The two cruise ships on the horizon seemed to perch just on top of the brilliant blue water.
Two side-by-side megaships in Bermuda is a new sight for 2009. In fact, until a few years ago it was rare to see megaships in Bermuda at all. Ships typically sailed straight into Hamilton or St. George, but because of the narrow passages to those harbors, today's larger ships are unable to squeeze in.
Bigger ships were relegated to the Royal Naval Dockyard, a former navy base established in the 18th century at the very tip of Bermuda, as far from St. George as you can get while still being on the island.
These days, it's not at all unusual to see big ships in Dockyard -- and docking in Dockyard seems practically like a perk.
Bermuda officials are particularly proud of the Heritage Wharf pier, which opened in April next to the King's Wharf pier and enables the island to accept two large vessels at once. According to remarks made earlier this month by Premier Ewart Brown, ships docking at Heritage Wharf have contributed about $12 million to Bermuda's economy, including government fees and fees paid to the West End Development Corp., which helped develop Dockyard; on-island expenditures; and shore excursions.
On my brief visit to Dockyard compound in May, I found it bustling with cruisers from the Norwegian Spirit and the Explorer of the Seas. People were walking around to various attractions and queuing up for the ferries to Hamilton and St. George. There were plenty of taxis.
Passengers can leave the wharf and walk over to Clocktower Mall and dining areas that have been situated in the historical stone navy administration buildings. One particularly nice touch in Dockyard is a crafts shop that sells Bermudan wares, such as jewelry made by local artists and boxes carved from Bermuda cedar. But shop offerings also include the standard souvenir store (where I also bought some Bermudan-baked cookies).
Across the street from the crafts shop is the Keep, a six-acre fortress that houses the Bermuda Maritime Museum. The expansive grounds, the spectacular ocean views and the museum will likely keep a family busy for a few hours. On my visit, a choir from one of the cruise ships was holding a concert on the porch of the restored Commissioner's House up on the top of the Keep, which provided a soothing soundtrack as people walked from the entrance to the upper ground.
The Keep is also the location for a Dolphin Quest program, where people can encounter and swim with dolphins.
Once passengers have exhausted the Dockyard area, which contains other attractions, such as a glassworks factory and a beach, they can hop a taxi to Bermuda's famed pink-sand beaches down the road or opt for an island tour. (The taxi vans are more economical if you have a group of four or more, and if you decide on a tour, look for the blue-flag emblem on the van, which signifies an expert driver-guide.) There also are scooters for rent.
The fast ferries to Hamilton and St. George seemed to be the most popular transportation option. The ferry between Dockyard and Hamilton takes about 20 minutes; the St. George ferry takes about 45 minutes. One-way fares for the ferry start at $4 for adults.
The fast ferry also means that Dockyard is easily accessible to noncruisers, as well.
Cruise calls
According to Brown, cruise arrival figures for the second quarter were down 3.7%, to 124,553 passengers, due to a slower-than-projected April and a cancellation in May. On the other hand, May arrivals were up almost 40%, and June was flat year over year.
Bermuda in 2009 received regular calls from three cruise lines. Norwegian Cruise Line is the island's most frequent customer, but Royal Caribbean International brings in two ships on a regular basis, including the 3,114-passenger Explorer of the Seas, the biggest ship in Bermuda. (The Caribbean Princess, which visited 12 times in 2009, was a close second in capacity.)
Next year, the island will welcome back Celebrity Cruises, which used to operate two ships to Bermuda but hasn't sailed there since 2006. The Celebrity Summit will offer seven-day cruises to Dockyard, beginning in April.
Holland America Line, meanwhile, is committing the Veendam to regular cruises to Bermuda, but the ship will offer what's fast becoming an unusual itinerary: It will forego Dockyard and make the traditional calls in Hamilton and St. George.