No shore excursions in Curacao listed

[Javajitterz]

It's a ways away from out Nov 18th cruise on the Getaway but all the other ports have shore excursions listed except for Curacao. We will be there 7a-7p and all that's listed is a short sunset tour Can anyone recommend another source for shore excursions on Curacao? Costco stopped offering shore excursions, I used them on our last cruise and was happy with them. Viator?

[Dcoy]

We’re on the Gateway Oct 29th cruise that stops in Curaçao. Ours shows around 13 excursions. We plan on just getting of the ship and walk around the city. Lots to see and new near the port.  

[GeezerCouple]

We went to the Curacao liquor factory.  It was so much smaller than we were expecting.

They had some really interesting flavors of their liquor, ones that we have not been able to find anywhere since.

 

We got several assortments of their tiny bottles, and everyone we gave them to *loved* them... and asked about getting more.  Nope.  We even tried to have some shipped to us, but because of liquor control laws, that's not possible.  Even a neighborhood liquor/wine store couldn't do it.  They'd have had to go throught a major importer/wholesaler type of company, and we couldn't possible use the quantities they'd have required.

 

We also walked around town a bit.

We try to get private tours when we are at ports, so we can spend our time the way we want, and decide to spend "more time here and less time there" if that seems right... and especially if it's a place we may not get back to.

 

GC

 

[complawyer]

get off the ship and just walk around the town. its beautiful, picturesque and we stayed in curacao for a a week many years ago. aint a whole lot going on, unless you visit the liquor factory for blue curacao

[Kierste]

It was years ago now, but we booked a private tour, we’re picked up at the port, drove us all over, we snorkeled in an amazing cove, had a fantastic meal. Would do it again in a heartbeat. I found them on viator I believe.

[Tippyton]

Out-of-the-box idea.....

 

We rented a car and went to the far end of the island and worked our way back, beach hopping and snorkeling along the way [researched all of the beaches ahead of time].  Awesome fun - of all the places we've been it has the most beautiful beaches.  Snorkeling at each was pretty good too.

[complawyer]

if youre into snorkeling, and if its one of the ports, try bonaire. it's supposed to be one of the worlds best places for this activity. me, i cant swim so its of no value 

[kochleffel]

Within walking distance of the port: the Kura Hulanda museum (history of slavery), which is on the same side of the bay (Otrobanda), and the historic district (Punda) including the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere that is still in use, with a small museum, and the Maritime Museum, across the Queen Emma swinging footbridge. (When the bridge is open for ships, there is a ferry service, but you'll want to see the bridge operate.) The Curacao Museum, on the Otrabanda side, is a long, hot, boring walk from the port, but if you're interested the history of aviation, it has the cockpit of the Snip, the Fokker F-XVII that flew the first airmail from the Netherlands to Curacao in 1934.

 

For lunch, try the Governeur de Rouville restaurant, very near the Kura Hulanda museum and facing the bay; there is some balcony seating. Have the banana soup if it's on the menu.

 

[SimplyAlbert]

We booked a private excursion through Gone Caribe based on recommendations from others on this board.  We're not cruising until September.  I'll report back once we've cruised.

[ColeThornton]

Lots of good info on the Curacao port of call forum.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/50-curacao/

[CozGurl]

Whatever you do, don't book with Bounty Adventures. Worst excursion I've ever taken from land or sea. 

[ColeThornton]

5 minutes ago, CozGurl said:

Whatever you do, don't book with Bounty Adventures. Worst excursion I've ever taken from land or sea. 

 

 

Because...........?

[CozGurl]

There were way too many people on the boat. Not much to see where they took us. This is a snip from my review:

 

When it came time to get out at the first spot they passed out masks and snorkels and the captain announced “we have vests for the lazy floaters.” *****? Shaming people into not using a flotation device? I raised my hand and said I was a lazy floater and would be happy to have one. Then when the hub asked for fins he was told that he had big feet and didn’t need them. WFT again? If you don’t have fins and you have to use your arms then you get tired. What happens when you get tired and these asses didn’t give you a snorkel vest??

 

They didn’t help fit masks, get in the water and even worse didn’t help them get out of the water. I take that back, worst was that not one of the crew got in the water to help people. There were people really struggling and other people trying to help them. Folks trying to climb in the boat with fins because no one explained to them or helped them to take the fins off before climbing out.

 

It was chaos and there were probably people on that trip for which it was their first time snorkeling and they'll never try it again because it was so awful.

[kochleffel]

25 minutes ago, CozGurl said:

It was chaos and there were probably people on that trip for which it was their first time snorkeling and they'll never try it again because it was so awful.

 

That's really unfortunate, because Curacao is considered especially good for snorkeling.

[2boyzmom]

We have been there before and snorkeling is amazing. We are headed there in November on the Breakaway and booked a day pass at Sunscape Resort. It has great reviews.