Sundays in aruba....read

If you are sailing on the Miracle, please check what day the ship will be in Aruba. We just got off the ship this morning and on Sunday, Aruba is CLOSED!!!! All the shops are allowed to be open for 4 hours only, but most chose not too. We went on an excursion, so by the time we got back, nothing was open. As a matter of fact, almost everyone was back on board by five. Needless to say, my DH and I were very disappointed as Aruba was the reason we booked this cruise...on top of that, it was raining.:( I really think Carnival should have at least made us aware of this when we booked. We would have booked a different week. Hope no one else is dissapointed over this!

We had a similar experinece in Tahiti.... got to Papeete and most everything was closed!

Same thing for the Miracle Bermuda cruises. We docked in the afternoon on a Saturday and left early Monday, so our only full day in port was Sunday - now, a few places near the dock were open (like the glass shop) BUT there was virtually no public transportation available, so we couldn't do the caves tour that we had our heart set on, as it was across the island :(

If you went to Palm Beach more things stay open on Sunday, there is also a flea market that is open on sat and sun just a couple of miles from town. So there are plenty to do on sundays you just won't do them in the immedate port area.

If you are sailing on the Miracle, please check what day the ship will be in Aruba. We just got off the ship this morning and on Sunday, Aruba is CLOSED!!!! All the shops are allowed to be open for 4 hours only, but most chose not too. We went on an excursion, so by the time we got back, nothing was open. As a matter of fact, almost everyone was back on board by five. Needless to say, my DH and I were very disappointed as Aruba was the reason we booked this cruise...on top of that, it was raining.:( I really think Carnival should have at least made us aware of this when we booked. We would have booked a different week. Hope no one else is dissapointed over this!

A smidgeon of research into your itinerary would have let you know that Aruba was closed on Suncays....as are many other islands.. Carnival isn't your nannny.

If you are sailing on the Miracle, please check what day the ship will be in Aruba. We just got off the ship this morning and on Sunday, Aruba is CLOSED!!!!

Thank you for the info :). We are planning another cruise and now I will check for this. I didn't know islands kind of closed down either.

A smidgeon of research into your itinerary would have let you know that Aruba was closed on Suncays....as are many other islands.. Carnival isn't your nannny.

Why always a rude response? So unnessecary. But seems to be a trend with certain posters.

Most people wouldn't even think to look and see if a port was closed on a day ships were there being that to most people that doesn't even make sense. I think the OP was helpful to those traveling here as most aren't going to even think to look and see if the port is scheduled to be closed. We haven't all been cruising for 20 years to know this is something to check for.

why always a rude response? So unnessecary. But seems to be a trend with certain posters.

 

Most people wouldn't even think to look and see if a port was closed on a day ships were there being that to most people that doesn't even make sense. I think the op was helpful to those traveling here as most aren't going to even think to look and see if the port is scheduled to be closed. We haven't all been cruising for 20 years to know this is something to check for.

very rude...thanks for the defense...i never thought i had to research a port.....guess i will have to. There is always one person that just has to be a jerk!

very rude...thanks for the defense...i never thought i had to research a port.....guess i will have to. There is always one person that just has to be a jerk!

I have to agree with you as well, you would think that with a ship in port the stores would be open.

A smidgeon of research into your itinerary would have let you know that Aruba was closed on Suncays....as are many other islands.. Carnival isn't your nannny.

Says G'ma Crabtree.

it was also a national holiday.....there was supposed to be a children's parade but it was postponed, due to the rain. So nothing was opened. We planned our whole vacation around this cruise. We will still sail with carnival, but will be more diligent. I had received a pamphlet from aruba, but none of this was included so don't know what else we could have done!

Yep, Barcelona was pretty much closed on Sunday when we visited there in 2005 also and that's a LONG way from home! ;) Many places are closed, not just in the Caribbean.

What we're talking about here is that a lot of the shops must close but Aruba is not shut down on Sundays otherwise.

Our itinerary got changed and we found ourselves unexpected in Aruba on a Sunday recently and had a fabulous time. We booked a guide (Bully) to take us around the entire island and then we did a sunset sail - which was a lot of fun! The only difference we had was that we couldn't book that particular sail independently on a Sunday - it had to be done through the cruise ship for that date. Nevertheless, the price was the same, it was docked right by the ship and it was a great evening and a fun time. There are quite a few options for a Sunday visit in Aruba.

I'm not a shopper but everything was open when we got off the ship. May have been closed when we came back....I didn't notice.

very rude...thanks for the defense...i never thought i had to research a port.....guess i will have to. There is always one person that just has to be a jerk!

G'ma is always like that. It's that Jersey charm! It can't be helped. It just oozes out.

it was also a national holiday.....there was supposed to be a children's parade but it was postponed, due to the rain. So nothing was opened. We planned our whole vacation around this cruise. We will still sail with carnival, but will be more diligent. I had received a pamphlet from aruba, but none of this was included so don't know what else we could have done!

i'm on this itinerary in 3 weeks, are you planning on writing a review? or do you have any tips or things to share?

i'm on this itinerary in 3 weeks, are you planning on writing a review? or do you have any tips or things to share?

YES, I AM GOING TO WRITE A REVIEW....AM STILL ON VACATION IN FLORIDA, SO IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF DAYS. Right NOW THE QUICKEST TIP I CAN GIVE IS DON'T GET ANY TIME DINING ON THIS SHIP. WE HAD IT AND WERE BASICALLY IGNORED FOR THE MOST PART...NO LAUGHING OR JOKING FROM THE WAITER LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE ASSIGNED DINING. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IT PERFECTED YET ON THE MIRACLE, AND IT TOOK FOREVER TO GET WAITED ON...SOMETIMES THE ASST, WAITER TOOK OVER...MORE LATER. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DID NOT ENJOY THE CRUISE, BUT WE REALLY DID...IT WAS A CRUISE AFTER ALL..WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED.

YES, I AM GOING TO WRITE A REVIEW....AM STILL ON VACATION IN FLORIDA, SO IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF DAYS. Right NOW THE QUICKEST TIP I CAN GIVE IS DON'T GET ANY TIME DINING ON THIS SHIP. WE HAD IT AND WERE BASICALLY IGNORED FOR THE MOST PART...NO LAUGHING OR JOKING FROM THE WAITER LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE ASSIGNED DINING. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IT PERFECTED YET ON THE MIRACLE, AND IT TOOK FOREVER TO GET WAITED ON...SOMETIMES THE ASST, WAITER TOOK OVER...MORE LATER. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DID NOT ENJOY THE CRUISE, BUT WE REALLY DID...IT WAS A CRUISE AFTER ALL..WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED.

Haha. We are in our late 20s, were there ANY younger people? I'm reading the clientel on the 8 day miracle sailings is very old!

Also did you do the chef's table?

We have 6pm dinner, confirmed

I was also on the Miracle for this sailing. The OP neglected to post that it also rained a lot in Aruba. I was looking forward to going to Palm Beach for the day, but couldn't because of the weather. Curacao was a nice day for shopping. There was more of a older crowd sailing and if it wasn't for Music Manila at Frankie and Johnny's, the cruise would have been pretty boring. Not much activity after 10:30. I would not miss them. They also play the Beatles in the let it ride show. Great bunch of guys. Jsteinberg older crowd is being very nice. I am 48 and felt like a kid! Any questions just ask.

I'm going on the Miracle next Friday. I'm 45. I don't think that's very old ;) Most of the people on our roll call are people with school age kids.

We were on the Miracle in Dec -- it was a MUCH older crowd (scooter's EVERYWHERE!). we had late dining and it was half empty......it was an AWESOME cruise though....just a different feel from past cruises

The Op DID mention the rain. :rolleyes:

Sherry good for you. I was told by many crew members that 8 day cruises from Ft Lauderdale are filled with seniors. I have nothing against seniors, but I usually sail with a more lively crowd.

Its alway best to really reserch where your going. I think you will find that there are more stores and shops closed than open on Sundays.

A lot of other places take sundays as there day of rest, church, family day. They really don't care that ships are in and people want to shop.

I know before we travel anywhere we do a ton of reserch so we know about the customs of the people who wonderful countrys we are visiting.

Why always a rude response? So unnessecary. But seems to be a trend with certain posters.

 

Most people wouldn't even think to look and see if a port was closed on a day ships were there being that to most people that doesn't even make sense. I think the OP was helpful to those traveling here as most aren't going to even think to look and see if the port is scheduled to be closed. We haven't all been cruising for 20 years to know this is something to check for.

Most people take the time to read about and research the places they are going to visit...if they've never been there before. Most people wouldn't expect a reservationists at a cruise line to advise of every possible event or incident that may occur during a weeks cruise nor tell them about each port, what to do, where to eat, what to avoid.. Reservationists are not travel agents.....they take reservations.

OP's comment that Carnival should have mention this was out of line.. My response is not rude at all..... Anyone who doesn't feel like doing their own research should use a good brick and mortar travel agency who will do the research for them and adivse them what to expect and to hand-carry them through the process.

very rude...thanks for the defense...i never thought i had to research a port.....guess i will have to. There is always one person that just has to be a jerk!

It's those folks who don't do research that raise heck when a port is missed or the ship is delayed and start screaming and stomping their feet like children.

And, your opinion of my resposne as being "rude" is subjective and you are welcome to your own opinion.

Your characterization of me being "jerk" is not....and is against the guidelines. So knock it off, please.

I have to agree with you as well, you would think that with a ship in port the stores would be open.

You would think that people visitng a place for the first time might find out a little about that place, it's people, it's customs and culture.

Cruise ships use ports all over the world...and those ports and countries don't change the way they do business just because tourists visit.