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Transportation to other sites of interest on Grand Turk is available directly outside the Cruise Center. Here you’ll find taxis waiting, and rental car pickups take place here as well. The beach located to the left as you get off the ship can get crowded and loud. A quieter (yet rockier) stretch of sand can be found just a few minutes’ walk south of the pier. Complimentary beach lounger use is also offered near the Cruise Center for cruise guests. Be advised that some beach hawkers attempt to rent their own chairs out.
cruise center
There are a few eBike rental companies right outside of the Cruise Center terminal. Because the island of Grand Turk is so small, an eBike is an ideal way to enjoy the sunshine and fresh ocean air as you see the sights. There are many shops, restaurants, and bars located within the Cruise Center boundaries, including the largest Margaritaville in the world. Clam shell shade for the beach chairs, floats, and snorkeling equipment are available for rent at the Beach Rental Hut centrally located on the beach.
Nassau Shore Excursions
The duty-free shop is also a main attraction here, as are the FlowRider wave pool and the beached whale statue that is located a little bit farther down the beach. The small NASA exhibition located on the southern end of the Grand Turk Cruise Center offers a good overview of the island’s role in the 1962 Mercury Space Mission. We’ve covered the basics -- many of which are similar to other Caribbean ports of call -- let’s check out the shore excursions you will struggle to find anywhere else aside from Turks and Caicos. Others include the white sands and east side beaches which are located on the underdeveloped southern side of the Grand Turk. The east side beach is accessed by roads coming from the lighthouse. Get an aerial view of the island by going on a zip lining adventure.
Best Turks and Caicos Excursions on a Cruise
They also have beach chairs and umbrellas available to rent if you want to relax on this beach. You’ll be outfitted with a helmet and goggles and your own four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. Starting from the Cruise Center, you’ll board a catamaran and set sail for a dreamy deserted beach.
Grand TurkCommunity
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The lighthouse was built as a guiding beacon for ships after both the British and US governments experienced sizable losses from the capsizing of their ships at the northern end of Grand Turk. This was caused by the north reef, which is a shallow treacherous reef. The terminal's shopping complex includes numerous duty-free shops (luxury jewelry, watches, designer clothing), also locally made merchandise (gifts, souvenirs), food and drink facilities.. On September 20, 2022, Hurricane Fiona (Sept 14-25) caused severe damages to Grand Turk's main cruise ship dock (pieces of its infrastructure broke off and washed up on the shore).
The famous, Jimmy Buffet’s dining establishment is the main restaurant at the cruise center. The FlowRider can be booked as a shore excursion (through the cruise company). The facility operates with two high-pressure waves producing a 3-inch layer of water moving at high speed. Inside its walls, a large collection of exhibits brings life to the region’s history and culture. The museum promises a captivating journey through time, from tales of the Lucayans, the islands’ indigenous people, to intriguing stories of pirates and their daring adventures.
Grand Turk
Some of the more commonly purchased items by tourists on vacation Grand Turk include salt, soaps, model sailboats, straw products, conch shells, and rum. A little further from Governor’s beach lies another rarely visited beach called English Point. It’s a bit rocky but a great beach for beachcombing and maybe a little snorkeling.
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Located about 500 yards up the beach from the Cruise Center, this restaurant is a favorite of both locals and tourists. Besides a gorgeous setting right on the beach, Jack’s Shack is famous for their conch fritters, jerk chicken and rum punch. Your guide will take you past local attractions including the Ridge Trail, Grand Turk lighthouse, and the North Creek Bird watching area. If you’re looking for a non-water excursion on Grand Turk, you can see another side of the island on an ATV tour. The Cruise Center has an astounding 45,000 square feet of shopping including Diamonds International, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Tanzanite International, and Colombian Emeralds.
Take a boat tour to other cays, like Gibbs Cay and snorkel/swim with the stingrays or charter a private fishing trip. While at the museum also visit the gift shop which sells amazing souvenirs to remember the place by. The person capacity prison used to hold petty offenses criminals back in the day until it was shut in 1994.
If you don’t want to wander away from the cruise ship, or plan on making a lot of trips to and from the ship, then just relax at the cruise port center. Carnival spent $50 Million, creating a cruise port for its cruisers. It is a large complex of approximately 30 acres and features the largest Margaritaville in the Caribbean. The largest salt formations can be seen at Hawkes Nest Salina, located near the cruise port, or at the Red Salina salt pond. For a deeper understanding of the salt industry history, visit the Salt House Shop to view a historical exhibit of Grand Turk’s salt industry. But snorkeling at Gibbs Cay offers more than just stingrays; the crystal-clear waters are alive with other marine treasures.
The pier where cruise ships dock in Grand Turk is next to a stunning beach, inviting passengers to spend the day basking in the sun, swimming, snorkeling, and enjoying water activities. Here you’ll also find Jack's Shack, a popular restaurant to grab lunch. Complimentary beach lounge chairs are found fronting the complex, although depending on the number of ships in port, this area of the beach can become extremely crowded.
The 1840s-built Guinep Lodge houses the Turks and Caicos National Museum, displaying the Molasses Reef Wreck (Europe's oldest ship found in the New World). There are also exhibits on the salt industry, Loyalist Plantation Period, Taino Arawaks (the island's pre-Columbian inhabitants). Please keep in mind that if more than one cruise ship is docked here, things can get very hectic. It’s an experience that combines history, adventure, and natural wonder, all just a 20-minute cab ride from the Grand Turk port. Also known as Cockburn Town Lighthouse, the Grand Turk Lighthouse is a must for history enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
Likewise, seashells tend to not be local, and are of Pacific origin. To the south of the Cruise Center, the beach becomes a bit more secluded, albeit rocky as well. If you continue to the southern point of Grand Turk, you’ll be at Boaby Rock Point, and near some snorkeling reefs. Read on for our breakdown of Grand Turk’s cruise port including address information, cruise line terminals, services and more. Also, be sure to check out Cruise Critic's ranked cruise deals from Grand Turk cruise port and see what tips, tricks and secret advice our Cruise Critic members have to say about cruises from Grand Turk.
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