My uber-Last-Minute Solo Bermuda Cruise! About This Page:

[elbodans]

I've never done a non-Disney trip report on here, but I so enjoy sharing my Disney stories that I thought I'd give it a shot! Thus, I bring to you a very mini-PTR and then complete TR about my uber-last-minute Bermuda cruise!

Mini-PTR...

This pre-trip report will have to be very short because I only have six days to write it. Why? Because I booked the cruise the day before yesterday--on Friday--and I'm sailing out of NYC one week from today--on Sunday!

How did this come to be? Well, as some of you may know, I'm not working this year. I took a year away from my teaching job to work on a project and to travel (these two things kind of go hand in hand.) About ten days after I returned from my two weeks in WDW, I started to get crabby--because I didn't have any other travels planned. I felt like my 'career break' wasn't living up to its 'career break potential'. So I started thinking about what kinds of trips I'd like to take--and for a variety of personal and project-related reasons, a cruise seemed like a good idea.

So I came home and started looking at cruise prices. In doing so, I learned about something that super-stinks about cruising--the single supplement. For those of you who have never cruised, here's what that means: if a price is listed--say $500 for a 7-day cruise (which is low, but not as low as the deal I found!)--if you want to cruise ALONE (which I'd have to do, as my husband works as do ALL of my friends) you'd have to pay $1000 for that same cruise. This is because the rates are 'based on double occupancy'.

So even though I found a really good deal on a cruise, when I doubled it it was just a bit too much to justify a random spur-of-the-moment solo cruise to Bermuda. After all, we're not independently wealthy--not even kind of!

But I kept checking back on the price to see if it would go down as the sail date approached. Please note: the first time this idea entered my head was this past Monday--six days ago. I checked on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning. And then for some reason, on Friday afternoon, there it was--a fare without a single supplement. So I booked it. Honestly, I've never seen a cruise fare so low. Even with the taxes and port fees, it is costing me approximately $82/day. That's for the cruise (which is transport), the room (by myself), and all meals. I live five minutes from a bus station that will take me to NYC in 90 minutes, so there's no airfare cost (though a round trip bus ticket is $44).

The way I see it, I am going on a 7-day cruise to Bermuda for approximately the cost of a Coach hobo bag. I used to buy Coach bags--now I use my camera bag as a purse and travel! In fact, I'm contemplating selling some of those barely-used bags on ebay to fund future trips!

Up next--the plans for my three days in Bermuda. When will they be posted? As soon as I figure out what they are! But don't worry, it will have to be soon. I'm leaving in a week!!!

[Coop]

Wow! That's a great deal - I have a Coach hobo bag! (but I've never been on a cruise) I will just have to follow your TR then.

[JKnott17]

Awesome deal!

[Pris]

Fantastic!! I can't wait to hear all about it. What cruise line are you sailing on? I look forward to retirement, so I can perhaps take advantage of the last minute deals you can get on cruises.

[DSNYD]

Wow! I cruised to Bermuda once and it was awesome... except the sea-sickness. I can't cruise anymore because the memories are too --- well --- memorable.

We left from NY as well, and it was super-easy to get to (I live near Harrisburg, so we're almost neighbors).

Bermuda was GORGEOUS!!!. The water, the sand, everything... it was AWESOME.

Can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!

[jandsdennis]

definately interested in reading about your cruise.

[disney_duke]

I love how you compare the cost of your cruise to an accessory item! Any way you look at it, it's a good deal! Jealous, though......

[lexiemom]

Totally jealous! What a great deal, sounds like it was meant to be. Can't wait to hear what your plans are (when you get them figured out) for your cruise in ONE WEEK. Did I mention I was jealous?!?

[elbodans]

first...thanks for reading along, everyone! i'm planning some time with my guidebook tonight, so i should have a plan worked out by...tomorrow sometime? that may be overly ambitious. but i'll have SOME idea of what i'm doing by the end of the day today.

Originally Posted by Pris

Fantastic!! I can't wait to hear all about it. What cruise line are you sailing on? I look forward to retirement, so I can perhaps take advantage of the last minute deals you can get on cruises.

yeah, that's part of why i feel the need to do this now. this may be the ONLY time i can do something like this until i retire (assuming i go back to teaching next fall--which i may not do...we shall see...) the last minute nature of this trip is definitely what worked in my favor. plus, because i only have a week, i can't overplan! double bonus!

oh and to answer your cruise line question--norwegian. it wasn't a choice--it's simply the only line going out of NYC right now. but i love that it has the 'freestyle' dining options. i feel much better about going solo knowing that i won't HAVE TO eat with a family or large group.

Originally Posted by DSNYD

Wow! I cruised to Bermuda once and it was awesome... except the sea-sickness. I can't cruise anymore because the memories are too --- well --- memorable.

We left from NY as well, and it was super-easy to get to (I live near Harrisburg, so we're almost neighbors).

Bermuda was GORGEOUS!!!. The water, the sand, everything... it was AWESOME.

Can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!

i'm planning on taking bonine AND wearing a sea band. i'm not taking any chances!!!

[DrDolphin]

Love the fact that you can jump on a ship and sale away to Bermuda at a moment's notice. The single supplement is a yucky secret of the cruise industry. Can't wait to read your TR!

[cubfancolleen]

How awesome! Just beware that freestyle isn't as free as they make it sound. We didn't enjoy that component of Norwegian. Aside for the 2 main dining rooms (which both served the same menu), you had to pay extra for any of the other restaurants. Wish we'd known that ahead of time.

[elbodans]

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

Love the fact that you can jump on a ship and sale away to Bermuda at a moment's notice.

i think you just accurately put words to the insanity i'm feeling. like--who does this? i mean, i'm sure LOTS of people do this--but i never have! though i'm SUPER excited! i'm picturing myself on the boat one week from right now going 'woah....i'm sailing to bermuda...?'

Originally Posted by cubfancolleen

How awesome! Just beware that freestyle isn't as free as they make it sound. We didn't enjoy that component of Norwegian. Aside for the 2 main dining rooms (which both served the same menu), you had to pay extra for any of the other restaurants. Wish we'd known that ahead of time.

i've looked at the different menus and prices and plan to do three of the 'specialty' restaurants--the mexican one ($10) the french one ($20) and the italian one ($20). since i'm only one person, that's still only $50. but i can see how going with a family could really add up! and i've heard that the food in the main dining rooms isn't that great. ah well--i'm eating it for four nights anyway...because it is included and free!

[athenagwis]

Sounds sweet! Can't wait to hear the details. Our next trip is definitely going to be a cruise. We love the idea of them for sure.

Cheers!
Rachel

[elbodans]

Originally Posted by athenagwis

Sounds sweet! Can't wait to hear the details. Our next trip is definitely going to be a cruise. We love the idea of them for sure.

Cheers!
Rachel

well, i will be brutal in my honesty about this cruise--and i'm hoping it will all be good honesty! really, i'd LOVE to do a disney cruise. i've heard very good things about them. i was actually looking into doing one when i was down there in september (instead of flying home early) but the single supplement killed me. perhaps once they are sailing from NYC (i think that's happening soon?) i'll be able to do a last minute one. oh--that makes me happy just to think about! that i'd be able to take a bus to NYC and suddenly be aboard something disney!

[elbodans]

To Scooter or Not to Scooter--That is the Question...

I'm really torn. You see, when I 'planned' this trip (by which I mean 'when I looked briefly at how Bermuda works') I decided that it would be super easy to get around--I'd just buy a $28 three-day transportation pass and use the bus and ferry system. After all, I'd only be there for three days--surely I could entertain myself in ferry ports and at bus stops for three days.

And then I got a Bermuda tour book. And highlighted things. There are more things highlighted than not. Which is when I realized--I'm ONLY going to be there for THREE days!

At this point I began to think seriously about renting a scooter.

There are a few things you need to know about scooter rentals in Bermuda. First, they are cheap--so money is not an issue. Second, they drive on the other side of the road in Bermuda. Third--the roads are very narrow.

And fourth--there's two giant factions when it comes to 'Bermuda scooter rentals'. The one faction says something like: 'be a responsible driver and you'll be fine'. The other one makes bumper stickers that say something like 'rent a scooter in Bermuda AND YOU WILL DIE A HORRIBLE, BLOODY DEATH.'

You can see why I'm torn.

To be fair, I'm typically very skeptical when anyone (or any group) makes absolute statements--like the scooter death statement. I'm not a fan of absolutes. But I'm also not a fan of being smeared onto a cliff face or limestone wall by a tourist bus.

Because I like to make lists, here's my pro and con list of whether to rent a scooter or not...

PROS:
-would be able to see SO MUCH MORE
-would be able to go wherever i want
-would be able to stop whenever i want
-would not have to stand in line for transport EVER
-would be FUN (i love motorcycles--like A LOT. scooters are sort of motorcycle-ish)

CONS:
-may die

So...what does everyone think? At this point I'm basically planning two different itineraries--one that is a bit limited by public transport, and the other that is awesome but scooter-dependent.