Cruise Center Beach Grand Turk
The Cruise Center Beach, as its name suggests, fronts Grand Turk’s cruise port and is a beautiful and sheltered beach. The coast can see significant crowds when a cruise ship is in, as it's steps away from where cruise visitors disembark. The beach is also known as SunRay Beach.
The ocean at the Cruise Center Beach is almost always calm and clear, and the majority of the coastline is clean, soft sand. There are a few rocky spots, but these are easily avoided.
As to be expected, this beach can get quite crowded in the vicinity of the Cruise Center when a ship is present. However, there’s always more space further up the beach to the north. Governor's Beach is north of the Cruise Center Beach.
As with all beaches in the Turks and Caicos, access to the Cruise Center Beach is free. Complimentary beach lounger use is also offered near the Cruise Center for cruise guests. Be advised that some beach hawkers attempt to rent their own chairs out.
The Cruise Center Beach is located on the leeward side of Grand Turk, so ocean conditions are typically excellent. See Turks and Caicos Weather Forecast.
Beach Rentals and Loungers
Snorkel masks, fins, and vests, floats and toys, and covered shade beach cabanas can be rented from the Cruise Center's beach rentals shack.
The standard beach loungers are free to use, although the density of loungers fronting the Cruise Center is quite high.
Up the beach to the north, additional loungers can be found fronting Jack's Shack restaurant. This section of the beach tends to be less crowded.
The Cruise Center Beach is part of the Columbus Landfall National Park.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling isn’t great here, but rock and coral patches can be found off the coast both to the north and south of the main pier and are home to small numbers of fish. Simply head south past the smaller Cruise Center shore excursions pier and look for the darker patches of ocean.
A small reef can be found off the beach 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of the Cruise Center near Boaby Rock Point. When weather conditions are calm, decent snorkeling can be found here.
Snorkeling equipment can be hired from the beach rentals stand at the Grand Turk Cruise Center.
Dining and Restaurants
There are two restaurants and one café within easy walking access of the Cruise Center Beach: Margaritaville, Starbucks (the only one in the Turks and Caicos), and Jack's Shack. Both Margaritaville and Jack's Shack serve international favorites and bar food.
As is also the case with the Cruise Center itself, the restaurants tend to be quite crowded when a ship is in port. If you plan to rent a car and explore Grand Turk, consider dining at one of the Cockburn Town restaurants for a bit more tranquility.
