ncl-bermuda

[lallx4]

Booked our 1st NCL cruise out Boston to Bermuda 7/1/07. Does anyone have any info on this cruise? Have been on several Royal Caribbean cruises and loved them. I know the majesty is alot smaller but wanted to try something different. We can't wait.

 

Lallx4

[pathubia]

We are taking this cruise for the 5th time in August. As you can tell, we love it....So much that I was married on the ship in 2005!!

 

The Majesty is a small ship, but lots of fun. Check out the deck parties while in Bermuda, they are a blast.

 

We start our vacation the minute the limo picks us up and we end it when it drops us off back at home. We usually get to the pier at 11:30 -12, check out the cabin and hit the top deck until muster drill time.

 

Not sure if they are offering the same shows, but the Not So Newlywed Show is a riot. For me, bingo is a rip off, (only cause I have never won, LOL)..

 

Are you from the Boston area? Each time we have cruised I have met people I know.....

[lallx4]

We are from New Hampshire, but grew up in Woburn. What is the best beach in Bermuda? That is what we love to do while on vacation. Give us any info on what and what not to do there.

 

Thanks,

Lallx4

[pathubia]

Horseshoe Bay is the best in my opinion. Its not close by, its a 2 buses away or about a $25 taxi ride (if I am remembering correctly)....St Catherines is a nice sandy beach within walking distance (we have never walked, I think its about $5 by taxi....Right behind St Catherines is Tobacco Bay....Gets very crowded, but has GREAT snorkleing!! There is a big rock there that all the teens and some brave adults jump off into the water. All 3 have changing areas and snack bars. There is a shuttle bus that takes you from St George to Tobacco Bay, I cant remember how much that costs. Its a short walk, but up hill!! We may check out 2 new beaches this year, Achilles Bay which is near St Catherines and Church Bay which I think is near the airport.

[ZoneHPH]

in addition to beaches...you have the luxury of booking your on excursions separate from NCL. being on shore for a couple nights really helps you save a few dollars in this area. that's my advice.

[BeachMartini]

in addition to beaches...you have the luxury of booking your on excursions separate from NCL. being on shore for a couple nights really helps you save a few dollars in this area. that's my advice.

 

Can I book the excursions once I get to Bermuda? Or, should I do it now from home? I know we want to do a snorkeling trip for sure. Any suggestions? Do you suggest any other excusions?

 

We leave on August 5... can't wait!:)

[pathubia]

The only excursion I have taken through the ship is the Turtle Bay Catarmaran cruise. That was great. I have booked everything else myself.

 

Patty

[ZoneHPH]

you can search the forum for Ports of Call...and look for bermuda. should be lots of tips.

 

you can also google for the main page for bermuda tourism and see what tours are highlighted there.

[Dolphins]

Bermuda is our favorite port of call because it is so easy to get around and see the sights on your own without having to book excursions. If you like to snorkel, I would make an exception for the Turtle Bay Catamaran Cruise, well worth it. As for beaches, Shelly Bay Beach is a short bus ride away. Good place to go when the south shore is windy and rough. Enjoy Bermuda and the fact that you are not docking at King's Wharf.

[pathubia]

One really fun thing we tried for the 1st time last year was jet skiing...They have a jet ski tour right outside the ship at the White Horse and my husband and I shared a jet ski for two...

 

Fun!!

[angeljt]

Booked our 1st NCL cruise out Boston to Bermuda 7/1/07. Does anyone have any info on this cruise? Have been on several Royal Caribbean cruises and loved them. I know the majesty is alot smaller but wanted to try something different. We can't wait.

 

Lallx4

 

Hey Sharon!

Glad to see you've joined the CC boards. You'll find so much great info and plenty of nice people willing to share their secrets. :D

It sure is going to be a lot different from RC, but I think you'll enjoy it. It's a much more relaxing cruise than others we've been on, with the 3 1/2 days in Bermuda. I sure wish we could go too!!! :(

I believe Achilles Bay is where I loaded up on beach glass. It's very small, but very private with few people there when we went. Every beach we went to was beautiful.

Are the honeymooners home? Did they have a great time on their cruise and in CA?

Big hugs to all.....

Jackie

 

[ddoll]

Helmet diving (or Bell diving) is a great excursion to try in Bermuda. Lots of fun and unique to Bermuda.

[Tomct]

Booked our 1st NCL cruise out Boston to Bermuda 7/1/07. Does anyone have any info on this cruise? Have been on several Royal Caribbean cruises and loved them. I know the majesty is alot smaller but wanted to try something different. We can't wait.

 

Lallx4

 

As six time NCL cruisers, our one experience on a smaller ship was the Majesty in 2005 out of Boston. We had a family group of 15 and everyone had a great time.

 

As for beaches, in addition to two of them nearby, walking or shuttle distance, we had recommendations for two beaches that we enjoyed immensely. One was from a taxi owner who pointed it out to us on a 4 hour tour we took, it's called Clearwater Beach and is not too far from the ship. It's built on a former US Army base, is on a cove that empties into the ocean not far from the inlet the ship takes, has a snack bar and playground for the kids, and we spent a great afternoon there, very quiet.

 

Our grandkids wanted to see pink sand, and Horseshoe Bay was a lengthy trip, so we took them to the local Zoo/Aquarium which is located very close to St. John's Bay. The beach is protected by a reef, and was again terrific for the kids. It's a spot frequented mostly by locals, but recommended to us by a couple of servers on board the Majesty. I believe both the zoo and beach are on the bus route, though we found the taxis much more convenient for a vacation schedule.

 

Though I'm pressed for time, I do not want to close without mentioning the Swizzle Inn, also on the bus route. A very well known and popular hangout, known for their rum swizzle, but we found the food to be excellent. Many souvenirs to choose from there. They recently opened a new one, much closer to Hamilton if I recall correctly.

 

There is plenty to read about on this board, and recommend using the search function here and on the Bermuda Port of Call page.

[pathubia]

Swizzle Inn is a must!!! I dont like taking the bus back to the ship after a few pitchers of swizzle's, we usually get a taxi!!

[gcdogwalker]

We are from Reading, so we were practically next door neighbors when you lived in Woburn. This will be my 3rd cruise on the Majesty and I think she's the nicest little ship! We were on the Jewel also and, even though it's really beautiful, I love the Majesty even better. It makes me so sad to think that this is her last year out of Boston. I will definitely try the new ship that will go from here to Bermuda though. What a great thing for us NE people to not have to fly. Bermuda is beautiful, the ship is great, the crew wonderful and I love the food. What more could we want? Welcome aboard!:)

[Writeratsea]

As six time NCL cruisers, our one experience on a smaller ship was the Majesty in 2005 out of Boston. We had a family group of 15 and everyone had a great time.

 

As for beaches, in addition to two of them nearby, walking or shuttle distance, we had recommendations for two beaches that we enjoyed immensely. One was from a taxi owner who pointed it out to us on a 4 hour tour we took, it's called Clearwater Beach and is not too far from the ship. It's built on a former US Army base, is on a cove that empties into the ocean not far from the inlet the ship takes, has a snack bar and playground for the kids, and we spent a great afternoon there, very quiet.

 

Our grandkids wanted to see pink sand, and Horseshoe Bay was a lengthy trip, so we took them to the local Zoo/Aquarium which is located very close to St. John's Bay. The beach is protected by a reef, and was again terrific for the kids. It's a spot frequented mostly by locals, but recommended to us by a couple of servers on board the Majesty. I believe both the zoo and beach are on the bus route, though we found the taxis much more convenient for a vacation schedule.

 

Though I'm pressed for time, I do not want to close without mentioning the Swizzle Inn, also on the bus route. A very well known and popular hangout, known for their rum swizzle, but we found the food to be excellent. Many souvenirs to choose from there. They recently opened a new one, much closer to Hamilton if I recall correctly.

 

There is plenty to read about on this board, and recommend using the search function here and on the Bermuda Port of Call page.

The beach near the aquarium is not St. John's bay, it is John Smith Bay. It is our favorite beach in Bermuda. Used mostly by the locals, during the week it is empty while everyone is at work. It has a park at the top and you go down bluffs to get to the beautiful beach. It also has nice coral reefs close by the shore and is very scenic. The easiest way to get to John Smith's is the number one bus. You could also take the number 10 or 11 bus to the aquarium, then the number 3 bus to Devil's Hole, get off and walk up the hill about 300 feet to John Smith's. Halfway up the hill there is a local convenience store where you can get ice cream and soda. If you take the number one bus back to St. George, you can get off at the Swizzle Inn. We liked Clearwater Beach as well. It is located on St David's island across from the lighthuse. The landing path for the planes to the airport takes them across the reef on the right to the airport on the left. The planes are only a few hundred feet above the water and provide great photos with the lighthouse and the reefs as a backdrop. You do need crocs as the beach has some bands of rocks. There is also an excellent playground, facilities and a snack bar. The number 6 bus takes you there, but there is a special nmber 6 bus that is not on the schedule that goes specifically to Clearwater Beach. The vistor's center can provide you with the scedule for that special bus. You could stop at St. David's lighthouse on the way back as well.:)

[hotspur]

We always go to John Smith's Bay to swim as well. Beautiful spot. No crowds. No concessions. Bathroom for changing and...well...you know. Half an hour bus ride at most, through beautiful golf courses and palatial homes. Writing about it makes me want to go again.

[Tomct]

We always go to John Smith's Bay to swim as well. Beautiful spot. No crowds. No concessions. Bathroom for changing and...well...you know. Half an hour bus ride at most, through beautiful golf courses and palatial homes. Writing about it makes me want to go again.

 

The day we were at John Smith's Bay, there was a small table set up across the road from the beach, where a family was selling soda, chips, and home made choc. chip cookies.

 

 

Writeratsea:

 

Thanks for the correction; as stated, I was in a rush, but did want to respond to the OP's request for info on these two beaches. I'll have to go back to my post cruise notes and review to pick out some other recommendations.

[Lthouselady]

So, the sand is pink at John Smith's Bay but not at Clearwater, right?

[Tomct]

So, the sand is pink at John Smith's Bay but not at Clearwater, right?

 

Correct!!

[Writeratsea]

So, the sand is pink at John Smith's Bay but not at Clearwater, right?

The sand at Clearwater is a beautiful white, similar to Florida. I had read somewhere that it was created for the use of the military personal. I don't know exactly where they imported the sand from, but it is manmade rather than created by nature. This is supposedly why it is not pink. Still a nice beach, with great scenery. When on the beach I also remember a catamaran (perhaps the Rising Son) going by the outside reef the same time a plane was coming in for a landing. I still have that photo somewhere as it was an impressive contrast with the lighthouse in the background.:)

[Writeratsea]

We always go to John Smith's Bay to swim as well. Beautiful spot. No crowds. No concessions. Bathroom for changing and...well...you know. Half an hour bus ride at most, through beautiful golf courses and palatial homes. Writing about it makes me want to go again.

Hotspur, nice to see you again after meeting you and your wife on the Majesty last year. I recently looked at some photos from last year's cruise and the ones from John Smith Bay just jumped out at me. There is something special about this beach that just resonates Bermuda to me. Perhaps it is the close to shore reefs with the spray from the waves exploding over them, or just the perfect view. Do you think you would want to go with us on the last voyage of the Majesty on September 30. Still plenty of room and I will emcee a meet and greet even bigger and better than last year's.:)

[hotspur]

[Hotspur] Do you think you would want to go with us on the last voyage of the Majesty on September 30. Still plenty of room and I will emcee a meet and greet even bigger and better than last year's.:)

What a nice invitation!

 

We are, in fact, keeping an eye on pricing for that cruise through a travel agency. An aging cat makes it impossible to commit at this time, so we'll have to see what happens between now and then. The other possibility is a Grand Circle river cruise. They've been offering some incredible bargains on European river cruises within 90 days of sailing (that is, after final payment is due). We'll keep you posted.

 

I agree about the unique pull of John Smith's Bay beach. It's hard to explain. It just seems real and natural, unlike Horseshoe Bay which is more like a tourist mecca. Kind of nice being the only ones getting pm the bus after an invigorating swim.