Questions about going on a cruise?

Question

me and 3 of my girlfriends wanna go on a cruise this summer but none of us have ever been. one of them is from Boston (where we live) to Bermuda but how much time would we get to spend actually in Bermuda? do we go off the boat during the day and then go back at night to sleep? that would be stupid to pay for a cruise then have to pay for a hotel when we get to Bermuda. what kind of stuff is there to do on the boat itself? any info about cruises that u can give me (from personal experience not something u googled offline) would be great

thanks

Answer 1

I have been to Bermuda twice on cruise ships. Yes you do sleep and eat on the cruise ship, and yes the ship does have free entertainment for you every evening and you can spend time in the gym, at the pools and hot tubs, or doing many other things, including eating to your heart's content.  The only things you pay for while on the cruise are your soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and any photos, souvinirs and other

things that you buy on the ship.  

Bermuda has some of the best beaches anywhere; pink sand beaches that you can easily find a deserted spot on. In my two visit it seemed to me that the majority of the people visiting the island were those on the two or three cruise ships which docked there during my stay. There are a few hotels in the town of Hamilton and about a dozen other properties/beach hotels, but they are nice. There are NO slums and ghettos in Bermuda like you may see on other islands. All of the houses are well maintained and painted in pastel colors. All of the public beaches are great. Be sure to go to Elbow Beach and Long Beach. Several cruise lines have cruise to Bermuda from many cities on the each coast.

When you cruise there its less expensive than flying and staying in a hotel because, you stay and eat on the ship. You will probably want to eat on ship anyway because meals (and everything else) are expensive since everything has to be imported.

A five, six, or seven day cruise to Bermuda is plenty enough time to see and enjoy everything there. There is not a lot to do in Bermuda other than water sports and golf. There are two main towns Hamilton, the largest (where most cruise ships dock for at least a day) and St George (also a port stop) which is like a small town and has just a few shops. The third place ships may dock while there is The Kings Dockyard.. The Dockyard is on the far end of the 22 mile long island and has a small mall with shops and a museum. The Crystal Cave and Fantasy Caves are worth visiting as a tour, or on your own. I also visited one of the lighthouses, one of the many forts on the island like Fort St Catherine, if you like that type activity.

In the town of Hamilton we took a walking tour which took us to the Cathedral of the Most Holy, a maritime museum and a nice garden/park a few blocks from the port. There is shopping in Hamilton and restaurants, but not much else. The best way to get around in Bermuda is to buy a transportation pass (may be able to get it on ship) which will let you take the buses, and the ferry, all over the island. There is a big bus depot just a couple blocks from where ships dock in the town of Hamilton. You can take the buses to the beach, they are not very far away and easy to get to from the bus stop. You want to go to Elbow Beach and Long Beach, both open to the public.  If you want to snorkel, the Tobacco Bay Beach near the town of St George is great, and its walking distance (about 3/4 mile from town).

The prices you see advertised are per person based on double occupancy.  If there are 4 of you going and all staying in the same cabin the 3rd and 4th person pay a lower rate that is about 1/2 the full rate.  So you could actually add all of the fares and split the total 4 ways.

http://www.bermuda.com  

http://www.bermudatourism.com/index.aspx

Answer 2

First of all, you will need to be at least 18, and more likely 21, to cruise.

There aren't a lot of choices in cruising to Bermuda, so that will limit your options, also.

You seem to not be familiar with cruising at all, so I would suggest you go to your library and get a book about cruising, to get an overview of what the experience is like.

Cruising is a wonderful vacation - speaking from personal experience.

BTW, you can get lots of info by "Googling", or by going to the cruise line websites.  There are lots of travel websites that can be very helpful.

If you don't want to do such research, you should go to a travel agent, who can help you plan your cruise.  He/she will still have many questions that you may not be able to answer if you haven't at least done a little investigation on your own, judging by the questions you are asking here.

Good luck!

Answer 3

listen dear a cruise is the most memorable experience, i would like to tell u u need to be above 16yrs  to go alone or u need to be accompanied by an adult pax of 21 yrs who can act as an guardian. on a cruise u will have all kinds of activities from gala dinner(depends on the cruise) disco a jogging track swimming pool and different shows as mentioned in the itinerary. well as far as your of shore activities are concerened u need to pre book them and the arrangements will be done u go in the morning and come back in the evening. all the meals are provided some times 6 and sometimes 3 meal provided.

take my words u will enjoy.

take care god bless. all the best

Answer 4

Your cruise is all inclusive, which means the price includes your lodging, food and entertainment.  Only things you usually  pay for are drinks (alcoholic) and shore excursions.

So you will have a room on the ship the whole time.  There is entertainment every night with activities for adults and children during the day.  Plenty to eat all throughout the day.

When you go ashore, you have a choice of going on your own, by renting a taxi, motor bike or walking, to go shopping or to the beach.  An alternate choice is to buy one of the ship's shore excursions.

Have a good time.  It's a great value for what you get.

Answer 5

Hi Jenny,

I am a Cruise consultant based in Toronto, On. I have been selling cruises for 10 years ;) so I think I can answer any of your questions.... Bermuda is a great spot. Cruising is the most affordable way to see it! So you need to first tell me what you like to do... are you looking for a quiet ship? What age range do you and your friends fall into? Let's think Princess or Royal Caribbean... You will leave from Boston and have one day at see to get acquainted with your ship. Once in Bermuda you will spend approx three days in Hamilton. where the ship is to be used as your hotel. You can do whatever during the day but at night you will return to the ship for dinner and entertainment ( which is included ) the ship will then relocate to the west end on the Island to St John. where once again you will be free to enjoy!

All meals and entertainment are included in your cruise fare. Alcohol is additional... what other questions do you have you need to check availability and rates please feel free to email me at work. [e-mail]

Answer 6

Yes, the ship is your hotel. You go back to the ship to sleep and you can eat in the ship's restaurant even when you are in port. Each cruise is different. You need to get an itinerary to find out how long you will be in port. It will be at least one full day. There is live entertainment every night on the ship: musical reviews, bands and dancing and lounges. Most ships have casinos and shops, computer rooms and exercise rooms along with spas.. The larger ships like Royal Caribbean are like floating cities with ice skating shows, rock climbing, etc.

I suggest you talk to a travel agent. They do not charge you anything and they can tell you all about the different cruise lines. You will get lots of good information to help you decide.

You will love cruising. It's the only way to travel, IMO.

Answer 7

If you are going to Bermuda, the boat will take you there and you will have free time to come and go from the boat as you please. You will sleep on the boat. No worries.

You will love a cruise.

*edit*

There is plenty to do on a cruise. They have constant activities for everyone. Night clubs, gambling, a spa. pools, bars, bingo, shows and tons more you will not get bored.

My advice is to sign up for excursions from the boat. It is guided and otherwise when you get off the boat at different ports you will find yourself just wandering around.

Have fun, I wish I could go.

Answer 8

I haven't been ont he Bermuda cruise (I also live in Boston) but I've been on several others.  The ship typically docks int he morning and you can go ashore and then you return at night.  If it stays at the same port for more than a day you would still do the same thing and just exit the next mornign again so no need for a hotel ever, that's the great thign about cruises.  Crusie ships typically have restaurants, casinos, clubs, bars so there's plenty to do (just know that alcohol is not included in the package).  Cruises also have nightly events such as comedy shows and other acts.  The cruise itinerary should tell you how much time you'll have each day to be off the ship (In most cases you'll dock at maybe 7 int he morning and then would have to be back on by maybe 6 but it varies)

Have fun!

Answer 9

Cruises are aimed at a specific type of traveler. If you are a person who wants to explore on your own or not be bound by a set schedule, then you may not be happy with the cruise experience. Time in port varies by cruise line. For a list of ports and how long you will spend in each, check the itinerary for the cruise line/ship you are considering. Many ships only dock for 4-6 hours in certain ports while others spend 8 hours in one port. Also keep in mind that it will take you time to get from the ship to the mainland. Sometimes this is simple and fast. Sometimes it is not and you will need to use a smaller boat for the transfer. Depending on the number of smaller boats and how many are departing from your ship, you may spend an additional hour getting in and back to the ship. In the Bahamas this is sometimes the case because the large ship is not allowed to dock inside of the reefs.

Every ship will have excursions you can sign up for when you are docked in a port. However, be very aware that these are NOT included in what you pay for your cruise. Nor are they necessarily better deals than what you could make on your own. They do, however, save you time (which is invaluable on a 4-6 hour limited visit) and assure that you will have a place if there is a very specific experience you want to make sure to have. (Dunn's Falls in Jamaica might be an example) Be aware also that the more ports the ship docks in, the higher the additional fees to you will be. Cruise lines are charged a fee every time they dock. They pass those fees along to the customer as "port charges."

The largest attraction in Bermuda is the pink sand beaches. You do not need to pay for an excursion to experience those. It is probably cheaper to simply pay for transport to the beach from the dock and then to purchase the user fee for the resort you want to use or visit a public beach.

As far as activities on your ship, they are usually included in the price you pay. There are almost always exercise facilities, swimming pools and casinos. Dance lessons, shopping and deck games are also very common. Some ships (Royal Caribbean and Crystal) used to offer cooking classes with one of the chefs on board. There are usually dinner shows, magic shows, etc. Some cruise lines limit the number of "premium" dining and entertainment experience allowed per guest. This tends to be more of a space thing to make sure everyone can experience this if they desire. Again, check out the particular cruise line and itinerary you are considering.

I have had both positive and negative experiences on cruise ships. They are not for everyone. If you like the experience of meeting locals and getting off the beaten path, for instance, you are probably not going to be 100% satisfied with a cruise vacation. If, on the other hand, you just want to go somewhere with your friends, drink, eat and see a few things while relaxing and having a nice time, you may well be very pleased and find this a good deal for you.

Bottom line is that while others can share their experiences with you, you will still have to spend some time researching and making your own decision. Each person wants different things from a vacation and each person has specific things that need to happen or be for a vacation to be a success for them. Only you and your friends can determine what that is for all of you.