Bermuda in the Fall?

[lolawpb]

We are tempted to try the Bermuda itinerary in September on either the Nautica or Insignia. Being a Florida girl, this scares me quite a bit as that is the peak of hurricane season but I think being on the ship might be a nice way to go since the hotels are super pricey and last time I was there the restaurants weren't anything special. I just want to take my daughter since she hasn't been before. Can anyone share their experience if they have done this trip with Oceania? Was the weather ok? Did you get all of the time in port as advertised? If there was a storm brewing during your cruise time, how did Oceania handle this? I am concerned about getting on the ship and not being able to actually go to Bermuda or having the trip cut short. I panic a little after seeing some of the crazy storm/cruiseship videos out there so any information would help me decide. Thanks!

[Charles4515]

If the ship makes it to Bermuda it is a great Bermuda itinerary. Both St. George’s and Hamilton on Insignia. I did it on Insignia in late August a few years ago. Very hot and humid. I almost booked again last September and they had to skip the week I would have booked. Was looking at September this year but hurricane season made me hesitant. Last time I did Bermuda in September, on Celebrity we had to leave a day early. 

Edited April 5 by Charles4515

[njhorseman]

21 minutes ago, lolawpb said:

We are tempted to try the Bermuda itinerary in September on either the Nautica or Insignia. Being a Florida girl, this scares me quite a bit as that is the peak of hurricane season but I think being on the ship might be a nice way to go since the hotels are super pricey and last time I was there the restaurants weren't anything special. I just want to take my daughter since she hasn't been before. Can anyone share their experience if they have done this trip with Oceania? Was the weather ok? Did you get all of the time in port as advertised? If there was a storm brewing during your cruise time, how did Oceania handle this? I am concerned about getting on the ship and not being able to actually go to Bermuda or having the trip cut short. I panic a little after seeing some of the crazy storm/cruiseship videos out there so any information would help me decide. Thanks!

We've been regular visitors/cruisers to Bermuda for over 35 years and have sailed on many different cruise lines to Bermuda, although not Oceania. We have sailed to Bermuda on small ships such as the Royal Viking Star, which was our first voyage to Bermuda.

 

We have often gone in September or early October, and yes there's a risk of tropical storms and hurricanes affecting the itinerary. It has happened to us and our stay was cut short a couple of times. On one cruise a few years ago we were held in New York overnight to allow a storm to pass, departed more than 12 hours late, and subsequently  had to depart Bermuda early because another storm was approaching.

 

We fully accept the possibility of storm-related disruptions and the potential for rough seas even if the itinerary is not affected, but it doesn't deter us from cruising to Bermuda, as it's one of our favorite destinations.

 

Sailing to Bermuda on a small ship such as Insignia that can dock in Hamilton and St. George's is a far better experience than sailing on a larger ship that must berth at the Royal Naval Dockyard, but we've been at the Dockyard more times than I can count and still thoroughly enjoy our Bermuda cruises that have docked there.

[basor]

If Bermuda is why you are going on this cruise - don't.....particularly in September.  The likelihood of missing some or all of the ports to the weather is high.  We were on an Oceania cruise to Bermuda from New York, ending in Miami in October a few years ago.  As we boarded the ship in New York, we were informed that due to a hurricane heading up the East Coast towards Bermuda, we would not be going to Bermuda at all.  We ended up overnighting in New York and leaving the next evening,  We headed down the coast with stops along the way.  It was a wonderful cruise and O did everything to mitigate the changes.  Heard people complaining that if they had "known" this cruise wouldn't be going to Bermuda they would never had booked the cruise..🙄

[lolawpb]

4 minutes ago, basor said:

As we boarded the ship in New York, we were informed that due to a hurricane heading up the East Coast towards Bermuda, we would not be going to Bermuda at all. 

So that is what I was wondering. They actually board the ship and completely change the itinerary I guess instead of cancelling. Unless they decided to change it to a New England /Canada itinerary(which I'm sure they wouldn't) I would be very upset as the only reason to take that for us is to go to Bermuda without having to fly there and stay in one of the very overpriced hotels and navigate taxis to dinner, etc. Seems very risky.

[basor]

4 minutes ago, lolawpb said:

So that is what I was wondering. They actually board the ship and completely change the itinerary I guess instead of cancelling. Unless they decided to change it to a New England /Canada itinerary(which I'm sure they wouldn't) I would be very upset as the only reason to take that for us is to go to Bermuda without having to fly there and stay in one of the very overpriced hotels and navigate taxis to dinner, etc. Seems very risky.

We were handed the notice prior to boarding,  It was not unexpected as the hurricane and it's path had been reported for several days.  Since this particular itinerary was not a round trip New York but a New York to Miami itinerary, they changed the ports but the embarkation and debarkation ports stayed the same.  The ship had to go to Miami with or without passengers so canceling was not an option.

[Charles4515]

26 minutes ago, lolawpb said:

So that is what I was wondering. They actually board the ship and completely change the itinerary I guess instead of cancelling. Unless they decided to change it to a New England /Canada itinerary(which I'm sure they wouldn't) I would be very upset as the only reason to take that for us is to go to Bermuda without having to fly there and stay in one of the very overpriced hotels and navigate taxis to dinner, etc. Seems very risky.

It is risky but full disclosure I am considering it because my friends can only cruise then this year. 

 

[tropicalkerry2002]

I was booked NYC-Bermuda-NYC last Sept 13-20. A couple of days before embarking, got an email saying we would be going to Nassau, because of a Hurricane Hal. Nassau is definitely *not* Bermuda, and we would be there one night. So we had more sea days, but that was fine with me.

I rebooked for this year, Sept 1-8. I know it could happen again, but it's still a vacation!

I've been to Bermuda twice on land vacations in Sept,and weather was great.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Edited April 5 by tropicalkerry2002

[CurlerRob]

2 hours ago, lolawpb said:

We are tempted to try the Bermuda itinerary in September on either the Nautica or Insignia. Being a Florida girl, this scares me quite a bit as that is the peak of hurricane season but I think being on the ship might be a nice way to go since the hotels are super pricey and last time I was there the restaurants weren't anything special. I just want to take my daughter since she hasn't been before. Can anyone share their experience if they have done this trip with Oceania? Was the weather ok? Did you get all of the time in port as advertised? If there was a storm brewing during your cruise time, how did Oceania handle this? I am concerned about getting on the ship and not being able to actually go to Bermuda or having the trip cut short. I panic a little after seeing some of the crazy storm/cruiseship videos out there so any information would help me decide. Thanks!

 

I second what others have said here - if you really, really want to see a specific destination, don't cruise - just fly to it. The hard facts are that cruising is always subject to weather diversions - and hurricane season just ups the odds.

 

The pic below is from Sept/23 - it was a Regent TA. The large purple blob on the bottom left is Bermuda. Needless to say, we did not make it. Instead, we ran for NYC (our destination) and spent two days at anchor under the Verrazano Bridge without shore access, as there were no berths available when we got there. This was hurricane Hal as described by a previous poster.

 

No master is going to play with a hurricane (they eat ships) - so your odds of really bad weather are not high, but your itinerary may be very different than you expected. As well, it's not always obvious what the storm tracks will be, so the cruise line seldom cancels the entire trip. Hope you manage to work out a visit with your daughter! 🍺🥌

 

 

 

[lolawpb]

Thanks to everyone for the insight. I think my instinct against this itinerary was correct. I’ve been to Bermuda many times and it’s a nice location for a land vacation. I just enjoy cruising more and would love to do something close

to home before the Caribbean season cranks up later in the fall. I don’t usually mind if we have an extra sea

day or things get changed a little but if the entire point of the cruise is to go to Bermuda and we can’t do that, I would be  extremely disappointed. 

[mozfoz]

Sailed to Bermuda twice. First time was in July and there was a hurricane but we were in port, so no big deal. Second time during in first week of September. Weather was great. No rhyme or reason, so just go and enjoy.

[SbbquilterUT]

We are headed that way in September and I am looking forward to it.  In reading of past seasons, the likelihood of a storm divided out over the entire hurricane season seems like a chance I am willing to take.  It appears that storms do threaten more often then they hit but I also know of the winding channel in to the port is quite narrow.  We are boarding the Insignia in Tilbury on August 17 for the sailing back to the US and will remain on for the Bermuda leg Aug 1-8.

[Redtravel]

September can be good or really bad.  It is the middle of hurricane season. I have been to Bermuda many times on cruises and by flying in. My favorite time is spring. May is perfect.  Summer can be very hot and humid.  On my most recent Bermuda cruise in June 2022, we left Bermuda 2 days early because of an impending hurricane.  Hurricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30.  

[Daniel A]

On 4/4/2024 at 8:37 PM, basor said:

Since this particular itinerary was not a round trip New York but a New York to Miami itinerary, they changed the ports but the embarkation and debarkation ports stayed the same. 

Do you know how your cruise was able to embark in New York and disembark in Miami without violating the Passenger Vessel Services Act?  Did you stop at a "Distant Foreign Port" designated by the PVSA?

 

Thanks.

Edited April 23 by Daniel A

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

Do you know how your cruise was able to embark in New York and disembark in Miami without violating the Passenger Vessel Services Act?  Did you stop at a "Distant Foreign Port" designated by the PVSA?

 

Thanks.

They would have had to have stopped at a distant foreign port. They can't violate the PVSA. I don't know which one they stopped at on their sailing but when I did New York to Miami on another cruise line we stopped at Aruba. The three ABC islands are distant foreign ports under the PVSA and the most likely stop of stops on a New York to Miami itineray. 

[Daniel A]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

They would have had to have stopped at a distant foreign port. They can't violate the PVSA. I don't know which one they stopped at on their sailing but when I did New York to Miami on another cruise line we stopped at Aruba. The three ABC islands are distant foreign ports under the PVSA and the most likely stop of stops on a New York to Miami itineray. 

That's what I was assuming as well.  Cartegena and the ABC islands work but it seemed to me that Aruba is a long way to go for a cruise leaving from NY to Miami.  It's like when years ago NCL was cruising the Hawaiian Islands and needed to go to Fanning Island to qualify for the PVSA closed loop sailings.

[Charles4515]

11 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

That's what I was assuming as well.  Cartegena and the ABC islands work but it seemed to me that Aruba is a long way to go for a cruise leaving from NY to Miami.  It's like when years ago NCL was cruising the Hawaiian Islands and needed to go to Fanning Island to qualify for the PVSA closed loop sailings.

The New York to Miami I was on where we stopped at Aruba was 9 days. Certainly the Oceania itinerary could have been that number of days  or longer. 

[ORV]

Does Bermuda not qualify?

[Charles4515]

39 minutes ago, ORV said:

Does Bermuda not qualify?

It does not qualify. Bermuda is not a distant foreign port under the PVSA.  

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Does Bermuda not qualify?

You may be mixing apples and oranges. 

 

A "Closed Loop Cruise" is one where it embarks in one United States port and disembarks at the same US port.  The PVSA only requires that the ship stop at any foreign port, so Bermuda would satisfy the PVSA for a Closed Loop Cruise.

 

The other type of cruise that PVSA regulates is where the ship embarks at one United States port and disembarks at a different US port.  PVSA requires that the ship must stop at a "distant foreign port" which is a defined term in the PVSA.  US Department of Homeland Security publishes a list of what constitutes a "distant Foreign port" as opposed to a "foreign port."

 

I have two examples:

 

A closed loop cruise leaving from San Diego and stopping in Ensenada, Mexico and returning to San Diego would satisfy the PVSA.

 

A cruise sailing from San Diego and terminating in Fort Lauderdale would need to stop at a distant foreign port.  Central American countries do not qualify as distant foreign ports so on a Panama Canal full transit from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, the ship will usually stop in Cartegena, Columbia as Columbia is a distant foreign port located on the South American Continent.

 

Any ship flagged in the United States is exempt from the PVSA.

 

I hope this explanation helped and wasn't too basic of a response to your question.

[patty1955]

On 4/23/2024 at 8:50 AM, Daniel A said:

That's what I was assuming as well.  Cartegena and the ABC islands work but it seemed to me that Aruba is a long way to go for a cruise leaving from NY to Miami.  It's like when years ago NCL was cruising the Hawaiian Islands and needed to go to Fanning Island to qualify for the PVSA closed loop sailings.

In Oct. 2022, we sailed on the Summit from Boston to Miami.

 

SAT 15 OCT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
SUN 16 OCT AT SEA
MON 17 OCT ROYAL NAVAL DOCKYARD,BERMUDA 
TUE 18 OCT AT SEA
WED 19 OCT AT SEA
THU 20 OCT CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA D 
FRI 21 OCT ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA
SAT 22 OCT KRALENDIJK, BONAIRE
SUN 23 OCT ORANJESTAD, ARUBA 
MON 24 OCT WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO 
TUE 25 OCT AT SEA
WED 26 OCT AT SEA
THU 27 OCT MIAMI, FLORIDA

 

It was a great cruise

[ORV]

38 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

You may be mixing apples and oranges. 

 

A "Closed Loop Cruise" is one where it embarks in one United States port and disembarks at the same US port.  The PVSA only requires that the ship stop at any foreign port, so Bermuda would satisfy the PVSA for a Closed Loop Cruise.

 

The other type of cruise that PVSA regulates is where the ship embarks at one United States port and disembarks at a different US port.  PVSA requires that the ship must stop at a "distant foreign port" which is a defined term in the PVSA.  US Department of Homeland Security publishes a list of what constitutes a "distant Foreign port" as opposed to a "foreign port."

 

I have two examples:

 

A closed loop cruise leaving from San Diego and stopping in Ensenada, Mexico and returning to San Diego would satisfy the PVSA.

 

A cruise sailing from San Diego and terminating in Fort Lauderdale would need to stop at a distant foreign port.  Central American countries do not qualify as distant foreign ports so on a Panama Canal full transit from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, the ship will usually stop in Cartegena, Columbia as Columbia is a distant foreign port located on the South American Continent.

 

Any ship flagged in the United States is exempt from the PVSA.

 

I hope this explanation helped and wasn't too basic of a response to your question.

Actually I understand all of that. I just didn’t know if Bermuda was a distant foreign port. 

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, ORV said:

Actually I understand all of that. I just didn’t know if Bermuda was a distant foreign port. 

I think I failed to mention that the Bronx is also a distant foreign port.  😄