Travel Guide

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Travel Tips When Cruising To Bermuda

Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your Bermuda cruise vacation:

Bermuda is NOT the Caribbean - the winters may not get snow, but you certainly won't be out swimming in the ocean. Daily average temperatures for each month are:

January: air temp. 69 degrees / water temp. 66 degrees
February: air temp. 68 degrees / water temp. 65 degrees
March: air temp. 68 degrees / water temp 66 degrees
April: air temp. 72 degrees / water temp 69 degrees
May: air temp. 76 degrees / water temp. 74 degrees
June: air temp. 77 degrees / water temp. 76 degrees
July: air temp. 86 degrees / water temp. 84 degrees
August: air temp. 86 degrees / water temp. 84 degrees
September: air temp. 84 degrees / water temp. 82 degrees
October: air temp.76 degrees / water temp. 77 degrees
November: air temp. 74 degrees / water temp. 72 degrees
December: air temp. 71 degrees / water temp. 69 degrees

Bermuda is British - judges wear powdered wigs, drivers are the left side of the road, and dress is fairly conservative (especially on the golf courses or in upscale restaurants). Of course, Bermuda shorts are seen everywhere - even on businessmen wearing jackets and ties! Bikinis are not permitted more than 25 feet from the ocean.

Be aware of the passport regulations if you are planning a trip to Bermuda. If you will be arriving by cruise ship before January 1, 2008, a passport is NOT required, but a birth certificate PLUS a laminated government issued photo ID is required of US citizens (a photo ID is not required of US citizens under age 16, but a birth certificate is required). If you are arriving by air, or will be arriving by cruise ship after January 1, 2008, you will need a passport. Waiting times for a passport have been quite long due to changing regulations, so be sure to apply early.

American currency is accepted just about everywhere in Bermuda, but just be aware that if you use an ATM machine, it will give you Bermuda currency. This may be best to do near the beginning of your stay, or else most shopkeepers would be happy to give you change of a purchase in American dollars - just ask.

Bermuda can be expensive - being on a cruise ship will help, in that your lodging and meals are already taken care of (but be sure to have SOME food on Bermuda - the fish chowder is a special treat) Those who fly and stay on Bermuda would say that the financial savings of a cruise are balanced by the abbreviated time spent on such a lovely island, and the fact that you are always part of a crowd - the cruise crowd.

Cruising to Bermuda may cause you to experience rougher seas than cruising the Caribbean. Because you are sailing out in the Atlantic Ocean, where the warmer Gulf Stream waters collide with the cooler ocean waters, the seas may be a bit unruly. If you are concerned, you may wish to consider a plan for seasickness (wrist bands, medication, etc.), or sailing on one of the larger cruise ships, which experience much less of the ocean's waves than comparable smaller ships.
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By: Stephanie Larkin

Stephanie Larkin is the editor of www.CruiseLinesandPorts.com, as well as www.BermudaCruiseSite.com. She and her family love to cruise - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on the beds at night!

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