Why did Carnival stop going to Bermuda?

[KPfromCT]

I was just looking at the Port of Bermuda webcam, and see the Norwegian Breakaway there, and that ship is a MONSTER:D:D

What was the reason Carnival got away from Bermuda again? Lack of interest? Something with the port? I cannot imagine it's because they cannot accommodate the ships:confused::confused: Would LOVE to cruise to Bermuda, but on Carnival. Anyone know?

[MrPete]

I asked once, and got this back:

 

Hello Pete

Occasionally along will come a question that I cannot answer and so I look to my friends at Carnival to help. In this case I went to our Senior Vice president of ..ummmm….lots of stuff…….our good friend Mr. Terry Thornton and here is his honest reply to your question.

Our ships can only dock at Kings Wharf due to their size. The Bermuda Government has long term contracts with two other cruise lines that provide them with preferential berthing rights. We can only get a berth when those other companies are not using it. From April through October, there are not many options for us to get a berth.

The Carnival Pride visited Bermuda, but it required the cruises to operate from New York on a Wednesday. We were able to get a Bermuda berth on the weekends. The Wednesday departures were not preferred by our guests and the cruises did not perform as well as some of our other itinerary choices.

While we would like to offer more Bermuda cruises, our 4,5,7 and 8 day itineraries from New York and Baltimore are very popular with our guests. Plus, we think these cruises generate more favorable results for us.

Bermuda is a good destination. However, with the restrictions on the guest experience for several days (shops and casino closed; entertainment limited) and the very high guest port tax, there are some drawbacks to be considered.

Terry

 

Now, this was before they built that second dock, and I fully expected something to change........NOT.

 

Maybe VISTA will take us back there. We can DREAM, right?

[KPfromCT]

LOL!!! Yes, we can. Thank you, Mr. Pete. You are always a WEALTH of information. I really want to go, but I want to go on Carnival. And that Breakaway is a MONSTER!!!! Thanks again!

[MrPete]

LOL!!! Yes, we can. Thank you, Mr. Pete. You are always a WEALTH of information. I really want to go, but I want to go on Carnival. And that Breakaway is a MONSTER!!!! Thanks again!

 

I was fortunate to get a one week cruise to Bermuda on the Pride about 10 years ago. It was heaven, docked three days at the Wharf, and even before leaving, was planning to return annually on Carnival.

 

Boy, did they put a damper on that. :mad:

[rkacruiser]

Bermuda's government has a love/hate relationship about cruises. They love the money the tourists bring; they don't want to accommodate many of the desires/needs of the cruise lines. For example, if there is no dock space, a ship could anchor in the Great Sound. But, for the ship's guests to get to shore, Bermuda requires that their ferry be used and not the ship's tenders. The ferry that is used for this operation holds alot of people and they again refuse to use it as a shuttle from ship to shore or shore to ship unless it is full or close to it. Guest friendly? Certainly not!

 

Bermuda refuses to do anything about the physical obstruction--the Two Rocks--that block the entrance into Hamilton's harbor for any vessel larger than HAL's S-Class ships.

 

The answer that Mr.Pete received to his question from Mr. Thornton is accurate. But, there is more to the story than that.

[aggiejade]

Royal Caribbean goes to Bermuda. I have a friend that is booked on a 9 day going there and other ports such as San Juan and St Marteen. Prices seemed reasonable to me.

[MrPete]

Royal Caribbean goes to Bermuda. I have a friend that is booked on a 9 day going there and other ports such as San Juan and St Marteen. Prices seemed reasonable to me.

 

I think the downfall of the 9 day is it only spends one day in Bermuda. :(

[KPfromCT]

I agree with Mr. Pete. I love the fact, that on a Bermuda cruise, the ship is docked there for 3 days. You can come and go as you please, stay out late, etc. Hopefully something changes. I really would love to take a cruise there someday. I think a full week for a land vacation would just be too much, and WAY out of my budget:D:D

[jbhcw]

I was fortunate to get a one week cruise to Bermuda on the Pride about 10 years ago. It was heaven, docked three days at the Wharf, and even before leaving, was planning to return annually on Carnival.

 

Boy, did they put a damper on that. :mad:

 

We did Bermuda on the Pride a few years ago...we loved it...and dh told me before we left Bermuda he would do the cruise again....but we all know what happened with that:eek:

[CHOPPERTESTER]

I went to Bermuda on the Spirit a couple of years ago, the NCL Spirit that is from Boston. It was great. Three days at Kings Wharf. Bus/Ferry pass. Tobacco Bay, Jacob's Ladder, pink sand.

 

Carnival needs to get off the Sat/Sun 7 Day itinerary treadmill and have some mid week departures where flight costs are less.

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

I would love to cruise to Bermuda. It is so expensive, cruises are the perfect way to go. We wanted to sail HAL there because they docked in Hamilton, but right now they are not sailing there. I think we will probably go on Royal. They have 5 and 7 day Bermuda's I believe. It would be great if Carnival went back!

[irishnyc]

Carnival needs to get off the Sat/Sun 7 Day itinerary treadmill and have some mid week departures where flight costs are less.

 

As in the response Pete posted, mid week departures aren't as profitable. It's sometimes difficult to break up a vacation week with company vacation structure. My husband could not do it without using two whole weeks. Neither could my sister, who we cruise with. Any place that does weekly vacation rentals is Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday for the same reasoning. Most people don't or can't start a week long vacation in the middle of a week.

[bride123105]

Carnival had one last 7 day Bermuda cruise in April of this year. The price got super duper low trying to sell out the ship. I'm sure that didn't help convince Carnival that Bermuda is a place that their customers want to go.

[MrPete]

Carnival had one last 7 day Bermuda cruise in April of this year. The price got super duper low trying to sell out the ship. I'm sure that didn't help convince Carnival that Bermuda is a place that their customers want to go.

 

That cruise is annual.

[jbhcw]

Carnival had one last 7 day Bermuda cruise in April of this year. The price got super duper low trying to sell out the ship. I'm sure that didn't help convince Carnival that Bermuda is a place that their customers want to go.

 

What port does it leave from?? Dh won't sail out of New York...I felt lucky getting him to Boston this year to do the Glory..

[golfadj]

Did the Miracle about two years ago to Bermuda and definitely want to go back.

[bride123105]

Not an annual cruise anymore as it is not booked for 2014. And I believe it did leave out of New York.

[twinbee]

My husband and I cruised to Bermuda back in 2000 on Celebrity. We docked a couple of days in Hamilton, then a couple of days in St. George. We loved it! Docking in Hamilton was wonderful. Everything was just steps away.

[cruizinisthebest]

I would love to cruise to Bermuda. It is so expensive' date=' cruises are the perfect way to go. We wanted to sail HAL there because they docked in Hamilton, but right now they are not sailing there. I think we will probably go on Royal. They have 5 and 7 day Bermuda's I believe. It would be great if Carnival went back![/quote']

 

I went to Bermuda back in the late 90s with my job. Beautiful place. They really do have pink sand! And the houses in the pastel colors was so cute. I haven't been able to afford it on my own and the options with Carnival are no more it seems. Such a shame, because it is a beautiful port with alot of cultural things to do.

 

On another note, you ready for next week? Woo hoooo!:p

[repo-cruiser]

I asked once, and got this back:

 

Hello Pete

Occasionally along will come a question that I cannot answer and so I look to my friends at Carnival to help. In this case I went to our Senior Vice president of ..ummmm….lots of stuff…….our good friend Mr. Terry Thornton and here is his honest reply to your question.

Our ships can only dock at Kings Wharf due to their size. The Bermuda Government has long term contracts with two other cruise lines that provide them with preferential berthing rights. We can only get a berth when those other companies are not using it. From April through October, there are not many options for us to get a berth.

The Carnival Pride visited Bermuda, but it required the cruises to operate from New York on a Wednesday. We were able to get a Bermuda berth on the weekends. The Wednesday departures were not preferred by our guests and the cruises did not perform as well as some of our other itinerary choices.

While we would like to offer more Bermuda cruises, our 4,5,7 and 8 day itineraries from New York and Baltimore are very popular with our guests. Plus, we think these cruises generate more favorable results for us.

Bermuda is a good destination. However, with the restrictions on the guest experience for several days (shops and casino closed; entertainment limited) and the very high guest port tax, there are some drawbacks to be considered.

Terry

 

Now, this was before they built that second dock, and I fully expected something to change........NOT.

 

Maybe VISTA will take us back there. We can DREAM, right?

I smell something fishy here. They are leaving Baltimore so why quote Baltimore . Hmmm

[repo-cruiser]

If you do a land vacation to Bermuda you can stay out as late as you want, and stay extra days without a 2 day boring cruise back.

[vols_159]

Did the Miracle about two years ago to Bermuda and definitely want to go back.

 

Ncl breakaway and dawn both go weekly.. Breakaway has a long term contract with Bremuda that's why the larger pier was built.

 

So in other words rccl and ncl ponied up to Bremuda and put the screws to carnival

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I smell something fishy here. They are leaving Baltimore so why quote Baltimore . Hmmm

 

There is nothing fishy about what Mr. Pete posted. That is the answer he got from a question a few years ago ,not recently.

 

It's a shame to read all these post about how much people want to go to Bermuda but it has to be on Carnival.:confused:

 

Bill

[KPfromCT]

There is nothing fishy about what Mr. Pete posted. That is the answer he got from a question a few years ago ,not recently.

 

It's a shame to read all these post about how much people want to go to Bermuda but it has to be on Carnival.:confused:

 

Bill

 

Why is it a shame? It's just my preferred cruise line. NCL does nothing for me. I really think their ships are kind of on the ugly side. I cruise for the ports and for the ship. If the Breeze went there, I would go in a heartbeat. I am probably the minority but I don't want to cruise on some older smaller ship

[wanderingjew]

Why is it a shame? It's just my preferred cruise line. NCL does nothing for me. I really think their ships are kind of on the ugly side. I cruise for the ports and for the ship. If the Breeze went there, I would go in a heartbeat. I am probably the minority but I don't want to cruise on some older smaller ship

ROFL Breakaway is Larger and newer than any CCL ship