explorer - bermuda/beaches

[Lefty1]

going on explorer in august to bermuda - has anyone been to Horseshoe bay and if so, do u recommend the excursion or should be travel by bus/cab to get there - does anyone know how far it is from explorer to this beach.

i saw on rccl website about hoeshoe bay beach excursion - they don't really say how long u will be at beach so was just curious if anyone knows when it leaves ship and when it returns.

any info would be helpful

[wahokie]

You can easily catch a bus from the Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay. You can buy the passes on the ship which allow you to ride the bus and ferry. You need a pass as they only take passes. I think I paid 20 dollars for a 2 day pass last year. I will be going back in July andI plan to go to Hamilton on the ferry for a little shopping the first day--then take the bus to Horseshoe and then take the bus on around and back to the Dockyard. You can just go to the beach on the bus and then come back if you want but Hamilton is worth seeing. I will use my day 2 pass to take the ferry to St George which is very quaint and has lots of nice little shops and also the Bermuda Perfumery. If you go online the www.bermudayp.com you can click on the box on the right that says Island guides and then on the bus and ferry schedule. They have a very user friendly transportation system. You won't have any problem at all. Horseshoe Bay is beautiful. The bus drops you at the top of the hill and you walk down. They have lots of taxi vans at the bottom that will take you back up for a dollar.

[wahokie]

I forgot to mention that riding the bus you get to see a lot of the island. I have been from one end to the other and I always enjoyed the trip. i personally would not take an excursion to Horseshoe but just go on your own that way you can go when the weather suits you best. Try a Bicardi Breezer in the pineapple flavor--I have not ever found them anywhere else and they are very refreshing on the beach. I brought some back on my last trip.

[rncruiser]

Just be prepared for a long, crowded, uncomfortable bus trip. If I recall, it took us about an hour to get there. The buses are very narrow and people will be standing, so even if you are lucky enough to have a seat, someone may well be standing practically on top of you. I am from NYC and commute every day on crowded trains. I can do without the crowds on my vacation.

 

Coming back we took a taxi. Luckily we found another couple to split the cost with. It was about $40 for the one way trip.

[wahokie]

The only time I found the bus to be overcrowded was when a storm came up and everyone wanted to leave at once. There will be far fewer people in port in July when I am going than there were the first two times as they no longer will have two ships in port in Hamilton at the same time we are in the dock yard. I haven't checked in August but Hamilton is closed for cruise ships this summer as far as I have read. I enjoyed the bus and found the people to be very friendly.

[MrPete]

C'est Horseshoe Bay:

 

[janice1218]

The only time I found the bus to be overcrowded was when a storm came up and everyone wanted to leave at once. There will be far fewer people in port in July when I am going than there were the first two times as they no longer will have two ships in port in Hamilton at the same time we are in the dock yard. I haven't checked in August but Hamilton is closed for cruise ships this summer as far as I have read. I enjoyed the bus and found the people to be very friendly.

 

Did it really take 1 hour to get to Horseshoe Bay? How about the beach that you can walk to from the boat? Is that nice?

[MrPete]

It only took us a half an hour, tops, to get there. And it's a scenic ride. Many of the buses are converted to "SPECIALS" to just transport the cruisers.

 

Snorkel Park didn't look that attractive to us. We walked over just to see it, got DD's hair braided, and went back to the ship.

[janice1218]

It only took us a half an hour, tops, to get there. And it's a scenic ride. Many of the buses are converted to "SPECIALS" to just transport the cruisers.

 

Snorkel Park didn't look that attractive to us. We walked over just to see it, got DD's hair braided, and went back to the ship.

 

 

Thanks, We may end up at Elbow Beach, so that my husband can scuba dive from the beach.

[39august]

If you take the number 7 bus from the Dockyard, the trip to Horseshoe Bay will take around 20-25 minutes. THere is a downhill walk to the beach. When returning, there is a tram to take you uphill for $1 pp. The buses run about every 20 minutes. The only beach to walk to is inside the Dockyards and is man-made. Not bad but nothing like Elbow or Horseshoe. Taxis are very expensive. We loved taking various ferries and buses around Bermuda on our 2 day pass, which we purchased on the ship.