The Ship
This was my 9th cruise and my favorite ship so far. We really enjoyed the Flowrider and pools. We also tried out the ice skating, wall climb, mini golf, and shows. I usually get bored after a few days on the boat, but on this boat, we wanted another day. The shows were fun and the promenade was always hopping. I never had trouble getting a chair by the pool, and there was always room in the water. We barely saw any kids because of the all the activities and the separate splash pool for little ones. The adult only section also had its own pool.
My only complaint was the food. I quickly got bored of burgers for lunch every day. I felt like there wasn’t enough of a variety. One day, they had tacos, but the meat had jalapeños in it. Not everyone can eat them, and they should have been on the side. Dinner wasn’t great the first three nights. I did love the appetizers. The last two nights it got much better. Our waitress couldn’t keep up with all of her tables and kept messing up orders. I have to say it’s my first time I have ever been disappointed in dinning staff on a cruise.
Our room was great. It was large and in a great location.
Getting on the ship was slow but off was fast.
Bermuda
As soon as you get off the ship, there is a tourist booth. You can buy ferry and bus tickets and get maps. Everyone says Bermuda is expensive, but looking at menus, it was similar to NYC prices. ($13 for a hamburger.)
Ferry and bus
As soon as you get off the ship in Bermuda, there is a ferry and bus stop. You can get an all-day pass that covers both for $19 or a two day for $31.50. If you don’t think you will need unlimited (we broke even with it) you can get a token for $4.50 each way or pay $5 cash when you are getting on the ferry.
Crystal Caves
We hopped on the ferry to St. Georges (45 min). From there, we walked a block to the bus stop. It was a 20 minute ride to the caves. The ferry and bus were very easy to find. Once there, you walk up a small hill. We caught the first ferry, so we were one of the first tours. There were about 20 of us in the group, and the tour took about 30 minutes. There are 81 steps down, and then, you walk cross a floating bridge. The steps are easy, and it is nice and cool in the caves. Not cold. We only did the Crystal Caves, $22, which we thought was enough. To do the Fantasy Cave too, it was an additional $8 and half hour. We then caught a bus to Hamilton and a ferry back to the ship from there. It was an easy morning excursion. We enjoyed the cave, and it was a nice break from the heat.
Tobacco Bay- Free Beach
The beach was an easy 20 minute walk from the ferry to St Georges (45 min ferry ride). It is a bit uphill, so if you are with children you may want to cab it. We were told it would be a $6 ride for two. Once there, we put our stuff on some rocks and jumped in. We brought our own snorkels and saw a few really nice fish. There were rocks to jump off of and a few coves. The chair rental was $15 and included a cover, but we didn’t need them. The water was amazing, and while the beach had a lot of people, the water empty. We walked back to the ferry wet and were dry by the time we got there. The beach also had a bathroom and food and drinks. We brought snacks and water from the ship and paid for nothing but the ferry there. It was one of our favorite parts of the trip and was very affordable.