ADH912

I generally stay at the GrandHyatt New York pre-cruise. It's attached to Grand Central which makes it convenient to a lot of subway lines and other public transportation. 

Hello,

Like others have said, Bermuda is very easy to navigate and since you're there overnight, you can feel free to explore the island without worrying about rushing back to the ship.

If you have full day there (you probably do), I would use that day to go up to St. George's via ferry and then maybe take a bus to Hamilton and then take a ferry back to the Dockyard.

The Dockyard area is okay, but it's "touristy" and Bermuda has so much more to offer. Also, there are several tour operators right in the Dockyard so if you want to take a tour/excursion, I'd book through them, rather than through the cruise line. You'll probably end up saving between 20%-40%.

If you like beaches, I'd recommend Horseshoe Bay. You can get there by a mini bus for around $8 each way per person. (Public buses are an option as well.) There is a beach in the Dockyard called snorkel park. It's man made and there is a charge to get in, but it's a decent option if you REALLY don't want to leave the dockyard. 

I had a mini-suite with a large balcony on the Breakaway and it was very nice. There was a fairly large dining table with chairs and also 2 lounge chairs. I left the table and chairs under the covered part and I put the lounge chairs towards the railing so I could lay in the sun. It was the perfect alternative to fighting for a lounger on the pool decks. 

6 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Here you go...  

 

 

 

Thank you! 

Thanks for all the info!!

I honestly don't even care about kids being around...I'm more concerned about just being able to get a lounger without having to be up on deck at 6:00am...but those prices seem a little steep...I think I'll just head to my balcony if the pool decks get too crowded. 

30 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

Vibe is adult only all the time. Extra fee $209.00 per person for week

Spice H2O is adult only until a certain time. (6 or 7 p.m.)  Free

 

As mentioned both have bars/hot tubs.

 

Vibe: Enough cushioned loungers for the amount of passes sold, umbrella's ( if not to windy) ,bartender and waiter/waitress, misting Station, restrooms, cold wash cloths, carafe's of water infused with fruit, plenty of towels, fresh fruit skewers , continental breakfast available, your bartender/waiter/waitress get to know you( personalized service).

 

H2O: Lounge Chairs that are pretty close to one another. Grotto area to cool off.

Great, thanks for the clarification....Do you know if day passes are sold to Vibe? Or would I have to buy the whole week? I'm going to Bermuda in August and I don't think I'd be utilizing the area while in port, but I'd like to have it for sea days. 

Hello,

What is the difference between Spice H20 and Vibe Beach Club on the Escape? Are there extra charges for both areas, or just for one of them? I tried doing a search, but I keep finding conflicting information. Thanks! 

Yes, it is easy to get the refund...Just go to guest services and they give it right back to you. The only downside to this is that once they've refunded your money, you can't use the card for any last minute things unless you add more money. So just make sure there isn't anything else you need to buy (coffee). 

Shops & casino will be closed, as will  most of the restaurants, though some will remain open. The pools, spa, watersides, etc. will be open. Everything will start to reopen once the ship departs. The restaurants will open for dinner prior to departure. 

There is a pirate ship - Calico Jacks, in the Dockyard. They have a bar, live music etc, and you can jump off the "plank" on the top deck into the water. I went last summer and had fun. 

https://www.gotobermuda.com/profile/calico-jacks/3087

If you like touring forts, you might like Alexandra Battery. This is a great place to collect sea-glass, though this is sometimes confiscated by ships security when you go back to the ship. 

https://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda_000276.htm

I agree with those recommending cash VS debit card.

I usually set my account up with a credit card, but there have been times when I've used cash instead. If I go the cash route, I usually "deposit" $500 (for two of us), and then if I start to approach the $500 mark, I'll go to guest services and add more money. Like others have said, if you can, you're better off pre-paying for as much as possible ahead of time, so you're less likely to rack up a higher balance. The one annoyance with going the cash route is that the line at guest services is generally long on the last morning and you'll have to wait in it so you can get your unused funds back. Alternatively, you can go to guest services the night before to get your unused funds back, but, then you can't use your card the next morning unless you add money. 

I would avoid using your debit card unless you definitely have enough money in your checking account and you won't be caught short on money while waiting for the holds to be released. I can't remember which cruise line I was on (I think NCL, but not positive) and I used my debit card. By the time the cruise was over, I had around $700 in actual on-board expenses but the hold on my account was almost $1400. Then I had to wait around a week for the hold to be released. The cruise line isn't responsible for the hold, your bank is, so the amount of time it takes for the hold to be released depends on your banks' specific policies. 

I agree...I think that can even be done in a little more than 1/2 a day, especially if you take the first ferry to St. George's

The last time I cruised out of NYC, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt New York, which is connected to Grand Central Terminal. We're cruising out of NYC again in August and plan on staying there again. We take the commuter train into the city, so it's convenient since the train goes to Grand Central. Then we just take an Uber to the port the following morning. 

I am sailing on the Dawn this Friday...Does anyone know if there is a place to store your carry on luggage until your room is ready? On previous cruises, I was able to leave my luggage with staff members in the casino, and then I picked it back up once my room was ready. Just wasn't sure if the Dawn has the same arrangement. Thanks!

One of the nice things about an overnight stop is that you'll have time leave the port area and explore. Like the previous poster said, there's nothing that you have to book through the cruise line. Just do some research ahead of time and book your own tours. You'll save quite a bit of money. I think some of the "must do" things are horseshoe bay beach (That's the pink sand beach), snorkeling at Tobacco Bay, St. George's and the caves. Hamilton is nice, but I wouldn't spend too much time there unless you find something of interest there. I've never been to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, but I'd like to to there on my upcoming cruise (which is this week...so excited!). I'm assuming you'll dock in the dockyard (This is where all of the bigger ships dock.), and there are a lot of sunset cruises that leave from this area. I've seen quite a few posts about people being unable to book these independently, and the general consensus is that the cruise lines have reserved these tours for people who book through the ship, BUT, you could probably find on your own if you do a bit of research.

Hello,

Just wondering how we should get to the caves from St. Georges? Does it make sense to just take a taxi? Or would a bus be a better idea?

Like other's have said, the one "mandatory" charge that will show up on your bill on a daily basis the Daily Service Charge (DSC), which is the gratuity that gets split among the crew. Anything else is optional. I know people who don't have any charges at the end of the week, other than the DSC, because they don't buy things from the shops, they eat in the free restaurants, and they drink the free beverages. I usually end up with around $600-$800 in charges for two of us at the end of the week. We don't really shop on board, unless we forgot toiletries at home, or something catches our eye. Aside from the DSC, most of the $$ spent is from shore excursion(s), specialty restaurants, drinks and maybe a game or two of BINGO. That being said, I check my balance on a daily basis. This can be done by going to the guest services desk, and most ships allow you to check it on your stateroom T.V. Aside from what goes on my credit card, I usually take $1000.00 in cash for the casino, ports, and pre/post cruise travel.

I've sailed in inside cabins, balconies and mini-suites (basically a balcony room, but a bigger bathroom). In my opinion, they're all fine. I'll go for a balcony or mini-suite if the price isn't outrageous, but I'm also happy with an inside cabin. I do find that we spend more time in the cabin if we have the balcony, but even so, I'm not sure I ever get my monies worth. If I had to choose between an inside cabin, or not going on a cruise at all, I'd pick an inside cabin any day.

That's too bad to hear. The Spirit was the fist ship I sailed on, and I then I sailed on her again a few years later. To this day, she is my favorite ship. It's too bad that maintenance is lacking.

Thanks for the info. Yes, that is the hotel I was looking at. We live in Western Ma, so we only have about a 3 hour drive, but I prefer to arrive the night before to cut down on stress the day of the cruise. I would most likely skip the Logan Airport shuttle, and just take an Uber from the hotel to the ship.

I was looking at the Holiday Inn Express in Saugus. However, now that I've looked around more, I'm finding similar deals on other websites. I was just surprised because it was only $150/night including parking for the week.

Does anyone have any experience with TrinityReservations when booking a hotel pre-cruise? I found a hotel right outside of Boston that includes parking for the week, and it's about half the price of other websites. Wondering if there is some kind of catch.