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Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
The shortest walk from ship to beach we have found published anywhere: 390 feet.
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| Getting ashore | Ships dock at the pier |
|---|---|
| Ship to cruise centre | "A brief 390-foot walk from the docked ships to the cruise center" |
| Currency | The US dollar is the official currency |
| Language | English is the primary language |
| Public transport | There is none on the island |
What is free
Beach access and a chaise lounge. The cruise centre beach fronts the complex, and complimentary loungers are offered to cruise guests. There are no lifeguards there, which the tourism board states plainly.
What is at the cruise centre
One of the Caribbean's largest pools, a FlowRider surf simulator, and a 45,000 square foot shopping area with duty-free, jewellery, apparel and local crafts. Dining includes the Beached Whale Bar & Grill, a Margaritaville with a swim-up bar, a Starbucks (the only one in Turks and Caicos) and an ice cream shop. Jack's Shack is also within reach of the centre. There is a pharmacy, and a First Caribbean Bank ATM beside the Harley Davidson store.
What costs extra
Private poolside cabanas by the day, clamshell shades, floats, snorkelling equipment and beachside massages. None of those prices are published on the port's site.
Taxis and getting around
Taxis and rental cars are available at the cruise centre, and driving is on the left with your home licence accepted. The government sets fixed fares for journeys leaving the cruise centre, and the Grand Turk Taxi Association publishes a schedule for its members, but the actual figures are not published online. Agree the fare before you set off, and ask whether it is per person or for the whole group. Taxis are usually vans carrying up to seven.
Cockburn Town, the island's main settlement, is described by the tourism board as neither recommended nor possible to walk to from the cruise centre. Governor's Beach is less than a mile north.
Where these facts come from
- Grand Turk Cruise Center, port information
- Grand Turk Cruise Center, FAQs
- Grand Turk Cruise Center, location information
- Visit Turks & Caicos, Grand Turk Cruise Center
- Visit Turks & Caicos, cruise center beach
- Visit Turks & Caicos, taxis on Grand Turk
Ports change their rules and their prices. Check the official pages above before you sail.
Independent tours usually cost less than the ship's, and are often run by the very same local operator. Look for a listing tagged Worry-Free Shore Excursion — Viator backs those with what it calls a "Back to Ship Guarantee," which is the bit that takes the worry out of booking on your own.
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- Full refund on most experiences cancelled at least 24 hours ahead
- Back to Ship Guarantee on Worry-Free listings
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Search Grand Turk tours on ViatorStairs, gangways, tenders, long piers, a cane on bad days. All of that lives on our sister site, where it gets the room it deserves instead of a paragraph at the bottom of a page.
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