Cruise to Bermuda May or June, which cruise should we pick

[LB_NJ]

Looking to cruise to Bermuda in late May or early June next year on either Anthem (out of NJ, big ship) or Grandeur out of Baltimore (medium size ship).

 

We really don't care about the fancy bells and whistles of the Anthem.

 

What we care about is fewer teenagers. Decent food and a relaxing ship. Good shows. Never been on Royal however we liked a Princess cruise when the school was still on so not that many teenagers.

[FOXTROT]

May.

[papaflamingo]

You'll get a lot of opinions on this one. If you want relaxing, no bells or whistles, fewer kids, go with Grandeur. Anthem is much newer, way more bells and whistles, and more people. For me, I did Quantum and enjoyed it ok, but it was not for me. I love Vision Class ships (Grandeur is Vision Class). For me it's the type of cruising I enjoy. Not a lot of bells or whistles, but still enough to do. I love all the classes for different reasons, but I really like being on a cruise ship like Grandeur, not a floating amusement park.

[ATC cruiser]

Are you asking which ship, which month, or both?

[Cachecara]

Bermuda in May will be cooler than June for ocean temps etc. I’ve always done Bermuda via Celebrity.

[champagne123]

Bermuda in May will be cooler than June for ocean temps etc. I’ve always done Bermuda via Celebrity.

Agreed. OP look at Celebrity Summit as one of your options also. Fits the bill for what you are looking for.

[HappyCruiser54]

May can be beautiful or windy and rainy. I have gone in May and while we had a great time the weather was not very nice. It rained off and on all day and way very windy. I would do June on the Grandeur. Smaller ship but far less kids. Enjoy your cruise.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I have visited Bermuda from NJ and from Baltimore. I would select NJ if I did it again. From Baltimore the Grandeur has to slowly sail the Chesapeake Bay to get to the open ocean. [from NJ is a quicker trip] This results in shorter port times. The 5 day Grandeur itinerary is very poor for Bermuda. It arrives at 1:30pm and leaves at 2:30pm. From NJ you arrive at 9am and stay to 5pm. You have 2 full days in port.

 

If all you want is to enjoy sailing on a ship the Grandeur is fine. We have sailed on Grandeur more than any other ship and enjoy our cruises.

 

Your second question was about time of year. Bermuda is approximately the same latitude as North Carolina. While the Gulf Stream helps it stay warmer than the continental US, the water will still be cool in May. I would pick the latest time that fits into my schedule. Schools in the surrounding Md and Northern Virginia counties get out of school around the middle of June. I can not tell you anything about the PA, NJ, NY school schedules.

[Clarea]

My gut feel is that Grandeur and May would give you fewer children on board.

[LB_NJ]

Agreed. OP look at Celebrity Summit as one of your options also. Fits the bill for what you are looking for.

 

 

I would do Celebrity Summit except looking for a 5 day trip. I don't care about ocean temp (don't plan on swimming just sitting on the beach and a little sight seaing) however rain does matter.

 

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

[LB_NJ]

Are you asking which ship, which month, or both?

 

 

Both.

[LMaxwell]

the grandeur itinerary has limited port time which is the main reason for a Bermuda trip. If you are limited to 5 days I’d take Anthem in that case. If you have flexibility look at Celebrity or NCL, the 7 day cruise is still one week off of work, depending when a 5 day leaves it’s no more time away from work. As far as kids probably a wash depending when in June you go. NY and NJ schools don’t tend to let out until 3rd week of June, and Anthem has more amentities to keep the, busy and separate from adult areas.

 

I wonder why Royal doesn’t have 7 day trips?

[ariesknowbest]

Looking to cruise to Bermuda in late May or early June next year on either Anthem (out of NJ, big ship) or Grandeur out of Baltimore (medium size ship).

 

We really don't care about the fancy bells and whistles of the Anthem.

 

What we care about is fewer teenagers. Decent food and a relaxing ship. Good shows. Never been on Royal however we liked a Princess cruise when the school was still on so not that many teenagers.

 

 

Be aware that the water will be very cold in Bermuda in May.

[BLAMBKY]

Agreed. OP look at Celebrity Summit as one of your options also. Fits the bill for what you are looking for.

I DID Celebrity Summit to Bermuda mid June.....SO many teens that the club was not big enough to contain them. Sooooo, if that is something you want to avoid, May.

[andrew2346]

I have done both ships and also visited Bermuda 4 times. If you want fewer kids and don't care about B &W I would pick Grandeur hands down. That ship is so friendly and cozy. I was 40 at the time, plenty of other passengers the same age. You will have fewer kids for sure. I have 4 and would never take them on G...we went on A. Bermuda in May will most likely be too cold to swim AND they have had a serious portugese man o war issue on occastion earlier in the season. If the other option is early June I don't think in terms of temp it will matter. Usually the price of the cruise is considerable less late spring because that is not the peak time to visit. Hope this helps!

[julielouhoo]

I would chose the Anthem in May. I was just on it this past May and the cruise director said there were only 350 kids on board for our sailing. The Anthem has so many wonderful places to go, if the weather is not that great. The crew was the best I've ever sailed with. I absolutely loved the Anthem. I have sailed to Bermuda twice in May and both times it has been beautiful weather.

[KeywestK]

If you plan to visit one of Bermuda's beaches, opt for June. The water will still cool in May.

 

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[OCruisers]

May for less teens.

June for better beach weather.

[maryred]

Looking to cruise to Bermuda in late May or early June next year on either Anthem (out of NJ, big ship) or Grandeur out of Baltimore (medium size ship).

 

We really don't care about the fancy bells and whistles of the Anthem.

 

What we care about is fewer teenagers. Decent food and a relaxing ship. Good shows. Never been on Royal however we liked a Princess cruise when the school was still on so not that many teenagers.

IS what you will get from either port and ship (relatively to ship size) in May.

BUT as most of the regional colleges let out mid May or have graduations in early May you might not avoid the newly minted young adults cruising as a celebration, especially on a 5 day trip. Some NE departure cruises in May resemble Spring Break.

[cot427]

May! I've done Bermuda in both May and June and while the water is only slightly cooler in May (honestly), the weather was perfect! Maybe both May times were a fluke but had perfect weather there and less kids!

[Karma5]

May...............

[EeyoreFan1967]

My "kids" (20 somethings) and I sailed on Anthem to Bermuda last May (Memorial Day 2017). It was FABULOUS!! We didn't notice many kids or teens at all, mine felt like the youngest kids on the ship! We were surprised, too, because it was a holiday.

 

Honestly Anthem doesn't feel anything at all like an amusement park. Just avoid the Seaplex, and you will be fine. Entertainment on board is top-notch.

 

As for the weather, it's a matter of luck. We had one overcast day when we did some sightseeing in Saint Georges, and one gorgeous day at Horseshoe Bay. The water was plenty warm for swimming there. We encountered a rough storm on our sea day coming home, very high waves, but that can happen any time.

 

I've never done Grandeur, so can't compare, but can highly recommend Anthem.

[Luv2Crus40]

We usually do Celebrity Summit to Bermuda before the middle of may to avoid kids (This is a 7 day cruise though). Weather can be iffy in early May, but captain usually tries to find good weather on cruise. Bermuda you can't predict. We have been lucky to have great weather each time we went but ocean was cold. Also, there's not threat of a hurricane in early May. Since we only walk along the shore, not a problem for us. Summit is a great ship for a relaxing cruise. No bells and whistles but still lots to do - if you want to. WE don't - we just sit on deck 11 forward to relax (past the pool area where it's a little quieter) and enjoy the seas and sky during the day, and enjoy the ambiance of the main dining room and entertainment at night.

 

NOTE: you can book the room you want now and then watch for the promotions. Also, they usually drop prices significantly in March/April to get the ships filled.

 

We had a cruise booked for 9-2-18 to Bermuda this year but cancelled due to illness. Not too many kids this week because they're going back to school. The weather/ocean is much warmer but you might encounter hurricanes, etc.

Edited August 3, 2018 by Luv2Crus40
Change always to usually

[mjkacmom]

As a PP mentioned, schools in the area and New England end the end of June, colleges will get out mid May. Since this area is one of pricier areas to sail out of, I wouldn’t expect many kids in the beginning of June, especial teens with finals.

[Iamcruzin]

We have been to Bermuda 3 times in mid May. The weather was perfect. Although the water wasn't as warm as it was in the Caribbean it was still warmer than the Atlantic Ocean that breaks on the beaches of Long Island in July. The water here is still cold.