Aruba Cruise Port to Eagle Beach: Fares, Schedule and Getting There
By Guljar Hosen · Fares checked 20 September 2026, port facts checked 22 September 2026
Cruise ships dock at the Port of Oranjestad, on Aruba's west side, run by the Aruba Ports Authority. From there, taxi fares to every beach and hotel zone are fixed by the government and published at taxi.aw: $28 to Eagle Beach, $33 to Palm Beach, $20 to downtown Oranjestad and $27 to the airport, all for one to four passengers.
This guide covers where your ship actually docks, the official fares for the rest of your route, and when a private transfer or tour makes more sense than a taxi or a ship excursion. Fares are from the taxi.aw price list dated 27 May 2026, checked 20 September 2026. Port facts are from the Aruba Ports Authority's own site, checked 22 September 2026.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- All cruise ships dock at the Port of Oranjestad. Your exact date, time and berth come from the port and your cruise line, not from us.
- Taxi fares from the cruise port are fixed by the government: $28 to Eagle Beach, $33 to Palm Beach, $20 to Oranjestad, $27 to the airport.
- A taxi kept waiting is $1 a minute. An hourly hire is $60, two hour minimum.
- Groups of five or more need two taxis or one larger vehicle such as a 14-seat Sprinter.
- A private transfer or tour gives you one fixed price and your own schedule, agreed before you dock.
Where cruise ships dock in Aruba
Every cruise ship calls at the Port of Oranjestad, on the island's west side.
Cruise ships dock at the Port of Oranjestad, run by the Aruba Ports Authority, which names a Cruise Terminal and Welcome Plaza building at the port. Checking the port's own live arrivals list on 22 September 2026, ships were shown arriving around 7:00 to 8:00 AM from lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Cunard, docking at one of the port's numbered berths. Your own ship's schedule and berth are set by the port and your cruise line, not by us, so check the Aruba Ports Authority cruise schedule or your cruise line's app for the current date.
The terminal sits in Oranjestad, the island's capital, so however your day is planned, you start and end it at the same port.
A driver who meets you at the terminal, tracks your ship's arrival and knows your all-aboard time removes the one thing a cruise day cannot afford: uncertainty about getting back on time.
Official taxi fares from the cruise port
Taxi fares from the cruise port are fixed by the government, the same as from the airport.
| CRUISE PORT TO | OFFICIAL FARE (US$) |
|---|---|
| Oranjestad (downtown) | $20 |
| Low-Rise hotels | $26 |
| Eagle Beach | $28 |
| Noord | $33 |
| Palm Beach | $33 |
| High-Rise South (hotel zone) | $32 |
| High-Rise North (hotel zone) | $34 |
| Queen Beatrix Airport (AUA) | $27 |
These cover one to four passengers, one taxi, one way. The same extras apply as from the airport: each extra passenger is $3 up to a legal maximum of seven, and a $5 surcharge applies on Sundays, official holidays, and from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Full rules are in our Aruba taxi rates guide.
Eagle Beach from the cruise port
Eagle Beach, home to Aruba's low-rise resorts, is $28 by taxi from the cruise port.
Eagle Beach is one of the routes cruise passengers ask about most, whether for a resort day pass, a beach day, or meeting family staying at one of the low-rise hotels. The official fare is $28 for one to four passengers, before any surcharge. Palm Beach and the high-rise hotel zone run $32 to $34.
- $28
- Cruise port to Eagle Beach, one to four passengers
- $33
- Cruise port to Palm Beach, one to four passengers
- $20
- Cruise port to downtown Oranjestad
- $27
- Cruise port to Queen Beatrix Airport
Fares from the official taxi.aw price list dated 27 May 2026, checked 20 September 2026.
Waiting time and getting back for all-aboard
A cruise day runs on your ship's clock, not the port's.
Waiting time
A taxi kept waiting is charged $1 per minute. A taxi hired by the hour is $60, with a two hour minimum.
Know your all-aboard time
Ships publish their own all-aboard time before you disembark. Build your return trip around it, with margin for traffic or a line at the terminal.
Groups of five or more
A taxi carries at most seven. Larger groups split into two taxis, or one vehicle such as our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which carries up to 14 with luggage room.
A ship excursion or a private transfer
Both get you off the ship. They differ on price, flexibility and who sets the schedule.
A ship excursion Booked through the cruise line, on a set schedule with a group, usually to one or two stops the line has chosen.
A taxi Available at the terminal with a published, government-fixed fare, for a single destination.
A private transfer or tour One fixed price agreed before you dock, your own vehicle, and stops you choose. See our private island tours if you want to see more than one beach or landmark before all-aboard.
Need a straight ride from the ship to your hotel or the airport, with no stops? See our cruise port transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Aruba?
All cruise ships dock at the Port of Oranjestad, run by the Aruba Ports Authority, which names a Cruise Terminal and Welcome Plaza at the port. Your own ship's date, arrival time and berth are set by the port and your cruise line: check the Aruba Ports Authority's cruise schedule or your line's app.
How much is a taxi from the Aruba cruise port to Eagle Beach?
The official fare is $28 for one to four passengers, one way, before any surcharge, under the taxi.aw price list dated 27 May 2026.
How much is a taxi from the cruise port to Palm Beach?
$33 for one to four passengers, one way, before any surcharge, under the same official price list.
How much is a taxi from the cruise port to the airport?
$27 for one to four passengers, the official cruise-port-to-airport fare on the taxi.aw price list.
Can I get a private transfer straight from my ship?
Yes. Send us your ship name, arrival time and group size and we reply with one fixed price, no meter and no surge. See our cruise port transfer service.
What if my ship is delayed getting into port?
Tell us your ship name when you book. A taxi fare does not change for a delay, and a private transfer agreed with us in advance is also unaffected: the price is fixed either way.
WRITTEN BY
UI/UX designer and software engineer. He runs NeoDimensional, the software studio behind this website.
