Cruises to Aruba and Curacao question

Valor is heading to Aruba on October 25th getting there at 1pm. No other ships in port that day.

 

 

 

Bill

May not just be cruise ships but commercial traffic

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

May not just be cruise ships but commercial traffic

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Doesnt seem to be traffic related. Carnival ships dont go thru channel and make them open floating bridge they have their own place to dock nearby.

Will try to get answer this Nov when we do this itinerary again

We just returned from Southern Caribbean (5/15) and loved Aruba and Curacao! LaRomana not so much, but not because it felt unsafe. We liked arriving in Curacao at 1 and leaving at 10 - it was nice to not have to get back on board by 4, so a nighttime visit was lovely - we ate at a local diner - which was just a short walk away from the port area. We found ourselves in a local market, where no one spoke English - but that didn't bother us because we knew we WERE NOT IN THE USA! The floating bridge was very pretty all lit up at night.

Aruba was our favorite, would love to go back there and spend a few days just exploring that desert island - the people were all so friendly "One Happy Island" and we found the prices of things to be fairly reasonable. Maybe because it's our most recent cruise, or maybe because it's just true, but Aruba and Curacao are now our favorite Caribbean destinations!

I enjoyed getting to Curacao at 1. We rented a car and drove to westpunt to the beaches for about 4 hours and still had time to get back to the ship and shower and get back to the town at night for some dinner and drinks. Had an amazing time

+1.

My first cruise, we stayed in Cozumel until just after midnight. There was a bar super close to the pier and everyone danced the night away to great music until the ship's horn sounded.

Another cruise to Puerto Rico gave my wife and I a chance to meet friends, go to dinner and then have a great night before returning to the ship.

My last cruise, we brought our kids as well as both sets of in laws. What used to be strictly an adventure with my wife and I has become a family event with the kiddos. It just changes the atmosphere. However, that night in Curaçao was special because we were able to leave the kids with both Grammies on the ship and return to the island for some nightlife. I definitely prefer to have the option for nightlife in one port.

Besides, the DR isn't bad. I just don't understand people who downplay DR and Jamaica and prefer to either skip them or not disembark. To each their own, I guess.

This year we're doing Aruba twice...the first time we arrive at 8 am but the second time we arrive at 1 pm so it probably is because of the distance from the previous port.

Loved being in Aruba from 1-10pm, it was nice to be there at night and sunset. Not many places you get the experience at night.

I know this is a Carnvial board but

you could always do the Navigator of the seas

It goes to all three ABC's

Willemstad/Curacao: DOCKED

Arrive 9:00 am Depart 8:00 pm

Kralendijk: DOCKED

Arrive 7:00 am Depart 5:00 pm

Oranjestad: DOCKED

Arrive 7:00 am Depart 6:00 pm

BTW it is a 9 day cruise so perday in a balcony it is cheaper than CCL Conquest and Vista

Take the worst aspects of Freeport, Nassau, and Ochoa Rios, subtract the beaches and add the poverty of Dominica and St Lucia without the natural beauty, and you can see the picture. The only place I ever went where I actually felt unsafe. Either take an excursion to a guarded beach, a snorkel excursion (mediocre snorkeling at best, OR STAY ON THE SHIP.

Wow.

Loved LaRomana DR, went to Dreams and spent one of the best, relaxing and luxurious days of my life.

Went to Dominica, hiked into the rainforest and spent hours walking around downtown - one of the most relaxing days I've ever spent and one of the most safe ports I've ever just wandered about in. I didn't get an uneasy feeling at all, it was like they were happy to have us and our dollars.

Have been to Ocho Rios, not my favorite but still not a bad place. Dunn's River Falls is a must do just once in life and if you use a reputable guide, they will steer you in the right direction. I certainly wouldn't book another cruise specifically to Ocho Rios just because I wanna see Ocho Rios again, but I also wouldn't turn down a cruise that had it as a port, nor would I stay on the ship. Jamaica is beautiful, you just sort of have to know ahead of time that you need to look past the annoying/pestering locals and see the beauty.

Nassau and Freeport, I've avoided like the plague. So many more interesting places to see further south, west and east in the Caribbean for me to be satisfied with a cruise to the Bahamas. I want to at least feel like I've left Florida!

But, LaRomana? I'd go again in a heartbeat. I'd book another day at Dreams and spend five hours in paradise.

The port entrance, the end of the dock is in the lower left hand side, you can see a corner of it. The coastline is simply stunning. So, there isn't a Diamonds International or a Margaritaville but I'd say that just adds to the character of it instead of detracting.

These are the memories that I took away from LaRomana. They still make me smile today! The main thing is you must get away from the port, plan an excursion. It isn't a "mill about the shopping complex at Grand Turk or Cozumel/drink yourself into oblivion at the bar" type of day. It is a "plan ahead, do your research" type of port.

Just proves that people see things very differently.

Wow.

 

Loved LaRomana DR, went to Dreams and spent one of the best, relaxing and luxurious days of my life.

 

Went to Dominica, hiked into the rainforest and spent hours walking around downtown - one of the most relaxing days I've ever spent and one of the most safe ports I've ever just wandered about in. I didn't get an uneasy feeling at all, it was like they were happy to have us and our dollars.

 

Have been to Ocho Rios, not my favorite but still not a bad place. Dunn's River Falls is a must do just once in life and if you use a reputable guide, they will steer you in the right direction. I certainly wouldn't book another cruise specifically to Ocho Rios just because I wanna see Ocho Rios again, but I also wouldn't turn down a cruise that had it as a port, nor would I stay on the ship. Jamaica is beautiful, you just sort of have to know ahead of time that you need to look past the annoying/pestering locals and see the beauty.

 

Nassau and Freeport, I've avoided like the plague. So many more interesting places to see further south, west and east in the Caribbean for me to be satisfied with a cruise to the Bahamas. I want to at least feel like I've left Florida!

 

But, LaRomana? I'd go again in a heartbeat. I'd book another day at Dreams and spend five hours in paradise.

 

The port entrance, the end of the dock is in the lower left hand side, you can see a corner of it. The coastline is simply stunning. So, there isn't a Diamonds International or a Margaritaville but I'd say that just adds to the character of it instead of detracting.

I've been to Jamaica three times, Nassau twice and LaRomana once. I'd go back to all three in a heartbeat.

The real draw of Nassau, in my opinion, is Atlantis. I could spend all day there (we actually did). Booked a room at a hotel across the street that gave day passes to Atlantis. That gave us an opportunity to drop off our things, head over to Atlantis for the day, close down the water park, return back to the hotel room to shower and freshen up, and then head back to the ship. I actually wanted to hit up a restaurant but my wife rejected the idea.

The second time we did a pirate tour, visited the Believe It or Not museum, bartered heavily at the straw market for fun and strolled the town. I got bored a little near the end of it so if I ever were to go again, I'd hit up Atlantis again. Water park, shopping, restaurants.

Jamaica is a love affair. From zip lines to Dunn's Falls, I had a blast. Pushy locals but it doesn't bother me. Our tour guide actually told us how to avoid the market after the Falls but I purposely went into it to look around.

Our guide for the zip lines dropped half of us at the shopping complex and the ones that wanted to experience "real" jerk chicken (count me IN!!!), he took us to a local place and waited for us to order and eat before bringing us back to the pier.

These are the memories that I took away from LaRomana. They still make me smile today! The main thing is you must get away from the port, plan an excursion. It isn't a "mill about the shopping complex at Grand Turk or Cozumel/drink yourself into oblivion at the bar" type of day. It is a "plan ahead, do your research" type of port.

Agreed. The pier area isn't very beautiful and walking beyond the complex and outside the gates, there's just a lineup of cabs/buses and a crazy scene. You just have to remain calm and find your way.

After our excursion, we asked the guide to stop at a grocery store just a few miles from the pier. Shopped for wine and such with a handful from our van. Very relaxing to stroll and do something that would be considered an everyday activity.

This year we're doing Aruba twice...the first time we arrive at 8 am but the second time we arrive at 1 pm so it probably is because of the distance from the previous port.

Are you doing a back-to-back-to-back?!:D How fun! I was just telling my husband I would LOVE to do a BTB! Now I'm going to start seriously looking! :cool:

Are you doing a back-to-back-to-back?!:D How fun! I was just telling my husband I would LOVE to do a BTB! Now I'm going to start seriously looking! :cool:

Dont believe a b2b will do S Caribbean both times. Second cruise would be an Eastern or Western C.

Why does Carnival do 1 island 8am to4 or 5pm and then the next day doesn't get to the next island until 1pm .

 

All the other cruise lines hit thise 2 islands in consecutive days just like Carnival but they arrive at each island at 8am?

 

Getting to 1 island at 1pm is a waste to me.

 

Bill

I agree, but luckily that didn't happen to us when we sailed there. We had a full day in both ports.

Are you doing a back-to-back-to-back?!:D How fun! I was just telling my husband I would LOVE to do a BTB! Now I'm going to start seriously looking! :cool:

Yes we are as the airfare is the most expensive part of any trip for us :cool: