Home from Pride. Any questions?

[stargate fan]

IF you haven't already been to the port of calls board you may be interested in the Grand Turk info. Some have said that most folks turn left at the end of the pier but if you go to the right instead you will find a less crowded beach. I don't think there is much other than that, unless you want to go conch shell hunting. All the main attractions are from the visitors center and to the left. I'm going to take that beach less traveled in a few weeks.

 

To the right of the pier it was all boulders and murky, seaweedy water. Didn't see any kind of beach there.

 

When disembarking, the first structure to the left of the pier was Margaritaville. There was a beach and a pool, as well as a big restaurant. For the life of me I don't understand why people went there. It was noisy, it was expensive, it's a chain restaurant, and if people wanted to sit by the pool, why did they even bother to get off the ship.

 

A little way past M-ville on the left was Local Village Bar. There was music playing and a beautiful beach. We were not pressured to buy any food or drink. The loungers and umbrellas were free. We were about 100 yards from the same ocean and the same sand as at M-ville. There were only about 30 other people around us.

 

Governor's Beach is on GC. It's supposed to be very nice. We were planning on going there originally, but loved the look of the LVB beach and decided to stay put.

[Mad Capn Bob]

I'm not sure what it says (except that I've been on the Pride) about me that I actually know what you mean about nipple-less elevators. Try explaining it to a lubber sometime...:D

 

Have the nipples been replaced in the elevators?

[JaniceB]

Thank you Stargate fan! Didn't mean to cause a stir, just wanted another opinion since it sounded like you toured the island and checked out the beach. I will remember to bring my floating mat, sounds like my kind of day.

 

Loved the Pride, can't wait to read the rest of your review.

[pabeachie]

we're leaving on the pride in 18 days. what did they have to eat at local village bar? we were planning on going to jack's shack, but you have to pay for the chairs and umbrellas. but jack's has the best jerk chicken. thanks for the review.

[stargate fan]

Thank you Stargate fan! Didn't mean to cause a stir, just wanted another opinion since it sounded like you toured the island and checked out the beach. I will remember to bring my floating mat, sounds like my kind of day.

 

Loved the Pride, can't wait to read the rest of your review.

 

Nah, you didn't cause any kind of stir. Curious minds want to know!

[dwaterhouse]

I'm not sure what it says (except that I've been on the Pride) about me that I actually know what you mean about nipple-less elevators. Try explaining it to a lubber sometime...:D

 

I have no idea what you are talking about... Nipple-less elevators? Please enlighten me

[FrogFritter]

we're leaving on the pride in 18 days. what did they have to eat at local village bar? we were planning on going to jack's shack, but you have to pay for the chairs and umbrellas. but jack's has the best jerk chicken. thanks for the review.

 

Sorry about responding in your thread but I just came back from GT also. We had lunch at Local Village Bar and my BF had jerk chicken (spicy & amazing) and I had the lobster salad (the freshest I've ever tried). I think 2 beers, 2 sodas & lunch were $30. We sat at the bar to eat & enjoyed talking to the bartender. The menu also had conch fritters, fish & chips, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, shrimp, club sandwich and salads. Check it out!!

 

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[ShakyBeef]

I have no idea what you are talking about... Nipple-less elevators? Please enlighten me

 

(Almost) all of the nipples on all the nudes that decorate the interiors of the elevators have been scratched off, leaving white patches on the chests of men and women alike. It's been that way for several years, at least since 2009.

[ec-cruzr]

We had a wonderful cruise on Pride! Loved the ship. We had a good room steward and amazing dining room staff.

 

First two sea days' weather were not great, but we made our own fun. (Won our ninth Ship on a Stick. :D)

Port weather days were fantastic.

Last sea day was a bit cool because we were headed north back to Baltimore.

 

Grand Turk was a nothing port-lots of poverty, broken down cars, and half-built homes everywhere. The beach was amazing, though. Water was clear; could see straight down. We stayed at Local Village Bar's beachfront. No charge for beach chairs or umbrellas. We didn't get nagged to buy any food or drink. There were not many people there so it was a calm, relaxed day at the beach.

 

LOVED HMC. The sand was fine like baby powder. Most people took spots at the sand closest to the tender dock. We walked a little way down and claimed our spots. There were hardly any people there, but the beach and water by the tender dock was full of people.

 

Freeport was a stay-on-the-ship port. We took a taxi to Port Lucaya Marketplace. Meh. Spent an hour there then taxied back to the ship. Lots of other must have felt as we did-ship was packed.

 

We had a couple of minor maintenance issues in our cabin. Staff bent over backwards to fix things.

 

We are not smokers and found the ship very clear of smoke. There were only two clubs that allowed smoking. Serenity Deck was totally non-smoking.

 

I'm not a big review writer, but I'm happy to answer any questions.

 

I have to agree with everything said. We have sailed the Pride twice now and love the convenience of Baltimore (only 15 minutes from home). As you noted, the first two sea days and the last sea day can be iffy as the waters off the coast of the mid-Atlantic seem to be temperamental.

 

You have to remember that Grand Turk was also decimated by a hurricane several years ago and the port welcome center along with Margaritaville is a product of the cruise lines.

 

I'm with you on Half Moon Cay. As the sign says, "I wish I could stay here forever". It is such a peaceful and relaxing day there.

 

And as you noted, Freeport is a day worth just staying on ship. I slept in that day, got up for a casual breakfast, and then spent the day lounging on the Serenity deck.

 

I love the Pride and look forward to sailing her again. She should go out in 2014 for retrofit to 2.0 that should make her even better.

 

Dave L.

[cwnhokie]

Hi there, we were on the same cruise and roll call. We must have seen you in Grand Turk since there was only a handfull of people at the Local Village Bar. So relaxing, the weather was beautiful and they had free wifi :) Although, that is how I got on Facebook and found out my dad passed away.:( We still managed to have a wonderful relaxing time and had a few drinks in his memory.

[Nathanyell]

Sam, a 19-year old English "kid", was the piano player. He was new to the ship and had a very limited repertoire of songs. But he was very willing to learn new songs as requested. We walked by the Piano Bar one afternoon and found him learning new music. We talked with him quite a while. He was a very nice young man.

 

You have to ask him to play Inflatable You. Hysterical!!!

 

We lost a whole dollar in a slot machine :eek: and never went back to the casino. Obviously we are not big gamblers. Can't help with that, sorry.

 

 

Were there many people in the Piano Bar? We loved it with Roger the last cruise, but it did get quite packed later in the evening.

[Coopie]

We sail the Pride again in 3 weeks. Just curious if you recall what was in the white bowl in the bathroom. Past few years hasn't been much,,,,just waiting for when they totally do away with it.

[lilkrz]

Can anyone tell me on the Pride in the casino do the machines take cash to play them? If you use your sign and sail card to play the machines is there a service fee on the money?

[Coopie]

You use cash ( I also believe there is a way to use your sail/sign to get $$$ that will go on your actual sail/sign ship account/bill).

 

You do though use your s/sign while using cash. When you are at a regular casino and you cash out you get a ticket with balance. On the ship you create a password for your sail and sign (has nothing at all to do with your ship account) and you download your cashout on to your card. Then you go to another machine enter your s/sign and enter your password and retrieve any dollars remaining from the cash you actually put in the last machine that you cashed out of. Basically instead of tickets,,,,you just load/download $ off the card. ONCE AGAIN THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SAIL/SIGN SHIP ACCOUNT. Just eliminates tickets/change, etc.

 

Hope I did not confuse you

[stargate fan]

We sail the Pride again in 3 weeks. Just curious if you recall what was in the white bowl in the bathroom. Past few years hasn't been much,,,,just waiting for when they totally do away with it.

 

We had two tubes of toothpaste and four packets of Just for Blonds shampoo/conditioner. We found that funny because DH has black hair and I am brunette. :confused:

[KI Cruiser]

Grand Turk has some cute shops when you first get off of the ship. There's a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville that has a big pool that has some fun contests and a DJ and the VERY best Pina Coladas I have ever had. :cool: No charge to hang at the pool of you get tired of the beach. No need to go anywhere but there...plenty of lawn chairs free too.