Carnival NOT going to Grand Turk!

[~Jo~]

Good morning fellow cruisers! I have read in the past couple of days that the port of Gt would be receiving cruisers starting April 1st and that made me happy because I like Grand Turk. We were supposed to stop there on April 4th but I received a Carnival letter this morning stating that we WILL NOT be going to GT. Instead, they switched the itinerary around and added "the beautiful port of Freeport" ( beautiful? I don't think so....). When I stop in Freeport I don't leave the ship usually. And we are getting longer time at HMC and Nassau. This is in no way going to stop me from having a good time, I am glad Carnival prefers to be safe than sorry. I am just disappointed. I appreciate the fact that they informed us of the change. I knew it was a possibility.....So, to those who think the GT port re-opens on April 1st for Carnival, I hate to say, it is not so.

Jo

[Ksea1961]

Our ports are GT, HMC and FP. I wonder what we will get if GT is cancelled. Hopefully GT will be fixed by 5/19.

[WendyVF]

We leave tomorrow on the Breeze and got Nassau.

[MarriedInStThomas1807]

I wish they would have done that to us!! All we got last week was another day at sea. But still.. I'd take that as opposed to being home.

[CruzerDeb]

Sailing to GT, HMC and Nassau in June. While I would love to see GT (and June is still a couple of months away), I wouldn't mind if they substituted Key West; not so sure I'd like to go to Freeport (although I've never been there).

 

Hope more advance notice is given if they switch port days around, as I have an independent excursion booked in Nassau.

[Cruizinman]

Freeport gets a bad rep every day every week. Someones not doing their homework ;), you have to leave the port area .

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I hope its open in May. No need to skip the port when its so simple to avoid getting sick there by not eating or drinking local. I can actually walk a few hundred feet to the ship if I need anything. That way folks get a port and the island gets the port fees that could go to fixing the problem.

[golfadj]

Freeport gets a bad rep every day every week. Someones not doing their homework ;), you have to leave the port area .

 

Well we did a tour on our first cruise and saw nothing to make us want to come back.

 

Unless something has changed we do our best to avoid coming back.

[Cyber Kat]

Sailing to GT, HMC and Nassau in June. While I would love to see GT (and June is still a couple of months away), I wouldn't mind if they substituted Key West; not so sure I'd like to go to Freeport (although I've never been there).

 

We're doing that itinerary in June (10) also. I'm hoping it's fixed by then. I certainly don't want 2 days in Nassau. Not wild about the idea of Freeport, but I'm researching it just in case. I would rather Key West, but my DH is going to be disappointed. He loved the pool at Margaritville. He doesn't like the ocean unless there are waves.

[nodogkisses]

Freeport gets a bad rep every day every week. Someones not doing their homework ;), you have to leave the port area .

 

It's so true. Freeport has gorgeous beaches, you just need to get out of the port area to find them. Love Freeport.

[MrPete]

It's so true. Freeport has gorgeous beaches, you just need to get out of the port area to find them. Love Freeport.

 

Love FREEPORT!

 

[CocoaMom]

I understand and agree with the cancellation, but Freeport? Yeah, I wouldn't be happy with that replacement.

[Cruizinman]

Well we did a tour on our first cruise and saw nothing to make us want to come back.

 

Unless something has changed we do our best to avoid coming back.

 

Yea, no don't do a tour it gets depressing that way. Check out Grand Layaca as well as several resorts that will let you use their facilities for a fair price.

:cool:

[CruiseAddict!]

As someone who has never been to Freeport,I am willing to give it a try! It is one of the ports I think they will likely pick from if Grand Turk is canceled on my cruise and I have already started doing research on the port. I love beaches so if Freeport has nice ones,I will be happy! I see many people complain about Nassau as well and I always enjoy my time there.

 

Gina

It's so true. Freeport has gorgeous beaches, you just need to get out of the port area to find them. Love Freeport.

[kristinp36]

As someone who has never been to Freeport,I am willing to give it a try! It is one of the ports I think they will likely pick from if Grand Turk is canceled on my cruise and I have already started doing research on the port. I love beaches so if Freeport has nice ones,I will be happy! I see many people complain about Nassau as well and I always enjoy my time there.

 

Gina

 

We have been to Freeport once and took a cab to the Grand Layaca area.....it was a GREAT day.

[CruiseAddict!]

I was just checking that place out. Looks great. Carnival even has an excursion that includes beach and shopping time but I would probably head there on my own.

We have been to Freeport once and took a cab to the Grand Layaca area.....it was a GREAT day.

[DolfanNY]

Would you rather go to GT and get sick?

[Cyber Kat]

As someone who has never been to Freeport,I am willing to give it a try! It is one of the ports I think they will likely pick from if Grand Turk is canceled on my cruise and I have already started doing research on the port. I love beaches so if Freeport has nice ones,I will be happy!

 

Me too! I'm open-minded. I'd like to hear from the people who have liked Freeport. What did you do and why did you like it?

[Bobblefrog]

We did Paradise Cove at Freeport and enjoyed the snorkeling at the reef you can swim to.

 

And I found the port itself fascinating - we were there on a weekday - all those little trucks running around lifting up the cargo containers and having them hoisted up and such. Great view from the ship to watch. But I guess I'm a bit of a nerd!

 

I think I was expecting a tropical paradise (never having even been in the Caribbean this was my very first port) not poor and arid (the drive to where we stayed for the day), but it was an adventure, nonetheless and so I wasn't personally disappointed.

 

We also did Nassau on that cruise - in Freeport we actually found some true handmade souvenirs (walking sticks) that we really regretted not buying because we couldn't find anything that didn't have a "label made in..." anywhere in Nassau (but we didn't do the straw market - just went to the fort and staircase and such and walked around the port and city area).

 

If we go back I would like to see other parts of the island - but I would understand I may not see pretty - but I would be seeing how people really live.

[Cyber Kat]

We did Paradise Cove at Freeport and enjoyed the snorkeling at the reef you can swim to.

 

And I found the port itself fascinating - we were there on a weekday - all those little trucks running around lifting up the cargo containers and having them hoisted up and such. Great view from the ship to watch. But I guess I'm a bit of a nerd!

 

LOL - thanks Bobblefrog, but watching little trucks running around picking up cargo containers is not high on my list of Things to do on Vacation! :rolleyes:

 

Will look into Paradise Cove.

[Bobblefrog]

LOL - thanks Bobblefrog, but watching little trucks running around picking up cargo containers is not high on my list of Things to do on Vacation! :rolleyes:

 

Will look into Paradise Cove.

 

:D Hey, I said I was a nerd!

 

Here's the website for Paradise Cove/Deadman's Reef:

http://www.deadmansreef.com/

 

It was inexpensive, and the snorkeling was great - we saw giant manta rays and barracudas and a sea turtle (in addition to various fishees). We had no concerns about getting back to the boat. Even went back on an earlier shuttle as we were exhausted (we went in January so water was cold and a little choppy and we actually swam around the back side of the reef where the current is a little stronger). He has umbrellas and beach chairs you can rent cheap and your basic fare - hamburgers, conch fritters, beer and soda and such. It's a little place - so if you like laid back it might be just the ticket.

 

I would recommend bringing a mask defogger if you don't have your own equipment - they may have had some but didn't ask.

[golfadj]

And I found the port itself fascinating - we were there on a weekday - all those little trucks running around lifting up the cargo containers and having them hoisted up and such. Great view from the ship to watch. But I guess I'm a bit of a nerd!

 

 

 

They ought to have an excursion where we get to drive the little trucks around an obstacle coure of a demolition derby for fork lift trucks.

[livingis2me]

As someone who has never been to Freeport,I am willing to give it a try! It is one of the ports I think they will likely pick from if Grand Turk is canceled on my cruise and I have already started doing research on the port. I love beaches so if Freeport has nice ones,I will be happy! I see many people complain about Nassau as well and I always enjoy my time there.

 

Gina

 

Gina,

 

For what it's worth, and I know you don't like this idea because of what you've stated it on our meet thread, but I think we are more likely to go to Ocho Rios if GT is still unavailable... It is a regular stop on the 6 night Breeze cruises. The cruise that went out last week did Key West, Ocho Rios, and Nassau. I think we'll follow the same path. This upcoming Breeze cruise is going to Nassau instead of GT. So I think it is most likely it will stick with it's regular ports as opposed to going to Freeport. No inside here, just trying to put my logic to work.

 

Ron

[Bobblefrog]

They ought to have an excursion where we get to drive the little trucks around an obstacle coure of a demolition derby for fork lift trucks.

 

Oh! I would be SO THERE!!!!!! What a great idea!!! I'd even fork out (lol) for pictures of that :p

[matymil]

we leave tomorrow on the breeze and got nassau.

 

nnnnnnooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!