AnnetteSC

Thanks for the replies! I guess we'll see how we feel that first day and go from there.

Thanks for your helpful replies everyone! :)

The port is fine. But, when we were there, we were the only ship in port which was great.

 

We found it very easy to get around. One day we did a shuttle to Horseshoe Bay. We also took ferries and visited both St. George's which was pretty cool, and we ferried over to Hamilton for the Wednesday night festival.

Is Harbour Night ( the Wednesday festivity) worth attending? I hear the ferry over to Hamilton gets filled quickly so we were debating staying longer in Hamilton that day just to catch the festivity. Not sure how tired everyone will be after a day out but, if it's worth it, we'll make the effort. Thanks!

I'm with you, Dreamer68! Getting so excited about our upcoming cruise to Bermuda and, the anticipation alone, is already making me happy! :)

SBtS, you have the BEST maps! Thanks for sharing! :)

While reading the CC forums for the past three months (in preparation for our cruise on the Summit on August 7), I have seen several comments about onboard discounts being offered to passengers (like for specialty dining, etc).

Can anyone be more specific on what the discounts are and if they are offered on more than just dining? Any to upgrade the drinking package? Or discounts on purchasing an internet package?

Thanks!

We've cruised to Bermuda at least 25 times over the past 30 yrs. There's plenty to see/do in the 3 days you're there. However, what I might consider a "must see" you might consider a "ho/hum". Some folks want to maximize beach time, others could care less about a beach. Get a Bermuda travel guide book and also check out the tours offered by the ship ( would NOT do any of them as you can customize your own for a lot less $$$$), but at least you can see what's offered and what looks appealing (and not). After checking these out, plan your own itinerary. Enjoy!!!! We took the Summit to Bermuda last year and LOVED it and we took the Veendam last month. On the Veendam we docked in Hamilton, which we much prefer than the Dockyard. As far as we're concerned, you can't go wrong on either HAL or "X".

Totally agree with you, Marco! I have been reading here for the past 3 months to get tips and ideas. I also stopped at AAA yesterday to get a travel guide. But, like you said, at the end of the day it's an individual decision.

My family is not a "beach all day" kind of family. We want to see the pink sand but not waste an entire day just laying there when there is stuff to do/see. :)

Just keep in mind that the last tour of the caves starts at 4:30PM.

 

Remember that when it is time to return to the Dockyard, the ferry from St George departs at 2PM, 4:30PM & 5:30PM; from Hamilton, on the :00 every hour.

 

 

SBtS

Thanks for the additional tips, SBtS! :)

I didn't know you had 7. I was thinking 4 from the people you mentioned. There are taxi's that fit 7, 7 being the limit. When you get to 4 or more sharing it really is not that expensive to take taxi's. And it will be more convenient taking taxi's than buses with 7 people. In my opinion with 7 taxi's make the most sense.

 

If you take the ferry to St. George and taxis to the places you mentioned in your dilemma post, St. George, Glass beach, Caves, Swizzle, and Tom Moore Jungle, I think you could do all the above in one day. If you try to do all that on buses I think you might give out at some point.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you again, Charles. You have been of great help to me and I appreciate it!

Yes, there are 7 of us in total (we have 3 cabins). Not sure if my brother and SIL will join for all the activities I have planned but I know at least 5 of us will. By reading this forum and like you said, when it's 4+ people, taxis are worth it.

I remade my schedule from the advice you gave me a couple of days ago (day 2 is your quote, thanks!):

Day 1) Take shuttle to Horseshoe bay, take bus #7 or taxi (?) to Hamilton, walk around and stay for Harbor night in the evening. Take ferry back to Dockyard.

Day 2) Take the ferry to St. George's (arrive 10:30ish), go to the Sea Glass beach, walk or take a taxi, then walk around St. George. Take a bus (either 1, 3, 10 or 11 or taxi?) to the Swizzle Inn. After lunch do the Caves. Caves are walking distance from the Swizzle Inn. After Cave depends what time we are finished whether we can do Tom Moore's Jungle. Then depending on the time, take a bus (or taxi) to either St. George's or Hamilton to catch a ferry back to Dockyard.

Day 3) Dockyard

Great pictures, LA_CA_GAL! Thanks for sharing!

We'll be going in less than a month on our first X cruise and first to Bermuda. Have been trying to learn as much as possible here. :)

I'm trying to figure out the same thing, Dreamer68! Since we have 7 people, maybe cheaper (and more convenient) to do taxi for some things.

Cool! Thanks for sharing! :)

The map I used to create my map is the map Bermuda Transportation used to provide on their site. There is a legend of the bus routes in the lower right. The bus routes are color identified and are marked on the routes themselves. You would need at least a 19" diagonal color desktop monitor to see the bus routes clearly.

 

 

 

SBtS

I realized that when I googled Bermuda Transportation map. Thank you for your help, SBtS!

You should take the ferry to St. George's, go to the Sea Glass beach, walk or take a taxi, then walk around St. George. Take a bus to the Swizzle Inn. After lunch do the Caves. Caves are walking distance from the Swizzle Inn. After Cave depends what time you are finished whether you can do Tom Moore's Jungle. Then depending on the time take a bus to either St. George's or Hamilton to catch a ferry back to Dockyard. That is one day. The other day do Horseshoe Bay.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you Charles!

You can't take the ferry and get there at 9:08.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

High tide is in the afternoon so I'm sure it will still be relatively low tide even if we get there 10ish.

I don't think your plans are realistic to doing every single thing of the above taking public buses.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We're ok with taking other forms of transportation but was worried taxis would not always be available outside the places we're going.

We may skip TMJ.

Tell me what the tides have to do with the sea glass? What time do you want to be there?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I read that one should visit a sea glass beach at low tide.

What is your dilemma? The other maps show the same as what he included. Below is a link to another version. Ask specific questions.

 

http://www.mappery.com/map-of/Bermuda-Public-Transport-Map

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The dilemma I was talking about was in my post #17 in this thread, Charles4515.

Specific questions are:

On Day 1, I'm planning taking the ferry to Hamilton and then hop on bus #10 or #11 and tell driver to stop near the caves. After the caves, do we walk to Swizzle Inn? I thought I read it's nearby but not sure how close. And what do we take to go to TMJ after we leave Swizzle Inn? From TMJ, what bus goes back to Hamilton for the ferry back? Or, like I said in a previous post, maybe we should just stay in Hamilton for HN and then go back on the ferry...

Day 2, just checked tide calendar for St George and it looks like it's at 9:08 am on that day. So, if we can't pick sea glass at Dockyard and have to go to St George, we'll have to hop on an early ferry to st George that morning; go to sea glass beach and then go back to St George to walk around. Most likely we'll need to use transportation to achieve that...suggestions?

Then, after lunch, we head over to HSB for the rest of the day. What's the best way to go from St George to HSB? I know that from HSB we can get a shuttle back to Dockyard.

Day 3, we stay at Dockyard.

Is there a more detailed Bermuda transportation map available here? I have been studying the one SBtS included in his reply to me but I have not been able to figure out the bus # for my plans, except for the bus from ferry to the caves (I can see it's either #10 or #11).

I would greatly appreciate help with my dilemma.

Thank you all for the help you have given me so far! :)

Thanks for sharing your Bermuda plans with me, Sprasa03! Have a great time! :)

Yep, AnnetteSC, we will be there the week before you. We are prioritizing seeing what we do not have in our neck of the woods up here in the Great, White North or what we have not already experienced in our trips abroad. That and going a bit in reverse perhaps of where people go on their 3 days there. Currently, planning on leisurely morning that we dock, supposedly Celebrity docks at 8:30am so I assume there may be long lineups to get tokens and passes, keeping in mind, our ship is close to capacity (was told all inside cabins are sold out). Plus there's the thing about the megaship from NCL docked beside us to contend with. We'll visit the Naval dockyard first morning, we booked a fishing tour in the afternoon, possibly do Harbour Night that evening. We have a DD16 and a DS13 who both like nature. Day 2 is Hamilton walkabout, perhaps Spittal Pond, finishing with a walk/trek/sit/relax/swim/gaze-out-at-the-water time from Warwick Long Bay to Horseshoe Bay. Where's a good place to catch sunset without having to get on yet another mode of transportation, BTW? Day 3, we are renting our own boat for 4 hours to freely move along the coast before getting back to the ship with plenty of time to get myself some Bermuda rum cake to bring home. :)

Dreamer68, sounds like you have a great plan! Enjoy and let us know how it goes. We'll be boarding right after you get off! :)

SBtS, yes, I am leaving the Dockyard on the last day for two reasons: 1) ship is leaving that day; 2) my crew may be too tired of running around by then! Lol Not concerned about my DH (who is a marathon runner, btw) or myself. My dd14, my niece16 and my brother (who has had a hip replacement) are the "weakest links". :)

Maybe we should go to the glass beach at the Dockyard on that last day (day 3) instead of tracking to the one in St George. Anyone know if the girls would still be able to collect one piece of sea glass each at the Dockyard?

Can you nice expert guys (SBtS, Charles4515, etc) help me put a transportation plan in place according to my above mentioned itinerary? There will be 7 of us on this trip but, like I said before, not sure my brother and SIL will make it to all of the visits on my list. I know they love HSB and want to go there for sure. They also like walking around in St George (my brother and SIL have been to Bermuda before but they haven't done much there! lol).

On Day 1, I'm planning taking the ferry to Hamilton and then hop on bus #10 or #11 and tell driver to stop near the caves. After the caves, do we walk to Swizzle Inn? I thought I read it's nearby but not sure how close. And what do we take to go to TMJ after we leave Swizzle Inn? From TMJ, what bus goes back to Hamilton for the ferry back? Or, like I said in a previous post, maybe we should just stay in Hamilton for HN and then go back on the ferry...

Day 2, just checked tide calendar for St George and it looks like it's at 9:08 am on that day. So, if we can't pick sea glass at Dockyard and have to go to St George, we'll have to hop on an early ferry to st George that morning; go to sea glass beach and then go back to St George to walk around. Most likely we'll need to use transportation to achieve that...suggestions?

Then, after lunch, we head over to HSB for the rest of the day. What's the best way to go from St George to HSB? I know that from HSB we can get a shuttle back to Dockyard.

Day 3, we walk! Lol :)

After reading the feedback, I'm thinking we should do Caves, Swizzle Inn for lunch, TMJ on day 1. Day 2, do Horseshoe bay in the am and head over to St George in the afternoon for glass beach and walking around. Of course, from what I read, optimal time to visit glass beach is low tide so I may have to swap timing accordingly. Day 3, Dockyard.

We still want to attend Harbour night that first evening but not sure how realist my plans are to be able to do all of the stuff on day 1 and still try to make it to Hamilton for HN....

Here are some things to consider. If there are no children in your group, you could drop the visit to BAMZ which would give you more beach time. Since you mentioned the glass beach, are you referring to the one near St George, or the one that is walkable from the Dockyard which could be done on day3. Tom Moore's Jungle borders the caves. If you do the caves while skipping BAMZ, I would suggest a taxi to the beach otherwise it will be a bus into Hamilton and another bus to the beach. I would estimate the total travel time by bus would be about 60 minutes.

 

Try to group your "to dos" to minimize travel time. For example, the caves and Horseshoe Bay Beach are not close to each other. Another example is visiting the caves on day 1, and then returning to the same area on day2 to do TMJ. There is a map here which may be of some help.

 

The map is old, so the ferry terminal in St George is now on the other side of the cruise ship dock.

 

 

SBtS

I always appreciate your input, SBtS! My DD is 14 (my 16 yo niece will be with us) and is more into seeing the caves, glass beach TMJ than BAMZ (we're spoiled by the fact that we have visited many aquariums/zoos including Xcaret in Mexico so not a big deal if we skip BAMZ).

I read here that at the glass beach by the Dockyard, you are forbidden from removing any glass. Not that we want to make bags of it like I read some people do! Lol The girls only want one piece each as a memento from Bermuda. That is why I was planning on visiting the one near St George.

Should we stay out for Harbour nights to save travel time?

Thanks for the map too! :)

Wow! What you said is echoing my current experience exactly, AnnetteSC. LOL!! I am the Master Planner for the family and they are all looking at me as if I'm the Grand Poobah and I've not even been to Bermuda.:D So thankful for these extensive forum threads although, at some point, I have gotten thoroughly confused.:confused: I've saved most of the tips from SBtS and Charles4515 and Mitsugirly while keeping in mind what I think my family will enjoy. That plus, oh Mother Nature, please be kind to us the first week of August. :-)

 

Thank you everybody for being so generous with your tips!

So glad I'm not the only one who is confused/overwhelmed by all the great info! :o We're going August 7th, Dreamer68. Are you going the week before?

I, too, am praying for good weather. :)

For now, my tentative plan is to do Caves, BAMZ (maybe?) and a couple of hours at Horseshoe bay on the first day. Come back to ship to freshen up and go to Harbour Night (debating if we should stay out there for Harbour night instead of tracking back and forth in the same day....:confused:). Day two: St George, glass beach and maybe Tom Moore jungle. Third/final (short) day: hang around Dockyard for a little shopping etc.

I'm still reading and piecing together info so the plan is subject to change... :D

Water709, so nice of you to share the wonderful info with us! Thank you and enjoy your last day on board! :)