We arrived in Bermuda in late October 2019 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas. This is known as the shoulder season in Bermuda, as the main tourist season comes to a close. The nearly two-day journey from Baltimore to Bermuda was characterized by wet weather and rough seas, to the point that certain outdoor areas of the ship were closed at times.
We arrived in port at approximately 1:00 PM and were able to depart the ship around 2:00. We grabbed our snorkels and headed to Horseshoe Bay, which is known for its world-famous pink sand beach. In my opinion, the sand has more of a pinkish hue rather than truly being pink. If you don’t book a cruise line tour, there are shuttles available at the end of the pier for $7.00 per person each way. It was a quick and simple process. There is also a water taxi that goes to the town of Hamilton, costing $5 per person each way, and the people who took it really enjoyed the town.
The beach itself was very nice, with interesting rock formations and decent snorkeling, but is primarily for swimming. There was a beach bar called Rum Bum’s which served food, but by the time we were ready to eat, it was closed (5:00 PM). Also, chair and umbrella rentals were rather expensive, costing $45 to $50 for 2 chairs and an umbrella. We decided to make do with a towel and some sunscreen and were quite content.
After spending the afternoon at the beach, we went back to the ship for dinner. We had planned to visit one of the venues in the Royal Navy Dockyard, but we had been informed that everything there closed by 4:00 or 5:00 PM, which turned out to be true. Additionally, there were hardly any places within walking distance from the pier.
The next morning, we went on a ship’s excursion on the Rising Son Catamaran. Despite other tours being canceled due to high winds and choppy waters, Captain Steve, who is also the owner, took 25 of us to an area called Hawkins Bay, which was sheltered from the northern winds. We had a fantastic day of snorkeling and saw many fish and even a sea turtle! Some of us also tried kayaking and paddle boarding. On the way back to the ship, we were treated to rum swizzles (rum punch).
We had a great time on our excursions in Bermuda. However, if you’re considering a trip to Bermuda, I highly recommend flying and staying there instead of going on a cruise. The reason is that during the transit of the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore, the ship’s casino, shops, and other activities are limited, and the ship’s schedule in Bermuda doesn’t allow enough time to explore the country. Many of the guests we spoke with shared this sentiment. We would love to visit Bermuda again but would choose to fly rather than cruise. Happy travels!