Unusually, Sky Princess sailed in to the Santa Cruz cruise terminal in the mid-morning. Stranger still was the fact it was raining – even though none of the Captain’s weather reports said it would.
As a result, we changed our plans and delayed disembarkation until after lunch. This allowed time for the rain to stop – and the usual gangway crush to die down.
Originally, we had planned to take a bus down to the Hard Rock Café in Playas de las Americas at the southern end of Tenerife. However, our itinerary delay put paid to that.
Instead, we carried out a dry run – a walk/scoot from the Santa Cruz cruise terminal to Intercambiador, the main bus station in town. The test was a success, so we may attempt the complete journey to the HRC tomorrow…
Take a look at the Hard Rock Café Global Price Index to see how far you money will go in Tenerife
On the way back to the ship, we diverted through the old town. The city has undergone some serious redevelopment over the years, with large apartment buildings shooting up everywhere. Unfortunately this has come at the expense of many of the older, classical houses and shops. But there are still glimpses of the city’s glory days if you look hard enough.
There are some important things cruisers should note when visiting Tenerife via Santa Cruz:
It’s a long way to the start of your journey…
Sky Princess docked at berth 3 on the long harbour wall, the further possible distance from town. From Berth 3 it is a 1.3km (0.8 mile) walk to the port gates.
…but there may be a shortcut
The city may provide shuttle buses that take you from the ship to the cruise terminal building. That saved us a lot of time (and scooter battery power).
Roads are well-maintained…
The roads and paths in Santa Cruz are well maintained, particularly along the seafront. Great for the scooter.
…but beware the paving
In the city centre, the majority of streets are paved. They tend to be well-maintained, but the constant bumping and rattling may be uncomfortable for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
It’s also worth noting that the city is built across hills that get steeper the further you go from the port.
You may not appreciate the shuttle bus driver’s humour
Arriving back at Sky Princess, our shuttle bus driver turned towards the dock edge as if to begin a three-point turn. However, he continued driving quite quickly towards the water until the front of the coach was hanging out over the water, the wheels mere inches from the edge. We’re surprised no one had a heart attack.
Tenerife has a somewhat negative reputation as a package holiday party hell. But visiting Santa Cruz out of season has helped to dispel some of that negativity.
Like Puerto Rico last year, it’s a little weird to see Christmas decorations being hung from palm trees in 26ºC heat. And a shame that we probably won’t see them lit.
Hopefully tomorrow we will make it to the southern end of the island.
Santa Cruz accessibility info
Batteries required: 1
Battery rating: -60%
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