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Bermuda private guide

fancycroozer

By fancycroozer,
in Bermuda

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pampaul

pampaul

Posted
Posted

I have another question regarding hiring a private taxi to run us around the island.

 

If we do end up using the taxi, we'd like to just use it for some sightseeing. We don't want to use it for "beach time" or "lunch time" or "attractions" We'll use the bus or ferry for those.

 

I think I read somewhere that renting the taxi is a 3hr minimum. Just wondering how much "sightseeing" we can fit in during that time. We're not looking to "do" much during this tour but more like seeing the island.

 

Any thoughts?

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grandmaR

grandmaR

Posted
Posted
I have another question regarding hiring a private taxi to run us around the island.

 

If we do end up using the taxi, we'd like to just use it for some sightseeing. We don't want to use it for "beach time" or "lunch time" or "attractions" We'll use the bus or ferry for those.

 

I think I read somewhere that renting the taxi is a 3hr minimum. Just wondering how much "sightseeing" we can fit in during that time. We're not looking to "do" much during this tour but more like seeing the island.

 

Any thoughts?

 

We have seen a lot of the island by bus and ferry. If you haven't been there before, that would be the first step. Take the ferry to Hamilton and then take the bus out to St. George, go out to St. David, and come back to Hamilton.

 

There are some attractions and lunch places that aren't easily accessible by bus or ferry (such as the Botanical Garden, and Verdmont).

 

We had a car and driver and saw things that we had not known were there even though we have been to Bermuda multiple times. It also depends on the traffic. From one end to the other is about 21 miles, but if you are traveling through Hamilton (the city), there will be traffic that will hold you up. We had a taxi with a guide for four hours and we saw quite a bit of the island(s) in that time. We didn't go to St. George, but we did go to Gibbs Lighthouse, Fort Hamilton, and Waterville.

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Travelnuts Wife

Travelnuts Wife

Posted
Posted

We hired a driver named Duke for a 4 hour tour. We wanted 5 hours but he was already booked for the afternoon. We found different names on this site, that's how we picked him. There is lots of info on this site about different drivers and how good they are. I would rather pick one of them then just go with a taxi. They both charge the same.

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CTCruiseMan1

CTCruiseMan1

Posted
Posted
Hi CTCruiseMan - We have Duke booked from 8:30 to 12:30 on 5/2. We wanted and 1/2 hr. to 1 hr. but he told us he was already booked for 1 P.M. and now we know who is he booked with. Hope we all have a good time. Our ship arrives at 8 A.M. (Star) if you decide to ask him to come a half hour later we wouldn't mind keeping him for that extra 1/2 hour.

 

It seems Duke has a very busy day scheduled for May 2nd!

 

With that said, I'm sure he has many busy days and I'm also quite sure we will all have a great time!

 

According to NCL's itinerary the Gem will be docked at King's Wharf by 1 PM. I booked with Duke for 1 PM in hopes we can spend the entire afternoon with him.

 

He was under the initial impression that the ship was coming in at noon, but I have been unable to verify that elsewhere.

 

The 2012 Bermuda Cruise Ship Schedule confirms a 1300 arrival for the Gem on 5/2 and a 1200 departure on 5/3.

 

The Star will be at Heritage Wharf from 0800 on 5/2 through 1700 on 5/4.

 

While I am not conceptually opposed to the idea of pushing my booking back 1/2 an hour, I also don't really want to start rearranging the timetable either.

 

I don't know what time Duke ends his tour days and I'd like to maintain at least a four hour block of time with him (which you have as well).

 

I do hope you understand.

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Travelnuts Wife

Travelnuts Wife

Posted
Posted

Hi CtCruiseMan. Thank you for answering my post. I certainly understand not wanting to change your tour time. I just thought that being as you were coming in at 1 P.M. rather then Noon you might want to do this. Four hours should be plenty of time for us. We will still have 2 full days to continue touring the Island. I'm sure we will all have a great time from what I have been reading on these posts. Thank you again and enjoy your cruise and tour.

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
It seems Duke has a very busy day scheduled for May 2nd!

 

With that said, I'm sure he has many busy days and I'm also quite sure we will all have a great time!

 

According to NCL's itinerary the Gem will be docked at King's Wharf by 1 PM. I booked with Duke for 1 PM in hopes we can spend the entire afternoon with him.

 

He was under the initial impression that the ship was coming in at noon, but I have been unable to verify that elsewhere.

 

The 2012 Bermuda Cruise Ship Schedule confirms a 1300 arrival for the Gem on 5/2 and a 1200 departure on 5/3.

 

The Star will be at Heritage Wharf from 0800 on 5/2 through 1700 on 5/4.

 

While I am not conceptually opposed to the idea of pushing my booking back 1/2 an hour, I also don't really want to start rearranging the timetable either.

 

I don't know what time Duke ends his tour days and I'd like to maintain at least a four hour block of time with him (which you have as well).

 

I do hope you understand.

 

On NCL's web site, the arrival time for the Gem is listed as 12 noon. What do your edocs say?

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CTCruiseMan1

CTCruiseMan1

Posted
Posted
On NCL's web site, the arrival time for the Gem is listed as 12 noon. What do your edocs say?

 

Ahh yes, right you are... The NCL website AND my edocs both say 12:00 noon arrival at King's Wharf for the Gem.

 

Perhaps I was confused between what the NCL itinerary says and what the 2012 Bermuda Cruise Ship Schedule states (1:00 PM).

 

Thanks for the clarification... but I'm still confused :confused:

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted
Ahh yes, right you are... The NCL website AND my edocs both say 12:00 noon arrival at King's Wharf for the Gem.

 

Perhaps I was confused between what the NCL itinerary says and what the 2012 Bermuda Cruise Ship Schedule states (1:00 PM).

 

Thanks for the clarification... but I'm still confused :confused:

 

It isn't out of the question that someone at NCL forgot to account for the one hour Atlantic time zone difference in Bermuda...but that doesn't do you a heck of a lot of good if you're not sure.

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CTCruiseMan1

CTCruiseMan1

Posted
Posted
It isn't out of the question that someone at NCL forgot to account for the one hour Atlantic time zone difference in Bermuda...but that doesn't do you a heck of a lot of good if you're not sure.

 

IIRC, most cruise ships base their ship's time on their departure port and use it throughout the cruise even when they are in foreign ports.

 

It now makes more sense that the NCL website shows a noon arival (Eastern Time Zone) coming in from NYC and the Bermuda Cruise Schedule shows 1300 (Atlantic Time Zone) and Bermuda local time.

 

Thanks for the enlightening post!

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njhorseman

njhorseman

Posted
Posted (edited)
IIRC, most cruise ships base their ship's time on their departure port and use it throughout the cruise even when they are in foreign ports.

 

It now makes more sense that the NCL website shows a noon arival (Eastern Time Zone) coming in from NYC and the Bermuda Cruise Schedule shows 1300 (Atlantic Time Zone) and Bermuda local time.

 

Thanks for the enlightening post!

 

Actually, I've always found NCL's published itineraries to use local time of the ports, not the home port time zone. We cruise to Bermuda very often and when the ship arrives at 8am local time in Bermuda the itinerary says 8am.

 

Since your cruise is one time run for the year on that ship, not a regular weekly cruise, I'm sticking with my original theory of an oversight or error by NCL. Of course it's also possible the Bermuda port schedule is wrong.

Edited by njhorseman
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  • 2 weeks later...
mew1

mew1

Posted
Posted

Hey Ned, how interesting when I finally had the time to investigate this Philly Steve, a dear friend also recommended Duke. I am sure who ever I get at the pier will be good, I will take them I will recommend them on the boards, that always helps.

Mew1

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grandmaR

grandmaR

Posted
Posted
I emailed Duke 6 days ago and have received no reply. Any other email addresses (Colin, dtc) I can get to move in to another operator?

 

Duke gets his email through his wife who is the Harbor Master in St. George. So he doesn't always reply right away. But he got back to me more quickly than Colin did.

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nuekruizer

nuekruizer

Posted
Posted

I contactd colin jennings for a 4 hr tour in June for 2 adults. He quoted me 50.00 per hour. Does that sound like what others are charged? I thought the rate was 40.00 per hour for 1-2 persons or is this reasonable?? Any thoughts before I commit? Thanks!

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ashmac8

ashmac8

Posted
Posted
I contactd colin jennings for a 4 hr tour in June for 2 adults. He quoted me 50.00 per hour. Does that sound like what others are charged? I thought the rate was 40.00 per hour for 1-2 persons or is this reasonable?? Any thoughts before I commit? Thanks!

 

 

Is it on a Sunday? I think the rate might be higher on Sundays.

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SailBadtheSinner

SailBadtheSinner

Posted
Posted
I contactd colin jennings for a 4 hr tour in June for 2 adults. He quoted me 50.00 per hour. Does that sound like what others are charged? I thought the rate was 40.00 per hour for 1-2 persons or is this reasonable?? Any thoughts before I commit? Thanks!

 

Is it on a Sunday? I think the rate might be higher on Sundays.

 

If the tour is on a Sunday. it may be the 25% Sunday surcharge that the regular taxis impose.

 

 

SBtS

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