Do you want Princess to return to Bermuda

[OCruisers]

No real interest in going back to Bermuda.

[Colo Cruiser]

Princess goes where the $$ are.

IMO......I don't think the market supports stops there any more.

As I stated earlier in this thread there were many times that the stop was canceled due to weather/wind etc.

 

There were many cruisers that were upset and the stories were posted here on CC numerous times.

It was like the CB and fog in Houston/Galveston.

Its a very difficult approach/channel spread over 5-10 miles.

[coconut cruiser]

As seniors who are worried about Zika and other mosquito borne ilnesses in Florida, we are looking for an alternative. Twice we took the cruise from NY that stopped in Bermuda. Loved it. Want something other than mosquito infested Carribean. Already booked Canada cruise instead.

[1025cruise]

The problem is that Celebrity and Norwegian pretty much have the dock space in Bermuda. Any other ships that go there tend to get times that not much is available. The exception being HAL, which sails the Veendam, which docks in Hamilton.

[MrMan]

I love Bermuda and a cruise is the way to go due to high hotel costs. Been both on NCL Breakaway and HAL and NCL is the way to go. Great new ship with lots of entertainment many Specialty Dining venues and Broadway shows. HAL is in bed by 9:30 nightly and entertainment and Specialty Dining is weak. . Kings Wharf is easy with bus service and quick ferry into town. No need for rental car or tours as everything is a quick bus ride. No poverty

Edited August 29, 2016 by MrMan

[MCC retired]

Those of us old enough to remember Princess , and other cruise lines , cruising 7 nights to Bermuda 's 3 ports ( 3 nights docked ) now know those Bermuda cruise experiences are over for Princess . Ships are just too big now .

They were great while they lasted . Todays 1 overnight Bermuda stops are just not enough to enjoy this 1 of a kind , upscale , semi tropical island.

 

 

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[Damnfinegrub]

I agree with the repo cruise idea. It would be great to see the island on the wAy south

 

 

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[OCruisers]

The thing about Bermuda is that it's not very warm about 5 months of the year. Sunny days are nice ... but water temps can be quite chilly. :o

[riclop]

Most definately YES!!!

[Lucky TGO]

No, not really.

 

I agree. I was in Bermuda one week for a year :eek: It's just to quiet for me.

Tony

[paul929207]

No thanks.

[OCruisers]

Also with Coral, Tony, Paul & Others on the NO THANKS to Princess returning to Bermuda! :D

[Skai]

A sailing to Bermuda has been on the radar for a bit.

 

However, most of the ships in the Princess' fleet are too large to port at Hamilton, Bermuda.

 

Princess is abandoning small(er)-ship cruising with a business plan that is moving away from 'premium' cruising to 'mainstream' cruising.

 

One can't expect to continue to build bigger and bigger vessels, packing more and more pax, and not expect for the intimate experience to diminish noticeably. Expect to queue more often and earlier.

 

Our best cruise on Princess was on the Royal Princess(R-Class). The FP itinerary surely played a part, but it also was the 700ish pax that made for: the easiest embarking/disembarking ever. Tendering was also a breeze. Always able to find a deck chair by the pool. Getting good seats in the theater/lounge 5 minutes before showtime...No prob. No lines for anything. The food/service was among the best we've experienced. Being one of the few diners in the specialty restaurants on certain evenings, we were treated like royalty.

 

We'd entertain sailing on the Pacific Princess for a multi-day stop to Bermuda. But we're not holding our breath that she'll be leaving the world-cruise circuit anytime soon.

 

So yeah, we'll likely be booking with HAL or Celebrity when it comes time to sail to Bermuda.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Skai

[caribill]

Those of us old enough to remember Princess , and other cruise lines , cruising 7 nights to Bermuda 's 3 ports ( 3 nights docked ) now know those Bermuda cruise experiences are over for Princess . Ships are just too big now .

 

I agree with the repo cruise idea. It would be great to see the island on the wAy south

 

We were on the CB this spring when it stopped in Bermuda for a day on its itinerary from Houston to Southampton.

 

If the CB is not too big for Bermuda, then almost all Princess ships could stop there.

[MrMan]

A sailing to Bermuda has been on the radar for a bit.

 

However, most of the ships in the Princess' fleet are too large to port at Hamilton, Bermuda.

 

.

 

 

You forget most ships now don't dock in downtown Hamilton any more, but King Wharf. If NCL Breakaway can dock at Kings Wharf, then any Princess ship should have little problem

[easyboy]

Not interested anymore in Bermuda.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I Wish they would!

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

If Princess had Bermuda trips from Florida during the summer season we would be on at least 3 of them.

[westendgirl]

Yes, please! We've missed Bermuda twice on Princess TransAtlantics (once, weather; once dock construction). Would still love to visit there, but do not wish to sail the other cruise lines mentioned. Have not had great experiences with them - but almost always great with Princess.

[JimmyVWine]

Yes...it is such a lovely place!

Jet Blue now flies direct from NY, which in turn has brought with it lower fares from other carriers. You can get R/T airfare on American in October for less than $375 per person. You could then enjoy that lovely place for several days and skip the sea days that it takes to get out and back. You could leave NY after breakfast and have lunch in Hamilton. Cheap airfare coupled with more time on the island makes cruising to Bermuda a rather poor second choice.

[CruzinKen]

We would love it if Princess would return to Bermuda.

Just returned from Bermuda on Celebrity Summit. Although we really enjoyed our experience on Celebrity, Princess is still our favorite line.

King's Wharf is further out from Hamilton, but there are many transportation options to get around the island.

Being able to use the ship as hotel for 3 days is a nice alternative to port intensive itineraries.

Being able to drive to the port, in our case, doesn't hurt either.

[cruzrbachoua]

Jet Blue now flies direct from NY, which in turn has brought with it lower fares from other carriers. You can get R/T airfare on American in October for less than $375 per person. You could then enjoy that lovely place for several days and skip the sea days that it takes to get out and back. You could leave NY after breakfast and have lunch in Hamilton. Cheap airfare coupled with more time on the island makes cruising to Bermuda a rather poor second choice.

 

Not for those of us that enjoy the cruising experience as well. We love the sea days and then also love our times in port...plus I believe someone posted that hotel rates were pretty high...whereas the ship docks in a nice location to get you to public transit to see all the island.

[JimmyVWine]

Not for those of us that enjoy the cruising experience as well. We love the sea days and then also love our times in port..

Of course there are such people. But are there enough to fill 3,000-4,000 passenger ships week after week after week in competition with existing cruise lines that already offer this service? Princess has obviously found that folks who love the cruising experience can get their fix elsewhere. On a board such as this, self-populated with cruise addicts, the answer to every question that starts out as: "Should Princess offer cruises to _________", the answer is always going to be "yes". But HQ has to answer that question in relation to the general public and not in relation to a few hundred cruise addicts who post here. Pam's consistent advice is always right. Follow the money. If sailing to Bermuda could be more profitable in the Fall than sailing to New England and Canada, Princess would do it. And if it was more profitable than sailing to the Caribbean in the Winter, Princess would do it. Cruising is at its best when there are multiple ports involved with the ship serving as the transportation between them. But single port cruises are far less profitable, especially when cheap airfare to the destination is an option. Prospective passengers can always find reasons why a cruise to Bermuda can benefit them. But Princess is looking at the other side of the coin. Can cruises to Bermuda benefit it? That often gets overlooked here.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

In 2002, I sailed on a seven-day Bermuda cruise on the original Pacific Princess out of New York City. This ship did a series of seven-day Bermuda cruises during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Due to the ship's small size, it actually docked in three different ports in Bermuda (Hamilton, King's Wharf and St. George's). This was an interesting itinerary, but only one Princess ship, the current Pacific Princess, is small enough for this itinerary. Because the current large cruise ships only can dock at King's Wharf, a small ship that could visit three ports in Bermuda might be a popular alternative. However, I seriously doubt that Princess would decide to deploy the Pacific Princess to Bermuda.

 

Chuck

[iceleven]

You forget most ships now don't dock in downtown Hamilton any more, but King Wharf. If NCL Breakaway can dock at Kings Wharf, then any Princess ship should have little problem

 

Does the Breakaway dock at Kings Wharf or one of NCL's older, smaller ships?

 

I love Bermuda. When I lived on the East Coast I would fly there two, three times a year but it is far more pricey staying there than cruising there which I also have done. As for the weather, not everyone goes to the islands to sit on beaches day after day.

 

I've always found Bermuda's beaches the most beautiful and the coral reefs all within a short swim for some of the best snorkeling. When I was traveling as a single woman, I always found Bermuda to be safer than any of the Caribbean islands.

 

If Princess cruised there, I'd definitely choose Princess but HAL has the advantage of being able to port right in Hamilton. For those who think HAL passengers go to bed too early, you can always walk off the ship and enjoy all the clubs and restaurants open late right in town.

 

Oh, and just as a reminder, you cannot rent a car in Bermuda, only the mopeds.

Edited August 30, 2016 by iceleven