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Curacao Excursions

brepri_h

By brepri_h,
in Curacao

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glorog

glorog

Posted
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We were there about a month ago. We went on a colorful bus island tour with a beach and distillery stops. Beer, water, pop provided all day. Look up Irie Tours, it was a cheap fun way to see the island.

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Cruizinman

Cruizinman

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does the Irie tour stop by the synagogue? and do they do Aruba tours as well?

Irie tours is great for Curacao .

In Aruba ask for Billy it's not Irie but the same type of tour .

 

Just a reminder Irie tours has beer ,water and soda in the back of the bus at twenty five a person.

They're old buses so the back has a longer seat also that's where the beer is kept :p

 

Billy has a few stops where you will be able to buy a drink. Billy is beyond fair. He quoted us a price of twenty five a person but after the tour dropped it to twenty a person.

 

Well worth the money ! Also bring a rain poncho as both tours are open air with no windows what so ever.

Edited by Cruizinman
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Anyislandwilldo

Anyislandwilldo

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We booked with a tour company and then docked to find out the reservation was made on ship time not on island time. The tour guide had left the port by the time we arrived. Found a lady at the port offering tours for $20 pp so we hopped in her van and it turned out to be a very nice tour. Went to a beach, an over look of the salt flats and then they dropped us off by the floating bridge and we were able to walk back to the ship from there.

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jamesr3939

jamesr3939

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We rented a car at the port and drove around the island for a couple of hours. Then we turned the car in and walked across the floating bridge into downtown and hung out. We found a great outdoor café in the center square had a couple of drinks and just hit a few shops. Driving was easy. I had read about a secluded beach that is pretty hard to locate so we drove there. It was probably the coolest beach we have ever seen. I think is Porto Mariebaai. There was a great little beach bar.

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MszKitty

MszKitty

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No, but when you exit the pier area (Riffort Village), what is the first thing you'll see?

 

 

You make a point. :-) I just remember a few years back we did dock at the floating bridge (on another cruiseline) and at the time, I didn't even realize it was a "floating" bridge. Of course, the fact that I was totally hung over from a pub crawl excursion in Aruba the night before may have had something to do with it...LOL ;-)

 

This time, we had plenty of time after our excursion to explore so we did get to see the floating bridge (although did not walk across it).

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MszKitty

MszKitty

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We just used this company for our sunset catamaran sail in Curacao.

http://www.island-experience.com/sunset_experience.php:

 

Tour information

 

Island Experience Booking # ISEXPIS-4

 

Start your weekend in style with friends or lover and enjoy the breathtaking sunset on our luxury lounge catamaran. Swimming and snorkeling also possible.

 

Note: Sunset trip for all Cruise ship late arrivals starting at 4.30 pm.

 

Meeting place: information booth on the Pier at 3.45 pm

 

It was one of our favorite excursions of our cruise. However, there was some miscommunication regarding pickup times. It all worked out in the end, but in all the email correspondence I had with them prior to the cruise, they were thinking Curacao time and I was thinking cruise ship time. So no matter who you decide to book an excursion through, make sure you are all on the same page when it comes to ship verses island time.

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Sunny AZ Girl

Sunny AZ Girl

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We are booked on the Irie Tours Private Tour (in their a/c 10 passenger van). It will be an East Side Tour. Where does this tour take you? I am wondering if the tour will take us to the market area and the colorful buildings for photos? I am trying to decide if we will spend the afternoon at the beach or if we will head to the market area after the tour.

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TampaCouplePDB

TampaCouplePDB

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We are booked on the Irie Tours Private Tour (in their a/c 10 passenger van). It will be an East Side Tour. Where does this tour take you? I am wondering if the tour will take us to the market area and the colorful buildings for photos? I am trying to decide if we will spend the afternoon at the beach or if we will head to the market area after the tour.

 

Our tour was in a party bus, so I'm not sure if it goes to the same place. I honestly couldn't tell you all the places we went... but we went over the Queen Juliana Bridge to the Punda area of Willemstad, and through town. To the old Jewish neighborhood. Then we went to the distillery for a stop. From there, it was a blur of resorts and beautiful scenery. We stopped at an overlook that was gorgeous. Judging from a map, I would say it was near Caracas Bay.

 

Our final stop was the beach at the Sea Aquarium for sunset.

 

As far as the colorful buildings, the best shot you'll have is from the west side of the St. Anna Bay, standing near the Queen Anna (pontoon) bridge. Take a shot across the water. The shops are walking distance from the pier.

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Sunny AZ Girl

Sunny AZ Girl

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Our tour was in a party bus, so I'm not sure if it goes to the same place. I honestly couldn't tell you all the places we went... but we went over the Queen Juliana Bridge to the Punda area of Willemstad, and through town. To the old Jewish neighborhood. Then we went to the distillery for a stop. From there, it was a blur of resorts and beautiful scenery. We stopped at an overlook that was gorgeous. Judging from a map, I would say it was near Caracas Bay.

 

Our final stop was the beach at the Sea Aquarium for sunset.

 

As far as the colorful buildings, the best shot you'll have is from the west side of the St. Anna Bay, standing near the Queen Anna (pontoon) bridge. Take a shot across the water. The shops are walking distance from the pier.

 

Thanks!:) Good information.

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4friends

4friends

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We just returned from our cruise. In Curacao, we booked Natasja Gibbs with Dushi Taxi. She was fun, upbeat and passionate about her Island.

 

We were a group of four, which is her minimum. Her van can accommodate 9 but I think up to 6 would be more comfortable. What we liked is that we customized the tour to only what we wanted to see and do. In 6 hours, we saw the Willebond (?spelling) flats but the flamingos were in the distance, awesome photo stops, Boca Tabla to see the waves crashing (amazing views), a brief stop at the Nina Sanchez gallery and 2 beach stops on the west side.

 

Because we customized to what we wanted to see and do, she charges a flat rate of $10 per person per hour with any admission fees extra, although they were minimal. She gave us a great history of Wiilemstadt as we drove through the city, as well as Island history. The only negative was the bumpy roads which had nothing to do with the great tour.

 

We all thought Curacao was one of our favorite stops because of Natasja's tour.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Shutterbug999

Shutterbug999

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Afternnon is the best time to photo the quayside with all the colourful buildings - any time is good for wondering around - pick up teh free brochure (yellow) from teh tourist info kiosk at the end of teh floating brodge - it gives hsitory, maps and suggested walking tours - all from that area

Don't go to the beach come see our beautiful World Heritage site - you'll still get a tan just walking round town

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