It is only fair that I tell you that ideally cruising in April if you are leaving from the northeast is a dicey undertaking. We were lured by sinfully low prices, a free spa service and a balcony for a price we couldn't resist.We…Read More

It is only fair that I tell you that ideally cruising in April if you are leaving from the northeast is a dicey undertaking. We were lured by sinfully low prices, a free spa service and a balcony for a price we couldn't resist.

We left from Port Liberty New Jersey on the Explorer of the Seas. Port Liberty has parking right at the dock so it is very easy to leave your car there. For days we had been watching a storm work its way up the east coast and it seemed as if we were going to be running straight into it. The weather reports for Bermuda showed rain for both the days we would be there. With that information we decided not to purchase any excursions and just play it by ear, as it turned out that was a very good decision but more about that later.

First let me say, the Explorer is a beautiful ship, it is larger than our usual ship and we had minor adjustment problems but before long we were feeling quite at home on this big ship. This is the class that has the ice skating rink, can you imagine ice skating on a cruise, well imagine away. Not only that but there are ice shows that you can go and watch.

If you are afraid of rough seas, this would not have been the cruise for you. We however, take Bonine and for us high seas make no difference. We got a few laughs as we staggered down the halls like a bunch of drunks. It was near impossible to get your sea legs.

It was so rough that the pools were closed and even had to be drained, the water was shooting straight up out of the pool, quite an interesting sight. At one point it was unclear whether or not the show would go on because it was dangerous for the dancers but they were real troupers. At other times the doors to the deck were closed because it was too dangerous to be out walking on them.

I hope I am not sounding like we had a bad time because how could we be on a cruise and have a bad time. We had a great time. One thing that we found out was that all the rocking of the ship made us very sleepy and we slept way too much and deeply. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing but this is the first midnight buffet that we have ever missed. We arrived back well rested from vacation.

This was the first time we have ever had a balcony room and I loved it. The room was large and had a sofa and the balcony was adorable with a little table and two chairs. These came in very handy since the man we booked our cruise through had chocolate covered strawberries delivered to our room. Our cruise was off to a very good start.
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Eating, drinking and shopping are three of my favourite past times and the first two are ones that I can indulge to my heart’s content in Bermuda. I cannot enthuse more about the standard and number of restaurants to choose from which seems completely…Read More

Eating, drinking and shopping are three of my favourite past times and the first two are ones that I can indulge to my heart’s content in Bermuda. I cannot enthuse more about the standard and number of restaurants to choose from which seems completely disproportionate to the size of the island and the population. After living in London for eleven years, I thought that the choice of restaurants would be one of the things I would miss most, now it seems inconceivable that this might have proven to be the case. In fact I always felt spoilt for choice.

The capital of Bermuda is Hamilton and here you will find many international style of cuisine, for example; Italian, French, Thai, Japanese, Mexican and Middle Eastern as well as more eclectic style. I have found the standard of food to be high in most restaurants I visited.
There are also several pubs / bars serving food which I have also found to be excellent quality. The first pub we ever visited was the Pickled Onion on Front Street and this remains a firm favourite. You do not get many cheap meals in Bermuda and to provide a very crude guideline to prices we generally pay about $10 -$15 for a starter and about $20 - $30 for a main course depending on the particular establishment. Wine is readily available from all regions and I believe slightly cheaper than in the UK, you should have no trouble whatsoever finding a very nice bottle in a restaurant for about $30 although of course you can pay more if you wish.

Outside Hamilton a lot of the restaurants are found in the large hotels and it is normal in Bermuda to go to a hotel restaurant, something I would not often do in the UK, unless possibly I am a guest at the hotel. Several of the hotel restaurants will have dining rooms either overlooking or even on the beach, for example Lidos at the Elbow Beach resort and Aqua at the Ariel Sands Hotel. These two have particularly stunning settings but there are others.

Many of the guidebooks talk about how expensive dining can be in Bermuda, but most tourists to Bermuda are from the US, where the cost of living is lower and the guidebooks seem to be geared towards them. Whilst I find many aspects of life in Bermuda expensive, I generally found the cost of eating and drinking out not that much different to the UK.

My other favourite activity, shopping, is not one that I could really enjoy regularly without a couple of hours on a plane first. But it should be noted that was my opinion as somebody living there, as a visitor it is easy to spend a day browsing Hamilton’s shops, possibly more. At the Docklands, on the far west of the island, there is another shipping complex mainly geared towards tourists, I bought home some lovely Bermudan pottery and crockery here before I left for good. There are pleasingly few of what I call tourist tat shops, a larger number of quality gift shops, several jewellers and a few designer clothes shops. Whilst you may find some extremely beautiful mementos of your trip to take home, you are highly unlikely to find any bargains.

To conclude on shipping and dining out, if you are looking to holiday on a shoestring then Bermuda is probably not a destination that you ought to consider. Hotels do not come cheaply, you won’t be able to pick up any bargains in the shops and you will also need to have comfortable funds for your food and day to day incidentals.


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I have not met many people in the UK who have been to Bermuda on holiday or indeed have considered it as a holiday destination. The reasons for this could include its reputation as being a bit pricey but mainly I think because most…Read More

I have not met many people in the UK who have been to Bermuda on holiday or indeed have considered it as a holiday destination. The reasons for this could include its reputation as being a bit pricey but mainly I think because most people planning to travel over the Atlantic for an island holiday are going to head for the Caribbean rather than Bermuda, which lies all by itself a thousand miles further north. Since I announced I was moving to Bermuda, I have had quite a few people say they thought it was in the Caribbean but in fact the nearest coastline / land mass to Bermuda is that of Carolina in the US which is about 600 miles away. Consequently, it is a popular getaway for US citizens, particularly those residing on the east coast.

Getting to Bermuda~~~

There are regular direct flights to Bermuda from New York, Washington, Boston and Miami. Slightly less frequent services operate from Toronto, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Most flights take about two hours, I always had a lot of trouble with connecting flights if you cannot travel from these destination, for instance a trip to Las Vegas tends to take about 16 hours.

There is only one direct flight to Bermuda from anywhere in Europe and it is operated daily (most of the year) from Gatwick by British Airways taking about six hours. This can be an extremely expensive fare as BA have the monopoly on the route, although BA seems to have fairly regular flight sales and tickets can often be found for about £400 during the sale.

Your maximum stay as a holiday maker is three weeks. When you land at Bermuda International airport it is imperative that you either trample over your fellow passengers as you make an inelegant and uncontrolled dash for passport control or be prepared for an extremely long and slow moving queue. Bermudians are convinced that ALL visitors are really there to seek permanent residency on their beloved island and are (very politely) very thorough in establishing your true motivation for being there, to put it mildly.

Immigration process over and as a tourist you will be treated with warmth, hospitality and friendliness by Bermudians who will bend over backwards to assist you in whatever way they can. When I lived there, I learned to pretend I am on holiday at all times as locals can be rather less forgiving towards ex-pats.

When to travel~~~

Bermuda has four seasons at the same time as our own (but hotter!) and there can be rainfall at any time. Hurricanes are quite rare in Bermuda unlike in parts of the Caribbean, however a category one hurricane, known as Florence struck during my first few months on the island.

In the hottest summer months, of June to August, temperatures hover just above 30 degrees centigrade. It also will get very humid, at least 80% which can feel quite uncomfortable. Temperatures will start to drop off after October but in the winter it will still be a pleasant 15 to 20 degrees. The main disadvantages to a winter break in Bermuda is that it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean not the Caribbean Sea and thus the sea cannot be enjoyed all year round, it is best enjoyed from the end of May until September. Additionally, I found that many tourist activities, such as boat rides, do not operate outside the main summer months.


Getting around Bermuda ~~~

As a visitor, you will not be permitted to hire (or borrow) a car in Bermuda but many visitors and even locals get around by moped. These are available to hire for about $150 the first week and slightly less the following weeks. The death rate for moped drivers in Bermuda is ridiculously high for an island of its size with a 30mph maximum speed limit. This is however entirely due to the lunatic riding of Bermudian young men, who think it looks cool to ride lop-sided, one handed, drinking coffee and breaking the speed limit. For some reason the government has not realised this is the issue and blames expat car drivers, who they would happily blame for all the problems in Bermuda. Tourist moped drivers should not have any difficulties on the roads of Bermuda.

Other options are bus, ferry and taxi. There are about four ferry routes that operate between Hamilton and each end of the island and ferries are roughly every half an hour. I did not use them extensively as I found the buses more frequent and useful. There are eleven bus routes in operation, all of which start and end in Hamilton and cover all corners of the group of islands which make up Bermuda. During my first six weeks on the island, before I purchased my car, I relied upon the buses for getting around and I found that they unfailingly run on time, are clean, air conditioned and a thoroughly enjoyable experience as the island is so pretty and the views so good. I would get on Bermuda public transport for pleasure and not because I need to go somewhere. They can get busy near some of the popular beaches at the end of the day.

A one day transport pass for the entire island is $12, a weekly pass is $45, monthly $55 and three monthly $135, it is approximately half price for children except for the one day pass which is the same. Obviously the three month pass is only relevant to residents but I thought I would demonstrate how tourists are subsidizing the locals.

Taxis are generally plentiful from Hamilton and tend to hang around the main hotels as well. If it starts to rain though, they will be snapped up very quickly. Each journey starts with about $3.50 on the clock and a 10km journey will cost about $16. The island is not really big enough to have very long and expensive taxi journeys. A Bermudian dollar is at parity with the US dollar and both notes and coins are accepted everywhere.




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Exploring from St. George’s – Day 2Since today is a full day in port, there’s time to explore further – After an early breakfast and a quick internet check - we’re heading out to Hamilton for a bit of shopping and then on to…Read More

Exploring from St. George’s – Day 2

Since today is a full day in port, there’s time to explore further – After an early breakfast and a quick internet check - we’re heading out to Hamilton for a bit of shopping and then on to the South Shore Beaches via bus…….the most economical way to do this on your own.
We are using our "15 ticket – 3 zone" transportation tickets that we bought yesterday at the Post Office for $20 – these can be share, never expire and can be used on all busses and ferries. If you travel more than 3 zones, you must give them 2 tickets.
Again from St. George’s, we can take the #1,3,10 or 11 bus to Hamilton Bus Deport– last stop – about 40 minutes. If you want to shop, I think it’s best before getting messy from the beach – Many shops will hold your merchandise if you want to pick it up on the way home. We’re not "shoppers" so 45 minutes to an hour is enough time for us in Hamilton. We head back to the Bus Depot to board bus #7 – this bus runs along the South Shore, past all the beaches – and many of the trips go all the way to the Dockyard. Once on this bus you have many choices as far as beaches to visit.
First is Elbow Beach – a bit of a walk from the Bus Stop and some of it uphill, but this is the site of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel……you can get lunch, drinks, chairs and umbrellas – at a price of course – but it will be a lovely afternoon. For the fit and young at heart who like a challenge – get off the bus at Warwick Long Bay – walk down the hill along the path to a beautiful cove – at times, the public bathrooms may be locked. Have a swim, a little shade is provided by the trees and rocky outcropping – from here you can walk along the shore to your right – water on the left. Sometimes on the beach, over rocks and along trails all the way to Horseshoe Bay. Jobson’s Cove is lovely…..but the word has gotten out….So you may not have it to yourselves. Good snorkeling there too, by the rocks.
Horseshoe Bay….Oh My!!!!.. Beautiful long sandy beach – It has become very commercial and very busy when cruise ships are in. You can rent chairs, umbrella, order lunch, drinks, shower, toilets – even a pay per ride shuttle to the street at the top of the hill to catch the bus back to Hamilton. All is here……but you pay – both with money and lack of privacy.
Adjoining Horsehoe Bay is a private beach club that belongs to Fairmont – Just below the Fairmont Southampton Resort. If you are discreet, you may be able to gain access on a quiet day…..There is a restaurant, bar, small shop and a dive shop. We did notice people coming from outside to go on snorkeling and diving cruises. I don’t know if you can pay for drinks and food or if they only accept charges to the hotel. That may be a problem. We were guests at the hotel when we spent our days there.
The next possible stop is "The Reefs" resort – They have a restaurant/bar on the beach and visitors are welcomed. Lovely spot – small beach – quiet. And a few minutes more on your bikes and you come to Church Bay. The snorkeling here is probably the best if you swim out to the large rock a few hundred feet from shore.
If you care to read about Day 1 in Bermuda you can go to my other Bermuda journal.

There are lots of choices for beaches in Bermuda and when on a cruise you don’t have to worry about the time because you are generally there for three full days.
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Picture this large hotel, surrounded by a golf course atop a hill - the front overlooks the ocean - the back faces the harbor. The road along the ocean is South Shore Road and Middle Road is on the harbor side. It's about 1/3 mile…Read More

Picture this large hotel, surrounded by a golf course atop a hill - the front overlooks the ocean - the back faces the harbor. The road along the ocean is South Shore Road and Middle Road is on the harbor side. It's about 1/3 mile to either...not bad going downhill - but quite a workout uphill.

On the ocean is Fairmont's Beach Club, tennis courts, Ocean Restaurant, Dive Shop, Sundries Shop, and the Cabana Beach Bar for drinks and casual lunch food. The sister resort in Hamilton also has access to this Beach Club since they do not have a beach in town. The renowned Waterlot Inn is at the harbor and this is also where the Fairmont private ferry is docked. On property is also the Golf Club and its Italian restaurant Bacci. So how do you get from point A to B to C...?

A trolley type shuttle runs from 7am until about midnight and circles between the Beach Club, Waterlot and on request to the Golf Club. The drivers are friendly and although there is no set schedule, we never waited more than 5 minutes or so for a ride.

Want to go to Hamilton for shopping, dinner in town or to visit the Fairmont? A complimentary ferry shuttle docked at Waterlot makes five trips daily between the Fairmont Hamilton and the Fairmont Southampton. It's a 1/2 hour lovely, scenic ride and there is seating outdoors on the top deck and bow - some sheltered seating aft in the shade and some indoor seating. To me the ride is so relaxing and scenic that it's worth taking just back and forth even if you have no plans to stop anywhere. It's timed nicely for shopping too - go in at 9:30am - return at 1:30pm and the non-shopper can just sit by the pool overlooking the harbor that is busy with sailboats and ferries for a couple of hours. And you can enjoy all the amenities at the sister hotel - you have signing privileges.

Going to dinner at night? Taxis are lined up at the hotel - never a wait - about $25 each way to town. Some guests rent mopeds for getting around, but few use them at night. The last ferry goes in at 6:15pm - so you would have to take a bus or ferry back. A bus stop is conveniently located on both roads that run by the hotel - $3 to town. We liked taking the complimentary hotel ferry to town at 6:15pm - a little early - have a drink at the Hamilton Princess or stroll around town - shops are closed though...after dinner we take a late bus back on route #7 to the Waterlot where the hotel tram is waiting.

You need change only for the bus - no bills. The concierge sells tokens for $2.50 or a day pass for $12. The best deal that we found though - take the complimentary ferry to Hamilton and walk to the ferry dock (1/4 mile) to purchase a strip of tickets - $20 for 15 tickets that can be shared. These strips of tickets are only sold at the bus depot and ferry dock.

Fairmont is a large resort a few miles from town on a lovely beach (next to Horseshoe Bay) but it does have lots of options for convenient transportation if you care to leave the resort.Close

Picture this large hotel, surrounded by a golf course atop a hill - the front overlooks the ocean - the back faces the harbor. The road along the ocean is South Shore Road and Middle Road is on the harbor side. It's about 1/3 mile…Read More

Picture this large hotel, surrounded by a golf course atop a hill - the front overlooks the ocean - the back faces the harbor. The road along the ocean is South Shore Road and Middle Road is on the harbor side. It's about 1/3 mile to either...not bad going downhill - but quite a workout uphill.

On the ocean is Fairmont's Beach Club, tennis courts, Ocean Restaurant, Dive Shop, Sundries Shop and the Cabana Beach Bar for drinks and casual lunch food. The sister resort in Hamilton also has access to this Beach Club since they do not have a beach in town. The renowned Waterlot Inn is at the harbor and this is also where the Fairmont private ferry is docked. On property is also the Golf Club and its Italian restaurant Bacci. So how do you get from point A to B to C...?

A trolley type shuttle runs from 7am until about midnight and circles between the Beach Club, Waterlot and on request to the Golf Club. The drivers are friendly and although there is no set schedule, we never waited more than 5 minutes or so for a ride.

Want to go to Hamilton for shopping, dinner in town or to visit the Fairmont? A complimentary ferry shuttle docked at Waterlot makes five trips daily between the Fairmont Hamilton and the Fairmont Southampton. It's a 1/2 hour lovely, scenic ride and there is seating outdoors on the top deck and bow - some sheltered seating aft in the shade and some indoor seating. To me the ride is so relaxing and scenic that it's worth taking just back and forth even if you have no plans to stop anywhere. It's timed nicely for shopping too - go in at 9:30am - return at 1:30pm and the non-shopper can just sit by the pool overlooking the harbor that is busy with sailboats and ferries for a couple of hours. And you can enjoy all the amenities at the sister hotel - you have signing privileges.

Going to dinner at night? Taxis are lined up at the hotel - never a wait - about $25 each way to town. Some guests rent mopeds for getting around, but few use them at night. The last ferry goes in at 6:15pm - so you would have to take a bus or ferry back. A bus stop is conveniently located on both roads that run by the hotel - $3 to town. We liked taking the complimentary hotel ferry to town at 6:15pm - a little early - have a drink at the Hamilton Princess or stroll around town - shops are closed though...after dinner we take a late bus back on route #7 to the Waterlot where the hotel tram is waiting.

You need change only for the bus - no bills. The concierge sells tokens for $2.50 or a day pass for $12. The best deal that we found though - take the complimentary ferry to Hamilton and walk to the ferry dock (1/4 mile) to purchase a strip of tickets - $20 for 15 tickets that can be shared. These strips of tickets are only sold at the bus depot and ferry dock.

Fairmont is a large resort a few miles from town on a lovely beach (next to Horseshoe Bay) but it does have lots of options for convenient transportation if you care to leave the resort.Close

It wasn't exactly the cruise we planned, but Celebrity Cruises, the Port of Baltimore, and the crew of the Zenith all worked hard to make it a memorable one. Our documents indicated a 4 pm sailing from New York City, the world's most spectacular port to…Read More

It wasn't exactly the cruise we planned, but Celebrity Cruises, the Port of Baltimore, and the crew of the Zenith all worked hard to make it a memorable one.

Our documents indicated a 4 pm sailing from New York City, the world's most spectacular port to begin an ocean voyage. Unless you've been hiding in a cave you know that terrorists crashed two jumbo jets into the World Trade Center on September 11th and the New York City piers were pressed into service for the ensuing emergency rescue and clean-up operations.

Instead of a flight to New York and the gala Bon Voyage soirée in an elegant Manhattan eatery planned by our friends, Mel and I set out on a road trip to Baltimore. We aren't afraid to fly; it was just less stressful to pack up the car and go. Ten hours on I-20 and I-95 were broken up with side trips and an overnight stop in historic Williamsburg, Virginia.

This was to be a very special cruise for us for a number of reasons and one was awaiting our arrival Glen Burnie, Maryland. It was a delight to be greeted in a strange city by familiar faces--there's no feeling quite like it. We quickly located our small cruise group from across the country. It wasn't chic New York, but we were overwhelmed by the hospitality of Marylaners.

On Our Way: After consulting the directions provided by the Dundalk Passenger Terminal, the nexy morning our group of nine cruising friends (Judi and Michael, Bob and Sheryl, Harry and Leona, John, and Mel and Linda) piled into three vehicles and our mini-caravan headed for the pier. Documents were required to enter the dock area and we were directed to "Shed 5" where the luggage was unloaded in orderly fashion. Bags were hefted by porters onto a conveyor to be x-rayed and our proffered tips were waved off with a smile and, "Not necessary, this is our job!" Wow! What a welcome!! Checked items immediately went into bins and we stepped aside with our carry-ons to await the arrival of our drivers. Secure parking was provided at a reasonable $5 per day (payable in advance) and a complimentary shuttle brought Mel, Michael, and Harry back to the security check point.

It was an efficient process and one that demonstrated careful planning. Crowding was kept at a minimum as porters directed arriving passengers to remain in their vehicles until their turn to unload. Inside the check-in area, the lines were short and we breezed through the procedure at the Captain's Club counter in record time.

On Board: Veterans of a Zenith cruise in 1999, we had no trouble finding cabin 1062, a Category 3 on Deck 10. Although staterooms were reportedly not "ready," we dropped off our carry-ons and gathered in Judi and Michael's suite for champagne and many toasts as their charming butler, Andrew, popped in and out. As luggage began arriving, everyone wandered off to unpack before meeting again--this time in the Fleet Bar for 6 PM sailaway festivities.

Although the port area is primarily commercial, we watched the lights of Baltimore fade into the distance. Zenith made her way through the Chesapeake Bay, finally reaching the open sea about 4 AM. I admit, I missed that milestone.

A cooperative Atlantic presented us with smooth seas and an enjoyable crossing to Bermuda. Due to our late departure on Saturday and the time it took to reach the open Atlantic, we didn't arrive in Bermuda until late afternoon on Monday. No matter! There was plenty to do on board, with a myriad of activities for those who wished to participate. We took advantage of the time to catch up with our friends and work toward our goal of total relaxation.

While exploring the Zenith, we noted numerous improvements since our earlier cruise. The addition of Michael's Club was a big hit with cigar aficionado Mel and the other smokers in our group. Cova Cafe quickly became a favorite spot to sip specialty coffees and treat ourselves to morning pastries and decadent afternoon chocolate treats. The art-deco Martini Bar was always crowded before dinner, but it was no problem being served their specialties from comfortable seats in the adjacent Rendez-vous Lounge. The Fleet Bar remains our lounge of choice and we met there for port departures and arrivals to take advantage of the panoramic views and forward-facing open deck. All ships should be designed with such an agreeable space.

Bermuda: Land ho! Our afternoon arrival meant not a lot available to do ashore, but we took advantage of the time to purchase our bus/ferry passes. The balcony of Flanagan's Pub was an agreeable spot to catch the activities on Hamilton's waterfront and sample a pint of local ale. Zenith is disadvantaged in that it has no balcony staterooms, but the second floor pubs overlooking Front Street are a pleasant alternative.

On a bus ride, my husband remarked about crazy tourists and a delightful young schoolgirl responded, "Oh no, we enjoy your company." Judi remarked later, "That comment by the Whitney Institute Netball player really hit me. That attitude, which is displayed by most all Bermudans, is the reason that I love Bermuda and would gladly go back time and again!" I couldn't agree more.

Zenith repositioned to St. George's on Wednesday and the beautiful day called for a late al fresco lunch at the waterfront Carriage House. My traditional Bermuda-style fish chowder was excellent--spicy and full of seafood. Our waiter described the scene when Norwegian Majesty snapped her mooring lines during a recent storm and headed right for the restaurants fronting Water Street. Scary!

Departure on Thursday was advanced several hours than earlier scheduled due to our Baltimore destination. Squeaking through the channel, local residents and St. George's Town Crier waved to us from the rocky shore and called out, "See you next year!" It was the end of Zenith's last Bermuda cruise of the season.

Despite our shortened time in Bermuda, we had lovely weather and a pleasurable stay. I am partial to revisiting favorite vacation spots and ports of call because I am comfortable in familiar surroundings. I always feel at home in Bermuda and I have the same feeling about the Zenith. Her mid-size (47,255 tons) and passenger capacity (1,375 double occupancy) contribute much to the cozy ambiance of an exclusive club.

Finally! We were freed from our floating prison (ie. cruise ship) after two days sailing through treacherous waters from Boston to St. George, Bermuda. I didn’t really care what I did once I got off the boat, I just wanted off the boat! My husband…Read More

Finally! We were freed from our floating prison (ie. cruise ship) after two days sailing through treacherous waters from Boston to St. George, Bermuda. I didn’t really care what I did once I got off the boat, I just wanted off the boat! My husband and I packed our towels, swimsuits, sunscreen, and backpacks and headed on our way as soon as the gangplank was down.
Having heard from our cruise director that there was a popular beach on the other side of the island (only a mile walk from the cruise ship terminal), we picked up a map from the tourist center and hoofed the most direct route to Tobacco Bay. This route ended up being a road that went straight across the island, but it also ended up leading us up and over a fairly large hill.
Good thing there was a snow cone stand at the top of the hill as I was so dehydrated in the humid climate after walking up the incline. Snow cone stands ended up being fairly common throughout Bermuda which was good as I craved at least one-per-day during our stay there. The cones are made with a multitude of flavored syrups (I counted 25 different flavors at one stand we stopped at) and cost about $2, making them one of the cheaper finds on this expensive island.
After our brief snow cone stop, my husband and I continued across the island. Countless mopeds and golf carts passed us en route as there were several large golf courses that the road traversed. The old Club Med, now a dilapidated version of its old glory, stands empty on the top of the hill overlooking the beaches and golf courses. Aside from one or two restaurants, this part of Bermuda is otherwise free from commercial buildings.
Once we reached Tobacco Bay, we were unpleasantly surprised to see it jam-packed with people and screaming children. If there was any pink sand here, you couldn’t see it since it was so crowded. The water here also seemed more like a pool than an ocean; several rock formations kept the waves from rolling up to the shore and also made the water look dirtier than it did further off-shore. It looked like there was another beach on the other side of Ft. St. Catherine, so I suggested to my husband that we investigate that one since Tobacco Bay was not our scene.
The other beach was once the private beach of Club Med, but is now open to the public. It is far more spacious and peaceful than was Tobacco Bay. Also the water here was much clearer- we could see the brightly colored tropical fish swimming by as we waded in the water.
The beach stand at the Club Med beach offered casual food and drinks (hotdogs, PB&J, beer, soda) which kept us content throughout our beach-day. Yes, $10 is a bit much to pay for a peanut butter sandwich, but my husband and I didn’t find anything else on Bermuda as delicious for less money.
After an enjoyable sunny day, we made our way begrudgingly back to the cruise ship. If only our whole trip was as nice as our lazy, casual day on St. George!
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I'm grinning from ear to ear - Caribbean Princess is exceeding my expectations - Once we arrived at Red Hook Port in Brooklyn (not a pleasant start getting there) everything worked seamlessly. Check-in was quick and within 15 minutes of arrival at 1PM we were…Read More

I'm grinning from ear to ear - Caribbean Princess is exceeding my expectations - Once we arrived at Red Hook Port in Brooklyn (not a pleasant start getting there) everything worked seamlessly. Check-in was quick and within 15 minutes of arrival at 1PM we were in our room. You feel the excitement as you board. A band playing upbeat music in the atrium and lots of staff to direct you, although they do not accompany you to your room. Our balcony overlooked the Statue, Governor's Island and the tip of lower Manhattan - A phone message from the cruise director welcomed us aboard and within a few minutes our room steward introduced himself and brought us a fruit basket, robes, slippers and ice.....time for lunch.

We make our way to the Pool Deck - music here too...bar wiatresses with colorful cocktails - another pool area with a large movie screen and more jacuzzis - in fact, there are four pool areas on this ship that carries 3100 passengers. The two buffet areas are quite large with lots of seating and multiple stations - Wow!! We are Wowed with the choices.....Fried Scallops, Rock Fish with Beurre Blanc, Short Ribs, Carved Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, Buffalo Wings, Nachos, Meatballs, Beef Medallions, Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Cheeses in addtion to Pizza, Pasta, Burgers and Hot Dogs at the pool grill. The food is fresh looking, hot, nicely presented and constantly refilled. We overeat - naturally - all is so good.

Guests of all ages are exploring every nook and cranny - most from NY and NJ - a good group of Canadians and quite a few Europeans - kids are on vacation so we see many multigenerational families in groups of 12 - 16. - a nice way for everyone to spend time together with something offered for everyone.

The lifeboat drill was one of the better that we have attended - well organized, informational and conducted quite quickly.We are seasoned travellers and have been on many cruises of all types since the '60's - from the Horizon to the Crystal and Queen Mary. This cruise has lots of potential......Time to have fun.......Follow along and we'll tell you more in my other reviews.
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The larger, newer cruise ships visiting Bermuda must dock at the Royal Dockyard onthe West End. Many guests sign up for excursions offered by the cruise lines, but we like to "do it on our own" for many reasons.This was our first docking experience here…Read More

The larger, newer cruise ships visiting Bermuda must dock at the Royal Dockyard onthe West End. Many guests sign up for excursions offered by the cruise lines, but we like to "do it on our own" for many reasons.
This was our first docking experience here although we have visited this area on motorbike in the past. As of summer 2008, one ship can dock at the pier - Another pier is under construction. The area is nicer than I had expected, but remember, these large ships carry 2500 to 3700 passengers....so......it's going to be busy...
There is a free shuttle to take you from the ship to the dockyard. It runs every 1/2 hour and can probably carry at most 150 passengers....the walk is easy - 5 minutes on even ground.....but it may be a bit hot and sunny.
If you are on a ship's excursion, you will be picked up at the dock - otherwise - walk or take the free shuttle to the transportation center....about 5 minutes. Buses to the beaches and Hamilton or ferries to Hamilton and St. George's run continuously. You must purchase tickets for both at the ticket office.....they do not sell 15 ticket/3 zone passes that can be shared here - only individual tickets are available. If you are spending a few days, buy one ticket and purchase the packet in Hamilton as you disembark.
There is enough to keep you occupied in the Dockyard if you are on a one day stop......but why miss the rest of Bermuda ?? There is a mall-like area developed in one of the original buildings of the fortification. The shops have interesting wares for sale - gifts, clothing, food, ice cream and jewelry. There is a bathing area, but we did not see it......We took the ferry to Hamilton, walked through the town and spent a few hours at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess - a short walk from the ferry.
A nice spot to spend a few hours.....As ou exit the ferry area, turn left and walk about 10 minutes to the hotel entrance. There are two pools overlooking the harbor - always interesting because of the boat traffic - Lunch is available either outside on the deck or inside with A/C in a pub like atmosphere.
If you prefer going to the beach - and they are beautiful in Bermuda - It may be best to take a bus from the dockyard.....but the lines were long.....alternatively....you can take a ferry to Hamilton and then a bus along the South Shore and stop at one of the beaches - I've written another journal describing these beaches.....Horseshoe Bay is the most popular.
You will enjoy your day in Bermuda wether you stay at the Dockyard, visit St. George's, Hamilton or the world famous beaches.Close