Another "Will this work?" question

[mlld3536]

Hi, all--

 

My husband and I will be on our first ever ocean cruise and our first time in Bermuda in June.  Ship docks at 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon and leaves 2:30 the following day. I am particularly attracted by the historic aspects of St. George, especially the church, and I'm thinking the bus tours won't allow time for leisurely exploration.  I'm guessing getting from one end of the island to the other might take more time than might appear--right?  Do you think the following plan is doable:  If the schedule works, take the orange route ferry from Kings Wharf to St. Georges.  Get a blue flag taxi to take us around St. George's and the eastern sites for a few hours and drop us at Hamilton for a 7 or 7:30 dinner.  Taxi back to the ship.  Then the 5-hr minibus tour the next day to fill in any gaps.  Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks.

[Charles4515]

Some thoughts. I would not count on finding a non prearanged Blue Flag taxi in St. George's that late in the day. It would be better to get your taxi tour at Kings Wharf and have them take you to St. George's from there.  If by church you mean St. Peter's it probably won't be open that late in the day. If the ship arrives at 2:30 it probably won't clear in time to catch a 2:45 ferry if they still run on that schedule this year. So start your taxi tour at the Dockyard. 

Edited February 16, 2020 by Charles4515

[princeton123211]

20 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

It would be better to get your taxi tour at Kings Wharf and have them take you to St. George's from there.

Echoing what Charles said-- this is good advice. If you take a Blue Flag tour from the Dockyard to St Georges and then get dropped in Hamilton, you'll really have no need to take the bus tour the next day as you will have seen most things on your tour. Take a minibus the day you leave in the morning over to Horseshoe Bay and get some time at the beach-- one of Bermuda's best assets. 

[PelicanLvr]

OP:  So glad you are taking your first cruise and it includes your first visit to Bermuda.

 

Yes, your plan is doable if you make that 2:45 ferry.  Remember the church seems to close at 4pm...so go there in a hurry.  Is that enough time?

 

BUT could you flip your days and go to the beaches on day #1 and get the first ferry or early taxi/tour to St Georges on Day #2?  That may be less crazy.    See the beaches and go into Hamilton for dinner on day 1.  You won't have to run off the ship for that ferry either.

 

The next morning you can control what time you start.  Arrange for a 4-5 hour tour starting around 8:30am  (returning 12:30 - 1:30) You would have the whole morning in St. George and see sites along the way.  I think that's a whole lot more doable.

 

It's tough not having a full day in Bermuda because St Georges is quite far from Dockyard.  Dinner in Hamilton is a great idea.  Don't be afraid to take the ferry back to the ship from Hamilton after dinner.   It's easy and completely safe.  We have done that, it's fun!  

 

South shore Beaches:   Horseshoe Bay is famous (and crowded) but beautiful.  Warwick long bay is our favorite.  Go to horseshoe and walk along the shore going left as you face the sea.  that would be great in the late afternoon of day 1.  Beautiful rock formations like in the Bermuda ads.

 

Enjoy and don't run too hard to try to see it all.  You'll miss too much.  Plan to come back with a bit more time. 

 

Do you think this might work for you?

 

Enjoy!  

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by PelicanLvr

[mlld3536]

Thank you so much.  Having asked the question, I went back and had trouble finding this forum.  Oh well.  Anyway here I am.

 

I decided not to obsess about St. George's.  I arranged a bus tour for the morning of the second day--5 hr, 8 - 1.  The private cab tour would be awfully pricey.  The bus tour will spend 45 min. at St. G.--enough time for the church, I would think, and that was my primary goal there.  I have a history of loading up "interesting and relaxing" goals and then getting stressed out about fitting them in.  Best to avoid that!  I was thinking of taking a bus or ferry (depending on the schedule) when we first arrive, going to Hamilton, poking around, maybe even having tea OR getting a bus to the botanic gardens.  Then going to the Elbow Bay resort for drinks and dinner.

 

Paget's Marsh looks really interesting.  I know the bus stops by the botanic gardens, but do you know how close to Paget's Marsh it stops?  My husband has some mobility issues, so no long hikes any more, but he should be able to manage the boardwalk once we get there.

 

Believe it or not, we are not really beach people!  Evening stroll and dip the toes in the water before we head to the bar should work though.

 

 

[Clancy14]

Hi! Been to Bermuda MANY times (9, I think).

 

Your 4 hour private taxi tour would be roughly $180 total (tip is optional). He will go EXACTLY where and when you want to.  A bus tour will not do that.  Also, dinner at Elbow Beach (which you'll need a taxi to get to, and return from, will be about $30 each way.

Your dinner, without drinks/cocktails will roughly be $ 150.00 (All prices are US dollars).

[Charles4515]

Hi! Been to Bermuda MANY times (9, I think).

 

Your 4 hour private taxi tour would be roughly $180 total (tip is optional). He will go EXACTLY where and when you want to.  A bus tour will not do that.  Also, dinner at Elbow Beach (which you'll need a taxi to get to, and return from, will be about $30 each way.

Your dinner, without drinks/cocktails will roughly be $ 150.00 (All prices are US dollars).

 

A four hour taxi tour for them would be $200 plus tip. The rate is regulated at $50 an hour for 1-4 passengers. A taxi ride from Elbow Beach to the Dockyard will be about $43 plus tip.

 

 

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[njhorseman]

50 minutes ago, Clancy14 said:

Hi! Been to Bermuda MANY times (9, I think).

 

Your 4 hour private taxi tour would be roughly $180 total (tip is optional). He will go EXACTLY where and when you want to.  A bus tour will not do that.  Also, dinner at Elbow Beach (which you'll need a taxi to get to, and return from, will be about $30 each way.

Your dinner, without drinks/cocktails will roughly be $ 150.00 (All prices are US dollars).

A four hour taxi tour for 1-4 passengers will cost $200 without a tip. The rate has been $50 per hour ($70 per hour for 5-7 passengers) since 2014.

[Clancy14]

I get a discount for being a return client and I forgot to add that in. But the tip usually brings it closer to $ 240, because he is waiting for me with water in his cooler, bread to feed the fish and that day’s copy of the newspaper. Unfortunately my last trip was 2018.  I

probably can’t make it back until September 2021. 
- Clancy