Honeymoon - First Time in Aruba!!

[midna]

Hello everyone! This forum is a great resource for figuring everything out! I'm on information overload though, so many questions, but I'll try to narrow it down...

Our plan is to be there early January 2010. We are paying for everything ourselves and we just graduated college so I'm trying my best to maintain some semblance of a budget, which means no rental car for us. I've got the flight down to around $900-$1000 round trip for both of us .

My parents are going to let us use their RCI credit so I was thinking of Occidental Grand in palm beach, but the all-inclusive fee is a bit of sticker shock. Is there a better option keeping mind food costs, or are we better served just doing the all-inclusive since the room is paid with the RCI credit? They have a honeymoon package too, not sure how much that is worth to do.

So far what I know that we must do is contact Bully for taxi and visit the passions restaurant. Are there any real musts for a laid back couple on a budget?

Also, how hard/expensive is Boca Catalina vs Baby Beach to get to from palm beach? Boca Catalina looks like it's closer and might be better snorkeling, but I'm not sure. I was hoping to do some snorkeling at one of those beaches.

Thanks!!!!

[Arubalisa]

Welcome to the forum. AND congratulations on your marriage.


There are a good number of timeshares which you can exchange through RCI on the island. Does the Occidental offer an kitchen facilities?

If not, in order to save some $$$ you may wish to get an exchange on one which does and prepare your own breakfasts and lunches and dine out for dinner.

This will surely save you some $$$, as well as allow you to prepare your own beverages and have a cool place to store them.

Bring a soft sided collapsible cooler with you to the beach and you are all set.


I hope this helps you get started on your research. I am sure others here will have thoughts on money saving tips as well.

[midna]

That is a great idea!!! I'm pretty sure the room that we were looking at doesn't have a kitchen facility. I hadn't thought of that and we enjoy to cook together so it would be perfect! I will definitely look into that, thank you!

[Jarubian]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats. Arubalisa is correct is you can get a place with facilities to cook is great and savings. I personlly like Baby beach and its not that far or expensive to get a taxi cab. If you do use Bully, he can help you set up a day whether with him or a family member to give you a good deal on a tour of the island, and Baby Beach. The way to save money is also walk, the island is not that big and I have walked from Marriott to downtown, that is optional, but there is so much by Palm Beach from good restaurants, and happy hour is the way to go to save money on drinks.

I would not do All Inclusive since you want to have time to try out things on the island. Hope you find waht you need in a place and everything works out.

[tracey]

agree, to have a kitchen is a must for saving bux....perhaps not the best idea for your 1st trip AND honeymoon is an all inclusive pkg, b/c you will miss out on the wonderful restaurants the island offers. drink specials are always available, and thats a money saver as well. taxi's are available, but the bus will only cost you a couple of dollars...your choice. no matter what...you can't help but fall in love with this island. soon enough you will be one of the "regulars" on this forum. welcome, and feel free to ask ?? at any time...

[Sunny Beaches]

Welcome and may you have many more visits to Aruba together. Staying in the high rise,low rise area you have the ability to use the local bus that you can take into downtown or the other way to more beaches other than the one your staying at for roughly $2.30pp round trip. If you are not going AI for the cost of (what) 8-10 drinks you can do a 1 day car rental and see so much of the island on your own safely. California Lighthouse, Alto Vista, Gold Mine ruins, Natural Bridges, Baby Beach to snorkel, Charlies Bar est. 1941 in San Nicolas all easily done in a day then relax and enjoy each other. HAPPY HONEYMOON!!!!!!!

[midna]

Originally Posted by Jarubian

Welcome to the forum, and congrats. Arubalisa is correct is you can get a place with facilities to cook is great and savings. I personlly like Baby beach and its not that far or expensive to get a taxi cab. If you do use Bully, he can help you set up a day whether with him or a family member to give you a good deal on a tour of the island, and Baby Beach. The way to save money is also walk, the island is not that big and I have walked from Marriott to downtown, that is optional, but there is so much by Palm Beach from good restaurants, and happy hour is the way to go to save money on drinks.

I would not do All Inclusive since you want to have time to try out things on the island. Hope you find waht you need in a place and everything works out.

I seem to be coming to the realization that not only is all inclusive a bit pricey, but we wouldn't be able to experience the island as well like you said.

Originally Posted by tracey

agree, to have a kitchen is a must for saving bux....perhaps not the best idea for your 1st trip AND honeymoon is an all inclusive pkg, b/c you will miss out on the wonderful restaurants the island offers. drink specials are always available, and thats a money saver as well. taxi's are available, but the bus will only cost you a couple of dollars...your choice. no matter what...you can't help but fall in love with this island. soon enough you will be one of the "regulars" on this forum. welcome, and feel free to ask ?? at any time...

I guess we could just cook most of our breakfast/lunches and do dinners out. That would probably be a good compromise. We could see the restaurants (like passions) that everyone keeps raving about! Are there specific days where certain places have good drink specials? I'm getting really excited, everyone on here seems to really love Aruba!

Originally Posted by Sunny Beaches

Welcome and may you have many more visits to Aruba together. Staying in the high rise,low rise area you have the ability to use the local bus that you can take into downtown or the other way to more beaches other than the one your staying at for roughly $2.30pp round trip. If you are not going AI for the cost of (what) 8-10 drinks you can do a 1 day car rental and see so much of the island on your own safely. California Lighthouse, Alto Vista, Gold Mine ruins, Natural Bridges, Baby Beach to snorkel, Charlies Bar est. 1941 in San Nicolas all easily done in a day then relax and enjoy each other. HAPPY HONEYMOON!!!!!!!

I'd like to stay close to palm beach if possible. It seems there is a lot of neat things to do that are within short walking distance. Is that the same as the high rise, low rise area? The one day car rental trip seems like a great idea too. Maybe skip a night on the town and instead rent a car and explore. Thanks for the good wishes!

Originally Posted by Jarubian

There are a good number of timeshares which you can exchange through RCI on the island.

Any specific recommendations? Quick research makes it seem like it may be difficult to do an exchange. I'll call RCI and see what they can do as well. I've also seen rumors that I may be able to get the Occidental without the AI which would be spectacular.

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

[Sunny Beaches]

Yes: that is the high rise area tons of places to eat and things to do. There are reasonably priced places to eat, but if you want to splurge one night, I would say check Windows on Aruba, classy, great views, good service, great food. Also look at the culinary section on this board and it will give you links.

[Andy AVIS]

Welcome,

Aruba will be awaiting you.
As explained earlier by "Sunny beaches", Public transportation, ARUBUS, is used a lot by visitors and is perfectly safe and only $ 2.30 round trip.
Boca Catalina (10 minutes away) is nice for snorkeling and so is Baby beach (30 Minutes away).


Aruba Awaits You!!!

[midna]

Originally Posted by Sunny Beaches

Yes: that is the high rise area tons of places to eat and things to do. There are reasonably priced places to eat, but if you want to splurge one night, I would say check Windows on Aruba, classy, great views, good service, great food. Also look at the culinary section on this board and it will give you links.

Ok, thanks for the suggestion with Windows. I'll keep researching here for other places as well. There is so much to learn!

Originally Posted by Andy AVIS

Welcome,

Aruba will be awaiting you.
As explained earlier by "Sunny beaches", Public transportation, ARUBUS, is used a lot by visitors and is perfectly safe and only $ 2.30 round trip.
Boca Catalina (10 minutes away) is nice for snorkeling and so is Baby beach (30 Minutes away).


Aruba Awaits You!!!

Thanks, especially for the times. They both sound within a short ride so we won't have to debate between them . The bus idea sounds like it will work perfectly to get around for most cases too. I live in a smaller city so the public transportation isn't that big. I often forget that public transportation other places can be quite good.