Glass Bottom Tour

[mhdubgal]

I am going to Bermuda on Zenith (9/24). I was thinking of booking the the glass borrom boat rides at night. THere is one that they are offering that also includes a "floor show". Has anyone been on that one? Several of the other posts did not rate the glass bottom boat especially at night as being all that good? If anyone has any feedback it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Buckeye Geo]

I was wondering the same thing, but doing the Glass Bottom Safari or the Bermuda Snorkeling & Glass Bottom Boat. These are both duing the day. I read on another thread that the nighttime Glass Bottom tour are not as good, because it is hard to see anything. The Bermuda Snorkeling and Glass Bottom Boat might be a compromise because my wife does not swim. We would love to have some imput. While I am putting my 2 cents in what has any one heard about the Ultimate Water Tour leaving from St. George?

[Jeanne S]

Make sure you are not booked on the boat whereby they only open a small section of the floor boards and you must look down about 10 ft to view the ocean. Ask if this is a true glass bottom boat with seats in the hull whereby you are surrounded by glass walls, just as in the DOris Day movie "The Glass Borttomed Boat."

[Buckeye Geo]

Jeanne S: Thanks

[mhdubgal]

How can u tell which boat they use for this excursion?

[Jeanne S]

That's a good question. It used to all the had was the floor plank type boat but I keep reading about a newer "state of the art" one, yet I have never seen it.

 

I went to Bermuda.com/watersports/glass bottom boats and there were Jesse James and Fantasea cruises (this one is not I think), however they do not really tell you if it is a really glass bottomed boat or not. I would email them:

 

jessiejames@northrock.bm

 

info@fantasea.bm

[Buckeye Geo]

FYI: The description that Celebrity Shore Excursions uses for its Bermuda Snorkeling & Glass Bottom Boat tour says: "Your boat, which is one of the largest Glass Bottom Boats in Bermuda with over 150 square feet of clear glass.........." I think this might be the one to take.

[Jeanne S]

Am trying to envision 150 sq ft. On our boat removed four planks from the floor by pulling them up. We were able to look over them. This was on a tour from the QE2 which we paid about $46 in 2002. We took the tour at Kings Wharf but that means nothing as they also sail from Hamilton. If this is Celebrity, it will be Hamilton. I am going on Radisson Navigator 8/24 and will try to check out this boat if it is in the dock or at least ask at the visitors center or get a brochure. (Am on the Zenith cruise immediately after you on 10/1).

Since you are on the Zenith, I was going to also suggest the Turtle Bay RIsing Sun Catamarran trip but you need to be able to swim and I noted your wife does not.

 

Perhaps Swizzle who lives in Bermuda knows about this glass bottom boat. I would hate for you to have the experience we did.

 

I just emailed both of those tours about the glass bottom.

[Buckeye Geo]

Jeanne S:

We will be on the Horizon 10/15/05. We e-mailed Fantasea and they advised us to book thru Celebrity. It seems to me that prices of water tours in Bermuda run the same, private or from the ship. Public buses and ferries excluded. Oh well I am still researching. Thanks again for your input

[tee99]

My family and I will be taking the glass-bottom boat/snorkling excursion through Celebrity on Mon. Aug. 8th (weather permitting). I can let you know how it was when I return. We will be aboard Zenith Aug. 6- 13.

[Buckeye Geo]

tee99: Thanks a lot. We will be looking forward to your report when you return. Have a great cruise.

[Jeanne S]

Sorry Buckeye Geo, I was looking at the sail date of the OP.

 

 

Recd and email from Jill O'Connor [jessiejames@northrock.bm]:

 

 

"OURS HAS TWO DOORS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT THAT OPEN UP.B."

 

So this one is not a preferable glass bottom that has you sit in the hull with glass windows, whereby the fish swim right up.

 

 

I looked at my Radisson tour booklet and the boat is the Coral Sea and is "Bermuda's Newest GlassBottom Boat" however am not sure what company this boat is attached to.

[Jeanne S]

Second response from Jesse James Glass Boat excursions:

 

"WE ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE CLOSEST TO THE WATER FOR VIEWING AS OUR RIB (BOAT) IS 31’ AND YOU ARE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE GLASS PRACTICALLY WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN. ALSO, WHEN WE GO TO THE WRECK TO FEED HUNDREDS OF FISH, YOU COULD JUST ABOUT TOUCH THEM OFF THE SIDE OF THE BOAT.

 

 

 

YOU HAD SAID YOU WENT ON A BOAT IN 2002 IN BERMUDA AND THE FLOOR PLANKS OPENED UP WHICH IS WHAT THEY ALL DO IN BERMUDA PRETTY WELL…SOME BOATS ARE LARGER THAN OTHERS AND YOU ARE NOT AS CLOSE TO THE WATER FOR VIEWING AS IN A SMALLER BOAT. MIND YOU, BIG BOATS HAVE BIG GLASS TO VIEW, SMALLER BOATS HAVE SMALLER GLASS TO VIEW.

 

 

 

THE BOAT IN NASSUA WOULDN’T BE CLASSED AS A GLASS “BOTTOM” BOAT THAT’S MORE LIKE A PORTHOLE SUBMARINE TYPE VIEWING. I KNOW THE ONE YOU MEAN AS WE WENT ON ONE IN GRAND CAYMAAN AND LOOKED AT THE WHIP MORAYS."

 

from: Jill O'Connor [jessiejames@northrock.bm]

[tee99]

okay- just back from our cruise on the Zenith to Bermuda- weather was fantastic- hope yours will be the same! As for the glass bottom boat/snorkling adventure- My family (and it seemed everyone on board) was very happy with it. The boat was 2 stories high. You boarded and most- if not- all went upstairs to the upper level. It had a canopy over 2/3 of it so you could either have sun or shade. Whle sailing to the shipwreck that you snorkel over, the guide pointed out many things and areas of bermuda that were interesting. He also handed out cards with pictures of fish and coral that could be seen while snorkeling and answered questions about them. When we arrived at the shipwreck area, everyone went downstairs to the lower level. There the crew opened up the floorboards to the glass bottom boat. The whole floor was not opened just sections but there was plenty of room for everyone to gather around the different sections and see. We trolled over the wreck and the guides pointed out the different fish and corral. Next the crew handed out snorkel eqipment (masks,snorkels,and fins) You were also intructed to take a floating device (either a noodle-the kind the kids use in pools- or a vest. The snorkeling was great- we were in the water for about an hour. I don't know how it was for the people who stayed onboard but everyone snorkeling had a great time! I think that the glass bottom boat part of it was fine - the guides told us that this time of year was the cloudiest for the water because there is alot of plankton in July and August. He said that other times of the year you can see 50 feet down! Maybe this is why they really only open the floor up when we got to the destination where it wasn't really that deep. On the way back- the guides talked with the guests- answered any questions and they had complimentary rum swizzles(as many as you wanted) and soda for everyone. This was the first time snorkeling for my family and we really enjoyed the experience- saw alot of the fish and corral pictured on the cards and took lots of pictures with the underwater cameras! Enjoy your trip to bermuda!

[Buckeye Geo]

Thanks for that great review.

[djcracker]

When we went to bermuda in june we took the glass bottom ride to the shipwreck out by daniels head. We got the boat at the dockyard. It was at night they sat you on the 2nd floor of the boat. When you arrived you went downstairs. There were two guys and a girl. The guide was funny and informative. The only bad thing was earlier in the day we went on the rising sun catarman snorkel tour which was awesome but was in the same place. If I would of known that I wouldn't of went on the glass bottom boat tour. If docked at the dockyards You can go directly over to snorkel park and snorkel instead of going on a excursion. We asked the people on the boat if there was any place close to snorkel and they were clueless. I think they knew but wanted us to take the excursion. My buddy said the snorkling was better at snorkel park then that at mangrove bay.