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Good Morning! We got back a couple weeks ago and I wanted to let you know that we had an AMAZING time on Bonaire (despite me being a smidge under the weather)! Thank you so much for your insights and planning tips, I know they made the day even more special. We're already looking to schedule a similar itinerary (ABC) again later this year because there is so much to see and do.

Thank you again so much! I really hope it doesn't get any worse for you all. Fingers crossed. You are so kind, we won't trouble you. All the information you've shared has been absolutely awesome, can't thank you enough!

Hi @Katefromupstate! It's me again! I hope that you are doing well. We are getting ready to leave for our cruise next week and heard the very sad news about the awful oil spill reaching the shores of Bonaire. I've been trying to find information regarding any areas we should avoid, but it's still a bit sparse. I imagine there is a lot of planning and such happening right now. I did see that Lac and Sorobon areas appear to be closed. Do you know if there are other areas we should avoid? I would hate to be that tourist that just shows up somewhere where people are trying to work. I certainly don't want to make the situation any worse than it already is! I also realize that this is likely to change by the day and we'll certainly do our best to check when we arrive. I hope the proper people are able to get this thing under control soon. It's heartbreaking the potential impacts for all the surrounding areas.

the recent change must be why people were posting on here with certain parts of the website saying one thing vs. cruise docs saying something else etc etc. Two bottles between the two of us is plenty. And it's always in a carryon. The thought of a bottle of wine possibly breaking in my suitcase is terrifying 🤣

I've seen this debated so many times! Is it two per person or two per cabin and depending on the day and where you look...different parts of the X website even say different things. Regardless, we'll play it safe and stick to one per person. Thank you for the clarification 🙂

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it! Happy to hear that the hangers and fridge can be resolved once on board. I always hate making extra requests and truthfully, try to keep the steward out of my room as much as possible (typically requesting ONLY towels, empty trash, refill TP on every other day), but will see about getting these done once on board. Interesting about dropping bags as well---very handy! thank you!

Hi All, Hoping to gather some insight from all of you since I just got off the phone with Celebrity and they didn't really seem like they could answer my questions...so...here we are! In all fairness, I guess these are minor details, since I couldn't find them on the boards here either. I've sailed on several cruises in the past, but this will be my first go with Celebrity in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to trying something new and hoping that since I didn't sail with them before all the cutbacks everyone talks about, I won't be none the wiser. 😉 There are a couple things I usually request before my cruises but was met with general confusion and "we don't do that" from the gentleman I just spoke with. Here's what I asked: 1. Can we request extra hangers for our cabin closet? Since I noticed the closets don't really have much in the way of drawer space, I expect to hang most of our stuff. I've asked this before on Princess, NCL, and Virgin and have always been met with a load of hangers in the closet on arrival. Today I was met with a confused "I can't help you with that" on the phone. Have any of you asked your cabin steward for this and had any luck? I have some cheapie hangers I can bring, but it's nice not to have to pack extra. 2. Can we have the refrigerator/mini bar emptied? We usually bring a couple bottles of our own wine and some ginger for my partner's potential seasickness. We never use anything in the mini bar and again, have never had issues asking for it to be emptied before arrival. Same thing on this one. He kept asking if it was medically necessary and when I said no, I was again met with "we don't do this." So...can I just ask the cabin steward on arrival? I hate to task them with extra stuff, but I would like to be able to use the min-fridge. I didn't ask this question, but as far as bringing on your own wine, do you need to "declare" it, or just run it through in your carry-on bags and no issue? I've had it both ways, and different at different ports, so wasn't sure if there was anything special to do. We're sailing out of Port Everglades, if that makes a difference. And one final question for you experienced sailors...I see a lot of people saying that when they embark, they drop their carry-ons in the cabin even if it isn't ready yet. Is that a thing? I guess I've always assumed if the room isn't ready, then stay out of your steward's way and let them prepare the cabin. Normally I just carry around my backpack and it doesn't bother me any. However, we have a concierge room (figured we'd take the extra points since the price was the same) and a quiet lunch in the dining room sounds like a nice alternative to the busy buffet on embarkation day. But I'm not sure about bringing a backpack in there? Thanks Everyone!!

I had meant that we would look for the vans on the way back to Punda, just waiting on the main road outside the Dive Shop. We had planned to just go to the Punda station and hope for the best on the way out there, so that sounds ideal--busses waiting in lines 🙂 thank you!

ok @topspot, one more question for you as you have been brilliantly helpful! Did the busses/vans accept US dollars? I see on the bus website that they request fares be paid in coins, but I can't imagine they would accept US coins... I'm happy to "overpay" to round up to a reasonable US amount...looks like the bus fare would be about $1.50 per person US, but for two people, I would just give a $5 to make it easier. What has your experience been with paying? thanks again!

@topspot Thank you so much!!! This is absolutely the kind of information I've been digging to find. I did see on the Dive Bus site that cabs are $30 now. I don't mind that one way, but I feel like $60 is a bit more than I'd like to pay...especially for such a short ride! We'll look for the vans (unless it gets too hot!)

this is great, thank you so much!! It sounds like the vans are the way to go, but maybe not the most reliable? By that I mean, one may or may not be available to take you where you are headed? We're in port from 8-5 as well as another ship from 8-6. I'm hoping that people will be wanting to get out and about...and maybe head out to Mambo beach as you mentioned. When you took the van, did they drop you off at the dive shop, or did you go all the way to Mambo beach and walk back? How did you get back into town? Thank you again for your help. It's so much easier when you can talk to someone that's done it before...and I vastly prefer to have a plan ahead of time and just be able to execute it, not lose valuable time searching around port for solutions.

@topspot, if you don't mind me asking, what dive shop do you use? This exact thing is my favorite thing to do in Cayman and I would love to be able to replicate it in Curacao...that is, easy transport to a dive shop, secure belongings, enjoy some great snorkeling, change clothes, head on our way! How is the snorkeling in this area? We would like something we can access via the bus, if possible. thank you!

What are the regulations for bringing it back to the US through customs? I didn't think cheese could be brought back on land after disembarking?

@crewsweeper, do you know if Linda's does take-out orders? thanks!

Hi All, We'll be in Aruba next month (early March) and there are three ships in port that day, yikes! We have a car rental lined up as well as dinner reservations, but I'm in the process of working out exactly what we will do during the day. I've seen a few small things around the web about Westpunt trail out to the north end of the island as well as the surrounding area of Sasariwichi Dunes. I would love any information from anyone that has been out this way before. We're avid hikers in our late 30s and will have a sedan for the day. Ideally there would be some parking (looks like a decent amount of pull-offs, is this ok in Aruba, to leave a car at an area like that as long as fully off the road and not blocking anything?) that is accessible from a paved road (or easily traversable gravel). Just curious if anyone has hiked/explored/wandered about this area. It looks lovely. I know this post is rather vague, but hoping for any personal experiences someone can share. Thank you!

Hello again Kate! And yeah, I have a bad habit of not signing messages...but it's Toni---pleasure to make your acquaintance! 😄 You are too kind to offer up your outdoor shower! We are typically not the types that would just randomly show up at someone's house, but that is such a generous offer! I can't thank you enough for all this excellent insider advice. We are really excited about our trip and I'm particularly looking forward to our stop in Bonaire. It's always nice when you feel like you've been able to make the most of a day in port. One other thing I did just think of---do you recommend water shoes or anything for the snorkel site you mentioned? I typically just go barefoot (no fins either) but I can see on the satellite images that some areas look like the coral/rocks come right up to the shore. thank you again! Toni

This is absolutely amazing @Katefromupstate!! I can't thank you enough!!! If it's not too much trouble, I do have a few follow up questions... (and seriously, feel free to duck out of my incessant questioning at ANY TIME; I will not be offended, you aren't a tour guide or travel agent!!!) Is it pretty easy to park at Andrea I? On Google it looks like there is a small parking area behind a neighborhood. I keep seeing notes about not leaving valuables in your car. Will we be ok in a rental? I would hate to have it broken into while on the beach. All we would have with us is day packs which we would lock in the trunk. (I have a waterproof case for keys while in the water) I assume leaving towels and similar beach items on the beach is ok (cheap sunglasses, sandals, shorts, that sort of stuff) I'm psyched we will be there on a Wednesday and able to try Posada Para Mia! It looks like they take reservations. Do you think we should make one? I hate being tied to a time, but I definitely understand if that is a standard practice. Also, do they accept the US dollar and/or credit cards? How is Kos Bon So in case we need a lunch backup? I'm always leery when cruise ships come in and take over a place ... and yes, I realize the irony in being one of those people myself... The dirt road out past Sorobon Beach Club--is it passable in a sedan? That's what we currently have reserved. Finally, are there any spots in Kralendijk you would recommend to stop in? I recall you said everything closes around 5, so that may not be an option, but figured I would check. Oh, and I guess safety too---it sounds like Bonaire is pretty safe to wander, but checking with a local is always handy! Thank you again for all of your insights. This has been absolutely wonderful!

@Katefromupstate thank you, this is really helpful! I tried to message you directly, but it says that the feature is disabled for you as well. Maybe the problem is on my end? I couldn't find anywhere to activate/deactivate that option so....here I am! After a lot of thinking, we decided not to continue with the mangrove tour. While it is something we really wanted to do, I think the scheduling is going to make things a little complicated. That said, I think we are going to try to complete an itinerary similar to what you mention doing with your guests: north and south loop, maybe a quicker (but hopefully tasty!) lunch, snorkeling break, a stop in Rincon for Cadushy... Any suggestions on sights to see? In my past experiences, snorkeling is better in the morning before the winds pick up, is that the case in Bonaire? Any suggestions on a good spot to snorkel from shore? We'll only have the one car, so a drift option is out. We're not fancy, so we don't need a beach with lots of amenities. I always love to try to some local food in port. Any recommendations? We'd like to save time for sightseeing, so wouldn't want something that takes too long. I'm not sure what the cultural norms are for dining as this will be our first (and hopefully not last) trip to Bonaire. Any suggestions are welcome. I can't thank you enough for helping me piece something together! I like to have a rough idea what I'm getting into at a cruise port since time/schedule is so important.

@Katefromupstate, this is awesome, thank you so much! To answer some of your questions... I'm currently working out the details on the rental car with Bonaire Rent a Car. It looks to be about a ten minute walk from the cruise port. Good info about the timing of the shops. I had expected that they probably wouldn't open until a little later. I'd love to stop into Cadushy (their downtown shop), but it looks like their hours are 10-5...and like you said, I think exploring along the coast will be more rewarding (for our tastes overall). All aboard should be 7/730 with an 8pm departure. I've never had it more than an hour ahead of time. That's why I figured the 230-5pm tour would be ok. Now you've got me a bit nervous. We will definitely let them know we are cruise passengers. Regardless, we weren't expecting to have time to do anything but walk back to the ship after returning the rental car. Google had suggested Kaminda Lac to Kaminda Sorobon to get back from the Mangrove Center. It says 16 minutes, so I had planned for about a half hour. Does that sound reasonable? We are hoping to be able to make the full southern loop, and I think that if we leave town without really looking around much that should be doable. My only concern is if we head off that way in the morning, there aren't really any places to eat (assuming we would be past the food trucks you mentioned by the time they arrive around 11) and I know we'll likely want to have something before the tour. Are there any groceries or markets in town that open earlier? If not, we might be doing granola bars and pop tarts for lunch, wouldn't be the first time! ETA: Ok, I'm going to throw a total curve ball in here...do you think we would be better served exploring the northern loop and skipping the mangroves/kayak tour? I'm trying to look at this as "I can hopefully come back someday and see the things I didn't get to see on this trip" while still making the most of our one day on the island. Thank you for your help! I always feel like I've struck gold when I get to speak with a local 😄

oh, of course! I'm certainly going to check day of and make sure to be back at the ship on time. I'm OBSESSIVE about that. This was more for the pre-planning stuff and hoping that I'm not scheduling everything an hour "too early".

Hello! I'm looking forward to an 8am-8pm day on Bonaire in early March. Hoping some of you might have some good advice on my REALLY rough itinerary. I'm hoping to strategize a bit and fill in the blanks... We have a rental car scheduled for the day. We want to explore the south route, mainly because we have an afternoon tour (230pm) booked at the mangroves. That tour is about 2.5hrs, so if it stays on schedule, I expect we would be back at the rental car facility around 6pm the latest. I'm sure my partner will want to explore downtown Kralendijk a bit (he's a shopper), but we weren't sure what times shops are usually open? If we get off the ship around 8/830, will anything be open if we hit downtown first? Maybe grab a mid-morning snack somewhere and some snacks for the road, and then head off along EEG Blvd stopping at the sights along the way? Any suggestions on stops we should make? Also, this is weird...every time I google directions, it stops me from making a complete loop around the south of the island...can you not cross Misha's bridge by vehicle? Do you need to go back up and around? Any thoughts or insight is helpful--there's not a ton on these boards lately! thanks!

Hi All, I'm posting this here because it seems like all cruise lines handle ship time vs. port time differently, so I'm looking for an answer specifically for Celebrity. I'm sailing the ABC itinerary in March and just realized that if we are staying on ship's time, my land reservations (rental cars, dinner, etc) are going to be an hour off from what I had originally expected. (it's the first week in March, before the east coast will switch for daylight savings) I'm not concerned about the car rental places giving our car away as they tend to "follow the ship" but I want to make sure that we have the car as late as I would like in the evenings (we have late port days) and that we don't have conflicts with getting the cars back at the same time as our land dinner reservations. Thank you!

Thanks @LB_NJ, I feel bad---I wasn't expecting people to respond item by item to that most recent post. I was just throwing out random examples of the type of stuff I used to see here of CC pre-pandemic. And like I said, customer service is terrible all around right now. If I prejudged everything by that standard, I would never leave my house.

@tigger77732 how was the driving in Curacao? We're thinking of renting the smallest economy car and want to make sure that is practical. thanks!

Hi all, Do any of you know any alternatives to BonaireCruisers? I just booked a somewhat last minute trip first week in March and of course they are already booked. I also tried Golfcart Rental Bonaire and they seem to be booked as well. I'm hoping I can find some type of alternative because this sounds like so much fun and a great way to see the island. We are in port from 8-8. thank you!