Carnival Cruise to Bahamas / Turks and Caicos (June 2024) – Days 4 and 5

Instead of the reassuring and constant thrum of the ship’s engines and subtle rise and fall as it traversed through the open sea, the ship’s movement was much smoother and instead of roaring engines we heard and felt the more guttural thrusters. Stepping out on the balcony, we saw the ship was coming to a stop at the pier leading to our first destination – Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Looking around, I noticed more than a few other guests leaning on the railings watching the steadily encroaching shore – the first time seeing land in half a week.

We dressed and arrived at a ridiculously busy dining area, almost as busy as the first day we boarded. Many were wearing their usual “cruise casual” or cabana wear, but a lot of our fellow cruisers were already decked out in swimsuits, bikinis and other beach wear, ready to get outside. It was also the first time with a reliable cell signal, so I checked on text messages and missed calls. When we got ready and made our way to the disembark area, people were already hording the exit, clearly ready to get off and enjoy some open air and sand.

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

Michelle showed a fair amount of excitement for arriving here, given that her background included some Taíno in her family line, and we were all anxious to get off the boat and dig our feet in the sand. Of course, the only way to the beach or back on board was through the big shopping area, but we opted for going through there after some welcome beach time.

When we made our reservations, there were options to grab a bungalow, cabana, or other special accommodations, but we didn’t go for those, and all were pretty much grabbed up as we walked along the beach to find a sweet spot, finally grabbing some partially shaded lounge chairs under some palm trees. The beach was lined with huts and tables full of pre-packaged snacks, grilled whatever you might want, and the distinct smell of pot was hard to miss. Some of the sellers were casually hocking food and drinks with smoldering joints hanging from their lips. We brought our own stuff with us, but tried a fresh coconut to drink. My only complaint was it wasn’t cold, and since Farrah wanted to try some, we passed on adding any alcohol to it.

Grand Turk offered a beautiful beach looking west into the Caribbean Sea, but we neglected to bring our water shoes, and once in the water, we quickly discovered how rocky the terrain was – a combination of shore rocks and broken off bits of coral. Farrah didn’t seem to mind, happy to swim in the warm, clear water or playing with us whenever we joined her. It was a beautiful day there, with just a bit of clouds passing through. The view included the pier and our docked ship, made more impressive when her larger sister ship, the Carnival Vista arrived shortly after we did.

If there was any downside to the day, it was that we needed to be back on the ship by 1:00 or 2:00 PM. I would’ve preferred a whole day on the beach, but the announcements made no bones about when everyone needed to be back on board. We managed to collect a few pieces of long-dead coral to add to our collection, and made a pass through the shops. We picked up a few touristy items, including fridge magnets and a shot glass for my collection, then journeyed back on board.1

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

The very next day, our second port of call was Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.

Unlike Grand Turk, the ship made anchorage offshore, so the only way on or off the boat was by ferry. Also, unlike Grand Turk, shade was in short supply along the beach, so we rented an umbrella and an inner tube floatie, and renting the umbrella was worth every penny under the bright sun. Of course, the ferry dropped you at the shopping area, and once through that, you navigated along a set of sandy paths to find a nice spot to camp at. Having learned our lesson, we wore our water shoes this time, but didn’t need them given the lack of rocks and coral – a perfectly smooth, white sandy beach with brilliantly clear water. Admittedly, I found the beach and water nicer than at Grand Turk, but that isn’t to say I didn’t immensely enjoy both beaches.

After a solid day on the beach, we shopped (again, my shot glasses and magnets), bought a few pieces of jewelry, and we took the ferry back to the ship. The only downside was waiting for the ferry to fill so they could send us back, meaning sweltering on the ferry far longer than was enjoyed by all.

1 Over the years, I’ve collected a fair number of shot glasses and magnets from just about everywhere I’ve visited. So much so that my fridge is practically plate armored and I needed to invest in a third display case for the new shot glasses. Also, I like collecting rocks from special places as a memento. I’m particularly proud of collecting coral from three tropical islands (Cayman Islands, O’ahu, and Grand Turk) and a black rock from on top of the glacier I hiked on in Iceland. My collection also includes one piece of coral from South Beach in Miami – I tripped over the tip of it coming out of the water. Confused that a seeming small bit of coral could do that, I was shocked when I finally yanked it out and discovered that it was about the size of a cantaloup. I stowed it in my carry on when I flew home, and smiled gleefully as the TSA agent ran it back and forth through the x-ray machine several times before finally asking me to open my bag and show them what it was. Sadly, the Bahamas didn’t have any coral laying around the beach.