NCL jewel Bermuda

[KMac26]

Hey all, Thinking about sailing out of Boston next year to Bermuda on the jewel. I’m debating whether I want to be pier side or ocean side while in port for the two days. We have 3 at sea days so I will see plenty of ocean but never been to Bermuda so I’m leaning towards pier side. What are your thoughts? Is the island scenic to gaze over?😁

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, KMac26 said:

Hey all, Thinking about sailing out of Boston next year to Bermuda on the jewel. I’m debating whether I want to be pier side or ocean side while in port for the two days. We have 3 at sea days so I will see plenty of ocean but never been to Bermuda so I’m leaning towards pier side. What are your thoughts? Is the island scenic to gaze over?😁

There is no way to pick in advance whether a ship will be docked facing the Great Sound or facing the Royal Navel Dockyard. Ships can and do dock either way. The view is fine either way so no big deal. 

Edited April 14 by Charles4515

[GeezerCouple]

15 minutes ago, KMac26 said:

Hey all, Thinking about sailing out of Boston next year to Bermuda on the jewel. I’m debating whether I want to be pier side or ocean side while in port for the two days. We have 3 at sea days so I will see plenty of ocean but never been to Bermuda so I’m leaning towards pier side. What are your thoughts? Is the island scenic to gaze over?😁

Welcome to CruiseCritic!

 

Um, which side is going to be "pier side"??

The ships can dock in either direction.  It's not predictable.

 

You'll have an interesting view either way.

Or get two small cabins, one on each side! 😉 

 

GC

[navybankerteacher]

Given the uncertainty over mooring position, I would suggest port side for the sailing parts of your cruise.  There is nothing to match a sunrise at sea that first morning, and a seeing sunset at sea is a good way to end your last day.

[leaveitallbehind]

As the rest have said there is no way to predict which direction the ship will face when docked but either side offer a good view - one of the Dockyard, the other of the Great Sound towards the northern coast of Bermuda.  Leaving NYC on day one with port side stateroom (if you would happen to remain in your stateroom during departure) would facilitate good views of the city along with the advantages as mentioned by @navybankerteacher.

 

BTW what often drives the Captains' docking decision is that as the ship is in port for three days it provides excellent opportunities for crew drills, in particular with mandatory life boat drills.  He can alternate weeks with docking positions to facilitate each side of the ship in terms of that drill over a two week period.

Edited April 14 by leaveitallbehind

[KMac26]

Generally she docks starboard to the pier. I do like the idea of seeing the sunsets while at sea. Although every cruise I go on I can never tell the difference in pictures which are sunrises and sunsets 😂 but it is the best way to end the day. Thank you Navybankerteacher for the suggestion!

Edited April 14 by KMac26

[Charles4515]

3 minutes ago, KMac26 said:

Generally she docks starboard to the pier. I do like the idea of seeing the sunsets while at sea. Although every cruise I go on I can never tell the difference in pictures which are sunrises and sunsets 😂 but it is the best way to end the day. Thank you Navybankerteacher for the suggestion!

FYI. The font you have switched to looks fine on a computer but is practically unreadable on an iPad. 

[KMac26]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

FYI. The font you have switched to looks fine on a computer but is practically unreadable on an iPad. 

I changed it. Thank you for the heads up.

[1025cruise]

28 minutes ago, KMac26 said:

Generally she docks starboard to the pier. I do like the idea of seeing the sunsets while at sea. Although every cruise I go on I can never tell the difference in pictures which are sunrises and sunsets 😂 but it is the best way to end the day. Thank you Navybankerteacher for the suggestion!

There is no way to tell for Bermuda. This is the first year the Jewel is doing the Bermuda run from Boston, swapped with the Pearl. Because of the extended time in port, the ship does a bit of maintenance, painting, lifeboats, etc. It will all depend on what needs to be done. One week it can dock port, the following week, starboard. 

[KMac26]

23 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

There is no way to tell for Bermuda. This is the first year the Jewel is doing the Bermuda run from Boston, swapped with the Pearl. Because of the extended time in port, the ship does a bit of maintenance, painting, lifeboats, etc. It will all depend on what needs to be done. One week it can dock port, the following week, starboard. 

Thanks. Didn't realize they swapped sides but it's all good either side will do then.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, KMac26 said:

Generally she docks starboard to the pier.

Certainly can't argue your experience other than to say we cruise to Bermuda rather frequently (albeit with Celebrity and RCCL) and have seen the NCL ship in port with us both stern to us and bow to us on different occasions. You may have just been on coincidental weeks when she was starboard to the pier.  We also have had several times on our ships with both docking positions as well.

 

But either side is good with us - we just like being there, which we will be again this June!

Edited April 14 by leaveitallbehind

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Leaving NYC on day one with port side stateroom (if you would happen to remain in your stateroom during departure) would facilitate good views of the city

I hope folks don’t remain in their stateroom for sail away from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Yes, the port side would offer great views of Manhattan, but none of New Jersey nor of the Statue of Liberty. And one really should be up on a high deck when the ship sails under the Verrazzano Bridge. 

 

Altogether, one of the most magnificent sail aways in the world. 😊

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

I hope folks don’t remain in their stateroom for sail away from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Yes, the port side would offer great views of Manhattan, but none of New Jersey nor of the Statue of Liberty. And one really should be up on a high deck when the ship sails under the Verrazzano Bridge. 

 

Altogether, one of the most magnificent sail aways in the world. 😊

I agree but OP is sailing from Boston. 

[Turtles06]

2 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I agree but OP is sailing from Boston. 

Thanks Charles.  I was replying to someone who was talking about sailing out of NYC.  Obviously, I did not catch their error about the OP’s departure port. 🙃

[leaveitallbehind]

9 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I agree but OP is sailing from Boston. 

Good point and I did miss that as well until after I posted my response.  

Edited April 14 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

17 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

I hope folks don’t remain in their stateroom for sail away from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Yes, the port side would offer great views of Manhattan, but none of New Jersey nor of the Statue of Liberty. And one really should be up on a high deck when the ship sails under the Verrazzano Bridge. 

 

Altogether, one of the most magnificent sail aways in the world. 😊

I agree completely and was only referencing that in case there were some who want to remain on their balcony.  Hard to reach the bottom of the bridge from there however - LOL.

[navybankerteacher]

10 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I agree but OP is sailing from Boston. 

Then, I would suggest spending a bit of time on the starboard side  an hour or so after sailing while rounding the end of Cape Cod to get a glimpse of the granite tower.

[Turtles06]

41 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Then, I would suggest spending a bit of time on the starboard side  an hour or so after sailing while rounding the end of Cape Cod to get a glimpse of the granite tower.

Do you mean the Pilgrim Monument? 

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

Do you mean the Pilgrim Monument? 

Yes - that’s it.  My favorite “pilgrim monument” is at Corn Hill Beach in Truro - marking the spot where the Pilgrims found a large stash of corn which had been set aside by local Indians as a winter food reserve - - before they even got to Plymouth they had commenced stealing from the locals.

[Hot Stop]

I took the Dawn to Bermuda twice and both times they repositioned the ship the second day we were there.