Curaçao's Floating bridge-gone!

[Caribensun]

Just back from 10 Cruise on Oosterdam.

The Queen Emma floating (walking) bridge is gone, you have to walk further past where the floating bridge was and take a ferry into the downtown. They hope the new floating bridge will be done in Jan/Feb.

The ferry runs every 30 min. It was very hot/humid and windy.

Curaçao is still a wonderful cruise port. Enjoy!

Sandipalms

[Hflors]

I'm glad it will be coming back. I love to walk across that bridge. The ferry always has been a pain to use.

[take us away]

wow - had me worried as I also love the floating bridge but glad to see if will be back! Thanks for the update.

[POA1]

Here's the article from the Curacao paper -

 

http://curacaochronicle.com/local/important-new-top-deck-for-queen-emma-bridge/

[innlady1]

Love that bridge. ..hope it's back in a timely fashion.

[Lizzie68]

I also love that bridge. I was glad to read, after coming into the thread, that it will be coming back.

[ger_77]

Seems we are in the multitude of folks who really enjoyed the floating bridge. I'm glad to see it isn't gone forever, just being fixed up and prettied up for more to enjoy!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[chill6x6]

Glad it will be back. It was certainly a big part of what makes Curacao a great cruise port of call....

 

[mllewis48]

Haven't been to the island since 2007, has the construction been completed near where the ships dock?

 

If so it must be very nice as there was a lot of work taking place in 07.

 

We'll be there in December on the Oosterdam

 

Thanks

[Fouremco]

Another lover of the bridge who was shocked by the thread title.

 

Now, if that was Ottawa, they'd probably decide to do a ferry refit at the same time. :)

[Aquahound]

mllewis48: Haven't been to the island since 2007, has the construction been completed near where the ships dock?

 

If so it must be very nice as there was a lot of work taking place in 07.

 

Yes. The area near the dock that goes through the Renaissance Hotel and through the fort is complete and it is really nice.

 

On the other hand, I think the area across bridge (ferry) has gone downhill. The cultural influence seems to have changed since 2007 and alot of the shops that used to carry embroidery and artwork have been replaced with trashy t-shirts.

[POA1]

Another lover of the bridge who was shocked by the thread title.

 

Now, if that was Ottawa, they'd probably decide to do a ferry refit at the same time. :)

Very funny!

 

Apparently the bridge has been towed up river where they're working on it. It's one of the cooler bridges I've ever seen. I'm a sucker for swing bridges, railroad round houses, and the like.

[sapper1]

Curaçao is my favourite Caribbean port and the bridge was a major part of what I liked. I'm so pleased to hear that the bridge will be replaced with another floating bridge.

[maxie99]

Another lover of the bridge who was shocked by the thread title.

 

Now, if that was Ottawa, they'd probably decide to do a ferry refit at the same time. :)

 

ha-- good one,, but that could also include Toronto and Hamilton where the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing :D

Edited October 27, 2015 by maxie99

[sail7seas]

Happy to hear the bridge is not permanently gone. My stomach sank a bit when I first read the thread title.

 

[sail7seas]

Haven't been to the island since 2007, has the construction been completed near where the ships dock?

 

If so it must be very nice as there was a lot of work taking place in 07.

 

We'll be there in December on the Oosterdam

 

Thanks

 

The Mega Pier is finished and they did a great job on Rif Fort and Renaissance. I think it's a wonderful area. We've always enjoyed our visits to Curacao and through the years, they keep getting better and better. :)

 

[Steelboat]

I remember the last time they moved the bridge to work on it. I think it took a few months to upgrade. During the busy part of the day the ferries run about every three minutes. Two of them back to back. That's fun too! The first time I saw that bridge was in 1968, when it was the only way across and all traffic used it. It was only after they built the big high steel bridge that the floating bridge was made pedestrian only.

[Fouremco]

I remember the last time they moved the bridge to work on it. I think it took a few months to upgrade. During the busy part of the day the ferries run about every three minutes. Two of them back to back. That's fun too! The first time I saw that bridge was in 1968, when it was the only way across and all traffic used it. It was only after they built the big high steel bridge that the floating bridge was made pedestrian only.

Thanks for that, Steelboat, as I wasn't aware of the fact that cars had once used this bridge. I was able to google it and come up with a photo:

 

[sail7seas]

Thanks for that, Steelboat, as I wasn't aware of the fact that cars had once used this bridge. I was able to google it and come up with a photo:

 

 

I wonder what year that photo was taken.

 

I noticed the buildings aren't painted the fun pastel colors they have been for years. Where's the bright yellow Penha building? :D Those cars look older than those still in Cuba.

 

Edited October 27, 2015 by sail7seas

[jtl513]

I wonder what year that photo was taken.

I'd guess early 1950's

[Fouremco]

Interestingly, I've discovered that the photo comes from a postcard produced by Cunard and sold on their "Sunshine Cruises to the West Indies and South America".

[borasue]

Glad it will be back. It was certainly a big part of what makes Curacao a great cruise port of call….

 

Thanks for sharing the pic! I was looking forward to seeing the bridge on our January cruise… Guess I'll just have to advocate for another SoCarib in a year or two. ;)

[two4me]

Another lover of the bridge who was shocked by the thread title.

 

Now, if that was Ottawa, they'd probably decide to do a ferry refit at the same time. :)

lol I get that.

[OCruisers]

:(Sad it's gone now ... but :) Happy it's not gone forever.

[OCruisers]

On Princess and HAL we have been docked in Curacao a bit too far for us to walk so we have taken a taxi into town.

Has anyone else found this a problem?