Accessible Bermuda

[DMann1746]

My wife and I took a cruise to Bermuda in 2009. My injury is C5-C6 incomplete. I cannot transfer into a standard taxi and use a Permobil C500 for mobility. Modern cruise ships are completely accessible, but cruise lines provide little or no information regarding the accessibility of their destinations or the existence of accessible shore excursions. This is what we found.

Bermuda is surprisingly accessible. An accessible ferry system offers cheap travel between King’s Wharf, Hamilton, and St. George. Hamilton is a modern city and therefore is very accessible. Conversely, St. George is a very old settlement and therefore many buildings are not accessible. Some stores, churches, and other buildings in St. George are accessible, however, and worth visiting. The stores and British keep at King’s Wharf are accessible. There are accessible taxis on the island but they are expensive to rent. To book an accessible taxi or learn more about accessible Bermuda, visit http://www.access.bm/.

[Patty41]

Thanks for the good info!

My wife and I took a cruise to Bermuda in 2009. My injury is C5-C6 incomplete. I cannot transfer into a standard taxi and use a Permobil C500 for mobility. Modern cruise ships are completely accessible, but cruise lines provide little or no information regarding the accessibility of their destinations or the existence of accessible shore excursions. This is what we found.

Bermuda is surprisingly accessible. An accessible ferry system offers cheap travel between King’s Wharf, Hamilton, and St. George. Hamilton is a modern city and therefore is very accessible. Conversely, St. George is a very old settlement and therefore many buildings are not accessible. Some stores, churches, and other buildings in St. George are accessible, however, and worth visiting. The stores and British keep at King’s Wharf are accessible. There are accessible taxis on the island but they are expensive to rent. To book an accessible taxi or learn more about accessible Bermuda, visit http://www.access.bm/.

[landrover]

Thanks for the info. I also visited Bermuda while on a cruise, and must say, of all the islands I have been to thus far, it was by far the most beautiful…and cleanest. I visited in 2007, so I’m sure the accessibility has if anything, improved. While there, we were able to book an accessible minivan tour that we could schedule by the hour ($40/hour, and arranged on our own, not through the cruise line). The tour was personalized, and really was money well spent. We were dropped off in Hamilton, and took the ferry back to the dockyard. The ferry was fully accessible, and was itself an enjoyable experience with beautiful views. The only bit of concern came as we docked, and noticed there was about a 2-foot difference between the ferry and the dock. No worries, they were able to do something (I’m no boating wiz) with the thrust of the motors to bring the boat up to dock level.

I would like to book a cruise in the future that spends several days in Bermuda, because it truly is a beautiful island. However, I couldn’t resist booking a cruise on the Allure of the Seas for next February, so the cruise to Bermuda will have to wait for now.

[Chris Chappell]

I've spent quite a bit of time in Bermuda as I have relatives who have lived there for generations..

Some of the other island attractions besides dockyard and ferry (which are great, don't forget swimming with dolphins) include the aquarium, zoo, Hamilton for shopping / restaurants, coral beach club among a variety of oceanside restaurants, parades / island celebrations, historical buildings / museums, etc. All accessible.

Bermuda has gotten much more crowded over the years but is still pretty idyllic with its pastel colored homes, pink beaches, lush gardens and historical heritage.

Have fun, onward & upward.

Chris

[Chris Chappell]

..And let's not forget the most important form of enjoyment while visiting Bermuda; drinking Dark & Stormy's..

[gjnl]

..And let's not forget the most important form of enjoyment while visiting Bermuda; drinking Dark & Stormy's..

Followed by a bowl of steaming Bermuda Fish Chowder seasoned with Outerbridges Sherry Peppers!!!! YUM!!!!!

All the best,
GJ

[Patton57]

I don't mean to be a wet blanket here but I looked into getting a job in Bermuda back in 2008 and was told by the firms that I interviewed with that it is an awful place to live for a wheelchair user. Well, I did more research to confirm that what they were saying was true and to make sure that they weren't just shooing me away because I was different. While doing this research, I came upon the following link written by a disability advocate from Bermuda.

http://www.bermuda-online.org/BPHA.htm

I'm sure he is a bit biased but there has to be some truth to his claims and observations. I'm not trying to change the tone of this thread to a negative one but I'm still a little sore because I didn't get to relocate there.

At the least it's just another perspective.

[gjnl]

I don't mean to be a wet blanket here but I looked into getting a job in Bermuda back in 2008 and was told by the firms that I interviewed with that it is an awful place to live for a wheelchair user. Well, I did more research to confirm that what they were saying was true and to make sure that they weren't just shooing me away because I was different. While doing this research, I came upon the following link written by a disability advocate from Bermuda.

http://www.bermuda-online.org/BPHA.htm

I'm sure he is a bit biased but there has to be some truth to his claims and observations. I'm not trying to change the tone of this thread to a negative one but I'm still a little sore because I didn't get to relocate there.

At the least it's just another perspective.

Pretty dismal report.... that said I wouldn't want to live in Bermuda. It is a great place to visit, but....
If you visit Bermuda, chances are you will get there by cruise ship, which means you will be there one, possibly two days. Your ship can dock wharfside and you disembark right on the main street of town (no tenders). Hamilton is small and you can cover what you want to see there without a taxi or bus. Getting to St. George or doing an island tour is just about like any other foreign country you visit, you need to research what is available to you as a wheelchair user and make appropriate advanced arrangements (read don't expect serendipity)...and it is expensive. There are some good restaurants...good local fish and local produce.

As for your living and working in Bermuda, I am under the impression that it is very difficult for a non-citizen of the commonwealth (I don't know you citizenship) or a company who wants to hire a non-citizen of the commonwealth to secure long term work papers and visas to allow employment and living in Bermuda. My experience with Bermuda is visiting in a business capacity with a little time for rest and recreation in the bargain. At the time our company wanted to have a small office in Bermuda. We ended up hiring a husband and wife team from our London office to staff the Bermuda office for the time we needed that business presence. It would have been more practical to send an employee from our US based operation to staff the office, but we couldn't get work papers and visas to allow that.

The times we have spent in Bermuda have been fun and enjoyable, even when we had a cabbie/tour guide who insisted that we must see the seamier side of the island by "hijacking" our tour through "back-o-town."

All the best,
GJ

[Patton57]

As for your living and working in Bermuda, I am under the impression that it is very difficult for a non-citizen of the commonwealth (I don't know you citizenship) or a company who wants to hire a non-citizen of the commonwealth to secure long term work papers and visas to allow employment and living in Bermuda. My experience with Bermuda is visiting in a business capacity with a little time for rest and recreation in the bargain. At the time our company wanted to have a small office in Bermuda. We ended up hiring a husband and wife team from our London office to staff the Bermuda office for the time we needed that business presence. It would have been more practical to send an employee from our US based operation to staff the office, but we couldn't get work papers and visas to allow that.

It is hard to secure expat status to work there. However, if you're in investment banking, insurance or specialze in some areas of finance there are many opportunities and it is usually worth it for the company to bring you there.

Actually, I think I was discouraged from it because I wouldn't be able to add a lot of value outside of work. It is my understanding that many expats that work together form pseudo families and do a lot together outside of work. They told me that they worked and played hard together and I got the sense that I would take away from that.

[smokey]

My old lady just came back from her second trip to Bermuda and she confirmed what I thought, it is boring! She went down with the wife of our neighbor and they were both crashed out by 8 PM, nothing to do at night. No gambling, no shows, not really any entertainment. They just ate dinner and have a couple of drinks with dinner and went to bed to sleep or read a book. I mean you can do that anywhere! She is 68 and The other woman is 72 so they're not nightclub junkies. Plus the hotel was up on a bluff and they had to take some type of transport vehicle down to the beach and the water was full of kelp and seaweed. Not my type of place whatsoever. I don't swim, I don't drink and I don't sit in the sun as much as I used to when I was younger. Give me Las Vegas or at least an island or spot on the beach where I can people watch or gamble or see a show. The only good thing is that it's only a 90 minute flight from Boston but the weather is almost the same right now in late June.