Bermuda – Luxury Destination Travel

Bermuda Travel est. 2001

I am thrilled to welcome you to Luxury Destination Travel where Bermuda Travel now lives!
Luxury Destination Travel, a new brand concept that encompasses all the excitement of Bermuda Travel and marries it with other luxury destinations, services and in depth creative travel experiences shared!

Luxurious new look, same great dedication to you, the traveler!

Bermuda, the impeccable reputation and all the amazing services remain to be a dedicated focus for me. As a 14+ year specialist in everything Bermuda, the relationships, knowledge and love of Bermuda exists still!

I am excited to share them with you in a new and more uniquely enjoyable way!

Check out some of the fun new features!!!

BERMUDA WEDDING TRADITIONS!

Bermuda Cedar Tree – The Bermuda cedar tree is endemic to Bermuda. Its existence weighed heavily on the survival of Bermuda’s first settlers, having been used as cattle feed, for building homes and ships and for medicinal purposes. A time honored tradition, A Bermuda cedar tree is planted by the wedding couple on their wedding day as a symbol of their growing love, but the tradition took on particular importance during the cedar blight of the 1940s when the juniper scale wiped out almost every cedar on the island. Today, at most local nurseries, you can find Bermuda cedar saplings to keep the tradition alive.

Bermuda Cedar Sprig Cake Topper – Traditionally, couples top their wedding cake with a Bermuda cedar sprig, suitable for planting—taking their wedding cedar from cake to earth.

Gold- and Silver-Leaf Cakes – Traditional Bermuda wedding cakes include the bride’s cake and the groom’s cake are very different and serve different purposes. The groom’s cake is a single tier of plain pound cake, made in a large, round cake tin. The cake is covered in boiled icing and gold leaf, symbolizing that the groom is the breadwinner and provider, presenting his new wife with all his worldly goods. The bride’s cake is a three-tiered fruitcake, symbolizing faithfulness and fertility. It is covered in silver leaf (although today silver leaves are also common). The three tiers serve individual purposes: the top tier holds the cedar sprig, the second is doused in black rum to preserve it and is served at the christening of the couple’s first child, and the third tier is cut and served to wedding guests.

Moon-gate – Moon-gates became popular in Bermuda in the 1920s when the Furness-Withy shipping line commissioned the Duke of Westminster’s gardener to design the gardens of the old Bermudiana Hotel. Bermuda’s first moon-gate was imported from China and set in the gardens of the legendary hotel. The same moon-gate stands today at the Par-la-Ville Road entrance to Par-la-Ville Park. It is the custom for a Wedding couple to walk through a moon-gate on their wedding day as a way to garner luck and good fortune in their lives together.

Horse and Carriage – The tradition of traveling to and from a wedding in a horse and carriage dates back to the time when it was Bermuda’s most common form of transportation. Old Bermudians can recall a time when the carriage and its horses were decked out in full wedding regalia of bells, bows and ribbons, and children would run out into the road at the sound of the horses clip-clopping along, hoping to catch a glimpse of a bride and her wedding party making their way to the church. In those days, a large carriage would transport the groom and his groomsmen to the church and then head out to pick up the bride and her bridesmaids. This was to ensure the bride that her groom was already at the church awaiting her arrival.

As luck would have it – Bermudians have a long list of superstitions, and as tradition dictates, one’s wedding day is the most important day on which to welcome signs of good luck and avoid bad luck entirely. According to Bermuda legend, it is bad luck for a bride to see a lizard on the road while en route to the church, although a black cat is a good sign! Seeing a rainbow on your wedding day is considered to be very lucky in Bermuda—more so than if it is a perfectly sunny day. If a Bermuda bride catches rain in the palm of her hand on her way out of the church, it is said to be a sign of riches to come.

Wedding Crashers – Although not considered etiquette by today’s standards, wedding crashing is as much a tradition as anything else on this list. Uninvited guests at a wedding reception, particularly a buffet style is common place!

At-Home Wedding Reception – A Bermuda wedding reception traditionally would have taken place at the home of the bride’s parents. Simple cocktails, tea sandwiches and homemade wedding cakes were served instead of a three-course dinner or buffet. Guests gathered in the family garden and the dramatic exit of the bride and groom signaled the end of the party and the time for guests to pack up and go home. Though now weddings are more commonly at island venues, the at-Home Wedding reception is still very much in favor particularly for the homes of grader throughout the island!

Local Entertainment – When at-home wedding receptions were customary, local bands and musicians would set up their instruments and serenade the couple and their guests. There are fabulous local musicians, including the Kennel Boys, Working Title and others. Be sure to include some local music to keep the Bermuda theme alive!

Wedding Registry – Gift registries mades sure couples were gifted with good quality china, crystal and sterling silver. It was considered that like a happy marriage, these items will with stand the test of time

To quote a wonderful client that says it best…..

“Linda Mitchell is unparalleled in her devotion and enthusiasm regarding Bermuda. Her thriving business has sent scores of brides, grooms, family members, friends, business travelers and tourists to the island, creating an even larger network and future generations of Bermuda devotees. Linda has created meaningful and beneficial relationships. There has not been a single facet of the Bermuda tourism industry that has not benefited from her relationships, hard work and boundless enthusiasm. For Linda, Bermuda represents not only a thriving tourism trade, but an island full of friends, adventure and experience.” HG

Please enjoy this beautiful new site that represents the years of travel experience, the growth of a much beloved business, the love of an amazing British island, so full of charm, and the devotion to each and every client that delights in my services and expertise.

Local Tips

AIRPORT: L.F. Wade International BDA is the only airport. Most major airlines service Bermuda from/through US gateways. British Airways services from London. Bermuda is in the process of building a state of the art airport, due to open 2020. There are not any jetways for flights, boarding and deplaning is via steps to tarmac. Assistance is available for those that require. On arrival you will enter Immigrations processing hall. Please note cell phone usage is strictly forbidden. Arrival forms will be handed out at airport or on flight. Having the form complete expedites your entry process. On departure from Bermuda, please allow 2.5 hours to proceed through arrivals, check in, baggage drop off and security. Visitors returning to or via the US will have immigrations and customs clearance in Bermuda. There are Global Entry kiosks available. There is not TSA pre-check.
There are Duty Free shops and local dining and beverage options in gate area lounges. NOTE: If your flight is delayed, DO NOT delay your arrival at airport. Arrival counters stay with scheduled flight times regardless.

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION: Both private and public taxi transport is available. Taxis are queued up for every arriving flight and are typically plentiful. Taxi dispatcher will be ready to greet you as you exit the baggage claims hall. Private transport can be arranged by your (favorite) Bermuda Specialist or by your hotel concierge. Taxis are by government regulated and price by distance and time. Private transport is government regulated set rate.

ATTIRE: Generally, the dress code in Bermuda is casual, chic, island funl.
Bathing attire is not worn in public. Casual sportswear is appropriate for just about every other occasion and, of course, men can be seen wearing Bermuda shorts and socks all year round.

CREDIT CARDS: Major credit cards, MC and VI are widely accepted throughout Bermuda. American Express is limited usage and Discover Card is not accepted. Bank machines are available for debit card usage. If you are using a foreign card at a bank machine, your money will be disbursed in Bermudian funds. Check with your credit card provider before coming to Bermuda to see if they charge bank fees. Using a debit card for check in at hotel will result in a hold charge on funds.

CURRENCY: The currency unit in Bermuda is the Bermudian dollar. US$1.00 = BD$1.00 with USD widely accepted. All other currency must be exchanged to USD prior to coming to Bermuda or exchanged for BD at local banks. Be sure to exchange (or spend) all your BD before heading to airport as there is not an outlet to exchange there or at your final destination.

ELECTRICITY: 110 volts, 60 cycles AC

ENTRY INTO BERMUDA: United States Federal Law requires that travelers entering or re-entering the United States from any international country (including Bermuda) must present a government-issued passport to clear US Customs. For Canadian visitors, a passport is preferred, however, you can use one of the following: the original or certified copy of your birth certificate, together with an official photo ID; or Canadian Certificate of Citizenship. Citizens of other countries require a passport and possibly a visa depending on their home country. A return or onward ticket or other document of onward transportation to a country to which, at that time, the passenger has right of entry, is also required from all visitors. Children under 18 years of age who are traveling with only one parent must have a notarized letter from the non-traveling parent allowing travel. All other visitors please check your local consulate for Visa requirements.

HEALTH CARE: Bermuda has a very high quality of medical care which is a private system and as such, it is very expensive by any standard. Please consider the purchase of travel insurance that includes health insurance plan. Even if you are covered by your home country’s national health insurance system, charges may not be fully covered. Visitors taking medicine prescribed by a doctor should bring a copy of the prescription in case it needs to be renewed by a doctor in Bermuda.

LIQUOR LAWS: In Bermuda, you must be 18 years of age or older to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages.

LOCAL CUSTOMS: Bermudians greet each other with a respectful salutation before continuing a conversation. Start with a greeting of “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon” or “Good Evening”.

LOCATION: Bermuda is an island comprised of a series of small, semi-tropical islands, located about 650 miles (1046 km) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Time Zone Atlantic Time (Atlantic Time is one hour ahead of Eastern Time, four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time). Daylight Savings is in effect as with USA.

PHONE SERVICE: Major carriers are all available on Bermuda. Check with your individual carrier for international data plans. Verizon has a $10/day plan that activates only when you are at your destination and allows you to utilize all your data and calling plans with no extra charges or roaming.

TIPPING: At most restaurants, a tip of 17% (of the subtotal) is added to the bill. Most resorts assess a fixed gratuity on the final bill (but feel free to tip staff individually for good service). Airport porters are usually tipped a few dollars. Taxi drivers generally receive 10% to 15% of the meter rate.

TRANSPORTATION: Bermuda offers excellent bus, ferry and taxi services. Visitors may rent a moped or one of the new small vehicles. Bermudians drive on the left side of the road (like the British).

WATER: As there are no rivers in Bermuda, drinking water is from rainwater and is clean and safe.

Luxury Destination Travel

"You can go to Heaven if you want, I’d rather stay in Bermuda"

...Mark Twain

Bermuda Travel est. 2001

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