Recently we returned to one of our favorite islands- Bermuda. We have found that cruising to Bermuda is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to see it. Flights to the island, hotels, and food can be pretty expensive here. Most cruises to Bermuda stay in port for several nights, meaning you can explore the island at leisure, and return to the ship for sleeping. (And eating, if you prefer.)
We arrived in port on a Sunday morning and didn’t leave until late afternoon on Tuesday, giving us almost 3 full days to explore the island. The first day we took a shuttle from the port ($7 each) to Horseshoe Bay Beach which you see above. Shuttles run between the port and the beach most of the day.
It’s hard to appreciate from the picture, but the sand here really is pink. And the water is an amazing shade of turquoise. There are chairs and umbrellas for rent, and a restaurant with a pretty extensive menu. You can walk up and order anytime, but they also take orders from and deliver right to your chair. It’s a wonderful and relaxing way to spend a day.
We returned to the ship for dinner and watched a beautiful sunset from the deck.
The next day we got up early in order to catch the ferry to the other side of the island. We were on Norwegian Gem, and Norwegian has its own ferry service from the port to St. George for its passengers. After about a 30 minute ride, we arrived in St. George. This is a lovely part of the island filled with shops, restaurants, so much history (the town was settled in 1612!) , and Tobacco Bay, a lovely beach area with great snorkeling.
We headed to St. Peter’s Church, the oldest continuously used Protestant church in the New World. The oldest parts date to 1620, though it has been added to and improved since then. The church and surrounding graveyard are beautiful, and because they sit up so high, they also offer a gorgeous view of the island. Those who know me know I adore all things British, and I was thrilled to take a picture in front of the front door where both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana had been photographed.
We explored some more of the shops and sights before deciding to get some lunch. Bermuda is famous for its fish sandwich on raisin bread and we hadn’t tried it on our previous trips, so decided this was the time. We asked some locals for their recommendations and headed to Munchie’s by the Sea, a beautiful spot on the water. I don’t like raisins and I’m picky about fish, but somehow, this combination worked. It was delicious!
After lunch we walked a few blocks to the bus station. We knew from previous visits how well-run Bermuda’s public transportation is. For the buses and ferries, you can pay in cash, with tokens, or our usual choice- a pass. This time we used the 1-day pass but there are multiple day options available. This pass can be used any number of times on both the buses and ferries for the chosen period. (We have heard an app is coming up sometime soon as well.) There are just a few different routes, and the bus drivers and locals are all helpful with directing you where to get off if you ask nicely when you first get on. We had decided to check out the Swizzle Inn after hearing about how fun it was and how delicious the Rum Swizzles are. The bus driver noted our stop, across from the famous Crystal Caves, and we headed straight inside. Even though it was quite crowded, there were tables available inside. We opted to wait for an outside table and were seated within a few minutes. While we waited, we were able to check out the cute gift shop and get some fun souvenirs. We ordered some apps and the Rum Swizzle and enjoyed the breezes on the covered porch. The owner himself stopped by our table to check on us. He said Hoda and Jenna from The Today Show would be there making Rum Swizzles in just a couple days. Just missed them!
We hopped back on the bus in front of the Swizzle Inn, and asked the bus driver to drop us off at Shelley Bay. This was a beach I’d visited with my family about 15 years ago and I was curious to see if it was as beautiful as I remembered. I also wanted Barry to see it. The bus driver let us off just past the entrance, and the view walking back toward it was spectacular. It was as gorgeous as I recalled, and still surprisingly uncrowded.
After some relaxing time on the beach, we caught the bus back to downtown Hamilton. We walked around and explored the many fun shops, restaurants, and historical buildings, then used our transportation pass to catch the ferry back to our port.
The next day was our last day in port Since it wasn’t our first visit to Bermuda, and we’d had a fun couple days exploring the island, we opted to relax at the beach right in port. We were docked at Royal Dockyards which has many shops and restaurants, a historic fort, and Snorkel Park, a beach within walking distance. We rented chairs and an umbrella and enjoyed the beach for several hours, then shopped a little bit before heading back to the ship. The weather was beautiful as we sailed away that afternoon, and it was lovely to sit on the balcony and enjoy the views of Bermuda one final time. But it’s safe to say we will return one day.
I’ve been asked why Bermuda is so high on my list and why I continue to return after visiting multiple islands over the years. As I’ve mentioned, I do adore all things British, and it is still a British territory. So I enjoy that aspect for one thing. English is the official language and the US dollar is widely accepted. Also, when we travel to islands, we love to explore a lot- meet the locals, shop at their grocery stores, eat where they eat, ride public transportation, etc. This isn’t safe to do on many islands one may visit. There are islands where you go straight from the airport to your all-inclusive resort, stay for a week, then head back to the airport. I know there are many people who enjoy that, and I’m truly happy for them, but that just isn’t what we prefer. Fortunately, this world has opportunity for all our preferences. Let us know in the comments which you prefer.
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