Bermuda Submarine Tours: Current Status and Best Underwater Alternatives

 

 

Updated: October 2026 

 

At a Glance

 

 

If you are trying to book a submarine tour in Bermuda, I need to save you some time. There are no commercial submarines operating in local waters right now. 

 

However, you do not need a submarine to see the offshore reefs. Bermuda offers several highly accessible ways to get underwater without any scuba certification. 

 

Whether you want to walk on the ocean floor or stay completely dry, you have excellent options. Here is exactly what happened to the old submarine and how you can replicate the experience today. 

 

The Short Answer: Is There a Submarine Tour in Bermuda?

 

No. Bermuda used to have a popular submarine attraction called the Enterprise. It took passengers down to the reefs off the coast, offering panoramic views of shipwrecks and marine life. 

 

The Enterprise ceased operations back in 1994. For a while, the vessel sat on display outside the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) in Hamilton. It was later moored off Grotto Bay, where it was vandalized and sank in 2008. 

 

Today, no company offers a true, submerged submarine ride in Bermuda. Do not let outdated guidebooks or old forum posts convince you to keep searching for tickets. 

 

Who This Guide Is For (And Who Should Skip It)

 

This guide is for non-swimmers, families with young children, and cruise visitors who want to see the reefs with minimal physical effort. If you do not want to deal with dive tanks, heavy currents, or getting salt in your eyes, this page is for you. 

 

You should skip this guide if you are a certified scuba diver. If you want technical wreck penetration or deep-water reef exploration, head straight to my Scuba Diving guide instead. 

 

4 Ways to Experience Bermuda Underwater (Without a Submarine)

 

Since you cannot book a submarine, here are the four best ways to see the underwater world. I have ranked these from the driest to the most immersive. 

 

1. The BUEI Simulated Dive (Blue Echo Dive)

 

If you want the exact feeling of being in a submarine without leaving land, go to BUEI on the outskirts of Hamilton. They have an attraction called the Blue Echo Dive. 

 

This is a simulated dive experience. You sit in a capsule that uses hydraulics, surround sound, and screens to simulate a descent to 12,000 feet. It takes about seven minutes and gives you a great sense of the deep ocean topography around Bermuda. 

 

It is entirely dry, air-conditioned, and perfect for a rainy day. Read more about the exhibits in my full BUEI guide. 

 

2. Helmet Diving (The Closest Alternative)

 

Helmet diving is the absolute best alternative to a submarine tour. You wear a weighted helmet that rests on your shoulders, and fresh air is pumped down from the boat above. 

 

You do not need to know how to swim. You literally climb down a ladder and walk on the sandy ocean floor in about 10 feet of water. Your head stays completely dry, meaning you can wear prescription glasses and your ears will not pop. 

 

 

Photo: Harley's Undersea Walk 

 

Local operators like Hartley's usually depart from the Royal Naval Dockyard or Hamilton. Check out my Helmet Diving page for booking details and what to expect on the boat. 

 

3. Glass Bottom Boat Tours

 

If you want to be on the water but refuse to get in it, a glass-bottom boat is your best bet. These boats feature large glass panels in the hull. 

 

You look down through the floor to see the coral reefs and marine life passing below. Most tours head out to the HMS Vixen, a partially submerged shipwreck where hundreds of fish congregate. 

 

 

 

The boat ride offers great coastal views and a cool ocean breeze. You get the sightseeing benefits of a submarine without the claustrophobia. Find the best operators in my Glass Bottom Boat Tours breakdown. 

 

4. Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

 

If you are willing to get wet, nothing beats the real thing. Bermuda has more shipwrecks per square mile than anywhere else in the world. 

 

Snorkeling is cheap, easy, and can be done right off the beach at places like Church Bay or Tobacco Bay. For deeper wrecks, you will need to book a snorkeling boat tour. Check my guide on Snorkeling in Bermuda for complete details. 

 

Even if you are not certified, many dive shops offer a "Discover Scuba" course. This allows you to do a shallow, guided dive after a brief pool lesson. Explore all options for Scuba Diving in Bermuda. 

 

Pro-Tip: If you plan to snorkel off the beaches, rent your gear in Dockyard or Hamilton before heading out. Beachside rental kiosks are often cash-only and run out of popular fin sizes by noon. 

 

What Surprises Visitors the Most

 

Visitors are usually shocked by how much better helmet diving is compared to a traditional submarine. In a sub, you are looking through thick acrylic glass, often dealing with glare and a crowded cabin. 

 

With a helmet dive, you are immersed directly in the water rather than enclosed inside a submarine cabin. The helmet features just a clear faceplate right in front of you, so fish will swim right up to your face, and the guides will often hand you food so you can feed them yourself. 

 

It feels far more interactive. You get the physical sensation of being underwater without the stress of breathing through a regulator. 

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

 

Do not book a glass-bottom boat expecting a fully submerged lower deck. Many tourists assume they will walk down a flight of stairs into a glass room under the water. 

 

In Bermuda, these boats just have glass windows built flat into the floor of the main deck. You have to lean over a railing and look down between your feet. 

 

Also, do not skip BUEI just because it is a museum. The exhibits on the Bermuda Triangle and the massive shell collections are genuinely fascinating. Look for the green awning just past the main Hamilton roundabout; the parking lot can be tricky to spot on your first drive past. 

 

Practical Details: Comparing Your Options

 

To help you decide, here is how the logistics break down for a typical visitor: 

Time Commitment: BUEI takes about 2 hours total. Helmet diving and glass-bottom boats require a 3-hour block, including transit time. 

Cost: BUEI is the cheapest option (standard museum admission). Glass-bottom boats run around $65 to $85 per person. Helmet diving is the most expensive at roughly $150 to $155. 

Physical Frictions: Boat tours require decent balance. You will need to step from a floating dock onto a moving boat deck, which often smells faintly of marine diesel. Helmet diving requires climbing down a vertical boat ladder while a heavy helmet is lowered onto your shoulders. 

 

Alternatives: If These Aren't for You

 

If you do not want to get on a boat, put on a helmet, or visit a museum, you still have one excellent option left. 

 

Head to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) in Flatts Village. They have a massive, 140,000-gallon North Rock tank that replicates a living coral reef. 

 

 

Photo: Garden State Hiker, cc-by-2.0, flickr 

 

You can stand right against the floor-to-ceiling acrylic and watch sharks, groupers, and sea turtles swim by. It requires zero physical exertion, is fully accessible, and guarantees you will see marine life regardless of the weather. 

 

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