Need excursion suggestions for Grand Turk, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay

[Gayle V]

Hubby and I are just starting to look at the excursion lists for our cruise this fall. We will be going to Grand Turk, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay. and after reading it through, absolutely nothing jumps out at us as a "must do". So we could use a little input.

 

We've never been to G. Turk before, so we are wide open for suggestions there.

 

Half Moon Cay seems likely to be just a beach day, unless there's something special that we should not miss there?

 

And then there's Nassau, I'm tempted by the Atlantis Aquaventure, but my goodnes, the price! Can it possibly be worth $155 per person?

 

So what do you think? All suggestions appreciated.

[vjm]

Grand Turk is a great island my suggestion, if you snorkel, take the tour that takes you to an island(not far) to snorkel with the stingrays/fish. It is amazing.

 

Half moon Cay, not so much to do, I do believe this is the island the Holland owns, they serve up a barbeque and the water is fantastic to swim in. Sorry been a few years since I was to both.

 

Hope this helps

 

Vicki

[pungo3]

There really isn't anything to do at Half Moon Cay but swim and lay out in the sun. The food is quite good (anything cooked outside over an open grill tastes good to me) and it is a beautiful place. Just go and enjoy yourself. If you take your own snorkeling gear, there are some pretty fish there by the rocks. I'm sure you'll enjoy your time there.

 

Grand Turk is also a beautiful place and the snorkeling there is some of the best I've ever done. I recommend a snorkeling excursion for sure. I think they have one that includes a stingray encounter which you will enjoy.

 

Nassau really isn't my favorite place and I stay on the ship there. You can have the pools & hot tubs pretty much to yourself on port days. That would be my recommendation. (sorry, hope I didn't offend anyone)

[Frank12]

Check the Ports of Call section of these boards.

All kinds of info on there about what to do once you get there!

[Gayle V]

Thank you for the suggestions, everyone. We will probably take your advice and snorkel in G. Turk, as we know the snorkeling in Nassau is only fair. (We love to snorkel). I'm tempted to make Nassau a "ship day" as suggested, as it's not my favorite port either. Have to see if I can convince hubby.

 

Thanks.

[LADYBUG34113]

Nassau has Atlantis. There is also a Senor Frogs, if you like drinking. They are famous for their "yards". Also fun to watch the entertainment.

 

I have not been to that one but I have been to the one in Cozumel.

 

While we were in Nassau, we went to Blackbeards Beach and swam with the stingrays. They also have chairs on the beach and a bar :D. You have to watch them tho because they make them stronger each time. I won't go into any more detal :eek:

[gaylensgigi]

Definatly snorkle at Grand Turk.Up until a few years ago, the only people that went there were divers,you will be amazed. After you are done,turn left at Margaritaville and go about 300 yards down the beach to Jacks Shack. It is a great little local bar ,run by some very cool people.Have a drink away from all the crowds,use one of their floats and just drift away.

 

Nassau,I usually stay on the ship, Half Moon Cay is THE best beach day you will ever have. Have a great cruise.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Had to subscribe to the thread. We're doing the same ports in May 2010 with a CC Group and I like the suggestions so far!:)

Interested in going with us? See the link below!:cool:

[frazzledrazzle16]

We were in Grand Turk in January, and we had a great time without an excursion. There's a beautiful beach right off the pier with plenty of beach chairs that is free to use. Margaritaville is ALWAYS a great time. They have their own well-maintained pool with a swim up bar, DJ, and activities to do. Theres some shops too. I loved Indigo, a jewelry store that sells gorgeous pearls, and they're not that expensive either. There's also a Ron Jon surf shop and a Froots (similar to Jamba Juice, we have them back at home!)

 

We will be on the same cruise on the Miracle out of NYC this May. I think we will also be ditching out on Nassau... It's definately my least favorite port.

[Leafpeeper]

We love Grand Turk. It is like a private island but what makes it so great is that the ship docks right at the beach. Margaritaville is across from the dock. Everything is heavenly. I did hear some people complain because all they had there was a beach and Margaritaville. That's all I need.

 

Nassau is one of our favorite ports because we enjoy the public beach on Paradise Island. The taxi will drop you at the entrance to the beach. The Atlantis Hotel is on the same beach. We usually walk thru the hotel into the casino before heading back to the ship. DH loves the Racebook/Sportsbook in Atlantis. We only bet a few horseraces and then we enjoy the walk along the harbor to the water taxi. There are lots of places to shop and eat (inlcuding Starbucks & Johnny Rockets) on the walk to the water taxi. Paradise Island is very small and very nice to walk around. The Atlantis has a wonderful Aquarium. You can walk out the casino doors onto a balcony that goes around to the hotel and see stingrays and fish. When you get to the hotel balcony, go inside and walk downstairs and you can see the Aquarium through the glass windows. BTW, the water taxis is cheap and there is a narrator on the ride who people usually tip a buck when they depart the taxi. BTW, you can buy tickets to go inside the Aquarium if you want to see more.

[TortieGal]

Grand Turk replaced St. Marten on our cruise due to Hurricane Omar. I really enjoyed it. We ended up doing the stingray/snorkel excursion...I don't remember what they called it. We were on the first excursion of the day and had a really small group. I've seen pictures from Sting Ray City and after our GT excursion, I'm thinking twice about doing it due to the size of the crowds.

 

As PP mentioned, you can also just got off the boat and grab a beach chair. A lot of people in our group also enjoyed Margaritaville. We briefly peeked in and it looked like everyone was having a great time.

[jimw]

Weve been to Nassau a number of times, like the scuba diving, Atlantis, etc., but last time we opted for a tour including the zoo--they have a group of marching Flamingoes that were a lot of fun. Before the show, you are able to get really close to these Big Birds. We happened to see video aboard the ship, It was a ship trip and not expensive. One could do the zoo by grabbing a taxi too.

[DaDivaMom]

We just returned from Grand Turk (Feb). It is one of the top dive/snorkle spots in the world, home of the 2nd largest barrier reef on the planet.

 

We took an organized catamaran snorkle trip. We had the best reef location and snorkled for perhaps an hour. We then sailed over to Cotten Cay for some swimming and beach time. Rum punch and drinks were provided. On the way back we were "escorted" home by three dolphins swimming our front wake. It was wonderful, relaxing and exciting all at the same time.

 

We still had plenty of time to explore the port area. We did not make it to the lighthouse or the astronaugt museum.

[Gayle V]

From your descriptions, ALL the ports sound much better than the excursion list made them sound. Even Nassau. I will make hubby read this thread, and we'll talk some more.

 

Thank you everyone.

[themarm]

DEFINITELY go check out the ports of call section of cruise critic, and scour the nassau, grand turk, and private island sections. you will get more information than you can shake a stick at.

 

we are sailing the same route in july. we start at grand turk and end in nassau. in grand turk, my husband is diving, and we (my best friend and her 10 year old) will be snorkeling and enjoying pillory beach. half moon cay will see us horseback ride - we will also rent a cabana. in nassau , my husband is again diving. as for us, we will be thoroughly ready for something other than the beach. we are doing a walking tour similar to the one listed on the frommer site, but with some additions and deletions. some of the churches will be off the list (as frankly, the 10 year old has only so much patience with seeing churches, and is frankly in this for the money she gets to spend buying cheap crap at the straw market). we are adding in the tortuga rum company for cakes and rum to bring home (that is our last stop in the morning). then we will return to the ship, put up our goodies, eat lunch, and get off for an afternoon cab ride to paradise island. we want to primarily see cloisters.

[kelz66]

Definatly snorkle at Grand Turk.Up until a few years ago, the only people that went there were divers,you will be amazed. After you are done,turn left at Margaritaville and go about 300 yards down the beach to Jacks Shack. It is a great little local bar ,run by some very cool people.Have a drink away from all the crowds,use one of their floats and just drift away.

 

Nassau,I usually stay on the ship, Half Moon Cay is THE best beach day you will ever have. Have a great cruise.

 

hahahahahaha...you beat me to the Grand Turk suggestion. :p

 

Definitely snorkel and then relax on the Beach at Jack's shack!!!

 

:cool:

[cruiseapril]

We've enjoyed all three ports.

 

Grand Turk for snorkeling and the cruise port. Also, taxis are only $5 pp. to town- a good place to walk around for a few hours.

 

Half Moon Cay is great for swimming. We also took the Eco-Lagoon Tour there which was interesting.

 

Nassau has so many choices- Atlantis and Cabbage Beach, Cable Beach, Ardastra Gardens, British Colonial Hilton day pass, catamaran trips etc.

We're doing the Wyndham/Sheraton Cable Beach day pass this year- use of beach and pools.

[wrf2e]

When we visitied Grand Turk we rented a golf cart to drive around the island. This was the best thing to do there IMOP. If you take your own snorkle gear you an just snorkle right from sure...the water is beautiful. They tell you not to take them off road but we found a sand road that leads to the inlet for the bay on the opposite shore from the lighthouse. It is very secluded there and you fill find tons of konch shells and crystal clear water. They aren't allowed to rent the carts inside the port area but if you walk out to the entrance they will be just on the other side of the gate. They start out with $100 but we got him down to $80 (probably could have gotten it for less). The carts go fast so you will need to be off the ship early and go straight to the gate. You can leave the arts anywhere as everyone knows not to mess with them. The people on the island are very nice and will not try to run you off the road like many other ports of call. The only challenge is learning to drive on the wrong side of the road as the island is Brittish and they drive on the left.

[w8ing2cruz]

I second the golf cart rental in Grand Turk - we did that on our last cruise and we had a blast. Explored the whole island from end to end and snorkeled on both Pillory and Governors beaches. When we returned the cart we walked to the place just next to Margaritaville but not quite to Jacks Shack. It was a newer place, very beautiful bar.

 

Half Moon Caye is paradise to me. Just chill on the beach - make sure to have a cocktail at "I Wish I Could Stay Forever" bar.

 

Nassau - we usually do a catamaran or snorkel trip here - I don't much care for the city itself. We've done Stuarts Cove swim with the reef sharks and twice we've done a snorkel trip with SeaHorse Sailing Adventures.

 

I love this itinerary - you'll have a blast!!

[StephanieS]

We are doing this itinerary in June. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Stephanie

[pabeachie]

what's the cloisters?

[Gayle V]

Hi Cindy, I was curious too. So I did a google search. Here's a cut and paste.

 

 

 

Cloisters (The), Nassau is one of the most unique historical tourist attractions in Nassau. The Cloisters Nassau Bahamas is located amidst the lush green Versailles Gardens on Paradise Island. This 14th century French Monastery has an interesting story behind its foundation. Actually this whole structure was imported stone by stone to the United States in the 1920s. Baron William Randolph Hearst took the initiative of importing this stone architecture from Europe. Forty years later, Huntington Hartford bought Cloisters (The), Nassau and set up the monastery atop a hill on Paradise Island.

 

Overlooking the beautiful Nassau Harbour, the Cloisters in Nassau offers excellent venue for wedding and open air parties. Today many couples in Nassau take their wedding vows at this historic Old World site. The Cloisters opens from 9 o'clock in the morning to 5 o'clock in the evening the visitors. Currently the Cloisters is the property of Ocean Club. But visitors are welcome to take a tour of The Cloisters for free of cost.

 

You can take a stroll along Versailles Gardens that surrounds the historic Cloisters (The), Nassau. The beautifully landscaped Versailles Gardens houses statues of numerous historical and mythological figures. It features life-sized bronze and marble statues of Hercules and various other Greek heroes. Most of these statues were sculpted in Greece in the 12th century. The garden around The Cloisters Nassau has several fountains, waterfalls and sparkling pools scattered across the ground. Along with these the collection of exotic plants and beautiful flower plants add charm to the beauty of the garden and The Cloisters.

 

The combination of natural beauty and historic stone architecture creates a unique romantic atmosphere all through the place. As you complete your tour around The Cloisters, Nassau, stop for a while at the gazebo. Enjoy the relaxing ambiance inside the gazebo along with splendid views of the sailing boats along Nassau Harbor. Whether you are a nature lover or history-enthusiast, you will not be satisfied with one single visit to Cloisters (The), Nassau. Once you pay a visit to The Cloisters you are sure to come back again because one visit to this place is not enough.

[themarm]

good work! yes, that is cloisters. there are several images available for the time it takes to do a google search.

[pabeachie]

thanks.very informative. it's something i would like to see but i know my husband wouldn't be thrilled about it. we're thinking about atlantis water park for the rivers or else just the beach. but thanks for looking that up.

[trvlqueen]

While you're in Nassau, if you want full use of the beaches and pools, slides, etc. at Atlantis, you can get a room at the Comfort Suites ... it's about $180 for while our ship is in port and gets you 4 wristbands for full access to the Atlantis facilities. (roughly 1/2 price if there are 2 of you and a major bonus if there are more) Plus, you can use your room key to charge rather than carrying cash and credit cards around ... just an idea. It works well for us sometimes ... when all 5 of us travel, though, it's not the best idea ... we need 2 rooms which doesn't always save money. So on those trips, it's off to Sheraton (which also sells a day use room for $140 including tax if you call the 800 number. It includes full facilites use, a room with showers, etc and a balcony with ocean view, and lunch for 2 ... or you can buy the $40 per person day pass at the Wyndham ... the day use at Sheraton saves us $60)