Bermuda

M

MainMan

Well-known member
2023 $upporter
So the missus' belly is growing and before our first bundle of joy arrives in January, we decided to book a one-week cruise to Bermuda.

We leave in early August from NYC and have four days and three nights in Hamilton. Any suggestions on restaurants, sites, beaches?

Plus we've never been on a cruise before. Any tips? Heading out on Holland America and have two full days at sea.
 
 Oddly we have been to many places, but Bermuda is not one of them. But I ca tell you that Holland America cruise line is top shelf. Have a great time!
 
So the missus' belly is growing and before our first bundle of joy arrives in January, we decided to book a one-week cruise to Bermuda.
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Congrats on the future "Mainchild".

Was Mainchild a product of the Paris Vacation ? :)
 
So the missus' belly is growing and before our first bundle of joy arrives in January, we decided to book a one-week cruise to Bermuda.

We leave in early August from NYC and have four days and three nights in Hamilton. Any suggestions on restaurants, sites, beaches?

Plus we've never been on a cruise before. Any tips? Heading out on Holland America and have two full days at sea.
Click to expand...
 

The uber large cruise ships no longer dock in Hamilton so you may be taking a ferry there. I've been going for 30 years since it is just a 2 hour flight and it has a great climate and is very civilized. Taxi, bus or scooter is the only way around but you can walk to anywhere in Hamilton. Most restaurants are forgettable by NYC standards and overpriced, especially wine. There is not one decent Italian restaurant on the island so skip them. I usually stay at the Elbow Beach resort that has a real beach and incredible views and take my meals there at the Lido. Worth a trip for you. In Hamilton, Mad Hatters is a must and the staff actually speaks English. Enjoy!!
 
So the missus' belly is growing and before our first bundle of joy arrives in January, we decided to book a one-week cruise to Bermuda.
Click to expand...
 

Congrats on the future "Mainchild".

Was Mainchild a product of the Paris Vacation ? :)
Click to expand...
 

Thanks dude.

We suspected that my wife was pregnant before we went to Paris. Took the test the morning we came back, ironically Mother's Day.
 
[and the staff actually speaks English. Enjoy!!
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Well thank the baby Jesus for that! You're really defining yourself this week, eh?
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Being on the left coast you probably did not get the irony. Bermuda, an English crown island cannot find restaurant staff. Unlike 30 years ago when I started vacationing there the natives added a distinct charm to restaurants; seems most wait staff now are not Bermudians but folks from non-English speaking places that have a knack for screwing up your order. Hope that adds to my definition. 
 
The uber large cruise ships no longer dock in Hamilton so you may be taking a ferry there.
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Luckily, we're on a smaller ship that docks right on Front Street. Just a walk down the gangplank and you're in Bermuda.
 
 Mainman, I'm not an expert but have been to Bermuda several times and cruised every time. I had an article published in 2000 on one of my trips to that beautiful Island. First of all, check the cruise itinery that they shove under your door each morning. There are so many things to do on a cruise you will never be able to do them all. Get a balcony room. It is worth the extra, whatever you pay. You also can get last minute upgrades. Keep checking the cruise line website.
Coming into St. Georges you will need to go on deck and witness the official greeter as you pull into port. He has a bell and rings it to welcome you into the port. He is in costume and is actually the official greeter for the Island. The people of Bermuda love to welcome the cruise ships in.
Go to St. Peter's church in St. Georges and visit the graveyard. It is totally fascinating. The church is the oldest Anglican church in the Western Hemisphere. It is beautiful! The gravestones date back to the 1600's. The graves are above ground due to the fact that the Island is made of coral and lava. Get a moped and explore, explore and explore. Go to Alexandra Battery, an old armored British beach fortification. It's, again, fascinating. Also, check out the beach glass that has washed up there.
Front Street in Hamilton is the tourist paradise with shops, restaurants, and all the tourist things you could want. Go to Astwood Park on your mopeds and enjoy a private day at the beach which you will never forget. The trails are a little bit tricky but well worth the trip.
The sunset champagne cruise was spectacular! It was on a trimaran and the entertainment was excellent!
You have to go to a local favorite, The Swizzle Inn. It is between St. Georges and Hamilton. If you can, bring an old license plate from you garage so they can put it on the wall. Oh yea, all the bars close at 1:00 am.
One other famous tourist attraction to visit is the Crystal Caverns. They are unbelievable!
 
Went to Bermuda on my honeymoon, you're going to love it. Most visually beautiful spot I've ever seen.
Not like most of the caribbean islands where the locals are either looking to sell you something or to rob you. Locals genuinely are happy to see tourists and treat you like kings. I can't wait to go back again.... B)
 
 We took the same cruise in the beginning of June on Holland America. Hamilton's fun for shopping but the attractions are out of town. Tobacco Bay near St George is a must for a swim. I agree the Swizzle Inn is a fine stop off and there are two of them to choose from. We discovered the Aquarium and Zoo this time and found it to be great. A can't miss attraction. The Crystal Caves are impressive but be prepared for some serious climbing on foot. There are two trips and we crapped out on the second and got a 50% refund on a super hot day. The beaches are all good but Church Bay is always the most private. If you see a dozen people it's a lot and the walk down is reasonable. The Veendam is a nice boat but you have to dress up a couple of times. We soon discovered that the buffet on deck 11 had the same food as the main dining room and more of it. It's nice and you can pick and chose and shoot through if you want to make a show. A scooter is a super convenience on the island if you can ride it but watch out for tail gaters and remember to keep left if you rent one. This was my third time there and we're already getting ready to book a return trip next Spring on Celebrity out of Bayonne. Unfortunately Holland is done with Bermuda after this year.
 
 Don't know how this hasn't been mentioned yet, but if you're a gofer you need to find a way to sneak away from the wife for half a day. You're trip wouldn't be complete without it. The cruise lines typically have packages; but it's sometimes cheaper and more efficient to contact the course directly and book a tee time directly through them. If you bring clubs plan on taking a taxi from the port, you can't get on the public bus with them. T

Port Royal is the gem, but prohibitively expensive to play. Believe they require a membership fee of a few thousand. But there are other options, 2 or 3 public, and a half dozen private that tourists can still play.

St George's and the course attached to the Fairmont are the two I've played, and would recommend both.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys.

Would love to ride a scooter around the island, but given my wife's condition we're going to stick with the bus/taxis.
 
So the missus' belly is growing and before our first bundle of joy arrives in January, we decided to book a one-week cruise to Bermuda.
Click to expand...
 

Congrats on the future "Mainchild".

Was Mainchild a product of the Paris Vacation ? :)
Click to expand...
 

Thanks dude.

We suspected that my wife was pregnant before we went to Paris. Took the test the morning we came back, ironically Mother's Day.
Click to expand...
 

Congraulations! I was actually born on Mother's Day, and my son came along almost 3 weeks early, on Father's Day. Good luck - speaking for many here, this will likely be the happiest day of your life.
 
 We took the same cruise in the beginning of June on Holland America. .
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  Now that we know a little more about Mark Jackson, is that the other person in the WE? :p
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No, she's a lot prettier than Mark but she griped about helmet head and had to get her hair done on the boat. They did a good job though and we used the scooter every day. The island is 23 miles long and we covered it all. I keeep going back because it's the best place I know. If anyone has any other recommendations I'd like to hear them.
 
No, she's a lot prettier than Mark but she griped about helmet head and had to get her hair done on the boat. They did a good job though and we used the scooter every day. The island is 23 miles long and we covered it all. I keeep going back because it's the best place I know. If anyone has any other recommendations I'd like to hear them.
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Obviously I'll have to wait to compare the two, but St. John in the USVI is pretty stunning. About 60 percent of the island is a national park so naturally it's cleaner, less populated, less developed, harder to get to (about 90 mins from the St. Thomas airport including a ferry) and home to some of the the Caribbean's best beaches.

If you're really adventurous, I would suggest the Cook Islands in the South Pacific - perhaps my favorite place in the world. Air New Zealand flies directly from L.A. to Rarotonga. It's nine hours, but worth it. Polynesian hospitality, bungalows a few steps from the beach, mountains covered by a rainforest, a never-ending breeze, super clean and a coral reef that surrounds the island making for calm, bathtub-like waters. I can think of no better place to decompress and forget about the rest of the world.
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