Transportation
What’s most commonly referred to as a taxi in the Turks and Caicos is typically a large passenger van, with rates that are usually charged per person. Rides may be shared, especially for journeys originating at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS). However, for tourists who want to avoid a queue and longer journey time (due to multiple stops with a shared taxi), arranging a private taxi is also available, although the cost is higher.
It’s important to note that children under two years of age are free, whereas any children age two and up and charged the full adult fare.
Taxi service is available on Providenciales, Grand Turk, and North and Middle Caicos and for two persons traveling from the Providenciales airport to a hotel or resort in Grace Bay, the charge should be around $30. Taxis are typically large passenger vans, such as the Ford E-Series or Chevrolet Express vans, which are capable of seating anywhere from 9-15 people.
The Turks and Caicos Government sets fare limits for most taxi journeys. Sometimes, these limits are exceeded, so it’s best to confirm with your taxi what the total will be for your journey (including all passengers) before departing.
Taxi fares operate in that the first two people each pay the full fare (examples shown below), and additional persons pay a half fare.
All cruises to the Turks and Caicos arrive in Grand Turk at the Carnival operated Grand Turk Cruise Center. There are no cruises to Providenciales (which includes Grace Bay Beach) or any other island.
Types of Cruises
Most cruises that stop at Grand Turk are 5-10 night cruises with several Caribbean destinations from the U.S. East Coast, commonly from Port Miami.
Some cruises operate from Western Europe, however, these are typically longer duration and the number of cruises offered is a fraction of standard Miami Caribbean cruises.
Cruise Line Operators
Carnival owns and operates the Cruise Center and offers the majority of cruises to the Grand Turk.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the main operators who call at Grand Turk:
- Carnival
- Royal Caribbean
- Norwegian
- Marella Cruises
- Holland America
- Princess Cruises
- Celebrity Cruises
- Windstar Cruises
- Costa Cruises
History of the Grand Turk Cruise Center
The Grand Turk Cruise center was opened in 2006 at an estimated cost of around $50 million. The complex is operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, and based on their agreement with the Turks and Caicos Government, Carnival keeps 75% of seaport taxes collected.
In addition, the shops and restaurants at the Cruise Center are not required to charge the 12% tourism tax, as an exemption was also granted.
Booking your Grand Turk Cruise
It’s generally recommended that you book direct with a cruise line for the best rate and flexibility. The major online travel agents (OTAs), such as Expedia and Orbitz, also sell cruises as part of their offerings.
Immigration and Customs
Immigration and customs clearance is handled by the cruise line, and most visitors will not need to interact with local officials.
Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights
Most major cruise lines are members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and have agreed to adopt the Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights. This provides a series of rights to information about the ship and status, the right to disembark in some situations, and the right to refunds in some situations.
Shore Excursions
The layover time for cruises varies significantly. Some stops are short, whereas others are in port for most of the day. If visiting Grand Turk is important, check the layover time.
Most of the activities on Grand Turk are offered for sale via the cruise line, and cruise operators encourage guests to book via the cruise operator instead of directly. This can be convenient for guests, but be advised that the cruise operators take a large share of revenue which hurts local businesses.
Transportation
You may wish to consider a rental car or vehicle if you’re interested in exploring the island. Taxis, whereas rates are generally fixed from the Cruise Center to the main attractions, can be expensive otherwise. However, taxis can be found in abundance in most tourist areas on the island.
Despite being a relatively small island, it is not recommended or possible to walk to Cockburn Town or the other major sights and attractions.
Sights and Attractions
The beaches, including SunRay beach at the Cruise Center and Governor’s Beach, are the primary draw for visitors.
Cockburn Town is the country’s capital and the main town on Grand Turk. This beachfront settlement features several colonial-era buildings and is interesting for a self-guided walking tour.
The National Museum is the country’s only museum and features the oldest shipwreck found in the western hemisphere.
The Grand Turk Lighthouse is the island’s foremost attraction, and is located on the northern tip of the island.
Activities
There are several land and water activities for cruise visitors. Visiting Gibbs Cay, a cay a short distance off Grand Turk where stingrays congregate, is one of the more popular activities.
ATV tours, snorkeling trips, scuba diving, and other activities are offered.
What is the Fast Track Service?
Fast Track is a VIP concierge service, where an agent will greet you upon entrance at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS) and guide you through expedited immigration and customs processing lanes, and assist with luggage, allowing you to reduce wait times when arriving in the Turks and Caicos. A similar service is offered for guests leaving the Turks and Caicos, with a representative meeting travelers curbside at the airport prior to check-in.
The Providenciales International Airport can have significant and stifling queues at immigration, customs, check-in, and security points during peak travel times due to the airport’s insufficient facilities and size, and a fast track service can significantly reduce waits.
A few companies located on Providenciales have arrangements with the airport to provide the expedited concierge service through immigration and customs, and an even greater number of international booking companies resell the service through their respective and varying websites, with names that may include terms such as fast pass, fast track, or sky pass. All are selling essentially the same service, which is provided on the ground by a couple of concierge services based on Providenciales.
Fast Track can typically get you out of the airport in 15-20 minutes after your flight touches down, with baggage offloading from the aircraft usually being the holdup.
All scheduled international flights to the Turks and Caicos land at the Providenciales International Airport, so Fast Track is not available or necessary at other airports in the country.
Reservation of transport is also a service that is typically paired with Fast Track, along with help with specialty services, such as assistance with visiting the Turks and Caicos with a pet.
The Fast Track service is offered by several concierge businesses. Prices start at approximately $70 per person, and may be as high as $200 depending on the package.
Is Fast Track Needed?
Whether Fast Track is a good idea or not depends on a few factors.
The greatest consideration is the arrival and departure times of your flight. Time of year, day of the week, and flight times make a big difference in the queues for immigration, customs, check-in, and security.
The Turks and Caicos experiences a high tourism season from late December to April, and the peak weekends can have lines more than an hour long. These excessive wait times are not the usual situation, but occur when several flights arrive in a short time span.
The day of the week also factors into lines, with the weekend and Friday being the busiest. Midday and later afternoon also tend to have more flight arrivals as well.
If you’re arriving on a weekday outside of the high season, the normal processing times at immigration and customs isn’t very long.
The local government is looking into ways to reduce processing times, as well as the possibility of an airport expansion. The Turks and Caicos has become one of the top destinations in the Caribbean and the Providenciales airport, although recently expanded in 2015, has simply been outgrown.
Fast Track Reservations
It’s easy to book the Fast Track service. Simply contact your chosen Fast Track provider with your flight information and reserve the time. Online booking and payment is typically possible.
Luxury VIP Transport
A VIP transport service can be a great complement to the airport fast track service, and reduce traveling time even further.
Taxi operation on Providenciales tends to be a little different from what’s common globally, with per person rates, and shared airport rides.
Taxis in the Turks and Caicos are typically large passenger vans, and during busy arrival times, it’s common for taxis to take multiple fares per trip to a resort. Sometimes, there’s an additional 10-15 minute wait to collect passengers.
Luxury transport is pre-scheduled, often very punctual, and rides are not shared.
