Bermuda cruise info. please

[Gingee]

We are debating on a Bermuda cruise from Boston on the NCL Spirit May 21rst time frame. Some questions -

 

Why does it take maybe one day there and two days back or reverse? It is the same distance.

 

Is there much to see in Kings Wharf area?

 

How is the water (bumpy, smooth or what) in that wide open water?

 

Any other experiences?

[smeyer418]

We are debating on a Bermuda cruise from Boston on the NCL Spirit May 21rst time frame. Some questions -

 

1.Why does it take maybe one day there and two days back or reverse? It is the same distance.

 

2. Is there much to see in Kings Wharf area?

 

3.How is the water (bumpy, smooth or what) in that wide open water?

 

Any other experiences?

 

 

1. Its the time they program because of the availibility of docking space in Bermuda.

2. yes and no but the whole island is 21 miles long and easily accessible by public transportation.

3. The water is ....wet. It can be anything from bumpy to smooth or what. it depends on the time of year, the ship and the weather.

 

I have been to Bermuda three times and it has been smooth, bumpy and in between.

 

 

I have always found Bermuda to be a beach vacation which is fun. The shopping is expensive. Its cheaper on the ship.

[ferguscruisers]

We just returned from our first trip to Bermuda! Oh my gosh, it is wonderful! We sailed on NCL's Spirit from June 5 through June 12. This also was our first NCL experience. The water was a little rough on the way over, but I took one of the ship's dramamine (which I probably didn't need) and was fine. On the way back we couldn't even tell we were on a ship, it was so smooth. I need to tell you we have never had rough water on any cruise, so I was worried. However, whatever waves we had was totally worth it!

 

The Kings Wharf area doesn't have a lot to do, but the public transportation is a super good deal! We like to snorkel, just for fun, so we did snorkel twice at snorkel park, which is at Kings Wharf. We enjoyed that very very much, but like I said we are just for fun snorkelers. I have read that serious snorkelers don't care for snorkel park, but we loved it. We do have our own equipment, so I can only tell you for us it was free because there is no fee to get in.

 

We stayed two nights in Boston and that too was great! I used priceline.com and got super rates (for Boston) at a really nice place!

 

This entire trip was super. Unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan of NCL. But I would use them again to get back to Bermuda and be able to stay for three full days!

 

Tammy

(Minnesota)

[TPKeller]

To help answer your question, you may experience this cruise "vicariously" through Radio, a Cruise Critic regular who is well known for his "LIVE" posts. He recently returned from this same cruise, and you can read along and see if you would enjoy the experience:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=999659

 

Theron

[Gingee]

Thanks for the link on the Bermuda "trip". I enjoyed it. I was all set to book during NCL's special that ended yesterday and could not get ahold of our TA. ERRRRRRRRR

[iheartbda]

Thanks for the link on the Bermuda "trip". I enjoyed it. I was all set to book during NCL's special that ended yesterday and could not get ahold of our TA. ERRRRRRRRR

Don't worry, I'm sure another will come up and most people did not think there was anything special about the special.;):)

[Bodger]

Some questions -

 

Why does it take maybe one day there and two days back or reverse? It is the same distance.

 

Sailing time is about 36-40 hours. It all depends on the departure and arrival times as to how many days it looks like it takes on a sailing schedule.

 

For us a Saturday 5PM departure arrived Monday morning and a Thursday mid-afternoon departure from Bermuda was back in NY early Saturday morning.

 

Have a good time.

 

Bodger

[TPKeller]

Why does it take maybe one day there and two days back or reverse? It is the same distance.

For the sailing you are considering (NCL Spirit, May 21, 2010) the "to" trip leaves Friday at 4PM, and arrives Sunday at 11AM. This is 43 hours.

 

The "from" trip leaves Wednesday at 6AM, and arrives Friday at 8AM, which is 46 hours.

 

However... you "lose" an hour going over from the time zone change, which makes your trip actually 42 hours. And you "gain" an hour coming back, which makes the trip actually 47 hours.

 

Undoubtedly, the Spirit is cruising at less than her top cruise speed, probably because this itinerary was set during the very high fuel prices of last summer.

 

I suspect the itinerary planners had a target "max speed" in mind when they set the schedule, and to accommodate that speed, they also would have to factor in the "on the ground" support that would be available in Bermuda.

 

The 4PM departure is fairly standard, allowing folks to fly in same day, if they can't arrive the day before. They could probably arrive in Bermuda earlier than 11AM on Sunday, but perhaps Bermuda has reduced ground and tug crew availability earlier on a Sunday morning. The local pilot has to come on board as you approach the eastern end of the island near St. Georges, and that happens over an hour before docking, so maybe they just start later on Sundays.

 

For the departure, again, they could probably leave a little later than 6AM, but maybe not so much later that anyone would actually have time to get off the ship and do anything that morning, and again with the ground support, it's possible that the personnel are not available before 6AM without paying extra overtime.

 

Just my speculations, there are always lots of factors involved, some of which make sense, and some of which we are left only to guess. :)

 

Theron

[Gingee]

Yes I was talking about sailing time. Why does it take two days one way and one the opposite way?

 

I wonder which is closer? Boston or NYC to Bermuda?

[ieatchickens]

Yes I was talking about sailing time. Why does it take two days one way and one the opposite way?

 

I wonder which is closer? Boston or NYC to Bermuda?

 

The sailing times are a function of docking space in Bermuda. There are only two piers that larger ships can park so the cruise lines adjusts their speeds to allow a 7 day cruise that uses their allocated pier time.

 

The slower speed for the Dawn on the way to Bermuda (and the Spirit on the way back) allows for an extra sea day to sell you stuff and make some money. They probably save some fuel going slower to which is a plus. For me, I get an extra day to cruise so its a win-win situation for the both of us!

 

PS New York is closer.

[TPKeller]

Yes I was talking about sailing time. Why does it take two days one way and one the opposite way?

 

I wonder which is closer? Boston or NYC to Bermuda?

Hmmm, well I thought I sort of answered the question.... but maybe I used too many words? ;)

 

There is only 5 hours difference in actual trip time, not "one day" and "two days", and I suspect that 5 hour difference is mostly because it is inconvenient to arrive and leave Bermuda at times that make the two directions of travel more the same in length of time. And also because if no other advantage is gained, they will leave at such a time that allows them to cruise the slowest, saving the most money on fuel. I think this especially applies to the 6AM departure, if they left later, no benefit would be gained, and they would have to go faster to get there on time.

 

A rough estimate of the straight line distance from either Boston or NYC to the east end of Bermuda turns out to be about 775 miles for each one. It appears that the trip from Boston may be a few miles longer because you have to go around Cape Cod before you have a straight shot to Bermuda.

 

Theron

[StratGuy]

Regarding rough seas or not, the thing to remember is it's the North Atlantic Ocean you are traveling through. It's a no-nonsense body of water. It can get rough if the weather turns, but the ship will plow right through it and you are in Bermuda waters in a day or so, so it doesn't last long...

[Gingee]

It sounds good to me. I am not a big fan of two days in a row at sea but I guess I don't have much choice in most of the itineraries.

[StratGuy]

Go and have a great time. Get a patch from your doctor if you have any issue with motion sickness. You'll be fine.

[Gingee]

I don't get motion sickness. It just gets kind of scarry when it is dark and the ship is going up and down and side to side majorly in the ocean.

[iheartbda]

I don't get motion sickness. It just gets kind of scarry when it is dark and the ship is going up and down and side to side majorly in the ocean.

Then maybe you need a sedative.;):)

[*Wink*]

Hmmm, well I thought I sort of answered the question.... but maybe I used too many words? ;)

 

 

Theron

 

LMAO!! Clearly.

[2Cruise4Ever]

The fact that the time it takes each way is different is by design. Both the Spirit and the Dawn dock at Heritage Wharf. The Spirit has to leave on Friday in order for her to have 3 days in Bermuda before the Dawn arrives on Wednesday morning. And, she has to leave at 6:00 a.m. in order to allow enough time to clear the area for the Dawn to come in. It does take a little longer to get there from Boston than NYC. But only a few hours.

 

The fact that neither ship sails at top speed is because they don't have to. At top speed, it would only take a little over a day to arrive in either direction (if the seas are relatively calm). If they sailed at top speed in both directions your cruise would be over in 5 days instead of 7.

[LOWTYD]

The fact that the time it takes each way is different is by design. Both the Spirit and the Dawn dock at Heritage Wharf. The Spirit has to leave on Friday in order for her to have 3 days in Bermuda before the Dawn arrives on Wednesday morning. And, she has to leave at 6:00 a.m. in order to allow enough time to clear the area for the Dawn to come in. It does take a little longer to get there from Boston than NYC. But only a few hours.

 

The fact that neither ship sails at top speed is because they don't have to. At top speed, it would only take a little over a day to arrive in either direction (if the seas are relatively calm). If they sailed at top speed in both directions your cruise would be over in 5 days instead of 7.

 

 

I would have thought it took a shorter time heading to to Bermuda since it's down hill all the way....:rolleyes:

[*Wink*]

I would have thought it took a shorter time heading to to Bermuda since it's down hill all the way....:rolleyes:

LOL-copter!

[2Cruise4Ever]

I would have thought it took a shorter time heading to to Bermuda since it's down hill all the way....:rolleyes:

 

 

ROFLMAO Sandy!! Good one! Have a great time this week!

[Gingee]

I think we are leaning the way of the Dawn. We like NYC - nothing against Boston. Now we are waiting for a "perk" to book it.

[iheartbda]

I think we are leaning the way of the Dawn. We like NYC - nothing against Boston. Now we are waiting for a "perk" to book it.

Not to be nosey but what kid of perk are you waiting for? Only reason I ask is the Bermuda cruises seem to sell quite well and ours has only gone UP since we booked. It will have to be a major perk, drop in price, OBC, I would think, plus you run the risk of having only the bottom of the barrell, figuratively speaking, cabins left from which to choose, or none at all if you wait for a perk to come through. I guess I don't understand what kind of perk you are talking about.