Sunset onboard or off ship in Aruba?

[canadarocks]

We'll be in Aruba from 1:00 until 11:00 PM on a Monday next March. I've booked a private tour for our afternoon, but I'd like to do something special for our evening. Should I look at a sunset or happy hour cruise with a private company? -or -

We will be a veranda cabin on the port side of the ship. Will we have a good view of the sunset from there?

If not, is it possible to take a bottle of wine and glasses and go out onto one of the Westerdam decks and enjoy a romantic sunset from there?

[Randyk47]

You can do any of the above. We've been to Aruba twice and one of the visits lasted until 11 PM. On that visit we went snorkeling and then came back to the ship to get cleaned up. Wandered off the ship late in the afternoon and found a fantastic Italian restaurant overlooking the marina and the port. We love Italian food and decided to have a nice dinner on shore as the sun set with the Volendam as a backdrop. It's one of our found cruising memories. Our second visit to Aruba only lasted until 3 PM and we were disappointed we didn't have more time in port.

[jmps]

One caveat. According to HAL, if you brought the wine aboard with you, you will have to be in your cabin or verandah to drink it. If you bought it from a bar or dining room you can take it out on deck. There was a thread about this earlier this year.

I am saying this so you can avoid an issue for you rather than trying to comment on HAL policy in this thread. :-)

If it were me, I would have a nice time on my own private verandah if I could see the sun go down from it. We were on the Westerdam in Aruba last March and got to see the violet flash of the sun just as it set. Very neat.

Whereever you choose have a GREAT time!

[taxmantoo]

One caveat. According to HAL, if you brought the wine aboard with you, you will have to be in your cabin or verandah to drink it. If you bought it from a bar or dining room you can take it out on deck. There was a thread about this earlier this year.

You can bring your own wine out on any deck whether you bought it from HAL or you brought it onboard yourself. We have taken our own wine out to the aft pool areas several times. They will even bring you glasses and an ice bucket if needed. You should however be prepared to pay the corkage fee if a waiter requests it as it is a public area with its own bar. Sometimes they charge it, sometimes not.

[jmps]

You are right. You can use your own wine if you pay a corkage fee if they ask for it.