Come on cruisers help us out here.

I see all these post on what ships you were on for Aruba, but not much info on excursions you took.

PLEASE, let me hear from you experienced cruisers that have been to Aruba and what you did that was so wonderful you will never forget it......

I want to know if you booked through your cruiseline or independently.

Help me out here people. I've always wanted to go to Aruba and I am finally going to get to go and I don't see that much about the wonderful adventures you took on this fabulous island.

Please let us all know what we shouldn't leave the island without doing or seeing. I might never get this chance again, so help me out here please.

The answer to your question depends on what interests that you have: strictly sightseeing, watersports, land based sports, a day at the beach...??? Can you be a little specific about your interests?

The island is not very large. You can easily hire a taxi in the morning when you arrive in port and take an hour or two tour of the 20 mile long island. After this, assuming your ship is in port from early morn' 'til the wee hours, you still have plenty of time to squeeze in a snorkeling/sailing tour and a couple of hours at the beach.

I've been the to island over a dozen times, and believe me, the island is not THAT big. There are plenty of other Caribbean islands with much more lush and tropical scenery. Aruba is a desert island, no lush or tropical at all. IMHO, don't forsake spending time at one of Aruba's greatest assets, the beach, unless you absolutely hate sand.

Otherwise, some other thought starters:

Aruba Watersports

Water Activities

Canoe/Kayak

Fishing

Sailing/Snorkel Cruise

Dive Without Tanks

Windsurfing

Aruba Nightlife

Party Bus

Party Cruise

Dinner Shows

Casinos

Sunset & Dinner Cruises

Spas & Sports in Aruba

Spas

Tennis

Golf

Rock Climbing & Caving

Sightseeing Aruba

Island Tours

All-Terrain Vehicle

Horseback Riding

Mountain Biking

Museums

Beaches

Arikok National Park

We spent the day at a topless beach, Now thats was an adventure to come home and tell our friends about.

AAAAAAAHHHHH, i love Aruba!

I see all these post on what ships you were on for Aruba, but not much info on excursions you took.

PLEASE, let me hear from you experienced cruisers that have been to Aruba and what you did that was so wonderful you will never forget it......

I want to know if you booked through your cruiseline or independently.

Help me out here people. I've always wanted to go to Aruba and I am finally going to get to go and I don't see that much about the wonderful adventures you took on this fabulous island.

Please let us all know what we shouldn't leave the island without doing or seeing. I might never get this chance again, so help me out here please.

I'll try....I've been on ABC Jeep tour w/Claudio. In the AM he took us around Aruba....lighthouse, ostrich farm, natural bridge and a couple others, stopped for lunch, and then in the afternoon took us to the natural pool. The terrain getting to the natural pool was way beyond a bumpy ride. We loved it! We got two flat tires. Not too bad, if someone else has to change them! We really had fun. I'm not big on tours, so I could have done without the morning touristy stops and gone straight for the adventure to the natural pool. I think anyone who is adventurous would love this tour. ABC offers different types of tours. Check out their website.

A week ago we took the tour on Jolly Pirates. We enjoyed it, but just thought it was ok. The ship goes to three snorkeling sights. The snorkeling was excellent. Even though there was a place for everyone to sit, it was more crowded than I like.

We rented a jeep an toured the island ourselves. We had a great time, however the roads are not marked well and it was difficult to navigate. We didn't always know where exactly we were. We saw a lot of the island and really had a great time. We highly recommend eating at the restaurant at the ostrich farm. It was delicious! We then spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach. It was a really great day.

I wouldn't worry about getting lost. It is a small island and eventually we always ended up somewhere we recognized.

darcy8

We just returned from the Destiny on Sunday the 28th! We opted for shopping in the am and then at 4:30 we hopped on the kookoo kunuku bus (lots of music and fun on the bus) which travels around the island stopping at several bars for a free drink and also at the private residence of the ambassador of Aruba for dinner! Our final stop late that evening was at Carlos n Charlies right in front of the pier where we docked! It was alot of fun! Check out their website here...........

http://www.kukookunuku.com/

This is what I want. Not what should I do in Aruba, but what you did that made it fantastic.

Thanks so much for the replies so far, I hope others will join in and tell me what they did also. From what I saw in one post from the host, there are a lot of people that have been to Aruba...........come on and tell us what you did that made it so special.

Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!

I see all these post on what ships you were on for Aruba, but not much info on excursions you took.

PLEASE, let me hear from you experienced cruisers that have been to Aruba and what you did that was so wonderful you will never forget it......

I want to know if you booked through your cruiseline or independently.

Help me out here people. I've always wanted to go to Aruba and I am finally going to get to go and I don't see that much about the wonderful adventures you took on this fabulous island.

Please let us all know what we shouldn't leave the island without doing or seeing. I might never get this chance again, so help me out here please.

we rented a car right at the pier.. aruba is an easy island to get around..also as you walk out the entrance to the pier there will be vans lined up to take you on a tour of the island for approx. 15.00 per person or less.. we also took the catamaran snorkel trip which was excellent and they made a stop for lunch on the way back at a nice restaurant on the beach..

Just returned from the Destiny on May 28th. We went shopping first thing as we had some things to take care of. Went to Palm Beach. The water was very clear, but a little colder than the water was in Barbados. A lounge chair was $10, an umbrella $15. Had a drink at the bar on the end of the pier before returning to the ship. At 4:30 we set off on the Kookoo Kunuku tour, had a blast and would recommend it to everyone. The only downer was that when we returned to the ship just before sailing there was really no place to continue partying. By the way other than the water Aruba looks just like home to us which is Arizona. (Cacti, Mesquite, Desert)

Here is a link to our review of Aruba, a land vacation we took.... Lots of pages and pictures on the different things we did....

You are going to be hard presssed to find a bad tour in Aruba, they are all great.

http://WWW.JustEatin.com

Just returned from the Destiny on May 28th. We went shopping first thing as we had some things to take care of. Went to Palm Beach. The water was very clear, but a little colder than the water was in Barbados. A lounge chair was $10, an umbrella $15. Had a drink at the bar on the end of the pier before returning to the ship. At 4:30 we set off on the Kookoo Kunuku tour, had a blast and would recommend it to everyone. The only downer was that when we returned to the ship just before sailing there was really no place to continue partying. By the way other than the water Aruba looks just like home to us which is Arizona. (Cacti, Mesquite, Desert)

I did the Kookoo Kunuku as well, when I was on the Brilliance of the Seas. After C&C we all went back to our ship, and it was the night of the Caribbean Pool Party so we just continued the party there, and at the Schooner Bar, and at the mini golf course. The Kookoo Kunuku was amazingly fun. Depending on which one you do (with dinner or without - I did the one without), you go to about 5 bars finishing up at Carlos and Charlies. At each bar, you get a free drink, and can buy more. We danced at most the bars, at one we did karaoke, at all we had a great time.

I just returned from Aruba tow weeks ago. The island is barren but the water is beautiful and the weather perfect every day!! We did a wonderful sail, snorkle with Tranquillo it is a 6 hr trip worth every penny(9:30-4ish) He only takes about 20 or so guests. Leaves out of DePalm Pier high rise area. Check it out online. We also did ABC full day jeeptour it was quite the adventure friends of ours usually do Depalm jeep tour. That is an easy way to see the island.

Other than that we just sat by the pool or beach.

Good luck

We spent the day at a topless beach, Now thats was an adventure to come home and tell our friends about.

AAAAAAAHHHHH, i love Aruba!

Caribbean Dreams,

Can you tell me what beach you went to? We will be sailing in Jan. on RCI and I know the men would think this would be the highlight of their cruise!

Thank you

Rebecca

Rfenchbaxter

I did the Kookoo Kunuku as well, when I was on the Brilliance of the Seas. After C&C we all went back to our ship, and it was the night of the Caribbean Pool Party so we just continued the party there, and at the Schooner Bar, and at the mini golf course. The Kookoo Kunuku was amazingly fun. Depending on which one you do (with dinner or without - I did the one without), you go to about 5 bars finishing up at Carlos and Charlies. At each bar, you get a free drink, and can buy more. We danced at most the bars, at one we did karaoke, at all we had a great time.

Is Aruba a good shopping port?

Palm Beach or Eagle Beach? Which one is the better pick?

Palm Beach or Eagle Beach? Which one is the better pick?

It depends on what you prefer. Eagle Beach located in the low rise area, is wider, less crowded and the surf not as calm as Palm Beach.

Palm Beach is located in the High Rise area.

Carol

Thank you Carol. Which one would you pick?

Hey cabana, hard to decide with all these great choices isn't it?

See you in just 37 weeks!!!! I really like that countdown. Way to go girl!!!!

Thank you Carol. Which one would you pick?

I prefer Eagle Beach.

Carol

Someone mentioned taking a 6 hour cruise with a boat called Tranquillo. I tried to do a websearch for this boat, but couldn't find much information about it.

Does anyone have a website that I can look at?

Thanks.

My wife is much of a swimmer so she took a bus tour of Aruba and then did some shopping. I went on the Mi Dushi snorkle trip. I had a great time. We were out most of the day. Lunch and all drinks were included in the tour price. My wife was not that all impressed with her day. There were people on the MI Dushi that were just along for the ride and had a good time. Now the wife wishes she joined me on my excursion. We booked both excursions for the ship.

We took the jeep trip around the island offered by HAL. We loved it. You could ahng back from the group and then really bounce along as you speed to catch up. My husband loved the drive. We also got to swim below the lighthouse before heading past all the resort along the beach.

Just remember to apply sunscreen LIBERALLY--lots of sun and it is too warm to put up the tops on the jeeps (holds all the heat inside)

Have fun!

Someone mentioned taking a 6 hour cruise with a boat called Tranquillo. I tried to do a websearch for this boat, but couldn't find much information about it.

 

Does anyone have a website that I can look at?

 

Thanks.

This was not easy to find. Looks easy but google didn't find it. I saw a couple reviews and put in Captain Anthony and got it. :)

http://www.visitaruba.com/tranquilo/

I dont think you can go wrong chosing Tranquillo. All of our expereinces with them have been great.

Here is our land vacation review in Aruba that has a lot of pictures on what to do. Aruba is still one of our favorite stops.

http://WWW.JustCruisin-sv.com

This is what I want. Not what should I do in Aruba, but what you did that made it fantastic.

Thanks so much for the replies so far, I hope others will join in and tell me what they did also. From what I saw in one post from the host, there are a lot of people that have been to Aruba...........come on and tell us what you did that made it so special.

Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!

DH and I went to Aruba in 2004 on Coral Princess (Panama Canal Repositioning Cruise) and did the DePalm Island 1/2 day. I absolutely loved the helmet dive!!! It was my first time in water that warm and I loved the freedom of gently walking along the bottom, looking at fish. I thought I was in heaven and DH says the smile on my face was the biggest he has ever seen. I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I would love to go back to Aruba for a week ... one day was not enough!