keechee1 saw things this way:
Overall
1
Nathan's Golf Cart Rentals - Avoid, June 2, 2015
Reviewer: keechee1
Pros: Sadly - nothing positive
Cons: Avoid! Rented a poorly maintained and old 4-person golf cart - caught on fire!
Avoid Nathan's Golf Cart Rentals at all costs. We rented a golf cart from him on May 11, 2015. We paid $100 for a very old and poorly maintained 4-person cart. While it ran okay, the front seat caught on fire because the supports were in such poor shape. What ended up happening is the seat sank downwards and made contact with the exhaust system! I have been trying to get some of my money back from him. He does not reply to emails, or texts, so I end up having to make an international call to him. This costs me even more money. Again, avoid Nathans Golf Cart Rentals at all costs. Find someone else.
Jackieblog saw things this way:
Overall
4
Grand Turk is one of my favorite stops - clean, entertaining, easy to access., March 16, 2013
Reviewer: Jackieblog
Pros: In Grand Turk, it is easy to walk from the ship to the shore.
Cons: Never enough beach chairs.
In an average year, Grand Turk has about 350 days of sunshine. No wonder this cruise stop is one of my favorites. When the Carnival Breeze docked at Grand Turk at 7 a.m., we were ready. Bunches of fun things to do before the ship departs at 2 p.m. Grand Turk is our shortest stay in this cruise, Cruise Director Butch Begovich says. Its a great place for water and snorkeling adventures. The shore excursions offered for our stay in Grand Turk covered three pages of the Breeze brochure. Scuba and snorkeling were among the most favored in this divers paradise. Tours cater to both novice snorkelers and experienced divers. Grand Turk is home to an incredible reef system with turtles, stingrays, grouper, snapper, trumpet fish, colorful sponges, coral and more. Another great thing about Grand Turk is that the Cruise Center makes it so easy to access the beach, activities and shopping area. A 3,000-foot pier lets passengers walk from cruise ships into the center and onto the white sand beach and clear blue waters. Many passengers from the Breeze seem to be enjoying the free beach and recreational area. Many others are headed to Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville to waste away for a bit. For Alex Carson, Grand Turk is a chance to swim in the ocean and watch his children make sand castles. It seems so strange to see the big Carnival Breeze docked right there, he says, nodding to the beautiful new ship. Its a good place to take photos of the ship with all the people playing in the water in front of it. The Capital island of the Turks and Caicos, Grand Turk is located 575 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. The island is about 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide with a population of about 3,500. It is said that Christopher Columbus first made landfall here on his initial voyage to the New World in 1492. In 1962, long before cruise lines were interested in this little island, astronaut John Glenn the first American to orbit the earth splashed down just a mile or two off the coast of Grand Turk and spent his first couple of days here after the historic space flight. A memorial on the island recalls that momentous occasion. Some reports quote John Glenn as saying, it must be paradise when he spotted the island from outer space. Cruise ship passengers often agree. I hate to leave, Karen Saunders says, checking out the shops before heading back to the ship. It is so peaceful here. For those who dont keep a close eye on their watches, cruise director Butch Begovich has bit of advice. Be sure to take your camera with you when you go ashore, he says. That way you can get a beautiful picture of the Carnival Breeze as the cruise ship leaves without you.
Leesaover saw things this way:
Overall
4
We had a BLAST at Margaritaville!, May 3, 2012
Reviewer: Leesaover
Pros: Margaritaville
Cons: None
The only thing we saw to do was shop or go to Margaritaville so we did both and we had so SO MUCH FUN at Margaritaville. The staff was great and very entertaining.
kjc2011 saw things this way:
Overall
5
Absolute PARADISE!, January 19, 2012
Reviewer: kjc2011
Pros: Beautiful, unspoiled beaches - GORGEOUS!
Cons: That I don't live there NOW!
MY FAVORITE port was Grand Turk. I had heard about renting a golf cart from Nathan Smith to drive around the island ($80). I had sent him an email a week and a half before the cruise and we played phone tag several times. In the end, by the time we finally connected, all of the golf carts had been rented. He does also have Jeeps available (also $80), but by the time we made up our minds to get a Jeep, they, too, were gone. (Note: If you do decide to rent from Nathan, you must walk a ways away from the cruise ship docks and through the gate that exits it - Nathan is just outside on the right). We decided to rent a car through Grace Bay Car Rental which is right there in the port. The total cost, with unlimited gas ($10) came to $70. We first drove to Pilleroy Beach which I MUST recommend seeing!!! The sand is like talcum powder - so fine and soft!! And the beach itself is like paradise! We parked at the Bohio Resort (no charge) and set up our towels in front. (They also have a great little beach bar reminiscent of the one in Tom Cruise's movie, Cocktail). I was really happy we went to this beach, especially because the beach in port looked like ants at a picnic - just obnoxiously overcrowded. We spent a couple hours on Pilleroy Beach - then headed to the Grand Turk Lighthouse. It's really pretty and grassy up there, and it's kind of neat to stand on the cliffs (and I mean CLIFFS) overlooking the ocean. We then continued on to a beach (that I read about on here somewhere) that is south of the lighthouse and was a former resort - now deserted after the hurricane of 2007. The poster had said this was the place to find conch shells - and OH MY GOSH was it!! They were EVERYWHERE!!! This was actually my very favorite part of our entire vacation. We were the ONLY ones on the beach (just my husband, the two kids and I - friend's family had headed back to the port). I felt like we were in a movie - the beach was so pristine and beautiful, with all the palms and shells - it was like a dream. I seriously did NOT want to leave. Eventually, though we headed back to the port for a quick stop at Margaritaville. My son and I jumped into the pool for a bit to get off the salt and sand. We then, reluctantly, said good-bye to heaven on earth...Grand Turk.
howard101 saw things this way:
Overall
3
Nice beach, not much else, May 24, 2011
Reviewer: howard101
Pros: Beach
Cons: Nothing really else
Easy and relaxing port. Get off the ship, turn left, and you are at the beach. Not much else there, looks like this port was developed for cruises. Also feels a little artificial.
angiebunch saw things this way:
Overall
5
Very nice port, January 26, 2011
Reviewer: angiebunch
Pros: Beautiful beach
Cons: We did not know about the beach and pool at the end of the pier
We did not know about a beautiful beach and pool at the end of the pier where the chairs were free. Very nice store to walk around in.
anniemarco saw things this way:
Overall
4
Amazing day, September 12, 2010
Reviewer: anniemarco
Pros: Ship docks at pier
Cons: Nothing
Grand Turk was the last stop on our itinerary. Our ship docked at the pier which is great, no need to transfer. When you enter Grand Turk, you walk through a big store where you can buy souvenirs, liquor, perfumes, etc...once outside you are in a plaza like setting with boutiques all around you where there is again great shopping. You can also find Margaritaville where there are beautiful pools, a lot of drinking, singing and dancing. There is a beautiful beach and a lot of beach chairs so you can just lay back and catch some rays, read a book or just have a drink. It was a beautiful sunny day for the most part. We got a bit of rain when we were leaving but we had an amazing time. On our way back to the ship, we stopped on the dock and watched the sunset. A beautiful end to an amazing day.
ronpat62 saw things this way:
Overall
5
We loved Grand Turk and especially Margaritaville, September 3, 2010
Reviewer: ronpat62
Pros: The atmosphere
Cons: A bit commercial, not quiet
My wife and I were at Grand Turk in August 2010. The cruise ship docked at the port so we did not have to take a shuttle which is great. We were lucky since the weather was great the day we were there. Right beside the port are several small shops selling souvenirs. There is a great beach with lovely sand near the dock as well. We passed a short time at the beach before going over to Margaritaville which is a bar right next to the beach. We loved that spot as it has a very large pool and lots of great atomosphere. There is a section of the pool for kids and one for adults. The adult one has a bar right on the edge of the pool which is cool. Overall, we loved it and wished we could have stayed longer.
wcdapro saw things this way:
Overall
2
It may be really something someday, but not yet...., August 23, 2010
Reviewer: wcdapro
Pros: The new pier is state of the art
Cons: What is attached to the end of the new pier...
The best thing in Grand Turk is knowing you can take advantage of the port spa specials. Unless you really want to drop a lot of cash in a spot that would be more at home in Key West, there isn't a lot to recommend Grand Turk. Shore excursions are limited not only in scope but in interest levels. The only good excursion we saw on the list was bluewater fishing, and it was really pricey. The new pier is on the very southern tip of Grand Turk, and you have to get a cab to go into town. As a tourist attraction it is undeveloped. There is not a lot to do or see in town, and while folks there appear glad to see you, it is not high on our list of Caribbean hot spots. The pierfront activities consist mainly of a wave pool (been there, done that), a noisy bar and pricey shopping stop (all Margaritaville logo stuff $$$) and a beach with large rocks and coral right offshore. We are probably a bit long in the tooth to be bar party types, so next time around we will probably just remain on board, or possibly try the catamaran sail/snorkeling cruise. Our hope is that it will develop into something more than it is, so we can list it on the "must experience" list. It isn't close yet.
captjeff saw things this way:
Overall
5
Great beach, stress-free port call, August 17, 2010
Reviewer: captjeff
Pros: Great beach right near ship
Cons: HOT, Hot, Hot!
We were there in August 2009 and it was HOT! This was our second time at Grand Turk (previous was on Azamara Journey) and it is one of our favorites. We were told that the cruise lines collectively built the pier and the pierside area for their passengers. They did a good job because it is very nice. The shops are typically pricey but you are not forced to buy. The beach is delightful with plenty of beach chairs available at no cost. Right next to the beach is Margaritaville (http://www.margaritavillecaribbean.com/grandturk.html), a great place to sit, swim in the huge free form pool, have a drink, etc.
condor saw things this way:
Overall
2
If ya blink, ya miss it., May 27, 2010
Reviewer: condor
Pros: Very small beach for swimming directly next to ship
Cons: Not much there
We pulled into Grand Turk which has what must be a brand new pier that connects directly to land. In May, it was very hot and humid and the only things there are about a dozen places to shop all built together and which appears no older than six months. When we got there, some of the shops were not even open yet and we docked around 10 a.m. There are NO bargains in any of the shops. T-shirts were $25 for anything decent, alcohol was about a dollar or two cheaper than on board ship, cologne was very expensive and jewelry was also priced fairly high. The beach was directly next to the ship so that as you go out into the water and look up, you're looking at the side of your ship. To me this was a glorified "private island" type of deal and not worth returning to.
