Cruise calls at Grand Turk in question after dock damaged by Hurricane Fiona
The main cruise ship dock in Turks and Caicos suffered damage Tuesday as a strengthening Hurricane Fiona roared across the island destination, raising questions about whether and when cruise calls can resume.
Videos of the 200-foot-long pier at the Grand Turk Cruise Center on the Turks and Caicos island of Grand Turk posted on social media sites show that pieces of its infrastructure have broken off and washed up on a nearby shore.
Hurricane Fiona slammed into Turks and Caicos on Tuesday as a powerful Category 3 storm, with the eye of the storm passing near Grand Turk — the British Overseas Territory's main island. Fiona was packing winds of up to 115 miles per hour.
Grand Turk is the capital of Turks and Caicos, a grouping of 40 low-lying coral islands southeast of the Bahamas that draws more than 1 million cruisers a year.
A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line, which operates the Grand Turk Cruise Center and sends by far the most ships to Grand Turk on an annual basis, didn't have a damage report for the pier. But he said that, for now, cruise calls at Grand Turk for next week still are on the schedule.
No cruise ships are scheduled to visit Grand Turk in the next few days.
"The team at our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is communicating with officials in Grand Turk and will continue to assess the situation there, but as of now, no changes to our itineraries have been made," Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told TPG.
Turks and Caicos is in the midst of a lull between cruise ship visits. Another cruise ship isn't due to arrive in Grand Turk until Tuesday, when Carnival's 2,984-passenger Carnival Sunrise is scheduled to visit as part of a four-night voyage from Miami.
The next ships scheduled to visit Grand Turk after that are the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras and the 2,974-passenger Carnival Freedom. Both ships are due in Grand Turk on Sept. 29.
Other ships scheduled to visit Grand Turk in the coming weeks include Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Infinity, Carnival's Carnival Legend and Holland America's Nieuw Statendam.
About 1.1 million people arrived in Turks and Caicos by cruise ship in 2019, the last normal year for cruising before the COVID-19-caused cruising shutdown. In a typical year, cruisers account for nearly 70% of all visitors to the destination.
The cruise ship pier at the Grand Turk Cruise Center is the only one in Turks and Caicos. Located at the southern end of Grand Turk, the 13-acre center is home to a pool, a spa, restaurants and bars including the largest Margaritaville in the Caribbean, and shops. As many as three cruise ships can dock at the center in a day.
Hurricane Fiona in recent days has caused a number of disruptions to cruise itineraries in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, and Thursday the disruptions spread to the one ship scheduled to sail to Bermuda this week.
Norwegian Cruise Line on Thursday told passengers on the New York-based, 3,963-passenger Norwegian Getaway that the ship would sail to New England and Canada over the coming days instead of Bermuda to avoid the storm. The ship had been scheduled to depart New York on Thursday on a five-night voyage to Bermuda.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.