<p>With 229 cruise ship calls scheduled for 2009, including nearly 89 from Carnival Cruise Lines&rsquo; vessels, the Grand Turk Cruise Center (GTCC) is on track for hosting a record 500,000 passengers in the coming year.&nbsp; The unprecedented half-million passenger mark is a 25 percent increase over 2008, during which the GTCC was closed for 30 days following Hurricane Ike.&nbsp; </p><p>A key reason for Grand Turk&rsquo;s continued popularity is the wide array of organized excursion opportunities for visitors, from horseback riding and kayaking to world-class diving, snorkeling and fishing.&nbsp; </p><p>For those guests who want to explore the island on their own, the new Grand Turk Grace Bay Car Rentals recently opened at the Grand Turk Cruise Center.&nbsp; With this new service, guests visiting Grand Turk will be able to discover the island&rsquo;s numerous historical sites, gorgeous white-sand beaches, quaint Bermudian-influenced architecture and friendly locals at their own pace.</p><p>Currently, five Carnival Cruise Lines&rsquo; &ldquo;Fun Ships&rdquo; call at Grand Turk &ndash; Carnival Destiny on five-day cruises from Miami; Carnival Liberty on seven-day voyages from Miami; and Carnival Miracle on eight-day cruises from New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>Carnival Pride will also feature Grand Turk as part of its new seven-day schedule from Baltimore beginning April 27 &ndash; the first year-round program from that port.&nbsp; Grand Turk will also be featured on the Carnival Glory&rsquo;s new seven-day program from Miami beginning December 3. </p>