Bermuda April 2025 major itinerary change

[CJANDH]

Just received an email from Oceania telling me that our cruise to Bermuda next April has been radically changed. We were to have had two nights and three day in Bermuda. They have now changed it to one night anchored off Bermuda, arriving at 6 PM and departing at 3 PM the next day. This means virtually no time to explore Bermuda, the only reason for booking this cruise. They have extended the one night stop in Charleston to two nights, which offers us nothing as we live in South Carolina just down the road from Charleston. We have cancelled and expect many more will too.

[Charles4515]

17 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

Just received an email from Oceania telling me that our cruise to Bermuda next April has been radically changed. We were to have had two nights and three day in Bermuda. They have now changed it to one night anchored off Bermuda, arriving at 6 PM and departing at 3 PM the next day. This means virtually no time to explore Bermuda, the only reason for booking this cruise. They have extended the one night stop in Charleston to two nights, which offers us nothing as we live in South Carolina just down the road from Charleston. We have cancelled and expect many more will too.

Anchoring and tendering off Bermuda is radical and it would be the pits. I think you made the right decision canceling. 

[jonthomas]

We have been to bermuda several times, on celeb ships.

I don't understand why it has become so difficult on an O ship,unless the smaller ships just can't handle the challenges.

Yes would cancel too.

[fizzy]

Would anyone have a guess as to whether the Bermuda cruises out of ny later in the season of 25 will be rerouted also?

[osandomir]

4 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Just received an email from Oceania telling me that our cruise to Bermuda next April has been radically changed. We were to have had two nights and three day in Bermuda. They have now changed it to one night anchored off Bermuda, arriving at 6 PM and departing at 3 PM the next day. This means virtually no time to explore Bermuda, the only reason for booking this cruise. They have extended the one night stop in Charleston to two nights, which offers us nothing as we live in South Carolina just down the road from Charleston. We have cancelled and expect many more will too.

That’s a significant change. You have all rights to be upset. Sorry that you had to cancel after planning a great vacation for you. I’m wondering if Oceania still penalised you for canceling after such a change of the itinerary.

[PeggyCTB]

We, too, are booked on this cruise. I wonder if the 6:00 pm arrival is a misprint. When I checked excursions for that day they listed those leaving all day. Honestly I have not had time to check with Oceania today. Has anyone looked into this?

[CJANDH]

16 hours ago, osandomir said:

That’s a significant change. You have all rights to be upset. Sorry that you had to cancel after planning a great vacation for you. I’m wondering if Oceania still penalised you for canceling after such a change of the itinerary.

Of course they did. But the $300 was worth it to get out of a dreadful cruise.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

45 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

Of course they did. But the $300 was worth it to get out of a dreadful cruise.

Well that doesn’t seem right.  I know they are within the boundaries of their fine print but really?  Were they open to moving that money to another already booked sailing (if you had one) or to a new sailing?  That’s a nontrivial change in itinerary.  

[CJANDH]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Well that doesn’t seem right.  I know they are within the boundaries of their fine print but really?  Were they open to moving that money to another already booked sailing (if you had one) or to a new sailing?  That’s a nontrivial change in itinerary.  

I didn't push it. I don't have any future Oceania cruise booked and after this, probably will not book with them again.

[pinotlover]

Bermuda is such a delightful place to visit. Easy to fly into from the Ststes without the vulgarities of any cruise line. The only reason to take a ( maybe) cruise there is because you really just want to sit on a ship, and Bermuda really doesn’t interest you.

[Charles4515]

4 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Bermuda is such a delightful place to visit. Easy to fly into from the Ststes without the vulgarities of any cruise line. The only reason to take a ( maybe) cruise there is because you really just want to sit on a ship, and Bermuda really doesn’t interest you.

The cruise OP booked ends in Bermuda but is not a Bermuda cruise per se. Seems to be billed as an Atlantic sailing it had a port stop in the middle and then ended in Bermuda or went on to Europe. Seems like it was a transatlantic with an option to end in Bermuda. If they were interested in Bermuda they could have debarked in Bermuda and stayed a few days and flew back. That is what I would have done. I would not have minded the extra time in Charleston. 

[CJANDH]

3 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

The cruise OP booked ends in Bermuda but is not a Bermuda cruise per se. Seems to be billed as an Atlantic sailing it had a port stop in the middle and then ended in Bermuda or went on to Europe. Seems like it was a transatlantic with an option to end in Bermuda. If they were interested in Bermuda they could have debarked in Bermuda and stayed a few days and flew back. That is what I would have done. I would not have minded the extra time in Charleston. 

Actually the cruise was Miami to Miami embarking April 19, 2025.

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

Actually the cruise was Miami to Miami embarking April 19, 2025.

All the possible legs are confusing, I didn’t notice that option but I would have done the longer leg that ended in Bermuda. Because I am interested in Bermuda. I can understand since you live near Charleston that the revised itinerary where they screwed up the port stop in between didn’t interest you but ending in Bermuda would have been the best of both worlds to me. I might check the prices for the Miami to Bermuda cruise. 

[pilgrimage]

The updated itinerary is actually closer to the original published one, which had Key West (a plus for us), although I'd rather have the extra day in Bermuda than Charleston.  The 6pm arrival is weird, though.

 

 

[MisterBill99]

Unfortunate that they're going to be at the dockyard rather than Hamilton and/or St. George, like they did with Insignia. I'm assuming that Vista is too large to dock there. Presumably they got bumped from being able to dock at the dockyard by NCL/Royal/Celebrity.

Edited August 30 by MisterBill99

[CurlerRob]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

... The only reason to take a ( maybe) cruise there is because you really just want to sit on a ship, and Bermuda really doesn’t interest you.

 

I find this statement both inaccurate and truly puzzling.

 

 

In our experiences - a relaxing day or two at sea to reach the island. A very scenic approach to either / both Hamilton and St. George's. Docked at either location puts the island at your fingertips by public transit, ferry or taxi. A relaxing sail back or away to the next port.

 

And yes, we have visited multiple times by both air and sea. Either way is delightful. 🍺🥌

[pinotlover]

8 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

 

I find this statement both inaccurate and truly puzzling.

 

 

In our experiences - a relaxing day or two at sea to reach the island. A very scenic approach to either / both Hamilton and St. George's. Docked at either location puts the island at your fingertips by public transit, ferry or taxi. A relaxing sail back or away to the next port.

 

And yes, we have visited multiple times by both air and sea. Either way is delightful. 🍺🥌

To put it in perspective, you need to read many of the posts saying their cruise(s) didn’t make Bermuda for a variety of reasons. I would likewise recommend to anyone that truly wanted to visit the Falklands to do so by air. While some, possibly such as yourself, may talk about the delightful relaxing cruise out to the Falklands, most don’t make it.

 

Some places and/or islands are more practically visited by cruise ship. Bermuda can be easily reached by air . They have great resorts and wonderful restaurants ashore. Ship accommodations aren’t required. Therefore, I still believe that if visiting Bermuda is a goal, doing so by air is the best choice. If you’re mostly after the cruise, then take your chances on getting there.

[Charles4515]

20 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

To put it in perspective, you need to read many of the posts saying their cruise(s) didn’t make Bermuda for a variety of reasons. I would likewise recommend to anyone that truly wanted to visit the Falklands to do so by air. While some, possibly such as yourself, may talk about the delightful relaxing cruise out to the Falklands, most don’t make it.

 

Some places and/or islands are more practically visited by cruise ship. Bermuda can be easily reached by air . They have great resorts and wonderful restaurants ashore. Ship accommodations aren’t required. Therefore, I still believe that if visiting Bermuda is a goal, doing so by air is the best choice. If you’re mostly after the cruise, then take your chances on getting there.

I have been to Bermuda many times, like it and pay attention to what is happening there. I read their  local media. I watch the Bermuda port cam often. The chances of getting to Bermuda by cruise are very high. Most scheduled cruises do get to Bermuda. The few that don’t are off season winter sailings between January and March one day port stops off of transatlantic crossings in the off season. A few miss during hurricane season. I have booked 17 cruises to Bermuda since 2000 and we got there every time. 

[CJANDH]

But I bet none of them scheduled a one night stop at anchor. You cannot see much of Bermuda in one short day.

[iowananny]

I called our travel agent just a while ago to book this cruise.  We've been to Bermuda before and have really enjoyed the island, but we really want to visit Charleston and Key West.  It seemed like a good cruise for us.  And the price was right.  After looking at the prices posted here we're going to spend about a thousand less per person for a PH than what was on the picture we saw on this site.  We've never had a PH before so we're looking forward to it.  Don't know what I'll do with a butler, but I think we'll enjoy the extra space.  I can tell you one thing; he's not going to be unpacking my underwear.

 

We'll have very little time in Bermuda, but my husband says he'll be happy just to take the ferry to Hamilton and have a Dark and Stormy at the bar we visited the last time we were there.

 

This is good itinerary for us at a good price.  For those who want to visit Bermuda it's not so good.  Sometimes things that don't work for one, work for another.  

[jonthomas]

11 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

Unfortunate that they're going to be at the dockyard rather than Hamilton and/or St. George, like they did with Insignia. I'm assuming that Vista is too large to dock there. Presumably they got bumped from being able to dock at the dockyard by NCL/Royal/Celebrity.

 

Nope we have docked at both with Celebrity and their ships are bigger than the Vista.

[jonthomas]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

I have been to Bermuda many times, like it and pay attention to what is happening there. I read their  local media. I watch the Bermuda port cam often. The chances of getting to Bermuda by cruise are very high. Most scheduled cruises do get to Bermuda. The few that don’t are off season winter sailings between January and March one day port stops off of transatlantic crossings in the off season. A few miss during hurricane season. I have booked 17 cruises to Bermuda since 2000 and we got there every time. 

 

with Oceania?

[Charles4515]

25 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

 

with Oceania?

I went one time with Oceania. Insignia can dock at St. George and Hamilton and we did both. Overnights at both. That is the best Bermuda itinerary. It appears Vista is too large for Hamilton and St. George and must dock at the Dockyard where the large ships have to dock. 

[Charles4515]

32 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

 

Nope we have docked at both with Celebrity and their ships are bigger than the Vista.

Celebrity no longer has any ships small enough to dock at Hamilton or St. George. They are gone from their fleet. They can only dock at the Dockyard. 

[Charles4515]

40 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

But I bet none of them scheduled a one night stop at anchor. You cannot see much of Bermuda in one short day.

I had one Holland America cruise that was scheduled to dock at Hamilton and St. George but it was changed to dock at Hamilton and anchor at St George because Holland America added some aft cabins in a dry dock after I booked that made the draft to much to do St. George. So we were supposed to anchor. So many problems anchoring that by my sailing the scrubbed the anchoring and we docked in Hamilton three and a half days. They gave us free ferry passes to use if we wanted to visit St George.