A LOOK AT BERMUDA
The world always looks rosy from a pink Bermuda beach.
The Bermuda islands claim sparkling white beaches. But few destinations claim sparkling pink beaches. Bermuda is one.
How did these sands get to be so rosy? Two secret ingredients give them their sparkle and hue. Beaches here get their signature pink cast from tiny scarlet protozoans of the order Foraminifera, which cling to the reefs in life, then color the sands in death. The beaches get their brilliant personalities from crystalline quartz, transported here in the guts of migrating birds.
Strolling any pink Bermuda beach is glorious, with kid-friendly hideaways in shallow bays, secluded coves for romantic escapes, and spots to paddle a kayak, snorkel a reef, or mount a horse and gallop through the surf. Here are some favorites.
WEST END
Explore Sandy's and Southampton parishes, starting at the tip of the hook and moving south.
Snorkel Park: Most Bermuda cruises dock at King's Wharf, in Sandy's Parish. Visitors can walk here to find sand, palms, beach equipment, and panoramic ocean views. Hammerheads Bar and Grill serves cocktails and snacks. At night, this beach comes alive with music.
Parson’s Bay: Off the beaten path, families with children appreciate this small protected beach facing Great Sound.
Mangrove Bay: This tranquil spot in Somerset Village is lined with mangroves and popular with families.
Somerset Long Bay: Well suited to secluded walks at sunset, this beach sits next to the Bermuda Audubon Society Nature Reserve, with picnic sites and bird watching.
West Whale Bay: In Southampton Parish, watch migrating humpback whales during March and April. Spread out on tables or the grassy field. When the tide is low, wade out to coral reefs.
Church Bay: Colorful fish and reefs lure swimmers and snorkelers to this scenic Southampton beach.
Horseshoe Bay: Bring the camera. The shoreline is framed by limestone cliffs and sheltered by offshore reefs. Waters get rough, but lifeguards are posted in summer. Play some volleyball or go for a run in soft sand.
CENTRAL ISLANDS
Experience beaches in Warwick, Paget, and Pembroke parishes, from west to east.
Stonehole Bay: In Warwick Parish, the uncrowded sandy shoreline, punctuated by large rocks, disappears at high tide. But shallow waters beckon offshore.
Jobson’s Cove: Full of photo ops, this beach feels like a secret hideaway, only 30 feet wide in places. The water is just 6 feet deep, excellent for snorkeling. Spot fish even without gear.
Warwick Long Bay: Popular with swimmers, joggers, horseback riders, and bird watchers, the area offers plenty to do. Steep cliffs and shrubby hills create privacy for sunbathers avoiding crowds.
Astwood Cove: Snorkelers like this rocky shoreline, as do beachgoers avoiding families. Check the cliffs for nesting Bermuda longtails.
Elbow Beach: In Paget Parish, close to Hamilton, this beach attracts windsurfers, snorkelers, and kite enthusiasts.
Clarence Cove: On the remote north shore of Pembroke Parish, a small beach rings a cozy lagoon at Admiralty House Park. Find trails, tunnels, and the ruins of a 19th-century home for navy admirals.
EAST END
Discover the pink beaches of Bermuda in Smith's, Hamilton, and St. George's parishes, from southwest to northeast.
John Smith’s Bay: Popular with Smith's Parish locals, the ocean can get rough, but lifeguards are stationed. Waters are shallow, and fish are easy to spot.
Shelly Bay Beach: On the north coast of Hamilton Parish, kids can splash in shallow waters next to a park with a playground. The tidal cove draws nesting birds. A mile south is the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo.
Clearwater Beach and Turtle Bay: In St. George's Parish, next to the airport, families appreciate the kids’ playground and lifeguard at Clearwater. Turtle grass creates a haven for turtles and fish.
Tobacco Bay: With facilities like rental equipment, sundry shops, and places to eat and drink, this relaxing spot near the town of St. George is popular with families. Snorkel the shallow waters around the rocks.
St. Catherine's Beach: Next to Fort St. Catherine at the northern tip of the islands, broad sands overlook shallow Gates Bay, where the first Bermudans ran aground in 1609, accidentally founding the colony. The historic town of St. George is centered a mile away.
WHAT TO DO WHILE ON COZUMEL
Things to Do in Cozumel Relaxation and Adventure
Cozumel is a gorgeous Mexican island located in the middle of the Caribbean Sea a short distance from the coast of mainland Mexico. We love taking guests on a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico during our Western Caribbean itineraries because it gives travelers like yourself a wide range of activities in which to partake, especially if you’re looking for some adventurous things to do in the Cozumel port of call.
Scuba Diving: the #1 Thing to Do in Cozumel Port of Call
Cozumel is famous for its scuba diving adventures and is often considered to be one of the best dive spots in the world. What makes it so great? Lots of things coming together in one spot: extremely clear visibility that extends far into the depths, easy drift dives, wall dives, and sea life both large and small.
But the real star of the show in Cozumel’s underwater world is the coral; namely, the coral reefs and the coral heads. The reefs are vibrant and lush, with coral forests providing plenty of places for sea creatures to inhabit, just waiting for you to discover them. The coral heads are massive coral formations that jut up from the reef and are mesmerizing to scuba dive alongside and over.
Sub Adventure: Stay Dry While Going Underwater in Cozumel
You don’t have to get wet to explore under the sea in Cozumel. We also offer excursions on underwater submarines that are designed to transfer visitors safely around the water with stellar views. Each seat has a porthole view unto the underwater world that makes Cozumel such a famous dive site. During your submarine ride, you’ll see a variety of fish and other sea creatures and coral. In addition, the vessel will have a guide on it who will tell you all about the sea animals and plants you see during your ride.
Ocean Floor Walk: Innovative Way to Go Under the Sea in Cozumel
You can also get below the sea even if you’re not scuba certified by doing a helmet walk in Cozumel, a cool and innovative way to walk along the ocean floor. You’ll don a breathing apparatus that looks and feels like a helmet and then descend up to 20 feet to the ocean floor where a trail has been made for you to follow. Hold onto the rope to keep yourself steady and make your way along the ocean floor step by step as you take in the sights and sea life around you.
Mayan Ruins: Historic Things to Do in Cozumel Port of Call
Though Cozumel is an island, it isn’t too far to enjoy some of the mainland Mexico attractions of the Yucatan peninsula. An especially popular thing to do is to see the Mayan ruins that this region of Mexico is famous for. While in Cozumel, there are excursions that will escort you from the island to mainland Mexico and onto some of the most impressive Mayan ruins.
The most famous one is Chichen Itza, which was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The massive pyramid on it, which does some pretty impressive light play along its side on the summer solstice, is Chichen Itza’s biggest draw, but the entire site is interesting to walk around due to the many ruins that are still in tact enough to give you an idea of what it was like to live there during Mayan times. We even offer a Cozumel shore excursion to see it by air for a truly one-of-a-kind adventure.
Also, you don’t have to leave the island of Cozumel to still learn about Mayan culture. We’ve arranged a shore excursion option that will take you on a coastal drive along the shores of Cozumel while your knowledgeable guide provides narration about the Mayan civilization. During the tour you’ll visit a traditional Mayan village for an immersive look at what it was like to live in one thousands of years ago and how locals are still keeping certain Mayans customs alive today.
Food and Drink Excursions: Experience the Tastes of Cozumel
If the tastes of Cozumel get you more excited than its sights and sounds, spend your time in Cozumel participating in an interactive food culinary shore excursion. If you enjoy a tropical libation, a tequila tasting in Mexico is also a can’t-miss experience.
Another must-do foodie experience is centered around chocolate. You can learn more about the cacao plant on a Cozumel chocolate factory tour, making it one of the tastier things to do in the Cozumel port.
Cozumel is also a location of one of our exclusive Chef’s Market Discoveries shore excursions. These special shore excursions pair up with one of the onboard chefs who will take you around the port and introduce you to the local tastes and food culture of Cozumel.
In addition, the Cozumel Chef’s Market Discoveries is joined by Michelle Bernstein, an award-winning chef who you also might recognize from TV. Together, you will visit markets, chocolatiers, and restaurants to learn about the tastes and culture of the Yucatan Peninsula. The evening when you’re back on board the ship, you’ll get to enjoy a private dinner just for those on your shore excursion that is prepared by the Celebrity chef using ingredients you learned about while in port. You’ll also get a tour of the galley and learn more about the behind the scenes activities that make dining on a cruise ship such a great and delicious experience.
Playa Mia: Relax on a Sandy Beach in Cozumel
Playa Mia is the place to head if you want some luxury with your beach going experience in Cozumel. There are lounge chairs you can sit on to bask in the Caribbean sunlight from which you can order drinks and food to enjoy. If you get too hot, cool off in the turquoise sea or the water park that is part of Playa Mia. The great thing about this beach is the proximity to the water park, which has a slide, and is a fun thing to do in Cozumel port during your Caribbean cruise
ALASKA PACKING FOR YOUR JOURNEY
Top 5 Tips for What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise That Will Keep You Smartly Covered
Figuring out what to pack for an Alaska cruise isn’t as straight forward as for other cruises, which typically require packing for a consistent temperature. Alaska’s climate can dramatically change from morning to noon to night.
In addition, the excursions you can do on an Alaska cruise are quite different from the sightseeing and beach-oriented ones you may be used to on Europe and Caribbean cruises.
You’ll need attire for a variety of experiences and weather on your Alaska cruise, but don’t feel overwhelmed about what to pack. Just follow these five tips for packing for an Alaska cruise and leave for your trip feeling prepared.
Tip #1: Layer, Layers, Layers
The temperature is often pleasant during the Alaska cruise season, but it can still switch drastically from day to evening, or from port to cruising. Therefore, packing layers is smart.
What kind of layers?
First, they should be ones you feel comfortable in, whether you’re walking around town or cuddled up on your veranda sipping a coffee or hot chocolate.
You’ll want to stick in some tank tops and t-shirts in case you’re hitting up Alaska during some of its prime summer weather. If you’re visiting in shoulder season or are doing a frosty shore excursion (more on that below) you may want to also put on a wool base layer that you can take off if you end up becoming too hot and stow in a daypack. For walking around town or the ship, a mid-weight cardigan is also helpful to have so you can wrap it around you if you’re feeling chilly or shrug it off and wrap it around your waist or stow it in a bag if you’re feeling too warm. A warm fleece is also wise to pack for an Alaska cruise.
A shawl or scarf is helpful to stick in your daypack or have handy as you’re exploring the ship if you’re not sure how much time you’ll be spending outdoors and how cool it will get, particularly in the evening hours.
Tip #2: Shore Excursions
When deciding what to pack for an Alaska cruise, it is smart to figure out beforehand what shore excursions you will be doing while in each port. Fortunately, Celebrity Cruises makes it easy for you to plan this since you can reserve shore excursions before you leave for your cruise.
The layers tip above will come in handy for shore excursions, but there are some other things to keep in mind too when packing for your Alaska cruise, especially if doing outdoorsy and adventurous activities.
In Alaska, shore excursions can vary drastically, from guided tours around port towns to glacier hikes. With such variance in activity types, it is smart to bring clothing that will make sense for different shore excursions.
If you’re doing an outdoor adventure during your time in port, it’s not the time to be fashionable. Make sure you bring the proper clothing so you stay comfortable, dry, and warm, and can fully enjoy the remarkable shore excursion experience you’re about to have in Alaska.
Water resistant hiking shoes, rain ponchos or jackets, windbreakers, and warm layers are all wise to bring with you. Since temperature can change throughout the day you may even want to bring those not-so-stylish, but quite functional convertible pants you swore you’d never wear! In Alaska, it’s ok to look outdoorsy and ready to brave the elements.
Going dog-sledding? You may want to stick in snow pants and gloves. Going fishing? Bring wool base layers to make it easier to move your arms. Going kayaking? Bring a waterproof sack to put your things in. Just walking around town? Bring your favorite walking shoes and a colorful cardigan or jacket that will pop in photographs.
If you’re doing an excursion on water or snow (or ice), bring polarized sunglasses to protect yourself from the glare of the sunlight. Sticking in sunscreen is smart, too, even if it’s not hot outside. The sun’s rays can still burn you, especially if compounded by water and snow.
Tip #3: Dining Attire
The ambiance in port might call for rugged attire while the chill in the air back on the deck of the ship may have you feeling like it’s fall and in need of a cuddly sweater and sheepskin boots. However, don’t only pack attire fit for a cabin – because on your Alaska cruise vacation you are staying in a cabin at sea, and that stateroom is alongside some pretty impressive dining venues that you can have fun dressing up for if you’re in the mood.
You’ll probably be happy to hear that you don’t need to stress about bringing a cocktail dress, suit, or other formal attire for your Alaska cruise since Celebrity Cruises has switched from the antiquated formal nights to its Evening Chic dining nights. This is a modern way to still have the fun of getting fancy, but you can participate in it in attire that is more in line with your personal style.
Tip #4: Ship Attire
Excursions will take up a lot of your time (and memories!) on your Alaska cruise, but don’t forget about how you want to spend time on the ship when packing. During sea days you may want to lounge by the pool or go to the spa, so pack your swimsuit and a cover-up and then relax away.
If you want to exercise at the on board gym and work out while gazing at sea views, don’t forget to pack some athletic wear -- which also may come in handy to layer when doing an active excursion in port.
As for nightlife on the ship, put on your dancing shoes and head to the ship’s dance club, or get dressed in your favorite outfit and hang out at the Martini Bar after taking in one of Celebrity Cruises’ theater shows.
Tip #5: Accessories
Your body will be covered with the clothing discussed in the above tips for rain, snow, or sunshine, but don’t forget your extremities. Pack wool socks, water-resistant gloves, and a warm hat that covers your ears to ensure you stay comfortable whether gazing at Hubbard Glacier from the deck of the ship or hiking through mountains in port.
You also may want to have on hand a good pair of binoculars and a high-resolution camera for those gorgeous views and any wildlife you come across.
You also might want to stick in some fashionable shoes or jewelry for those evenings on board your cruise ship.
