Grand Turk is an island that is part of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which are part of
the British Overseas Territories.
The island is a popular destination for Carnival Corporation ships.
We visited the island five times between 2014 and 2018, and returned for a sixth visit aboard
the Carnival Legend in April 2022.
In this video, we’ll provide an updated overview – and some new tips – for your
visit to Grand Turk.
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Ships visiting Grand Turk dock at the pier, which can accommodate two ships
at the same time.
After a short 5 to 10-minute walk along the pier, guests arrive at the Grand Turk Cruise
Center, which features a couple of beaches, shopping, restaurants, and a pool.
As you walk along the pier, take note that there are beaches on both sides of the pier.
Most guests head to the white-sand beach on the left side – or north side – of the
pier for good reason: the beach is significantly longer, there are far fewer rocks in the water,
the snorkeling is good, and you get to swim near the ships.
During our visit, complimentary loungers were available along the northern beach inside
the cruise center, but shade was a bit hard to come by.
Clam shells could be rented from the rental hut, which was located near the flag display.
However, guests were not allowed to move the clam shells to other locations on the beach.
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is also located on the northern side of the pier, just behind
the rows of loungers on the beach.
During our visit, the venue featured a restaurant and bar,
a complimentary pool with a swim-up bar and complimentary loungers,
a FlowRider surfing attraction that cost about $30 per hour,
and poolside, air conditioned cabanas that started at $280.
Both the FlowRider experience and cabanas could be booked as a shore excursion through
the cruise line.
Much further north along the beach – past the cruise center – locals offered loungers
with umbrellas for rent.
The separation of the cruise center’s complimentary loungers and the locals’ offerings seemed
to completely eliminate the scamming we saw during all of our previous visits.
We didn’t come across any scammers attempting to charge unsuspecting guests for the complimentary
cruise center loungers.
Even further north, there are a couple of bars that are very popular
with tourists and crew.
The most popular one is Jack’s Shack Beach Bar and Grill, which is about a 10 to 15-minute
walk along the beach from the cruise center area.
You can fill out the form on their website to register for a free shot of rum.
Although there are many things to enjoy on the northern side of the Grand Turk pier,
we usually go to the beach on the right side – or south side – because we have a much
better chance of finding a complimentary lounger, even if we’re not the first people off the ship.
While the beach and water are more rocky than the northern beach, we enjoy the southern
beach more because we usually have good luck spotting fish and sea urchins while snorkeling.
Unfortunately, snorkeling at both beaches was just “okay” during our most recent visit.
The Beached Whale restaurant and bar is located just behind the rows of loungers
at the southern beach.
There are also restrooms located nearby.
If you’re a bit of a space enthusiast, you’ll want to check out the Splashdown Grand Turk exhibit
that’s located near the southern beach.
The exhibit commemorates John Glenn’s historic mission in 1962, when he became the first
American to orbit the Earth.
The Friendship 7 spacecraft that Glenn piloted splashed down near Grand Turk.
In the center of the Grand Turk cruise terminal, you’ll find several shops.
Like other ports, some offer freebies and raffles.
Check your ship’s Port Shopping Guide for more information.
Outside the cruise terminal, there are several excursions offered by the cruise lines.
You can also explore the island by taxi, rental car, or golf cart.
To find the transportation area, just head diagonally left after exiting the main gift
shop and continue between the Effy and Milano buildings to the covered walkway.
During our visit, rentals could be arranged at kiosks located near the Pirana Joe store.
Now, a few quick tips for your visit to Grand Turk.
First, remember to bring your beach towel from the ship and return it at the end of
the day.
Towels were not provided on the island.
Next, bring some water shoes if you’re planning to spend time at the beach since some areas
can be very rocky.
Third, be aware that at the time this video was published, cruise line drink packages
did not work on the island.
Finally, the Grand Turk Cruise Center website is a great resource for learning more about
the island.
The website includes maps,
a listing of taxi fares,
excursion descriptions,
and a calendar of ship schedules.