What to do in Aruba?

[LUV2CRUISE2017]

Hi everyone! I am new to Cruise Critic and am taking my 5th cruise this Friday, Ferbruary 3 out of Miami on Navigator of the Seas. On February 8, we will be in Aruba. I hate to admit, I still don't have anything planned, because nothing really caught my eye. I also do not want to spend any more than I have to. Does anyone have any experience with getting a driver to show you around the island? Thanks in advance for your input!:)

[Ashland]

Just outside the terminal door there will be bus tours available....We did one $20.00pp) It went around the whole island (tiny island really)...great overview...you could even be dropped off at the last stop at the beach and picked up again later or we opted to stay on the bus and go back into town for shopping and a walk around.

[cb at sea]

Or, just take a cab to the beach....that an chair/umbrella rental should be under $60 for 2. Shopping is an easy walk from the dock.

[Scrapnana]

Five of us from our roll call did an excursion with Bully. Great guy and fantastic tour. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147247-i144-k8448391-Bully_Taxi_Driver_Extraordinaire-Aruba.html

[Hlitner]

Going to the Caribbean is primarily about the sun, sea, and sand (on many islands). But there are some other things to do for those that, for some reason, go to the Caribbean expecting more. Aruba does offer the backside (Northeast) part of the island where, in places, it resembles the lunar landscape:). It can be fun to explore that part of the island as part of a 4 wheel drive tour...or just rent a 4 wheel drive and explore on your own. And the truth is that you can also drive most of that area of the island in a normal car.

 

What has drawn us to Aruba for several extended vacations are the west side beaches (Palm, Eagle, Manchebo, etc) which offer wonderful sand and very clear/clean ocean water just made for swimming or floating.

 

Hank

[biker@sea]

We rode the # 10 bus (I think 10) to the end of the line Arashi beach California light house area and back.

 

http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/discover/attractions-and-sights/California-Lighthouse.html

 

 

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Edited January 31, 2017 by biker@sea

[Extra Kim]

We will be on the same cruise. You might want to join the roll call here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2195018

 

Aruba is a fantastic island if you like beaches, my opinion is that there's not that much to see on Aruba besides their beaches.

 

We will just take the local bus across the street from the dock to Eagel or Palm beach. I think it's around $2-3 p.p each way. The buses are very frequent and runs all day.

 

http://arubus.com/

[janetz]

Trikes is a BLAST! However is it not cheap.

 

http://www.trikes-aruba.com/

[OCruisers]

Taking a taxi to Palm Beach is fun and fairly inexpensive. :)

[Beachdude]

Trikes is a BLAST! However is it not cheap.

 

http://www.trikes-aruba.com/

 

We did this and really enjoyed it. You get pretty much a tour of the island as well.

 

Burt

[capriccio]

Trikes is a BLAST! However is it not cheap.

 

http://www.trikes-aruba.com/

 

We did this and really enjoyed it. You get pretty much a tour of the island as well.

 

Burt

 

Definitely one of our favorite excursions in the Carribean!

[mom says]

For us, Aruba is a beach stop. We'll either share a taxi with another couple or take the bus to Eagle or Palm Beach. Not a fan of the casinos, so our 2day stop there will mean plenty of time spent just on the ship.

[tarps]

Bus transport is easy and cheap....take the L10 bus from the bus terminal located right scross the street as you exit from the cruise port out onto the main street. You can buy a round trip ticket for $5.00 per person. Get off at either Eagle Beach (fewer amenities but less crowded) or carry on to Palm Beach. Go to the De Palm Pier (ask bus driver to notify you when to get off) where you can rent a lounge chair and umbrella or enjoy a drink or lunch at the Bugaloe restaurant at the end of the pier. Water and sandy beach are amazing.

[cruiseapril]

We also like to take a cab to Palm Beach.

[Aquahound]

Just outside the terminal door there will be bus tours available....We did one $20.00pp) It went around the whole island (tiny island really)...great overview...you could even be dropped off at the last stop at the beach and picked up again later or we opted to stay on the bus and go back into town for shopping and a walk around.

 

Seconded. If no other plans are made, this is a good fallback plan. It's not a bad tour. Several stops are made.....one at a rock formation you can climb, one at an old lighthouse and one at the beach. There's a bar at each of the stops where you can grab a cold one.

 

There are taxi drivers just outside the port offering the same exact tour, but charging 3 or 4x more.