemed to improve as the crossing went by. All meals are included in the price and all passengers were served on this sailing in the former first class restaurant. On busier crossings the echo of the class distinction lives on as those in the old second class quarters use the self service cafeteria, whilst the rest make use of the restaurant where two or even three sittings are required. If previous experience stands true, the food served in both is the same forgettable fare. The first evening was particularly poor \u2013 the starter was a beige coloured lumpy gloop with no discernable taste which we were astounded to subsequently find out was billed as salmon soup. This was followed by meatballs of unknown provenance and a fruit tart for desert. The following morning it was difficult to go wrong with a continental breakfast of rolls, jam, coffee, tea and orange juice, whilst lunch on Day Two was tuna salad, followed by what may well have been Birds Eye breaded fish and potato balls with an apple on a plate for desert (as a point of etiquette it appeared to be frowned upon if one did not use a knife to carve the apple up first). The evening meal on the second night was probably the best of the bunch with a superb Mulligatawny-style soup, followed by lamb and a chocolate eclair. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Something the ship\u2019s crew were able to rustle up was a decent gin and tonic, although the complete failure of the ship\u2019s ice-making machine was a negative factor. For that, and other, reasons our fellow passengers had fairly negative views of the Marrakech as she is now \u2013 some could remember her during the glory days when she lived up to her billing as national flagship whilst others felt her operational partner on the route, COMARIT\u2019s Biladi (ex- Libert\u00e9) was superior, especially since her 2010 modernisation. The Marrakech has recently received a \u2018duck tail\u2019 sponson aft but this has had a seemingly negative effect on seakeeping, with a somewhat jumpy motion being experienced even in relatively calm seas. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One thing on which all were agreed was that the ship was far too hot \u2013 the air conditioning was either underpowered or not working properly and this was particularly evident in the cabin areas. The technical troubles went deeper for, whilst the ship managed to run broadly to time, she appeared to have problems with her bow thrusters and tugs were required at both ends of the journey and one could imagine that the reverse dog-leg to move onto the berth in Sete proved a challenge on the previous arrival. Then, on the sailing subsequent to ours, the ship endured a fire in a machinery space which necessitated a retreat to La Spezia for repairs.<\/p>\n

The entertainment in the forward bar was good with a keyboard player accompanied by a singing violinist who, together with their backing track, provided an appropriately Arabic vibe to the forward half of the ship. This extended to the deck below where there appears to have been little consideration of soundproofing even between cabins never mind from the saloon above; suffice to say light sleepers with quarters in these areas would be advised not to try and get an early night. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And so the 36-hour journey played out, with food followed by leisurely explorations of the ship and chats with fellow passengers, followed by food, followed by an afternoon siesta and an hour or so reading a book, followed by food, followed by after-dinner drinks and a game of cards in the first class saloons. Most passengers seemed to spend much of their time in the cabin areas smoking and chatting with the beds drawn down into their sofa positions. The crew meanwhile were unerringly friendly throughout, in particular the ship\u2019s doctor who was justifiably proud of his ship\u2019s glorious past but perhaps a little bashful at COMANAV\u2019s inability to maintain her in the manner in which she had been conceived. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We arrived off the new port of Tangier Med just a fraction behind the scheduled time of 7am but with the prolonged pushing and pulling of the tug to move us onto the berth followed by the on board customs procedures it was past nine when we finally disembarked onto the port shuttle bus. The former Oostende trio of the Oleander (running for COMARIT\/LME), Eurovoyager (FRS) and Al Mansour (COMANAV) came and went to Algeciras together with another former Ramsgate ship the Boughaz (COMARIT). The local scene of conventional ferries was completed by the two IMTC ships Atlas and Le Rif, Acciona\u2019s Ciudad de Malaga and Balearia\/Nautas\u2019s Passio per Formentera. COMARIT\u2019s Ibn Batouta (ex-St Christopher) lay somewhat forlornly out of use on the Algeciras breakwater.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Early in the morning of day three and our mini-liner passes the pseudo-liner Queen Elizabeth. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sunrise<\/a>
Sunrise & Queen Elizabeth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The pilot boat sweeps in to assist with our arrival.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Seen<\/a>
Seen leaving Tangier Med is Balearia\/Nautas' little Passio Per Formentera, whose psychedelic onboard decor is themed around her namesake Balearic island's 1960s bohemian past when, appropriately enough, Formentera was considered a stop on the hippy trail to Morocco.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"On<\/a>
On the short-sea berths at Tangier Med - the Boughaz (ex-Viking 5) and Oleander (ex-Pride of Free Enterprise).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"FRS's<\/a>
FRS's chartered Eurovoyager arriving from Algeciras.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Oleander's morning departure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Later,<\/a>
Later, with the Eurovoyager (ex-Prins Albert) on the berth her former RMT fleetmate the current Al Mansour (ex-Reine Astrid) also arrived. In their Belgian days these ships were named in honour of the tragic Queen Astrid and her son. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tangier Med, 25 miles to the east of Tangier itself, formed a somewhat depressing finale to the trip \u2013 whilst the new Gare Maritime itself is a not unappealing building, the wide and open lorry parks and acres of fencing are a poor substitute for the old days when arrivals at the old Tangier port landed one directly in the heart of things and an air of excitement combined with the slight perception of the dangerous unknown proved a heady mix for the intercontinental traveller. In contrast, the Med port is efficient, completely devoid of touts and altogether unexotic. Nonetheless, despite the romantic deficiencies of both her new home port and some aspects of her current condition, our voyage on the Marrakech had been a splendid one: a relaxing and enjoyable weekend spent sailing on a fascinating ship which had been overlooked for perhaps too long. <\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COMANAV, then the state-owned shipping company of Morocco, established operations between Sete in Southern France and Tangier in 1974 following the acquisition of the former Vikingfjord, later Prinz Hamlet II,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[103,756,757,113],"class_list":["post-3810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-posts","tag-comanav","tag-marrakech","tag-sete","tag-tangier","wpcat-46-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3810"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6722,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3810\/revisions\/6722"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hhvferry.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}