Summit Photo Review - June 29, 2014 to Bermuda in Aqua Class

[prim8keeper]

We woke up early on Wednesday so we could eat breakfast in Blu, watch our arrival into port and because we had an island tour at 9 am. This was the first time this cruise we went to breakfast in Blu. As many are aware one of the best things about being able to dine in Blu is the breakfast. As usual it did not disappoint.

 

These are a few of the photos I took as we came into Bermuda. This first photo is actually the first photo I took. Prior to this cruise everyone who had been to Bermuda told us how beautiful it was and they were right.

 

 

As you can see Breakaway was already docked.

 

 

 

 

As we began to approach the dock we could see old faithful waiting to bring us in!

 

Edited July 11, 2014 by prim8keeper

[LaineyNotl]

Omg this review is the best ever... Thinking of going on August 31st sail. Can anyone provide guidance to hotels in Bayonne area, and if we should drive to port or do a stay/cruise hotel option - we are driving from the Niagara area. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Elaine

 

 

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[Laney219]

Omg this review is the best ever... Thinking of going on August 31st sail. Can anyone provide guidance to hotels in Bayonne area, and if we should drive to port or do a stay/cruise hotel option - we are driving from the Niagara area. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Elaine

 

 

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I would look into a cruise and stay hotel package.. between the cost of the hotel for a night and parking at the port, I think that is the best option. Check out this forum for more information:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=415

[espo56]

Think of it this way:

 

You pay X $250 dollars. This is your deposit on the future cruise. It's non refundable, you don't get it back.

 

Because no none would do that, as a gesture, they give you some OBC on the current cruise. It happens to be, that this amount is not less, or more then the deposit, it's the same amount $250. Some marketing genius (I actually don't know if I am sarcastic about this or not) decided that if you didn't use up this OBC, they give it back to you, it just happens to be the same amount as the deposit. It does seem like a free deposit and sounds like a great deal, hope it lasts until we are onboard in August, but for the life of me, I can't think what more I could book until they release new sailings, and everything I have booked has gone up in price.

 

Great review by the way :)

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

I don't get this at all. I paid $200 deposit for my April 2015 cruise. They gave me $250 and the drink package. I was told I can cancel and get my $200 deposit back.

[prim8keeper]

I don't get this at all. I paid $200 deposit for my April 2015 cruise. They gave me $250 and the drink package. I was told I can cancel and get my $200 deposit back.

 

This was the old system. What we booked under is the new system. I would suggest checking out the future cruise documents I posted on page one since it has all the fine print and may be helpful.

[prim8keeper]

Another shot of Breakaway as we came into port. All I could think was "sooooo many balconies."

 

 

 

The pink building is where the Summit docks.

 

 

 

Overlooking the dockyard marina as we were pulling into port. That is the clock tower mall in the background.

 

[prim8keeper]

As I stated earlier, today we had a six hour private island tour of the island planned. While I know everyone says you can do Bermuda yourself, and you can, since we had never been to Bermuda this seemed like a good idea. We used Ralph from Winsome Tours. There were a total of eight on this tour, all from the roll call.

 

As we were in the cabin getting our things we would need for the day I looked out the window to see this.

 

 

Rain! Apparently this was the first time it had rained in a really long time. Lucky us! We went down to the grand foyer to meet everyone else and then got off the ship. As promised Ralph was waiting right outside the pink building for us. Ralph is a wealth of knowledge. He has lived on the island his entire life. I found out later, on our tour on Friday, that he is also pretty well known. Since it was raining off and on throughout the day I don't have a ton of photos.

 

Our first stop was Heydon Trust Chapel. Ralph told us it was one of the oldest structures on the island having been built in the early 1600's.

 

 

As you can see it is not very big in there. While we were sitting in there Ralph talked about the history of the church and the land it is located on.

 

 

 

 

After leaving the church we made our way to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse.

[prim8keeper]

Photos taken at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. We did not actually climb to the top of it. Two of our friends went back the following day and did it and said it was much harder than they thought it would be. These would be the same friends who actually worked out on the cruise. I'll wait until they install an elevator.

 

 

 

 

 

On a clear day you would be able to see the ships docked over in the Dockyard. Not the best photo as I had to do a lot just to get the ships to appear. I imagine though on a clear day this would be really pretty.

 

 

At the lighthouse they also have a small gift shop with various items and bathrooms. I think there was also a restaurant but since we were there in the morning it was closed.

 

Ralph showing us on the map where we would be heading too next.

 

[prim8keeper]

Well look at that! It let me add 6 photos. I could have sworn you could only do five at once.

 

As you may or may not be aware Bermuda is only 21 miles long and no more than two miles wide at its widest point. During our tour we traveled over the entire island. After the lighthouse we headed towards the Botanical Gardens. On the way we stopped at two overlooks. The first was at the very famous Horseshoe Bay. It was pretty empty because of the rain.

 

 

The second overlook was at Warwick Long Bay. As an FYI this beach goes from being really shallow to having a steep drop off so its not the best for kids.

 

 

 

It was also at this time that Ralph explained what creates Bermuda's famous pink sand. For many years they thought the pink sand was caused by broken coral. However, this is not true. It is actually caused by the exoskeleton of some sea creature (I forget the name) that lives out on the reefs that protect Bermuda. When it gets broken down over time it eventually leads to the pink sand.

 

 

Sadly this is where my photos end for this tour. It was just too misty/rainy the rest of the day and I couldn't keep my lens clear enough. Following the Botanical Gardens we visited St. George's. While we were there we saw the dunking of the wench. It was interesting to learn that the woman they dunk is actually the lower speaker of parliament. She is from St. George's and they are doing whatever they can to draw tourist in. Apparently ever since the cruise ships stopped docking in St. George's they have been struggling. We also went to see Tobacco Bay, the unfinished church, etc. while we over there. I didn't realize Tobacco Bay was so small! I can't imagine how crowded it must be on a sunny day.

 

After visiting St. George's we made our way towards Hamilton and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club which is where we had lunch. Getting to dine at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was really cool and the only way you can do this is by going on a tour with Winsome Tours. Ralph is a member of the club and at one point was the Commodore. Following lunch he gave us a tour of the club and showed us the trophy room. I'm really kicking myself for leaving the camera in the car during all this. He also talked about the history of the Bermuda Yacht Regatta which had just finished the week before we arrived.

 

Following lunch we made our way back towards the ship going a different way than the way we came. I didn't realize there was so much to Bermuda. The tour was very informative and gave us plenty of ideas for things to do when we return. It also turned out to be the best day to do it since it was raining off and all most of the day.

[prim8keeper]

After we dropped off our bags from the day we decided to go out and explore the Dockyard since it was only around 4 pm. We had been planing on going to Harbour nights, however we decided against this. First we were tired from tour and second Dmitri told us that the first night in port is the best night to stay on the ship because it becomes most people go out. He told us everyone goes out to Harbour nights or to eat in Bermuda and then realizes how expensive it is and return to the ship the following night. Ralph told us if we wanted something actually made in Bermuda this was the best place to find it. His recommendations were the crafts market and art studio. They also have the Bermuda Rum Cake store, glass blowing and clay works. I really liked the art store and clay works but there stuff was not cheap.

 

My favorite store was the cake store (surprise, surprise, I know) and the crafts market. At the market they are required to spend at least two hours a week there working on their items. We ended up buying some hand painted ornaments for our parents. My families idea of Christmas makes the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation house look understated and tastefully done. After some exploring we stopped by the yogurt store since if you buy something they give your free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes. I took these photos on our walk back to the ship.

 

 

 

 

It had finally stopped raining and everyone was heading out to Harbour nights. I wish I had a picture of how full the ferries were! In the end I'm glad we didn't go. Dimitri was dead on. After stopping off for a drink and to thank Dimitri for his great tip we decided to change for dinner. That's when I took the two photos below.

 

 

 

As you can tell we were lucky and we were tied up so the aft cabins faced out into the bay rather than towards Breakaway.

 

We had a very quiet evening on the ship and while we were at dinner we could see the packed ferries returning from Hamilton. It was nice to just take it easy.

 

Now I'm going to end this by talking about one of the new entertainment events they are doing on Summit. Our cruise was actually only the third time they were doing it. It is called Indulgence. Below is a little set up that is always in Cellar Masters to advertise it.

 

 

Below is the description for the event:

 

Prepare to awake your sense at our newest entertainment event-Indulgence.

 

Delight in seductive, quirky pop-up performances, while enjoying enticing delicacies and tantalizing beverages that are sure to leave you wanting more. It's a sensual experience that blends mouth-watering treats and unique entertainment into an entirely satisfying rendezvous.

 

It was only held once, on Thursday at 10 pm in Cellar's Masters for guest 21 years and older only. It was $39 per person with limited spaces available. As you can imagine your guess was as good as ours as to what this actually was. However, since I knew I was going to be doing this photo review and we had lots of OBC we decided to do a public service and attend.

 

Well that's where I'm going to end it for tonight...*smirk*

[Rina155]

I am so enjoying your review! Great photos, I will be in 1140 AQ aft suite one week from today on Summits sister ship, Millie! Thanks for sharing your trip. Look forward to more. Makes me want to take this trip!

 

 

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[prim8keeper]

I am so enjoying your review! Great photos, I will be in 1140 AQ aft suite one week from today on Summits sister ship, Millie! Thanks for sharing your trip. Look forward to more. Makes me want to take this trip!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks so much! I'm sure you will love that cabin. It will be perfect for Alaska with the big balcony.

[prim8keeper]

Since we did a tour of the island on Wednesday we left Thursday open to do whatever we wanted. We were going to base what we did off of the tour. Since it had been raining the entire time we were in St. George's we decided we would venture back over there. From there there wasn't much of a plan. If you are going to go to St. George's you need to pay attention to the ferry schedule. The ferries to St. Geroge's are not nearly as frequent as the ones to Hamilton. There are only four ferries a day to and from St. George's on Wednesday/Thursday and only three on Friday. Personally I would not recommend anyone going to St. George's on Friday, but that's just me. You can also take the bus but I hear it takes much longer than the ferry.

 

We decided to get up early so we could have breakfast in Blu and then catch the first ferry of the day to St. George's which left at 9:30 am. You can buy your ferry/bus day passes or tokens right outside of where you exit from Summit. They only seemed to be open in the morning though. After that you had to go to one of the other places in the Dockyard. Since we weren't sure what we were going to do for the day we just bought the 1-day pass which gives you access to all the buses/ferries. A one day pass is $15 pp for an adult. It normally cost $4 a ride, if you buy a token in advance, or $4.50 if you pay cash. As long as you use your day pass four times you come out ahead. You just show it to the driver every time you board.

 

Since we were early I decided to take some photos. Since it was early I actually caught the sun coming up over the Summit.

 

 

After that we explored the Dockyard a little more. I forget what exactly this area was called.

 

 

 

 

We lined up early for the ferry since we heard the first ferry of the day can get crowded. People began lining up about 45 minutes before the ferry was set to leave. The ride to St. George's is 45 minutes and there are not enough seats on the ferry. So if getting a seat is important to you make sure you get in line early. Even though we could have gotten a seat we chose to stand up on the very top deck (3) so I could take photos. This was an ok idea. We were told these were the fast ferries, but in my mind when I think of a ferry I think of something slow. This was more like a ferry speed boat which made taking photos rather difficult once we were going full speed. Oh well, it was still a fun ride.

 

The ferry to St. George's. As you can see it is clearly marked.

 

 

This is the first ferry to Hamilton leaving for the day. There were not many people aboard.

 

 

Just in case you were curious the photo count now stands at 114!

[acoupleofcruisers]

Loving the review Tom, Thank you so much.

Just a tip if you get half drowned by the torrential rain as you leave the ferry. You can dry off you passport and money one page/sheet at a time with the hair dryer.;)

Rain started as we were docking from the ferry:eek: We now take zip lock bags with us.

Looking forward to the rest of the review:)

Have a great weekend,

Maureen.

[prim8keeper]

Loving the review Tom, Thank you so much.

Just a tip if you get half drowned by the torrential rain as you leave the ferry. You can dry off you passport and money one page/sheet at a time with the hair dryer.;)

Rain started as we were docking from the ferry:eek: We now take zip lock bags with us.

Looking forward to the rest of the review:)

Have a great weekend,

Maureen.

 

haha! That happened to us coming back from St. John's earlier this year in St. Thomas. I now have a special camera/ipad backpack that has a cover attached to it for the rain. Best investment I ever made!

[Hollywood Traveler]

Tom, this is a wonderful review. Thanks so much. And if you keep this up with your other cruises you'll save me lots of money. I won't have to take cruises. I can just enjoy them vicariously through your reviews.

 

Larry

[prim8keeper]

Tom, this is a wonderful review. Thanks so much. And if you keep this up with your other cruises you'll save me lots of money. I won't have to take cruises. I can just enjoy them vicariously through your reviews.

 

 

 

Larry

 

 

Larry we decided you needed to move to Bermuda. In St George's when they dunk the wench the town crier yells out everything and fights with her. We thought it was the perfect job for you. I'm sure anyone who has cruised with you would agree.

 

I'll start posting again later today when I get home from running my errands. My goal is to finish Bermuda today and complete my wrap up tomorrow.

[DebNJoe]

I hope to sneak in a Bermuda update over lunch. My goal is to finish the review up this weekend. I don't want the review to last longer than the cruise. :p

 

LOL :D

Love your review Tom. The pictures are great (especially love the NY ones :)) and your comments are most entertaining.

 

The Bermuda all in sounds like a great promo. Is it only available if booked onboard a Bermuda cruise or any cruise??

[prim8keeper]

LOL :D

Love your review Tom. The pictures are great (especially love the NY ones :)) and your comments are most entertaining.

 

The Bermuda all in sounds like a great promo. Is it only available if booked onboard a Bermuda cruise or any cruise??

 

Thanks Deb! On the Bermuda all in flyer it does state that it has to be booked on board the Summit between 6/1/2014 and 8/31/14 for a 7-night Bermuda cruise departing between 5/2015 and 8/2015.

[prim8keeper]

These photos were all taken aboard the ferry on the way to St. George's. I love all the colorful houses. Apparently there are no restrictions in terms of house color in Bermuda. The roofs are designed to catch water since it is the only way to get fresh water on the island. Keeping them white is a good way to make sure they stay clean. Most houses in Bermuda cost around one million dollars. About half the residents on the island own homes and the other half rent. That is why most homes are two stories. The owner lives on top and the renter under neath. If it is a single story house it is usually a sign of a very wealthy person or someone who has inherited the house.

 

 

This is St. Chaterine Fort. It sounds like a neat place to visit.

 

 

 

Another fort, I forget the name, but it is now closed to visitors.

 

 

A shipwreck which can been seen coming into St. George's.

 

 

This is the World Heritage Centre. It is located right next to the building where the ferry drops you off. I would suggest popping here since it is a great place to grab a map. There was also a video you could watch, it was $5 I believe, and a small gift shop.

 

[prim8keeper]

Part of why I wanted to return to St. George's was because there were so many great places to be photographed. These are just an assortment of photos I took as we wondered from the World Heritage Centre into town. I really liked the architecture of the houses. If you are looking to mail anyone a post card from Bermuda this is a great time to do that. As you walk up Water Street towards King's Square you pass a small post office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[prim8keeper]

Our first stop was King's Square and the old Town Hall. This is the area where they dunk the wench.

 

 

 

 

From there we wandered up towards the original state house. It is the white building at the top of this hill in the center of this photo.

 

 

On your way there you will pass a small park which has a bust of Thomas Moore.

 

 

Wouldn't it be nice to live here?

 

[prim8keeper]

From the original state house we made our way to Somers Gardens. This where Sir George Somers heart is buried. His wish was to be buried in Bermuda, however his nephew just buried his heart here and sent his body back to England. This first photo is where they believe the heart is buried.

 

 

 

There are loose chickens all over the island as a result of them getting loose during hurricanes.

 

 

Moongate! Supposedly if you walk through the moongate you are blessed with goodluck.

 

 

 

[prim8keeper]

If you are going to walk up to the unfinished church make sure to exit out of the back of Somers Gardens. It doesn't look like much but it will keep you from actually having to re-walk around the garden. Originally we thought it just emptied out into a back area or something so we didn't explore. It wasn't until afterwards when we were walking back around the garden that we saw people exiting from there. DOH!

 

 

From Somers Garden is only a short five minute walk up to the unfinished church. They started building this church when St. Peters Church was badly damaged by a storm. However, the parishioners had strong differences about whether they should build this church or fix the old one. In the end construction on this church was stopped because they ran out of funding. A while back there was damage to the church which meant it was closed to visitors. It was supposed to be open when we were there however it was not. It still made for some great photos though.

 

 

 

 

[prim8keeper]

 

 

 

Following our visit to this church we began walking back down towards St. George's to visit St. Peters Church. I took these photos along the way.