High Winds Force a Change of Plans
By GERRY and PAMELA BARKER/ Photos by North Palm Beach Life
Our first port of call on Crystal Serenity's holiday cruise is Grand Turk Island, the largest island in the Turks and Caicos. This is our first visit here. Due to high winds, Serenity's captain opted to anchor offshore, so we tendered to the cruise terminal. . .One of the first things we saw were tributes to the U.S. space program. That's because in 1962, John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft landed in the vicinity of the island.
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At the terminal you can enter Margaritaville, where you can enjoy swimming or lounging around a large pool or grab a spot on the adjacent sandy beach. We found a seat at the restaurant and soaked up the island breezes with a cool drink.
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Grand Turk was celebrating the season with Christmas trees and festive decorations. We couldn't resist snapping
a selfie in one of the ornaments. |
Not a bad way to spend a day in the Caribbean
Whale Beach, with Serenity in the background.
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We spent some time on Whale Beach before returning to the ship. There's a restaurant there, too.
Gerry playing lifeguard. Luckily, no one needed his services.
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As we waited to board the tender back to the ship, Crystal knew what we needed -- a cool drink of water!
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Meanwhile, Aboard Serenity ...
The night before arriving at Grand Turk we dined at one of Serenity's specialty restaurants, Prego. It was also the first of several formal nights, so we got to dress up.
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As you might guess, Prego's fare is Italian, and
both the meal and the service were superb. After dinner, we went to Palm Court on deck 12 for drinks and dancing. It was the perfect way to end our day. |
Every day, Palm Court hosts Afternoon Tea, and since Pam is a huge Anglophile, enjoying
a cup of Earl Grey with finger sandwiches and pastries is just the ticket.
a cup of Earl Grey with finger sandwiches and pastries is just the ticket.
For dinner, we’re traveling from Grand Turk to South America and going to Churrascaria, the Brazilian steakhouse on Lido deck 12 that is Marketplace during the day. The parmesan chicken was wonderful, as well as the pork loin. You also can choose sides like marinated vegetables and baked potatoes, along with a salad bar. Add a Brazilian rum cocktail and top it off with delectable churros, and it’s all more than good.
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Tjhere are skewed meats to please any taste.
The Galaxy Lounge hosted a holiday show, getting
everyone in the mood for Christmas at sea. |