1st time in Aruba-What to do-beach people

[spotter27]

I was wondering about Boca Catalina Is there Food or drinks? can u rent chairs? Is is close to shopping. oh and snorkel gear do we bring it or rent it? thank u

[mets07]

I was wondering about Boca Catalina Is there Food or drinks? can u rent chairs? Is is close to shopping. oh and snorkel gear do we bring it or rent it? thank u

No food or drinks or chairs. Need to bring gear. Just a small area from where people snorkel. About a block away is Arashi beach. There is a small snack shop there for food and drinks.

 

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Forums mobile app

[Thrilled2012]

We really enjoyed Blue Lagoon, but didn't do the dolphins there. If you ever make it to Cozumel, THAT is the place you want to swim with the dolphins. It's a great place and the cost is more than half that of any other place you'll find (plus they offer BOGO deals all the time). :)

 

Sorry to be off topic Kim but are you talking about Chankanaab for the less expensive dolphin swim? We walked around the dolphin/manatee area with a staff member doing a guided "tour" and learned a lot and enjoyed seeing the animals up close. But I didn't even ask about the cost of swimming with them bc I figured it would be expensive. We have done it a few times in Anguilla (off the coast of St Maarten) and it was pretty pricey. I guess we'll have to look into doing it the next time we're in Cozumel.

 

Kia

[mitsugirly]

Sorry to be off topic Kim but are you talking about Chankanaab for the less expensive dolphin swim? We walked around the dolphin/manatee area with a staff member doing a guided "tour" and learned a lot and enjoyed seeing the animals up close. But I didn't even ask about the cost of swimming with them bc I figured it would be expensive. We have done it a few times in Anguilla (off the coast of St Maarten) and it was pretty pricey. I guess we'll have to look into doing it the next time we're in Cozumel.

 

Kia

 

 

Hi Kia! :D

 

Yes, Dolphin Discovery at Chankanaab. It's probably the least expensive place you will ever find. Depending on which swim you do, $99-$169. Then they have deals all the time (just gotta watch for them) to BOGO or second person is $1 and then they also had deals where you get a discounted price if you book ahead of time (can't remember if it's a month or weeks or what it was). :)

[Thrilled2012]

Hi Kia! :D

 

Yes, Dolphin Discovery at Chankanaab. It's probably the least expensive place you will ever find. Depending on which swim you do, $99-$169. Then they have deals all the time (just gotta watch for them) to BOGO or second person is $1 and then they also had deals where you get a discounted price if you book ahead of time (can't remember if it's a month or weeks or what it was). :)

 

That is AWESOME Kim!! I have definitely made note of that in my files. THANKS :D

[mitsugirly]

That is AWESOME Kim!! I have definitely made note of that in my files. THANKS :D

 

 

Welcome! :)

[lovebears]

We really enjoyed Blue Lagoon, but didn't do the dolphins there. If you ever make it to Cozumel, THAT is the place you want to swim with the dolphins. It's a great place and the cost is more than half that of any other place you'll find (plus they offer BOGO deals all the time). :)

Which Dolphin swim did you do in Cozumel, Mitsugirly?

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

[mitsugirly]

Which Dolphin swim did you do in Cozumel, Mitsugirly?

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Dolphin Discovery at Chankanaab :)

[lovebears]

Thanks! Will watch for sales as you suggested 🙌

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

[Hatteras51]

Dolphin Discovery at Chankanaab :)

 

I know that we have gotten really off topic, but just wanted to add that we did the manatee encounter at Chankanaab a few years ago, and it was awesome.

[mitsugirly]

I know that we have gotten really off topic, but just wanted to add that we did the manatee encounter at Chankanaab a few years ago, and it was awesome.

 

 

EXACTLY...manatte encounter is another great benefit too! We got to do that for free both times we were there. So, not sure if it's normal for them to let people do that with the dolphin swim or we just got lucky. :D

[rngrblu9]

is there a great place to snorkel in aruba that rents equipment?

[Hatteras51]

is there a great place to snorkel in aruba that rents equipment?

 

The good snorkel areas are away from the resorts, in a more remote location. They don't rent equipment. Red Sail Sports in Palm Beach rents snorkel gear. If you are interested, I would contact them and reserve it. You would need to pick it up along the way. You would be much better off bringing your own, or doing a boat snorkel tour, where the gear is provided.

[marysb]

Please report back after your trip. We will be in Aruba in April and are looking for a beach as well.

[mitsugirly]

So, I just found out that since we will be in port from 2-11:30pm...2pm their time is 3pm.

 

Is there actually going to be enough time to go to the beach this late? I believe sunset is at 6:53pm, then factor in travel time. :confused: It has me wondering now. :(

[ScottJames]

So, I just found out that since we will be in port from 2-11:30pm...2pm their time is 3pm.

 

Is there actually going to be enough time to go to the beach this late? I believe sunset is at 6:53pm, then factor in travel time. :confused: It has me wondering now. :(

 

 

I thought it was 1pm to 10pm

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mitsugirly]

I thought it was 1pm to 10pm

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not for my cruise it's not. We are there from 2-11:30pm (as stated in my original post). There may be others ships that call to this port that are there from 1-10pm, but not ours. :)

[luv2trvlnow]

So, I just found out that since we will be in port from 2-11:30pm...2pm their time is 3pm.

 

Is there actually going to be enough time to go to the beach this late? I believe sunset is at 6:53pm, then factor in travel time. :confused: It has me wondering now. :(

 

Currently Aruba is 1 hour ahead of Fort Lauderdale. This for your April cruise on the Conquest correct? If so by then Fort Lauderdale will be on Daylight Savings Time and Aruba doesn't observe DST. In that case 2pm ship time will be 2pm Aruba time since Fort Lauderdale will have sprung 1 hour ahead and Aruba will have done nothing.

 

PS: Take care of the Conquest for us as we will be cruising her on April 29, 2017 just 6 days after you get off.

Edited January 26, 2017 by luv2trvlnow

[Thrilled2012]

Currently Aruba is 1 hour ahead of Fort Lauderdale. This for your April cruise on the Conquest correct? If so by then Fort Lauderdale will be on Daylight Savings Time and Aruba doesn't observe DST. In that case 2pm ship time will be 2pm Aruba time since Fort Lauderdale will have sprung 1 hour ahead and Aruba will have done nothing.

 

PS: Take care of the Conquest for us as we will be cruising her on April 29, 2017 just 6 days after you get off.

 

Ooohhhhh, this is great news!! Oops, I think Kim may have gotten her incorrect information from me? I was under the impression that the time in Aruba was different than ship time and I was worried about the number of daylight hours since we don't get there until 2. Thanks for this info!

 

And Kim, notice my new ticker in signature. That's thanks to you telling me about your mini-vacay to Orlando, as well as your wonderful Pride review!!! I was then on a mission to take Michaela to Universal. This cruise will cost the same or less than doing a long weekend land vacation to Orlando since Baltimore is my home port. It's like taking her to Harry Potter world and then getting a cruise for free 😜

[Hatteras51]

Aruba and the ships that depart from the U.S. will be on the same time in April. The only time that there is an issue is when the U.S. goes on daylight savings time, during the months of Nov. - March, because Aruba doesn't go on daylight savings time. During those months, Aruba is a hour ahead.

[Thrilled2012]

Aruba and the ships that depart from the U.S. will be on the same time in April. The only time that there is an issue is when the U.S. goes on daylight savings time, during the months of Nov. - March, because Aruba doesn't go on daylight savings time. During those months, Aruba is a hour ahead.

 

After years of living and vacationing on a neighboring island I should have known this but had a major brain fart!! I'm so used to going there just in the winter now, when there is a time change. Thanks. Anyway, not to hijack but I think Mitsugirly might be interested as well 😜. ...I see that you take land vacays in Aruba. Do you know of things to do after the beach/sunset for families with younger (elementary school age) kids to do other than a restaurant or sunset cruise?

[Hatteras51]

After years of living and vacationing on a neighboring island I should have known this but had a major brain fart!! I'm so used to going there just in the winter now, when there is a time change. Thanks. Anyway, not to hijack but I think Mitsugirly might be interested as well 😜. ...I see that you take land vacays in Aruba. Do you know of things to do after the beach/sunset for families with younger (elementary school age) kids to do other than a restaurant or sunset cruise?

 

We have always gone to Aruba in the winter, also, but this year we added a second trip to Aruba in Nov. right before the time change. It was the first time that we had ever been there when we were on the same time.

 

If you read the thread called "What to do at night" you'll find some good ideas of things to do with kids after dark.

[mitsugirly]

Currently Aruba is 1 hour ahead of Fort Lauderdale. This for your April cruise on the Conquest correct? If so by then Fort Lauderdale will be on Daylight Savings Time and Aruba doesn't observe DST. In that case 2pm ship time will be 2pm Aruba time since Fort Lauderdale will have sprung 1 hour ahead and Aruba will have done nothing.

 

PS: Take care of the Conquest for us as we will be cruising her on April 29, 2017 just 6 days after you get off.

 

Woo hoo! Glad to hear this. I'm excited. (Such little things excite me these days)

 

We will definitely take good care of her.

 

 

Ooohhhhh, this is great news!! Oops, I think Kim may have gotten her incorrect information from me? I was under the impression that the time in Aruba was different than ship time and I was worried about the number of daylight hours since we don't get there until 2. Thanks for this info!

 

And Kim, notice my new ticker in signature. That's thanks to you telling me about your mini-vacay to Orlando, as well as your wonderful Pride review!!! I was then on a mission to take Michaela to Universal. This cruise will cost the same or less than doing a long weekend land vacation to Orlando since Baltimore is my home port. It's like taking her to Harry Potter world and then getting a cruise for free 😜

 

 

:D

 

Oh my! She's gonna love it! Did you get tickets with SW? I really wish they had other options for Disney and places too. I'll have to keep searching for deals. :p So you are going to cruise the Pride to Florida and go to Universal for the day (while cruising)? Or is this a repo cruise and it ends in Florida? (HP is a mad house by the way...just a mad house...like can't walk down the streets type of mad house). :p

[mitsugirly]

After years of living and vacationing on a neighboring island I should have known this but had a major brain fart!! I'm so used to going there just in the winter now, when there is a time change. Thanks. Anyway, not to hijack but I think Mitsugirly might be interested as well 😜. ...I see that you take land vacays in Aruba. Do you know of things to do after the beach/sunset for families with younger (elementary school age) kids to do other than a restaurant or sunset cruise?

 

 

HERE'S what we are going to attempt to do that night.

[B&J_Pgh]

I was given this recommendation on my last cruises roll call and thought it might be of interest as there's an option of tours starting at 2:00 p.m. Take a look (I can give you specifics on who it was who suggested it if you'd like)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2431171