Friday, August 9, 2013

Grand Turk Cruise Center Guide For Turks And Caicos Visitors

By Andrea Davidson


Cruise ships visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands can be found berthed at GTCC aka the Grand Turk Cruise Center. The capital of the archipelago is Grand Turk, perfectly located a bare 30 miles further ahead of the Bahamas, and just a few hundred miles off Florida's coast. Many of the ships that disgorge hundreds of passengers at GTCC are out on Caribbean cruises after picking up passengers at Miami and other U. S. East coast seaports.

The first thing passengers disembarking from a ship will see is the 3,000-foot long pier, with the welcome center and recreational facilities further ahead. Thankfully, only a short walk of less than 400 feet is required to reach the facility after getting off the ship. No need to worry about the weather, because it's sunny and pleasantly warm 350 days in a year.

At most ports of call for cruise ships, including those in the Caribbean, tourists have to exit the terminal and seek out the usual attractions. It has to be a quick visit to cover everything from duty-free shops to beaches, bars, restaurants and historical sites before it's time for the ship to move on to the next island. GTCC, however, is a wee bit different because it combines the port with resort-style facilities all in the same place.

For the most part, visitors don't have to exit GTCC at all. Everything from the beach to the air-conditioned poolside cabanas, duty-free shops and huge restaurants are right there, within the center. There's even a water park called FlowRider where people can ride surfboards on artificial waves. The best part is that most everything in GTCC is free for passengers on shore excursions arranged by the cruise company.

The center also houses the world's biggest Margaritaville. The restaurant and bar dispense food and drinks along with a healthy dose of holiday good cheer. There's even a retail store at the restaurant that peddles Jimmy Buffett memorabilia.

The best place on the island for maxing out credit cards is the GTCC shopping complex. It has 10,000 square feet of retail space set aside just for duty-free goods. There are many other shops for apparel, jewelry and other high-end designer branded items. It also has restaurants, along with gift and souvenir shops peddling local trinkets, handicrafts and art works.

Apart from FlowRider and the duty-free shops, the most popular attraction for visitors is Governor's Beach with its sugar white sand. Air-conditioned shuttles take people from GTCC to the beach and back. A lot of people simply snooze on a free beach chair and soak in the sun. Some may find it exhilarating to rent snorkeling gear and explore the magical world and coral reefs beneath the turquoise water's sparkling surface.

GTCC has its own beach in the form of South Beach, a nice and quiet place between the pier and welcome center. Passengers willing to tear themselves away from the Grand Turk Cruise Center can explore other parts of the island. Gibb's Cay is a major tourist attraction with its gentle stingrays and soft white sand. The historic colonial architecture in Cockburn Town is also worth a visit.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment