Just Back - Grand Turk Cruise Center - Governor's Beach

[Sandytoes]

This is our first time in Grand Turk

The water is asbolutely breath-taking.

I had planned to stay at the G.T. Cruise center since they have a beach there and free rental chairs, plus everything else.....

When we docked, I was on the port side which gave me a view of the center before exiting the ship....

I noticed the beach had a lot of seaweed and bumper to bumper loungers....:rolleyes:

My DH heard from other passengers about Governor's Beach and wanted to go there instead...

Boy were we glad we did that instead.....

 

We took a cab ride $6 p/p each way to this beautiful beach....Quite, peaceful, and clean....We had a great view not of a cruise ship if we stayed there at the G. T. Cruise Center...:eek:

We rented chairs for $5 and found shade under the trees....G.T. Cruise Center did not have trees....

The snorkeling there wasn't great at all....But the water was beautiful.

There are no locals trying to sell you things....You're not bothered like other islands.

The cabs are always coming and going so it extremely easy getting back to the center.

 

We decided to go and see the pool area. That is beautiful. Nice size....It was only 4 ft deep all the way around....We found a lounge chair, bought a Margarita in Jimmy Buffet's and took in a quick swim... Music and contests were going on....Like a "happening kind of place".....Not if you want relaxing tropical island feel....

Rating of Governor's Beach 1-5

I give it a 4. :) Being it didn't have much in the snorkeling field....

[zandk]

Sandytoes- Thank you so much for this review!

We will be going to GT in November and i was

wondering how it was and now I know!:)

I am glad you had a good time!

[kayeo]

Do you have any pictures of Governor's Beach?

[Sandytoes]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/csplasher/album?.dir=/a300re2

 

Here are some of my photos. I had problems uploading.

 

The Grand Turk Governor's Beach view was taken when we returned back to ship.

The Photo - Arrived at Grand Turk Pier is the cruise center. EArly morning.

[MiamiU72]

mom and I were on Sandytoes cruise...we did the hop on hop off bus. A little expensive for what you got and they didn't stop at one of the stops on the map, so we had to walk back to where they left us off in town...very hot out and hard walk for my 82 yr old 2 fake knees mom. The water was amazing, but we were there on a holiday so everything was closed. I was a bit turned off by the merchandise at the booths at the cruise center. I was hoping for lots of handmade crafts, but most seemed like they got them in China... and no one had postcards of Grand Turk! I would have like to have gone swimming, but hard to do with mom. We did enjoy the lighthouse and I got some good photos in town (I promise I will post this week!)

Kathy

[cruisy-suzy]

Sandytoes,

Thanks for posting all the information and pictures! We are going next week and have booked an early AM horse & carriage ride, then will go to Governors Beach.

 

Suzy

[kcparrotheads]

I noticed that the shipwreck museum in town has post cards if anyone's interested.

[arlenez]

We took a cab ride $6 p/p each way to this beautiful beach......

 

Hi:

 

How long did it take to get from the ship to Governor's Beach by cab? We arrive on Grand Turk in November and are trying to figure out what to do. Thanks.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[Sandytoes]

I am really not sure - less than 10 minutes. Not far at all.

[honeymooners11]

HI,

Just back Sunday past from Grand Turk....We took a cab to Governor's beach for $4 per person one way and then as we were leaving we say a little train trolley thing that took us back to the beach for $2 per person....it was an enjoyable ride. I would say that it would take 10-15 minutes to walk to governor's beach, that was our original plan but it was extrememly hot when we were there, so the cab ride is much less. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 

KT

[arlenez]

Thanks for all the information. I just love this board and all the people on it are just a wealth of information.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[Spender Nui]

To all those who have been there, would you opt to stay at the port complex, go to Governor's Beach or something else?

[honeymooners11]

For us perseonally...we would definitly opt to go to Governor's Beach. There may have been 20 people on the whole beach and it was beautiful!!! The beach at the port (margaritaville) has lots of rocks, seaweed and people, at least when we were there. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Governor's Beach...if you check the train trolley thing by the cabs, it's only $2 per person. Hope this helps.

 

KT

[Spender Nui]

Thanks for your response, the information is appreciated.

[arlenez]

For us perseonally...we would definitly opt to go to Governor's Beach. There may have been 20 people on the whole beach and it was beautiful!!! The beach at the port (margaritaville) has lots of rocks, seaweed and people, at least when we were there. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Governor's Beach...if you check the train trolley thing by the cabs, it's only $2 per person. Hope this helps.

 

KT

 

Thanks for the tip about the trolley. We plan to go to Governor's Beach in October and will look for the trolley. Do you know what the schedule is for the return trip to the ship?

 

Thanks & regards,

[cruisy-suzy]

Train trolley to/from Governors Beach: it goes every 20 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes depending on how quickly people load up. Driver on the day we were there is named Kevin.

 

We were there 8/30 and did a 7:45 am carriage ride, very nice and learned a lot about Grand Turk and its history. Done by 9:30 am, went to Governors Beach until shortly after noon - we saw a lot of fish while snorkeling. The chairs are free, and you have a great view of the ship in the distance!

 

We wanted to see Margaritaville and the pool too, so we went back there at about 12:30, and stayed until 1:30 when it was time to board the ship.

 

We did it ALL!

 

Suzy

[sbharr]

I was there on the same cruise as Sandytoes - just a few quick corrections on the cruise center beach -

 

There are lots of chairs and clamshells - they are a little packed in - they are free. But there are also palm trees. We got off our ship a couple of hours after everyone else and walked further down the beach away from the cruise ship - I got two chairs right under a palm tree - no problem. We were also close to the "back entrance" to Margaritaville so it was convenient to the pool, bar, etc. The ocean there was beautiful, no rocks, seaweed, etc. (but still a view of the cruise ship!)

[margeg]

I was there on the same cruise as Sandytoes - just a few quick corrections on the cruise center beach -

 

There are lots of chairs and clamshells - they are a little packed in - they are free. But there are also palm trees. We got off our ship a couple of hours after everyone else and walked further down the beach away from the cruise ship - I got two chairs right under a palm tree - no problem. We were also close to the "back entrance" to Margaritaville so it was convenient to the pool, bar, etc. The ocean there was beautiful, no rocks, seaweed, etc. (but still a view of the cruise ship!)

Great info. Thank you. Was it an easy walk to the area you mentioned? Did you have to walk in the sand or was there a sidewalk??? About how far would you say it was.

[sbharr]

Great info. Thank you. Was it an easy walk to the area you mentioned? Did you have to walk in the sand or was there a sidewalk??? About how far would you say it was.

 

When you get off the ship, you walk on the pier, and are forced to go through a store into a small area of shops. Outside are other stores/shops. To your left once you exit the mandatory store is Margaritaville and the beach. We walked on sand once we got past the stores. I suppose you could have walked through Margaritaville, out the back entrance to avoid walking on sand for part of it. I am horrible at judging distances, but the walk on the pier through the store to the beach was probably twice as long as the walk on the sand. Maybe a 5-10 minute walk total.

 

Hope this helps!:)

[margeg]

When you get off the ship, you walk on the pier, and are forced to go through a store into a small area of shops. Outside are other stores/shops. To your left once you exit the mandatory store is Margaritaville and the beach. We walked on sand once we got past the stores. I suppose you could have walked through Margaritaville, out the back entrance to avoid walking on sand for part of it. I am horrible at judging distances, but the walk on the pier through the store to the beach was probably twice as long as the walk on the sand. Maybe a 5-10 minute walk total.

 

Hope this helps!:)

 

 

Thank you very much for the info. We are going on 9/30 on the Crown Princess, and Grand Turks is our first stop.

[eva2488]

I just got back from the 9/3 cruise on the Crown Princess. Grank Turk was our first stop. I stayed on the beach by the terminal. The beach may have some rocks but I didn't find it to be a bother nor the seaweed. I was awed by the beautiful fish. There were more fish by the rocks and out further towards where the boat was docked than by the shore line. My fellow cruisers saw a sting ray very close to the shore. I didn't and was disappointed. There were colorful fish, some small and others were a good size.

 

The beach chairs were free and you can get a canopy from one of the attendants, I just tipped them, no charge. It does get crowded on both the beach and pool as the day wears on.

 

I traveled with my parents (81 & 75) and the pier was perfect for easy accesss should they want to go back early.

 

I wasn't impress with the shops as some weren't even opened. Had a taco guacamole salad at Margarittaville for $14. Free drink coupons are no longer accepted.

 

Have fun

Eva :o

[secordwest]

 

Anyone have any information on the cabanas on Grand Truk if they remt me and if so how much????:rolleyes:

[Sandytoes]

The beach chairs are furnished at no charge. For the folding umbrella/cabana, there is a

charge of $9.00 per cabana which would be charged to your cabin on the ship.

[Spender Nui]

The beach chairs are furnished at no charge. For the folding umbrella/cabana, there is a

charge of $9.00 per cabana which would be charged to your cabin on the ship.

 

Can you tell me if the cabanas referred to are similar to those on Princess Cay or HAL's Half Moon Cay?

[Bassethound]

They are right there on the beach and are easily used. They are very sinilar to those on Princess Cay. Personally, I would just take a chair and umbrella and you can go into Margaritaville for whatever you want. (Or even just back to the ship).