3 Days in Bermuda on a Cruise: What I Did and What I'd Do Again
WOW. That was pretty much my reaction to Bermuda from the moment I started exploring.
I had three days and two nights in Bermuda during our cruise, which sounds like plenty of time for one port. Somehow, it still wasn't enough.
Bermuda quickly became one of my favorite cruise destinations. Between the clear water, pink-sand beaches, caves, historic towns and the fact that our ship stayed overnight, it felt completely different from a typical cruise port where you're watching the clock all afternoon.
Instead of packing every day with organized excursions, I bought a transportation pass and explored a lot of Bermuda on our own. Here's exactly what I did during our three days and what I'd recommend to someone visiting Bermuda on a cruise for the first time.
Three days and two nights in Bermuda still wasn't enough.
| Day | What I Did | My Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Horseshoe Bay Beach | The water, sand and rock formations |
| Day 2 | Crystal Caves, St. George's and Hamilton | Crystal Caves |
| Day 3 | Royal Naval Dockyard | Relaxing and exploring near the ship |
Getting Around Bermuda From the Cruise Port
Our ship docked at the Royal Naval Dockyard on the western end of Bermuda. One of the best decisions I made was purchasing a two-day public transportation pass.
As of 2026, Bermuda's two-day adult transportation pass costs $31.50 and gives you unlimited travel across all zones on both public buses and ferries for two consecutive days. Since I planned to spend our third day around the Dockyard within walking distance of the ship, the two-day pass worked perfectly for us.
You can check the latest fares and transportation information on the Government of Bermuda website.
- A two-day transportation pass worked really well for our itinerary.
- Buses are an easy way to reach places like Horseshoe Bay and Crystal Caves.
- Ferries can save a lot of time when traveling between Dockyard, Hamilton and St. George's, depending on the seasonal schedule.
- Check the current ferry schedule before planning your day, especially if you're trying to visit several parts of Bermuda.
- Give yourself more time than you think you'll need. Bermuda is easy to explore, but the island is longer than it looks on a map.
Day 1: Horseshoe Bay Beach
For our first day, I took the bus from the Dockyard area to Horseshoe Bay Beach.
This was one of those places where I had seen plenty of pictures beforehand, but seeing it in person was completely different.
The water was incredibly clear, the sand was beautiful and the rock formations surrounding parts of the beach made the entire area feel almost unreal.
Honestly, photos don't do it justice.
Horseshoe Bay is probably Bermuda's most famous beach, so I was expecting it to be pretty. I wasn't expecting it to be one of the highlights of the entire trip.
There are also restrooms, changing facilities, showers and beach rentals available, which makes it an easy beach to visit from a cruise ship without needing to bring everything with you. Bermuda Tourism also notes that the beach connects into South Shore Park, where trails lead toward other beaches and smaller coves.
If this is your first time visiting Bermuda and you only have time for one beach, Horseshoe Bay would be my pick.
- Clear turquoise water
- Bermuda's famous pink-tinged sand
- Large rock formations and smaller coves
- Chair, umbrella and beach-equipment rentals
- Restrooms, showers and changing facilities
- Easy to reach using public transportation
Day 2: Crystal Caves
Day two ended up being our busiest day.
I started at Crystal Caves, and this is another place I would absolutely recommend.
Crystal Cave was accidentally discovered in 1907 after two boys who were playing cricket came across an opening in the ground. More than a century later, you can descend underground and walk across a floating bridge above an incredibly clear subterranean lake surrounded by stalactites and stalagmites.
The official Crystal Caves website currently lists 88 steps down into the cave, so keep that in mind if stairs or mobility are a concern.
Our tour itself was fairly short, around 20 minutes from what I remember, but I didn't feel like I needed hours down there. It was one of those attractions that didn't take up an entire day but was absolutely worth seeing.
Current admission is $24 per adult for Crystal Cave or Fantasy Cave individually, or $35 if you want to tour both. Prices can change, so I'd check the official Crystal Caves website before visiting.
St. George's and Hamilton
After the caves, I grabbed some ice cream and continued exploring.
I visited both St. George's and Hamilton, which gave us a chance to see two very different sides of Bermuda in the same day.
St. George's is the historic side of the island, filled with narrow streets, older architecture, shops and plenty of places to simply wander around. The town is part of Bermuda's UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of those places where I enjoyed sightseeing without necessarily needing a specific attraction to visit.
Hamilton, on the other hand, feels much more like Bermuda's city center. I spent our time there walking around, sightseeing and shopping before eventually making our way back toward the ship.
Trying to combine Crystal Caves, St. George's and Hamilton into one day does make for a busy day, but I'm glad I did it. If I had more time in Bermuda, though, I would probably slow this day down and spend longer exploring St. George's.
Day 3: Royal Naval Dockyard
By day three, I had already traveled across a pretty large portion of Bermuda, so I decided to stay closer to the ship.
And I'm glad I did.
Royal Naval Dockyard isn't just somewhere cruise ships happen to dock. There is actually quite a bit to do within the area itself, including shopping, restaurants, historic buildings, the National Museum of Bermuda, water activities and miniature golf.
I walked around, did some shopping and visited the Clocktower Mall, which is only a short walk from the cruise terminal.
The building is hard to miss because of its two 100-foot clock towers. Interestingly, one traditionally displays the time while the other indicates the tide. Today, the former Royal Navy warehouse is filled with shops and places to pick up souvenirs.
I also checked out the miniature golf course and some of the other attractions around the port.
It was a much slower day than our second day, but that was exactly what I wanted before getting back on the ship.
Was Three Days in Bermuda Enough?
No.
And that's probably the biggest compliment I can give Bermuda.
Usually after spending several days in one cruise destination, I feel like I've gotten a pretty good sense of it. After three days in Bermuda, I was already thinking about what I wanted to do the next time.
I wouldn't remove anything from our itinerary. If I changed anything, I would simply slow it down. I'd spend more time wandering around St. George's, give myself more beach time and probably explore some of the smaller beaches and areas I didn't get to see.
My Bermuda Cruise Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1: Buy a transportation pass and head to Horseshoe Bay Beach.
- Day 2: Visit Crystal Caves, then continue toward St. George's and Hamilton for sightseeing and shopping.
- Day 3: Stay near the ship and explore Royal Naval Dockyard, Clocktower Mall and the surrounding attractions.
Is Bermuda Worth Visiting on a Cruise?
Absolutely.
In fact, I think Bermuda works especially well as a cruise destination when you have an itinerary that stays overnight.
Having multiple days completely changes the experience. I didn't feel like I needed to cram the entire island into six hours, and on our first two nights I knew the ship would still be waiting for us at the Dockyard.
Horseshoe Bay was beautiful. Crystal Caves was phenomenal. I loved exploring St. George's and Hamilton. Even our slower final day around the Dockyard was enjoyable.
I could honestly talk about Bermuda for hours.
If you're looking at a cruise that spends two or three days here, I wouldn't hesitate to book it.
