Key Aspects:
- Royal Naval Dockyard traffic will be disrupted on Friday, May 1, due to His Majesty King Charles III’s visit to Bermuda.
- This may impact guests returning to Norwegian Breakaway before the ship’s 3 p.m. departure that day.
- There is no official change to the ship’s schedule but it would be wise for guests to plan extra time to return to the ship.
Norwegian Breakaway is in the midst of a 5-night Bermuda sailing that departed Boston on Sunday, April 26. The ship arrived in Bermuda on Wednesday afternoon, but there may be a bit of trouble leaving as planned on Friday, May 1.
The 145,655-gross-ton ship is currently docked at the King’s Wharf Cruise Ship Terminal at the Royal Naval Dockyard, exactly when His Majesty King Charles III is visiting Bermuda, his first visit to the island as Sovereign.
Due to security precautions, traffic to the Royal Naval Dockyard is being restricted on Friday, just when the 3,963 cruise guests may be making their way back to the cruise terminal in preparation for departure.
Most critically, the strictest road closures will be happening just at the time the ship is scheduled to set sail.
“A full road closure will be in effect, blocking all vehicular access,” the notification states for 1-4 p.m. on Friday. “Normal traffic flow will resume at 4 p.m.”
The cruise ship, however, is scheduled to depart at 3 p.m. This would mean that any late tours or last-minute explorations might get caught in the road closures and guests could end up missing the ship’s departure.
Earlier in the day, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., access into the Dockyard is being restricted to “authorized personnel only” though it is not clear whether tour operators or taxis would be permitted.
Read Also: Bermuda Cruise Port – Docks, Getting Around and What’s Nearby
It is possible the ship’s departure from Bermuda may be slightly delayed to accommodate royal scheduling and ensure that all guests have adequate time to return to the vessel, given the unforeseen road closures and extra security.
At this time, there is no confirmed change for the ship’s schedule, and she is expected back in Boston on time on Sunday, May 3.
The King is not expected to have any interaction with the cruise ship, and onboard operations should not be impacted in any way.
Exact scheduling for royal visits, or official visits and tours for any head of state, are not generally made known in advance due to security arrangements. Often, the exact timing may not be known until just a day or two before the visit as details are refined for different daily engagements.
Guests onboard Norwegian Breakaway should plan for extra time to return to the ship if they will be enjoying those last few hours ashore in Bermuda, just in case.
Local Impacts on Cruise Ship Schedules
It is not unusual for local events to impact cruise ships, or at least cruise guests and how they get to and from their respective cruise terminals.
Cruise Hive has reported regularly on special events that cause traffic congestion near homeports, such as 5K and marathon races, music festivals, and even pirate parades.
Road construction and port development projects can also impact traffic flow and cause traffic snarls for cruise travelers (I’m looking at you, PortMiami).
Royal visits don’t tend to affect cruise ships often, but then again, Norwegian Breakaway is docked at King’s Wharf, so it does make sense that there might be a slight conflict there when the King is visiting.
The most recent visit of a reigning monarch to Bermuda was in 2009, when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were on hand for the 400th anniversary of the island’s settlement.
His Majesty King Charles III last officially visited Bermuda in 1970, making this current visit even more historic and meaningful for the people of Bermuda.
