Just back from Bermuda on Zenith, Part 2

[Merrilymeggily]

I know I rambled on in my last post about Zenith, but I wanted to add a few more notes, specifically about Bermuda this time. I know when I was planning my trip, I wanted all the first-hand info I could get, so here goes:

 

We docked in Hamilton on Monday morning and were clear to leave the ship by 9AM. No problems at all. Hamilton is just a lovely, picturesque town with a main street lined with pretty -- and expensive -- shops. Don't expect many great deals here on high-price items such as jewelry. But the strolling is wonderful.

We didn't book any excursions, simply because we wanted to try something different from our other cruises, where we filled each port day with group stuff. Plus, we felt a little safer heading out on our own in Bermuda than in some of the islands we've visited.

 

A great bet is the bus/ferry pass. You can get a three-day pass for about $25 and use it for all public buses and for the ferries. Seeing Bermuda by ferry is an absolute must. We didn't rent scooters because we were unsure about our prowess on them and didn't want to take any chances. While we were there, the local paper ran a story about the record number of scooter-related deaths that have occurred in Bermuda this year. It's a serious concern. Though as far as I know, none of the fatalities have involved tourists.

 

You can get bus/ferry passes on board or at the tourist info center, which is about half a block away from the ship, to the left. On our first day in Hamilton, we stolled through town, visited a gorgeous public park and then took a 20-minute ferry ride to the Dockyard, where we spent a few hours checking out the fort and the wonderful shops. There's a glassworks, where you can watch glass being blown and where you can buy beautiful pieces. There's also a clayworks and a few other shops and sites.

 

From there, we took a local bus back to the ship. Wow, what a wild ride. I swear the bus drivers think of it as entertainment for us scaredy-cat tourists! Lots of high-speed turns -- and of course all that driving on the "wrong" side of the road. It was exhilarating. The local folks were so charming and friendly. School kids made sure we got off at the right stop. Be aware that the bus drivers don't call out stops unless you specifically ask them to.

 

The buses run on schedule, very frequently. Bearing in mind that Bermudians are NOT on vacation just because you are, be prepared for some crowded buses and "rush-hour" traffic at the obvious times. The buses and ferries are very clean, too.

 

By the time we got back, we were starving, so we went to the ship to eat. Many restaurants in Hamilton are expensive, along the lines of a $12 hamburger. I know there are some wonderful places to eat, but we opted to stick to the ship for our sustenance. We didn't come back out into town until late at night, and then only just for a stroll. They pretty much roll up the sidewalks in Hamilton around 6, though restaurants stay open a little later and we did hear some far-off music around midnight that we assumed was coming from a nightbclub somewhere. Live music on board must stop at midnight to accommodate local regulations. It's a different way of life that I'm glad I got to experience.

 

Our second day in Hamilton, Tuesday, we took the recommendation of a friend of mine who visits often and took a bus to Jobson's Cove. It's along the same route as the more popular Elbow Bay and Horseshoe Beach. It's somewhere in between the two and right next to Warwick Bay Beach.

 

The bus schedules are very easy to read, but I wanted to double check and when I asked the person at the tourist info office how to get to Jobson's Cove, he asked "Is there any particular reason you want to go THERE?" He warned that it was pretty isolated and suggested we go to the more popular Horseshoe Beach.

 

We asked the driver to let us off at Jobson's Cove, and we were beginning to have second thoughts based on what the tourist guy said. But we turned a corner on the bus and everyone on board gasped at the same time when they saw the beach that had emerged around the bend. Just then the driver announced Jobson's Cove. I think some of the people who were heading to Horseshoe got off there when they saw us get off.

 

When we got off, we had to walk back a bit and downhill to Warwick Bay Beach. It is one of the most breath-taking places I've ever seen. There were maybe 10 other people on the beach all day. The water was cool, but fine once you got all the way in. The waves were pretty rough and lots of fun. And the water was absolutely crystal clear, with huge rock formations jutting out from the surface, and the beach is a pretty pink. You can swim around the rocks, to the right if you're facing the ocean, to Jobson's Cove, which is very tiny and isolated, perfectly calm and shallow enough for kids. You can also walk across on the rocks in the water or climb the rocks on the beach to get from Warwick Bay to Jobson's Cove. Keep going and you'll reach one perfect little cove after another. Eventually, you'd reach Horseshoe.

 

The downside to Jobson and Warwick is that there are no lifeguards, showers or food concessions, although there are restrooms and a very small stand where you can buy basic snorkel equipment or beach stuff. We waited until we were starving to get back on the bus and head to the ship for lunch. If you want, you can check out Warwick/Jobson's then take the bus to Elbow or Horseshoe for a more traditional and populated beach experience. We didn't regret our choice in the least.

 

On Wednesday, we were on our way to St. George's. Even though it's early, do try to be on deck when the ship approaches St. George's. It passes through a tiny strait, which looks to be barely big enough. The town crier will greet the ship, and there are bound to be families standing in their back yards along the waterfront to wave and say welcome. Very sweet.

 

There's a different feel at St. George's, more touristy than residential, but also homier and, to me, more charming. You can walk off the ship and stroll to Town Square, where you can watch the town gossip get "dunked" and have pix taken with the town crier. There are winding lanes and alleys, and adorable shops where you can get everything from authentic tartan and Aran sweaters to tacky souvenirs to perfume and jewelry. I thought the prices were more reasonable than in Hamilton. And the same is true in some of the restaurants. We spent our first day basically strolling. We finally took a mini-bus ($3 each way, or you can use your pass on a regular bus) to Fort St. Catharine, but it was too late to get in. Still, we checked out our beach options and planned to return the next day. The minibuses run every 15 minutes or so and pick up where they drop off. You can also get a cab, but it's more expensive.

 

The next day we were scheduled to leave Bermuda at 3 but we got a late start, so we skipped the Caves and the Aquarium and opted to go back to the fort, which we explored for quite a while. Caution: If you are claustrophobic, it gets pretty tight in there. To the right of the fort is the popular St. Catharine's Beach, which has two food stands, as well as beach equipment rental. It was also very crowded. We opted instead to go to the left of the fort to tiny Achille's Beach. Very few people, a small stand for renting snorkel gear, etc. And huge rock formations to explore. Where Warwick was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Achilles is No. 1. Words cannot begin to describe it.

 

Leaving Bermuda, you once again go through the tiny strait and can wave to local folks who are wishing you well on your journey. With its pastel-colored buildings, slower pace and lovely locals, Bermuda, overall, is a very soothing and civilized experience.

 

We hit very rocky seas and cold weather on Thursday night, which explains the not-so-happy faces in our second formal night photos! But we were all OK, and ventured out onto the deck. What an agry sea she was that night and well into the next day. On Friday night, our last night, we could barely get the doors open and those on one side of the ship were off limits. Out on deck, the ocean was spraying up to the 8th deck! Awesome. But you couldn't stay out and watch it very long. On that night and one previous night, there were actual waves in the swimming pools. I know everyone complains about rough weather on a cruise, but it was beautiful, just another dimension of life at sea to experience. But I am glad that the weather was picture perfect most of the time, especially while we were in port.

Hope someone finds something here they can use!

[chrissieo]

I just read your two reviews with eager anticipation, as I'm about to sail away on the Zenith in just two short weeks from today :) :) Can't wait!

Thank you for such thoroughness. I am really excited to check out the beaches you mention. I live in Southern California, so I'm not a stranger to beach and beautiful surroundings, but your description of Bermuda makes the places sound absolutely breathtaking!

 

One question about St. George, b/c I really want to get to experience all of its fun little nuances: What time does the "dunking" occur, and I know you said it's early, but what time does the ship pull in so we can hear the town crier? Maybe it's different on every cruise, so did the ship make you aware of what time we could expect to pull in?

 

I'm sure I'll have more questions once it gets even closer, so I hope you don't mind if I ask them. Thanks again. Great reviews and I'm so glad you had a great time. I expect to do the same!

[Merrilymeggily]

I just read your two reviews with eager anticipation, as I'm about to sail away on the Zenith in just two short weeks from today :) :) Can't wait!

Thank you for such thoroughness. I am really excited to check out the beaches you mention. I live in Southern California, so I'm not a stranger to beach and beautiful surroundings, but your description of Bermuda makes the places sound absolutely breathtaking!

 

One question about St. George, b/c I really want to get to experience all of its fun little nuances: What time does the "dunking" occur, and I know you said it's early, but what time does the ship pull in so we can hear the town crier? Maybe it's different on every cruise, so did the ship make you aware of what time we could expect to pull in?

 

I'm sure I'll have more questions once it gets even closer, so I hope you don't mind if I ask them. Thanks again. Great reviews and I'm so glad you had a great time. I expect to do the same!

 

Oh, please, ask away! It's fun to share! The dunking takes places at noon in Town Square. It's fun, although I did feel bad a little later when I thought about how badly women really were treated in those days. But it's a real crowd pleaser, and the woman who portrayed the "gossip and nag" was great.

 

We left Hamilton at 6AM and sailed through the strait around 8. By 8:30 we were docked in St. George's. The daily newsletter let us know what the times, and our waiter at dinner the night before also filled us in.

[moai]

Meg,

Thank you so much for your reviews. We sail in August (can’t wait) and we are trying to put together an itinerary for when we are in Bermuda. :D

[Kate Roselund]

Hi Meg!

Great review! I think Bermuda might be our next cruise, esp if we can be flexible and take advantage of one of those last minute fares! Unbelievable! Your story about the waves in the pool brought back great memories of Alaska Aug 2003. We were on the Hal Veendam and the pool turned into a giant waterpark! I have vidio of the kids screaming with laughter and literally being tossed from one end of the pool to another! Of course on Hal there aren't that many kids:p and the staff took control of the situation pretty quickly. It was a beautiful sunny day "at sea" and we rocked and rolled all afternoon!

 

Has ANYONE gone to Bermuda without sea sick sized seas??

[Terry in NJ]

Hi Meg,

I have a few questions on Achilles Beach. Did you take the shuttle bus?

(I read somewhere that the beach was up or down a big hill, and it was an easy walk one way but use the shuttle the other!)

Was there a sign pointing the way? (Like, am I going to get lost :) ??) Were there restrooms?

It sounds beautiful!

Thanks for your detailed reports! They are terrific!

 

Oh another question, did they offer spa specials on the port days? Did the deals seem reasonable? (Any chance you have any of your daily newletters and can give me a summary?)

 

Thanks again,

Terry in NJ

[wallygator]

I know I rambled on in my last post about Zenith, but I wanted to add a few more notes, specifically about Bermuda this time. I know when I was planning my trip, I wanted all the first-hand info I could get, so here goes:

 

We docked in Hamilton on Monday morning and were clear to leave the ship by 9AM. No problems at all. Hamilton is just a lovely, picturesque town with a main street lined with pretty -- and expensive -- shops. Don't expect many great deals here on high-price items such as jewelry. But the strolling is wonderful.

We didn't book any excursions, simply because we wanted to try something different from our other cruises, where we filled each port day with group stuff. Plus, we felt a little safer heading out on our own in Bermuda than in some of the islands we've visited.

 

A great bet is the bus/ferry pass. You can get a three-day pass for about $25 and use it for all public buses and for the ferries. Seeing Bermuda by ferry is an absolute must. We didn't rent scooters because we were unsure about our prowess on them and didn't want to take any chances. While we were there, the local paper ran a story about the record number of scooter-related deaths that have occurred in Bermuda this year. It's a serious concern. Though as far as I know, none of the fatalities have involved tourists.

 

You can get bus/ferry passes on board or at the tourist info center, which is about half a block away from the ship, to the left. On our first day in Hamilton, we stolled through town, visited a gorgeous public park and then took a 20-minute ferry ride to the Dockyard, where we spent a few hours checking out the fort and the wonderful shops. There's a glassworks, where you can watch glass being blown and where you can buy beautiful pieces. There's also a clayworks and a few other shops and sites.

 

From there, we took a local bus back to the ship. Wow, what a wild ride. I swear the bus drivers think of it as entertainment for us scaredy-cat tourists! Lots of high-speed turns -- and of course all that driving on the "wrong" side of the road. It was exhilarating. The local folks were so charming and friendly. School kids made sure we got off at the right stop. Be aware that the bus drivers don't call out stops unless you specifically ask them to.

 

The buses run on schedule, very frequently. Bearing in mind that Bermudians are NOT on vacation just because you are, be prepared for some crowded buses and "rush-hour" traffic at the obvious times. The buses and ferries are very clean, too.

 

By the time we got back, we were starving, so we went to the ship to eat. Many restaurants in Hamilton are expensive, along the lines of a $12 hamburger. I know there are some wonderful places to eat, but we opted to stick to the ship for our sustenance. We didn't come back out into town until late at night, and then only just for a stroll. They pretty much roll up the sidewalks in Hamilton around 6, though restaurants stay open a little later and we did hear some far-off music around midnight that we assumed was coming from a nightbclub somewhere. Live music on board must stop at midnight to accommodate local regulations. It's a different way of life that I'm glad I got to experience.

 

Our second day in Hamilton, Tuesday, we took the recommendation of a friend of mine who visits often and took a bus to Jobson's Cove. It's along the same route as the more popular Elbow Bay and Horseshoe Beach. It's somewhere in between the two and right next to Warwick Bay Beach.

 

The bus schedules are very easy to read, but I wanted to double check and when I asked the person at the tourist info office how to get to Jobson's Cove, he asked "Is there any particular reason you want to go THERE?" He warned that it was pretty isolated and suggested we go to the more popular Horseshoe Beach.

 

We asked the driver to let us off at Jobson's Cove, and we were beginning to have second thoughts based on what the tourist guy said. But we turned a corner on the bus and everyone on board gasped at the same time when they saw the beach that had emerged around the bend. Just then the driver announced Jobson's Cove. I think some of the people who were heading to Horseshoe got off there when they saw us get off.

 

When we got off, we had to walk back a bit and downhill to Warwick Bay Beach. It is one of the most breath-taking places I've ever seen. There were maybe 10 other people on the beach all day. The water was cool, but fine once you got all the way in. The waves were pretty rough and lots of fun. And the water was absolutely crystal clear, with huge rock formations jutting out from the surface, and the beach is a pretty pink. You can swim around the rocks, to the right if you're facing the ocean, to Jobson's Cove, which is very tiny and isolated, perfectly calm and shallow enough for kids. You can also walk across on the rocks in the water or climb the rocks on the beach to get from Warwick Bay to Jobson's Cove. Keep going and you'll reach one perfect little cove after another. Eventually, you'd reach Horseshoe.

 

The downside to Jobson and Warwick is that there are no lifeguards, showers or food concessions, although there are restrooms and a very small stand where you can buy basic snorkel equipment or beach stuff. We waited until we were starving to get back on the bus and head to the ship for lunch. If you want, you can check out Warwick/Jobson's then take the bus to Elbow or Horseshoe for a more traditional and populated beach experience. We didn't regret our choice in the least.

 

On Wednesday, we were on our way to St. George's. Even though it's early, do try to be on deck when the ship approaches St. George's. It passes through a tiny strait, which looks to be barely big enough. The town crier will greet the ship, and there are bound to be families standing in their back yards along the waterfront to wave and say welcome. Very sweet.

 

There's a different feel at St. George's, more touristy than residential, but also homier and, to me, more charming. You can walk off the ship and stroll to Town Square, where you can watch the town gossip get "dunked" and have pix taken with the town crier. There are winding lanes and alleys, and adorable shops where you can get everything from authentic tartan and Aran sweaters to tacky souvenirs to perfume and jewelry. I thought the prices were more reasonable than in Hamilton. And the same is true in some of the restaurants. We spent our first day basically strolling. We finally took a mini-bus ($3 each way, or you can use your pass on a regular bus) to Fort St. Catharine, but it was too late to get in. Still, we checked out our beach options and planned to return the next day. The minibuses run every 15 minutes or so and pick up where they drop off. You can also get a cab, but it's more expensive.

 

The next day we were scheduled to leave Bermuda at 3 but we got a late start, so we skipped the Caves and the Aquarium and opted to go back to the fort, which we explored for quite a while. Caution: If you are claustrophobic, it gets pretty tight in there. To the right of the fort is the popular St. Catharine's Beach, which has two food stands, as well as beach equipment rental. It was also very crowded. We opted instead to go to the left of the fort to tiny Achille's Beach. Very few people, a small stand for renting snorkel gear, etc. And huge rock formations to explore. Where Warwick was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Achilles is No. 1. Words cannot begin to describe it.

 

Leaving Bermuda, you once again go through the tiny strait and can wave to local folks who are wishing you well on your journey. With its pastel-colored buildings, slower pace and lovely locals, Bermuda, overall, is a very soothing and civilized experience.

 

We hit very rocky seas and cold weather on Thursday night, which explains the not-so-happy faces in our second formal night photos! But we were all OK, and ventured out onto the deck. What an agry sea she was that night and well into the next day. On Friday night, our last night, we could barely get the doors open and those on one side of the ship were off limits. Out on deck, the ocean was spraying up to the 8th deck! Awesome. But you couldn't stay out and watch it very long. On that night and one previous night, there were actual waves in the swimming pools. I know everyone complains about rough weather on a cruise, but it was beautiful, just another dimension of life at sea to experience. But I am glad that the weather was picture perfect most of the time, especially while we were in port.

Hope someone finds something here they can use!

 

Great review. We did visit Jobson's Cove on our land vacation a few years back. I have to say I've been around and the beaches of Bermuda are the best. We will be cruising on the Zienth 10/15/2005 and I will be going to Jobson' Cove and you will find me trying to sweet talk my bride. Those beaches have a special magic to them. Thanks again great review :) :rolleyes:

[Merrilymeggily]

Hi Meg,

I have a few questions on Achilles Beach. Did you take the shuttle bus?

(I read somewhere that the beach was up or down a big hill, and it was an easy walk one way but use the shuttle the other!)

Was there a sign pointing the way? (Like, am I going to get lost :) ??) Were there restrooms?

It sounds beautiful!

Thanks for your detailed reports! They are terrific!

 

Oh another question, did they offer spa specials on the port days? Did the deals seem reasonable? (Any chance you have any of your daily newletters and can give me a summary?)

 

Thanks again,

Terry in NJ

 

Terry, we took the shuttle to Achilles and Fort St. Catharine, which are right next to each other. It was $3 each way. The shuttle drops you off outside of the fort and you can walk down a small staircase to get to the beach. My friends walked from the ship to the fort but it was all uphill. Although the way they walked was considerably shorter distance than the way the shuttle took us. I don't recall restrooms right at Achilles, but I think there were some at St. Catharine's beach, which is just on the other side of the fort, about a minute's walk.

 

I know there were spa specials on port days. For example, take three of the specially listed services for $79 (you could choose from a mini-facial, mini-manicure, mini-pedicure and few other treatments). There also was a 3 fo $89 deal and a 3 for $99 deal, each with its own set of treatments to choose from.

 

My traveling companions took the daily newsletters, but I'll get them back and give you some details.

[Merrilymeggily]

Dona1, hope this is helpful