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Bermuda private guide

fancycroozer

By fancycroozer,
in Bermuda

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smalltimecruiser100

smalltimecruiser100

Posted
Posted (edited)

I tried the email address Bdashortz@hotmail.com for Duke Soares(given in early part of tread.) but it was rejected. Has anyone contacted him recently by email with a response? If so has his email address changed?

Mike

Edited by smalltimecruiser100
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Crazeecat5

Crazeecat5

Posted
Posted
I tried the email address Bdashortz@hotmail.com for Duke Soares(given in early part of tread.) but it was rejected. Has anyone contacted him recently by email with a response? If so has his email address changed?

Mike

dukesoares@gmail.com His wife will probably respond to you. It took a while but she did respond. We booked with them for May 12th. Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...
HiLar

HiLar

Posted
Posted

Hello all...I will be in Bermuda in early May...has anyone been to St. George, and how far is it from the wharf?...I'm sure that there are taxis at the dock...does anyone know how much they might charge to go to St. George for 4 of us traveling?...also, can anyone give me information about Horseshoe beach...how far is it from the ship?; if we take a taxi there, are there taxis there to take us back to the ship?...looking forward to responses...thanks...

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SailBadtheSinner

SailBadtheSinner

Posted
Posted (edited)

You will be on the Gem, correct?

 

Then you'll be docking at the Dockyard. St George is at the other end of the island. The least expensive way to get to SG would be the ferry from the Dockyard. Travel time would be 40-45 minutes. Adult fare, one way, is $4.50 cash, $4.00 token, or transportation pass. If you were to go by taxi from the Dockyard, the one way fare would be $60-65 for weekday travel up to 4 passengers.

 

The straight line distance from the Dockyard to SG is about 10 miles; road distance, about 24 miles.

 

As for Horseshoe Bay Beach, most popular beach with the tourist and most beautiful in Bermuda, JMO. YouTube video of HSB:

 

The distance to HSB is about 10 miles; the one way taxi fare for 4 passengers would be about $28.00, weekdays; there will be taxis at the beach. The route #7 bus goes by HSB; runs every 30 minutes but will be packed when there is a cruise ship at the Dockyard. Often, direct. no local stops, to HSB buses are run. Adult fare, one way, is $4.50 cash, $4.00 token, or transportation pass.

 

If you plan on using the public transportation, buying transportation passes is the best way to go.

 

Since this thread is about private guides, you prolly S/H started a new thread.

 

 

SBtS

 

 

Edited by SailBadtheSinner
speling
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  • 3 weeks later...
SmileHMB

SmileHMB

Posted
Posted
Hello, Marie!

 

You will NOT be disappointed by Colin! He sometimes takes a day or two to respond to emails, but other than that, he is pretty perfect! I think he needs a secretary!

 

What county do you live in? We are from Luzerne County (born and raised!) and in our mid-to-late 50's! Perhaps we've even been at the Arena at the same time! Can I bring you back anything from Bermuda to help you plan your day ?

 

Waiting anxiously for my cruise! - 27 days! - Miriam

 

Ok, I contacted Collin months ago. At first he responded within a few days, said he was booked for the first date I gave him. He then agreed to the next date. I wrote back that would be great and wanted to firm up the deal. I have not heard from him since! I have sent many emails. I guess I should contact Duke?

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  • 2 weeks later...
LynneL

LynneL

Posted
Posted (edited)
Had the pleasure of having a tour in Bermuda with Unique Vacations with Judith and Robin. Judith was very knowledgeable about the island and Robin was a super driver as well as being very informative. Their bus/van was very clean and comfortable and could hold 10 in comfort. It is also wheelchair accessible in case anyone needs that. Judith had numerous books with pictures of the island over the years. Willing to go where you want and never felt hurried.

 

Any other recommendations for tour drivers that can accommodate 8 passengers plus driver? I've been going back through so many posts but all I've read were for small numbers of passengers or splitting up into 2 cars. We want to stay together in one van. I've looked up Unique Vacations but cost seems to be $75. pp, which seemed high to me.

 

Thanks if anyone can help.

Edited by LynneL
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jackretired

jackretired

Posted
Posted
Any other recommendations for tour drivers that can accommodate 8 passengers plus driver? I've been going back through so many posts but all I've read were for small numbers of passengers or splitting up into 2 cars. We want to stay together in one van. I've looked up Unique Vacations but cost seems to be $75. pp, which seemed high to me.

 

Thanks if anyone can help.

 

Try googling Bermuda Tour Bus

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grandmaR

grandmaR

Posted
Posted
Any other recommendations for tour drivers that can accommodate 8 passengers plus driver? I've been going back through so many posts but all I've read were for small numbers of passengers or splitting up into 2 cars. We want to stay together in one van. I've looked up Unique Vacations but cost seems to be $75. pp, which seemed high to me.

 

Thanks if anyone can help.

 

Duke had a big van but I don't know exactly how many it would hold. At least 6 -- maybe 8. He does larger groups but I don't know exactly how large.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
Duke had a big van but I don't know exactly how many it would hold. At least 6 -- maybe 8. He does larger groups but I don't know exactly how large.

 

By law, the taxi mini vans can carry a maximum of 6 passengers, even if they have a greater seating capacity. You have to hire a larger non-taxi van or mini bus to transport more than 6.

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Boardwalk

Boardwalk

Posted
Posted

Hi all - we arrive on the Dawn from Boston Sunday 4/29 @ 11:00 am (disembark around 1pm @ Dockyard) I am planning to hire a driver that afternoon to show us around island, four people. Would like to go to Hamilton, and maybe St George (although we might be able to do that on Monday via Ferry but our friend may have a scooter so need to know if Ferry allows scooters?) Will shops in Hamilton and St George activities be open on a Sunday? Does anyone know if Duke or Colin work on Sunday? Also plan to go to a restaurant that night on South Shore Road in Southampton. Wonder if it makes sense to keep the driver for the evening or are there taxis easily accessible from ship to restaurant and back again just for dinner?

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Jan_In_Maine

Jan_In_Maine

Posted
Posted
Just booked Duke Soares for 11/14/2012 and want to thank everyone for all the information regarding him. We are planning a 5 hour tour that leaves from the ship around 9 am. Any suggestions for must see locations would be helpful.[/quote

 

We will be in Bermuda in September and thought it was probably too early to get in touch with anyone, but seeing how yours isn't until November, perhaps I should contact someone now! Jan

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grandmaR

grandmaR

Posted
Posted (edited)
Hi all - we arrive on the Dawn from Boston Sunday 4/29 @ 11:00 am (disembark around 1pm @ Dockyard) I am planning to hire a driver that afternoon to show us around island, four people. Would like to go to Hamilton, and maybe St George (although we might be able to do that on Monday via Ferry but our friend may have a scooter so need to know if Ferry allows scooters?) Will shops in Hamilton and St George activities be open on a Sunday? Does anyone know if Duke or Colin work on Sunday? Also plan to go to a restaurant that night on South Shore Road in Southampton. Wonder if it makes sense to keep the driver for the evening or are there taxis easily accessible from ship to restaurant and back again just for dinner?

 

The ferry does allow scooters. I think you could have the restaurant call a taxi for you after dinner - they must be used to that.

Edited by grandmaR
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grandmaR

grandmaR

Posted
Posted
Just booked Duke Soares for 11/14/2012 and want to thank everyone for all the information regarding him. We are planning a 5 hour tour that leaves from the ship around 9 am. Any suggestions for must see locations would be helpful.

 

It depends on how much of Bermuda you have seen and what you are interested in. When I booked Duke, I intended to the ferry to St. George and walk around the town there and have lunch and then to have Duke take us back to the ship. But I have been to Bermuda several times previously (the first visit in 1963) and I've seen a lot of the things there already. I picked the things to see that I couldn't get to very easily on the bus. I didn't go to the places in the Dockyard area as those can be easily accessed on foot from the ship - such as the Maritime Museum, but also the shopping areas in the Cooperage and Clocktower Mall.

 

I would also do on my own the things right in Hamilton as you can get there easily on a ferry and it is more difficult to drive there than it is to walk.

 

Do you want a drive-by, or do you want to go into various places?

 

Some possible places include Gibbs Lighthouse, Fort Hamilton, Camden which is in the Botanical Garden, St. George (the church and the main square), and Ft St. Catherine. And we almost always go to the the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo in Flatts, but you'd not want to do that when you had a guide waiting.

 

In November it will be too cold and maybe too windy to swim (they close the beaches if the weather is really bad), and I would not book the glass bottomed boat either as the winds stir up the bottom and you can't see anything. So you could drive by the beaches (and get out and look for sea glass), but I wouldn't count on swimming. The people on our cruise (Nov 2011) that wanted to swim or do a boating activity were disappointed because all the boating things were canceled.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
Hi all - we arrive on the Dawn from Boston Sunday 4/29 @ 11:00 am (disembark around 1pm @ Dockyard) I am planning to hire a driver that afternoon to show us around island, four people. Would like to go to Hamilton, and maybe St George (although we might be able to do that on Monday via Ferry but our friend may have a scooter so need to know if Ferry allows scooters?) Will shops in Hamilton and St George activities be open on a Sunday? Does anyone know if Duke or Colin work on Sunday? Also plan to go to a restaurant that night on South Shore Road in Southampton. Wonder if it makes sense to keep the driver for the evening or are there taxis easily accessible from ship to restaurant and back again just for dinner?

 

As has already been noted, the ferry does accept scooters. You have to pay an an additional fare for them, as if they were a passenger. FYI, no cash is accepted on the ferries. You need tokens or a transportation pass.

 

Shops in Hamilton and St. George's are generally closed on Sunday, although there is increasing pressure being applied from some quarters to get shopkeepers to open on Sundays when ships are in port. Shops in Dockyard should be open on Sunday when a ship is in.

 

In years past we were able to get a taxi called by a restaurant, but I haven't tried this recently.

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