Vacation Cruises and Honeymoons

Curaçao vacation cruises and honeymoons

The drag and hassle that tourists have to endure at airports means that the option of a Curaçao cruise could be very appealing. What could be better than taking a leisurely cruise through the Caribbean, to arrive at the delightful little island of Curaçao for your vacation? The following is some information about both Curaçao cruises and Curaçao honeymoon opportunities, which could combined into taking a Curaçao cruise for your Curaçao honeymoon.

Curaçao cruises

Although the small island of Curaçao has several ports it is the main port at Willemstad that Curaçao cruise ships dock at. There are two berths used by cruise liners at the Port of Willemstad, both are on the north side of the Sint Annabaai in the Otrabanda district of the city. Both are deep water berths, one is inside the Queen Emma swing-bridge off the Klijkduinstraat, whilst the other is at the mouth of the Sint Annabaai below the Gouveneur van Slobbweg. These two berths are ideally positioned for anyone wanting to have a Curaçao vacation using their cruise ship as if it were a Curaçao hotel. If you want to escape from the cold and dark weather of a northern hemisphere winter – a Curaçao vacation in late January and early February would be ideal; and by taking a cruise to get there you’ll be in just the right mood to join in the Curaçao Carnival, which is held over a four week period at the start of the new year. The popularity of Curaçao cruises can be underlined by the fact that last year some 350,000 visitors chose to take a Curaçao vacation on a cruise liner, with barely three times that choosing to arrive by air. At various times up to five main shipping companies offer Curaçao cruises: Costa Cruises, Holland-America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Shipping companies frequently change the schedules for their sailings and the itinerary of the cruises; however, at present the following cruises are on offer to give you an idea of what’s available, should you decide to take a cruise as part of your Curaçao vacation. The Holland-America Line has a 20 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale whose final destination is Curaçao; prices start from $1800 rising to just under $5000 per person for a suite. Also operating out of Fort Lauderdale, Princess Cruises run 10 day southern Caribbean cruises starting at $900 each. Alternatively, setting out from San Juan in Puerto Rico, Royal Caribbean Cruises have a 7 nights on board offer – starting at just over $600 each rising to $1600 each for a deluxe suite.

Curaçao as a honeymoon destination

Just about any Caribbean Island can make a great honeymoon destination, but the fact that the island of Curaçao is so relatively isolated gives it a particularly romantic appeal. Many of the islands hotels and resorts offer Curaçao honeymoon packages, with the hotels in particular having special honeymoon suites you can book. Of course, combining a Curaçao cruise with a stay in a Curaçao hotel could be the perfect way to spend your honeymoon. Yet another idea would be to get married on the island and then take a cruise around the ABC islands of the Netherlands Antilles, or even just stay and relax in a Curaçao hotel. To get married on Curaçao you’ll need to have both your birth certificate and your passport, together with any relevant death certificate or divorce decree if you’re widowed or divorced. You’ll also be required to prove you’re not an Antillean resident and have a valid return ticket to leave the island with. The civil fee for a Curacao wedding is around $250, plus any costs for flowers, photos or other facilities from your resort or hotel. If you are on the island for a honeymoon and don’t want to take part in any of the guided tours you can always enquire about Curaçao rentals to hire out your own car, so that you can get about the island to the various attractions by yourselves.

Curaçao currency

US dollars will be accepted on Curaçao to pay for things and you might even get US dollars as your change even if you’ve paid in the local currency. The idea of a local Curaçao currency can be quite confusing with Netherlands Antillean guilders and Aruba florins being used; if you get an Aruba 50c piece you’ll be quite taken with it – as they’re square. The best thing to do is check on the internet what will be the best for you to take in terms of ‘forex’ – foreign exchange – if anything.

Curaçao