Bermuda Transportation 2/18/24

[tmal2]

I can't remember where I read it but I could swear I read something about the ships tenders being used as shuttles to either Hamilton or St. George. Can anyone confirm this for me or did I misread something?

 

We'll be in Bermuda on Sunday 2/18 and I'm thinking about going to Crystal caves on our own since the excursions are sold out. From what I've read the caves are closer to St George than Hamilton but the Island's ferry only runs to Hamilton during the winter months. I was thinking if I read correctly and the ship does run launches to St George I'd be able to save a little time since we are only in port from 9-4.

 

Has anyone else gone to Crystal caves on your own? How did you get there and how long did it take. My concerns are making sure I'm back to the ship in time.

 

Thanks

[Pitzel]

NCL usually runs a free ferry to St. George. From there, you can grab the bus or a taxi to the caves. If the ferry isn't running or if the schedule isn't conducive to a visit to the caves, you could always take the public ferry to Hamilton and then take a taxi or bus to the caves from Hamilton.

[tmal2]

44 minutes ago, Pitzel said:

NCL usually runs a free ferry to St. George. From there, you can grab the bus or a taxi to the caves. If the ferry isn't running or if the schedule isn't conducive to a visit to the caves, you could always take the public ferry to Hamilton and then take a taxi or bus to the caves from Hamilton.

Thank you!

[mking8288]

NCL consistently, weather & sailing conditions safely permitting, her exclusive ferry (named "Spirit of St. George" - a double decker climate-controlled fast ferry with a max seating capacity of 500 pax) between Dockyard and St. George's on the east end, whenever its own ships are docked there - schedule usually posted onboard at/near Guest Services and by the gangway/next to the pier, adjusted & tailored to arrival and all abroad time, as those are subject to changes & adjustment.  On a short visit, the ferry typically only make 1 run (round trip) only - as travel time is about 45 minutes + docking ... and not everyone from the ship will be able to get on her and/or for the return trip. 

 

There is a bus service that goes to/from SG from downtown, city of Hamilton and another bus to/from Dockyard ... total time including connection/wait is close to 2 hours - AND, during the winter season/schedule ... both bus & ferry servies are scaled back as it is intended for locals & visitors, not meant to be a vital service or link to thousands of ship passengers (sometimes, you can end up with 2 ships there on a given day, even during the winter days).  Taxi services are available but it will be pricey, if not expensive - should you choose to explore & on the clock, might get back to the ship in time for all abroad cut-off.  Taxis in Bermuda operate based on fare zones and they are regulated, ask the driver for his/her mobile phone # in case you need to request a pickup at the cave or elsewhere, and, also to the taxi company's base/dispatcher for another available taxi nearby to pickup.  

 

The official Bermuda government website has the links for the BDA's bus and ferry schedule, please check it ahead of time ... it is inexpensive & easy to use, USD or currencies are accepted but no change is given/returned for any excess, aside from buying the ferry/bus or unlimited pass, sold at authorized shop/kiosk or outlet at Dockyard.  

 

Always, always - take the NCL port agent's contact info for emergencies & urgent comms when going ashore, in case you need to reach them for anything unexpected ... listed in the Freestyle Dailies for each port of call.   

 

Arriving on a Sunday from the Getaway out of NY, please be mindful that not all stores & shops, businesses, etc. are open on weekend/Sunday with reduced or shortened hours, some are closed seasonally - reconfirm & verify before you go there, prior to your sailing.  Have a great cruise ... Cheers. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, tmal2 said:

I can't remember where I read it but I could swear I read something about the ships tenders being used as shuttles to either Hamilton or St. George. Can anyone confirm this for me or did I misread something?

 

We'll be in Bermuda on Sunday 2/18 and I'm thinking about going to Crystal caves on our own since the excursions are sold out. From what I've read the caves are closer to St George than Hamilton but the Island's ferry only runs to Hamilton during the winter months. I was thinking if I read correctly and the ship does run launches to St George I'd be able to save a little time since we are only in port from 9-4.

 

Has anyone else gone to Crystal caves on your own? How did you get there and how long did it take. My concerns are making sure I'm back to the ship in time.

 

Thanks

 

NCL has a private, high speed Ferry to St. George (you wouldn't want to do that trip in a tender). It will do a couple of trips a day between the Royal Navy Shipyard and St. George. The NCL ferry picks up at the gangway on the dock. On the St. George side, there will be taxi queues for the Crystal Caves, Clearwater Beach, Tobacco Bay. 

 

To go to Hamilton, the public ferry is just off the dock. $5 per person per trip over and back.  

 

[mking8288]

Typical NCL's own private, fast ferry schedule for Bermuda - ours from 2023 (Epic on a TA) - unless someone else has a different and/or newer one ... the ferry only does one trip, UNLIKE when the ship is docked overnight ... ours was not even on a Sunday, where many places are closed especially during the winter months (November thru mid/late April) until the island switched over to summer schedule.  

 

 

Below is the official Bermuda winter ferry schedule - pay attention to the time & loop routing, return on the public ferry (non-NCL) is via Hamilton and takes 90 minutes with the "short" layover before it leave for Dockyard.  It is a good 10 minutes of brisk walking from the ferry dock to the ship's berth ... hence, for the last 20 minutes, it's one of our favorite to be on the open deck and/or balcony to cheer for late returning, pier runners ... every now & then, unfortunately & sadly, they are left behind as the ship captain called for releasing the lines and ropes to set sail for the next port, after a limited but reasonable "grace" period.  Always check ship's time/clock and match it to local / island time, and your watch, digital clock and iPhone/smartphone's clock to be sure they are in sync.  due to time zone changes, etc. 

 

 

 

P.S.  Follow the posted NCL complimentary ferry schedule if you are set on visiting the cave.  I have not seen anything from the Getaway posted recently by anyone sailing out of NY this season ... not all sailings had been successful to visit Bermuda briefly.   The public ferry does run on weekends, refer to the Blue route schedule - you can reach out to the ferry directly by calling to confirm their operations.  You MUST return to the ferry dock in St. George no later than 1:15 PM on a Sunday to make that ferry (the next one is too late, or else, get into a taxi - it's a good 45 minutes drive, worth it if there's 3 or 4 of you to split and share the cost ... still less pricey than the NCL shorex pricing)   

 

After a brief stop to let pax off & pick up other pax going to Dockyard, most likely other ship pax ... you'll be at the ferry terminal near the ship around 2:30 PM, enough time to get back onboard without running since your sailing's all abroad time is 3:30 PM for 4 PM sail.  Good luck.

 

Have a good CC friend sailing in about 2 weeks on the Getaway, I'll try to ask her to check the latest NCL ferry schedule for their stopover, if and when they make it to Bermuda on 2/14 on their return from the Caribbean for NY.  

 

Cheers & happy cruising 

[sebas030]

If the official excursion from NCL is sold out, maybe the caves tour is also sold out ?

 

Their web site says "Reservations are recommended, but not necessary.
We advise booking in advance by phone"

 

You might do all this travel for nothing, just saw a post in the Bermuda thread about a couple taking a taxi to the caves and it was sold out for the day.

 

I will be there in a week, I didn't make a reservation...I hope there will be spots available.

[njhorseman]

8 hours ago, mking8288 said:

You MUST return to the ferry dock in St. George no later than 1:15 PM on a Sunday to make that ferr

No doubt an inadvertent misstatement on your part, but very important to correct for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with Bermuda...the 1:15 Blue Route ferry leaves from Hamilton, not St. George. 

There are no public ferries (Orange Route) to and from St. George in the winter on any day of the week. 

Edited January 22 by njhorseman

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

No doubt an inadvertent misstatement ... very important to correct for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with Bermuda...the 1:15 Blue Route ferry leaves from Hamilton, not St. George ... 

I stand corrected and thanks Paul for catching up, expecting @bluesea777 or someone like you to "catch" these, haven't see you posting much & haven't been around much over at the East Coast forum myself.  Best regards. 

 

Well, there we are ... options and limited at best, especially on weekends (and, the local holidays) for the small island chains, we missed our own Dockyard stop last Nov and next routing on a northerly crossing coming up, not soon enough.   Touring Bermuda off-season, given how $$ NCL shorex has become, made chartering a taxi/van reasonable, affordable & a better alternative ... friends did that, flat & fixed, negotiated rate for several hours.  Something for OP (and others to consider) - just mindful of ship time for all abroad and allow for the unexpected to avoid pier running.   

[stinkyharriet]

Last year my sister & I went to the Crystal Caves.  My memory is fuzzy but I think we took the ferry and then a bus.  We stopped at the Swizzle Inn to eat first.  I don’t remember how we got back to the ship.  I think that was the one day we took the bus (two buses) back.  It was a long ride and the main part of it (Hamilton to dockyard) was pretty crowded.  School kids and workers.  I heard a couple of women complaining about tourists but there really weren’t many of us on that bus.  It was cheap and we had views of Bermuda so it wasn’t too bad.