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Cruisin' Bermuda
A ship docks at the town of St. George in eastern Bermuda.
Get Lost In Voyage To British Island
By RANDY MINK Special to the Journal & Topics Newspapers
Basking in solitary splendor amid peacock-blue waters, 650 miles east of North Carolina, Great Britain's oldest colony enjoys one of the world's highest standards of living. There is practically no litter, pollution, illiteracy or poverty. To preserve its enviable quality of life, Bermuda bans billboards and neon signs, prohibits car rentals and is fussy about hotel development and cruise ship arrivals.
The self-governing outpost of Mother England offers a more upscale ambience than is found on most islands in the Caribbean, some 1,200 miles south. In this tidy oasis ringed by coral reefs and fringed by pink-sand beaches, a British sense of propriety prevails.
Unlike Caribbean port calls, cruise visits to Bermuda usually span several days, with passengers overnighting on their moored ship. And the cruise season is confined to the warmer April-to-November period.
When it comes to managing tourism, the Bermuda government runs a tight ship, controlling every aspect of a cruise call. Because the Atlantic island paradise is so small (only 21 miles long by no more than two miles wide), it historically has limited the number of cruise passengers invading its shores---to prevent overcrowding, preserve its environment and infrastructure and protect the hotel trade. Of all cruise destinations, Bermuda imposes the highest per-passenger arrival tax (included in the ticket price).
In recent years the government has loosened restrictions a bit, allowing more cruise visits or longer stays. While total visits this year and last are down from 2005-2007, the ships that call are bigger than ever. Plus, the average length of stay has increased---an arrangement that boosts the local economy.
The mega-ship trend certainly has affected the Bermuda market. The cruise industry's shift away from small and mid-size ships has left the traditional ports of Hamilton (the centrally located capital) and St. George's (in the East End) with less cruise traffic because entrances to their harbors---and pier facilities---cannot accommodate Panamax and post-Panamax ships. In fact, this year's schedule in Hamilton includes no "contract" (regular) calls by any ship, only a smattering of occasional calls from various lines.
Most cruise activity these days centers around the Royal Naval Dockyard in the less populated West End, where the jumbos tie up at two piers---King's Wharf and the recently built New Berth. The largest ship this year is Royal Caribbean International's 3,114-passenger Explorer of the Seas. The vessel docks for two days at King's Wharf on 23 five-night cruises from Cape Liberty (Bayonne, N. J.). Also at King's Wharf is the line's 1,950-passenger Grandeur of the Seas, which offers 17 five-night circuits from Baltimore and Norfolk.
Norwegian Caribbean Line (NCL), with the most choices, offers 65 weeklong sailings on three ships from five U.S. ports between May and September. In 2007 the line and Bermuda government forged an agreement that permits two mega-ships making at least 22 cruises per season from 2009 to 2018. As part of the deal, NCL will partner with the Bermuda Department of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce to bolster the island's tourism. This includes being a sponsor of the annual Bermuda Music Festival, supporting heritage associations and developing a program to encourage cruise guests to dine in restaurants ashore.
NCL's 2009 season features weekly sailings from New York on the 2,224-passenger Norwegian Dawn, with three days and two overnights at the Dockyard. NCL continues its tradition of being the exclusive line sailing from Boston to Bermuda with 22 cruises on the 1,966-passenger Norwegian Spirit. A third ship, the 1,462-passenger Norwegian Majesty, will travel from Baltimore, Charleston and Philadelphia, resting four days and three overnights in St. George's.
The 3,100-passenger Caribbean Princess of Princess Cruises, the other line making regular calls this season, spends a day at the Dockyard on 12 roundtrips from New York to the Eastern Caribbean.
Next year marks Holland America Line's return to regular Bermuda service. Offering 24 seven-night roundtrips from New York in 2010, the mid-size Veendam (1,258 passengers) will visit Hamilton and St. George's. Celebrity Cruises also returns to Bermuda in 2010. Its 2,038-passenger Celebrity Summit will sail a series of seven-night roundtrips between Cape Liberty and the Dockyard. Celebrity's most recent Bermuda season was with the former Zenith in 2006.
Each of Bermuda's three ports offers lots to see and do within minutes of the docks. It's easy to get around the island by foot, bike, motor scooter, ferry and public bus. (The subtropical archipelago actually consists of 181 islands and islets, with bridges and causeways connecting the seven main isles.)
Ship-arranged shore excursions range from carriage rides and glass-bottom boat cruises to diving adventures, reef fishing and golf outings. Bermuda boasts more golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the world.
St. George's
The quaint Town of St. George (in St. George's Parish and adjacent to St. George's Harbour) captures Bermuda's charm in a nutshell. A paradise for history buffs, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the one place to go if your sightseeing time is limited. Traipsing down its cobblestone lanes, peeking over hedges and limestone walls, is like stepping into an old English village full of storybook houses.
Indeed, St. George, settled in 1609 by shipwreck victims bound for Jamestown, Va., was the second English settlement in the New World. Your cruise ship will be next to a replica of the Deliverance, the small sailing craft that took wreck survivors to Jamestown. Bermuda this year celebrates its 400th anniversary with many special events.
Almost every pastel cottage in St. George merits a picture as you meander Needle and Thread Alley, amble down Petticoat Lane and duck into the old print shop in Featherbed Alley. The town's showcase building is St. Peter's Church (1713), the Western Hemisphere's first Anglican place of worship. One NCL shore excursion features a candlelight walk with the former town crier.
On King's Square, across the bridge from the cruise ship pier on Ordnance Island, tourists pose in replicas of a stock and pillory where early troublemakers were subjected to public humiliation. Have some fish and chips on the waterfront terrace of the White Horse Tavern, the oldest in town.
Royal Naval Dockyard
On Bermuda's tranquil western tip, travelers coming off the giant ships find themselves at the Royal Naval Dockyard, a strategic nerve center when Britannia ruled the waves. The sprawling compound of stone fortifications, sporting a brawny nautical flavor, is now a tourist magnet brimming with restaurants, shops and attractions.
Dockyard's most impressive sight is the Bermuda Maritime Museum, where exhibits in a half dozen buildings illustrate the colony's long connection to the sea. The recently restored Commissioner's House, dating to 1834, was the most visible symbol of the Royal Navy's imperial power. An NCL shore tour includes a traditional high tea amid the opulence once reserved for admirals.
The marine museum's Dolphin Quest Experience at the marine museum offers in-the-water encounters with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Cruise passengers at the Dockyard also gravitate to the Bermuda Arts Centre and Bermuda Craft Market. These showcases for local artists feature their wares, from cedar carvings and candles to jewelry and paintings.
On nearby Somerset Island, nature lovers enjoy hiking and biking on the Bermuda Railway Trail, the route of an old rail line.
Hamilton
Passengers on ships that navigate Two Rock Passage to reach Hamilton's harbor find themselves just steps from Front Street, a yellow-brick road of venerable stores, many operated by the same families for generations. British and Irish imports---woolens, linens, porcelain, crystal--- are the big draw. Quality is high, as are prices, but goods often cost less than in the United States or country of origin.
For a selection of British-knit sweaters, you can't do better than Front Street emporiums like the English Sports Shop, piled to the rafters with lambs wools, cashmeres and Shetlands in a rainbow of colors.
Sightseeing highlights in Bermuda's only full-fledged city include Fort Hamilton, a 19th century fortress that affords stunning views of the city and harbor; its moat is a lush tropical garden. At the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, down the hill from the fort, you can see one of the world's largest collections of seashells, marvel at treasures salvaged from local shipwrecks (hey, this is Bermuda Triangle territory) and take a simulated ride to the ocean floor.
Bermuda's best restaurants and music clubs are concentrated in Hamilton. From atmospheric pubs and afternoon tea to government officials wearing black gowns and white wigs, the British touch reigns in Bermuda. The world's second oldest parliamentary democracy (after England) is a class act indeed---and pretty as a picture to boot.
For information on Bermuda, contact Bermuda Department of Tourism, 800-237-6832; www.bermudatourism.com.