Aruba Sunset Cruise

Oranjestad, Aruba • December 31, 2015

Tropical Traditions and Coastal Color in Oranjestad

After disembarking from the ship in the morning, we walked directly across the street to the Oranjestad Bus Terminal, the island’s primary public transportation hub. Operated by Arubus, Aruba’s national bus system, the terminal provides reliable service to various destinations across the island, including the popular resort areas along the western coast. Despite the early hour, the temperature was already rising rapidly, with forecasts predicting highs exceeding 100°F by midday.

The city was visibly preparing for New Year’s Eve celebrations, a major cultural event in Aruba. Firecrackers could already be heard echoing through the streets as businesses readied their displays for the day’s traditional firework rituals. After a short wait at the terminal, we boarded a northbound bus toward Palm Beach, sharing the route with local residents and a few other tourists headed for Aruba’s main hotel and beach district. The ride provided a convenient and low-cost means of reaching the island’s resort corridor, which stretches from Eagle Beach to the high-rise developments at Palm Beach.

🏖️ Stop 1: Palm Beach and Playa Linda Resort

We disembarked the bus at the Paseo Herencia Arubus stop, conveniently located in front of the Playa Linda Beach Resort. This well-established beachfront property is part of the high-rise hotel zone along Palm Beach, one of Aruba’s most popular stretches of coastline. The resort accommodates both overnight guests and casual visitors, offering direct beach access, a wide promenade, water activity rentals, and an expansive gift shop.

Unprepared for the intense tropical sun and high UV index, we stepped inside the gift shop to purchase necessary items such as flip-flops, sunscreen, and sun hats, ensuring we could safely continue our exploration. The store was well-stocked with beachwear, accessories, and sundries commonly needed by day-trippers.

Just behind the resort and slightly to the left stands the Paseo Herencia Mall, an open-air complex combining shopping, dining, and entertainment. Designed in a colonial architectural style with fountains and evening shows, the mall features both international brands and local boutiques. Though we didn’t have time to explore it during this visit, it remains one of the area’s most accessible retail venues for travelers staying in or visiting the Palm Beach district.

🏞️ Stop 2: Beachfront Walk Back to Oranjestad

After relaxing for a short while at Playa Linda Beach Resort, we began our journey back to the pier on foot, following the beach southward along Aruba’s western coastline. This stretch of Aruba’s western shore is known for its soft white sand, clear water, and gentle surf, with a mix of public beach segments and resort-managed zones. The route remained mostly uninterrupted, with minimal crowds and no persistent vendors—unlike similar beach walks in busier Caribbean destinations.

As we neared the Oranjestad harbor, our beach route was eventually blocked by a secured zone under the jurisdiction of the Aruba Ports Authority. The fenced-off area, likely used for cargo operations, forced us to exit the shoreline and rejoin the city streets. We turned inland to access Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, a major roadway that parallels the port and connects the city’s commercial district with the cruise pier.

This change in course unexpectedly brought us into the midst of Aruba’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Throughout the city, local businesses were engaging in the traditional pagara ritual—igniting long, connected chains of firecrackers placed along sidewalks or in front of store entrances. Some displays featured 50,000 firecrackers or more, creating thick smoke, a rain of shredded red paper, and a sustained staccato of explosions that could be heard from blocks away.

The pagara is a long-standing Aruban custom meant to purge the misfortunes of the past year and usher in prosperity for the next. Streets were lined with spectators as each business took its turn lighting a fuse, sending bursts of noise and color into the air. The celebratory atmosphere transformed the final leg of our walk into an impromptu cultural encounter, timed perfectly with the island’s year-end festivities.

🌅 Stop 3: Aruba Sunset Catamaran Cruise

In the late afternoon, we returned briefly to the ship to change into evening attire and prepare for our final outing of the day—a sunset catamaran cruise. The vessel’s boarding point was located at Pelican Pier, a short walk from the cruise terminal and just off the coast of Palm Beach. This type of excursion is popular for its scenic route and relaxed pace, typically timed to coincide with the best light of the evening.

Once aboard, the catamaran set course along Aruba’s southern and southwestern coastline, an area known for its calm seas and resort-lined shores. The boat passed over coral shallows and near stretches of white sand beaches, with well-known properties such as the Hilton, Hyatt Regency, and Divi Aruba visible from the water. Light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres were served on deck, and seating areas offered both shaded and open-air options for guests.

At times, the ocean swells made the ride moderately choppy, but the conditions remained safe and manageable. As we moved farther from shore, the sun began its descent over the open sea. The unobstructed view westward provided ideal conditions for photography, with the sky transitioning through bold tones of orange, gold, and violet as dusk approached.

By the time the vessel turned back toward port, the temperature had begun to drop, and a steady offshore breeze added a noticeable chill to the air—marking the transition from Aruba’s intense daytime heat to the cooler night ahead.

🎆 Midnight Fireworks from the Crow’s Nest

Once back aboard ms Amsterdam, we headed to the Crow’s Nest, the ship’s highest forward-facing observation lounge. Located at the top of the vessel, this area offers an unobstructed panoramic view of the surrounding port and coastline—an ideal setting for observing Aruba’s island-wide New Year’s Eve fireworks.

As midnight approached, fireworks began erupting across the skyline. From our elevated position, we could see celebratory bursts stretching from the beachfronts of Palm Beach and Eagle Beach all the way to the hillsides in Aruba’s interior. The visual coverage spanned the entire island, with synchronized displays illuminating towns, resort zones, and neighborhoods in all directions.

The Crow’s Nest provided an unmatched vantage point for witnessing this large-scale tradition. The coordinated intensity and scale of Aruba’s fireworks made it evident why the island is recognized as one of the Southern Caribbean’s most visually impressive destinations for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

💙 Our Favorite Moment:

From the deck of the ship, we watched as fireworks erupted across every corner of Aruba—from beaches to hillsides, hotels to neighborhoods. With no single launch point, the entire island lit up in a synchronized, 180-degree display.

✅ Who Is This Tour Best For?

✅ Independent explorers
✅ Sunset photographers
✅ Beach lovers
✅ Cruise guests without a formal excursion
✅ Cultural event enthusiasts

📰 Tour Summary

🔖 Tour Name: Aruba Sunset Cruise & Palm Beach Walk
🚢 Offered By: Holland America Line
⏳ Total Duration: 6–7 hours (self-paced)
⛔ Main Stops: Playa Linda Beach Resort, Palm Beach shoreline, Aruba Sunset Cruise, ms Amsterdam Crow’s Nest
🚍 Drive-By Highlights: Paseo Herencia Mall, Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, Oranjestad city center

Excursion Disclaimer:

Descriptions of shore excursions on OceansAfoot reflect individual travel experiences and are not official representations of the cruise lines or tour providers mentioned. All information is based on personal participation, publicly available facts, or traveler observation.

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