Princess cruisers want to go to Bermuda, help!

[Loreni]

We look forward to and appreciate your insight.

 

We visited Bermuda for a day on a Princess cruise and want to spend more time there. Princess visits Bermuda very rarely and only for a day. Celebrity, NCL, and RCCL all offer visits of two or, usually, 3 days in Bermuda. We don't know which (if any) to try. Celebrity Summit seems most similar to Princess. However, we are thinking of going this October, if we can make it work. This only leaves Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Dawn, and Liberty of the Seas.

 

We have cruised Princess exclusively and for the last 10 years. We have enjoyed ships of various sizes (Pacific, Dawn, Island, Sapphire/Diamond). We have special dietary needs and usually select Anytime Dining, with a table for two. Often we will request the same table at the same time each night. We rarely attend the shows in the main theater, but we might attend them more often if they were better. Usually, we just relax after dinner. Maybe take a stroll on the outdoor Promenade.

 

We love the International Cafe. MUTs is OK in the evening for a movie. We do not spend anytime at the pool or sunbathing. We like to sit on the shady promenade. We also like to walk on the promenade several times a day; this is an important feature for us.

 

Our concerns are that the ships that we are considering offer features we don't really care about, perhaps at the expense of those we do enjoy. We are also very concerned about the food quality. I have been looking at as many pictures of the food as I can and it seems we may need to pay extra for the same quality of food that is included on Princess. Of course, if the base price is lower, maybe it doesn't matter. We don't like lots of schedules on a vacation and would not want to worry a lot about reserving restaurants and shows. We don't drink, so drink packages are not important. We don't gamble, so the casino size/quality is not important to us, unless a lot smoke drifts from it into areas of the ship we want to spend time in. We will probably book an inside initially so we are not risking as much on a cruise line that isn't a good match for us. (We usually book mini suites on Princess, but the new furniture is so uncomfortable that we may rethink this in the future.)

 

We really loved Bermuda and would like to return, but are not sure if we will like cruising on either NCL or RCCL. We would appreciate any guidance you can offer. We are willing to try a new style of cruising to see if we like it.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Loreni

[Charlie4]

I would not book the Breakaway. It is smokey. It does not have a nice walking promenade. There is not a nice shady area to sit. I have not sailed the Dawn.

[nancynana9950]

Our first trip to Bermuda was on Explorer OTS out of Bayonne 4 years ago. We docked at Kings Wharf on Monday morning and left on Tuesday afternoon. We had a great time but felt we needed more time in Bermuda. I believe the Liberty has taken over the same itinerary. 2 years ago we went back on Breakaway. Loved it. We are going again in October. The Dawn gets in on Sunday, currently at 1:00. The transportation options are limited on Sunday as the buses and ferries are run on limited schedules. Stores are closed on Sunday. You may be happier with the Dawn as it is a smaller ship but if maximizing your time in Bermuda is primary take another look at Breakaway. I would also recommend choosing a date when only one ship is in port. Much less crowded.

[Loreni]

Our first trip to Bermuda was on Explorer OTS out of Bayonne 4 years ago. We docked at Kings Wharf on Monday morning and left on Tuesday afternoon. We had a great time but felt we needed more time in Bermuda. I believe the Liberty has taken over the same itinerary. 2 years ago we went back on Breakaway. Loved it. We are going again in October. The Dawn gets in on Sunday, currently at 1:00. The transportation options are limited on Sunday as the buses and ferries are run on limited schedules. Stores are closed on Sunday. You may be happier with the Dawn as it is a smaller ship but if maximizing your time in Bermuda is primary take another look at Breakaway. I would also recommend choosing a date when only one ship is in port. Much less crowded.

 

Thank you. We had not considered how many ships would be in port or transportation problems on Sunday. We want to go to Horeshoe Bay each day and hopefully rent an umbrella. I wonder if they would sell out with more than one ship in port.

[Loreni]

I would not book the Breakaway. It is smokey. It does not have a nice walking promenade. There is not a nice shady area to sit. I have not sailed the Dawn.

 

Thank you. We do have some concerns about these issues.

[chrisc71]

If you decide on Breakaway you would be the only ship in port since Summit usually does the same run. Also an October sailing is not going to be as crowded as a summer sailing.

 

Just took my second Breakaway and I did not find it smokey anywhere but the casino.

 

The BA has the Waterfront which goes almost all the way around the ship and a part of that is outside seating for specialty dining. Shakers is the martini bar and is a great place to sit outside and have a drink.

 

Since you already like Anytime and do not want schedules Freestyle Dining on NCL would fit perfectly. They do have a version of Anytime on Royal though.

 

There is a coffee bar on the BA but it pales in comparison to the IC on Princess. You have to pay for snacks and they are from Carlo's and are not worth it IMO.

[Cruzinnana47]

We have sailed on both NCL and Princess ships (including both Dawn and Breakaway), so we are aware of some of the differences between the two. Although the MDR/buffet food on NCL is usually fine/adequate for us, I would give the nod to Princess on this. We LOVE the International Cafe and MUTS, as well. However, as far as entertainment AND having a nice Promenade deck to stroll on, I would definitely prefer NCL. As another poster mentioned, the Breakaway would not probably not be to your liking if you want a walk-around promenade. Also, the casino area is extremely smoky and our impression was that the smoke carried over into other areas. The Dawn might fit your needs better, IMO. The Dawn departs Boston on Fri. for Bermuda and the Breakaway leaves NYC on Sun. for it's Bermuda run.

 

We did enjoy the Breakaway, which certainly is a newer ship than Dawn, but found it a bit too large for us and the "freestyle" concept didn't seem to apply as much--when we sailed on her, we had to make reservations for shows--first time we ever had to do that on any ship. Personally, we found the pace on Dawn a bit more relaxed (again, just our opinion).

 

Good luck with your decision, whichever ship you choose. And have fun in Bermuda--such a lovely island!

[khaide612]

Why not look into a land vacation? That time of year it might not be that much different in price and you get to spend all your time in Bermuda versus the 3 days of the cruise and then all the sea days.

[Loreni]

If you decide on Breakaway you would be the only ship in port since Summit usually does the same run. Also an October sailing is not going to be as crowded as a summer sailing.

 

Just took my second Breakaway and I did not find it smokey anywhere but the casino.

 

The BA has the Waterfront which goes almost all the way around the ship and a part of that is outside seating for specialty dining. Shakers is the martini bar and is a great place to sit outside and have a drink.

 

Since you already like Anytime and do not want schedules Freestyle Dining on NCL would fit perfectly. They do have a version of Anytime on Royal though.

 

There is a coffee bar on the BA but it pales in comparison to the IC on Princess. You have to pay for snacks and they are from Carlo's and are not worth it IMO.

 

Thank you! This is very good information. I was just looking at Carlo's bakery. At first I was happy to see cannoli and Sfogliatelle, but then I noticed the cannoli were already filled (they can get soggy like this). I also learned that the Sfogliatelle were really "lobster tails" which are filled with cream rather than the ricotta/farina mixture I was hoping for. I don't think I would pay much for these. Is there no place then other than the buffet to get a free pastry!

[abe3]

I would not book the Breakaway. It is smokey. It does not have a nice walking promenade. There is not a nice shady area to sit. I have not sailed the Dawn.

 

 

That's a lie. It is not smokey. Has a nice outside walking area and you can find a nice shady spot on the ship.

Edited August 18, 2015 by abe3

[Loreni]

Why not look into a land vacation? That time of year it might not be that much different in price and you get to spend all your time in Bermuda versus the 3 days of the cruise and then all the sea days.

 

 

We haven't ruled this out, but like to avoid flying when we can.

[abe3]

We haven't ruled this out, but like to avoid flying when we can.

 

 

Bermuda is a great island and you will like the Breakaway. It is a fantastic ship with lots of options onboard.

[Loreni]

We have sailed on both NCL and Princess ships (including both Dawn and Breakaway)' date=' so we are aware of some of the differences between the two. Although the MDR/buffet food on NCL is usually fine/adequate for us, I would give the nod to Princess on this. We LOVE the International Cafe and MUTS, as well. However, as far as entertainment AND having a nice Promenade deck to stroll on, I would definitely prefer NCL. As another poster mentioned, the Breakaway would not probably not be to your liking if you want a walk-around promenade. Also, the casino area is extremely smoky and our impression was that the smoke carried over into other areas. The Dawn might fit your needs better, IMO. The Dawn departs Boston on Fri. for Bermuda and the Breakaway leaves NYC on Sun. for it's Bermuda run.

 

We did enjoy the Breakaway, which certainly is a newer ship than Dawn, but found it a bit too large for us and the "freestyle" concept didn't seem to apply as much--when we sailed on her, we had to make reservations for shows--first time we ever had to do that on any ship. Personally, we found the pace on Dawn a bit more relaxed (again, just our opinion).

 

Good luck with your decision, whichever ship you choose. And have fun in Bermuda--such a lovely island![/quote']

 

Thank you. I was just watching a YouTube of the Dawn and it looked very nice.

[mizLORInj]

Our first time to Bermuda was Explorer of the Seas, and we've gone back on Summit, Breakaway, and Explorer again. I do like Celebrity, but not particularly the Summit; it's quite old.

 

I find all ships to be smoky near the casino. Just the way it is. I don't hang out near the casino.

 

We're going again on Breakaway.

 

Princess does have beautiful ships.

 

Yes, I know I've been no help! LOL I'd go on any of them.

Edited August 18, 2015 by mizlorinj

[Lancer1568]

We look forward to and appreciate your insight.

 

We visited Bermuda for a day on a Princess cruise and want to spend more time there. Princess visits Bermuda very rarely and only for a day. Celebrity, NCL, and RCCL all offer visits of two or, usually, 3 days in Bermuda. We don't know which (if any) to try. Celebrity Summit seems most similar to Princess. However, we are thinking of going this October, if we can make it work. This only leaves Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Dawn, and Liberty of the Seas.

 

We have cruised Princess exclusively and for the last 10 years. We have enjoyed ships of various sizes (Pacific, Dawn, Island, Sapphire/Diamond). We have special dietary needs and usually select Anytime Dining, with a table for two. Often we will request the same table at the same time each night. We rarely attend the shows in the main theater, but we might attend them more often if they were better. Usually, we just relax after dinner. Maybe take a stroll on the outdoor Promenade.

 

We love the International Cafe. MUTs is OK in the evening for a movie. We do not spend anytime at the pool or sunbathing. We like to sit on the shady promenade. We also like to walk on the promenade several times a day; this is an important feature for us.

 

Our concerns are that the ships that we are considering offer features we don't really care about, perhaps at the expense of those we do enjoy. We are also very concerned about the food quality. I have been looking at as many pictures of the food as I can and it seems we may need to pay extra for the same quality of food that is included on Princess. Of course, if the base price is lower, maybe it doesn't matter. We don't like lots of schedules on a vacation and would not want to worry a lot about reserving restaurants and shows. We don't drink, so drink packages are not important. We don't gamble, so the casino size/quality is not important to us, unless a lot smoke drifts from it into areas of the ship we want to spend time in. We will probably book an inside initially so we are not risking as much on a cruise line that isn't a good match for us. (We usually book mini suites on Princess, but the new furniture is so uncomfortable that we may rethink this in the future.)

 

We really loved Bermuda and would like to return, but are not sure if we will like cruising on either NCL or RCCL. We would appreciate any guidance you can offer. We are willing to try a new style of cruising to see if we like it.

We have cruised more on Princess than any other line (9 times so far) but have cruised Norwegian 3 times (our last three cruises) and have absolutely loved Norwegian. We found the entertainment to be better and loved dining at all of the different specialty restaurants. My advice is just budget in the dining package if you don't get it as part of the booking promo. Have fun.

[richg35]

Just wondering - were you planning to visit Bermuda to spend time at the beach? If so, October will be on the cool side for that. I know there are other things to do, but just wanted to mention that. It's also rainy season.

[Loreni]

Just wondering - were you planning to visit Bermuda to spend time at the beach? If so, October will be on the cool side for that. I know there are other things to do, but just wanted to mention that. It's also rainy season.

 

Yes. I was there in April and went in the water. For me, it was cool but still OK. I checked the water temperature for October and it looked OK, but I didn't think about the rain. This is an important consideration. Thank you for making me aware of it.

[hypercafe]

We have sailed all the lines you mention and gone to Bermuda many times by sea from NY. I would recommend the Dawn. Has very nice MDR's using the freestyle concept along with some very good other included and surcharge restaurants along with a very nice promenade to sit or walk on. We have taken the Breakaway and it was way to crowded for me, dinner time was especially nuts at the included restaurants. The casino does spew smoke onto the inside plaza making the outside sitting area of La Bistro poor IMO. The pool deck is a water park. I do like the RCL ship from Bayonne as I found the buffet area to be very small for the size ship, very hard to get a seat and enjoy anything. They keep announcing hurry up and leave so others may sit. Really the best fit is the Summit however as you know it is in Canada when you want to go. Have a great trip on what ever ship you choose.

[Linda the Book Lover]

We prefer the mid size ship so the Dawn would be my pick. We sailed on her sister ship the Star and it was easy to navigate and relaxing. October will be around the high 70's and 80's so if the cooler temperatures are fine with you then it would work.

 

My DSD has allergies and special dietary needs which were accommodated every time on the Star. Food of course is subjective so it is hard to say if the meals will meet Princess as it has been a long time since we sailed on Princess.

 

Which ever ship you choose I hope you enjoy your time in Bermuda.