OT from Disney: Can Aruba be budget friendly?

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
I'm sorry to go OT from Disney but I find everyone here so knowledgeable. We are planning an Aruba vacation for late April/early May of next year. We just returned from Grand Cayman so we understand how expensive the price of food, gas etc.. is on an island.

Anyway, can anyone give me an idea of what I should expect to pay to fly from Boston to Aruba in April? I haven't found any airlines with our dates available yet. We will be staying timeshare so accommodations are not a consideration. I'd like to have a minivan rental too. Any companies you suggest? Our budget for 2 adults, 3 children (not counting our accommodations) is 5k. Is it doable?

Thanks for any and all help. I'm always open to suggestions for places to eat or things to do. We are a big snorkeling/scuba family.

 

[kt_mom]

I'd be interested to hear about this too. We want to go around the same time next year to celebrate our 15th anniversary. We've never been, the couple we are going with has been a few times.

 

[aclov]

We went last August for my fiance's 40th bday and your right it is very expensive. We also stayed at a timeshare and met alot of people from your area, most of them said they flew Jetblue. We did not end up renting a car, since cabs were available. We loved it there and hope to return but next time we will be looking all inclusive. For restaurants, Passions on the Beach was our highight (very romantic) and we enjoyed Smokey Bones too!

 

[rdevine10]

Airfare is a killer for us to Aruba (live in CT, but fly out of NYC) . It runs around $500 pp give or take. But that being said there are many timeshares on Aruba, being able to cook (even breakfast & some lunches) will save you a ton.

We like the Palm Beach area of Aruba- Playa Linda & the Marriott timeshares are right on that stretch with a lot of other hotels. We have never rented a car on Aruba (for more than 1 day) and always felt safe using the public buses.

If I were to go back again, I think the location of Playa Linda is more what I prefer (but we havent been in a few years).

HTH

 

[eliza61]

With so many places today, air fare is generally the killer. So you have to find ways to trim the budget in other areas like food and lodging and activities.

I think with any vacation there are things you can do to lower your cost.

Aruba is an extremely small island. are you sure you must have a minivan? a coworker of mine went with 2 small kids and she said the taxi drivers were very happy to help put in her car seats. yes it was a pain but there really wasn't many times they had to drive some where.

sign up for airfare alerts. I like tripadvisor and kayak. they track the air fare. be ready to pounce when a good fare comes up.

Good luck and happy travels.

 

[JessM]

You should be able to fly JetBlue out of Boston for around $400 a ticket (maybe less) IF you can snag a good deal. My BFs grandmother owns a timeshare in Aruba and her family considers $500 out of Portland, ME to Aruba a good deal. We almost went last year and the best I could find out of Boston was $400 a ticket. Sorry I can't help with the rest of it!

 

[ldo]

we went to aruba this Jan and stayed in TS and rented a car. assuming airfare is about $500PP, that leaves you with $2500. Assuming minivan is $500--you might do better renting an SUV--as some places require 4WD, but make sure rental agreement allows you to access those areas. Anyway, that leaves you with $2K. Scuba is the budget buster--any scuba trip will be $85+ PP. Snorkeling is free. There is a beach at the tip of Aruba, up the road form Palm beach where the snorkel boat go--easy to walk in from shore. Nice beach area. Lots of inexpensive fun lunch places. Good dinners run $100 for 2 persons. Great Dutch grocery store, Foodland, I think--prices are fine. Wine is really cheap--LOL! So, if you only do 1 scuba trip for $500, that leave you with $1500 for the rest of the week. I would leave teens in the condo 1 night and eat at Madam Jeanettes. Assuming you eat in for breakfast, dinners and do free snorkel spots, etc., y ou can do it. have fun! Elaine

 

[MinnieForMe]

Thanks for all the help. Only 2 of the 5 of us will scuba so that's a small savings. 3 of us prefer snorkeling which is free! We already own our equipment.

I know many of you said to rely on public transportation. I'm fearful of this as I'm a wheelchair user. I suspect we will not be able to fit 5 people, luggage and a wheelchair in a taxi. Are the buses handicap accessible?

If I can find $400 a person for flight I'll grab it! We paid more than that for Grand Cayman!

We'll also be staying Divi by the Tamarian (spelling ?). Does this change the need for a rental car?

 

[ldo]

get a rental vehicle. That way you can come and go when and where you want and fully explore the island. As soon as you know your dates, reserve a car, then check every month to see if rates have gone done. Rates usually just keep going up. We loved Aruba and thought of bringing or teens back.

 

[lucky978]

get a rental vehicle. That way you can come and go when and where you want and fully explore the island. As soon as you know your dates, reserve a car, then check every month to see if rates have gone done. Rates usually just keep going up. We loved Aruba and thought of bringing or teens back.

Which company did you rent your car from?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Unless going for windsurfing, Aruba isn't a good place.
. . . one of the best windsurfing destinations
. . . great wind, nice waves
. . . semi-annual formal competitions
2) The place is
. . . small
. . . overcrowded
. . . overpriced

NOTE: For Aruba, think of any Florida beach. You could have
a better time at Cocoa Beach and maybe talk with Anthony
and Jeannie. Just our opinion after three visits. (Once was just
enough for us, but there were two destination weddings we
attended afterward.)

 

[MinnieForMe]

1) Unless going for windsurfing, Aruba isn't a good place.
. . . one of the best windsurfing destinations
. . . great wind, nice waves
. . . semi-annual formal competitions
2) The place is
. . . small
. . . overcrowded
. . . overpriced

NOTE: For Aruba, think of any Florida beach. You could have
a better time at Cocoa Beach and maybe talk with Anthony
and Jeannie. Just our opinion after three visits. (Once was just
enough for us, but there were two destination weddings we
attended afterward.)

Original poster here. Funny you mentioned Cocoa Beach as we will be going there in February. I suspect it'll be too cold to swim but we found a great kayaking company there. Any other suggestions in that area? It's our budget Florida trip so we can afford Aruba in April.

I just feel like Aruba is someplace we have to try before we decide Grand Cayman is our new favorite place.

 

[cheapone]

We go to Aruba for four weeks in the winter and again in the summer and stay at Divi, so I'm familiar with the area. There are three grocery stores within a mile of the resort. Ling's carries the most American brands, and also carries alcohol. You can easily buy your groceries and have at least breakfast and lunch in your unit. There are some inexpensive dinner options. By the grocery stores is a restaurant called The Kitchen which offers reasonable lunch buffet and dinner menu. Pam Pam, farther inland, also has a number of inexpensive meals. My husband and I enjoyed salad, and entree, (no drinks) for $20 for the two of us. Divi offers a shuttle that takes you to the other properties (there are 5), casino or to the beach. By the casino there is a pizza place that has a daily special. Many of the restaurants have early bird specials for $20-25 for salad, entree and dessert. Check out the Aruba-bb dot com for a wealth of info and suggestions. Someone will answer any question you can pose. Enjoy!!

 

[MinnieForMe]

We go to Aruba for four weeks in the winter and again in the summer and stay at Divi, so I'm familiar with the area. There are three grocery stores within a mile of the resort. Ling's carries the most American brands, and also carries alcohol. You can easily buy your groceries and have at least breakfast and lunch in your unit. There are some inexpensive dinner options. By the grocery stores is a restaurant called The Kitchen which offers reasonable lunch buffet and dinner menu. Pam Pam, farther inland, also has a number of inexpensive meals. My husband and I enjoyed salad, and entree, (no drinks) for $20 for the two of us. Divi offers a shuttle that takes you to the other properties (there are 5), casino or to the beach. By the casino there is a pizza place that has a daily special. Many of the restaurants have early bird specials for $20-25 for salad, entree and dessert. Check out the Aruba-bb dot com for a wealth of info and suggestions. Someone will answer any question you can pose. Enjoy!!

Thank you so much. This was exactly the type of information I was looking for. We will also be staying Divi but Dutch Village. Any other inexpensive restaurant choices? On our list so far is the Sultan, and Smokey Joes. There were a few other local places but I can't find my list at the moment.

 

[kreckl]

We went last May, but the flights ( Jet Blue) were more than $500 each We wanted to go back this fall, but the flights were 3x the cost as going to Orlando- so back to Disney we go. We also flew from Boston. Good luck!

 

[cheapone]

Divi Dutch Village is right across the street from Divi Village. It's on the beach side of the street, right behind the Tamarijn, so it's a great location, even closer to the grocery stores. The stores carry some things partially or fully prepared, like already breaded chicken or fish, and Stouffer's frozen lasagna, so cooking dinner is really easy. The supermarket also has a hot food buffet, which I know is available at lunch time, but I'm not sure about dinner, cause I've never gone to the supermarket at that time. Aruba has Wendy's and McDonald's if you're so inclined. In Oranjestadt, there's a restaurant called th Grill House that has a fixed price menu that is quite reasonable. On the Aruba-bb dot com, there's a restaurant review section, and people have begun listing what they ate and how much it cost, so you can get an idea there of what you'd like to eat and what's in your price range.If you pick up the tourist newspaper at the front desk at the Tam, there will be ads and sometimes coupons for specials.
Tuesday night be sure to come across the street to the Divi Village pool and enjoy the manager's cocktail party, with snacks and free drinks, and a dj. The shuttle will bring you over.
There is some snorkelling right off the beach at the Tam. There's a large pipe that runs out into the water and there are fish that congregate there. It's not the best snorkelling on the island, but it's certainly the most convenient. Tam offers kayak rentals at their water sports booth next to the gym. Check in is at Divi Village lobby, and they'll take you on the shuttle, or if you have a car, you can drive over to your unit.
Take sunscreen, cause it's more expensive there. Take your water bottles, cause Aruba has the best water in the world (they desalinate), so you won't need to buy any bottled water. Just fill from the tap, and refrigerate. (I bring Crystal Light, cause I like to drink iced tea.) Also, no "Montezuma's revenge" from raw veggies, ice cubes, etc.
At Dutch, you're near the cruise ship terminal, and it's amazing to watch the ships come in and dock. It looks like they're coming right at you, almost.
The bus fares have gone up, and the taxi rates are regulated by the government, and are per cab (up to 5 passengers) not per person, so I don't think the bus would save you any money, and would be more of a hassle.
You can also check the bb for recommendations about car or van rental. You would probably fit in a car, except on your trip to/from the airport with luggage. Maybe one could cab it with the luggage, and the others ride in the car. The Yaris that we rented in the past had a huge trunk.
Have fun. We're returning July 21, and I can't wait.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Divi Dutch Village is right across the street from Divi Village. It's on the beach side of the street, right behind the Tamarijn, so it's a great location, even closer to the grocery stores. The stores carry some things partially or fully prepared, like already breaded chicken or fish, and Stouffer's frozen lasagna, so cooking dinner is really easy. The supermarket also has a hot food buffet, which I know is available at lunch time, but I'm not sure about dinner, cause I've never gone to the supermarket at that time. Aruba has Wendy's and McDonald's if you're so inclined. In Oranjestadt, there's a restaurant called th Grill House that has a fixed price menu that is quite reasonable. On the Aruba-bb dot com, there's a restaurant review section, and people have begun listing what they ate and how much it cost, so you can get an idea there of what you'd like to eat and what's in your price range.If you pick up the tourist newspaper at the front desk at the Tam, there will be ads and sometimes coupons for specials.
Tuesday night be sure to come across the street to the Divi Village pool and enjoy the manager's cocktail party, with snacks and free drinks, and a dj. The shuttle will bring you over.
There is some snorkelling right off the beach at the Tam. There's a large pipe that runs out into the water and there are fish that congregate there. It's not the best snorkelling on the island, but it's certainly the most convenient. Tam offers kayak rentals at their water sports booth next to the gym. Check in is at Divi Village lobby, and they'll take you on the shuttle, or if you have a car, you can drive over to your unit.
Take sunscreen, cause it's more expensive there. Take your water bottles, cause Aruba has the best water in the world (they desalinate), so you won't need to buy any bottled water. Just fill from the tap, and refrigerate. (I bring Crystal Light, cause I like to drink iced tea.) Also, no "Montezuma's revenge" from raw veggies, ice cubes, etc.
At Dutch, you're near the cruise ship terminal, and it's amazing to watch the ships come in and dock. It looks like they're coming right at you, almost.
The bus fares have gone up, and the taxi rates are regulated by the government, and are per cab (up to 5 passengers) not per person, so I don't think the bus would save you any money, and would be more of a hassle.
You can also check the bb for recommendations about car or van rental. You would probably fit in a car, except on your trip to/from the airport with luggage. Maybe one could cab it with the luggage, and the others ride in the car. The Yaris that we rented in the past had a huge trunk.
Have fun. We're returning July 21, and I can't wait.

Thank you! Great information. It makes me feel so much more comfortable. We will spend more money renting a minivan but with three kids and my wheelchair, I think everyone will be happier.

 

[aclov]

I also recommend the Aruba boards they were great help when I was planning out our trip last year. It seems to be a favorite destination for alot of people and I can understand why! I started looking at timeshares when we returned and very interested in Divi, their properties look great, however DH hasn't traveled much in his life (3 trips in his entire 40 yrs, 2 with me!) and felt there are so many more places out there to visit. But we do plan on returning to Aruba, however the beer prices almost killed us

 

[aclov]

Divi Dutch Village is right across the street from Divi Village. It's on the beach side of the street, right behind the Tamarijn, so it's a great location, even closer to the grocery stores. The stores carry some things partially or fully prepared, like already breaded chicken or fish, and Stouffer's frozen lasagna, so cooking dinner is really easy. The supermarket also has a hot food buffet, which I know is available at lunch time, but I'm not sure about dinner, cause I've never gone to the supermarket at that time. Aruba has Wendy's and McDonald's if you're so inclined. In Oranjestadt, there's a restaurant called th Grill House that has a fixed price menu that is quite reasonable. On the Aruba-bb dot com, there's a restaurant review section, and people have begun listing what they ate and how much it cost, so you can get an idea there of what you'd like to eat and what's in your price range.If you pick up the tourist newspaper at the front desk at the Tam, there will be ads and sometimes coupons for specials.
Tuesday night be sure to come across the street to the Divi Village pool and enjoy the manager's cocktail party, with snacks and free drinks, and a dj. The shuttle will bring you over.
There is some snorkelling right off the beach at the Tam. There's a large pipe that runs out into the water and there are fish that congregate there. It's not the best snorkelling on the island, but it's certainly the most convenient. Tam offers kayak rentals at their water sports booth next to the gym. Check in is at Divi Village lobby, and they'll take you on the shuttle, or if you have a car, you can drive over to your unit.
Take sunscreen, cause it's more expensive there. Take your water bottles, cause Aruba has the best water in the world (they desalinate), so you won't need to buy any bottled water. Just fill from the tap, and refrigerate. (I bring Crystal Light, cause I like to drink iced tea.) Also, no "Montezuma's revenge" from raw veggies, ice cubes, etc.
At Dutch, you're near the cruise ship terminal, and it's amazing to watch the ships come in and dock. It looks like they're coming right at you, almost.
The bus fares have gone up, and the taxi rates are regulated by the government, and are per cab (up to 5 passengers) not per person, so I don't think the bus would save you any money, and would be more of a hassle.
You can also check the bb for recommendations about car or van rental. You would probably fit in a car, except on your trip to/from the airport with luggage. Maybe one could cab it with the luggage, and the others ride in the car. The Yaris that we rented in the past had a huge trunk.
Have fun. We're returning July 21, and I can't wait.

I'm curious how you like the Divi properties?

 

[cheapone]

Well, we own six weeks, so we like Divi Village alot. They recently refurbished the rooms. They had gotten quite tired. Part of what we like is that our weeks are "fixed". That means we go the same week to the same room every year. And so do most other people, so you make friends and see them and hang out every year. Divi Village is older, and has an older crowd. That's ok, cause I'm older now too. We bought most of our weeks from owners at a very reasonable price, and accelerate weeks to fill in what we don't own. I like the landscaping and the quiet atmosphere (generally), the convenience to grocery stores, casino, and restaurants. It is less crowded than the Palm Beach area. We don't generally go to the beach, so it doesn't matter that it's across the street. It's not as fancy as some, but it suits us just fine, and enables us to spend 4 weeks in summer, and 6 weeks in winter (no snow in Aruba) for a very reasonable price. It works for us.