Enjoying a Bermuda Cruise for Your Honeymoon

by Shannon Kietzman, writer for Your Wedding Place.com

A Bermuda cruise is an exotic destination that takes passengers to a land of friendly people, duty-free shopping, and colorful architecture. It offers the perfect combination of tropical beauty and British hospitality, as well as a number of relaxing activities to enjoy. In addition, it has a temperate climate and is relatively isolated, making it a great destination for a laid-back honeymoon cruise. To aid in the isolation, Bermuda’s government limits the number of ships that can be docked at a time. This helps prevent overcrowding, though one more ship is often allowed to dock on the weekends.

Cruise Lines To Bermuda

Bermuda is located in the western Atlantic and is almost parallel to the Carolinas. Due to its location, it is susceptible to hurricanes during hurricane season from June 1 to November 30. Nonetheless, it is usually affected less than other southern cruise destinations.

Bermuda cruises are available from late April to October. In addition, it is possible for cruise plans to get delayed or cancelled altogether during hurricane season if a storm is lurking at the time of the cruise. Therefore, you need to plan your wedding date accordingly to help ensure your plans won’t get changed at the last minute.

A typical Bermuda cruise is five or seven nights and Bermuda itself is often the only destination on the itinerary, with the ship often spending several days docked at the country. Since there are such strict regulations enforced by the Bermuda government, there are not as many cruise lines offering Bermuda cruises. Still, cruise lines such as Holland America Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruise Line do offer Bermuda trips.

Bermuda Cruise Ports

The majority of the Bermuda Cruise embarkation ports are located in the northeastern United States. Some of the more popular ports include:

• New York, New York – New York is one of the major hubs for Bermuda cruises because it is convenient for those living in the northeastern United States and lends itself nicely to catching connecting flights.
• Baltimore, Maryland – Baltimore is slightly further south of New York and is a convenient port for those making a connecting flight through Washington DC.
• Boston, Massachusetts – Boston is less congested than New York and offers an array of seasonal Bermuda cruises.
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Philadelphia is also less crowded, but only a limited number of cruise ships leave the port on Bermuda voyages.

When it comes to Bermuda cruise, there are three main ports of call. Not all cruises visit these ports. In fact, some only visit Bermuda because of it is located so far from other destinations. The three ports of call sometimes added include:

• St. George’s – Cruise ships dock in the center of St. George, which is located on the northern tip of Bermuda. Attractions include a 300 year old church, called St. Peter’s Church, which is believed to be the oldest in all of the Western Hemisphere.
• Hamilton – Hamilton, which is Bermuda’s capital city, is located in the center of island. Cruise ships dock amid the shipping district and offer guided tours of the cultural history of the city. Shore excursions, including golf and snorkeling, are also available. The popular pink sand beaches of Elbow Beach, Horseshow Bay, and Astwood Cove can also be found here.
• King’s Wharf – Kings Wharf is a western port that can handle large cruise ships. A number of shore excursions can be enjoyed here, including rides on glass bottom boats, helmet diving, deep sea fishing, and snorkeling. It is also the home of the Bermuda Maritime, which is the largest museum on the island.

The beautiful tropical weather, magnificent pink beaches, amazing shopping opportunities, and intriguing historical sites make a Bermuda cruise one you and your honey will be sure to remember for a lifetime.

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