Tell Me Why You Love Bermuda.....

... BECAUSE I DIDN'T!!:rolleyes:

We docked at King's Wharf on Explorer OTS in May 2013. Day and a half in port. Part of our not having a good time was definitely the weather (not Bermuda's fault!). It rained off and on, temps in the 50's & 60's.

The good: we did a long tour of Bermuda which included dinner at the oldest continuing operating restaurant (even though it had closed once for several yrs) in Bermuda. The tour was informative and enjoyable (the tour leader was great). That was nice, but only works for people who are there for more than a few hours.

The bad: We felt the shops were way overpriced (Yes, its a tourist place, but still seemed excessive). We also took the ferry, went to the one main jewelry store where the sales clerks basically ignored us (unlike most Caribbean ports where they cater to you). Restaurants were overpriced compared to most ports. Our dinner was included in the excursion fare; met a couple who had a burger, fries, one beer each at a famous local pub and said they paid $80.

We'll be docking at King's Wharf in June, only there for half a day. Our plan right now is to probably hit Horseshoe Beach, but I'm open to suggestions:

So tell me why I should love Bermuda, and what I should do on my half day there....

Bermuda is not the Caribbean and is nothing like it. You won't find cheap anything there because it is basically an island in the middle of nowhere and therefore, clothes, food, jewellery etc are all expensive.

We love Bermuda for many reasons but mainly the beaches. If you like beaches you will find the most spectacular ones there. I love Horseshoe but spend an hour or so walking along the beach to the east and you run into private oasis'. The last time we were there we walked all the way to the Swizzle Inn from the beach.

We always eat only on the ship for the most part so can't speak about the restaurants. We typically spend 3 port days there so there is time to relax and not be rushed while in port. When you are on a shorter cruise you don't get that feeling. The other great thing is that you can travel the island yourself with no need to buy excursions. It's nice to be able to just take in the island all alone.

Hope you have better weather this trip!

You simply cannot compare Bermuda to Caribbean ports as far as prices, the previous poster explained that. Also, it's not just prices for tourists, the residents pay what we would consider outrageous prices day in and day out for everything. BTW, I just spent a few days in New York City and the restaurant where we ate had a fixed price menu at $84 pp. for dinner.

Why we love it? There are no people bothering you on the beach to buy something or anyone pressuring you to take one of their tours. If you say, "no thank you" that's the end of it, unlike some other places where they will not take no for an answer. With common sense, it is quite safe and I have even gone by myself and never felt threatened. I would not do that in some of the Caribbean Islands. The island is small with a great transportation system and most everything can be done without doing an excursion. These are just a few things that make us go back time after time.

If you are there for only half a day, there's not much you can do except go to the beach. If you go to Horseshoe Bay, I suggest walking to the left and exploring all the coves. If it's crowded, you can always find a quiet spot there. Also, above the beach is a walking trail that will take you to some of the smaller quieter beaches like Jobson's Cove. It's a nice scenic walk.

No one can make you love something, if you didn't, you didn't and I won't try to tell you that you should. Either you "get" Bermuda or you don't.

The wife and I have been on two cruises. One to Bermuda, and one to the western Caribbean (Labadee, Falmouth, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel).

In Bermuda we were not hounded to buy things by any of the merchants. Exact opposite for Labadee and Falmouth. Walking by, or heaven forbid you walk into a shop in either one of those places and the merchants are constantly trying to get you to buy something, and just one 'no' will not due. That got old very quick.

We thought the people were friendlier in Bermuda as well. While in Hamilton, Bermuda we were looking for the bus depot to catch a bus to the beach. Three kids (17-18 yearolds) walked with us to make sure we found the depot.

As far as expensive, yes Bermuda is kinda expensive, but not outrageous. We live in N VA so the meals we ate there were maybe 20% higher then what we would pay at home. But heck you are on vacation.

Only went to one beach in Bermuda, Horseshoe Bay, and that was better then any of the beaches we went to in the Caribbean. Grand Cayman was close. We went to Royal Palms on 7 Mile Beach. The beach was nice, but what we did not like is that it was very crowded.

One more thing we liked about Bermuda was that we were there for 2 nights. We didn't always have to have that clock on in the back of our heads to make sure we got back to the ship on time.

While we would not mind going back to the Grand Cayman or Cozumel, there are not a lot of cruises that just go to those places.

Craig

As others have said, Bermuda cannot be accurately compared to the Caribbean, if for no other reason than that it is a fairly rich island. Shopkeepers don't need to pressure you to buy jewelry and such since their economy is not as dependent on it [tourism dollars] as it is in many Caribbean countries. I found less hawkers being bothersome in Grand Cayman as well [much for the same reasons I assume].

The beaches in Bermuda are some of the nicest and most interesting as far as rock formations and hidden coves go in the Atlantic/Carib. You get more than just a stretch of sand; there is visual interest all around you.

People are civilized and friendly.

Food is expensive, but again, it is in the middle of nowhere. Food in the northeast US is expensive too and we are the most populated area of this country!

Thanks for the responses so far. As the first responder mentioned, Bermuda cruisers would be better served if the ships had more time in port to visit beaches, see the sights, etc..

As for food prices, NYC isn't cheap as noted, plus I'm more of a "McDonald's Dollar Menu" type of guy:rolleyes:.

We'll only be in Bermuda for a short visit, but I'm hoping to be able to hit a beach this time.

Thanks again for the responses.

Bermuda is waaay different than the caribbean. After going to Bermuda several times I decided to give the caribbean a try (cruised to St Maarten, St Thomas, & Puerto Rico) I hated it!! You couldnt sit on the beach for 3 minutes w/ out someone coming up to you to try and buy something.(beer, purses, necklaces, whatever) It was crazy. Being on a beach in Bermuda is the exact opposite. There were times we were the only people on the beach. It felt like our own private island.

In Bermuda I felt so comfortable I let my teens walk around town by themselves. I felt comfortable coming and going the entire island no matter what time of the day (which honestly was the biggest perk of Bermuda. That amount of time we are in port) I would NEVER EVER in a million years have done that in one of the caribbean ports I visited. There were a lot of run down spots that just didnt give me that safe feeling.

Food & shopping really wasnt a big part of why I was at either place... I ate meals on the ship and I can shop at home. I went to these destination w/ relaxation in mind.

Hopefully going in June this time around you will have better weather. We've been lucky the times we went to have great weather.

Thanks for the responses so far. As the first responder mentioned, Bermuda cruisers would be better served if the ships had more time in port to visit beaches, see the sights, etc..

 

As for food prices, NYC isn't cheap as noted, plus I'm more of a "McDonald's Dollar Menu" type of guy:rolleyes:.

 

We'll only be in Bermuda for a short visit, but I'm hoping to be able to hit a beach this time.

 

Thanks again for the responses.

But there ARE cruises that spend more time in port than the one you are on. It takes some time to get there and back so travel time cuts into the amount of actual time. A few years ago, they seemed to get there quicker but that meant less time onboard for pax to spend money. ;) Let's face it, the cruise lines are not doing provided cruises out of the goodness of their hearts. :D

I can't think of anything to do other than Horseshoe Beach and a snorkeling excursion! 2 days at Horseshoe and last day doing the excursion is just what I want!

Very helpful posts indeed... I just need to "sell Bermuda" to my group of friends as we've been traveling for the past 5 years on various cruise ports mainly in the Caribbean.

I'm looking at one of the 5 or 7 day cruises that have one in Bermuda for 2 or 6 days respectively. I was starting to wonder if we'd get bored as we've never been in a port for more than a half day thus far in our travels.

Wish me luck selling them on this cruise!!

I love Bermuda for lots of different reasons. The beaches are beautiful, the people are friendly and not aggressive. I always feel safe in Bermuda. I love the Royal Navel Dockyard and the museum there. I love to explore the museum and watch the dolphins at Dolphin Quest. I was not a fan of forts until I visited Bermuda. Going back in 3 weeks.

Laura

I love Bermuda for pretty much most of the reasons already posted. I have a "bucket list" a mile long of all the things I still want to see and do there, and this year will be my 4th year in a row. I love the beaches, the people and how clean the island is. I've always felt safe there, although safety should never be taken for granted. Bermuda is my favorite place to vist.

If you want beaches, I think the best time to go is late May and beyond. We've gone the same week in May for 3 years, and we've had great weather for the most part. Last year we had one cold, cloudy day, but the day before and the day after were perfect.

One last thing - take a cruise that gives you the 2 1/2 days. Bermuda has so much to offer, you'll really be able to appreciate it at a leisurely pace.

We love Bermuda because, the people are wonderful.

I fell in love with "MY FIRST LOOK" in 2012.

Well I have not yet been to Bermuda on a cruise, but I have been there twice on air/land vacations and it is way up there on my scale of top places that I have been to and loved.

Yes it is expensive, but you can find places to eat fairly inexpensively if you shop around. Bermuda is very clean, and I am sure that somewhere there you will find some less than affluent homes and neighborhoods, but I did not see any of that. The economy in Bermuda is good, and as someone already said. This is not the Caribbean. Bermuda is unique.

The scenery is beautiful! Beaches rival any that I have seen in my travels. And another thing I love about Bermuda is the transportation system. I used the water taxis and the island bus service and both were timely, comfortable, clean and safe.

I am not sure that I will ever get back there again on a land vacation, but I do hope to go on a cruise some day, and the best thing about Bermuda cruises is that it is your ONLY destination (usually), but you will get at least two, if not three days there to explore this wonderful destination:)

Both the Caribbean and Bermuda have pluses. I used to think Aruba's Eagle Beach was the most beautiful beach in the world, until I went to Horseshoe! Perfection! When I told friends I went there all three days, they felt I missed so much, but I asked them, once I found heaven, why would I keep looking?[emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]

... BECAUSE I DIDN'T!!:rolleyes:

 

We docked at King's Wharf on Explorer OTS in May 2013. Day and a half in port. Part of our not having a good time was definitely the weather (not Bermuda's fault!). It rained off and on, temps in the 50's & 60's.

 

The good: we did a long tour of Bermuda which included dinner at the oldest continuing operating restaurant (even though it had closed once for several yrs) in Bermuda. The tour was informative and enjoyable (the tour leader was great). That was nice, but only works for people who are there for more than a few hours.

 

The bad: We felt the shops were way overpriced (Yes, its a tourist place, but still seemed excessive). We also took the ferry, went to the one main jewelry store where the sales clerks basically ignored us (unlike most Caribbean ports where they cater to you). Restaurants were overpriced compared to most ports. Our dinner was included in the excursion fare; met a couple who had a burger, fries, one beer each at a famous local pub and said they paid $80.

 

We'll be docking at King's Wharf in June, only there for half a day. Our plan right now is to probably hit Horseshoe Beach, but I'm open to suggestions:

 

So tell me why I should love Bermuda, and what I should do on my half day there....

Part of the enjoyment of visiting Bermuda is the definite lack of barkers that you find in the busier Carib ports, shopping is actually a nice experience there. We spent a week on BDM and although prices are higher there than home we didn't see a big difference from other cruise destinations. There are several very nice restaurants where the prices are expected to be high, of course, and you will pay for that table overlooking the beach.

For 1/2 day a tour to areas you haven't experienced may be an idea, and most folks who love Bermuda would cherish all of the time we could get at Warwick Long Bay or another beach. And some people don't "get" Bermuda at all and are happier when on an island that does rely solely on tourism.

I agree with all the pro-Bermuda comments posted so far. People, beaches and not getting hassled.

Another big thing is being there overnight, or two, since we are on BA again this year. I like being on the other side of the island exploring and not having to worry about making it back for the ship.

to "Zacnlinc" I am headed back for my 6th time to Bermuda and I am not bored with the island nor have I seen everything yet. As I wrote being there for a couple of days allow you to slow down and enjoy.

We are going in June again, also. This will be our 20-something cruise to Bermuda over the past 35 or so years. The ease leaving from NY/NJ when you live within 2 hrs of the ports, 3 or 4 days there and on/off the ship 24/7, no rush, rush rush to be back on board for a 5PM sailing and just charming picturesque countryside and wonderful beaches. I don't think we'd be happy on cruise to Bermuda that was shorter then 7 days, as that allows you 3-4 days actually in Bermuda. And like you said, your first trip the weather was awful....that certainly puts a damper on a trip no matter where it's to. Hope you enjoy your 2nd visit. Another reason we always cruise to Bermuda....yes it IS pricey to go and stay, going by ship makes it much more affordable. A 7 night cruise to Bermuda is much less expensive then a 3 night/4 day fly/stay package and both still give you 3/4 days in Bermuda with the bonus of a few day at sea.

The cruise gives you a couple overnights which is nice, but after taking land vacations there that's just a tease for us. But it is a great island to spend a couple nights on, can't argue with that! :)

You can actually stay in Bermuda without spending an arm and a leg too. We stay right across from our favorite beach (WLB) for $125/night in a one-bedroom apartment. There are tons of affordable condos available all along the south shore and elsewhere. The resorts like the Reef are quite expensive for sure. Renting an apartment/condo you can pick up groceries and have breakfast in and lunches on the beach. And the transportation pass is excellent as you know. So spending a week in BDM can be done affordably, and it's nice to be able to plan several days of activities or just spend several days on the beach and not have to cram it all into 3 days....

The reason everything in Bermuda seems so "Over Priced" is because it all has to be shipped in from someplace else.... mainly the US. They pay huge import taxes on every little thing they stock in their store. Enjoy the scenery and the friendly locals. Ride the buses and ferries, take lots of pictures..... Bermuda is lovely.

... BECAUSE I DIDN'T!!:rolleyes:

 

We docked at King's Wharf on Explorer OTS in May 2013. Day and a half in port. Part of our not having a good time was definitely the weather (not Bermuda's fault!). It rained off and on, temps in the 50's & 60's.

 

The good: we did a long tour of Bermuda which included dinner at the oldest continuing operating restaurant (even though it had closed once for several yrs) in Bermuda. The tour was informative and enjoyable (the tour leader was great). That was nice, but only works for people who are there for more than a few hours.

 

The bad: We felt the shops were way overpriced (Yes, its a tourist place, but still seemed excessive). We also took the ferry, went to the one main jewelry store where the sales clerks basically ignored us (unlike most Caribbean ports where they cater to you). Restaurants were overpriced compared to most ports. Our dinner was included in the excursion fare; met a couple who had a burger, fries, one beer each at a famous local pub and said they paid $80.

 

We'll be docking at King's Wharf in June, only there for half a day. Our plan right now is to probably hit Horseshoe Beach, but I'm open to suggestions:

 

So tell me why I should love Bermuda, and what I should do on my half day there....

I love the people of Bermuda. Everyone I've come across is lovely and helpful especially when we got lost! The beaches and water are amazing too. I like that people don't bother you to buy their crap like they do other places. I've never been solicited in Bermuda.

My wife and I were walking from St George to Tobacco Bay, not a long walk but a hot day and a walk. An elderly gentleman saw us as he got in his car and he made the effort of turning around to come back and offer a ride. Such a nice gentleman and very interesting to talk to, one of those little experiences we remember.

We've been to Bermuda 5 times, and every time gets better and better. Two cruises and three fly-n-stay. Our first trip we were walking St George and we were a little lost, a large intimidating man was walking towards us and my defenses went up. As he got closer he uttered "you look a bit lost, how can I help" in the sweetest British accent. Not only did he tell us about where we were going he walked us there.

2013 we walked from the Reefs (South Shore Rd) up to Middle Rd to try and grab a bus to take us to Island Cuisine restaurant...needless to say we walked off the beaten path and ended up in a residential area. Yet another man asked if we were lost, this trip he drove us to Island Cuisine because he was headed there for some cake. He ate free cake and drank free coffee, saved us some pretty hot walking.

We love the ability to go out and about without worrying about a thing, transportation is simple, places are all mapped out (disregard getting lost stories), food is good - all price and gourmet levels are available. Shopping isn't what the deep Caribbean is, but every couple years go to St Thomas or the such and buy your loot.

Two hour direct flight from Boston doesn't hurt either.

Two hour direct flight from Boston doesn't hurt either.

1.5 hrs from PHL is great! ;)