Basic guide to Grenada cruise port in St George's: where ships dock, what's at the terminal (tourist info, taxis, sightseeing, water taxi), what to do nearby.
Grenada and its cruise port in St. George's (the capital of this small island) is one of the most off the beaten track cruise destinations in both the South and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Because of this and its natural beauty, this cruise port has a unique allure.
Where Cruise Ships Dock in Grenada
Cruise Terminal
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Cruise ships dock in Grenada in a long pier perpendicular to the coast where two large ships or three smaller ones can moor. The pier is next to the heart of St George (the capital of Grenada with an estimated population of 112,500). The Melville Street Cruise Terminal, with most services and amenities cruisers require, is at the end of this relatively new pier.
Tourist Information Kiosk
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Besides restrooms, ATMs, and Free Wi-Fi, the cruise passenger will find in the Terminal an excellent information kiosk of the Grenada Tourism Authority where you can get good maps and guides. A few other stalls can be helpful for those wishing to explore Grenada on Your Own: a stall selling the water taxi tickets, another with tickets for a scenic train ride of St. George, and the official taxi dispatch kiosk with regulated fares..
Water Taxi Kiosk
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Part of the Terminal is occupied by the Esplanade Shopping Mall which, accordingly, has a profusion of shops. The majority of these are local souvenirs shops but also a few (less than a handful) of the typical duty-free stores that populate the Caribbean, such as Colombian Emeralds or Milano.
Close to the Terminal and Sightseeing
Cruise Terminal Exit
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Once outside the Terminal building, you will be on the main street of the historical St. George's downtown. The sightseeing train ride stop is on your left, which is a perfect way to discover the landmarks of this small, quaint and charming city.
Sightseeing Train Ride
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Also on the left side of the Terminal, no more than 100 yards (meters) farther away, cruise passengers will find the Water Taxi with connections to Grande Anse Beach (considered one of the top 10 in the Caribbean) and Mount Rouge Beach. Both are stunning beaches not to be missed.
Water Taxi
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Very close by, just a couple of blocks from the terminal, you will find the Fresh Market that many enjoy exploring and is a great place to enjoy a drink in the shade.
Main Street St. George
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To the right, the main street will leads to the steps that give access to the Fort George and next to these (on the left) the entrance to the Sendal Tunnel that connects this side of St. George to a beautiful natural harbor known as Carenage.
Fort George - Sendal Tunnel
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Although it doesn't happen often if there are more than 2 vessels in port, cruise ships may anchor on the bay close to St. George. Cruise passengers will then be tendered to the Carenage. As already mentioned, this part of the historical town of St. George is connected to downtown by the Sendal tunnel.
Carenage
Photo © IQCruising.com
A word about the Sendal Tunnel. Many visitors feel intimidated to cross this tunnel as you will be sharing the road with cars and there isn't a protected sidewalk for pedestrians. However, the locals trick that the Editor has always used is to walk facing the oncoming cars - have in mind that traffic in Grenada circulates on the left, like in Great Britain.
Grenada Port of Call
With very few exceptions, all cruise lines call at Grenada's St Georges Cruise Port. However, some cruise lines like Carnival, Crystal, Holland & America, NCL or Oceania only dock sporadically in Grenada either on re-positioning cruises or on an exceptional itinerary. By contrast, some cruise lines dock regularly at Grenada usually between November and as late as April.
Celebrity (with the Silhouette and the Summit), Royal Caribbean (Jewel Of The Seas and Serenade Of The Seas) and Princess regularly include Grenada in the South and/or Eastern Caribbean itineraries. And so do the British P&O Cruises and Marella, two German cruise lines (Aida and Mein Schiff), the two Italian cruise lines (Costa and MSC) and the Spanish Pullmantur.
Less regularly but with quite a few calls every year, it should be noted that small ships of luxury cruise lines such as Royal Clipper, SeaDream, Windstar, Silversea, Seabourn, Ponant or Regent also include Grenada in their itineraries.
Grenada Basic Information
Language | English is the official language. However, a regional Patois influenced by a mix of English and French is spoken by locals. |
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Currency: | US dollars are widely accepted. The Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) is the local currency and you may get change in EC$. |
ATM's: | There are many in St. George. |
Internet - Wi-Fi: | At the Terminal |
Electricity: | Standard American 120 V current. |
Driving: | Driving is on the left |