Just back from Bermuda

[Merrilymeggily]

I know when I was planning my trip to Bermuda (aboard the Zenith, May 14-21), I wanted all the first-hand info I could get, so I hope someone might get some useful information from this.

 

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, which is 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.

 

With its pastel-colored buildings, slower pace and lovely locals, Bermuda, overall, is a very soothing and civilized experience.

[familycruzer]

Jobsons Cove is my favorite beach on the island. Last time we were there, my family had it to themselves. Most people dont want to take the effort to find it.

 

Bermuda is the best and I would jump at the chance to go back.

[jlines]

. We finally took a mini-bus ($3 each way, or you can use your pass on a regular bus) to Fort St. Catharine

 

 

Your regular bus pass was good on the mini-bus also? That really makes it a great bargain. We are trying to decide if the $28 3-day pass or the book of 15 tickets would be our best bet. Since we will be docked in St. George the whole time, what does anyone think? Has anyone ever gotten the tickets?

[Merrilymeggily]

Your regular bus pass was good on the mini-bus also? That really makes it a great bargain. We are trying to decide if the $28 3-day pass or the book of 15 tickets would be our best bet. Since we will be docked in St. George the whole time, what does anyone think? Has anyone ever gotten the tickets?

 

No, sorry, the bus pass isn't good on the minibus. I meant you have the option of using your pass on a regular bus to get around as opposed to paying the extra $3 for the mini bus.

[jlines]

Does a bus travel around St. George's? From the bus website it looks as though they only pick up and travel out of town.

[smeyer418]

you can walk around St george in 10 minutes...

[wolfpack]

Do you know anyone who took the speed boat tour around the whole island? I am thinking of doing that.

Thanks for the info; we leave on Saturday!

[pinkaboo]

Thanks for that informative review and you're right, since we're planning to go there, we've been trying to search out every bit of info we can.. We are taking a couple of teens either the 1st or 2nd week in May of 2006, we're leaning more towards the 2nd week(May 14th 2006).. If I recall correctly, you were in Bermuda from May 14th to the 21st, well that the same time frame we'll be going and I would love to know what kind of weather did you have? Did you have to wear a jacket? Was it really warm enough to comfortably swim. Could you wear shorts, was it rainy? I have teens who love warm weather and love swimming. Jobson's cove sounds wonderful and I will be sure to go there. Can you tell me how much walking is involved to get to Jobson's cove once you get off the bus and can you take a taxi to Jobson's cove where there may be less walking involved getting to the beach...?

[pinkaboo]

Are there beach chairs or loungers you can rent at jobson's cove? And do you have to enter through the warwick to get to Jobson's cove?

[susie-o]

We were also in Bermuda May14-21 on the Horizon. Weather was absolutely beautiful with highs from upper 70s to low 80s and no rain. It was perfect for sunning, but too cool for me to swim, although there were both swimmers and snorkelers. From what I could tell, the next week was rainy, so we may have been very lucky. I talked with a native while there who said May and late Sept. are the best. Of course, there is the hurricane possibility in Sept.!