Lisa Plotnick

Norwegian Breakaway, Day 5: Bermuda

October 22, 2026

10:08 am

We docked at Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, about an hour ago and the gangway is now open. We’re sitting in the outdoor area adjacent to the Garden Cafe, where it’s kind of steamy. This part of the ship is great for cool weather cruising with its walls of windows. It’s far from cool today at 77°F/25°C.

Today’s plans are to catch a ferry to Hamilton for walking, shopping, and maybe lunch. We are here until 3:00 pm tomorrow.

Three people pose cheerfully for a selfie in front of a large, colorful sign that spells out BERMUDA in capital letters. In the foreground on the left, a man with glasses, a white mustache, and a green shirt smiles broadly. In the center, a woman in a striped top smiles behind them. On the right, a younger man wearing a black baseball cap and a dark blue shirt winks playfully at the camera. The background features a paved waterfront area under a partly cloudy sky with distant hills across the water.
We made it to Hamilton! Bermuda, October 22, 2026. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

October 23, 2026

9:24 am

I’m now outside on Deck 8 in an area called The Waterfront. There are tables and chairs here adjacent to the restaurant La Cucina on my right (I’m facing aft) and a promenade to my left.

Recap of yesterday:

We docked around 10:00 am as scheduled. Our family walked off the ship at 10:53 and easily made the 11:00 public ferry to Hamilton. It was US$5 per person and cash was accepted as we boarded. After a scenic ride through the Great Sound, we landed in Hamilton, Bermuda’s Capital, at 11:30. I miss the days when we’d dock right along Front Street, yet the ferry ride (30 minutes) and return bus ride (45 minutes) allowed us to view more of Bermuda and see people going about their normal day.

A view across the water toward the colorful waterfront of Hamilton, Bermuda, under an overcast sky. Large, multi-colored letters spelling 'BERMUDA' stand on a concrete pier where people stroll and look at the harbor. Pastel-colored buildings, a large leafy green tree, and a palm tree rise behind the pier, with parked cars lining the street.
Front Street, Hamilton, as viewed from the ferry, October 22, 2026. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

Our plan for Hamilton was just to walk around after an 11-year gap between visits. We made an early stop in Bermuda Book Store, as we always do our best to buy from independent booksellers when we travel. Lately, I’ve been into historical fiction novels. On the bookseller’s recommendation, I purchased Rivals of the Republic by Annelise Freisenbruch. Both the author and the setting are local.

From there, we walked to a café called Milan Milan, where I had a wonderful iced chai latte. A customer noticed Marty’s firehouse T-shirt and suggested we visit the local station. We were greeted warmly by several firefighters and had a tour of the vehicles and other equipment. We learned there are 3 firehouses on the islands, EMTs are assigned to the fire department, and paramedics are based at the hospitals. The neatest piece of equipment in my opinion was a pump that can draw water directly from the ocean to combat fires on remote islands.

We walked back to the ferry terminal, not realizing the next ferry was an hour and a half away. So we bought bus tokens and walked about 4 more blocks to the bus terminal. After a short wait, we boarded the #7 bus to Dockyard at 3:45. We arrived at the Dockyard at 4:35 and were back on the ship 15 minutes later.

A man wearing a black baseball cap, a dark blue T-shirt with a white logo, and light blue shorts stands smiling to the left of a large pink, white, and blue bus. He is posed under a covered bus terminal with a blue arched roof. The bus has digital route display marked 7 dockyard above the windshield. In the background, there are multi-story buildings painted in pastel colors.
At the Hamilton bus station, about to board the bus to Royal Naval Dockyard, October 22, 2026. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

Dinner last night was again in The Manhattan Room. This is my favorite venue on the ship. We arrived at 5:45 and were escorted right away to a table near the aft windows. Tonight there were 3 musicians—pianist, drummer, and bass guitarist. The 5:30–6:15 program was called Nostalgic Notes and the 6:30–7:15 was Ballroom Collections. The daily program also listed Bebop Era from 7:45–8:30.

As for dinner, it was another fine feast. Caesar salad, grilled New York strip steak, and fig and apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream. The food in this dining room is superb. And so is the service. We were even recognized by a waiter we knew from an NCL cruise several years ago! (Hi, Santiago!)

We enjoyed several areas on the ship after dinner. We went for a walk on the outdoor promenade on Deck 7 and saw a nice sunset and a full moon high in the sky. While there, we played some shuffleboard. Then it was back inside for bowling, and we ended the evening with drinks and conversation at Maltings Bar.

A view from the wooden deck of a cruise ship at dusk, featuring a white metal railing with a wooden handrail. In the background, the dark ocean meets a distant shoreline under a twilight sky. To the right, two large red and white lifeboats marked "Norwegian Breakaway Nassau" are secured in their white davit system, lit by soft artificial light.
A scene from an evening stroll onboard Norwegian Breakaway docked in Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, October 22, 2026. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

Up next: Saying goodbye to Bermuda…for now

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