NCL has a permanent pink boat in Bermuda?

[fstuff1]

 

 

it looks like 3x the size of a life boat/tender.

i dont remember this when i was in bermuda a few years ago.

 

Edited May 15, 2019 by fstuff1

[njhorseman]

It's the free NCL ferry that runs between Dockyard and St. George. This is the third year for this service. The first year NCL chartered this ferry, then known as the Bo Hengy II . Then after that first season they actually bought the ferry, refurbished it, including repainting to the colors you see now, and renamed it Spirit Of St. George. It holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 passengers.

Edited May 15, 2019 by njhorseman

[graphicguy]

11 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

It's the free NCL ferry that runs between Dockyard and St. George. This is the third year for this service. The first year NCL chartered this ferry, then known as the Bo Hengy II . Then after that first season they actually bought the ferry, refurbished it, including repainting to the colors you see now, and renamed it Spirit Of St. George. It holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 passengers.

Cool!

[njhorseman]

Just now, graphicguy said:

Cool!

The ferry service was started as part of a 5 year agreement between NCLH and the government of Bermuda covering NCL's docking privileges and more frequent Bermuda  port calls by NCLH's  other lines, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas .

[fstuff1]

47 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

It's the free NCL ferry that runs between Dockyard and St. George. This is the third year for this service. The first year NCL chartered this ferry, then known as the Bo Hengy II . Then after that first season they actually bought the ferry, refurbished it, including repainting to the colors you see now, and renamed it Spirit Of St. George. It holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 passengers.

 

free???

that cant be right.

this is ncl...

 

would have expected at least charging $5 for an all day transfer pass

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

30 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

 

free???

that cant be right.

this is ncl...

 

would have expected at least charging $5 for an all day transfer pass

Shhhh! Don’t give them any ideas!!!! 🤣😂

[ggTexasGal]

11 minutes ago, Weluv2cruise2gether said:

Shhhh! Don’t give them any ideas!!!! 🤣😂

Probably already in the works to start charging.  So, stay tuned for further information 😉😉

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, fstuff1 said:

 

free???

that cant be right.

this is ncl...

 

would have expected at least charging $5 for an all day transfer pass

 

43 minutes ago, Weluv2cruise2gether said:

Shhhh! Don’t give them any ideas!!!! 🤣😂

 

30 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

Probably already in the works to start charging.  So, stay tuned for further information 😉😉

Sorry to disrupt your knee-jerk NCL "nickel and diming" rants, but I'm pretty sure it has to be free per the contract between NCLH and Bermuda. 

[TiiiSailor]

The cost of running the ferry to St. George is built into the cost of the cruise, as are any of the "free" perks offered.  Totally justified.  Otherwise they'd be out of business if they gave away all the extras.  

[shout19661966]

we were there may 8 and so was celebrity and they charge for there ferry to st george. at least its still free for ncl.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, shout19661966 said:

we were there may 8 and so was celebrity and they charge for there ferry to st george. at least its still free for ncl.

Celebrity doesn't have a ferry. You took the public ferry, which may be used by anyone for payment of the fare, whether a cruise passenger or not.

[shout19661966]

On 5/17/2019 at 1:49 PM, njhorseman said:

Celebrity doesn't have a ferry. You took the public ferry, which may be used by anyone for payment of the fare, whether a cruise passenger or not.

Maybe i didnt phrase it correctly. We took the free ferry from royal navy dockyard provided by NCL. According to passengers from celebrity  they have to pay for the ferry, she did say it was provided by celebrity but there is a charge.

Edited May 18, 2019 by shout19661966

[Son of a son of a ...]

I bash NCL ... a lot ... but, the ferry is great idea.  Good job, NCL.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, shout19661966 said:

Maybe i didnt phrase it correctly. We took the free ferry from royal navy dockyard provided by NCL. According to passengers from celebrity  they have to pay for the ferry, she did say it was provided by celebrity but there is a charge.

So you wee on NCL. From your original post I thought you were on Celebrity, but now I'm even more confused. You're saying Celebrity passengers were allowed to use the NCL ferry  (the pink boat pictured in the first post named Spirit Of St. George ) as long as they paid for it? Make payment whom? The NCL ferry isn't operated by the government of Bermuda. How would that work if the boat is filled? If an NCL passenger is at the end of the boarding line and the boat was full would they then make a Celebrity passenger get off? 

Edited May 18, 2019 by njhorseman

[TiiiSailor]

Are NCL and a Celebrity ever in Bermuda at the same time?  Corporate must have something worked out. 

[njhorseman]

6 hours ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

I bash NCL ... a lot ... but, the ferry is great idea.  Good job, NCL.

NCL is doing it because they have a contractual obligation, not out of the goodness of their corporate heart.

[njhorseman]

4 hours ago, TiiiSailor said:

Are NCL and a Celebrity ever in Bermuda at the same time?  Corporate must have something worked out. 

NCL Escape and Celebrity Summit are in port together 15 times from early May through early September. Similar schedules have been in place for many years. This is the third year the NCL ferry has been running and the first time I've heard of anything like this. It doesn't make sense for NCL to cede something that provides at least a theoretical marketing advantage.

[F27TW]

Groovy lookin boat!    I wanna ride that when we're in BDA in Sept on Escape.     Curious how long the ride is to St George.

 

And is there a ferry from Dockyard to Hamilton too?     We took the city bus last time :(

[njhorseman]

5 minutes ago, F27TW said:

Groovy lookin boat!    I wanna ride that when we're in BDA in Sept on Escape.     Curious how long the ride is to St George.

 

And is there a ferry from Dockyard to Hamilton too?     We took the city bus last time 😞

The ferry ride to St. George is about 45 minutes.

 

Yes, there's a public ferry to Hamilton too. It takes about 25 minutes. The full public ferry schedule can be found here:

http://www.marineandports.bm/Documents/Ferry/Summer Ferry Schedule 2019.pdf

 

Please note that the schedule for the free NCL ferry to St. George is not the same as the Orange Route public ferry to St. George listed in the above schedule. The schedule for the free ferry will be provided when you're on the ship.

[NateTheGreat99]

On 5/15/2019 at 4:48 PM, njhorseman said:

I know right people complain about everything. People need to get one the fact that Almost EVERY cruise line is moving away from the all inclusive market. 

 

Sorry to disrupt your knee-jerk NCL "nickel and diming" rants, but I'm pretty sure it has to be free per the contract between NCLH and Bermuda. 

 

[NateTheGreat99]

🙄 NCL is the one who fought to get a free ferry for their guests they could've easily let them take the public transportation and pay but they didn't do that

[ClevelandCruisin]

Very cool. Leaving June 2nd!!

[njhorseman]

9 hours ago, NateTheGreat99 said:

🙄 NCL is the one who fought to get a free ferry for their guests they could've easily let them take the public transportation and pay but they didn't do that

 NCL is required to provide a free ferry as part of its contract with the government of Bermuda. NCL passengers didn't have any free transportation until two years ago when the new contract came into effect. NCL passengers still pay to use the other ferry routes and the public buses.

 

NCL bought the ferry, paid to refurbish it, and pays to operate it. 

 

This isn't a case of NCL fighting for free transportation for its passengers, its a case of Bermuda requiring it as part of a contract.

[graphicguy]

7 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 NCL is required to provide a free ferry as part of its contract with the government of Bermuda. NCL passengers didn't have any free transportation until two years ago when the new contract came into effect. NCL passengers still pay to use the other ferry routes and the public buses.

 

NCL bought the ferry, paid to refurbish it, and pays to operate it. 

 

This isn't a case of NCL fighting for free transportation for its passengers, its a case of Bermuda requiring it as part of a contract.

Does it matter?  It’s still free for NCL passengers.  And, it’s a marketing advantage for NCL in Bermuda.

[njhorseman]

Just now, graphicguy said:

Does it matter?  It’s still free for NCL passengers.  And, it’s a marketing advantage for NCL in Bermuda.

For someone to say that NCL passengers are getting "something for nothing"  by suggesting that it's the government of Bermuda providing the service because NCL insisted on it is just flat-out wrong. Because NCL is paying for it, you. the NCL passengers, are paying for it. The cost of operating the ferry is built into your cruise fare.