Cruise to Bermuda

Favorite part of a cruise?  Buffet all dayyyyyy!  Literally, you board the ship and there's food galore everywhere.

Second favorite thing?  Bottomless drink packages!  Hmm, maybe it's tied with first.

Third favorite thing?  Getting dressed up fancy! 

 

And meeting tons of new friends!  TIP - I always opt for the eight person tables at dinner to ensure we meet other couples - ask for this when you book your cruise, and don't forget to choose the late dinner so that you have time for a nap after your daytime adventures.

We headed on a cruise out of Baltimore on the Grandeur of the Seas on the Royal Caribbean line (you know, the one that caught on fire a few years back...) to celebrate David and I's September birthdays.  Actually, it was a surprise gift to me for Valentine's Day of 2014!  David knew we would enjoy something low key, no stress, and to see an island we've never been to, so off to Bermuda we went!  This island is a British territory right off of the coast of North Carolina, so it's just a short cruise away.  Also, cruise packages from Baltimore are cheap if you go at the right time - about $600 per person depending on the time of year.  Another option is to fly to the island as it's only about $300 round trip (from Baltimore) although hotels are rather expensive compared to most Caribbean destinations.  Keep in mind, the weather in Bermuda is similar to the southeastern states, so don't plan a middle of the winter getaway here.

 

Cruising is one of David and I's favorite holidays when when all we want is a relaxing vacation in the tropics - we've done about six or seven so far.  People either LOVE or HATE cruises.  I happen to enjoy them because you get to taste a few destinations on each trip rather than committing to one island and you can usually find amazing deals, especially last minute (try Vacations to Go).  I usually pick cruises that have only one or two days at sea, with the rest of the time spent at various islands.  TIP - If you're trying to budget your cruise, opt for an interior room.  You have a good chance of being upgraded for free to a room with a view, but you can save hundreds per person going this route.  I promise, you don't need the window - you'll hardly be in your room at all.

Our cruise left for six nights on 12 September (my birthday!).  Before taking off we were able to watch the Blue Angels practicing overhead, while we sipped drinks on the upper deck.

The cruise took a day at sea to arrive in Bermuda, then we stayed in port for three nights.  We had plenty of time to see the entire island by moped and by foot.  We simply walked from the port to a moped rental shop with a couple we met on the ship and off we went!  This was the absolute best way to have full control of our itinerary, however it is dangerous to drive a moped here as drivers are not known to be very safe.  David has a lot of experience on motorcycles, but still I felt a bit nervous.  That didn't stop me from hopping on and enjoying these few days!

Moped Tour

Bermuda has 64 miles of coastline, and it is GORGEOUS.  I have seriously never seen clearer water - and we've been to almost every Caribbean island and Hawaii.  No joke, I saw a sea turtle swimming in the water while we drove over a bridge on the moped! 

We started where our ship was docked, at the Royal Naval Dockyard in King's Wharf at the very Western end of the island.  From here we drove around the southern lip and stopped at three beaches, and spent a few hours swimming and sunbathing.  Our stops included Elbow Beach, Horseshoe Bay, and Warwick Long Bay.

Warwick Long Bay

Horseshoe Bay

Elbow Bay

We spent most of our time at Horseshoe Bay, probably one of the most popular beaches.  We arrived early, and spent most of our time in a little cove just filled with tropical fish.  It made for amazing snorkeling until a lot of other tourists arrived and it got a bit cloudy.

The sand is seriously pink!  Pinker than this picture makes it out to be.

Along the way we stopped at Grotto Bay Beach Resort, a resort I read about before our arrival on Trip Advisor.  It was popular based on the underground caves throughout the property.  We simply parked our mopeds at the hotel and followed the signs, and found the most amazing grotto.  It was deserted, and we had a private swim.  The water was freezing but it was worth it!  What a beautiful, unique experience.

When we reached the far Eastern end of the island, we stopped at St. George's Parish and had lunch at Wahoo's Waterside Bistro and Patio.  Our fish sandwiches were amaze-balls and we had the best view on the patio, with millions of fish swimming below us in the clear water.

 

On our drive back, we just admired the water, which is just insane here.  We stopped at little picturesque spots on the beach and relaxed.

We spent the rest of our three days in Bermuda visiting the same beaches, enjoying our three course lunches and dinners on the ship, and relaxing.  I hope we can one day come back for a full week. 

Based on what I saw, I think there would be plenty to do here for at least five or six nights!  And, I had my eye on the Fairmont Southampton for our next visit.