Table Of Content
- Lessons I’ve Learned from Traveling Solo
- Turks and Caicos Excursions You May Have to Book Independently: Scuba, Snuba and Stingrays
- Tips and Things to Know About Visiting Mahogany Bay (Roatan) on a Cruise
- You’ll Also Love
- See Humpback Whales Up Close on a Boat Tour
- Best Grand Turk Shore Excursions
- Favorite Grand Turk Beach Getaways:
The island is uninhabited and bears beautiful beaches on its west coast. What makes this little island so popular are the friendly brown stingrays that approach when a vessel comes to the island. They love to interact with people, and you will get a chance to snorkel or even swim with them.
Lessons I’ve Learned from Traveling Solo
Carnival spent $50 Million, creating a cruise port for its cruisers. The cruise port is located in the southernmost part of the island. It is a large complex of approximately 30 acres and features the largest Margaritaville in the Caribbean. You don’t have to scuba to get up close to a stingray in Grand Turk. Excursions to the untouched island of Gibbs Cay provide an easy way to observe these unique sea creatures, whether you snorkel or simply watch the rays frolic in the shallows. Your visit to Gibbs Cay also includes the chance to try conch, a local delicacy plucked fresh from the ocean and prepared in front of you.
Turks and Caicos Excursions You May Have to Book Independently: Scuba, Snuba and Stingrays
Carnival Freedom Cruise Ship Review First-hand Expert Review - Cruise Critic
Carnival Freedom Cruise Ship Review First-hand Expert Review.
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The beach is known as a party spot, complete with a DJ, so if that’s your jam, this might be the Turks and Caicos excursion for you. The cruise ships dock at a pier that is located south of Cockburn Town. The terminal is named Grand Turk Cruise Center and is a beachfront facility spanning over 780,000 square feet.
Tips and Things to Know About Visiting Mahogany Bay (Roatan) on a Cruise
Be sure to follow the rules and protocols to help protect the natural ecosystem and island of Grand Turk. It’s basically the same menu at all of Jimmy Buffet’s restaurants, but if you plan to go back and forth to the ship all day, it’s convenient. The Cruise Center Complex is just one of the best things you can do in Grand Turk. This complex is a large open-air area with tons of excursion booths, gift shops, and restaurants. The island is home to Cockburn Town, the capital city and government center of Turks and Caicos.
You’ll Also Love
The boat has an elevated fly-bridge, giving him a higher vantage point and utilizes binoculars increasing the possibility of whale sightings. Sometimes the whales will approach the boat and hang around for a while. Humpbacks are very acrobatic, often you can see them breaching high out of the water and then slapping the water as they come back down. Grand Turk and the surrounding cays have experienced plenty of mom and calf encounters during whale season.
Head on over there and grab a bite while being entertained to enchanting reggae tunes. Located on Front Street at Cockburn Town, the museum is hosted in one of the oldest buildings on the Island.
If you just can’t live without your Starbucks, then Grand Turk is the spot for you. While many cruise ships offer Starbucks beverages on board, finding them in port is usually another story. But the port area features a full-fledged Starbucks (painted a very noticeable pink). That’s in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, about 200 miles away. Without a doubt the biggest draw at Grand Turk is the beach that sits right at the cruise ship. It’s beautiful, wide, and runs a nice distance so there is a spot for everyone and it’s free.
Venture outside of the Cruise Center gates for the most golf cart rental options. The water temperature near Grand Turk island ranges anywhere from 3-6 degrees lower than the high temperature on land. Cruise Critic went exploring to find what’s available beyond the pier at Grand Turk. Here are our eight favorite Turks and Caicos excursions -- and why you might want to try them, too. Take a look at this tour of Grand Turk from our friends at I Like Cruise Ships. Take a look at all of these beach accessories here for your visit to Grand Turk.
The museum has other shipwrecks too like the treasure hunting Spanish ship, a slavery ship, and Tainos artifacts. The island also is among the three islands believed to have been Christopher Columbus’ landfall sites in the new world. Therefore, in order to honor this great event, if it actually happened on Grand Turk, the island has a national park called Columbus national park reserve. In 1962 John Glenn splash landed off the west coast shores of the Grand Turk. He did so in his Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft after being on a mission orbiting the earth. There is a replica of the spacecraft near the entrance of Grand Turk’s airport.
When you cruise to Grand Turk, don’t forget to make time for one or more of these other great ways to see the island. (And, don’t worry, those gorgeous beaches made our list, too!) In no particular order, here are the top things to do in Grand Turk. If a slow horseback ride along a white sandy beach is on your to-do list, Grand Turk might just be the perfect place to try it. Available as a ship’s shore excursion, it’s necessary to sign up at the beginning of your cruise to avoid a sold-out disappointment.
So, if you are hungry, just grab a cool pina colada, cold beer or a strawberry margarita and enjoy delicious barbeque chicken on the beach. The town maintains houses that have beautiful 1800’s British architecture with the Victorian era designs. Every once in a while, you will meet with a wild donkey or horse which were used as transport animals in the salt industry era. The person capacity prison used to hold petty offenses criminals back in the day until it was shut in 1994.
In front of the complex is the cruise center beach known as the SunRay Beach. There are plenty of sun loungers on this beach, grab one and enjoy the beach for free. Once you’ve explored what’s below, you’ll have time to chill out up above, on Grand Turk’s famous white beaches, so don’t forget your swimsuit and towel. If you’re looking for a little exercise and want to get out into Grand Turk’s beautiful water, consider a kayak or stand up paddleboard (SUP) tour. Even if it’s your first time trying one of these water sports, you’ll be in good hands and learn proper techniques from knowledgeable guides.
Save some time for a dose of reggae and refreshments at a local spot such as Reef Shark Bar & Grill before you return to your ship. If you didn’t reserve your shore excursions ahead of time, there are tons of vendor booths within the complex for you to choose your tour. Planning excursions can be overwhelming, so try to research before visiting.
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Popular Cruise Destination Has Substantial Increase in Cruise Arrivals.
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Both these ships would give you ample opportunity to enjoy either ship-sponsored shore excursions or those you book independently. At the cruise center, you will find a big beautiful swimming pool. Book a poolside cabana and enjoy private time away from the crowds and a dedicated waiter. Here you can swim and hang out with other shipmates, enjoying the tropical magic that is Grand Turk.
Besides seeing the island from the water, there are plenty of tours to see the island from land. There are also open-air trucks available to cruise around and learn about the town. The Turks and Caicos National Museum offers tours year-round, a perfect spot for the history buff. Or you can choose from a variety of shore excursions, many of which will take you on a full tour of Grand Turk. The area along Front street is where the first homes on the island were settled, and the area remains mostly residential.
The lighthouse is located north of the cruise port center, and you can access it only by vehicular means. The lighthouse is not functional, and for $3 per person, you can gain access to the grounds around the lighthouse. No matter which cruise port you are at during your Caribbean cruise, try to make it a point to walk around the ship on the open deck to see if there are picture-worthy scenes to capture of land. If you can, do a walk in the morning before you leave for your Grand Turk excursion, and then in the afternoon when you get back to the ship too.
