Curacao...advice for shorex

We are leaving next week for a 10 day Caribbean Cruise and will stop in Curacao. One of the shorex' features a visit to the Curacao Museum, and there are also two "other" stops included...three hour tour. Hubby has left for the gym, so I won't be able to find out about the other two stops that are included in this shorex until later today

1. Is the museum worth a visit and what about the heat as it apparently has no A/C?

Hubby and I both can tolerate warm, but hot and stuffy, no....

We are both able to walk, though I am more able than hubby so we cannot do anything strenuous. This shorex appears to be easy enough.

Any advice will be appreciated!

Go to the Blue Beach. Best beach I have ever gone to. Shady umbrellas’ bar with food and crystal clear water. Too hot for shopping. I would skip it

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You can also post on the Curacao board under the Caribbean Port of Call Forum.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=81

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Go to the Blue Beach. Best beach I have ever gone to. Shady umbrellas’ bar with food and crystal clear water. Too hot for shopping. I would skip it

 

 

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Have driven past that area, many times...but never stopped. I recall there is a large resort on that beach.. How does a beach day work., Do you have to pay the resort? Do you get access to any facilities? My immediate reaction is that its a place to be avoided since it seems to be the destination for cruise line excursions (we usually try to avoid any place used for excursions).

Hank

Watching this thread since I will be on the same boat.

Watching this thread since I will be on the same boat.

I think we are all in the same boat :D

Blue Bay Beach Resort is used by some cruise line shorex (HAL for certain) but is easily visited independently at a very reasonable price. Shared cab was only $10 and you pay $8 pp admission at the resort which includes chaise lounge. Very clean, nice bar, interesting bright yellow birds in the trees, scenic spot.

Speaking of birds, if interested ask your driver to take you less than 5 minutes up the road to a large pond with dozens or more wild pink flamingos up close, great photo op.

On return ask to be dropped by the pontoon bridge, 5 minute scenic walk into old town Willemstad or you can shop the stalls by the bridge and a very short walk back to your ship at either the old pier or Rif Fort,

We went to the Hilton Curacao Resort and got a day pass for $25pp. Took a taxi from the pier. Not a long drive. They have a beach with loungers and palapas and a very nice infinity pool with many loungers and umbrellas. The outdoor restaurant had great food and I think our lunches cost about $12pp. Restrooms and changing room is nearby. It was fun watching the iguanas too!

http://www.hiltoncaribbean.com/destinations/curacao.html

Go-Bucks! O H

I’ll be in the Crown for the Big 10 Championship. I have a pretty good record on Princess as I was in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on the Emerald for the National Championship win against Oregon. What a party!

Sorry to hijack. Back to your regularly scheduled thread.

Go-Bucks! O H

 

I’ll be in the Crown for the Big 10 Championship. I have a pretty good record on Princess as I was in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on the Emerald for the National Championship win against Oregon. What a party!

I-O :')

In 2015 we were on the Grand Princess going to Hawaii and they showed the OSU-Xichigan game (since it's currently that week again, I have to X out the M - gotta love tradition!). It was great!! And the next week we got to see the Big 10 Championships. Really made a wonderful cruise even better. (y)

Going back to the for final original question, I believe we are on the same cruise. I was told to go to Mambo Beach. Any comments about Mambo Beach?

We've been to Curacao six times, including this past Jan. One shore excursion we enjoyed took us out to the northwest end of the island where the rocky shore is quite spectacular--there's a walkway along the "edge". Other than that I've snorkeled there several times--water is beautiful--and I just love walking around town with its Dutch architecture. Haven't been to the museum, but it is always hot on Curacao. One of the most beautiful Caribbean ports IMHO.

Thanks to all of you folks for your replies! I did not mention that were are no longer "beach bums" these days...though the Hilton Resort does sound nice and will be considered. BarbinMich...I will see if I can find the shorex you recommend...since I LOVE Iguanas!!

Anyone else who wishes to add in, please do as I will keep checking back here.

Blue Bay Beach Resort is used by some cruise line shorex (HAL for certain) but is easily visited independently at a very reasonable price. Shared cab was only $10 and you pay $8 pp admission at the resort which includes chaise lounge. Very clean, nice bar, interesting bright yellow birds in the trees, scenic spot.

Speaking of birds, if interested ask your driver to take you less than 5 minutes up the road to a large pond with dozens or more wild pink flamingos up close, great photo op.

On return ask to be dropped by the pontoon bridge, 5 minute scenic walk into old town Willemstad or you can shop the stalls by the bridge and a very short walk back to your ship at either the old pier or Rif Fort,

Hubby likes your idea. How easy is it to catch a cab from the cruise port? Just need a little more info on that.

Do they have live music/entertainment there during the day? Carib band or such? Areas of shade (likely I would assume) but just need to know. Thanks!

Arwen, it is extremely easy to get either private or shared taxi at the foot of the pier, lots of them waiting. Also tell your driver how long you want to stay at Blue Bay and he will return for you.

As for shade, lots of palm trees, a couple palapa huts, and both bar and restaurant areas fully covered with lots of seats, so no need to fry in the sun unless that's your choice.

Forgot to reply to the entertainment question - have never seen anything during the day the three times we have visited, just signs advertising live events and shows at night.

How long does it take to get to Mambo Beach?

Arwen, it is extremely easy to get either private or shared taxi at the foot of the pier, lots of them waiting. Also tell your driver how long you want to stay at Blue Bay and he will return for you.

 

As for shade, lots of palm trees, a couple palapa huts, and both bar and restaurant areas fully covered with lots of seats, so no need to fry in the sun unless that's your choice.

Thank you! Sounds like a good choice for us!

Forgot to reply to the entertainment question - have never seen anything during the day the three times we have visited, just signs advertising live events and shows at night.

Thank you for your reply!

Thanks to all of you folks for your replies! I did not mention that were are no longer "beach bums" these days...though the Hilton Resort does sound nice and will be considered. BarbinMich...I will see if I can find the shorex you recommend...since I LOVE Iguanas!!

 

Anyone else who wishes to add in, please do as I will keep checking back here.

We just returned from Curacao ... there last week. We did the Hato Caves and city walking tour ... I thought it was extremely interesting but hotter than hot there. All of our ports seemed to be really hot, BTW. Anyway, it was so hot and it wasn't a great idea to go on this tour a little hungover from the night before with an early morning tour ... but so happy we got to see the Caves. It is even hot inside the caves though, but they do have fans running all throughout. We opted out of the walking tour portion because we've been there before and I thought I was going to pass out. :eek:

On on previous trip, we did a tour down at the Flamingo Gardens and a natural pool area where they have dolphins ... again, very hot there but worth it. We also stopped at the Curacao factory and tasting room, which we found quite interesting. Just thoughts of things to do that aren't beach related.

We saw a ton of iguanas just roaming around by the waterfront and at the entrance to the mall in Aruba if that happens to be one of your stops. We noticed that a couple of the restaurants throw lettuce and other veggies out for them. We must have run across a couple dozen of them just hanging out there right by the public walkway. They weren't at all frightened of us. Funny thing happened, I was putting together a little album of our trip and noticed there was an iguana right behind my head in the waterfall area at the entrance of the mall. I didn't know he was there at the time the picture was taken ... but there he was, big as day in the photograph. I only mention this because you said you love iguanas.