Grenada is the Spice Isle, and the name is earned: the air around the nutmeg stations is thick with it, and the island produces a share of the world’s nutmeg out of all proportion to its size. It is also one of the prettiest arrivals in the Caribbean. St George’s, the capital, wraps around a horseshoe harbour in tiers of pastel Georgian warehouses and red-tiled roofs, an old British fort on the headland above, and looks more Mediterranean than tropical until the heat corrects the impression.
Ships tie up at the Melville Street terminal in the heart of St George’s, and the waterfront and the horseshoe quay of the Carenage are a flat, easy walk from the gangway. The town beyond climbs steeply, though, and the island’s draws, Grand Anse beach, the rainforest and the spice stations, all need transport. Grand Anse, one of the finest beaches in the eastern Caribbean, is only ten minutes away by water taxi or bus; the mountains take longer, and a short call leaves little room for the far inland falls.
This guide covers a Grenada day ashore: the walk around St George’s and its forts, the quick hop to Grand Anse beach, the drive into the Grand Etang rainforest and the spice country, and the practical detail of currency, taxis and how much of the Spice Isle fits a single call.
Port Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Port Type | Alongside at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal in the centre of St George's; passengers walk into town. Some ships anchor and tender when berths are full. |
| Distance to Town | The Melville Street terminal sits in central St George's; the Carenage and the waterfront are a flat few minutes' walk, though the town climbs steeply inland. |
| Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged to the US dollar at 2.70 to 1 since 1976. US dollars are widely accepted; change is often given in EC dollars. |
| Language | English |
| Best Known For | The Spice Isle: nutmeg, mace and cinnamon; the pastel harbour town of St George's, and Grand Anse, one of the finest beaches in the eastern Caribbean. |
- Melville Street Cruise Terminal , The main cruise berth, in the heart of St George's; walk into town
- The Carenage , The horseshoe inner harbour, ringed by pastel Georgian warehouses
- Fort George , The old British fort on the headland above the town, with the widest views
- Grand Anse Beach , Two kilometres of white sand on the calm Caribbean coast, about 10 minutes south
- Grand Etang National Park , Rainforest and a crater lake in the island's central highlands
- Annandale Falls , A roadside rainforest waterfall, one of the easier inland stops
- Gouyave , The west-coast fishing town and its working nutmeg processing station
- Underwater Sculpture Park , The world's first underwater sculpture gallery, off Molinere Bay
St George's Cruise Terminal (Melville Street) · View larger map
Getting From the Port to Town
Walking: The Best Option
Free- Walk time: A few minutes to the Carenage; the town climbs steeply beyond
- The Melville Street terminal lands passengers in the middle of St George's, and the waterfront and the horseshoe quay of the Carenage are a flat, easy walk. Beyond the water the town rises steeply in stepped streets, and Fort George on the headland is a stiff climb, well repaid by the view. The beaches and the interior all need transport from the port.
Local Bus
EC $2.50 or so by shared bus; water taxi about US $5 to Grand Anse- Grenada's shared buses run from the terminal area at low fixed fares and reach Grand Anse and the villages, though they keep no timetable and fill up. For the beach, the small water taxis that cross from the Carenage are the pleasant option, about five dollars and ten minutes. The rainforest and the spice country are beyond easy bus reach and are better taken by taxi or excursion.
Taxi
Fixed island rates; agree the fare and currency first- Grenadian taxis are not metered but run to set rates, quoted in EC or US dollars. A driver will run a small group to Grand Anse, or into the hills for the Grand Etang lake, Annandale Falls and a nutmeg station, for a fixed price. On a short call the inland loop is tight, and it is worth agreeing the route and the return time before setting off.
Top Excursions
Full-Day Tour: Concord Waterfall, Chocolate Factory, Rum Distillery, Grand Etang
This remarkable full-day tour shows you the very best of Grenada in a day. See St. George's, the prettiest capital town in the Caribbean. Travel up the western coast and visit the picturesque Concord Waterfalls nestled in the lush mountains where you can be refreshed by swimming in the cool water. V
Check Availability4-hour snorkel cruise to Underwater Sculptures with boat dogs
This tour is offered in different options for different budgets, please be sure to pick the right one!!! Sail to the world-famous Underwater Sculpture Park and enjoy a fully guided snorkeling tour of each of the sculptures. A Lunch buffet and nonalcoholic beverages will be served before you sail on
Check AvailabilityHalf-Day Concord Waterfall and Chocolate Factory Tour
This is a remarkable half-day tour, showing you the very best of Grenada in a few hours. See St. George's, the prettiest capital town in the Caribbean. Travel up the western coast and visit the picturesque Concord Waterfalls nestled in the lush mountains where you can be refreshed by swimming in the
Check AvailabilitySunset & Champagne Cruise on a Classic Schooner with boat dogs
…the perfect ending to another perfect day. Sail just offshore of the coast of Grenada. Enjoy a glass of champagne, fresh Appetizers from the onboard chef and cold drinks from our open bar while taking in the remarkable view of the crimson sun falling into the Caribbean Sea.
Check AvailabilityMore Experiences in Grenada
Half Day Grenada Sunshine Highlights Tour
Experience beautiful Grenada as you drive through St.George’s along the Western side of the Island through the fishing villages, viewing the Caribbean Sea. Drive through lush vegetation and you can view fruit, vegetable and spice fields. Diamond Chocolate Factory, Victoria nutmeg museum,Grand Etang
Half-Day Grenada River Tubing -Grand Etang & Annandale Falls
Travelers will have the option to see other attractions rather that just do river tubing. The attraction sites are easily accessible along the way.
Explorer's Choice: Grenada Private Half Day Island Tour
Embark on a unique tour of Grenada that takes you on a journey through the island's rich history, vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty. With a knowledgeable local guide to lead the way, this tour offers a comprehensive and unforgettable experience of Grenada.
FUNtastic River Tubing
FUNtastic River Tubing is fun and adrenaline filled activity from start to finish. This activity is conducted by trained and skilled guides who know how to make their guests happy during the activity. We guarantee you would not want this tour to end!!
The best excursions in Grenada fill up ahead of peak sailings. Compare options and book before you leave port.
Things to Do in Grenada
A Grenada day divides between the town, the beach and the hills, and the town at least comes free with the berth. St George’s, one of the loveliest capitals in the region, is there to be walked the moment the gangway is down, and Grand Anse beach is a ten-minute hop beyond it. The rainforest and the spice country lie inland and higher, a taxi or excursion into the green centre of the island.
The choice is how far to climb. A morning around the Carenage and Fort George followed by an afternoon at Grand Anse is the gentle, classic shape of the day. A drive up to the Grand Etang crater lake, a roadside waterfall and a nutmeg station is the fuller one, and on a shorter call it leaves little time for the beach. The island is small but steep, and the hills take longer than their distance suggests.
- St George’s and the Carenage. The capital is the reason many passengers rate Grenada the prettiest of the Windward calls. The Carenage, a horseshoe of deep water lined with pastel Georgian warehouses, sits at its centre, and the stepped streets climb from it past the churches and the market to the forts on the ridges above. It is a working harbour town rather than a resort, walkable at the waterfront and steep beyond, and an hour spent circling the Carenage is the easiest pleasure of the day.
- Fort George. On the headland above the harbour stands Fort George, built by the French in 1705 and later held by the British, its cannon still pointing out to sea and its ramparts giving the widest view over the pastel town and the anchorage. The climb from the Carenage is steep and the fort itself plain, but the outlook, down over the red roofs and the horseshoe of water, is the photograph most passengers carry away from Grenada.
- Grand Anse Beach. Grand Anse is Grenada’s great beach and one of the finest in the eastern Caribbean, a two-kilometre sweep of pale sand and calm, clear water backed by sea-grape and the low hills of the south-west coast. It is about ten minutes from St George’s by road, or a short water-taxi ride across from the Carenage, and it is the single easiest thing to do on the island, an afternoon of swimming and beach bars within reach of even a short call.
- Grand Etang and the rainforest. The island’s centre rises into rainforest, and the road up from St George’s reaches the Grand Etang National Park, where a still crater lake fills the cone of an old volcano and mona monkeys come down to the roadside. It is cooler and greener than the coast, a genuine tropical forest of tree ferns and mist, and the drive up is part of the pleasure. On a full-day call it makes the natural inland excursion, often paired with a waterfall on the way.
- Annandale Falls and the spice country. Grenada earns its Spice Isle name in the hills, where nutmeg, mace and cinnamon grow and are processed at working stations passengers can visit. Annandale Falls, a slender rainforest cascade with a pool at its foot, is one of the more accessible, close to the road on the way inland, and the nutmeg station at Gouyave on the west coast shows the trade at first hand. Together they make a fragrant, unhurried alternative to the beach.
- The Underwater Sculpture Park. Off Molinere Bay, a short way up the west coast, lies the world’s first underwater sculpture park, a gallery of figures set on the seabed in shallow, clear water that the reef has slowly colonised. Snorkelling and glass-bottom-boat trips run out to it from St George’s, and it is an unusual thing to see, part art and part artificial reef, and a gentler way onto the water than the beach for passengers who want something out of the ordinary.
There is no beach at the port, but one of the Caribbean’s best is a short hop away. Grand Anse, a two-kilometre arc of white sand on the calm western coast, is about ten minutes from St George’s by road, or by one of the small water taxis that cross from the Carenage for a few dollars. It is the easiest half-day on the island and pairs naturally with a morning walking the town.
Eating Near the Cruise Port
- Dock (central)
- Few minutes to the Carenage; town is steep
- EC dollar; USD accepted
What to eat in Grenada
Oil down is the national dish and it’s a proper one-pot: salted meat, breadfruit, dumplings, callaloo and turmeric steamed down in coconut milk until the oil separates and sinks, which is where the name comes from. Grenada grows about 40% of the world’s nutmeg and it’s on the flag, so the spice turns up in everything from stews to ice cream. The island’s chocolate is genuinely world class and made here from local cocoa rather than shipped out as beans.
What to drink
River Antoine has been distilling since 1785 and still crushes its cane with a waterwheel, which makes it the oldest working distillery of its kind in the Caribbean. Its overproof rum is famously strong and can’t legally fly home with you. Carib is brewed on the island. Nutmeg syrup and cocoa tea, made with local chocolate and spice, are the non-alcoholic ones worth ordering.
Where to find it
The berth is a few minutes from the Carenage, the horseshoe of waterfront in St George’s, though the town climbs steeply behind it. The market square up the hill is where the spice sellers and the local food are, and it’s the best thing in town. The Carenage restaurants have the view. Grand Anse beach and the distilleries need a taxi.
Good for a short port call
The Carenage is right there and the market is a steep ten minutes above it. Buy nutmeg and cocoa at the market rather than the cruise terminal, where it costs several times more.
Getting Around
Grenada’s rainforest and its higher waterfalls are genuinely inland, and a six-hour call is tight for reaching them and returning with margin to spare. The Grand Etang crater lake and the roadside Annandale Falls are manageable by taxi or excursion; the more distant falls and the northern nutmeg town of Gouyave are better left to a longer stay. It is worth matching the ambition of the day to the length of the call.
Essential Travel Tips
Grenada uses the East Caribbean dollar, shared across the eastern islands and fixed at 2.70 to the US dollar. US dollars are taken almost everywhere, though change usually comes back in EC dollars, which are of no use once the ship sails. It is worth keeping US notes small and spending EC change before the day ends. Cards are accepted at the larger attractions and hotels.
The Caribbean cruise season runs from December to April, Grenada’s drier half, when the British winter fleets are in the region and the roads into the hills are at their most reliable. The wetter months from June to November bring heavier rain, greener forest and the Atlantic hurricane season, when calls thin out. A winter day on the island is warm, and the interior stays green regardless.
Because the berth sits in the middle of St George’s, it is easy to leave the return until late and then find the climb back from the Carenage steeper than you remembered. Note the All-aboard time and give that walk more minutes than it looks worth. A short packing list here is mostly about the heat: water, a hat, and sandals you can manage a steep pavement in.
St George’s needs no shore excursion at all, since the terminal opens straight onto the town and the Carenage is a flat walk from the gangway. The question is what you do afterwards, because Grand Anse, the rainforest and the spice stations all need transport, and the inland waterfalls are the ones a short call cannot reach.
Grand Anse is about ten minutes away by water taxi or local bus, which is the cheapest good decision available on a Grenada call and leaves your onboard spending for rum and nutmeg rather than a coach seat.
Caribbean sailings cluster into the winter months, so choosing the best time to book is usually a question of which week rather than which island. On the ship, a shaded cabin earns its money on a run like this, because you will be coming back aboard in the middle of a Caribbean afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ships berth alongside at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal in the centre of St George’s, the capital, so there is no shuttle and the town begins at the pier. When the berths are full some ships anchor in the harbour and tender ashore. The waterfront and the Carenage are a flat few minutes’ walk, though the town climbs steeply inland and the beaches and interior need transport.
Grand Anse is about ten minutes south of St George’s. The pleasant way is by one of the small water taxis that cross from the Carenage for around five US dollars; there are also shared buses at a lower fare and taxis for about twenty dollars. It is the easiest half-day on the island, and pairs naturally with a morning spent walking the town.
The waterfront is, easily: the Carenage, the market and the shops are a flat few minutes from the pier. Beyond the water, though, St George’s climbs steeply in stepped streets, and the forts on the ridges are a stiff walk. Passengers wanting only the harbour and the shops will find it a gentle town; those heading for the forts or the beaches should be ready for the hills or take a taxi.
The East Caribbean dollar, shared across the eastern Caribbean and pegged to the US dollar at 2.70 to one. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, though change usually comes back in EC dollars. Cards are taken at the larger hotels and attractions. It is worth spending EC change before the ship sails, as it is of little use elsewhere.
The nearer parts, yes; the far interior, not comfortably. The Grand Etang crater lake and the roadside Annandale Falls are within reach by taxi or excursion on a full-day call. The more distant waterfalls and the northern spice town of Gouyave are a stretch on a six-hour stop, and are better left to a longer visit. It is worth matching the plan to the length of the call and agreeing a return time.
For a gentle day, a morning walking St George’s and the Carenage followed by an afternoon at Grand Anse beach is hard to better. For a fuller one, a drive into the hills to the Grand Etang crater lake, a waterfall and a nutmeg station shows the Spice Isle at its most characteristic. The town is the free pleasure; the beach the easy one; the hills the rewarding one.
The Caribbean cruise season runs from December to April, Grenada’s drier half and the time the British winter fleets are in the region. The wetter months from June to November bring heavier rain and the Atlantic hurricane season, when schedules thin. Grenada lies at the southern edge of the hurricane belt and is struck less often than the islands to the north, but the dry-season calls are the reliable ones.
British and most Western passport holders do not need a visa for a short stay in Grenada, though a valid passport is required. Cruise passengers ashore for the day are admitted as visitors. Requirements can change, so travellers of other nationalities should confirm their own position before sailing.
Ready to Explore Grenada?
Grenada is the call that rewards a walk before a drive. St George’s is among the most beautiful of Caribbean capitals, and it costs nothing but the effort of the hills to enjoy it, a morning around the Carenage and up to Fort George well spent before the day goes anywhere else. Beyond the town, the choice is the easy beach at Grand Anse or the greener, slower pleasure of the rainforest and the spice country, and a short call rarely stretches to both. The passengers who take Grenada gently, a lovely town, a fine beach, a lungful of nutmeg-scented air, tend to leave it fondest.
How We Verify Port-Day Details
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources