Panama Canal Voyage: Willemstad
In this third post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Willemstad, Curaçao on her Panama Canal Voyage on Azamara.
After visiting the “A” and “B” islands (Aruba and Bonaire) the last two days, today is the day for the “C” island of the “ABC Islands”…captivating Curaçao! I had a hot and fun-filled day exploring this gorgeous island.
Panama Canal Voyage Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about Willemstad, Curaçao and the following day at sea. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- December 3: Miami, Florida
- December 4-5: At Sea
- December 6: Oranjestad, Aruba
- December 7: Kralendijk, Bonaire
- December 8: Willemstad, Curaçao
- December 9: At Sea
- December 10: Cartagena, Colombia
- December 11: At Sea
- December 12: Cruising the Panama Canal
- December 13-15: Panama City, Panama
Welcome to Curaçao
We arrived into the gorgeous port of Willemstad, Curaçao on a beautiful morning. I enjoyed a hearty breakfast in Windows Cafe on the ship. After breakfast, I made a brief stop to capture a selfie with my flag #39 before getting ready for the day’s excursion.
Made in Curaçao Excursion
I booked the “Made in Curaçao” excursion for today. It featured three stops highlighting products made here. The first stop, Integra Natural, was actually in a large mall. But the shop is a small, woman-owned business that makes organic soaps and candles and such. I stocked up on a few goodies, then we headed back on the bus to our next stop. Along the way, we drove over a tall bridge with gorgeous views of the harbor area and our ship (mine is the smaller of the two, on the left).
The second stop of the excursion was Curaloe Farm, an aloe vera farm. I learned how the aloe vera is grown and harvested…interestingly, it is a member of the lily family, not a cactus or a succulent. I also got to sample a piece of fresh aloe, which was very refreshing but did not have much flavor at all.
The final stop of the excursion was the Chobolobo Distillery, where the original Curaçao liqueur is made. We first toured the distillery, learning how they make the distinctive liqueur from the peels of small, green, bitter local oranges that are sun dried for several days before being distilled.
While people typically think of the bright blue version of the Curaçao liqueur, they actually produce several different colors and flavors. The brightly colored ones in the first picture all taste the same (orange), they are just colored differently for appearance in different cocktails. Other flavors include tamarind, coffee, and chocolate. I got to taste three different ones today: the original Triple Sec, tamarind, and chocolate. The tamarind was my favorite!
Wandering in Willemstad
After the excursion ended, I walked from the ship into the downtown area. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday and most of the shops were closed. But I had fun just walking around and enjoying all of the colorful artwork that is everywhere.
Between the colorful artwork and the colorful buildings, downtown Willemstad is definitely a fun and vibrant place!
Willemstad was also quite decked out for the upcoming Christmas holidays as well. Festive Christmas decorations were everywhere.
I stopped for a light lunch in town…French fries and a Blue Lagoon cocktail (made with Blue Curaçao, of course!). Afterwards, a cool, sweet ice cream cone definitely hit the spot on this hot and humid day.
White Night in Willemstad
Tonight, while docked in Willemstad, I enjoyed the amazing White Night on the ship. As the sun set and the lights of downtown Willemstad came on, our party on the ship kicked into high gear.
Azamara’s White Night starts with a massive (and delicious!) buffet on the pool deck. After dinner the crew parade kicks off the festivities, with the crew parading all around the upper deck and all of the passengers cheer loudly and wave white napkins to show our love for them. Then, the real party starts, with energetic performances by the singers and dancers on the ship that get everyone up and dancing.
A Relaxing Day at Sea
After all of the fun at White Night, it was great to have another sea day the following day! I spent most of my day just relaxing by the pool or on my veranda.
This evening started with the Azamara Circle Loyalty Event, a cocktail party for all Azamara Circle members. The top cruisers are also honored at this event.
After the cocktail party, I headed back to the main dining room for another delicious dinner. I then headed to The Den for a cocktail before tonight’s show.
- Appetizer: Crab Cake
- Entree: NY Strip Steak
- Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cake
- Cocktail: La Louisiane, which is Benedictine liqueur (which happens to be one of the tours I did on my French cruise in June 2024!), fresh lemon juice, honey, orange bitters, egg white
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my day in Willemstad, Curaçao. The excursion I did gave me a wonderful overview of a few of the different local products. Having a quiet Sunday afternoon to simply wander around and enjoy the area was also wonderful.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
Click the button below for more information about Azamara:
