Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands
Grand Turk is one of the islands in the Turks & Caicos archipelago of the Atlantic, located about 30 miles south of the Bahamas. In 2006, Carnival Corporation opened the $60 million, 13-acre Grand Turk Cruise Center on the seven-mile-long island.
From their docked cruise ships, guests walk on the pier about 100 yards to the Cruise Center, which features retail shops, bars, and restaurants. There’s also a large swimming pool and FlowRider surfing simulator.
Many cruise guests browse in the shops, but the main attractions are the two sandy beaches on either side of the pier that offer popular water activities including kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming. The area is quiet, so many visitors enjoy an island tour to see the town, lighthouse, salt ponds, and replica of John Glenn’s 1962 space capsule, Friendship 7, which landed in the Atlantic not far from Grand Turk.