King's WharfCruise Port Guide
Two berths inside Bermuda's old Royal Naval Dockyard, a short walk from everything in it, with ferries to the rest of the island. Timed plans with real prices, from a glass-bottom boat to a day of caves.
Welcome to King's Wharf
Pro Picks
Sail & snorkel · 3 hrsCatamaran sail and snorkel on the Great Sound
An hour under sail across the Great Sound, then ninety minutes anchored off a quiet beach and sandbar to snorkel the nearby reef, kayak or paddleboard, with rum swizzles on the ride back. It leaves from the Dockyard, a short walk from both cruise berths, and you need to be able to swim to snorkel.
From $113.34/ person
Book Now →
Full day · 7 hrsCaves, jungle and reef: Bermuda's hidden-gems day
A full day across the island: a hike through Tom Moore's Jungle and Blue Hole Park, a dry cave to explore and a cave pool to swim in (cliff jump optional), lunch stop at a local restaurant, a reef snorkel, then ice cream. It runs seven hours, so it suits Bermuda's usual overnight calls; walkers must be fit, ages 5 and up.
From $206.67/ person
Book Now →
Glass-bottom boat · 1.5 hrsGlass-bottom boat over reefs and a wreck
Ninety minutes over the Sea Gardens reef and the scuttled wreck of the Vixen, with the crew explaining what passes under the glass, then a pause over seagrass beds where turtles shelter. No swimming needed, so it works for anyone; the bar on board takes cash only.
From $79.34/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
King's Wharf in 2 hours
Segway tour
Dockyard Segway tour
A training session, then a guided glide past Clocktower Mall, the old Casemates prison, the Victualling Yard and the Sail Loft. It meets at the pink double-decker bus in the Dockyard; closed-toe shoes are required.
From$107.67
Time required1.5 hours
Rum tasting cruise
Gosling's rum tasting cruise
Ninety minutes on the Great Sound tasting three Gosling's rums, a liqueur and rum cake, with a Dark 'n Stormy made in front of you. Adults 18 and up; bring a light jacket for the evening breeze.
From$102
Time required1.5 hours
Sunset sail
Catamaran sunset sail
A relaxed ninety minutes on the Great Sound as the sun goes down, with one rum swizzle included and a cash bar. Adults only; it's an evening trip, which works on Bermuda's usual overnight calls.
From$96.34
Time required1.5 hours
King's Wharf in 4 hours
Reef & wreck snorkel
Reef and shipwreck snorkel
Two snorkel stops you can only reach by boat: a coral reef first, then a wreck. Gear is included but food and drink aren't, so bring water; ages 7 and up, strong swimmers only.
From$130.33
Time required2.5 hours
Wreck snorkel
Constellation and Montana wreck snorkel
Snorkel a reef where two old wrecks, the Constellation and the Montana, lie in shallow water, with the crew telling their stories. You must be able to swim; the bar on board takes cash only.
From$107.67
Time required3 hours
Island-hop beach & snorkel
Island-hop beach and snorkel cruise
A narrated cruise among the islands of the Great Sound to anchor at a hideaway ringed by small beaches and reef, with snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards to use. At three and a half hours, it's the longest that fits a half day.
From$113.34
Time required3.5 hours
King's Wharf in 7 hours
Island minibus tour
Whole-island minibus tour
Four hours from the Dockyard to the far east end and back, with photo stops at Somerset Bridge, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, the South Shore beaches, Hamilton and St. George's. It starts and ends in the Dockyard; expect a few steps on and off the bus.
From$79.34
Time required4 hours
Sightseeing cruise to Hamilton
Boat to Hamilton with free time
A narrated boat ride across the Great Sound to Hamilton, two hours on your own to shop and eat (or join a free one-hour walking tour), then the boat back. Be at the return meeting point on time; it won't wait.
From$102
Time required3.5 hours
Reef fishing
Reef fishing trip
Four hours of light-tackle reef fishing for snapper, grouper and triggerfish on a 56-foot boat, with bait and tackle supplied. It's catch and release, and the listing doesn't promise a catch.
From$153
Time required4 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Both cruise berths, King's Wharf and Heritage Wharf, sit inside the Royal Naval Dockyard, and everything here is within about 12 minutes on foot. The nearest beach to the Bermuda cruise port is Snorkel Park, a fee-charging beach park at the Dockyard's north end.
Market · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Bermuda Craft Market
Local crafts in the old Cooperage building, the closest stop to the ships. Open daily, from 10 on Sundays.
Eat · 0.4 mi · ~10 min
Frog & Onion Pub
Bermuda's brewpub, in the same 18th-century Cooperage, pouring beer brewed on site with pub classics and fresh seafood.
Museum · 0.4 mi · ~11 min
National Museum of Bermuda (the Keep)
Five centuries of Bermuda history inside the Keep, the island's biggest fort, with views from its bastions. Last entry is at 4.
Beach · 0.5 mi · ~12 min
Snorkel Park Beach
A beach park with snorkel gear, chairs and kayaks to rent and a bar on the sand. There's an entry fee, and it fills up when ships are in.
Eat · 0.4 mi · ~9 min
Bermuda Rum Cake Company & Dockyard Glassworks
The Bermuda Rum Cake Company's bakery, with Dockyard Glassworks next door; the company says it hands out free samples daily at some of its shops.
Shops · 0.5 mi · ~12 min
Clocktower Mall
Shopping in the Dockyard's clocktower building, with jewellers, gift shops and an ice-cream parlour around it and the bus stop outside.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in King's Wharf.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Government of Bermuda, Department of Marine & Ports Services — weekly shipping schedule
- Government of Bermuda, Department of Marine & Ports Services — weekly shipping schedule
- Government of Bermuda, Department of Marine & Ports Services — weekly shipping schedule
- Government of Bermuda, Department of Marine & Ports Services — weekly shipping schedule
- Department of Marine & Ports Services — Summer Ferry Schedule 2026
- National Museum of Bermuda
- Bermuda Craft Market
- Frog & Onion Pub
- Government of Bermuda — bus routes
- Government of Bermuda — bus fares
- Bermuda Tourism Authority — transportation tips
- GetYourGuide — King's Wharf, Bermuda tours
- GetYourGuide — Island Tour Centre listings
- Bermuda Tourism Authority — getting here and around
- Bermuda Tourism Authority — passports, immigration & customs
- Norwegian Cruise Line — required travel documentation
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — travel documents
- UK Foreign Office — Bermuda entry requirements
- Bermuda Tourism Authority — travel basics
- U.S. Department of State — Bermuda travel advisory
- Royal Caribbean — will the ship wait?
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Bermuda?
Cruise ships in Bermuda dock at the Royal Naval Dockyard on the island's west end, at one of two side-by-side berths: King's Wharf or Heritage Wharf. Both are proper docks, so there's no tender, and you walk straight off into the Dockyard. Bermuda's Harbour Master assigns the berth for each call, and some smaller ships tie up in Hamilton instead.
Which pier does Norwegian, Royal Caribbean or Carnival use in Bermuda?
Norwegian ships usually dock at King's Wharf in Bermuda, while Royal Caribbean, Princess and Virgin Voyages usually use Heritage Wharf; Carnival has used both. That's the pattern in the Bermuda Harbour Master's schedules for July to October 2026, and berths are assigned call by call, so check your ship's daily program. The two wharves are next to each other, so it changes little: the same Dockyard is outside either gangway.
Is Bermuda walkable from the cruise port?
Yes. From either Bermuda cruise berth, the Royal Naval Dockyard's shops, museum and restaurants are all within about half a mile, a 12-minute walk at most, with Clocktower Mall at the far end. Hamilton, the capital, is too far to walk: take the Blue Route ferry, about 20 to 30 minutes from the Dockyard. See what's within a stroll of the ship.
Is Kings Wharf, Bermuda worth visiting?
Yes: King's Wharf puts you inside the Royal Naval Dockyard, and you can see it on foot. Within about 12 minutes on foot are the National Museum of Bermuda in the island's largest fort, the Craft Market, a brewpub and Snorkel Park Beach; browsing the Craft Market and Clocktower Mall costs nothing. For more of Bermuda, ferries leave the Dockyard for Hamilton and St. George's.
How long do cruise ships stay in Bermuda?
Most cruise ships stay in Bermuda overnight, often two nights. In the Bermuda Harbour Master's schedules for July to October 2026, Norwegian ships usually arrived one morning and sailed two days later in the afternoon, and Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas stayed from midday to midday the next day. A few ships, including some Carnival and Princess calls, came and went the same day, so check your itinerary's all-aboard times.
Beaches & water
Can you walk to a beach from Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda?
Yes, but only to Snorkel Park Beach, a beach park inside the Dockyard about 0.5 miles (12 minutes) from either cruise berth, which charges an entry fee and rents snorkel gear, chairs and kayaks. Bermuda's South Shore beaches, such as Horseshoe Bay, are about 10.5 miles away by road, so take a bus, taxi or tour.
How do I get to Horseshoe Bay from the Bermuda cruise port?
From the Bermuda cruise port, the cheapest way to Horseshoe Bay is public bus Route 7, which the Government of Bermuda lists for the South Shore beaches and Horseshoe Bay; it's about 10.5 miles, roughly 40 minutes by road. Buses take exact change only, or use a $19 day pass. Taxis are metered. Cruisers say the beach gets busy on big ship days and chairs run out by early afternoon, so go early.
Excursions & getting around
What are the best Bermuda excursions from the cruise port?
The most-booked Bermuda excursions from the cruise port are boat trips: on GetYourGuide's King's Wharf page, a catamaran sail-and-snorkel on the Great Sound has the most reviews, and a day of caves, jungle and reef is the Top pick. Most of these tours meet in the Dockyard a few minutes' walk from the ships, at the blue Island Tour Centre building. Our three favorites, with prices.
How do I get from the Dockyard to Hamilton or St. George's?
Take the ferry from the Royal Naval Dockyard: the Blue Route reaches Hamilton in about 20 to 30 minutes and runs roughly hourly, and the Orange Route goes to St. George's on a thinner schedule, with three or four departures a day, according to the Department of Marine and Ports' 2026 summer timetable. The adult cash fare is $5.00 with exact change, or use a transportation pass.
How much is a Bermuda bus and ferry day pass?
A Bermuda transportation pass costs $19.00 for one day for adults, or $31.50 for two and $44.00 for three, and covers every public bus and ferry, per the Government of Bermuda's 2026 fares. A single adult cash ride is $5.00 on the Dockyard ferries and longer bus trips, exact change only, so two or more trips make the pass worth it. Buy passes and tokens at the Visitor Information Centres.
How do taxis work in Bermuda?
Bermuda taxis are all metered at government-set rates, with surcharges on Sundays, public holidays and late at night, according to the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Hiring one for sightseeing costs $60 an hour for up to four people. Some drivers don't take cards, so carry cash, and Uber doesn't operate on the island; local apps such as Ride.bm and Hitch do.
Can I rent a car or scooter at the Bermuda cruise port?
You can't rent a regular car in Bermuda, but you can rent a scooter or a small two-seater electric car. The Bermuda Tourism Authority says scooters are open to visitors 18 and over, typically $30 to $35 a day, with helmets required. Oleander Cycles has a rental shop inside the Dockyard, a short walk from the cruise berths.
Money, documents & safety
Do you need a passport for a cruise to Bermuda?
A passport is the safe choice for a Bermuda cruise: the Bermuda Tourism Authority says all travellers should carry a machine-readable passport. Norwegian does accept US citizens on closed-loop cruises with a certified birth certificate and photo ID, but US Customs and Border Protection notes ports may still ask for a passport, and you need one to fly home if you miss the ship. Cruise passengers skip the arrival card air travellers fill in.
Do they take US dollars in Bermuda?
Yes. US dollars and Bermuda dollars are accepted interchangeably in Bermuda, because the two trade one-to-one, and most shops try to give visitors change in US dollars, the Bermuda Tourism Authority says. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are taken almost everywhere. Most ATMs pay out Bermuda dollars only.
What time zone is Bermuda in?
Bermuda is on Atlantic Time, one hour ahead of New York all year. It's GMT minus four in winter and moves its clocks for daylight saving on the same dates as the US, per the Bermuda Tourism Authority. If your ship keeps a different clock on board, go by the all-aboard time the ship gives you.
Is Bermuda safe for cruise passengers?
Yes. The US State Department rates Bermuda Level 1, "Exercise Normal Precautions" (advisory dated April 2026). The bigger risk for cruisers is timing: if you're running late from a trip of your own, Royal Caribbean says the ship won't wait, so leave a margin before all-aboard.