Easy- FREE access to beaches on Half Moon Cay/Freeport/Grand Turk

[afbq]

Hi! We just booked our cruise last night on the Carnival Pride going to Grand Turk/ Half Moon Cay and Freeport. I am browsing the excursions and see lots of great options. However, I am looking to just spend some time on the beaches while docked. We usually do public beaches when we travel so I'm looking for something like that on our trip. How easy is it to do this on this trip? Any tips would be great! Thanks!!

[Dianejo]

Access to the free beaches on Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay are as simple as getting off the ship and either walking or tendering to the island. Freeport is another story... you'll need to take a cab.

[beachbum53]

Hi! We just booked our cruise last night on the Carnival Pride going to Grand Turk/ Half Moon Cay and Freeport. I am browsing the excursions and see lots of great options. However, I am looking to just spend some time on the beaches while docked. We usually do public beaches when we travel so I'm looking for something like that on our trip. How easy is it to do this on this trip? Any tips would be great! Thanks!!

 

No need to spend money for excursions on Half Moon Cay or Grand Turk if all you want is beach time. I would suggest, however, that you be among the first to debark, especially if you want a shaded area to lounge in. While there is shade available (both on HMC and Grand Turk), it is very limited. HMC has one of the nicest beaches you'll ever visit. Some even call it paradise. At Grand Turk, once you go out in the water, you'll notice that the area below the water is a little rocky in areas. Wearing water shoes will help protect your feet. Can't comment on Freeport. We've never been there.

[cruzeluver]

While accessing the beach at Grand Turk is easy and it is free, for those reasons it can be rather crowded. Also, its mediocre at best. But if you are not particular or do not have better beaches to compare it to it gets the job done.;)

 

Highly recommend water activities in Grand Turk. Its known around the world for diving and snorkeling.

[PCHENG]

For Grand Turk, you get both the beach and swimming pool right next to the pier. Plenty of free loungers available. The beach is quite rocky so be careful when you walk in shallow water. Cabanas are available for rent, but they are positioned near the swimming pool instead of the beach. You can either eat at Margaritaville or head back to the ship.

 

For Half Moon Cay, you get great white sand beach along with free loungers. Cabanas are available for rent, as are two story bungalows if you want to splurge. Barbecue is provided free of charge. Tendering is required, so it is more time consuming.

 

For Freeport, you will need to take a cab, and most people go to the beaches at Port Lucaya.

[RHilla619]

That is a great itinerary! Grand Turk and HMC literally drop you off at free public beaches, with free lounge chairs so that fits the bill. Freeport is an industrial port so you'll have to take a cab to a different part of the island to find a beach. 2 weeks ago while in Freeport I went to Junkanoo Beach Club at Taino Beach, definitely recommend it. It was a little crowded, but the beach itself was beautiful. It was $14 per person round trip in the cab, you get a voucher for your shuttle back that leaves from the beach club hourly, and $3 to get into the beach club which gets you wifi access and access to bathrooms/showers. Its a 20 minute ride each way, so you get to see a little bit of the island while in transit as well.

[afbq]

Thanks everyone!! This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm so excited! I'm a stay at home mom turned work at home w/ a day care and this will be the first time in 8 years that I'll get a meaningful break from cleaning, cooking and most importantly-- RELAXING. :) I'm super excited about a beach where I don't do anything.

[OCruisers]

You'll need a taxi or taxi/shuttle in Freeport. Can't remember how much the shuttle was but it wasn't expensive.

 

No taxis needed at HMC or Grand Turk! :)

[ckhappy]

Our favorite port so far is HMC. We rented a cabana and shared with another couple. It is a must in my opinion. It provides ac, snacks and drinks, lounge mats for the ocean, snorkel gear, lounge chairs for the beach, and a shower rinse station. We loved the beach and ocean. I know you all will too. And the lunch provided by the cruise is good. As for Turk, we'll when you get off its a cruise port with all the stores (Ron Johns, etc), but within walking distance is the beaches and the free. A bar there always has a dog running on the beach. I think it's Jacks. It will see it mentioned on other forums. Enjoy

[ForSharonB]

That is a great itinerary! Grand Turk and HMC literally drop you off at free public beaches, with free lounge chairs so that fits the bill. Freeport is an industrial port so you'll have to take a cab to a different part of the island to find a beach. 2 weeks ago while in Freeport I went to Junkanoo Beach Club at Taino Beach, definitely recommend it. It was a little crowded, but the beach itself was beautiful. It was $14 per person round trip in the cab, you get a voucher for your shuttle back that leaves from the beach club hourly, and $3 to get into the beach club which gets you wifi access and access to bathrooms/showers. Its a 20 minute ride each way, so you get to see a little bit of the island while in transit as well.

 

In October, we were in Freeport on the Pride and were going to take a cab to the beach. As we were in line to get off, Carnival excursion reps was signing folks up for Taino Beach trip for just $17.00. It was great. It included coach bus transportation, lounge chair, umbrella (water fun, trampoline, etc). I was surprised at how reasonable it was - and loved that it included the piece of mind that it was a Carnival excursion. Has anyone else seen it this low? Did we luck up on a "sale"?

[Jenhem31]

In Grand Turk it's worth it to walk down to Jack's Shack. Loungers are free and an umbrella is $10. It's less crowded than right in front of Margaritaville. It's about a 10 minute walk down the beach.

[kona_wahine]

Hmc is wonderful. You get a BBQ lunch while on island so don't have to pay for food. Drinks are charged to your s&s card, just like on the ship. Lots of lounge chairs, and if you go farther down the beach it's less crowded.

 

Grand Turk is beautiful. lounge chairs set up on the beach, just as you get off. Margaritaville is super expensive. The ship is right there if you are hungry. To buy drinks you should take cash with you. A beer and a perfect margarita cost us over $18, and service was surly. And apparently the extra from my $20 was a tip cause I never got change.

[LostPuppy]

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Edited January 12, 2016 by LostPuppy

[SurferJoe57]

Can't comment on Freeport.

Taino Beach - as has been mentioned. The tour with lunch & drinks isn't bad, and I recommend it (Usually shows up as Taino Beach Club).

Thing about Freeport, which I consider a 'throw away' port, is that it's a shipyard and really it's for the cruise line's convenience to stop there - not much of a tourist port at all.