disapointed! Grand Turk Removed from the Eastern Caribbean Nieuw Amsterdam Cruises

[surfergirle]

So disappointed,
HAL removed the Grand Turk stop from the few Eastern Caribbean cruises they are advertising for 2013 and replaced it with Nassau from 8 AM to 1PM.
So sad.

[tompeter]

Yes, but Nassau is sooo much nicer.....:rolleyes:

[boards]

They are still going there till March 2013.

[Himself]

I have always liked Grand Turk but I have liked Nassau also and HAL ships have not stopped at Nassau that much in the last few years.

[SmokinActuary]

Isn't Nassau an armpit?

[AmyinVail]

It's genius, don't you see? Nobody will get off the ship in Nassau....ship revenue! :D

[Harris Jeffer]

Isn't Nassau an armpit?

Yes it is! How can they remove Turks! and substitute Nassau? Terrible choice! I guess Its all about the $$$:(:(:confused:

[ODA 564]

After the first time, neither place is worth getting off the ship.

[SmokinActuary]

At least at Grand Turk you can get off the ship easily enough for a dip in the ocean.

[SmokinActuary]

I did a quick query on the HAL site for NA Eastern Carib trips in 2013 and Grand Turk is still on the itinerary, but Saint Thomas is off. :confused:

[KirkNC]

It's genius, don't you see? Nobody will get off the ship in Nassau....ship revenue! :D

LOL!

Kirk

[djhsolara]

Is this for all NA cruises or just a certain sailing? GT doesn't even compare to Nassau. GT is one of the things we love about HAL...and yes, Nassau is an armpit.

:) :)

[sail7seas]

We were at Grand Turk last week on Nieuw Amsterdam and enjoyed ourselves.

We didn't like Roatin at all...... We stopped there on Thanksgiving Week. Nothing about it interested us.

[jbhcw]

We were at Grand Turk last week on Nieuw Amsterdam and enjoyed ourselves.

We didn't like Roatin at all...... We stopped there on Thanksgiving Week. Nothing about it interested us.



Also was not impressed with Roatan, much prefer Grand Turk.

[Typhoon1]

Isn't Nassau an armpit?

I wouldn't take my dog to Nassau.

We found Grand Turk to be an enjoyable stop.

[cmdchiefthom]

I'm in the process of booking the NA on 31 March '13, and so far its Grand Turk. I probably wouldn't book it if Nassau was the port, armpit works for me!:eek:

[VermeulT]

Nassau is so "tourist" and by that I mean the commercialization and tourist traps... And "no I do NOT want my hair braided already!"

I love Grand Turk for the peacefulness.

[surfergirle]

What I saw, for Eastern Caribbean, after March, looked like they had removed Grand Turk and placed Nassau instead 8am to 1 PM. Seems like the schedule only goes till April. I bet when the new cruises are released after that, you will see that it has been replaced.

That is so silly. GT is one of the reasons we sail HAL. The lines that aren't related to CCL do not go there. So sad.
Grand Turk is a really lovely peaceful beach day, and more often than not amazing weather.

The only way to go to Nassau is on a shorter cheap Bahamas cruise, on a lesser ship, for 12 HOUR stop. Like the Destiny, Or Majesty (RCCL)...
I would not pay for a 7 night HAL cruise in a suite that goes to Nassau.
Just my two cents.

[surfergirle]

Nassau is so "tourist" and by that I mean the commercialization and tourist traps... And "no I do NOT want my hair braided already!"

I love Grand Turk for the peacefulness.

Agreed.

[surfergirle]

It's genius, don't you see? Nobody will get off the ship in Nassau....ship revenue! :D

So True.

[surfergirle]

My perfect beach cruise-

Grand Turk, St Thomas (Water Island, Honeymoon Beach), HMC, Key West, Mahogany Bay Honduras.

We like easily accessible beach areas that are nice, peaceful, relaxed that don't take a trip to get to.

I doubt I would take an Eastern Caribbean cruise without Grand Turk.

[Live4cruises]

We loved Grand Turk! Spectacularly beautiful seas, not crowded, and loved our self-guided golf cart tour of the island. Without question, perhaps our most fun, non-"destination" stop.

[Taxguy77]

Yes it is! How can they remove Turks! and substitute Nassau? Terrible choice! I guess Its all about the $$$:(:(:confused:

I won't bet against that idea!

[scamper]

Won't bother me; I find Grand Turk a snooze. I'd just as soon stay on the ship--and if it goes to Nassau, I will!

[Taxguy77]

We were at Grand Turk last week on Nieuw Amsterdam and enjoyed ourselves.

We didn't like Roatin at all...... We stopped there on Thanksgiving Week. Nothing about it interested us.



We (2 couples) went to the backside of the island and had a wonderful time at a hotel you could miss even if you did NOT sneeze when driving past! A large bay was filled with live coral to the point you could hardly walk through it, and all kinds of tropical fish were swimming among them with a few larger fish trying to get some dinner. It was like being in the best aquaium ever, and I stayed until I started to burn!
We had gallons of beer, burgers, Conch soup, and bought burgers and cokes for our taxi driver and a boy he used for directions (We didn't let the taxi go!) and it cost about what a ships tour for one couple would have cost!

[lvz2cruz]

But only in Nassau can you buy a genuine Coach bag for $40:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:!

[lvz2cruz]

We (2 couples) went to the backside of the island and had a wonderful time at a hotel you could miss even if you did NOT sneeze when driving past! A large bay was filled with live coral to the point you could hardly walk through it, and all kinds of tropical fish were swimming among them with a few larger fish trying to get some dinner. It was like being in the best aquaium ever, and I stayed until I started to burn!
We had gallons of beer, burgers, Conch soup, and bought burgers and cokes for our taxi driver and a boy he used for directions (We didn't let the taxi go!) and it cost about what a ships tour for one couple would have cost!

I think you were at Tabayana. The snorkeling there is awesome!

[VermeulT]

But only in Nassau can you buy a genuine Coach bag for $40:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:!
Come to NYC... You can get one for less! :cool:

[JamesEM]

This past Jan. when we were in Nassau we didn't even bother to get off the ship, how many times can you go to the Straw Market.

[surfergirle]

in Nassau you can take a day pass at Sandals, but its a waste of $ if you leave at 1230.

All inclusive, $150 per person, or $200 for day and night. Not bad if you are on a ship that is there till midnight, they have great Teppanyaki and a nice private island... But when you have to leave at 12 to be on the ship at 1230, that leaves at 1, it is a waste.


You can also spend $400 per couple to spend the day at Atlantis. Rip off.

Might as well stay on the ship.

Grand Turk is paradise, and the terminal is a blessing to the people who live on an island that is only 7 miles long.

So sad.

[terrydtx]

We just got off the NA on the Eastern Caribbean cruise. Grand Turk was the low point (next to the MDR food) of the cruise. The capital is still rebuilding from the Hurricanes of 2008, is so very depressed and there is absolutely nothing to do there unless you want to lay on a nice beach. Margaritaville is adjacent to the pier and if you think HAL overcharges for drinks try buying an $8 beer at Margaritaville. I will not go on another cruise that has Grand Turk on the itinerary. I heard from some crew members that HAL was going to drop Grand Turk and I guess all of the negative feedback is the reason.:confused:

[Cruiz'nBaers]

Count me in with the group the LOVES Grand Turk. What a wonderful, relaxing beach day. HAL........please don't drop Grand Turk.

[c-cruise]

Looks to me like they just changed the itinerary for the last 2 NA sailings of the Caribbean season. The itinerary has the same ports on both sailing, but in reverse order. Could be a simple explanation like trying to avoid scheduling multiple ships at certain ports, etc. End of April is also Spring Break time and maybe they had some indication that Nassau would be a selling point for those passengers.

Would be really surprised if they dropped Grand Turk since it is a Carnival Corp. purpose built cruise port.

[KirkNC]

Very split opinions, some love it, some don't care.

Kirk

[Himself]

Nassau is so "tourist" and by that I mean the commercialization and tourist traps... And "no I do NOT want my hair braided already!"

I love Grand Turk for the peacefulness.


I like both places. By the way my hair is too short to be braided. Nassau has a little history to it.

[surfergirle]

We just got off the NA on the Eastern Caribbean cruise. Grand Turk was the low point (next to the MDR food) of the cruise. The capital is still rebuilding from the Hurricanes of 2008, is so very depressed and there is absolutely nothing to do there unless you want to lay on a nice beach. Margaritaville is adjacent to the pier and if you think HAL overcharges for drinks try buying an $8 beer at Margaritaville. I will not go on another cruise that has Grand Turk on the itinerary. I heard from some crew members that HAL was going to drop Grand Turk and I guess all of the negative feedback is the reason.:confused:

We have been into cockburn town, and yes they are still rebuilding.
the majority of people like it for the great day it provides.

We do not go to Margaritaville, we walk down the beach to Jack's shack.
great sand, water & weather, its very simillar to a private island beach day without having to tender. Most folks I know do turn it into a beach day. There is also world class diving, second only to the great Barrier reef I have heard.

We always buy our beers and have the delivered to the room, or the 2 for 1 happy hour if we are lucky, and stock up. We take a fabric cooler and have a great day.

To each is own! :)

[billie5]

HAL was going to drop Grand Turk and I guess all of the negative feedback is the reason.:confused:

Very split opinions, some love it, some don't care.


Split opinion, of course, but if Cruise Critic members are a good representation of all cruise passengers, it would seem that an overwhelming majority much prefer Grand Turk to Nassau. I somehow doubt motivation was negative feedback!

Bill

[cruiseapril]

We really enjoy Grand Turk.

However, the Sheraton Cable Beach in Nassau is very nice-only $25 pp for a day pass with nice pools and good sized beach.

[CinWin]

We really enjoyed the time we spent at Grand Turk last week. First we sat at the beach then when we we had too much sun, we relaxed on chairs further back which were under the shade of swaying palm trees. We were so relaxed there listening to Jimmy Buffet songs. We hated to leave and decided we would love to go back there again. Nassau would be a very poor substitute.
Cindy

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would rather go to Grand Turk than Nassau.

Nassau is a toursit dump trap.

Even though Grand Turk doesn't a great big shopping town -- we love it for the quietness and peacefulness. Nice beach right by the pier.

[Expo67]

Poor decision of HALs part but as mentioned it probably dollar related. Any itinerary with Nassau on it will not be one we are on so HALL will be losing us with any of those itineraries. We really enjoyed our stops at GT and have enjoyed almost anything we have done whether it be snorkeling on the beautiful reefs or chilling out at Margaritaville or Jacks Shack.

[G&G]

But only in Nassau can you buy a genuine Coach bag for $40:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:!

That's wrong ! You can buy a genuine fake Coach bag for $40 :eek: ! Just like a bought in Turkey last year a genuine fake Rolex watch for 15 euros ;)

[G&G]

Yes it is! How can they remove Turks! and substitute Nassau? Terrible choice! I guess Its all about the $$$:(:(:confused:

I do not think it is about money. Carnival Corp. built the pier, buildings and restored the beach so it is a windwall for Carnival Corp and all the ships to stop at the Turks.

Besides I loved swimming with the sharks under the pier at the port; now I will have to dodge the sharks in Nassau :eek: