Need help planning

[glm7777]

I am a planner. I NEED to plan my vacations thoroughly. My 23 yr old daughter and I are cruising to Bermuda late May on the Norwegian Dawn. I have perused this entire board, every Bermuda site known to man and for some reason am still very confused about what to do once the ship docks - how to get around to the different towns, how to get to the beach, etc.

We are not big history buffs. We enjoy shopping, would like to do the perfumery, caves and aquarium, would enjoy the St. George dunking and plan to spend a half a day at one of the beaches doing some very amateurish snorkelling. Would like to have lunch at the Swizzle Inn or Frog and Onion.

Can someone help us plan our time in Bermuda? I would be willing to consider a private cab tour if that would be easiest but i'm not sure how that works with shopping and lunch and all that.

Also, is there a web site that can give me pricing on admission to the attractions such as the aquarium and crystal caves?

I don't know why I'm so confused about all this - I've planned every trip to WDW with utmost precision for 2 - 10 people!

Thank you!!!!

[meatball_nyc]

Hi there

 

Here is a link to all the Dawn's excursions on Bermuda. There's 42 to choose from, including tours and shopping, beach days and snorkeling.

 

http://www.ncl.com/cruise-destination/bermuda/excursions#tab_detail

 

Hope this helps.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[zoncom]

Go to local library. Should be several Bermuda books. Also look for Bermuda in Ports of call books. I did not find Bermuda very exciting. Maybe your expectations a little high?

[margie1221]

I am no expert but you asked for ideas so here goes :)

 

Not sure about your itinerary but I think you arrive midday on the first port day and then depart late afternoon on the third day...

 

So, here's a few thoughts to keep it simple - they can be done in any order or day!!

 

First, get a three day bus/ferry pass ($28?? each) to get around at your own pace

 

Day 1: explore Dockyard area - then take water shuttle to Hamilton to explore & shop

Day 2: beach day - take bus to Horseshoe Beach - it's gorgeous and nearby

Day 3: early water shuttle to St George to explore town/shopping/perfume factory/noontime shenanigans

 

Then head back to ship for late afternoon sailaway.

 

Would also recommend sunset rum swizzle cruise on one of the evenings - beautiful

 

There's also a festival with a native dance ceremony in Hamilton on one of the evenings not to be missed. When we were on the Gem in July 2011 they also came aboard the ship and performed the same thing - not sure of the festival schedule for 2014 - maybe you found it in your research already?? Here's the link to the Dockyard area where your ship will be for the three days - the gangway is open 24 hours and you can come and go as you please

 

http://www.thewestend.bm/

 

Hope this helps... BTW what ship and sail date did you book??

[tammykos]

This looks like a great plan for us as well! We will just work in the zoo/aquarium and Gibbs lighthouse somewhere, too.

[flowers44]

The three day bus pass went up last year. I think it was $32 per person. You can also buy books of tickets for the bus and ferries for $30 for 15 tickets. You use one ticket each time you board a bus or ferry. It might be less expensive to do the ticket books since people can share them.

Make sure that whatever day you go to St. George, you have enough time to get back to the ship. It is an hour ferry ride and the ferries don't run every hour so you have to make sure you are onboard a ferry in St. George early enough to get back to the dockyard. We did St. George on day two last year when we were in Bermuda on the Dawn. We did Horseshoe beach on Day 3 since it is closer to the ship. You can go to Gibbs Lighthouse on day three before you go to the beach. At noon, in the town square, there is a presentation of the drunking of the town wench. It is a lot of fun to watch.

Also, last year, on Monday night, there was a celebration at the Dockyard call Destination Dockyard. Vendor were set up in the park area near the Clocktower mall. The Gumby Dancers came and danced. It was a fun event. The Celebration in Hamilton is on Wednesday night and the Dawn is not in port that night.

When we arrived on Sunday, we rented a couple of motorboats and sailed around the island and hit some of the beaches. We had our whole family with us and the grandkids enjoyed fishing while others enjoyed the beaches.

I love Bermuda. To me, it is the most beautiful island we have ever sailed to. The sand on the beach is like powdered sugar and the people are so nice.

[margie1221]

Thanks flowers44 for the updates and alternatives - this is very helpful for our upcoming trip in May!!

 

Also, note to the OP - I think if you're on the Dawn you arrive in Bermuda on Sunday, no? If so, Hamilton shops may be closed on Sundays... may need to reverse some of the recommendations based on your itinerary - I see Breakaway 2014 in your signature but wasn't sure if that was the FLA/Bahamas route for a different date or if you're sailing to Bermuda out of NY in May???

[Gunner22aa]

3 day pass is about $32/person. 10 minutes to Hamilton on the ferry and about 40 minutes to St Georges. Busses go everywhere on the island including all of the popular beaches. Service is very reduced on weekends and some runs don't go at all. Get a schedule and review it. Although I didn't do it I am told both the passes and schedules are available on the ship prior to arrival. Frog and Onion is a 5 min walk from the ship. Don't forget to tour the fort. Think its about $10 or so. If you are into perfume there is a factory in St Georges. Be advised it isn't cheap. For that matter there isn't much in Bermuda that could be considered cheap by Caribbean standards but it sure is pretty.

[njhorseman]

The actual 2013 prices for transportation passes were:

 

One day $15

Two day $25

Three day $35

[Iliveinbermuda]

You can read up on some of the attractions you mentioned by going to their web sites

http://bermudalighthouse.com/

http://www.caves.bm/

http://www.bamz.org/

They could tell you more.

[njhorseman]

Hopefully stores will be open on Sundays During Cruise Season

 

http://bermudasun.bm/Content/Default/Latest-News/Article/Stores-support-Sunday-trading/-3/1297/56142

 

That article is two years old. Two cruise seasons have come and gone since it was written without stores opening in Hamilton. Will something change this year? Maybe...but I wouldn't rely on an old report as being indicative of changes that are likely to be made. (Although ships casinos opening...which was also mentioned in the article... should actually commence this season as that move was approved by Parliament late last year.)

Edited January 14, 2014 by njhorseman

[glm7777]

Thank you all for your responses. I am sailing the Norwegian Dawn on May 23rd. I think I'm going to amend the recommended itinerary so that on day 3 we are the closest to the ship - would be paranoid otherwise LOL! So it looks like we might go to the aquarium and zoo on the Sunday(day 1),

do St George early AM day 2 and explore Hamilton later in the day 2 and then do the beach on the last day in port. I do have to get some info on the actual places and things to see. But thank you all again and keep the suggestions coming!

[meatball_nyc]

Very good point. Thank you!

We will be in Bermuda, however from Wednesday to Friday, on the Breakaway.

 

Can't wait! I haven't been to Bermuda in close to 30 years!!

 

 

 

~robin and brian~

Norwegian Breakaway 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[cruisetmc]

We visited Bermuda (Royal Caribbean Explorer) last September. An awesome place.

 

After shopping in Hamilton you might want to think about taking a taxi to Coral Reef Resort (about $12 one way). We're not big shoppers. We took the early morning (9am) ferry to Hamilton - walked around then went to the resort to relax for the afternoon.

 

You'll have a wonderful time in Bermuda.

[sebas030]

Here is what we did :

 

Made prior arrangement ( months before ) for a private taxi tour ( blue flag ) with one of the highly recommended driver here on CC.

 

Arrival on Wednesday morning.

 

Driver was waiting for my call to pick us up at the pier. We already established the duration and touristic points we wanted to see.

 

We went to the Lighthouse, went all the way up as he waited for us, went to a small church on a hill, went to the worlds smallest draw bridge ( he had bread to feed the fish)...impressive, went to the aquarium to look at the exterior turtles and the bay that fills or empties with the tide ( you can see big stingrays under the bridge ), drove us in a poor district to show us the "other side " of beautiful Bermuda. Went passed some botanical garden with huge trees, did a small tour of resorts and privately own gardens and ended the tour at the crystal caves.

 

Everywhere we went, we preceded tour buses. When we left someplace, a bus would arrive...we did save plenty of waiting time.

 

Duration : 3:30h

 

We then visited the caves, very beautiful

 

Duration : 45min

 

We walked to the Swizzle Inn ( 5 minutes ), had quick lunch and a few rum swizzle :D

 

We then grab a taxi and headed to Hamilton. Some shopping for the girls and a few beers for the boys.

 

Wednesday is Harbor nights festival, enjoyed the evening there and took a cab ( 40$ ) to Dockyard. If we had left 40 minutes before we could have grabbed the last ferry to the Dockyard for 3$ each.

 

Day 2

 

Took first ferry to St-Georges....we really really really enjoyed St-Georges and are planning a hole day for our next trip. Visited down town, walked uphill to a beautiful view point of the fort and beach. Walked down to the town and enjoyed a delicious pizza and drink right on the water's edge in a little marina 5 minutes away from the ferry.

 

Took ferry to dockyard, jumped on the ship to change into swim suit and took the shuttle to Horseshoe bay...beautiful. Spend the afternoon there. Took shuttle again to dockyard and enjoyed the rest of the day onboard.

 

Day 3

 

Grabbed a taxi to sea glass beach, took some souvenirs and went back to the dockyard, did a little shopping, and we visited the fort at the Dockyard. We got some rum cakes, and enjoyed the time until all aboard was effective.

 

 

Obviously day 1 and 2 could be inverted if weather is not perfect.

 

Day one is a longgg day...but hey...it's Bermuda !

 

The morning of day 3 ( sea glass beach and shopping ) can be replaced by any activity you didn't have the time to do in day 1 or 2...or go back to St-Georges ( but it is far away and you would not want to miss the ship )

 

 

Anyway...I bet you understand we LOVED Bermuda and cannot wait to go again in 9 months !!

 

 

 

have fun !