Bermuda Cruise Questions - October

[kstetser]

We are looking at a 5-night Bermuda cruise out of NYC next month.   Have sailed from NYC, but never been to Bermuda and have a few questions:

1) Typically, how rough is the water getting from NYC to the Island?

2) What is there to do in Bermuda in mid-October? Weather looks to be in the mid- to upper-70s.

3) We like to go to the beach (probably too cool) and hiking, nature trails, dining.   Not into gambling and shopping really doesn't have much appeal (maybe if there are discount designer purses!).     

4) We prefer to do things on our own and not be herded on tours. Is renting a car easy, reasonable, recommended?   What can you walk to from port?  

 

Thank you!

Kathi
 

[CleverUserNameHere]

8 minutes ago, kstetser said:

We are looking at a 5-night Bermuda cruise out of NYC next month.   Have sailed from NYC, but never been to Bermuda and have a few questions:

1) Typically, how rough is the water getting from NYC to the Island?

2) What is there to do in Bermuda in mid-October? Weather looks to be in the mid- to upper-70s.

3) We like to go to the beach (probably too cool) and hiking, nature trails, dining.   Not into gambling and shopping really doesn't have much appeal (maybe if there are discount designer purses!).     

4) We prefer to do things on our own and not be herded on tours. Is renting a car easy, reasonable, recommended?   What can you walk to from port?  

 

Thank you!

Kathi
 

 

1) We are going to Bermuda leaving on October 16th, we have been during that time once before and had fairly smooth sailing (Anthem of the Seas). The last day back you could definitely feel some swells but it was nothing unbearable, just rougher than the Caribbean. We went twice in May, one sailing was crazy 9-10 foot swells (Celebrity Summit), the other I never felt the ship move once (Norwegian Joy).

 

2&3) Weather is permissible for swimming, but the water is not nearly as warm as it is in the Caribbean. We've been swimming in May and October. You won't find a huge shopping district like in other ports (definitely no designer stores), but there is the Clock Tower Mall where you will find local stores and artisans. There is a TON of military history in Bermuda and the history of the island in general is super interesting, you could easily spend half a day at the National Museum of Bermuda exploring the fort and old commissioner's house. We love making the trip to the Aquarium and Natural History Museum located a short way out of the capital Hamilton. St Georges is a gorgeous sleepy town with shops and restaurants and lots of history.

 

4) Renting a car is definitely NOT easy or necessarily recommended. Bermudians are only allowed one car per household and they drive on the wrong side of the road! You can, however rent small 1-2 person covered electric cars but we prefer to use the public transportation. You can easily catch a ferry from the dock to Hamilton or St. George's (although the public ferry is currently not going to St George's, Norwegian has a private ferry that goes back and forth). You can buy an unlimited bus/ferry pass for the 1-3 days you're docked there. The busses are clean, fairly reliable, and it's very difficult to get lost on that island because it's so small!

 

This will be our 4th cruise there and it is our favorite place to cruise to by far! The people are so friendly, everyone speaks English, they accept US dollars at a 1-1 exchange rate, crime rate is extremely low. It's the best, enjoy 🙂

[CleverUserNameHere]

I forgot to mention that taxis are a easy and reliable way to get around the island. We've also never taken any tours or excursions through the cruise line there because we like to explore ourselves.

 

Definitely don't miss out on the Crystal Caves too!

[princeton123211]

3 hours ago, CleverUserNameHere said:

Renting a car is definitely NOT easy or necessarily recommended. Bermudians are only allowed one car per household and they drive on the wrong side of the road!

It's not even an option-- there are no rental cars allowed on the island. 

[angalyse]

Mopeds are a great option for 200 bucks for 3 days and you park it right at the ship.  Renting an electric car is about 200 a day.  I highly recommend you make a reservation for the rental car and then you have to pre pay.  You park it overnight at a charging station a block away from the ship.  Check out Oleander Cycles on the web  The   CAR RENTAL vehicle is called the "Tazzari"

 

Dont believe all the horror stories on renting a moped, usually from folks who never tried it.

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, angalyse said:

Dont believe all the horror stories on renting a moped, usually from folks who never tried it.

That's a misrepresentation-- accidents with visitors are frequent and quite often unpleasant. The scooters they rent you are vastly underpowered and most traffic zips around you because you cant keep up with the local's vehicles-- no one actually obeys the speed limit. 
 

Accidents are only amplified if theres rain. I've done it before and would never do it again. The last cruise we took down there we had a passenger end up in the ICU. 

 

The Twizy electric rentals are much safer but they are super uncomfortable for the second passenger who has to squeeze into a tiny space in the back. 

[angalyse]

Kstetser, 

    The rental electric cars now have side by side seating.  A/c power windows, the works.  Sounds like old info people giving ya.  If you do the mopeds there in no were you cant go with them.  Not sure what Circa the other poster is referring but they are not underpowered and very reliable.   I agree riding in the rain is not fun and oh dont fly a kite in a lightning storm

 

Explore

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, angalyse said:

Dont believe all the horror stories on renting a moped, usually from folks who never tried it.

I have seen cruise passengers with scrapes and splints. I have a friend who broke her pelvis. I have observed near misses. Tourists  looking the wrong way. I read the Bermuda Royal Gazette and read news articles about tragic accidents involving tourists. I don't have to try it to know that riding a moped in Bermuda with their narrow winding roads with no shoulders, congestion and where they drive on the other side is risky. I have seen no reason to ruin my vacation by trying it. There are plenty of safer options. Taxis, minisbuses and the public buses and ferries. 

[Charles4515]

47 minutes ago, angalyse said:

The rental electric cars now have side by side seating.  A/c power windows, the works.  Sounds like old info people giving ya. 

There are now different 2 seat electric vehicles for rent. The Twizy's which are still available don't have side by side seating, AC or power windows. There are now a few other options with side by side seating etc. 

Edited September 17, 2022 by Charles4515

[princeton123211]

14 hours ago, angalyse said:

Not sure what Circa the other poster is referring but they are not underpowered and very reliable.

Not sure where you are getting your info from but rental mopeds in Bermuda are governed for speed and are required to be a much lower 50cc than standard mopeds/scooters used by locals which are more like 150cc. It's almost like a game the locals play going around you tightly on the road. 

[CleverUserNameHere]

On 9/16/2022 at 4:57 PM, angalyse said:

Mopeds are a great option for 200 bucks for 3 days and you park it right at the ship.  Renting an electric car is about 200 a day.  I highly recommend you make a reservation for the rental car and then you have to pre pay.  You park it overnight at a charging station a block away from the ship.  Check out Oleander Cycles on the web  The   CAR RENTAL vehicle is called the "Tazzari"

 

Dont believe all the horror stories on renting a moped, usually from folks who never tried it.

 

We were specifically advised against renting a moped by the cruise line the first time we went to Bermuda. If you have no prior experience driving a moped, Bermuda is NOT the place to try it.

[KiddieKruzer]

I don’t believe there are casinos in Bermuda (you’re good there) and as far as cheap knock- off purses- this isn’t your typical Caribbean port. 

[princeton123211]

47 minutes ago, KiddieKruzer said:

I don’t believe there are casinos in Bermuda (you’re good there)

A first for the island casino is supposedly going to open sometime soon at the new St Regis resort-- it wasn't open when we were there last.