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Grand Turk is a little island with a lot to offer.
In addition to some of the best diving in the world, there is also the Grand Turk Cruise
Center area for those who prefer spending the day shopping, swimming at a pool, or sunbathing
on a white sandy beach.
The cruise terminal -- which caters to Carnival Corporation cruise lines like Carnival, Princess,
Holland America, and P&O -- has a pier that can accommodate two ships at the same time.
No tender is required.
The beach, shopping, restaurants, and a pool are just steps away.
Be sure to remember that Clam Shells, Beach Chairs, and Sun Umbrellas inside the Grand
Turk Cruise Center are complimentary for cruise passenger use.
Even the ones closest to the water!
Signs are posted, but there will still be plenty of locals trying to scam money from
unsuspecting tourists.
We simply tell them, “No, thanks.
Everything is free,” and they leave us alone, realizing we know about their scam.
When exiting the ship, most passengers tend to head towards the white sandy beaches on
the left side -- or north side -- of the Grand Turk pier and there is good reason.
There are plenty of chairs, clam shells, and umbrellas available; the beach and water are
beautiful; you get to swim close to the ships; and the snorkeling is great because Carnival
has submerged cannons, anchors and other items in that area to attract fish.
Also on the left side of the Grand Turk pier is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant
area which has a complimentary pool with complimentary lounge chairs.
A Flowrider surfing attraction is available near the pool and cost around $30 an hour
on our last visit.
Riders must be at least 52 inches.
The Flowrider attraction may be purchased as a shore excursion through the cruise line.
Additionally, a limited number are sometimes available
at the Flowrider shop near the swimming pool.
Although there are many things to enjoy on the left side of the pier, we usually go to
the right side -- or south side -- of the Grand Turk pier, which also has a lot to offer and
tends to be not as popular.
We love this location because we have a better chance of finding a clam shell, even if we’re
not the first people off the ship.
Even though the area is more rocky than the beach area to the north, we’ve had great
luck spotting many fish and sea urchins while snorkeling in this area.
There is also a restaurant and bathrooms close by.
If you’re planning to spend your day at Grand Turk by the water -- or in it -- remember
to bring a beach towel from the ship and return it to the ship at the end of the day.
Towels are not provided on the island.
We also recommend you bring your own snorkeling equipment and buckets for building sand castles.
In the center of the cruise terminal itself you’ll find several shops to explore.
Like other ports, many offer freebies and raffles.
Details are available in the port shopping guides that are handed out on the ship.
Outside of the Cruise Terminal boundaries there are several excursion options as well
as two areas that can be explored by foot.
The most popular area is north of the Cruise Center, along the beach.
There are a couple of bars in that direction that are very popular with tourists and crew,
the most popular of which seems to be Jack’s Shack Beach Bar and Grill.
The bar is about a ten-minute walk from the exit of the Cruise Center and you can visit
their website to get a free shot of rum.
If you head south – past the warning signs that you’re about the leave the cruise terminal
area – you’ll come to what some call the Conch Shell graveyard, which is popular with
beachcombers.
Though some cruisers are successful bringing conch shells back on the ship to take home,
most are often confiscated at the ship’s security checkpoint when you return from port.
Finally, a great resource for learning more about the island and the cruise terminal is
the Grand Turk Cruise Center website – which includes Maps of the island, a listing of
taxi fares to explore the island, excursion descriptions, and a calendar showing the ships
scheduled to be in port on a specific day.