I first visited Bermuda when I was seven years old. During that trip I walked among moon gates, played in the blue-green ocean with the locals, was captivated by a waiter at my hotel who performed magic tricks with packets of sugar, and even got to pilot a horse during a carriage ride. As an adult, I’ve always wanted to go back to Bermuda, my first country that I ever visited. So, years later, I decided to take a Norwegian cruise to Bermuda.
Disclosure: I only recommend products and services that I have used myself, and that I would recommend to a friend. Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn compensation if you click through and make a purchase.
My mom, step-dad, and sister would all be going with me, a nice family vacation. After a lot of research on different types of cruises, we settled on a Norwegian cruise to Bermuda because of their excellent customer service, beautiful ships, and the fact that we would get three days in Bermuda. Most cruises make multiple stops at different ports, and you barely get 8 hours at each new place. In Bermuda, you dock for almost 3 full days, plenty of time to get to know the island.
But, you also have 3 full days at sea. Which I was dreading at first, but ended up being really fun. Norwegian certainly know show to keep guests busy and happy!
What I did on the Ship
On the first day of our Norwegian cruise to Bermuda, we got a treat right away. The departure port was in Manhattan. And the views leaving and coming back into the city were stunning. If you ever have the chance to see New York City from a boat, I highly recommend it. Just look at these views!
We sailed on Norwegian’s Breakaway, a ship only a little over a year old. And what a beauty! When I was inside I forgot that I was even on a cruise ship. I regret not taking more pictures of the inside of the boat because it was simply spectacular.
We were on board the ship for about 3 days. Sailing in the middle of the Atlantic. The time spent on the ship was wonderful. I spent my mornings and afternoons sunbathing on the top deck, listening to music and enjoying the warm sun and ocean breezes…and a margarita or two or three.
Evenings were spent in a variety of pursuits. One night my sister and I went to a dueling piano bar. Another night we went to a comedy club (which we then proceeded to visit another two times). We tested our luck at the casino, and danced in several of the ship’s many bars. During dinner on one occasion we watched a fifties style dance performance, another night we went to see a magic show.
One night, which was probably my favorite, I had the chance to see a cirque du solei performance. The stage was pretty small, but what these people did on such a small stage blew me away. I was speechless. Unfortunately, almost every event prohibited photography, so the photos are trapped in my head.
Something was always going on onboard. We played trivia, did yoga, went to informational meetings about how the Breakaway was run and meetings about the construction and mechanics of the ship. And there were so many other things that we didn’t even have time to explore.
But all of this pales in comparison to the most impressive thing about Norwegian: the staff and their guest service. Most of the staff was made up of people from around the world, and boy do they work hard. And they are the friendliest people I have ever met. Whoever I passed in a hallway, be it a cook, bartender, waiter, room attendant, anyone, always smiled, said hello, and asked me how I was doing.
Another one of my favorite things was to watch the staff put on a talent show, showcasing their abilities. It was amazing to listen to these people who had been cooking my food and cleaning my room all week get on stage and sing, or dance.
I was just blown away by the whole experience, the ship, the food, the bars, the activities and events, but most of all the people. The wonderful staff were really the ones who ensured that I would never sail on any other cruise line besides Norwegian.
Three Days in Bermuda
As awesome as the experience on the boat was, spending three days in Bermuda was even better. Here is a 3-day itinerary for how I spent my time in Bermuda!
Day 1: Horseshoe Bay/Hamilton/The Flatts
Our original plan once we got off the ship was to rent scooters to drive around the island. Scooters would give us unlimited access to the island’s many hard to reach coves. However, ultimately we decided against it. We got so many warnings on the cruise ship about riding the scooters. And we saw several people on the cruise ship at night bandaged up from riding the scooters. We made the right choice.
His advice turned out to be correct, we saw several people in wheelchairs and covered in bandages from those scooters, so in the end we just bought a combo bus/ferry pass. For $35 you get unlimited ferry and bus access for three days around the island.
The first place we decided to go was the very popular horseshoe bay. Horseshoe Bay is Bermuda’s most famous beach with good reason. It is a beautiful beach, complete with awesome rock formations. If you walk down the beach to the left, you can climb these formations. There are many nooks and crannies to explore, each one leaving you more breathless than the last.
After Horseshoe Bay we went over to Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda. We didn’t have much of an attack plan for Hamilton, so we ended up just wandering around but we did get to see some pretty cool stuff, including the Cathedral of the most Holy Trinity. I’m not Catholic, but something about the smell of Old Catholic churches, with their stained glass windows, wooden pews, and elaborate sculptures and depictions of Christ, have a certain sense of peace about them.
Par-le-Ville park was next on our jaunt. The park was pretty small, but it was nice to wander among the flowers and statues.
The Bermuda national gallery and the Hamilton City Hall & Arts Center provided us with some welcome air conditioning and a chance to see the work of many local Bermuda artists.
We took a walk along Front street, drinking in our surroundings.
Our last stop of the day was at Flatts village. I saw a picture of Flatts village in a travel guide of Bermuda and instantly wanted to go. The houses come in all different colors, and the bay is quite stunning. There is not too much to do there, at least from what we found, but the scenery is quite stunning. Be carful when you walk around, the roads are quite narrow and there aren’t many sidewalks.
Day 2: St. George/Tobacco Bay/Gibbs Lighthouse
We spent day #2 in St. George.
St. George is on the exact opposite side of Bermuda as the port. So, we elected to take a 45-minute ferry ride as opposed to an hour and a half bus ride. The ferry ride over was an event in itself. You get the most amazing views.
St. George was Bermuda’s first town, and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The town itself is very quaint, with cute cafés and little shops lining the streets that back up to brightly colored residential houses. It was so easy to get lost, wandering all of the beautiful little paths filled with beautiful houses.
After spending some time shopping and wandering around, we made our way to Tobacco Bay, only a ten-minute walk from the city center. Tobacco Bay is a great place for snorkeling. I had the chance to see coral and an assortment of different fish that weren’t afraid to come right up to me and nibble on my fingers.
We spent a good bit of time in Tobacco Bay before going back to the cruise ship for showers and dinner. But we weren’t there for long! We headed out again to see Gibbs Lighthouse and a bit of South Hampton.
We had stayed at the South Hampton Princess when we were last in Bermuda, so walking around brought back a lot of memories. It was fun to hike up the hill to the lighthouse. At the top, we could see a stunning view of the island.
Tthe lighthouse itself wasn’t bad either.
And on the way back from the bus stop we saw a moon gate! People in Bermuda say that a couple who kisses under, and passes through a moon gate, will have a long and happy life together.
The night ended with a round of margaritas and laughs at a little restaurant that is right on the way up or down from the lighthouse called Henry VIII.
Day 3: Elbow Beach
We spent our last day on our Norwegian cruise at Elbow Beach; and it was my favorite day. The water here is a crystal clear, blue-green color. We spent the day walking up and down the beach, swimming in the ocean, and looking for sea glass on the shore.
Lunch consisted of hot dogs and chips purchased from a little stand right on the water. It was a lazy, relaxing day, filled with beauty.
Final Thoughts on my Norwegian Cruise to Bermuda
I adored every second of this vacation. From the food, customer service, and attractions on the cruise ship, to the beautiful scenery, beaches, and colorful houses of the island.
Lastly, I would highly recommend taking a Norwegian cruise to Bermuda, you won’t be disappointed!
If you’d like to book your Norwegian cruise to Bermuda, and get the best deals, CLICK HERE!
Have you ever taken a cruise? What was your favorite part?
Disclosure: I only recommend products and services that I have used myself, and that I would recommend to a friend. Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. Meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn compensation if you click through and make a purchase.
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