Hatteras51

The closest thing to Reflexions on Eagle Beach is a vendor with a snack bar, called Coco Loco. Since I stay at a resort in Aruba, I never need to go to a vendor, so I'm reporting second hand. Coco Loco is in a great location, but has a lot of bad reviews due to rude staff and poor service. You can read them on another site that I don't think that I can mention. I have friends who vacation at a resort in Aruba several times a year. They love Reflexions, and usually go there every other day. You are correct that there is a lot of seagrass on Surfside Beach, but my friends have never mentioned that being a problem at Reflexions. From looking at pictures, it appears to be a problem further down the beach. Since the Soul Beach Festival is that week, Moomba will be mobbed. Moomba is party central at night, but probably be extremely busy during the day, also.

A cell phone was recently found by a taxi driver in Aruba. It was left in his taxi. He has it and would like to help get it back to the owner. He knows that the owner was from a cruise ship, but doesn't know which one. If someone knows a person who has lost their phone in Aruba, please contact me, and I will help them locate the taxi driver.

Just for clarification, the private island that you are referring to is DePalm Island. Palm Beach is in the resort area, pretty far from DePalm Island. DePalm Island is run by DePalm Tours, which is probably the largest tour group on Aruba. Some people love it, some don't. DePalm Island was a one and done for us. I think that people with kids seem to enjoy it more than people like my husband and myself who travel by ourselves.

We've been staying on Eagle Beach for the last 15 years. Honestly, the beach can be different almost every day. Some days are calm, and the water is easy to get into. Other days, there can be mild to substantial drop offs. There is no way to predict how it will be when you are there. If you want chairs and umbrellas, you need to be dropped off in the areas that have a vendor. These are located at Coco Loco, across the street from Chalet Suisse Restaurant, and across the street from La Cabana. None of the resorts will let you sit in their chairs, so be sure to go to a spot that will let you rent.

These tours go to opposite sides of the island. Personally, I prefer the nature made sites on Excursion B over the man made attractions on Excursion A. Excursion B takes you to the "wild side" of the island, which is desert, large boulders, and crashing seas. Excursion A will go over to the "wild side" for a little bit, but also go to the lighthouse and Alto Vista, which are also really nice. Either tour will be good.

This is a tough decision. There are some really good sites on both of these tours. Do you know if you will have much time at the beaches? If you do, I would choose Excursion A because it goes to Arashi Beach. That's a much better beach than Mangel Halto. If the beach doesn't matter to you, I would pick the one that fits better in your schedule for the day.

I'm not sure when you are going to Aruba, but when the U.S. is on daylight savings time, both countries are on the same time, like they are right now.

There is a vendor at the resort to the left, the resort called LaCabana. There used to also be one to the right of Amsterdam Manor, but I don't know if he is still there.

I've been vacationing in Aruba for years but I've never gone to any of the animal attractions. We have been to the Butterfly Farm and really enjoyed it.

I've toured with ABC and DePalm. They are both very well known, reputable companies.

In the port area, there's a Starbucks at Renaissance Marketplace, just past the waterfront.

I wouldn't leave anything of value unattended. Things do go missing from time to time. There are several different security devices available to take when you travel. I have a KYSS bag that has worked great for me. When I want to go in the water or on a walk, I secure it to my palapa. It also works well as a large purse/ carry-on that I take on the plane and put under the seat.

Resort guests usually go out before dawn and claim their spot on the beach. The rules vary by resort, as to how this is handled. At our resort in Aruba, you have to stay in your chair until 7am, when the security guard checks you in. Then, you are allowed to leave for a certain amount of time. If you are not back in the allotted time, security can remove your stuff and offer your palapa to someone else. Even though the palapas are public, the chairs are owned by the resorts. Cruisers can either rent a chair from a vendor or sit on their towels. Palapas are very hard to get because the resorts are full, especially this time of year. I usually recommend that cruisers go to one of the vendors who rent chairs and umbrellas because they usually have a lot more availability. The main thing is to get to the beach early. There are a lot of cruisers competing for those spots. A taxi will get you there a lot quicker.

Check out Aruba Outdoor Adventures, or also known as rj aruba

Aruba has excellent, very reputable jewelry stores. I've purchased several pieces, and they've all appraised for more than I've paid. I'm in Aruba now, enjoying our timeshare weeks. My favorite jewelry stores are Kay's (not affiliated with Kay Jewelers in the U.S.), and Gold Palace. They are located on the right hand side of the road, just passed the cruise terminal. Definitely check them out when you stop in Aruba.