Why does everyone love cruise to Bermuda

[Rachelleh]

Hello everyone,

We are in our mid 30's and mid 40's, have cruised carnival and celebrity Eastern and Southern routes, are taking the kids on RCL NOS in Nov, Western.

We are considering a Bermuda cruise in early or late Sept., but I can not wrap my mind around why everyone who has taken this route seems to love it so much.

I am concerned about the ships traveling there being older, if we go it will definately be Celebrity Horizon or Zenith. Seems like inside at 172sq ft, is a good deal since no balconies are avail.

What is there to do on the ships at night, casinos not open, and reviews on the shows don't seem great, any advice on why everyone loves this trip would be much appreciated, what is there to do on the ships and in Bermuda, we love the beach, museums and just hanging out somewhere new. ANY help would be appreciated.

I also have a concern that so many posts refer to an "older" crowd on these ships, am I the "older" crowd? Or have you found 30's and 40's on this ship, we love to meet new people so this is also a concern.

Again thanks in advance for the help.

[Host Kewlguy]

I sailed to Bermuda for the first time in April on Carnival. Carnival was lousy but Bermuda was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Nothing like the Caribbean. Bermuda is one of the wealthiest Countries in the world. The people are extremely friendly. You will feel safe anytime of day or night in Bermuda. Only negative is you cannot rent a car there. But the public transportation is excellent. There are many web sites about Bermuda for more info. I have never heard anyone say they did not like Bermuda. It's in a class by itself. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]
By the way I'm in my late 30's. You'll love it.

[LiLBxQt]

I just came back from Bermuda. I absolutely LOVED it. Last day there I kept telling myself that I'll be back. I didn't even get to see alot of things there. 3 days was definately not enough time at such a beautiful island. I chose to do alot of watersports while there and the water is amazing!! I've never been to the Caribbean, but after seeing Bermuda, I have no interest in those kinds of places. Extremely safe there. Don't have to worry about someone stealing your things. Bus and ferry will take you everywhere around the island. I rented a moped & only got from Kinsg Wharf to Hamilton. St George was way too far, but by bus, you'll have no problem.

I was actually happy that the casinos & shops weren't open for the 3 days there! I still somehow managed to throw down alot of $. My ship had wonderful entertainment while docked and Bermuda also has things going on certain nights.

Overall, very quiet, peaceful, relaxing vacation & I'd do it over and over again in a heartbeat!!

PS: I'm 21 & my cruise on RCCL had a good mixture of age groups.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;5;23;17;30;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
UnTiL BeRmUdA!!!

[judyzoo]

I hadn't thought of that -- that the ship's casino will be closed all the while we're docked in Bermuda. And the shops also. Closed casino will be a great money saver, but I'll miss the shops. Do either the casino or shops open at all during the Empress 8-day cruise, other than while sailing to and from Bermuda? Do they open during the short sailings from port to port?

Majesty of the Seas 2004
Dawn Princess 2003
QE2 2002
Royal Princess 2002
Carnival Fascination 2002
HAL Maasdam 2001
Carnival Jubilee 1999
HAL Statendam 1996
VeraCruz 1983
Angelina Lauro 1975

[LiLBxQt]

Must be 3 miles out to reopen casinos and shops. On the return trip, the casino was open for a second, closed back down with an announcement that they were not 3 miles out yet and exactly a minute later, they were open for business again!! LoL

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;5;23;17;30;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
UnTiL BeRmUdA!!!

[fletchers5]

Cruised to Bermuda almost two years ago and just recently cruised to Bahamas. Hands down I would go to Bermuda again. I liked the Bahamas but like everyone sais, you have no one bothering you, you definetly feel alot safer. When we were there we took a bus the one day, and rented the scooters the other two days. Loved the scooters. We went to Tobacco Bay- NOT TO BE MISSED. Great little beach that is like a cove. Not busy at all. Great snorkeling. Had never snorkeled before. Once there, you couldn't get me out of the water. I also always wondered when everyone sais Bermuda is the place to go. WIth having been in both placed, I can see why. Book to Bermuda and have a blast. Also I am early 40's and don't feel like an old crowd. We love to do "young" activities. Had a blast.

[macdays1]

Bermuda is like a breath of fresh air. No matter how many times you go there, you will still marvel at the beauty of it. I try all the time to take a different cruise, but I always go back to Bermuda. :-)

NCL Majesty 4/00 (Bermuda)
NCL Majesty 5/03 (Bermuda)
NCL Majesty 8/03 (Bermuda)

[poppabear]

I agree, one trip to Bermuda and the Caribbean almost becomes an afterthought.
Several huge differences:
1) Some Caribbean cruise ports are a rush job. Dock somewhere between 7 AM and noon, depart somewhere between 3 and 7 PM. Either do an excursion (through the ship or on your own) or walk the town. No night life, no time to learn about the islands. Too many islands in too few days.
Bermuda on the other hand you get to enjoy for 4 or 5 days. There are 3 ports and your ship may stop at either all or some of them. But it doesn't matter, the island is only 21 miles long and you don't even need to be on the ship when it moves. Since you can't rent a car in Bermuda you can either rent a scooter or get a multi-day bus/ferry pass, which I personally recomend. As as example, while we're docked in Hamilton, following breakfast we take the bus to either Elbow Beach or Horseshoe Bay Beach (or both). While we're at the beach the ship moves from Hamilton to the Dock Yard. When we're finished at the beach we just catch the bus to the Dock Yard and meet the ship over there.
2) If you've been to Jamaica or Panama or Costa Rica or several other Caribbean ports, you're aware of how poor & depressed some of these island are.
Bermuda on the other hand is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It's beauty is beyond compare.
3) As mentioned in #1, your Caribbean cruises are basically quick day trips. No night life.
While in Bermuda I would recommend an evening Champage Catammaran tour under the beautiful Bermuda stars. My friend likes to walk up to the radio tower at 1:00 in the morning just to enjoy the clean fresh Bermuda air. Most nights we dine on the ship and walk the town later but it's nice to know you can enjoy a real Bermudian dinner at a local restaurant if you want. Nightlife in Bermuda is fantastic.
As for nightlife, Tuesday nights is Heritage Night in St George and Wednesday night is Harbour night in Hamilton when the streets become alive with activity. None of that on a Caribbean cruise because, with very few exceptions, you're not in the towns at night.
I could go on and on but basically remember these 4 words: THERE IS NO COMPARISON!!

[marco]

Most of the ships that sail to Bermuda are older, as they are smaller. The newer, bigger ones can not get into the dock in St George's or Hamilton and have to dock the whole while at Kings Wharf. It is at the very tip of the island and not real convenient for getting to/from Hamilton and St Georges. A week,s cruise to Bermuda puts you in Bermuda for alomost 4 days, rather than 4 ports for a day each. Yes, there is plenty to see and do in Bermuda for 4 days. It is much less rushed and frenzied than a 4 port 1 week cruise. Particulalry for folks within a couple of hour drive of the NY piers, departure/arrival days are WAY less hectic and tiring. We have done a cruise to Bermuda every 2-3 years for the past 25 years or so. When Iwe return from a cruise to Bermuda, I feel as though I have been on vacaction, when I take just about any other cruise, I feel as though I NEED a vacation.

[Pistachio42]

RCCL's Voyager of the Seas will be making Bermuda runs next summer out of Cape Liberty (Bayonne) NJ.

As to the casinos being closed on board the ships, doesn't The Beach in Hamilton still have its casino/gambling room? It seems so from their website:

[url]http://www.thebeachbermuda.com/Casino.htm[/url]


T

[Bermuda Longtail]

[quote name='Pistachio42']RCCL's Voyager of the Seas will be making Bermuda runs next summer out of Cape Liberty (Bayonne) NJ.

As to the casinos being closed on board the ships, doesn't The Beach in Hamilton still have its casino/gambling room? It seems so from their website:

[url="http://www.thebeachbermuda.com/Casino.htm"]http://www.thebeachbermuda.com/Casino.htm[/url]


T[/QUOTE]
Gaming machines have been closed down. Some places may still have the machines but they are in demo mode - no money exchanges hands!

[Florida Beach]

It sounds wonderful, as we are planning our next journey, just wonder how is the weather there? When is the best time of the year to visit?

Can't wait to be there:)

[Jeanne S]

I like May and October for best weather, warm, but not hot and humid. Cruise prices are also lower.

[AuntieBon]

From the moment I stepped of the ship onto Bermuda I was in love. The people, the places are just not to be missed.

I sailed to Bermuda a mere 19 days after September 11th and felt so much warmth from the people of Bermuda for the United States. I had no problem finding my way around the island using the transit system and any questions were greeted with kindness and understanding.

I love Bermuda and can't wait to see "my" island again

[vacationspot]

Hi, I've been to Bermuda about ten times in the past six years, Love it. I'm mid 40's with kids 10 & 12. Bermuda is great for all of us. I've been on both Zenith and Horizon and would take the one that docks in St. George and Hamilton (zenith?) rather than Dockyards. Dockyards can be a bit boring (everything there is closed in the evening. ) Hamilton and St. George are very charming and great for an evening stroll or horse and carriage ride, it's very safe. The evenings there are so pretty and both towns have enough people out at night that you and the kids will feel comfortable anytime. Also the NCL majesty goes out of Boston but only docks in St. George. I take that ship alot since it's only a couple of hours from home. The ship is not as nice as the Celebrity but it's good enough. You won't find just an older crowd on the ships to Bermuda. There is a good mix of all ages. You will love it there. Hope you go and have fun. We're going back on Majesty on 8/01/04:) :) :) :)

[Mark]

1. As a British Colony it has that British atmosphere of behaving in a proper manner
2. The natives do not bother or hassle the toursists
3. It is very clean and safe compared to most other islands
4. It is fairly close to the US Mainland
5. It has great beaches, golf, boating and fishing

[Dolphins]

Ditto Mark- Bermuda is our favorite island destination. For this September, I would suggest RCI's newly refurbished Empress of the Seas. Unlike other ships sailing to Bermuda, it has balcony cabins and offers an 8 day cruise which gives you an extra day in Bermuda.

[basketballmom]

Bermuda is so beautiful and so friendly compared to the Caribbean Islands. It is also clean! We loved our first trip to Bermdua two years ago. We are going back again this year and bringing DD along too!

People cruise to Bermuda because it is so affordable. Flying to Bermuda is very expensive. The cost of meals on Bermuda is very, very expensive. There are no McDonald's or Burger Kings so save a few bucks. Just one deli sandwich (pastrami), bag of chips, wine cooler and one beer cost DH and I $24 two years ago.

On the cruise ship, all your meals are included. The prices of cruising to Bermuda are cheaper than flying. Of course you only get a three 1/2 days in Bermuda but then again, that gives you another excuse to come back again!

[madelinerose]

DH and I flew to Bermuda 6 years ago and he's been dying to return since. I booked a 5-day cruise for Nov. 05. We'll spend approximately 34 hrs. in Bermuda, but we rent a moped and zoom around the island.

Bermuda is white-glove-clean and extremely friendly. The water is turquoise and, if you love to golf, the courses are world-renowned.

Hotels in Bermuda are extremely expensive, so a cruise is the way to go.

Although we won't have much time there, the 5 day cruise was affordable enough to book a Grand Suite on the RCL Grandeur of the Seas, departing from Baltimore. DH has no idea. I'll tell him sometime in 2005 - lol!

There's no way you and your family will dislike Bermuda. It's super family-friendly and their's virtually no crime.

Good luck!

[snickmcfee]

We have been to Bermuda 6 times, as I read through the posts it just reminded me why this is our favorite island. Mainly, you don't feel rushed, the people are extremely friendly, mopeds are great, and you feel safe whereever you go on the island. The challenge is that the government is very careful in protecting this island, (I wish all island governements had the same foresight) and have limited the number, ship sizes and ports that the cruise lines can visit. There is a large population of tourists that visit for the entire week and based on prices for hotels are not your average "Joe Smoes". That's is where the bulk of their tourism dollars come from so they must be careful to protect their environment so that Bermuda doesn't become another ST. Thomas overrun with ships. I think I'll book passage for next spring!

Monarch of the Seas (2)
Song of Norway (2)
Song of America (2)
Sovereign of the Seas (2)
Legend of the Seas (2)
Nordkapp
Sea Princess (2)
Grand Princess (2)
Sun Princess
Star Princess
Pacific Princess
Sun Viking
Nordic Prince
Viking Serenade
Grandeur of the Seas
Legend of the Seas
Norwegian Sea
Mariner of the Seas

[wolfegizmo]

I just booked VOS for October, 2005. The price was right and my husband likes a balcony for sea days.
It docks at Kings Wharf overnight. How hard is it to take a taxi or the bus to the other cities? Could we go to one of the other cities at night for dinner and other nightlife?
Thanks

[CruisFran]

You can get to Hamilton from Kings Wharf in the evening. Taxi being the most expensive way. Busses and ferries the most reasonable, especially if you purchase a transportation pass. Do check though, the ferries don't run late...9:30 may be their last run!?..not sure on the busses. If you stay late in Hamilton, taxi may be your only choice back to the ship.

[roger1955]

[quote name='poppabear']. My friend likes to walk up to the radio tower at 1:00 in the morning just to enjoy the clean fresh Bermuda air. [/QUOTE]

I am the friend of poppabear that did that walk. I actually did it twice, but the first time I didn't get all the way to the tower. The second time I took along two friends and a flashlight. We wandered the countryside for almost 2 hours. It WAS FANTASTIC. The night was so clear it seemed that you could reach up and touch the stars!

BTW The sign at the entrance of "Harbor Radio" says "TOP SECRET - KEEP OUT" so we didn't stay more than about five minutes and were sure that we were being watched the entire time!

I love the island and this trip back on Oct 2 will be our ninth trip to 'our island paradise', We were there last year the first week that the cruise ships were allowed back after Hurricane Fabian. The devastation was horrible, but within just days, you could see the natural flora was already recovering. The people were absolutely wonderful and welcomed us readily. There was a strike of the tugboats, ferries and busses at the same time we were there. Our ship couldn't change ports due to the strike, so we spent all of our time in St. George. When we went for a walk, one of the local residents made a point to apologize to us for the lack of transportation.

While many of the shops were still closed due to storm damage, or the inability to travel because of the Causeway damage, the attitude of the people still made us welcome and glad to be there!

We saw things on this last visit that we had missed in our prior 7 trips, simply because we had the opportunity to walk around and take all the time we wanted. By the way, HUGE thanks go to the not only the people of Bermuda in general, but also to the representatives of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, particularly Sandy Soares. She was a wealth of information and couldn't do enough for us while we were there. We hope to catch up with her on our upcoming visit.

Roger & Kathlene

[smeyer418]

[quote name='CruisFran']You can get to Hamilton from Kings Wharf in the evening. Taxi being the most expensive way. Busses and ferries the most reasonable, especially if you purchase a transportation pass. Do check though, the ferries don't run late...9:30 may be their last run!?..not sure on the busses. If you stay late in Hamilton, taxi may be your only choice back to the ship.[/QUOTE]


the buses run back close to Midnight....very British that only the wealthy can get home late(own car or cab)...the 9:40 ferry is the last one back but it takes oven a hour to get back to the Dockyard...it stops at every middlesex village and farm. The last direct Ferry is at 7:15 and gets back in 20 minutes(enough time for late dinner). The bus takes about an hour... you can get a copy of the schedules on line...the buses are ok... cab fare just went up 20% and after midnight its 25% more...so a cab back after midnight will run close to $75.00

[Host Kewlguy]

Those cab companies have some racket going. Rates have been raised twice in the past six months. Actually the government is running the racket as they tell the taxi companies how much to charge which is very un-American. Every Cab company, same price. $6.00 for the first mile is insane. I will walk it thank you.