Many cruise ships call at more than one of Bermuda's three ports. A Bermuda Cruise offers a host of shopping, sporting and sightseeing opportunities. Ships of any size can anchor in Hamilton Harbour, where passengers are ferried ashore. Hamilton's two cruise terminals are a short walk from bustling streets filled with sophisticated shopping. In addition, ships dock at St. George at the East End of the island, and larger ships can dock only at the Royal Naval Dockyard at the West End. Bermuda Cruise Must-See Attractions
Hamilton is a shopper's nirvana, boasting duty-free prices of up to 40 percent less than U.S. prices for British woolens, Waterford crystal, cashmere sweaters, Irish linens, watches and jewelry, tailored suits, silk ties and or course, Bermuda shorts and the socks to wear with them. Shoppers can find easy walking on the grid of streets facing the docks.
The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity dominates the cityscape, because no structure is permitted to be built higher than the cathedral tower. Step inside (free) to see beautiful craftsmanship. Them climb the tower ($3) for views of the sea and the countryside. The church is open daily, 8a to 4:45p, and the tower is open Monday through Saturday 9:30a to 4p. Admission to the Historical Society Museum, just footsteps from the wharf, is also free.
Visitors also can find views at Fort Hamilton by taking a healthy hike up King Street and turning right on Happy Valley Road. Admission is free. On Mondays at noon, autumn through spring, the Bermuda Islands Pipe Band gives a performance featuring bagpipes, drums and dancers. However, dates mesh only with early and late cruises.
St. George is also a compact, walkable community with a pleasant waterfront park. See a replica of the Deliverance, one of two ships built by the original shipwreck survivors. Visitors can also see the town crier here in full regalia. They can visit the Town Hall on King's Square, and then walk to Duke of York Street to see St. Peter's Church, the oldest Anglican church in the New World.
The State House, built in 1620 and the oldest building in Bermuda, is open only on Wednesday afternoons, but its exterior is worth seeing any time. And just outside of town, the Unfinished Church is a popular stop on sightseeing tours.
West End must-sees include the Royal Naval Dockyard and cemetery, the Berumda Arts Centre, the Bermuda Maritime Museum, the Clocktower Shopping Mall, the Bermuda Rum Cake Factory and the Dockyard Glassworks.
Cruise passengers who have been to Bermuda before never tire of its golfing. The island claims more golf holes per square mile than anywhere else on earth. For hikers, the old rail line is now a hiking trail filled with nature sightings and ocean views.
Myriad beaches await the individual traveler. Among them, Horseshoe Bay Beach is disabled accessible and has restrooms. Snorkel Park Beach also has restrooms. Both are near the West End. On the East End (St. George), Clearwater Beach and John Smith's Bay are disable accessible, and Clearwater has restrooms and changing facilities.
Cruise Lines that usually call at Bermuda include: Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America Line.
