My very first cruise was to Bermuda was back in the late '70s. It was on the (now defunct) Atlantica. What a trip. I cruised with girlfriends and we had a most wonderful time. We sailed from New York to Bermuda and as I recall, it took about one and half days to get there and back the rest of the time we were docked in Hamilton.

There were a couple of other ships - one of which was the Atlantica's sister ship, the Oceanic (both of which later became the ships of Premier Cruise Lines "Big Red Boats") - that were too big to pull up to the pier in Hamilton, so those who were sailing on her had to be tendered in. We used our ship as a hotel and came and went as we wished. Go to the beach or shopping during the day, head back to the ship and dress for dinner then out to the local clubs. We had a blast.

Of course, I was young (and single, as we all were) and was absolutely smitten with the attention from the all-Italian crew. I fell in love with cruising and Bermuda.

That trip was last week of May, which is the early part of the season for Bermuda, so it was not the warmest weather, but it certainly was warmer than where we came from: New England. I loved Bermuda so much that I flew back there for a six-day stay at a quaint little inn the following October.

Bermuda is a British-owned territory located in the North Atlantic, about 640 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, N. C. It consists of approximately 138 islands and is 20.6 square miles in size, with subtropical temperatures ranging from the low to mid 60s (January) to the mid to high 80s (August). Bermuda is a dream destination almost year round.

Bermuda is unique in that it has the feel of the Caribbean islands, but is a fine British metropolis with the main business being finance, followed by tourism. Visiting during the workweek, you will see businessmen in full business attire with suits that are suit jackets, with matching Bermuda shorts and knee-high socks and dress shoes. Hard to imagine, but it is quite the sight to see. The Bermudan police are very visible in their bright white uniforms of course, including the Bermuda shorts, white knee socks, shoes and safari-style hats. It is a very clean and bustling island.

There are three ports on the island. King's Wharf (now called Heritage Wharf) is the most western port and is the biggest. It was formerly the Royal Naval Dockyard, built during the 1800s and used during both World Wars. It closed in 1956 and was in much disrepair because of storm damage over the years. Due to the building of mega ships, the government of Bermuda has been redeveloping the port to accommodate the many cruise passengers these ships deliver to the island.

King's Wharf can be a pretty hefty trek getting to Hamilton and St. Georges by bus. They do offer ferry service that is quite a bit shorter in time to reach.

Bermuda's capitol city of Hamilton, located on the north side, holds all of the charm that Bermuda offers, however this is where many of Bermuda's financial institutions do most of their business. The harbor and its entry way cannot accommodate the mega-ships that visit, however the small- to mid-sized ships can pull right up along side the main street of downtown Hamilton where all of the shops are located. You can get around the island very simply from here with busses running all day long to the gorgeous pink sand beaches. Or you can rent a moped and explore on your own.

St. Georges, Bermuda has the most historical value. Founded in 1609 by the British, it is a World Heritage Site in itself. Most of the charming buildings here were built in the 17th and 19th centuries and the authorities have done a fine job of not allowing much development. For instance, the power and telephone lines are hidden underground and the streetlights are in the style of an early gas lamp.

Bermuda offers a lot for its size. MSC will have an April voyage from Fort Lauderdale.

Make Bermuda a must-see destination. You won't regret it.

Contact Patty Toppa at patty@cruisetraveltours.com and Gadabout Travel at www.cruisetraveltours.com.