What to do in Curacao

I know this will eventually be moved into the Ports forum board, but I really need some help. We have all of our activities planned for our upcoming cruise except what we are ding in Curacao. We would like to have a beach day and may even snorkel. Does the Marriott still offer day passes? I contacted them and they said it if just day to day, but I couldn't gather if they do most days or not. What do you guys suggest we do, go, and see? What beaches are nice?

Please help!

We did a nice self tour of the town, and then an afternoon at the beach, which rivaled Aruba.

I know this will eventually be moved into the Ports forum board, but I really need some help. We have all of our activities planned for our upcoming cruise except what we are ding in Curacao. We would like to have a beach day and may even snorkel. Does the Marriott still offer day passes? I contacted them and they said it if just day to day, but I couldn't gather if they do most days or not. What do you guys suggest we do, go, and see? What beaches are nice?

 

Please help!

We did Mambo Beach and really liked it! They have food and drinks, nice chairs. It was like $3 to get in and the same for chairs. Snorkeling is not good there, just a great beach.

We took a shared taxi ($5/person) to Sea Aquarium Beach (Mambo Beach) near the BLVD Shops. It was beautiful. They charge $3.50/person to access the beach and $3/lounger. There is a nice pool right on the beach, Tiki bar, shops, restaurants and restrooms. It was very easy finding a shared taxi to take us back to the ship.

If you are in Curacao in the evening, walk the path along the water to the RIF Fort and walk in and through to the waterfront to see the beautifully lit up pontoon bridge at night. There are quite a few restaurants in the RIF Fort and we had an ice cream sundae at one of the stores but wish we had saved room for some fondue at The Cheesery.

We had so much fun on the Erie bus tour. So professional...it was $25 per person for the 3 hour tour and included drinks...I would highly recommend it

I was planning on making this a place we just walked around on our own and did some shopping. Is this do-able in this port. We were hoping to hit big name stores like maybe at a mall and of course local vendors as well. There's a local market right by the port if I can remember correctly?

I was planning on making this a place we just walked around on our own and did some shopping. Is this do-able in this port. We were hoping to hit big name stores like maybe at a mall and of course local vendors as well. There's a local market right by the port if I can remember correctly?

Yes. Just across the pontoon bridge.

Yes. Just across the pontoon bridge.

We are also planning on making this a walk around/shopping port.

When you say just across the pontoon bridge is this something that we can walk across or do we need to plan on getting a taxi?

Thanks!

We are also planning on making this a walk around/shopping port.

When you say just across the pontoon bridge is this something that we can walk across or do we need to plan on getting a taxi?

 

Thanks!

It's a walking bridge. There's a free ferry the crosses the waterway as well.

It's a walking bridge. There's a free ferry the crosses the waterway as well.

Thank you!

Curacao is definitely a walking friendly port. We will be back there again in a few weeks and plan to do the same, walk through the town, across the moving bridge (hope we get to be on it when it moves to let ships in, rather unique) and along the water front shops and bistros. Great Cheese :)

It's a fun island.. and known for it's snorkeling and diving. Last time we were there we walked around town and did an Irie Tour and Mambo Beach, since our snorkeling trip was cancelled due to weather. This time we are going snorkeling with a private tour company. Mambo is beautiful, but bad snorkeling.

It's a fun island.. and known for it's snorkeling and diving. Last time we were there we walked around town and did an Irie Tour and Mambo Beach, since our snorkeling trip was cancelled due to weather. This time we are going snorkeling with a private tour company. Mambo is beautiful, but bad snorkeling.

Can you tell me more about this Irie Tour? What did it involve and how much was it per person? At this point, we are probably just planning to walk around this island - but always looking for good suggestions from fellow cruisers! Thanks

Can you tell me more about this Irie Tour? What did it involve and how much was it per person? At this point, we are probably just planning to walk around this island - but always looking for good suggestions from fellow cruisers! Thanks

Read the whole thread

Read the whole thread

Thank you for your helpful reply!

I've now googled Irie Tours Curaçao and have learned all about it.

Read the whole thread

WOW! That was helpful.

Read the whole thread

You can be anything you want on the Internet....sad that some people choose to be a douche.

How do u get to the pontoon bridge from where the ship docks and how far of a walk is it?

Can you tell me more about this Irie Tour? What did it involve and how much was it per person? At this point, we are probably just planning to walk around this island - but always looking for good suggestions from fellow cruisers! Thanks

We did it two years ago. It is a cheap 3 hour tour. Not bad but they use school busses and carry about 40 people. We ended up waiting for a couple that were late getting back. I would suggest a more private tour, however Irie was not a bad value

It is an easy walk to the bridge and across into town the path takes you from the ship and through a village like area with shops restaurants and bars it is along a sea wall then exits out to the bridge as I recall lots of places to stop and rest if you want

How do u get to the pontoon bridge from where the ship docks and how far of a walk is it?

short answer to this is to recommend you look at Curacao via Google earth

the new pier is outside the harbor and on the west side of the channel ... this walk to the pontoon bridge is about 1/2 mile along the waterfront. IME most cruise ships b4 this pier was built parked on the west side but INSIDE the pontoon bridge ... again the walk is along the seawall and around 1/2 mile .... but they COULD park you someplace else!

Print out a shot from Google Earth and you'll be covered.

dd snorkeling in the Blue Room, Curacao

for more stuff to do consider watching this

http://www.scubanation.com/episodes/episode-37:-caribbean-secret.html

Thanks 4 the replies will def. Check it out :)

How do u get to the pontoon bridge from where the ship docks and how far of a walk is it?

Just got back from Curacao on our Conquest cruise last week. Update is that the pontoon bridge is not in place right now - locals told us they removed it a few days prior to our arrival for some long-term maintenance. So unfortunately we were not able to see / experience the bridge. However, the free water taxis run continuously and worked just fine for crossing the waterway there to get to the other side for shopping. Hope this helps!

Just got back from Curacao on our Conquest cruise last week. Update is that the pontoon bridge is not in place right now - locals told us they removed it a few days prior to our arrival for some long-term maintenance. So unfortunately we were not able to see / experience the bridge. However, the free water taxis run continuously and worked just fine for crossing the waterway there to get to the other side for shopping. Hope this helps!

Thanks for letting us know!

What are the water taxis like? I'm hoping far better than those in Nassau that they charge for and look like we need to get life insurance before getting on? LOL

Are the free water taxis always there or only while the pontoon bridge is out of service?