What to do where????

[ncshp955]

Sailing on the Magic next year to the Southern Caribbean. Three new ports of call, Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk. Haven't been to any of them yet. I am trying to figure out which port is best for snorkeling, sightseeing (tour of the port) and just hanging out on a beach? Figured we would try and do one of each of these at each port but not all at each port, so which port would you snorkel, which is best for sightseeing and which would be best for just going and relaxing on the beach?

Edited June 20, 2016 by ncshp955

[lizardhowson]

Did you browse Cruise Critic ports of call boards ?

Plenty of existing info for activities, excursions, recommendations for each port there.

[nissach]

Sailing on the Magic next year to the Southern Caribbean. Three new ports of call, Aruba, Curacao and Grand Turk. Haven't been to any of them yet. I am trying to figure out which port is best for snorkeling, sightseeing (tour of the port) and just hanging out on a beach? Figured we would try and do one of each of these at each port but not all at each port, so which port would you snorkel, which is best for sightseeing and which would be best for just going and relaxing on the beach?

 

Grand Turk is good for just laying around on the beach. We did a snorkelling excursion there which we really enjoyed. Don't remember if it was booked through the cruise or private.

In Curacao we did the dolphin swim. It was amazing, but expensive. Six people in the water with 2 dolphins. I would highly recommend doing this.

Never been to Aruba.

[BlazinSunsets]

There is really little sightseeing in Grand Turk as it's a smallish island, so I would reccomend to go snorkeling there, it has the huge 7000 foot dropoff which is really cool to see and it has some nice reefs.

[ncshp955]

Did you browse Cruise Critic ports of call boards ?

Plenty of existing info for activities, excursions, recommendations for each port there.

 

I have and continue to but since each has it ups and downs I thought I would see what others thought. Since there are tours for all three things at each port it is making a little harder to figure out which island is best for what. We are in Aruba late afternoon into the evening so that also plays into what to do there.

[pusywillow]

Grand Turk is best for beach time or diving. I did private island tours on Curacao and Aruba.

[michiganirish]

Agree with everyone else beach time - look for sea glass...:)

[Essiesmom]

Grand Turk - Beach day, great pool at Margaritaville.

Curacao - very picturesque, walk to the Queen Emma floating bridge and cross into the colorful older part of town.

Aruba - desert island instead of tropical flora. We did a basic highlights tour, usually offer a 4x4 tour also. Many go to beach or AI for the day. EM

[RubyGold]

In Aruba you can get the city bus for around a dollar to a beach or into the heart of the resort area for restaurants and shops. It leaves just outside the cruise terminal area near the shopping area.

 

The best beaches we found were beyond the resort area so go past all the big hotels and then about ten minutes more there is a stop right at a quiet beach near the end of the route.

 

The taxis will charge you 40 dollars for two people for that journey. But the bus is a dollar. Go figure.

[cdamion]

Aruba for beach. Aruba is very developed and westernized, so a tour wouldn't seen very different than a number of places. Their beaches are very nice though.

 

Curacao for touring the island.

 

Grand Turk for snorkeling (and more beach).

[cb at sea]

A guidebook will help you greatly. Go to your local library..check out a guidebook...free! Decide what is important to you, and it will tell you HOW to do it! None of these ports are hard to DIY...research is the key!

 

Aruba is a true "desert" island...little rainfall...no tropical "lushness"...it's a desert! Only around the hotels will you see tropical plants and such.Very dry, because there is no elevation to create rain....remember your science lessons? Mountains cause air to rise, it cools and the moisture falls as rain, or the Eastern side of the mountain....that's why California is a desert....wildfires, etc....

 

Aruba has no mountains....I think the highest point is about 400 ft???/maybe less?...no rain.

Edited June 20, 2016 by cb at sea

[ncshp955]

Thanks for the answers. The guide book is a good idea. Just got to find my library card.:D I have heard Curacao did have a nice downtown area.