Need some help on cruise or not to Bermuda

[fpat]

Hello we are a family of 5 with 3 kids ages 13/10/7

 

As you can see from my sig we have been on a good number of cruises and we love cruising. We have never been to Bermuda before and it has been on our list for a long time to visit. We are booked for 7/10 on Hal as we feel with HAL we will have a good amout of time to explore with the 3 over nights docked. My DW is thinking that it would be better to just fly there and stay for a week. Not making a cost a factor in all our your opinions that have been to Bermuda before if you had a choice of the cruise or to fly and be planted for this port which would you choose and why?

[Charles4515]

Hello we are a family of 5 with 3 kids ages 13/10/7

 

As you can see from my sig we have been on a good number of cruises and we love cruising. We have never been to Bermuda before and it has been on our list for a long time to visit. We are booked for 7/10 on Hal as we feel with HAL we will have a good amout of time to explore with the 3 over nights docked. My DW is thinking that it would be better to just fly there and stay for a week. Not making a cost a factor in all our your opinions that have been to Bermuda before if you had a choice of the cruise or to fly and be planted for this port which would you choose and why?

 

You say don't make a cost factor but if you price it out the cost for a family of five is going to be quite expensive. Lodging and food costs are going to be very high. Depending where you would fly from flights tend to be high except from a few locations. Bermuda is an expensive land destination.

 

That said I am in a category that could afford Bermuda by flying over and staying in a hotel, yet I prefer the cruise option because like you I love cruising. It is a nice combo, several days on the island using the ship as the hotel and a few days at sea. The HAL type Bermuda itinerary you have booked doing both St. George and Hamilton is the one I think is preferable over the Dockyard only cruises. I think you should stick with that booking over a land option since you like to cruise.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

If cost wasn't a factor, we'd probably still do a cruise because we like the ships, the shows, gambling, resturants, sea days, room service, and all the people you meet on a cruise.:cool: I think the only advantage of flying, would be more time on the island which would definately be nice!;) Either way I hope you make it to Bermuda and I'm sure you'll love it!:cool:

[iheartbda]

I would fly and stay because it would be more time in Bermuda. However, with cruising we don't have the hassle of flying since we can drive to the port and there are aspects of cruising that we enjoy.

[fpat]

Thanks for the responses

 

You say don't make a cost factor but if you price it out the cost for a family of five is going to be quite expensive. Lodging and food costs are going to be very high. Depending where you would fly from flights tend to be high except from a few locations. Bermuda is an expensive land destination.

 

 

I did cost it out and for the 5 of us it would be about the same flying from New Jersey and it is only a 2hr flight. Hotel and flight Vs cruise. While in Bermuda on the port days I would most likely be eating lunch and dinner on the island and eating on the ship sea days. While I love sea days my DW is concerned about not having enough time to enjoy the Island with all the great things we have read about Bermuda.

 

If cost wasn't a factor, we'd probably still do a cruise because we like the ships, the shows, gambling, resturants, sea days, room service, and all the people you meet on a cruise.:cool: I think the only advantage of flying, would be more time on the island which would definately be nice!;) Either way I hope you make it to Bermuda and I'm sure you'll love it!:cool:

 

This is what is making it a tough choice for us.

 

 

I would fly and stay because it would be more time in Bermuda. However, with cruising we don't have the hassle of flying since we can drive to the port and there are aspects of cruising that we enjoy.

 

 

We also could drive to the port and be there in 20 minutes and not have the hassle of flying but would have the hassle of disembarking:eek:.

 

I guess it boils down to more time in Bermuda VS being on a ship with couple of sea days. I am sure it will be a great time no matter what we choose. I am keeping my cruise booking as we have the excact two cabins we want and final payment is not do for a year but we will have to make a decision by the summer to book air and hotel if we decide to change. If anyone has more thoughts that maybe have done both land and sea trips and tell me how they compared I would love to hear about it.

 

Thanks again

[Philly Steve]

Air-free vacations are so stress free, aren't they?

 

We also took our time before visiting Bermuda, covering about two dozen Caribbean islands before making the trip. Now, we're looking forward to our fourth visit to Bermuda. It's a beautiful and friendly place that does not have the heart wrenching poverty of a lot other cruise destinations. If you try it, you'll plan a return! ;)

 

[iheartbda]

We also could drive to the port and be there in 20 minutes and not have the hassle of flying but would have the hassle of disembarking:eek:.

I'll still take the disembarking over flying since it never seemed a hassle to us.;) Plus I'm an overpacker and I don't have to worry about what I take...I always have my sherpa to carry everything.

 

After reading your recent post, I would probably fly. If the costs ended up being relatively the same and since we've cruised there a number of times, I would certainly enjoy the maximum amount of time there.

 

Another thing to possibly consider is location of the hotel you are looking at. HAL will be docking in St. George and Hamilton so there are any number of things you can do right off the ship in those places. You also have easy access to busses and ferries from both. Some hotels are not directly on a bus route and few will be close to the ferries. The public transportation system is a very good inexpensive way to get around the island.

 

Decisions....decisions, huh?

[fpat]

Decisions....decisions, huh

 

YUP but these are decisions that we are lucky to have in this time that we live in, in these economic times. I try not to loose sight of that.

 

That being said I shared the responses that you all were so kind to give and we think that we are stick with the cruise for now. It is our first time going, we can check it all out, and book a land trip in the future, if we are blown away which from everthing I read we will be. There is a certain comfort level when traveling with kids that a cruise offers. But what convinced my DW was what Philly Steve said,

 

Air-free vacations are so stress free

 

 

 

There is a certain anxiety level when flying.

 

 

Thank you very much for all of your responses.

[iheartbda]

That being said I shared the responses that you all were so kind to give and we think that we are stick with the cruise for now. It is our first time going, we can check it all out, and book a land trip in the future, if we are blown away which from everthing I read we will be.

IMO, a wise decision. I have only run into a miniscule number of people that did not love Bermuda at first sight. One couple was even on one of the shorter cruises so probably had only a day and a half there. A week could be torture for someone like that who wasn't "taken" with Bermuda.;)