Bimini Superfast

Anyone know when the Bimini Superfast in the Port of Miami will start its run from there to the Bahamas?

Tom

Anyone know when the Bimini Superfast in the Port of Miami will start its run from there to the Bahamas?

Tom

http://www.thenassauguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38391&Itemid=2

I know it will be "unveiled" on Friday. Not sure when first sail is. I can't wait - it is blocking my view of the big ships from the hall outside my office.

Unfortunately, it's still docked due to Coast Guard inspections...

I'm waiting very (im)patiently, as I've been waiting for a one day trip to Bimini with my friends :)

Miami Herald today

Safety inspections resume aboard Bimini SuperFast

By Madeline O’Leary

moleary@MiamiHerald.com

After another weekend at PortMiami, the Bimini SuperFast ferry was slated for more Coast Guard inspections Monday night. The Genting-owned casino boat originally set to launch June 28 was been delayed by a series of safety-related mechanical issues. The ship’s transitional power systems have yet to function correctly. The ship does not have enough overhead fire sprinklers to meet safety codes, said Janet Espino-Young, U.S. Coast Guard inspector.

****

it was recently opined by another CC poster that the issues with this vessel were all related to crew training. This update would suggest otherwise . . .

Miami Herald is (as usual) a bit behind. Morning news shows today reported her cleared to sail.

Here is the report from NBC6.

EDIT: Miami Herald article referenced above now updated.

"After a three-week delay, the casino ferry owned by gaming giant Genting will begin day trips to Bimini on July 20.

The 1,500-passenger Bimini SuperFast passed U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements Monday night"

"After a three-week delay, the casino ferry owned by gaming giant Genting will begin day trips to Bimini on July 20.

 

The 1,500-passenger Bimini SuperFast passed U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements Monday night"

Yay!!!

I'm hoping it's not just a flash in the pan like Balearia was to Bimini :(

I really wanted to book Bimini thru their webpage for an after cruise stay in Miami but i think i give it a little more time. We were originally planning on staying in Miami for 5 days post cruise but this showed up and just messed up my mind. I think we r going to go to Bimini instead if this cruise gets started and by november it's still running...fingers crossed!!!

Bimini Superfast crusie started out 2 weeks ago. My GF went online and tried to make a reservation and no email receipt was sent. She called the RW Bimini Superfast reservations center and spoke to a man whom just started on the job and confirmed that she had a reservation and emailed her a reservation 4 times with showing that she paid in full and a $0 balance.

Today my GF and I got to terminal at 7am with our reservation and confirmation in hand and were told we would have to pay the $138 for the two of us because the reservation was never processed. It took 5 different people to finally come up with that answer. We paid the amount and took another 15 minutes for the man to enter that in the computer. A photograph had to be taken for the 2 of us and we are given a ID card. This card is useless and is used to get on and off the ship. We then get up on the ship and ask where is the free breakfast is and depending on who you ask you will get 2 or three different versions to find the breakfast. We also found out that you can have free breakfast inside with air conditioning or outside for breakfast.

The breakfast consisted of bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage, fried rice, noodles, hard boiled egg, croissant, Danishes, orange juice, cranberry juice, hash browns and coffee. The breakfast was the best part of the day. It all went downhill from there. The chairs outside to sit are hard wood chairs without cushions. You feel like you are in prison camp chairs. The ship was supposed to leave at 9am and of course it did not leave on time. It finally left at 930am. We sailed for 2.5 hours and finally arrived at Bimini. You have to be tendered in to Bimini because a jetty has not been built and the jetty should be ready in October 2013???? Got to Bimini moored out at sea at 12 noon. Long line to get tendered in and we were told the next tender would be in 10 minutes which turned into 1 hour of waiting and no organization of when and if we will get to Bimini. One hour later we get on the tender and it take 30 minutes to get to Bimini port. Now the time is 130pm and we need to get back to the ship by 3pm. When we finally arrive in Bimini port it takes 15 minutes to get off the tender and another 15 minutes to go to the beach

We finally get the beach at 2pm and swim in the rocky beach and ask where we can shower to clean our feet and they say there are no places to clean your feet because they are building them. NO HOSE but they have a bar serving drinks and the bathroom have no soap or toilet tissue whatsoever. No food at the casino or at the beach. You are starving since breakfast at 730-830 am. We swim for 15 minutes and hop on tram with sandy feet and go to the pool at the casino. Yes a beautiful pool but no food and then we hop on the tram to go back to tender to the ship but the tram operator has to go back to the beach to pick up more people and then we go back to the port where the tender is.

When we get back to the port and have wait on a line for 30 minutes to get on the tender and wait another 30 minutes for the tender to leave. Bimini customs goes through your carry on bag by hand with gloves. We finally leave the port and it takes 30 minutes to get to the ship. When we arrive at the ship it takes 15 minutes to get off the tender which is docked next to the first tender. So we get off our tender and have to walk through the first tender to finally get on the ship. When we get off the ship we are in bowls of hell of the ship. We are in the area where they cargo is placed and wait on another line for the ship customs’ to put our carry on through a scanner and we walk through the scanner. Did we not have our bags checked in Bimini before we got on the tender to get back on the ship? Am I missing something??????? We then go to Dinner. We decided to go to the $20 sit down dinner. We want a table by the window. #5 table is nice. We are seated by the waiter and are quickly told it is $20. We are waiting 5 minutes and no menu’s are given to us. I signal the waiter that we need menu’s and he curtly responds that a waiter will be sent. We are given menus and we are ready to order. We say we want the onion soup and Cesar salad and an entrée. You see in this dinning room it is different. Each entrees are brought to your table one by one and you decided if you want it or not no order of entrees’ or time whatsoever. The soup was brought and it was cold. Tiny portion of onion soup with no cheese and a tart used as bread. We send back the cold soup. Four different people took our order and never really explained their way of serving the food. We asked 3 different people for ice tea and only got 1 ice tea. Our first waiter avoided our table and the second waited disappeared completely. The vegetables that came with the dinner never arrived. $20 total rip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then they add a 15% tip onto the meal.

The icing on the cake is that we arrive in Miami at 6pm and wait 3.5 hours to finally leave our ship and leave the wonderful port of Miami. Never ever again will I use Superfast Bimini!

on the 20th, so I will report back on my experience. I'm sure things were hectic from the beginning and I'm looking forward to my day cruise to Bimini. There are 7 of us traveling together...one is all about casinos...LOL

Bon Voyage!:p

on the 20th' date=' so I will report back on my experience. I'm sure things were hectic from the beginning and I'm looking forward to my day cruise to Bimini. There are 7 of us traveling together...one is all about casinos...LOL

 

Bon Voyage!:p[/quote']

 

You've got guts, after that prior review.

A friend of mine went this past weekend and had a great time. Sometimes these things can get a rough start but once they r up and running is as smooth as a baby's butt :-)

Glory

:p As promised, here goes...All in all, it was a good day trip. I've sailed several real cruise lines and had no expectations of this one. I read the previous review, so I was expecting the worse. I was told that they started running in July, so it looks like things are improving as time goes on. I've thrown $50 away on a lot less (Groupon deal) so I'm not so brave, just willing to give it a try. I heard lots of people whining and complaining, but I think everyone has a right to their opinion and the right to express their opinion.

We arrived at the port by 7am as instructed. Parking was easy, free and close. Easy embarkation process. They have a list of everyone confirmed for the day, security checks you off and then you get to check in. Nice terminal, clean and beautifully decorated. Check in was quick they give you a card, just like any other cruise line and away you go to Board the ship. It's a big ship, holds 1600 passengers. I was pretty surprised at the size. There was a breakfast buffet, continental option and sit down meals, all of which come with a small fee. We opted for the continental breakfast on floor 10, Danish, meats and cheeses and fruits; juice coffee and tea. We went back a few times while it was open, so for $5 a good start. We sat in a nice area that was around the dance area. Dj played music and watched the bar fill with a very eclectic group of drinking people. The longer we watched, the drunker they got. It was fun people watching. The ship left port about 9:10, casino opened about 9:45am and it was smooth sailing from there. At about 11am people started to line up to get to the ferry to shore. I hear a pier is coming in about a month and the "Harbor Cruise" will be discontinued. That will be a good thing. That may mean more time on the island.

The ferry over is very scenic. I think we ended up on the 1st ferry over. They drop you at the resort and have lots of shuttles available at no cost to take you to town or beach or casino. There's only time to do one. We opted for the casino (majority ruled). It was Sunday so for us hungry people, there was only a $30 buffet available. We gambled instead and figured we would eat back on the ship.

We caught the first ferry back. Boarded the ship and had to go through some sort of checkpoint before actually getting to go up to the ship. It is the bottom of the ship where it smelled of maybe fumes of some sort. It was a short time. They provided ice water. They checked picture ID's , scanned bags and sent you up to the ship. Some of the people coming back had stayed overnight so they had luggage. The line moved so not bad. Now this may have gotten worse as the other ferries came back, but we were on the first one, so it was quick.

We went to eat, but most food places onboard didn't open until 4 and it was about 3:40. One of the folks ate at the buffet. It was german food and she enjoyed the variety. Others opted for empanadas in the sports bar and others decided not to pay $10 for the hot dog or hamburger option.

Disembarkation was long. It was the usual line up and wait. Of course, it seemed to take forever, but if compared to getting off one of the major lines, it took the same hour and a half to dock, get cleared by CBP and start the process. Wow, people complained and whined. Of course, after a long day, you want off! And off we went. There were about 3 lines to check the passports before exiting. You still need to fill out the customs form. Patience is needed and required or frustration will set in.

There were 7 of us, and everyone enjoyed the day. Yes, we were tired, but looking back, I'll give it couple months before going back to see what's changed.

The accommodations look really nice and maybe I'll stay a couple days.

I'm trying to attaché the daily list...I hope it works.

Bimini World Day Cruise.pdf

Great review, very thoughtful of you to provide this information to the community.

Thanks! Was glad to share! Also happy the attachment is there. I'm off to my next cruise! Bon Voyage!

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Wishing I was on a ship right now. :-)