You’ve likely traveled to Cup Match by car, bus, or foot, but what’s it like cruising to the cricket field by yacht?
by Nadia Laws
For the past eight years, Bermudian Andrew Males has found himself a passenger onboard the Uber Vida’s Cruise to Cup Match. The luxury vessel takes him from the heart of Hamilton to the centre of the game day action, in splendid style.
Start
10:00am: The day starts with lots of anticipation and excitement as Andrew makes his way to the dock to begin the fun and festivities. The Cruise to Cup Match is always sold out, so vessel staff must ensure those getting on board have a ticket. They try to make this on-boarding process as swift and pain-free as possible, so everyone can relax and have a great time.
10.30am: Once Andrew gets settled aboard, he enjoys a drink with friends at the open bar as the boat makes its way to the Cricket Club field in Somerset or St. George’s. He tries his best to take in the atmosphere, as Bermuda’s beautiful, turquoise waters and bustling maritime culture are on full display. When journeying to Somerset it’s a 60-minute cruise, heading out around Dockyard and on to Mangrove Bay. However, the route to St. George’s is about 90 minutes and takes you down the North Shore.
12:00pm: By noon, the yacht passengers are finally at their destination. The best part is they’ve avoided all the stress and worry that people on land have to deal with. When you travel to Cup Match by boat there’s no need to find parking or deal with traffic. You arrive in style. The first thing Andrew does when he gets to the cricket club is pick up a Bermuda fish sandwich because that’s a huge part of the Cup Match tradition. He enjoys seeing so many friendly faces. In his view, that’s what the holiday is all about – community and camaraderie.
1.30pm: After he has eaten his fill, Andrew tries to take in all the sights and sounds at the field. He normally grabs a cold drink and then heads to the Crown and Anchor tent to try his hand at a few games. This is one of his favourite parts of the afternoon.
2:00pm: As a cricket fan, and former cricket player, Andrew makes sure to follow along with the game as much as possible during the afternoon. Telling by how it’s gone over the last decade or so, you usually know by around 3pm on the Friday which side is going to take home the cup. That makes it easy – as the Uber Vida usually heads back to town after giving people three or four hours at the field. You are there for an impactful period of time, but the day doesn’t drag on for too long, which is good too, Andrew said.
3.30pm: By this time, people are returning to the boat and wrapping up the day with a little celebration on the way back into Hamilton. One thing Andrew loves about the Uber Vida is they take the scenic route back, and you get to enjoy the sights while listening to some of the Island’s hottest DJs playing in all their glory. There’s an energetic vibe on board for sure. The best part? You meet people from all walks of life who are just looking to have a great time and party responsibly.
Finish the day
This article was originally published in the 2019 edition of the RG Cup Match supplement
