Grand Turk Cruise Terminal

[miss]

I was wanting to get some additional information on the Grand Turk cruise terminal. I was wondering if the pool area with the cabanas is a loud area or a relaxing area. Basicly is this someplace for some R&R or someplace to party. I was thinking about spending the time there just relaxing and enjoying the pool and maybe a dip in the ocean but I may not have the correct place to do this. Thanks for any help you can give me.:) Happy Crusing!!!

[Captain Canuck]

the pool area is part of a bar...Jimmy Buffets...so music and people but not that loud ..but there are also 2 beach areas with chairs....

[MinnesotaCruiser423]

This advise came from the Spa Personal from my very first cruise. She told me that when you get to Grand Turk everyone is going to walk down the pier and go to the left where all the chairs and cabanas are. She said to go to the right and you will see a little white wooden walkway. Go that way and it takes you to the peninsula of the island (fairly short walk). But this is very secluded and relaxing. There was maybe a dozen other people on that side very spread out. My new bride and I considered this to be one of the most relaxing and romantic stops on our 7 day cruise. There were plenty of shells to look for and we actually found a perfect conch shell that we still have up our mantel at home. When I think of the Caribbean the beach at Grand Turk is usually my first though.

 

We also went horseback riding which was wonderful! And we went to Margaritaville which was expensive and really hectic, we paid $22 for 2 small margaritas and there was nowhere to stand or sit with out bumping into someone.

 

I hope this helps, enjoy!

Matt

[snowcat]

Hi miss! We have been to Grand Turk a few times....it's one of our favorite ports, actually. As a previous poster said, you can walk along the beach to the right of the pier (as you look toward shore) and it is pretty secluded. However, when we were there, it was not too long after the hurricane and there was lots of debris on the beach. The pool right at the end of the pier is quite large and the ocean there is lovely too with lots and lots of chairs, including some in the shade. We walked all the way down to the far end of the beach (to the left of the pier as you look toward the shore). There was a little bar there. We found lots of shells, mostly small pretty ones on the beach and had fun snorkeling off the shore. It's a relaxing port. The music at the Margaritaville area was a little loud for our taste, but the pool was pretty nice. Enjoy!

[jc4me]

This advise came from the Spa Personal from my very first cruise. She told me that when you get to Grand Turk everyone is going to walk down the pier and go to the left where all the chairs and cabanas are. She said to go to the right and you will see a little white wooden walkway. Go that way and it takes you to the peninsula of the island (fairly short walk). But this is very secluded and relaxing. There was maybe a dozen other people on that side very spread out. My new bride and I considered this to be one of the most relaxing and romantic stops on our 7 day cruise. There were plenty of shells to look for and we actually found a perfect conch shell that we still have up our mantel at home. When I think of the Caribbean the beach at Grand Turk is usually my first though.

 

We also went horseback riding which was wonderful! And we went to Margaritaville which was expensive and really hectic, we paid $22 for 2 small margaritas and there was nowhere to stand or sit with out bumping into someone.

 

I hope this helps, enjoy!

 

Matt

 

Matt, can you tell us if there were chairs to the right? I've gone to the left before (like everyone else) and it was pretty crowded.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Captain Canuck]

there are chairs to the left..shot face on

[jc4me]

Does anyone know for sure if there are chairs to the right of the pier?

[Captain Canuck]

I meant to say left...in the picture margaritaville is the big building...chairs on either side of it on the beach

[MinnesotaCruiser423]

jc4me,

 

There isn't chairs to the right side. Just pure white sand and plenty of semi private beach to enjoy. We brought our towels and hung out on those when we were not in the water.

[Captain Canuck]

swear to it..and I posted a picture

[Caliterp07]

jc4me,

 

There isn't chairs to the right side. Just pure white sand and plenty of semi private beach to enjoy. We brought our towels and hung out on those when we were not in the water.

 

Actually, last week there were chairs on either side of the pier. They don't extend very far in either direction though, and you can probably still find seclusion if you walk a little further.

[jc4me]

Thanks! Hopefully there will be chairs on the right when we are there...sounds like sometimes there are and sometimes there aren't. I don't recall any on the right the last time we were there.

[snowcat]

There were some chairs on the right when we were there, but not anywhere close to the number of chairs on the left side. Seemed like they were sitting higher up on the shore too if I remember correctly.

[GinDon]

Plenty of chairs on BOTH sides last week. The pool area is lovely. The pool is huge, and kind of wraps around, with tons of loungers. If you want to get away from the rowdy "pool games" area, you can go more to the far end, where there is less action. We loved this stop. You have your choice of beach or pool, shopping, all within spitting distance of the ship!

[miss]

Thanks so much - I have been enjoying the responses and planning my day there in my mind. I think that it will be a water day and "watch out for the sun" day. Thanks again.

[DanJ]

I too remember seeing chairs to the south of the pier as well. Just not as many as the north (Margaritaville) side. You can also walk along the beach under the pier to get to the south side, but to get to the beach from the ship, you have to walk through Dufry's duty free shop. Then you can go to the left or right outside there for beach access.

 

Somebody else mentioned walking along the beach to the left (north) of the pier and coming across a small bar. This is Jack's Shack, which is mentioned in various posts on here.

[Rocketdyne Retiree]

Hi - due to my husband's inability to walk far, we'll be renting a golf cart in GT to tour the island. My question is - the beach "to the right" - is there a road down that way that we would be able to drive the golf cart down to? Thanks

[Naomi John]

Is there cost for the chairs? Do they have waiters to serve? Do you have to go through any of the Chain Resturants?

 

I have never been and only seen pictures.

[MinnesotaCruiser423]

Hi - due to my husband's inability to walk far, we'll be renting a golf cart in GT to tour the island. My question is - the beach "to the right" - is there a road down that way that we would be able to drive the golf cart down to? Thanks

 

This information is 2 years old so may have changed but as far as I remember there is not a road to the right, if there was, it did not go far.

 

When people are discussing the left and right of the pier I think the confusion is that there are chairs on BOTH sides. However, 95% of the chairs are on the left side and there is maybe 5% on the right. The semi-private area I referred to earlier is outside of the normal tourist area. You need to pass through a little white fence door and then there no chairs, roads, servers, bars, or anything except sand and water all the way to the tip of the island.

 

In this picture if you look close there is a smaller dock to the right of the pier. That is where the white fence is and not many people go that way. But it is a great place to relax without allot of people around.

[hlb76]

This will be our second time in GT. Think we where there last 2 years ago. We found a spot right in front of Marageritaville with no issues. Back then it was not all the open either. No flow rider either.

 

This time we may choose to be a little more relaxed and away from the hussle and bussle so head off the ship towrds the Grand Turks side of the beach correct. This left and right is confusing me.

[m steve]

This is valuable information and we obviously need specifics here. :rolleyes:

[CruisenLexie]

Is there cost for the chairs? Do they have waiters to serve? Do you have to go through any of the Chain Resturants?

 

I have never been and only seen pictures.

 

That was my question too. I remember one of the islands we went to there was a cost. Hopefully someone will respond.

[jc4me]

No charge for the chairs at the cruise terminal. There are quite a few chairs, but probably not enough for everyone on the ship, so get off early and make your claim!

[SusieKay]

We were in Grand Turk last week off the Eurodam. We were the only ship-there were plenty of chairs, in the shade, in the sun, at the pool, in the restaurant. No crowding whatever. All the beach and pool chairs were free, and yes, there were drink servers walking around the beach. A margarita was $8, a platter of super nachos which we shared for lunch in the restaurant was about $14.

This was our favorite stop, and the ship docks so close you could almost swim to it from the beach-it's a short walk from ship to shore on the pier-no tendering. May feel differently if you have to share it with another ship, though. Our day was perfect.