Amber Cove · Thursday, December 24, 2026 Christmas Eve

Top 3 Amber Cove Tours for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess

Nieuw Amsterdam and Sky Princess are both at Amber Cove on Thursday, December 24, 2026: Nieuw Amsterdam from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sky Princess from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. These are the three excursions we’d book for this port day, with guaranteed pickup in the Amber Cove terminal lobby, drive times from the pier, minimum ages and the weather to expect.

Nieuw Amsterdam guests: available All 16 of our excursions are open. Book online until 8:00 PM on Wednesday, December 23.

Sky Princess guests: available All 16 of our excursions are open. Book online until 10:00 PM on Wednesday, December 23.

See the top 3 tours Weather for December 24
4.7 3,202 reviews ★★★★★ 4.8 Google reviews
Holland America Line ship Nieuw Amsterdam, with its dark navy hull and white upper decks, sailing on blue Caribbean water under a bright sky with white clouds.
Nieuw Amsterdam Holland America Line · 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Photo: Master0Garfield · CC0
The Sky Princess cruise ship, with blue wave artwork on its bow, docked on calm water under a deep blue sky.
Sky Princess Princess Cruises · 10:00 AM–6:00 PM Photo: Bene Riobó · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nieuw Amsterdam
8:00 AM–5:00 PM · all aboard ~4:30 PM
Sky Princess
10:00 AM–6:00 PM · all aboard ~5:30 PM
Pickup
Guaranteed in the terminal lobby
Ships in port
2 · Moderately busy day
Chance of rain
40% on a typical December 24

Your Thursday port day at a glance

Port day timeline for each ship at Amber Cove on Thursday, December 24, 2026
Ship Docks Meet your guide Excursion window All aboard Departs
Nieuw AmsterdamHolland America Line 8:00 AM ~8:30 AM in the lobby 8:30 AM–3:30 PM7 hours ~4:30 PM 5:00 PM
Sky PrincessPrincess Cruises 10:00 AM ~10:30 AM in the lobby 10:30 AM–4:30 PM6 hours ~5:30 PM 6:00 PM

Nieuw Amsterdam and Sky Princess are both in port. Together they carry about 5,766 guests at double occupancy, so popular tours can fill up; booking ahead is smart. All-aboard is usually 30 minutes before departure; check your cruise line’s app.

Top 3 Amber Cove tours for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess on December 24

Chosen to suit guests of both ships, their time in port and the weather December 24 usually brings. Each tour has a booking button for each ship, with its arrival time already filled in.

Best for culture & history

1. Puerto Plata City Tour

Fortaleza San Felipe, the Malecón, Umbrella Street, Pink Street, a chocolate factory and the cathedral, with only light walking.

Price
From $44.55 per guest
Duration
About 4 hours
Pickup
Amber Cove lobby Guaranteed
Drive from the pier
18 min 12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Minimum age
All ages Kid friendly
Back at the terminal
Nieuw Amsterdam ~12:30 PM · Sky Princess ~2:30 PM Nieuw Amsterdam all aboard ~4:30 PM · Sky Princess all aboard ~5:30 PM

Why it’s a top pick for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess on December 24

Nieuw Amsterdam guests are back around 12:30 PM and Sky Princess guests are back around 2:30 PM, at least 3 hours before all-aboard. Rain falls on 40% of days around December 24; it’s at its best on a dry day, so watch the forecast below. Good for all ages.

  • Dry: Great
  • Showers: Good
  • Rainy: Depends
Book · Nieuw Amsterdam guests Book · Sky Princess guests See the full itinerary

Each button opens the booking form with that ship, Dec 24, 2026 and its arrival time already filled in.

Route to Fortaleza San Felipe, Puerto Plata

Amber Cove Cruise Terminal → Fortaleza San Felipe, Puerto Plata: 18 min · 12.5 km (7.8 mi)

Fastest driving route on Google Maps as of November 1, 2026. Tour vans may take longer in traffic. Open in Google Maps

Best for families · all ages

2. Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds

Feed squirrel monkeys, walk through a butterfly garden and hand-feed colorful birds at an easy pace.

Price
From $57.99 per guest
Duration
3 hours
Pickup
Amber Cove lobby Guaranteed
Drive from the pier
18 min 16.3 km (10.1 mi)
Minimum age
All ages Kid friendly
Back at the terminal
Nieuw Amsterdam ~11:30 AM · Sky Princess ~1:30 PM Nieuw Amsterdam all aboard ~4:30 PM · Sky Princess all aboard ~5:30 PM

Why it’s a top pick for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess on December 24

Nieuw Amsterdam guests are back around 11:30 AM and Sky Princess guests are back around 1:30 PM, at least 4 hours before all-aboard. Rain falls on 40% of days around December 24, and this one runs rain or shine. Good for all ages.

  • Dry: Good
  • Showers: Great
  • Rainy: Great
Book · Nieuw Amsterdam guests Book · Sky Princess guests See the full itinerary

Each button opens the booking form with that ship, Dec 24, 2026 and its arrival time already filled in.

Route to Monkey Home Puerto Plata

Amber Cove Cruise Terminal → Monkey Home Puerto Plata: 18 min · 16.3 km (10.1 mi)

Fastest driving route on Google Maps as of November 1, 2026. Tour vans may take longer in traffic. Open in Google Maps

Best overall

3. Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch

Slide, jump and swim through the seven Damajagua waterfalls, then sit down to a Dominican lunch.

Price
From $49 per guest
Duration
3 hours
Pickup
Amber Cove lobby Guaranteed
Drive from the pier
31 min 23.8 km (14.8 mi)
Minimum age
7+
Back at the terminal
Nieuw Amsterdam ~11:30 AM · Sky Princess ~1:30 PM Nieuw Amsterdam all aboard ~4:30 PM · Sky Princess all aboard ~5:30 PM

Why it’s a top pick for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess on December 24

Nieuw Amsterdam guests are back around 11:30 AM and Sky Princess guests are back around 1:30 PM, at least 4 hours before all-aboard. Rain falls on 40% of days around December 24; showers don’t stop it, and guides check the river after heavy rain. Ages 7+.

  • Dry: Great
  • Showers: Great
  • Rainy: Depends
Book · Nieuw Amsterdam guests Book · Sky Princess guests See the full itinerary

Each button opens the booking form with that ship, Dec 24, 2026 and its arrival time already filled in.

Route to 27 Charcos de Damajagua

Amber Cove Cruise Terminal → 27 Charcos de Damajagua: 31 min · 23.8 km (14.8 mi)

Fastest driving route on Google Maps as of November 1, 2026. Tour vans may take longer in traffic. Open in Google Maps

Weather in Amber Cove on Thursday, December 24

Around December 24, rain falls on about 4 in 10 days in Puerto Plata, and about 2 in 10 are properly rainy (10 mm or more). When it does rain, the day’s total is typically around 8 mm. Use the live forecast to pick the right plan below.

Live forecast · Amber Cove

Forecast for December 24

The live forecast shows up here about nine days ahead, from December 15. Until then, plan with the typical weather for this date.

Forecast data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), refreshed every 30 minutes. Forecasts more than three days out can still change.

Typical weather around December 24

Chance of rain (1 mm+)
40%
Rainy day (10 mm+)
16%
Heavy rain (25 mm+)
5%
Average high
30 °C (86 °F)
Average low
20 °C (67 °F)

Source: NOAA daily records from the Puerto Plata airport weather station, 1996–2024, using every day within a week of December 24 (366 days).

Best excursions for each kind of weather

Rain or shine, there’s a good tour for your day. Once the forecast is in, the plan that matches it is highlighted.

Dry day

Less than 1 mm of rain between 8 AM and 8 PM

Dry weather is made for sightseeing and the zip line, and the waterfall pools are at their most turquoise.

  1. Puerto Plata City Tour Great pick From $44.55 All ages Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  2. 7 Waterfalls + Zip Line + Lunch (private transfer) Great pick From $110 Ages 8+ Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  3. Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch Great pick From $49 Ages 7+ Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  4. Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds Runs as normal From $57.99 All ages Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess

Passing showers

1–10 mm of rain between 8 AM and 8 PM

Showers on the north coast are usually short. Pick a tour where getting wet or muddy is part of the plan.

  1. Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch Great pick From $49 Ages 7+ You get wet in the canyon anyway, so a passing shower changes little. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  2. Double Buggy Adventure Great pick From $50 Ages 8+ Rain means more mud, which is half the fun. You will get dirty either way. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  3. Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds Great pick From $57.99 All ages Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  4. Double ATV Adventure Great pick From $45 Ages 8+ Rain means more mud, which is half the fun. You will get dirty either way. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess

Rainy day

10 mm of rain or more between 8 AM and 8 PM

Go for the buggy and the monkeys and butterflies. Damajagua depends on how much it rains: guides check the river that morning.

  1. Double Buggy Adventure Great pick From $50 Ages 8+ Rain means more mud, which is half the fun. You will get dirty either way. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  2. Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds Great pick From $57.99 All ages An easy, short-drive visit that still works when it rains. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  3. Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch Depends on the rain From $49 Ages 7+ Runs in light rain. After heavy rain, guides can close the falls until the river is safe; then we offer another tour or a full refund. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
  4. Double ATV Adventure Great pick From $45 Ages 8+ Rain means more mud, which is half the fun. You will get dirty either way. Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess

Guaranteed pickup

We meet you inside the Amber Cove terminal lobby

1. Before your port day

We email your exact meeting point in the lobby, your driver’s ID badge photo and a contact number.

2. About 30 minutes after docking

Walk off your ship and into the terminal lobby, where your guide is waiting. If the ship runs late, we adjust to its real arrival.

3. Back before all-aboard

Round-trip transportation is included, and we plan every tour to bring you back to Amber Cove well before your ship’s all-aboard time.

  • Teco Beach (buggy & ATV) 10 min · 5.7 km (3.5 mi)
  • Monkey Home 18 min · 16.3 km (10.1 mi)
  • Downtown Puerto Plata 18 min · 12.5 km (7.8 mi)
  • Damajagua waterfalls 31 min · 23.8 km (14.8 mi)

About Nieuw Amsterdam

Holland America Line ship Nieuw Amsterdam, with its dark navy hull and white upper decks, sailing on blue Caribbean water under a bright sky with white clouds.
Nieuw Amsterdam in Costa Maya, Mexico. Photo: Master0Garfield, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

Nieuw Amsterdam is a Holland America Line ship of the Signature class, sailing since 2010.

In port
8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Cruise line
Holland America Line
Ship class
Signature class
In service since
2010
Gross tonnage
86,700
Guests (double occupancy)
2,106
Crew
929
Length
285 m (935 ft)

Onboard highlights

  • Morimoto By Sea restaurant and sushi bar from chef Masaharu Morimoto
  • Live music at Rolling Stone Lounge and Billboard Onboard sing-alongs
  • Lido Pool under a retractable glass roof
  • Tamarind Pan-Asian restaurant and Pinnacle Grill steakhouse

This sailing: 7-night Eastern Caribbean Holiday: Amber Cove & Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

  1. Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
  2. Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
  3. Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos
  4. Amber Cove
  5. Key West, Florida
  6. Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

Arrives from Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. Next stop after Amber Cove: Key West, Florida.

Itinerary source: cruisetimetables.com. Check your booking for your exact ports.

All of its dates are on our Nieuw Amsterdam Amber Cove excursions page. See Nieuw Amsterdam on the Holland America Line website.

About Sky Princess

The Sky Princess cruise ship, with blue wave artwork on its bow, docked on calm water under a deep blue sky.
Sky Princess in Visby, Sweden. Photo: Bene Riobó, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Sky Princess is a Princess Cruises ship of the Royal class, sailing since 2019.

In port
10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Cruise line
Princess Cruises
Ship class
Royal class
In service since
2019
Gross tonnage
145,281
Guests (double occupancy)
3,660
Crew
1,346
Length
330 m (1,083 ft)

Onboard highlights

  • Two-room Sky Suites with terraces of about 700 square feet
  • SeaWalk, a glass walkway extending out over the ocean
  • Movies Under the Stars open-air poolside cinema

This sailing: 6-night Eastern Caribbean with Celebration Key Holiday from Port Canaveral, Florida

  1. Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. Celebration Key, Bahamas
  3. Amber Cove
  4. Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos
  5. Port Canaveral, Florida

Arrives from Celebration Key, Bahamas. Next stop after Amber Cove: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

Itinerary source: cruisetimetables.com. Check your booking for your exact ports.

Sky Princess returns to Amber Cove on Jan 1, 2027. All of its dates are on our Sky Princess Amber Cove excursions page. See Sky Princess on the Princess Cruises website.

Every excursion for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess on December 24

“Back by” assumes you meet your guide about 30 minutes after your ship docks. Every tour includes round-trip transportation and pickup in the Amber Cove terminal lobby.

Swipe sideways to see the full table.

Excursions for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess at Amber Cove on Thursday, December 24, 2026, with price, duration, return time, minimum age and weather fit
Excursion From Duration Back by · Nieuw AmsterdamBack by · Sky Princess Ages If it rains Book
Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch 31 min from the pier · Challenging $49per guest 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM 7+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Damajagua Waterfalls 31 min from the pier · Challenging $39per guest 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM 7+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds 18 min from the pier · Easy $57.99per guest 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM All ages Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Monkey Home Adventure 18 min from the pier · Easy $60per guest 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM All ages Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Double Buggy Adventure 10 min from the pier · Moderate $50per person · 2 sharing 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM 8+ Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Single Buggy Ride 10 min from the pier · Moderate $95per buggy · 1 rider 2 hours 30 minutes ~11:00 AM ~1:00 PM 8+ Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Double ATV Adventure 10 min from the pier · Moderate $45per person · 2 sharing 2 hours 30 minutes ~11:00 AM ~1:00 PM 8+ Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Single ATV Ride 10 min from the pier · Moderate $85per ATV · 1 rider 3 hours ~11:30 AM ~1:30 PM 8+ Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Puerto Plata City Tour 18 min from the pier · Easy $44.55per guest About 4 hours ~12:30 PM ~2:30 PM All ages Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
7 Waterfalls + Zip Line + Lunch (private transfer) 31 min from the pier · Challenging $110per guest 4 hours ~12:30 PM ~2:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Damajagua + Zip Line + Buggy 31 min from the pier · Challenging $149per guest 5 hours ~1:30 PM ~3:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Damajagua + Buggy + Dominican Food 31 min from the pier · Challenging $110per guest 5 hours ~1:30 PM ~3:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Damajagua + Monkey Park + Lunch 31 min from the pier · Challenging $99per guest About 4 hours ~12:30 PM ~2:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
City Tour + Double Buggy 18 min from the pier · Moderate $75per person · 2 per buggy About 6 hours ~2:30 PM ~4:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
City Tour + Double ATV 18 min from the pier · Moderate $75per person · 2 per ATV About 6 hours ~2:30 PM ~4:30 PM 8+ Depends on the rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess
Monkey Home + Double Buggy 18 min from the pier · Moderate $107per person · 2 per buggy About 5 hours ~1:30 PM ~3:30 PM 6+ Great in rain Book · Nieuw AmsterdamBook · Sky Princess

Traveling with kids? Minimum ages

All ages

Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds, Monkey Home Adventure, Puerto Plata City Tour. On Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds, kids 3–11 pay US$39 and infants 0–2 go free.

6+

Monkey Home + Double Buggy. Feed the squirrel monkeys, then share a double buggy on muddy country trails.

7+

Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch, Damajagua Waterfalls. Kids swim, slide and jump with a helmet and life jacket, always with a guide.

8+

Buggy and ATV rides, plus these combos with Damajagua, a buggy or an ATV: 7 Waterfalls + Zip Line + Lunch (private transfer), Damajagua + Zip Line + Buggy, Damajagua + Buggy + Dominican Food, Damajagua + Monkey Park + Lunch, City Tour + Double Buggy, City Tour + Double ATV.

The rule for combos: when a combo includes Damajagua, a buggy or an ATV, the buggy and ATV minimum age of 8 applies to the whole tour. The one exception is Monkey Home + Double Buggy, which starts at age 6.

Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess at Amber Cove: FAQs

What time do Nieuw Amsterdam and Sky Princess arrive in Amber Cove on December 24, 2026?

Nieuw Amsterdam is scheduled from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sky Princess is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time (UTC−4) on Thursday, December 24, 2026, according to the official Amber Cove port schedule (checked November 3, 2026). Port times can change, so confirm them in your cruise line’s app before going ashore.

How much time will I have in port?

Nieuw Amsterdam: 9 hours, with all-aboard around 4:30 PM; Sky Princess: 8 hours, with all-aboard around 5:30 PM. All-aboard is usually 30 minutes before departure, so plan to be back at the pier about an hour before it. Every excursion we offer fits both port days.

Where do we meet our guide at Amber Cove?

Inside the Amber Cove cruise terminal lobby. Pickup there is guaranteed on every excursion on this page, and the return trip brings you back to the same terminal. Before your port day we email your exact meeting point, your driver’s ID badge photo and a contact number.

Do you have availability on December 24, 2026?

Yes, for guests of both ships. Nieuw Amsterdam guests can book online until 8:00 PM on Wednesday, December 23; Sky Princess guests can book online until 10:00 PM on Wednesday, December 23 (12 hours before each ship docks). Groups of 6 or more get 5% off automatically (10% off for 11 or more), and you can reserve with a 30% deposit.

Which excursions are best for kids on December 24?

For any age: Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds, Monkey Home Adventure, Puerto Plata City Tour. Kids 3–11 pay US$39 on Monkey Home + Butterflies + Birds, and infants go free. From age 6: Monkey Home + Double Buggy. From age 7: Damajagua Waterfalls + Dominican Lunch, Damajagua Waterfalls. From age 8: the other buggy and ATV rides and combos that include Damajagua, a buggy or an ATV.

What is the minimum age for Damajagua, buggies and ATVs?

Damajagua: 7 years. Buggy and ATV tours: 8 years. Any combo that includes Damajagua, a buggy or an ATV follows the buggy and ATV minimum of 8, except Monkey Home + Double Buggy, which starts at 6. The city tour and the monkey tours are open to all ages.

What if it rains on December 24?

Around December 24, rain (1 mm or more) falls on 40% of days and a properly rainy day (10 mm or more) on 16%, based on NOAA records for Puerto Plata. Buggy, ATV and the monkey and butterfly tours run rain or shine. Damajagua runs in showers, but guides can close the falls after heavy rain; if a tour can’t run for weather or safety reasons, we offer another tour or a full refund.

How busy is Amber Cove on December 24?

Nieuw Amsterdam and Sky Princess are both in port. Together they carry about 5,766 guests at double occupancy, so popular tours can fill up; booking ahead is smart.

What happens if my ship is late or skips Amber Cove?

We adjust your tour to the ship’s actual arrival, so let us know as soon as the cruise line announces a delay. If your ship was scheduled to dock at Amber Cove but doesn’t, you get a full refund.

Can I cancel my excursion?

Yes. Cancel at least 25 hours before the scheduled start of your excursion for a full refund.

Plan the rest of your port day

More ways to get ready for Nieuw Amsterdam & Sky Princess at Amber Cove: compare excursions by activity and read our travel guides.

Ready for your Thursday at Amber Cove?

Start with our #1 pick, Puerto Plata City Tour, or ask our local team which tour fits your group.

Book the #1 pick · Nieuw Amsterdam guestsBook the #1 pick · Sky Princess guests Ask about your group

Free cancellation up to 25 hours before your tour · 5% off groups of 6+, 10% off 11+ · Reserve with a 30% deposit

Ship times: official Amber Cove port schedule, checked November 3, 2026; times are local (UTC−4) and can change. Typical weather: NOAA daily records for Puerto Plata. Live forecast: MET Norway. Drive times: Google Maps’ fastest route from the Amber Cove terminal. Prices are our current direct-booking rates in US dollars.