A Day In Grand Turk

This morning, Nieuw Statendam is docked in Grand Turk, the capital island of the Turks and Caicos archipelago. Disembarking the ship here is as simple as walking across a short gangway to the pier.

I disembarked the ship around 9:30am and it was already warm outside, but not uncomfortably so. Even though the ship offers several excellent shore excursions here, there is a lot to enjoy in Grand Turk within visual range of the ship. My mission today was to shoot and produce a video showing what you can do in Grand Turk without booking an excursion.

*A Day In Grand Turk - Video on YouTube (Coming Soon)*

Did you know that you can rent two loungers and an umbrella (see the top photo) for only $25 for the entire day? If you love spending time on a beach complete with beautiful emerald Caribbean waters, this is a great option. And, there are local bars all along the beach, just in case you get thirsty. If you want to know more about what is available in Grand Turk, make sure to check our YouTube channel for a soon-to-be-posted video.

Here is another little tip for you when going ashore in Grand Turk. You can buy cold bottled water in the Dufry duty-free shop for $1.50 per bottle. And, everyone has to walk through the Dufry duty-free shop to get into town, or to your shore excursions, so you can’t miss it. I also checked the duty-free liquor prices here compared to the ship, and they were just slightly cheaper, not enough to matter. You still get your best liquor prices in St. Maarten or St. Thomas.

When I got back onboard it was time for lunch, so I thought I would give the pizza a try. New York Deli & Pizza (Deck 10 midship) is open at 7:00am for breakfast where they serve a variety of bagels. They close at 11:00am, but re-open at 11:30am for lunch and remain open until 11:00pm serving sandwiches, salads and pizza.

New York Deli & Pizza Menu (click to expand)

I arrived right at 11:30 when they re-opened for lunch and placed an order for a pepperoni and sausage pizza. Unlike Carnival and Princess, pizza is not available “by the slice” here. Each pizza is made-to-order and you get the whole pie, which is approximately 9” in diameter. After placing your order, you get a buzzer to notify you when your order is ready for pick up.

I sat at one of the tables for two, near the Panorama Bar. It was about 11:45 when a waiter walked by and I asked him if I could order a Diet Coke. He said the bar did not open until 12:00pm. What? They won’t sell me a $2.50 coke at 11:45 in the morning? Another couple sat down next to me, also waiting for their lunch to be prepared and they said they ate there every day and knew a waitress that would take good care of us. Sure enough, a young lady walked by and offered to bring us soft drinks, which she did.

When my pizza arrived, it was not what I had ordered. There was no pepperoni, only sausage. No big deal, but the couple next to me said that their order was incorrect as well, and that they had been having issues like this all week. They said they were on the ship the previous week, and everything came out perfect, but apparently there was a crew change this week, and they have had lots of issues. The manager did come by and promised to remedy the situation. For what it is worth, I know the girl who took my order got it right, because I could see “pepperoni and sausage” printed on the ticket that was given to the cook.

*Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza, sans pepperoni*

It was not a big deal to me, since I only ate a couple of slices anyway. I just wanted to see how their pizza compared with other cruise lines. Want to know? You will have to wait for my final review of Nieuw Statendam.

After lunch, I spent some time just hanging out at the Lido Pool (Deck 9). With most guests ashore on excursions, the pool area was pretty empty today. The Lido Pool is the same as on other Pinnacle-Class ships. There is a retractable roof that can be opened to allow fresh air and sun in, or closed to keep out the cold when the ship sails in Alaska, or on rainy days. I was able to access the ship’s WiFi from the Lido Pool area and work on my blog while enjoying the pool area!

This evening, I had reservations for “A Taste of De Librije”, named after Jonnie Boer's Three Michelin Star restaurant, De Librije, in the Netherlands. The menu showcases a selection of starters, soups, entrees and desserts that are featured in his land-based eatery. Once per cruise, the Pinnacle Grill is transformed into De Librije with service staff wearing the livery uniform, the tables replicated and the wine list highlighting a selection of labels from the Lady De Librije collection.

As soon as I was seated, I had a feeling that I was in for a treat. A basket of delicious fresh rolls was offered by the waiter. A wine pairing is available for $20 (half-glass) and includes a different wine picked specifically for each course. Actually, the price for the wine is a bargain and I regret not opting for the pairing. Next time. The meal started with an amuse bouche trio and ended with a deconstructed apple pie. What happens in between those two courses was nothing short of amazing! I will go into great detail on this meal in my review of De Librije in the Cruise Ship Dining section of CruiseReport.com.

This meal is as close as you will get to dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant on a cruise ship.

Tomorrow, we will be in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic. I think this may be the first time I have ever been to this port, so it should be interesting!