Bermuda cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

03.08.2024 - 13:26 / thepointsguy.com / John F.Kennedy

Is Bermuda on your cruise radar? Many people don't realize they can cruise to Bermuda because the itineraries are usually seasonal. You can't escape January's snowstorms by hopping on a cruise to Bermuda the way you can with a Caribbean cruise.

Plus, the itineraries are unusual because they mostly depart from Northeastern U.S. home ports (instead of Florida) and don't include stops in other destinations because Bermuda is a long way from other ports of call. If you love island-hopping and waking up in a new port every morning, you should know a Bermuda cruise isn't that.

But cruising to a single destination might be the most relaxing cruise you've ever done. Start your dreaming with this Bermuda cruise guide. It's got everything you need to know, including when you can cruise to Bermuda, when to book and what to pack.

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Bermuda sits just 774 miles off the coast of New York, making it a prime island escape for upper East Coasters looking to experience the archipelago's stunning pink-sand beaches. But why should anyone else cruise to Bermuda, especially when there are so many other beachy islands to choose from?

For starters, the historic town of St. George's and its fortresses built in 1612 are a UNESCO World Heritage site. If history isn't your thing, maybe you can get excited about watersports or golf. Perhaps you'd prefer to visit stalactite-dotted caves or sample rum swizzlers.

You could experience all of that by flying to Bermuda and staying in a quaint inn or beachfront hotel. As fun as that sounds, a quick check of airfares and lodging prices shows us you'll pay more for that experience.

The cheapest seven-night package deal we could find flying between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Bermuda, with a three-star, nonbeachfront hotel, was $1,480 per person, no meals included. Searches of cruise prices for matching dates consistently turned up options with lower prices, including $749 per person on Celebrity Eclipse in an outside cabin and $1,541 per person in a balcony cabin on Norwegian Gem. The cruises would include all meals onboard.

Cruising to Bermuda is easy from several East Coast port cities, with enough options among various cruise lines to stay within your budget — whatever that is. Plus, cruise fare includes food on board the ship and a relaxing (or fun-filled) day at sea getting there and back.

But the best reason to cruise to Bermuda is that cruise ships most often stay overnight in port. Guests come and go from the ship during stays of as long as fifty hours in port. You can pack in a lot of exploration into those hours.

Related: Bahamas vs. Bermuda cruises: Which itinerary will I like