NCL Dawn Bermuda - Nightlife

If you have cruised before, you know that the casino and onboard shops are closed while in port. So, on most cruises, by 5 or 6 PM, the casino is open and shops are open. This is not the case while in Bermuda, since the ship docks at King's Wharf and stays there for two nights before moving to Hamilton (on this particular cruise).

So does that mean there's nothing to do at night while in Bermuda? Of course not !! Both onboard the ship and onshore, there's plenty of activities going on. Hamilton's Front Street is the hub of activity both during the day and also at night. If you decide to go to Hamilton, make sure you are aware of the transportation schedule, so you don't have difficulty getting back to the ship. For example, the last ferry from Hamilton back to Dockyard is at 11 PM. You'll not want to miss that ferry if that's your means of transportation. Check the Public Transportation Board website for schedules.

Staying closer to the ship, there are the local pubs in Dockyard. On both nights there was a beach party going on at the Dockyard. Just follow the signs or the crowd if this interests you. The party continued until the wee hours of the morning.

If you don't want to venture out at all, there are still plenty of activities onboard the ship (even with the casino being closed). On the first night the activities included South Beach Rave in the Stardust Theater. This show, featuring the Jean Ann Ryan Company, was a high energy show with music provided by the Norwegian Dawn Showband.

Starting at 10:15 PM, there was Dancing Under the Stars, at the Oasis Poolside, with dance music provided by Upryzin'. The Friendly Family Feud Game, Late Night Adult Comedy and the Music of Neil Diamond were other activities the first night in port. For those that want to be a performer, Karaoke was also going on in Dazzles Lounge.

The second night in King's Wharf featured Second City in the Stardust Theater and Adult Comedy in Spinnaker Lounge. If you've never seen The Quest Adult Game Show, you might want to check that out in Spinnaker Lounge. This was the night for the Chocoholic Buffet in the Garden Cafe. Take pictures or sample some of the fantastic chocolate treats. Unfortunately, we got back late from our Night Snorkel excursion, so we missed most of the festivities.

Since we sail from Hamilton before dinner, shops were open, the casino opened, and there were plenty of venues to attend for entertainment. As you can see, there's always something to do in the evening, despite some ship services being closed while in port. So you are free to do whatever.

NCL Dawn Bermuda - Shopping

Our first port of call in Bermuda was King's Wharf, also know as the Royal Naval Dockyard. The stone walls of this old dockyard have been transformed into various shops for you to explore. For example, the Bermuda Arts Centre houses displays of local art including paintings, quilts, costume dolls, jewelry, and wood sculpture.

The Cooperage, also at the Dockyard, is an ideal place to shop for island-made handicrafts. In the Clocktower Mall, you'll find a wide selection of products including souvenirs, fashions, gifts, arts and crafts, books, and jewelry.

Inside the Bermuda Clayworks, you'll find pottery including house signs, lighthouses, and plates. If you don't want to take your purchases with you, they can provide overseas shipping.

The Dockyard Glassworks are manufacturers of high quality hand-made art glass. You'll find plates, angels, sailboats, bowls, angel fish, dolphins and much more. Each piece is unique and has been inspired by the natural beauty of the Bermuda Islands. Free, working demonstrations are held every day except Saturday.

Hamilton is the shopping district of Bermuda. All along Front Street you'll find several unique shops to browse. There are imports from Great Britain and Ireland such as English woolens, Harris tweed jackets, Irish linen, china, island-made jewelry, local crafts made of Bermuda cedar and local products. Don't forget to purchase some Bermuda Shorts for the rest of your trip.

The major stores and smaller boutiques carry a range of cosmetics and perfumes, some of which are available at prices less than in their country of origin and there’s no sales tax! The price you see is the price you pay. Another convenience offered in many stores is overseas shipping.

These two shopping districts are the major locations you'll want to visit for your main shopping trip. Several attractions, such as the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, and Gibb Lighthouse also have gift shops for you to explore.

Shopping while on a cruise has many advantages. You can find unique gifts for friends and family. You can even get an early start on your holiday shopping. Prices on certain items may be considerably lower than other locations.

In Bermuda, there is no sales tax. Items can be purchased duty free up to your allowances (this is where your children can save you money - the allowance is per person, including children). Even if you go over your allowance, you may still come out ahead. Since the Bermuda Dollar and U.S. Dollar are equal, you don't lose money on the conversion.

Have you ever considered starting a collection which you build during your vacation trips?
What a great way to relive your cruise vacations as you look at your collection as it builds.
There are several options that can easily be transported home such as spoons, pins, ornaments, thimbles, patches, key chains, and magnets. Read more about starting a collection while cruising.

So, your feet are tired; you've shopped till you dropped. I hope you've gotten everything that you were looking for in Bermuda. If not, fear not - one hour after sailing from Bermuda, the ship's stores will be open and you'll still have another chance to find that perfect gift for someone.

Happy Shopping. It's time to say good-bye to Bermuda as we sail from Hamilton towards New York. There's still another day at sea before returning to our hope port of call.

NCL Dawn Bermuda - Maritime Museum

Step back in history to the 19th century. Walk through the entrance of the Keep and imagine the life of a British Naval Officer as they saw your ship approaching. Orders rang out to man the cannons.

The Royal Naval Dockyard, built starting in 1809, remained a major Atlantic outpost for the British Royal Navy until 1951, when most of the facility was closed. A limited number of buildings and facilities remained opened for the support of British and NATO ships until complete closure in 1995.

This location has been transformed into one of Bermuda’s most popular tourist areas. The former Keep became the Bermuda Maritime Museum and Dolphin Quest, while the Royal Navy’s administrative headquarters are now a shopping centre, the Clocktower Mall. The Cooperage, originally used for making barrels, is now home to the Frog and Onion Pub, the Bermuda Art Centre, the Bermuda Craft Market and the Neptune Cinema. Buildings previously used for repair work now house the Bermuda Clayworks and Dockyard Glassworks.

Upon return from our sightseeing in Hamilton, we entered the old Keep to begin a self-guided tour of the Maritime Museum. Scattered around the grounds are ship's propellars, anchors, and other maritime artifacts.

The cannons, which have been silent for years, still point out into the harbor as if they are still standing guard.

The view from various parts of this old fortress is amazing. In the picture above, you can see our ship, the Norwegian Dawn, as seen through one of the lookouts. Stand behind one of the massive cannons and imagine that you were here in the early 1900's.

Continuing your walk around the perimeter of the old Keep, you'll come to Dolphin Quest. From your vantage point, you may be lucky enough to see the dolphins with their trainers or some of the tourists that have chosen a dolphin encounter as part of their vacation.

There are three different encounter programs available at Dolphin Quest. If you never swam with the dolphins, this could be a once in a lifetime experience for you and your family. I'll warn you though, it is quite pricey. From our vantage point, it looked like the dolphins and people were having a great time.

Snorkel Park is a new attraction at the Royal Naval Dockyards. It can be seen from the Keep as you walk through the grounds. While it is convenient to the ship, I'd probably select Horseshoe Bay or one of the other popular beaches instead of this one.

Make sure to visit the actual museum building in the center of the Keep to see various displays. For more pictures, see our Dockyards Photo Album. There are still more Bermuda attractions for me to discuss, so come back and visit again for more updates.