Cruises from Aruba

Aruba is probably the most popular southern Caribbean island and has something for everyone; beaches, water sports, great diving and snorkelling, shopping, eateries and bars, the list goes on and on. Belonging to the Netherlands, Aruba’s modern multicultural population is made up of over 60 nationalities, though English is widely spoken.

This is a friendly island, with tourism being its bread and butter. It receives regular visits from just about every cruise line plying southern Caribbean waters.

If culture is your passion, make your first stop the capital city of Oranjestad. All the cruise ships dock right here and it’s an easy five-minute walk from the dock to the centre of town. Taxis are plentiful and the government sets meter rates. There is also regular bus service throughout the island, operating from 6:00am. to midnight every day.

Car rental companies maintain kiosks right at the cruise port, and cars rent for about $25 to $45 per day. If you want to get a little wild, pottering around town on a moped or motorcycle is a fun way to see more of what the island has to offer.

Check out Fort Zoutman and King Willem III Tower as this complex houses Aruba’s Historical Museum. While you’re in the area, the Governor’s offices make for a great stop too. The Numismatic (or money) Museum is another great place to stop. It houses a collection of coin and paper currency numbering over 30,000 pieces, from more than 100 countries. The Archaeological Museum is also close by and it houses many artefacts and pieces of pottery highlighting the lifestyles of the earliest Indian settlers on the island.

Oranjestad is also home to some great shopping, restaurants and numerous bars. Sit back and enjoy your favourite libation, while people watching in this amazing town.

And what would a visit to Aruba be without a stop at one of the glittering casinos. You can play the slots or table games such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette and baccarat. Caribbean stud poker is a regional favourite that is gaining popularity all over the world. It was invented here and offers a progressive jackpot that can go up into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you’re more the beach type, you’ll find plenty to do in Aruba. The island has exceptionally clean beaches, many of them occupied by large resort hotels offering a full range of beach amenities, including outdoor restaurants, bars and water sports rental kiosks. A short ride will get you to Palm Beach, Eagle Beach and Rodger’s Beach, which is a picturesque spot complete with lovely shade palm trees and reef-protected waters.

If you’d like to get under the water, rather than just on top of it, Atlantis Submarines can help you to do that. They offer four departures that leave from the Seaport Village Marina every hour. Snorkelling and diving are also neat ways to see the vast array of underwater life around this island. There are also several submerged shipwrecks in the area that are very popular dive sites.

Golf enthusiasts are catered for at Tierra del Sol, a popular 18hole (par 71) course designed by Robert Trent Jones. Or you can saddle up and go horseback riding on the beach.

Aruba is truly a destination offering something for everyone. The weather is nearly perfect, all year round, with an accumulated annual rainfall of less than 20”. This is truly an island paradise in the southern Caribbean.