I’ve been lucky enough to visit Curaçao on several of the ships I worked on throughout the years, and after countless trips to the beautiful island over the years, I’ve put together this Curaçao cruise port guide to answer the most common questions I get asked.
Which terminal are we docking at?
This is a common question both repeat visitors and first-time cruisers ask.
The Curaçao cruise port, Port Willemstad, is located in Willemstad.
There are two piers, one called the Mega Cruise Terminal and the other another referred to as the Curaçao Cruise Ship Terminal.
Because most larger cruise ships on the major cruise lines cannot fit under the bridge en route to the Cruise Ship Terminal, chances are that you will be docking at the Mega Cruise Terminal if you’re sailing with Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, or Carnival.
What is there to do by the Curaçao cruise port?
Shopping
Willemstad has an abundance of shopping available, from the moment you set foot onto land and well throughout the neighborhoods.
As soon as you exit your ship at the Mega Cruise Terminal, there’s a number of small stores as well as a large shopping area named Renaissance Mall after the security checkpoint with name brand clothing stores like Mango and Nautica, jewelry shops, and more.
After leaving the Rif Fort area, there are a number of local artists and vendors lined on the waterfront selling small trinkets and souvenirs.
If you’re looking for a good place to get all your Curaçao gifts, this would be it.
Across the Queen Emma Bridge there are an endless amount of stores, from jewelry and electronics, to beach wear and souvenirs.
Food & Drink
The closest place to get your first drink in Curaçao is merely a few feet away as soon as you walk off the pier.
There’s a small bar among the stalls that line the cruise exist where you can get a quick drink before heading out to explore or on your way back onto the ship.
In the Renaissance Mall area you have to walk through to get to the city, you’ll find Starbucks and a handful of bars for your choosing.
There’s also a selection of eateries in the area offering burgers, sushi, pizza, seafood, ice cream (my personal favorite) and more.
For a more picturesque meal or cocktail, head over the Queen Emma Bridge for a row of waterfront restaurants and bars with views of the bay and colorful buildings.
If you’re lucky enough to have an extended stay in Curaçao with a late departure time, this is a great place to watch the sunset and see the Queen Emma Bridge lit up and in action. (Keep reading for more about this!)
Explore on a Free Walking Tour
Seeing Curaçao on a budget? You could easily spend the entire day walking around the port area and taking in the sights.
Here are a few must-see stops and attractions you’ll find along your walk.
Rif Fort
Rif Fort is a former seaside fort that has been restored into a waterfront center with stores, bars and restaurants, and some cool views.
You’ll naturally find this area as you leave the Renaissance mall and head toward the city and it’s worth a stop and peak.
Queen Emma Bridge
The Queen Emma Bridge is an iconic landmark not only to the Curaçao cruise port, but to the country as well.
The unique pontoon bridge opens periodically when a boat or small ship needs to pass through and watching this happen is definitely a sight to see.
The gates on both ends of the bridge will close to foot traffic, and those already on the bridge will need to hurry off if they don’t want to be stuck on the bridge when it moves.
After a few minutes of the gates closing, the entire bridge will begin to shift out of the way before reversing the process once the ship has passed.
The entire process from the pedestrian gate closing to opening back up again can take up to a half-hour so time your crossings wisely.
At night, the bridge’s arches light up with rainbow colors and passing through definitely feels a little like you’re on the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart!
Colorful Buildings
I’m definitely a sucker for vibrantly painted buildings, and Curaçao definitely tops the list for beautifully expressive exteriors.
The colorful buildings of Willemstad are hard to miss and its unique characteristics has earned the UNESCO World Heritage Site as the Caribbean’s most colorful city.
Local legend has it that a former governor blamed his harsh headaches on the sun’s reflection off the monochromatically painted white buildings, which gave way to the colorfully coated exteriors seen all around the city.
The tale is later to have revealed that the governor actually owned part of a local paint factory, and requiring the town-wide architecture makeover was just his way of increasing his wealth.
Where can I get free Wi-Fi in Curaçao near the port?
Finding reliable yet free Wi-Fi in Curaçao might seem like a challenging task, but I assure you there are a few places I regularly used.
Also, a general yet useful rule of thumb for finding free Wi-Fi in ports is to follow the crew members!
Believe it or not, if you think the onboard ship Wi-Fi is expensive for you, it’s even worse for us.
So we definitely take advantage of any and all free internet we can get while on land.
The last time I was in Curaçao in 2019, this was the closest free Wi-Fi option to the ships. Under the canopy are a few tables and stalls selling last-minute souvenirs as well as a circle-is platform where you can sit and use the internet.
The large outdoor plaza of the Renaissance Mall has the best Wi-Fi and most reliable in my opinion. Although you might have to move around a bit to find the best spot, there are a number of benches in the shade (important!) for you to sit and relax in.
Maybe a bit of a janky tip, but you can also get internet by standing outside/close enough to Starbucks. Of course, if you don’t mind paying for a cup of coffee or a cold refresher, you’ll get both fast internet and air conditioning (equally important) inside.
Similar to the Renaissance Mall, there are free Wi-Fi networks available in the general Rif Fort area, although I’ve found that it’s hit or miss.
It’s common for food and drink establishments to have their own password-protected Wi-Fi, which is often faster than the general, free networks.
If you don’t mind spending a few dollars or you’re planning on getting a bite to eat anyway, you can see if any restaurants advertise on their doors, windows, or signs that they offer free Wi-Fi, and nicely ask the restaurant staff for the password when you’re seated.
One of the burger eateries I went to last in 2019 in Rif Fort had the fastest Wi-Fi in the port area that I’d ever used and my server was more than happy to give me the password.
What are the best beaches in Curaçao near the cruise port?
Mambo Beach
If you have a full day to explore Curaçao, Mambo Beach is the place to go for some food and sun.
The beach is lined with shops and a second level of all restaurants.
My surprise favorite was The Greenhouse Curacao, a fusion restaurant that served sushi as well as Mediterranean dishes.
I came for the cheap happy hour prices and view, but was pleasantly shocked with how good and fresh the sushi was.
Going to Mambo Beach on a Budget
As with most places on the island, there’s a cost for everything: entrance, chairs, umbrellas, etc., but Mambo’s costs are minimal, especially if you go without a cruise ship’s excursion package.
Although it might seem expensive to go to a nice beach because of the price ship’s list in their excursion offerings, but there’s no reason you can’t go to Mambo Beach on your own with a local taxi for half of the price.
The taxi vans are usually located right after you exit the port security gates.
The taxi drivers will fill up the van with everyone going to the same location so plan on waiting 5-10 minutes until you’re on your way.
Mambo beach is one of the most popular destinations though, so it shouldn’t take long to get a full van.
Taxi Warning
Just a word of caution from my own experience: beware of the prices the taxi drivers advertise to you and clarify if the price they’re giving you includes entrance fees or not if you’re going to a resort.
Although I’ve mostly had no problems with the taxis in Curaçao, there was one driver who mislead our entire van just to fill it quickly, which unfortunately included both crew members and guests.
He didn’t tell us there was quite an expensive entrance fee to the resort that was not part of our original ride price once we had already arrived.
Also if you’re a small party with others in the taxi, ask if you’ll all need to return together at the same time or if you can have separate pickup times (if it matters to you).
The price you pay going to the beach with a full van will be very different than if you need to come back before everyone else with just a couple other people in the vehicle.
Playa PortoMari (Pig Beach) and The Playa PortoMari Pigs!
While Playa PortoMari takes a little longer to get to, it is significantly less crowded than Mambo Beach and there are friendly, wild pigs around to hang out with.
The Playa PortoMari pigs just showed up on one day and have been a fun addition to the beach so much so that tourists have started referring to Playa PortoMari as Pig Beach.
If you go to Playa PortoMari, just be aware that there is a fee for entrance, chairs, and umbrellas. Because the beach is part of the resort, there is only one option for food and drinks.
When I went in 2017, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did the pigs decide to make Playa PortoMari their home, but so too did a cat!
My waiter told me they named the feline Mari (of course) and both her and the pigs are now part of the Playa PortoMari family.
Pin for Future Adventures!
Is Curaçao on your horizon? Don’t forget to pin this Curaçao cruise port guide for future reference.
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