Bonaire: step off the ship and snorkel the best reef in the Caribbean
Bonaire’s two cruise piers sit right on the waterfront of Kralendijk, a small, tidy Dutch town where the reef starts a few steps from the sidewalk and the whole coastline is a protected marine park. Most cruisers snorkel or dive, either straight off the shore, at Klein Bonaire by water taxi, or at the famous 1000 Steps, and the rest go south to the pink salt flats and the flamingos. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls here from every line, priced with taxes, fees and port expenses included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Bonaire
Snorkel from the shore or Klein Bonaire, drive the salt flats and flamingos, or take the island slow by bike and tuk-tuk; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
Klein Bonaire or 1000 Steps
- Water taxi from the waterfront to No Name Beach on Klein Bonaire, about 15 minutes, about $25 round trip plus the $10 cruise nature fee
- 1000 Steps and Andrea I and II are shore snorkel spots a short taxi ride north with turtles and parrotfish
- Dozens of dive shops in town rent gear for about $10 to $15 a day
Best for: snorkelers, divers, anyone who came for the water
Salt flats, flamingos and slave huts
- Blinding white salt pyramids, pink evaporation ponds and the flamingo sanctuary at the south end
- Tiny 19th century slave huts on the beach and the kitesurfers at Atlantis
- About 3 hours by taxi, van or open-air truck, about $45 to $75 a person
Best for: photographers, families, first-timers who do not snorkel
Kralendijk on foot and bike
- Wilhelmina Park market and the Kaya Grandi shops are at the end of the pier
- Rent a bike or a golf cart to roll along the waterfront to the donkey sanctuary or Sorobon
- Lunch on the water at Karel’s or It Rains Fishes, back on board in two minutes
Best for: short calls, couples, anyone with mobility concerns
Bonaire cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Bonaire from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Bonaire
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Bonaire
Pick a home port and the list above narrows to cruises leaving from there.
Things to do in Bonaire
A diver’s island with a tidy Dutch town, pink salt ponds and reef you can reach without a boat.
Which lines call at Bonaire?
Bonaire is the quiet third stop on ABC island itineraries, with about 100 calls a season from mainstream, premium and small luxury ships.
When to go
Dry, sunny and breezy nearly all year and south of the hurricane belt; December to April is the busiest season, October to December brings the short showers.
Bonaire questions we answer every day
Where do ships dock in Bonaire and how far is town?
Ships dock at the North Pier or South Pier, side by side on the Kralendijk waterfront; both are walk-off and the Wilhelmina Park craft market, the shops on Kaya Grandi and the waterfront restaurants are at the end of the gangway. No ship tenders here.
How do I get around and what do taxis cost?
Taxis line up at the pier and charge government-set rates per car for up to four people, with no meter, so confirm before you get in: about $20 round trip to the nearby beaches and snorkel sites, about $40 round trip to Sorobon and Lac Bay, and about $45 an hour for a private island tour. Tuk-tuks, golf carts, scooters and bikes rent in town; there is no Uber.
What currency, language and time zone?
The US dollar is Bonaire’s official currency, so there is nothing to exchange, and cards are accepted widely. Dutch is official, Papiamento is the local language and English is spoken everywhere. Bonaire is on Atlantic Standard Time all year, which matches the US East Coast in summer and is an hour ahead in winter. US phones roam here on most plans.
Is Bonaire safe?
Bonaire is a Dutch municipality and one of the calmest islands in the Caribbean; the U.S. State Department rates the Dutch Caribbean at its lowest advisory level. The practical risks are sunburn and the reef: do not touch or stand on coral, and lock valuables in the ship rather than leaving them on a deserted beach.
What is the best excursion, and should I book it through the ship?
If you snorkel at all, Klein Bonaire is the day: the reef wall at No Name Beach is as good as anything you will see on a ship tour, and the water taxi runs from the waterfront on its own schedule. Island tours to the salt flats and flamingos are easy to do with the pier taxis. Washington Slagbaai and dive trips are best booked through the ship because of the distance and the gear.
Do I need a passport?
On a round-trip cruise from a US port, US citizens can sail with a government photo ID plus an original birth certificate under the closed-loop rule, but we recommend a passport: Bonaire requires one to fly in or out, so it is the only way home if you miss the ship. Cruise lines collect Bonaire’s $10 visitor tax with your fare.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Bonaire cruise specialist
We know which ABC island sailings give you a full day on the reef and which carry bonus onboard credit, so call to check availability and book. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.