One day in Aruba from cruise ship perfect itinerary
Aruba is a beautiful Caribbean island and forms, together with Bonaire and Curacao the ABC-island group. Aruba is famous for its white, sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue water. There are many great things to do in Aruba – and many of them you can check off in just one day. As a seasoned cruise passenger, I know the drill of having to plan something to do for every single port you stay in. Luckily, I have created in this post the perfect one-day in Aruba itinerary from out the cruise ship. And because not all tastes are the same – I have created multiple versions for your perfect day in Aruba.
Table of contents
- Things you need to know about Aruba before you go
- The Aruba cruise port
- One day in Aruba from cruise ship – things to do
- 1. One day with the flamingos of Aruba
- 2. Book an excursion on the island
- Snorkel trip with champagne and lunch
- Aruba Atlantis submarine
- Island ultimate Jeep Safari
- 3. Explore the island with a rental car
- 4. Get a day pass for a resort
- What Snorkel Gear do you need in Aruba?
Things you need to know about Aruba before you go
- The capital city of Aruba is Oranjestad. The cruise terminal is also located in Oranjestad, so you can check the colorful city out right from the ship without an expensive excursion.
- If you are planning on exploring Aruba for a day, make sure to get a rental car. Many of the fun places are far off the beaten tracks and can only be reached by car. The roads are quite bad in some remote places, so make sure to get a 4-by-4 if possible!
- To find the best photo spots in Aruba, check out my favorite Aruba Instagram Photo Spots.
- Aruba is expensive. Be prepared to spend some serious money on the island. If you want to save money, make sure to eat and drink on the ship before your excursion.
- Aruba is extremely safe compared to the other ABC islands. You can happily explore without being too scared in the evenings.
- Make sure to tip well! Aruba is mainly visited by Americans, so the tipping culture in Aruba is pretty good. 20 % are expected if you were satisfied with the service.
- The main language spoken in Aruba is English, although many inhabitants of the island speak Dutch and Spanish as well.
- Aruba is great for snorkeling, bring some gear if you are interested in the exquisite marine life.
- If you are planning on having a meal in Aruba, check out my favorite beachfront restaurants.
- Tap water is safe to drink in Aruba
- Grab some coupons at the airport or cruise terminal, to save a couple of bucks!
The Aruba cruise port
The Aruba cruise port is located in Oranjestad, the capital city of Aruba. This is one of the best cruise terminals in the Caribbean because it is located almost in the city center, so you can disembark and enjoy yourself without a fuss.
The Aruba cruise port is right across from the Aruba Bus terminal. You can catch a bus or a cab from there. Cabs are required to offer you standardized fares all around the island. This minimizes the chance, that they try to rip you off.
One day in Aruba from cruise ship – things to do
There are many amazing things for you to do in Aruba when docking with a cruise ship. As a seasoned cruiser, I feel like you have four options when choosing what to do on the island.
- Spending the day on Renaissance Island with the Flamingos
- Book a guided excursion or day trip
- Explore the island with a rental car
- Buy a day pass to one of the resorts
1. One day with the flamingos of Aruba
Naturally, many people want to see the flamingos of Aruba when coming to the island on a cruise ship. With some good planning, you can make this dream come true. Sadly, the flamingos of Aruba can only be found on one single private island, that belongs to the Renaissance Resort.
Luckily, there are ways to get to the flamingos of Aruba from the cruise ship. This excursion is quite expensive, so if you are on a budget, I would not recommend picking this itinerary. In order to see the flamingos of Aruba, you have to either get a day pass to Renaissance island, or book a day pass for the Spa on the island.
I have created a detailed guide on how to see the flamingos of Aruba. If you are planning on going to see them, you absolutely have to make reservations in advance, they only allow very little people to Renaissance island every day.
The excursion will cost you about USD 125 p.p. for the day. You can take a shuttle boat from the Renaissance hotel, they leave every 15 minutes. Luckily, it is only a couple of minutes away from the cruise port, so you can easily make it back and forth in time and have some time to enjoy Renaissance island.
Lunch and a cocktail are included in the package, you can order from one of two restaurants. Going to Renaissance island will fill up your entire day on the island. I would recommend visiting Renaissance island if you want to spend the money, it is an amazing place to relax and enjoy your day!
2. Book an excursion on the island
There are many amazing day trips and excursions that you can book from a third-party provider. I know that cruise ship excursions can be super expensive and are usually a bit crowded, so I tried finding you some alternatives for your day in Aruba.
It is important to book with a provider you can trust, otherwise they might not bring you back on time for the departure of your ship. I have always booked my excursions with VIATOR because they vet their partners extremely well and I have never been disappointed. For some more inspiration on Aruba day trips from a trusted provider head over here.
Snorkel trip with champagne and lunch
This was by far my favorite day trip in Aruba! The snorkel trip takes you to the best places around Aruba. We sailed alongside the coast, where we could jump off to swim and snorkel twice. My favorite spot on this trip was the sunken shipwreck. The catamaran dropped us off and we could explore the huge, magnificent boat with the snorkels.
The crew was extremely nice and we could order as much champagne and cocktails as we liked. We opted for the lunch tour and we had an amazing Caribbean lunch buffet. We met so many nice people on this excursion, so I will always remember this day trip very fondly! The price starts at USD 60,00.
Aruba Atlantis submarine
Another great thing to do in Aruba is the Aruba Atlantis submarine experience. You can explore Aruba on a Coast guard certified submarine. It goes to depths of 130 feet (roughly 40 meters). This trip offers an amazing show of the beautiful marine life and the coral reefs in Aruba without having to get wet!
The trip takes about 2 hours and costs around USD 100. In my opinion, this was worth the money. Plus, the trip does not take all day, so you can still check out some other things around the island.
Island ultimate Jeep Safari
This tour came highly recommended to me by friends, however, we did not have the time to take it. I regret not booking this tour, because, in the end, we could not explore all of the island with the rental car. Some streets of the island are rather rough, so you need a 4×4 or an excursion like this one to see it.
The tour takes all day and covers every interesting spot on the island. With USD 128,00 it is also quite affordable for a full-day trip!
Some of the things you will see on the Island ultimate Jeep Safari:
- Gold Mill Ruins
- Natural Pool
- Baby Beach
- California Lighthouse
- Arikok National Park
3. Explore the island with a rental car
If you would rather explore Aruba yourself than book a guided excursion, I have some great points of interest for you that you should visit. First of all, you will need a rental car or an ATV for your trip. If you are planning on exploring off-the-beaten paths, I suggest you take a 4×4!
This map includes all my favorite beaches in Aruba (blue), the best restaurants in Aruba (yellow), and photo points and other points of interest (red). If you are planning on spending only one day in Aruba and are coming from the cruise ship terminal, you need to pick your favorite things you want to see in advance. Find some more instructions on tips below on my absolute favorites!
Oranjestad
Oranjestad is the colorful little capital city of Aruba. You can easily explore the cute town on foot. There are many shops and luxury stores just waiting for you to explore them. The city is quite small, so you will most likely only need a couple of hours to see it (including some shopping).
You can find all the luxury stores, such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and much more in the city. Also, some cheaper brands, like Zara and Victoria’s Secret, have stores in the city. Make sure to also check out the Renaissance Wind Creek Casino, it is located right by the ocean.
You can check out the flea market downtown. Also, make sure to take a ride on the (free) streetcars. They drive in loops around the entire city.
Find my favorite shopping centers and streets here:
- Shopping on Main Street: mix of luxury retail stores, historic colorful buildings
- Renaissance Marketplace: lively market place with music and entertainment
- Renaissance Mall – over 60 of the best retail luxury shops and also restaurants
- Royal Plaza – Outdoorsy pink mall with three levels of shops and dining (super instagrammable)
Check out the Aruba Aloe Factory and Shop
The island of Aruba is famous for growing lots of Aloe Vera plants. They are making many great products from the plant, which are known to be anti-inflammatory. The Aruba Aloe Factory is located on the island and you can visit the museum and the production free of charge.
This is a great recommendation for slow travelers, who wanna learn more about the island and buy a sustainable souvenir from local production. They have everything from hair products to sunscreen and body lotions. You do not need to make reservations for the tour. Check out their website here.
San Nicolas – the forgotten town
If you are planning on exploring Aruba with a rental car for one day, you need to put San Nicolas on your itinerary. It is a cute, picturesque town that “is easily 20 years behind in everything”. Apart from the history of the town, it is also famous for its street art.
Years ago, a street art festival was held in Aruba. Many houses were painted in the small town of San Nicolas, and most of the art is still there. The village is very quiet and super cute! Also, it is right next to the two famous beaches, Baby Beach and Rodgers Beach. You can easily combine the trip.
Baby Beach and Rodgers Beach
The two famous beaches, Baby Beach and Rodgers beach are quite far off the beaten track. But they are worth a visit. Close by the small town of San Nicolas, you can find the two beautiful little bays.
Baby Beach is an amazing, crescent-shaped beach and is famous for its beautiful blue water and endless white sands. You can rent beach chairs there and have an ice-cold cocktail in one of the two restaurants.
Rodgers beach is right around the corner. It is very famous among locals and slightly less busy than Baby beach. In my opinion, they are both worth a visit.
California Lighthouse
The California lighthouse is something that you should definitely check out during your one day in Aruba. You can easily reach it by car and park there while you take some pictures and take in the scenery.
If you have a solid car, you can also explore off-the-beaten-track Aruba right behind the lighthouse. Even if you only stay for a week in Aruba, I would make sure to see the lighthouse. It is one of the most instagrammable places in Aruba.
4. Get a day pass for a resort
If you are looking to find a nice, relaxing place to chill in Aruba, I suggest buying a day pass from a resort. A resort day pass grants you access to their private beaches, sun beds, and in some cases even their All Inclusive offers.
Here are some great suggestions for day passes in Aruba:
- RIU Palace Antillas (for party goers, All Inclusive), USD 145
- Eagle Aruba Resort, USD 25
- Radisson Blu Aruba, USD 25
- Barcelo All Inclusive, USD 98
What Snorkel Gear do you need in Aruba?
Here are my favorite things I used on a daily basis in Curacao for snorkeling:
GoPro Hero 11 (amazing for super stable pictures under water)
GoPro Dome (for these Instagram shots where you are half in and half out of the water)
Underwater Phone Case (if you don’t have a GoPro)
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