Larger Cruise Ships to Bermuda ??

[FIRELT5]

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040508/NEWS/105080054

[TPKeller]

That's very interesting.

 

Here's a pertinent question: Would you want to spend 3/4 days in Bermuda if you had to tender in from outside the harbor entrances that are too small for the bigger ships to get in?

 

Nobody is talking about that being an option, I'm just curious how that would be received.

 

Theron

 

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Explorer of the Seas 9/27/03 Western

Celebrity Century 9/28/02 Eastern (Thanks to Lili)

 

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[asiadog]

before kings wharf was completed celebrity's meridan tendered off shore at kings wharf but it was only about 35,000 tons

[kkid]

In 1990, I cruised to Bermuda on Zenith. Due to weather/winds, Zenith did no go to St. George and anchored in the bay. We tendered to Hamilton. The tender ride was about 30 minutes and the runs were 90 to 120 minutes apart. This really put a damper on shore activities, because the whole day had to planned around the tender schedule. I would not cruise to bermuda if the plan was for tendering passenger ashore.

[marco]

No, I would not want to tender, and no, I would not want to spend all 4 days docked at Kings Wharf, either. "Regular" tender is inconvenient enough i.e.: continuous life boat size craft, but in Bermuda, the BIG Bermuda ferry that carries 500-600 people every couple of hours in each direction for a 30-40 minute ride is not an enjoyable aspect of the cruise. The two best aspects of a cruise to Bermuda are docking in St Georges and Hamilton and the other, which I consider the BEST reason, is NOT going on a 100K ton mega liner with over 2000 other people.

[btoohill]

frankly, having the ship parked on the main drag in downtown Hamilton and within a short walk in St. Georges helped make the Bermuda cruise special on the Horizon. I wouldn't want to be on one of the larger ships if it meant tying up at Kings Wharf or tendering. It would not be nearly as enjoyable a trip. The ability to get on and off the ship at will was truly a pleasure.

[TPKeller]

I haven't cruised to Bermuda, but I spent almost 2 weeks there a few years back.

 

I think I would tend to agree with most of the folks here... Tendering would seem to add a layer of inconvenience that would be unacceptable.

 

It's interesting, the article says the current ships will be going away within about 4 years. You would think that Bermuda is a steady enough market to justify 1 or 2 ships dedicated to just that port.

 

Theron

 

click to e-mail me

Explorer of the Seas 9/27/03 Western

Celebrity Century 9/28/02 Eastern (Thanks to Lili)

 

Cruise Tip Calculator - Calculate the amount and type of bills you need to stuff your tipping envelopes:

http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

[ocngypz]

The Bermuda government is facing reality. The most recent smaller ships built have been for the luxury lines, not for the mass market lines.

 

The Islands' infrastructure needs to accommodate the larger ships has to be addressed. The fact the cruiselines are willing to help is positive.

 

Who knows, perhaps they'll decide to build a new cruise ship terminal away from Kings Wharf, Hamilton and St. Georges to eliminate the need for tendering, but requiring the use of buses, etc. to get around as in other cruiseports.