When will Holland America go back to Bermuda?

[mightycruisequeen]

Just did a search for a cruise to Bermuda, and see that HAL doesn't have any sailings scheduled to go there?

Anyone know if & when Holland America plans to go back to Bermuda?

[Mary229]

My fall 2024 transatlantic is stopping in Bermuda .  You can search by port of call

Edited June 17, 2023 by Mary229

[Charles4515]

42 minutes ago, mightycruisequeen said:

Just did a search for a cruise to Bermuda, and see that HAL doesn't have any sailings scheduled to go there?

Anyone know if & when Holland America plans to go back to Bermuda?

HAL stopped going to Bermuda regularly years ago and has not announced any plans to return. There may be a few irregular calls off of transatlantic sailings. There are plenty of regular sailings available on Celebrity, NCL, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival if you want to cruise to Bermuda. 

[mightycruisequeen]

Thanks for your responses, but I'm wondering if & when there will be regularly scheduled cruises specifically to Bermuda specifically on Holland America. 

[CruiserBruce]

Given HAL is down 4 ships, something has to give, but as mentioned,  they had seriously decreased their interest in Bermuda before Covid.

[Mary229]

Here is the complete list, searched by King Wharf

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise.html#{!tag=portsTag}portsOfCall=KWB&soldOut=false&start=0

[sansterre]

Without the small ships, sadly HAL won't be able to dock in town.

They will be in competition with the mega ships for the out-of-town docks.

[fox02554]

we're on a round trip out of boston 10/24 that stops in Bermuda 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, mightycruisequeen said:

Thanks for your responses, but I'm wondering if & when there will be regularly scheduled cruises specifically to Bermuda specifically on Holland America. 

There won't be any in the foreseable future. There are only two berths at the Royal Naval Dockyard. NCL Holdings and the Royal Caribbean Group have contracts with Bermuda. The other cruise lines don't and get any leftovers. NCL and Royal have made large investments, they contributed to the second dock and Royal paid for dredging of the channel so Quantum class ships could dock. NCL bought a ferry for it's passengers to get from the Dockyard to St. George and Bermuda loves that as they don't have to add more ferry service. 

 

The last time Holland America went to Bermuda it was semi regular to Hamilton. about 6 to 8 sailings for a few years. I went twice on Veendam which waa small enough to dock in Hamiton. HAL discontinued those sailings without bothering to inform Bermuda. Kind of rude.They were mad at Bermuda because Bermuda would not allow the casinos to remain open in port which ironically it is now allowed. Veendam has been sold. 

 

So there will be some irregular sailings but there won't be regularly scheduled cruises.

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Charles4515

[HappyInVan]

Yes, Bermuda sits out there alone in the North Atlantic. So, its a convenient stop on the TA route, or enroute to the Caribbean. Don't expect any 7-Day itineraries to include Bermuda.

 

IMHO, HAL's ships have gotten too big. Even the Noordam has lost the Santa Barbara and Monterey stops.

[JeffElizabeth]

In March 2022, we were on a Oceania cruise that was scheduled to stop at Bermuda, but their Covid-19 restrictions were too draconian so the ship went to their private island in the Bahamas instead. 

[BermudaBound2014]

5 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

IMHO, HAL's ships have gotten too big. Even the Noordam has lost the Santa Barbara and Monterey stops.

 

  

Hal's ships are not too big for Bermuda. Even HAL's biggest ships ships (Pinnacle class) are only 100,000 GT which is pretty 'medium' by today's standards.

 

NCL's away class stops in Bermuda and they are much bigger at 150,000 G/T.

[KAKcruiser]

I have been wishing for a round trip Bermuda trip from Fort Lauderdale.  Celebrity had one years ago that went to Bermuda and then Norfolk and Charleston.  At least it would be something different.

[Charles4515]

3 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

  

Hal's ships are not too big for Bermuda. Even HAL's biggest ships ships (Pinnacle class) are only 100,000 GT which is pretty 'medium' by today's standards.

 

NCL's away class stops in Bermuda and they are much bigger at 150,000 G/T.

Yes, HAL could go to the Dockyard. It is a busness decison by both Bermuda and HAL that they don't currently go regularly. Someday that could change but there has been no indication that it will. Cruise lines don't make public their future plans until they have something to announce. The question OP is asking is impossible to answer. 

[HappyInVan]

49 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

  

Hal's ships are not too big for Bermuda. Even HAL's biggest ships ships (Pinnacle class) are only 100,000 GT which is pretty 'medium' by today's standards.

 

NCL's away class stops in Bermuda and they are much bigger at 150,000 G/T.

 

See sansterre's comments in Post 7, and charles4515 in post 9. Limited docks in Kings Wharf for the large ships, and too large for the town dock.

 

It is what it is. HAL assessed the situation, and declined to run a regular itinerary into Bermuda.

Edited June 17, 2023 by HappyInVan

[OlsSalt]

With the domination now by larger ships, the appeal of visiting  Bermuda just dropped 1000%. 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

With the domination now by larger ships, the appeal of visiting  Bermuda just dropped 1000%. 

Ironically larger ships is why I think cruise ships are wearing out their welcome at ports like Key West, Bar Harbor, Venice, Barcelona, Monterey and Santa Barbara and others. While they are good for some small businesses local residents get tired of the masses of one day visitors. 

[kazu]

6 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

The last time Holland America went to Bermuda it was semi regular to Hamilton. about 6 to 8 sailings for a few years. I went twice on Veendam which waa small enough to dock in Hamiton. 

 

Those were the days.  We stopped in downtown Hamilton on the P’dam on a couple of transatlantics.  The locals loved seeing the ship downtown.  There are still a few stops on TA’s but they are at Kings Wharf which is a whole different kettle of fish than downtown Hamilton IME.

 

 

5 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

In March 2022, we were on a Oceania cruise that was scheduled to stop at Bermuda, but their Covid-19 restrictions were too draconian so the ship went to their private island in the Bahamas instead. 

 

Interesting.  We too were barred from Bermuda on the O but due to the noro virus outbreak not covid.  We ended up in Nassau for 2 day.  Ugh

[RD64]

Holland America - Boston to Bermuda on the Veendam  (7 days) July 2017 - docked in Hamilton. Truly one of my favourite cruises of all time. If they offered this again( not the Dockyard), I would book this regardless of the price.

Edited June 17, 2023 by RD64
Spelling

[Vic The Parrot]

6 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

  

Hal's ships are not too big for Bermuda. 

 

 

I'm pretty sure Volendam and Zaandam are able to fit at the Front Street wharf. 

 

Their dimensions are the same as Veendam, but an extra 60ft or so.

 

Just wonder if they could squeeze thru Two Rock Passage ... 😵

[Charles4515]

27 minutes ago, Vic The Parrot said:

I'm pretty sure Volendam and Zaandam are able to fit at the Front Street wharf. 

 

Their dimensions are the same as Veendam, but an extra 60ft or so.

 

Just wonder if they could squeeze thru Two Rock Passage ... 😵

I don’t know but 60ft is a lot. There has to be clearance to make an 180 degree turn in Hamilton Harbour. Also draft makes a difference. 

[JeffElizabeth]

16 hours ago, Vic The Parrot said:

I'm pretty sure Volendam and Zaandam are able to fit at the Front Street wharf. 

 

Their dimensions are the same as Veendam, but an extra 60ft or so.

 

Just wonder if they could squeeze thru Two Rock Passage ... 😵

On the Prinsendam,  we got to dock in town. It was awesome just to walk around downtown. We ate at a second story restaurant right across from the ship. 

[Charles4515]

10 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

On the Prinsendam,  we got to dock in town. It was awesome just to walk around downtown. We ate at a second story restaurant right across from the ship. 

Probably Flanagans. I did the same a couple of years ago on Oceania. Oceania and Viking and a few other upscale cruie lines have a few sailings that dock in Hamilton. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The 2025 World Cruise goes. 

[hobo1937]

In 2015 we did back to back Panama Canal/Bermuda cruises from San Diego to Boston on the Veendam and sorry that itinerary is no more. I am from NJ and sailed from NYC to Bermuda with some friends in 1971 on a 7 day cruise, also docking in Hamilton. Actually, I had just met the guy who would become my husband a few months prior and he drove me to the pier and was able to come aboard prior to sailing. Those days are long gone too! Through the years I always told him how much I enjoyed Bermuda so when we had the chance to do the Veendam Cruise we jumped on it. He loved his visit there too. One evening we took a cab to Tom Moore's Tavern for dinner, which was a wonderful experience. It is the oldest restaurant in Bermuda, built in 1652.  Bermuda is so unique, not anything like the Caribbean Islands.