1st Time: How's this itinerary?

[DuncanLL]

This will be our 1st cruise to Bermuda. We'll be sailing on the Empress in September. We've sketched out a rough itinerary for our time in Bermuda and would love any seasoned Bermuda cruisers' opinions and/or suggestions...

 

(Monday)Arrive St. George 2pm --> Depart next day (Tuesday)7am:

 

We plan to explore ST. George on our own and take a ride on the Train Trolley Tour. We'd love to book this on our own, but haven't been able to find a way to do that. Ship excursion on the Trolley Train is either 2:30 or 4:00. We're thinking 4:00 since everything seems to close in St. George at 4:00.

 

Arrive Hamilton same day at 9am --> Depart (Thursday) 8am:

 

Day 1 in Hamilton we booked our own snorkeling excursion directly with Jesse James.

 

Day 2 we plan to take the ferry to the Dockyards and explore the area in the AM, then take a bus all the way back around to Horseshoe Bay for the afternoon. Back to the ship for something to eat and clean up, then into Hamilton for the street festival in the evening.

 

Anyone else do anything similar? Any other bus stops we should "not miss" on the way around from the Dockyards?

 

Thanks.

 

LD

[Keith1010]

I have been to Bermuda several times and you have prepared a nice itinerary. As I was reading through it I was saying to myself I hope they include Horeseshoe Bay and sure enough you did.

 

Have a wonderful time.

 

We have always enjoyed our visits to Bermuda.

 

Keith

[sgriff17]

What is there to do at the Dockyards?

[dolfinmusic]

Wow! Everything closes at 4pm in St. George??

[cdpteach]

You will love Bermuda! Sounds like a great itenirary! We just returned from the Empress last Saturday....my mom had tried to book the trolley ride while we were in Bermuda...they mentioned that the only way to book that excursion is through the ship...seems as if RCI has all the seats booked. Other excursions you can do on your own! If you have any other questions about the Empress...just ask!

[dolfinmusic]

You will love Bermuda! Sounds like a great itenirary! We just returned from the Empress last Saturday....my mom had tried to book the trolley ride while we were in Bermuda...they mentioned that the only way to book that excursion is through the ship...seems as if RCI has all the seats booked. Other excursions you can do on your own! If you have any other questions about the Empress...just ask!

 

 

The most important question (for me anyway) about the Empress - do they still have the chocolate buffet?? :D

[DuncanLL]

Thanks for the replies. Keep 'em coming! Did you go to the street festival in Hamilton? We're trying to figure out how to coordinate dinner on the ship and the festival. We have late seating and festival says it is from 7-10pm. What is a good time to get there? Dinner at the Windjammer buffet starts at 6:30...

 

This will be our first trip on Empress. How much does the Ben & Jerry's cost if you remember?

 

LD

[cdpteach]

I am not sure they did an all chocolate buffet....I never saw it in the Compass. They did do one Gala Buffet...I think on Thursday night. It was OK...I am not much for the late night eating...I eat enough during the day!!!!:eek:

We had late seating on the Empress as well. Dinner is at 8:30. We got ready for dinner, and then got off the ship at 7 in order to see the street festival in Hamilton. In my own opinion...the street fair was nothing spectacular. I love to look at crafts and stuff...but I wasn't really impressed. But it was interesting to walk around....we got back on the boat around 8:15, and made it for dinner....you should be able to as well.

We didn't have any of the Ben and Jerry's...we enjoyed the free ice cream that was offered on Deck 10 (near the Windjammer). I am not sure of the price....however, if you are a Crown and Anchor member, there is a coupon for Ben and Jerry's in the coupon book you get the first night. My husband did have a cappucino at the "Seattle's Best Coffee" place...I think it was about $3.00!

[Writeratsea]

This will be our 1st cruise to Bermuda. We'll be sailing on the Empress in September. We've sketched out a rough itinerary for our time in Bermuda and would love any seasoned Bermuda cruisers' opinions and/or suggestions...

 

(Monday)Arrive St. George 2pm --> Depart next day (Tuesday)7am:

 

We plan to explore ST. George on our own and take a ride on the Train Trolley Tour. We'd love to book this on our own, but haven't been able to find a way to do that. Ship excursion on the Trolley Train is either 2:30 or 4:00. We're thinking 4:00 since everything seems to close in St. George at 4:00.

 

Arrive Hamilton same day at 9am --> Depart (Thursday) 8am:

 

Day 1 in Hamilton we booked our own snorkeling excursion directly with Jesse James.

 

Day 2 we plan to take the ferry to the Dockyards and explore the area in the AM, then take a bus all the way back around to Horseshoe Bay for the afternoon. Back to the ship for something to eat and clean up, then into Hamilton for the street festival in the evening.

 

Anyone else do anything similar? Any other bus stops we should "not miss" on the way around from the Dockyards?

 

Thanks.

 

LD

If you like History, the Globe Hotel is about 100 feet from the ship. It was the headquarters during the civil war for the Confederate representative. It is now a museum and you can also make a copy of the official Confederate states seal. It does close at 4:30 PM though. A nice fort is St Catherine's with lots of exhibits and displays. Tobacco Bay near St. Catherine's is an excellent beach with shallow water for kids and lots of fish at the nearby reef for snorkling. There is a post office and next to that is an old fashioned drug store with plenty of interesting items (I think it was called Robertson's). The is a rum cake factory store and glass blowing shop. Both are the same as found in the dockyard. At night you could go to the Swizzle Inn, a great place to socialize and have a "few" rum swizzles. For your last day from the dockyards, you can parasail or try a tour with the Segway. If you didn't go to the Swizzle Inn Monday night, you could try the other version of the Swizzle Inn. They opened a sister restaurant just beyond Horseshoe Bay. Hopefully with the same atmosphere and feel. These are just a few suggestions and I hope they are helpful.:)