Christmas Day in Willemstad, Curacao

[dbaudit]

We're doing a Panama Canal transit on the Rotterdam in late December out of Florida.  We are scheduled to be in Willemstad, Curacao on Christmas Day.  Has anyone been there on Christmas? Are the stores/museums open?  Same question for New Years Day in Antigua, Guatemala.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

DB

[Sir PMP]

No, everything will be closed, except of course, the main hotels...

[Krazy Kruizers]

The main stores and museums were closed when we were there on Christmas.  They were a couple of vendors open -- but not many.

[Caribbean Chris]

We were there once on Boxing Day (12/26) and all the stores were closed then, too.

[towhee]

We were there at Easter and everything was closed, too!

[Copper10-8]

Some of the restaurants along the Sint Anna Baai entrance channel will be open

[Infi]

We have been sailing Christmas cruises since 2008 and have called in Curacao once on Christmas day and once on New Year's day. Both times, not a single shop or restaurant was open and the entire downtown was a ghost town - not a single soul out on the streets. We've been in many other ports on Christmas day but had never seen a town as buttoned up as Curacao. It was a bit eerie to see everything so desolate, actually. 

 

As for Antigua, we have also called there on Christmas day. The majority of the shops in the port area by the ship were open, and in Antigua itself about 1/3 of what we saw was open, with lots of people out and about, shopping, and celebrating. 

[dbaudit]

Thanks, everybody.  This gives us some idea about shore excursions in these ports.

 

DB

[dadroy]

We will be on this journey with you.  Have you joined our roll call?

[AV8rix]

Well, I know something that will CERTAINLY be open on Christmas Day in Curacao.  A fascinating place!  I happen to be Jewish, but you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate this site if you're "into" history at all.  You can spend nearly all day there, particularly exploring the exhibits in the rooms up at the top of the spiral staircase.  Enjoy!

 

http://www.snoa.com/synagogue

[Fouremco]

On 4/25/2019 at 6:55 PM, dbaudit said:

Thanks, everybody.  This gives us some idea about shore excursions in these ports.

 

DB

Research your shore excursions carefully, whether ship or independent. We were in Barbados for Easter Sunday and the ship had been offering an excursion to Harrison's Cave, but I had checked with the owners and was told that it would be closed for the day. They told me that none of the islands tour companies would be operating, and that most tourist attractions would be closed.

[Spunky946]

36 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Well, I know something that will CERTAINLY be open on Christmas Day in Curacao.  A fascinating place!  I happen to be Jewish, but you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate this site if you're "into" history at all.  You can spend nearly all day there, particularly exploring the exhibits in the rooms up at the top of the spiral staircase.  Enjoy!

 

http://www.snoa.com/synagogue

 

We were there last year Christmas week, I think we were there 12/26 and they ere not open.  Totally bummed.  We are Jewish too and I really wanted to see it.