Which is best for a beach day (Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas, Amber Cove)

[broberts]

8 hours ago, Sabalon said:

I have just learned of a 7000' ft drop off at Grand Turk.  Ohhhhhh  🙂

 

 

Fortunately it is far enough offshore to require a boat ride.

 

[RWolver672]

I don't know if it's always this way or not.   When we were in Grand Turk and went into the water, you would be walking along and all of a sudden, there would be a four foot deep hole.  The bottom wasn't very smooth at all.  It was all nice sand with no rocks but there were a lot of areas where  there were holes (deeper spot). Not that big of a deal but it just caught you off guard.

 

[Sabalon]

Thanks all.  I've been doing a lot of reading.  I'm okay with doing an excursion on my own - not too paranoid about being a dock runner.  I do like the idea of just walking down the beach a bit and chilling, but I think my wife (and I) really want to see this drop off, so we'll probably end up on some excursion, either via Carnival or not.  Hopefully we can find one that is done and back by noon/1pm so we can also just relax for a bit as well.    I don't like the ones where you're the first ones off and out of the port and last ones back...too tiring (Belize Xunatunich - calling you out!)
It's our anniversary so we're already spending a bit more than we usually would, but I want my daughter to be able to return to college in the fall!  🙂

[jocko4279]

GT definitely. St. Thomas nice too. At GT just make sure to walk down a bit from the crowds and beach closet to the ship, down to Jacks Shack area as others have mentioned. The beach right by the ship has a lot of rocks and seaweed. If you walk further down it becomes pretty much perfect

[coevan]

14 hours ago, Joebucks said:

The wate was murky and full of seaweed.

 

 

This is a weather situation, can happen anywhere. As a diver they call the water blown out, mostly happens after rain.

[modernscarlett]

Grand Turk. There is so much to see in San Juan.

[dmdiver]

I like Jack's Shack at Grand Turk for a beach day.  We found Margaritaville to be too noisy.  The beach entry there was kind of rocky by the ship.  By walking down to Jack's, we had smooth sand with very few rocks.  Plus, we got to play with Topher & Calypso & enjoy some jerk chicken at Jack's.

[Squadleader]

Don't worry about missing the ship, the whole island is only a few miles wide, but even better, you really don't even need to leave the beach by the ship. You should be able to meet your snorkel boat right on the beach just a few hundred feet down the beach from the ship. When we arranged a snorkel tour to the wall, our boat met us right on the beach near the ship, just walk down to the boat. He was there all day taking people out to the wall. The wall runs parallel to the beach about a quarter mile out.  

 

My guess is those holes someone mentioned in the sand are probably prop wash holes from the motors of the excursion and snorkel boats that literally are pulled up along the beach to load passengers.

[ESmithIndiana]

I did Grand Turk last summer, I can't remember the name of the place, but they have the Underwater Power Scooter there which is awesome. Their private beach was also gorgeous, albeit the water quite rocky, and it included lunch which was some of the best jerk pork I've ever had, so I'll concur with the masses and vote for GT.

[Sabalon]

2 hours ago, ESmithIndiana said:

I did Grand Turk last summer, I can't remember the name of the place, but they have the Underwater Power Scooter there which is awesome. Their private beach was also gorgeous, albeit the water quite rocky, and it included lunch which was some of the best jerk pork I've ever had, so I'll concur with the masses and vote for GT.

 

Glad to hear that - it's the one that my wife is the most interested in.  Glad to hear about the jerk pork too!  🙂

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Grand Turk for the beach and Amber Cove for the pool