For years, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay has been a beautiful private island in The Bahamas that’s relatively quiet. There’s lots of beach, nice water, bars, a zipline, and that’s about it. If you want to relax, it’s hard to beat.
Meanwhile, literally just a mile away Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay has taken on a completely different personality. Several years ago the cruise line transformed the destination, installing a water park, massive pool, beach club, adults-only area, and more.
For those that wanted a lot to do (such as families with kids), Royal Caribbean’s island has marked an obvious choice over the quieter Great Stirrup Cay.
Now, NCL has announced massive changes. The new moves are likely to annoy Royal Caribbean as it puts the two islands on a more level playing field when it comes to things to do.
Tons of New Features Coming to Great Stirrup Cay
Over the weekend, Norwegian Cruise Line welcomed its newest ship — Norwegian Aqua — to its fleet with a christening ceremony in Miami. And while it’s always big news when a new ship hits the scene, it may be even bigger news that NCL announced about Great Stirrup Cay.
During the event, NCL President David Herrera revealed major changes coming to the island by the end of this year.
It’s been discussed that NCL is already building a new pier that will allow ships to dock at the island. In the past, ships had to anchor offshore and use a tender to ferry passengers back and forth. If it were remotely choppy, that could mean the port was skipped altogether for safety reasons. Having a dock means a visit is still an option even in rougher seas. (We’ve personally been on a cruise where Great Stirrup Cay was skipped, while a Royal Caribbean ship was docked at CocoCay next door.)
But this new announcement is about so much more than a pier.
NCL says that Great Stirrup Cay will see a new “expansive” pool area with an “oversized heated pool.” Currently there is no public pool on the island (there is one in the Silver Cove area, but that spot requires passengers to pay for a cabana to enter.) And this pool being heated may sound silly in The Bahamas, but we’ve visited CocoCay in the winter months and yes, the pool water can get chilly.
In addition to the pool, NCL is building a new splash pad area for kids, and a swim-up bar for parents. There will be a new tram service to get around the island versus walking. There will also be a new Vibe Beach Club for adults with cabanas and loungers for those that want to get away from kids while visiting.
The cruise line is also installing a new Horizon Park, which debuted on two NCL ships recently. It will have lawn games for families to enjoy when they aren’t at the beach.
But what Mr. Herrera shared during the announcement is that this is just the beginning of what’s being planned for the island
Given the scale and scope of its next door neighbor, don’t be surprised to hear more from big news about Great Stirrup Cay in the near future.
