Bermuda private guide

[Addictedtocruising]

We are booked on a 5 hour tour with Duke on Nov 7th, I asked about ending the tour in Hamilton since I have read it is time consuming to get back to the dockyard.

He agreed and also commented on what I was thinking about taking the ferry back to see the inside of the island.

For anyone that has done this, do you buy the tokens for the ferry right there by the dock?

Also, while touring is there somewhere that you preferred to stop for a bite to eat? Does Duke provide water or any refreshments?

 

Thanks

Donna

[Host Caroline]

You can buy tokens at the ferry dock in Hamilton. Planning your schedule there was no 4p.m. ferry to dockyard from Hamilton in June.

If you want a quick bite to eat in St George, "Temptations" is great IMHO... scones to die for, sandwiches, beverage, ice cream.. Local, not fancy but very good

[SailBadtheSinner]

A bus from Hamilton to the Dockyard takes about 60 minutes; a taxi, about 30 minutes.

 

If you are at the Dockyard, you would buy the tokens at the Visitor Information Centers; there are 3 permanent buildings and 1 temporary trailer. There is one located on each wharf and one close to the ferry dock. The temporary one is in a trailer where the 2 wharves meet and intersect with the off ramp to shore.

 

If you are in Hamilton, the VIC is located on Front St in front of the ferry dock. You enter the front door of the VIC, buy the tokens and exit out the back to the ferry dock. Remember, cash is not accepted on the ferries.

 

 

SBtS

[cardamon]

Just confirmed our reservation with Duke for Nov. 14. He called me to confirm- I liked that! I also appreciate the idea of ending in Hamilton and taking the ferry back to the Dockyards so we can see the island from the water! Really looking forward to our tour. The only guide I contacted that was already booked for that day was Colin.

Question: Is Nov. 14 a holiday in Bermuda? How long are the shops open in the Dockyards? Is there any place to go in the Dockyards after diner for a drink with local flavor- and safe for 4 women alone?

[Clancy14]

.....Question: Is Nov. 14 a holiday in Bermuda? How long are the shops open in the Dockyards? Is there any place to go in the Dockyards after diner for a drink with local flavor- and safe for 4 women alone?

 

If it's not a holiday, it should be! It's my birthday!!:D. I will be 39 again for the ....?!?! ....time. :eek:. However, since it isn't a holiday, all areas of dockyard are within easy walking distance to the ship(s) and it is a safe area to stroll through at night. You get some great pictures too, don't miss the moongate!! You'll have a great time, I hope!! - Miriam

[SailBadtheSinner]

cardamon asked: .....How long are the shops open in the Dockyards?.....

The Clocktower Mall is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 1 to December 31, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from January 1 to March 31.

 

The shops not in the mall have various openings' & closings' times. Some may open as late as 10am; some may close as early as 4pm - http://www.experiencebermuda.com/dockyard/

 

 

SBtS

[Laszlo]

Anyone have any new reviews of their trips with Colin, or Duke or...?

 

- Miriam

 

Colin was Excellent

[nuekruizer]

If the taxi is around $40.00 per hour, does that mean that if you stop for restroom or lunch break you you are paying $40.00 for the taxi while you are eating lunch? If so, can you bring along something to eat in the taxi?

[Host Caroline]

It's $40 per hour... if the guide/driver is waiting for you at an attraction, you are eating etc. I guess you could bring along something to eat from the ship but there are places to stop for something quick to eat as well or eat a good breakfast onboard and bring a snack lunch. Just like in the State, the meter runs all the time!

[jackretired]

Any private guides that can take a wheelchair?

[Host Caroline]

We went with Colin Jennings and he could take a wheelchair in his van with you but doubt there would be room for you to sit in the wheel chair in the van.. Local tour op here has van that he straps chair in and you don't have to get out of it but don't "think" Colin would have room for that option. I'm sure others could also accommodate folding it up.. there are several emails on this thread you can check with

[grandmaR]

There are taxis that can do wheelchairs etc but I haven't gotten a response from them. I have a scooter that comes apart and goes in my car trunk and my problem in walking is with my lungs, not my legs, so I'm just going to take the scooter apart for our tour. In the Bahamas I had a ship wheelchair (that Bob pushed) and we just folded it up and stuck it in the taxi van.

[LynnT3]

We just sailed to Bermuda and spent one entire afternoon with Colin. He spent 5 hours showing us his island. It was a great tour and we had a fantastic time. We let Colin show us what he thought we should see, and I think we saw every inch of the island. He was so knowledgable and made us feel so comfortable. We truely had a wonderful time with him.

[Addictedtocruising]

We were on the same sailing and had Duke Soares, we did everything you did Lynn!

He even made sure to take us away from the rain for walking St George by leaving that for when it was raining somewhere else. :)

He was a very polite man and quite witty at times.

 

Thank God we had a tour for that day because walking around was unbearable!

[Eimmat]

We were on the shortened due to bad weather cruise last week to Bermuda. Originally I had planned to go with Nadanja Bailey. He was very good at getting back QUICKLY with me. After our day in Bermuda was cancelled, I asked him what to do and he was already booked for the afternoon we arrived and the following day, but he suggested we use his grandfather. Anyway, there was a death in the family and he was unable to go, but Nadanja went out of his way to send a replacement and they were waiting on the dock with a sign with my name on it. We went on a wonderful 3 hr. tour (all the daylight we had available) with John Tucker. If anybody wants either one's email or contact info, let me know. The van was very nice and had windows that came down to get good photos. Saw a lot of wonderful places we didn't even know existed. John was very knowledgable and has lived in Bermuda all his life.:)

[grandmaR]

We were also on the Carnival cruise to Bermuda last week. We had already booked Duke for Wednesday afternoon, so we still did that. This is a photo Bob took of Duke and me at Gibbs Lighthouse. He is a little man - shorter than me, and I'm about 5'6" when I'm standing up straight. He said Duke was a nickname because they thought he looked like John Wayne. His wife is the harbor master at St. George, and he said a big Swan (sailboat) had come in and he had been showing them around in the morning. His older son is a professional captain.

 

 

 

We went to place that we have not been before

 

The first thing he showed us was a wall as we left the dockyard which

had the logos of all the ships that had docked there from early in the

1900s to the present. We paused briefly at the Royal Navy Cemetery

(burials of the British Navy dating back to 1700). We drove thru

Somerset and he asked us if we had seen the Heydon Trust Chapel, which

we had not, so we stopped briefly there. This small chapel dates back

to 1616 and is the smallest church in Bermuda. Gregorian chants are still

held in the chapel on weekdays at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., and on Saturday

at 3 p.m. This is the only church in Bermuda where such old traditions

of plainchants are still carried out that date back to the times of Pope

Gregory the Great. It had a partly above ground cistern.

 

We crossed the smallest drawbridge without stopping - our next goal

was Gibbs Lighthouse because Duke said that if we waited, the parking

lot would be too full to even get the taxi into. Here we got out and

walked around and Bob and I both took photos. We could see the Pride

across the sound.

 

We followed the South Road along the shore, past Horseshoe Bay,

Warwick Long Bay, and all the famous beaches. There was a lot of

surf even though we could see the surf line on the reef offshore. .

Then he showed us a HUGE banyan tree which was trying to cross the

road.

 

Our next stop took us by a beautiful nursery with all kinds of

flowers, but our destination was Waterville, which was a private

residence is now the headquarters of the Bermuda National Trust. This

was originally a place where sailors could come in to shop - I think

he said it was owned by Trimminghams, which is no longer in business

because the children aren't interested in running it. What he wanted

to show us was a water lily pond which had the islands of Bermuda in

it. (He said if it could grow a tree, it was an island - otherwise it

was a rock). There was also a little zoo.

 

Then we went past the Botanical Gardens, Collector's Hill and stopped

briefly at Spittal Pond parking lot where there were a bunch of

chickens running around. We kept going along South Road, past John

Smith Bay Park (which he assured us was a different John Smith) and

drove thru Tucker's Town, which isn't really a town at all and paused

by the beach of the Mid-Ocean Club which had a lot of surf. Some

people that tried to go to the beach the next day said that they

closed the beach and wouldn't let them go

 

He said he didn't recommend Devil's Hole which was something you had

to pay to see and there wasn't that much to see, so we just drove by,

and then we went thru the Flats and passed by the BAMZ which had a new

statue of a sea turtle out front - Duke said they made it out of the

roof tiles when they repaired the cathedral. He said the railway

museum is closed now - that maybe the lady that ran it died.

 

We went along the north shore - tried to get a photo of the Black

Watch well, which that regiment dug during the drought of 1849, but I

didn't really see it and don't think I got a photo. We went through

Black Watch pass down into Hamilton, past Victoria Park and the

cathedral, and circled the City Hall and headed for Fort Hamilton.

Here he let us out because the van was too heavy to go over the moat

bridge. We walked around the fort and took photos.

 

Now we were heading back for the ship - back thru Somerset on the road

next to Great Sound. I took a photo of the moon rising. He let us off

at the ship, and we paid him for 3.5 hours plus tip. Now we had to

get back aboard. They were X-raying everything which made it slow. I

sat on the benches along the line and Bob stood in line for us.

 

The pictures for this day (unlabled as yet) are here

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/GrandmaRosalie37/1109PrivateTour?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Edited November 21, 2011 by grandmaR

[luvincruzin]

grandMaR, Thanks so much for sharing your Bermuda pictures! We will be there in May on the Summit.

To anyone that has toured with Duke-can you please tell me how long before you hear back from him? I sent him an email on Friday and another on Sunday. Thank you!

 

Bonnie

[Crazeecat5]

Hi all,

I've sent numerous emails to both Duke and Colin over the last few weeks. I heard back once from Colin, asked him a few more questions and then never heard back again. I never heard back at all from Duke. I've sent them both several emails. Would love to book our tour with one of these guys for our stop in Bermuda in May. Any suggestions? :)

[grandmaR]

I don't know about Colin - I never heard back from him. Nor did I hear from the person who was supposed to be able to handle handicapped tourists.

 

Duke's wife does the email for him and they were very prompt, except that when our itinerary changed I had to ask twice to be sure he knew that our meeting place had changed. He answered me on his Blackberry.

 

Maybe they just don't know what their schedule will be that far in advance.

[Crazeecat5]

I don't know about Colin - I never heard back from him. Nor did I hear from the person who was supposed to be able to handle handicapped tourists.

 

Duke's wife does the email for him and they were very prompt, except that when our itinerary changed I had to ask twice to be sure he knew that our meeting place had changed. He answered me on his Blackberry.

 

Maybe they just don't know what their schedule will be that far in advance.

Hi there,

Thanks for replying. I am also handicapped. I was able to secure a tour in St. Marten real fast. I guess I just keep waiting. Hopefully, someone will get back to me.

[luvincruzin]

Hi all,

I've sent numerous emails to both Duke and Colin over the last few weeks. I heard back once from Colin, asked him a few more questions and then never heard back again. I never heard back at all from Duke. I've sent them both several emails. Would love to book our tour with one of these guys for our stop in Bermuda in May. Any suggestions? :)

 

Sheryl, I just called and spoke to Duke (1-441-535-3465) and he apologized that I hadn't heard back yet. He said his wife is the dockmaster and is very busy right now, but he said he will make sure she gets back to me very soon. Sounds like you will be there a few days after I will (I'll be in Bermuda on 5/3 and 5/4 on the Summit).

 

Bonnie

[Crazeecat5]

Sheryl, I just called and spoke to Duke (1-441-535-3465) and he apologized that I hadn't heard back yet. He said his wife is the dockmaster and is very busy right now, but he said he will make sure she gets back to me very soon. Sounds like you will be there a few days after I will (I'll be in Bermuda on 5/3 and 5/4 on the Summit).

 

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

Thanks so much for the phone number. I will be calling him later today. Did he answer your questions and book for you over the phone or do you have to wait for his wife to email you? Yes, we will be there on May 12th.

Hope you enjoy your cruise and your time with Duke!:D

[luvincruzin]

Hi Bonnie,

Thanks so much for the phone number. I will be calling him later today. Did he answer your questions and book for you over the phone or do you have to wait for his wife to email you? Yes, we will be there on May 12th.

Hope you enjoy your cruise and your time with Duke!:D

Hi Cheryl,

He said that his wife, who is also the harbormaster(!) is the one who responds to his emails. Evidently, she is extremely busy, but he promised she would get back to me soon. He did indicate that he doesn't have that many bookings for May, so it probably won't be a problem. He seemed very pleasant.

How long will you be there? We will only be there for a day and half.

Bonnie

[Crazeecat5]

Hi Cheryl,

He said that his wife, who is also the harbormaster(!) is the one who responds to his emails. Evidently, she is extremely busy, but he promised she would get back to me soon. He did indicate that he doesn't have that many bookings for May, so it probably won't be a problem. He seemed very pleasant.

How long will you be there? We will only be there for a day and half.

Bonnie

Hi Debbie,

We will only be there for the day from 8am-4pm. Would love to get a few hours of touring in. I think I will have to give him a call tomorrow instead of today. Thanks again for the info.:D

[luvincruzin]

Sheryl, Just wanted to tell you that I heard back from Duke today and we are booked with him for May 4th.

 

Bonnie