Just a few months ago, Cruzely shared the news that Norwegian Cruise Line was planning huge upgrades to its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in The Bahamas.
Great Stirrup Cay sits about 150 miles east of Miami and literally within eyesight of Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay. While CocoCay was renovated years ago to completely transform the island to a tropical playground, Great Stirrup Cay — while nice — was lacking in many areas by comparison.
That’s all about to change. The cruise company announced major renovations earlier this year to add tons of features to the island. This included a new pier to allow docking instead of tendering to port, a new pool, splash pads for kids, and an entire waterpark with 19 waterslides and even cliff jumping.
Today, NCL announced that the first phase of those improvements is officially open.
Multiple New Features Now Open to Visitors
The cruise line shared that several new features are now open on Great Stirrup Cay.
Already the docking pier is completed, allowing ships to be able to dock instead of tending to port. While this might not seem like a major change, we can personally attest to the difference it will make.
We’ve sailed on a cruise to Great Stirrup Cay and had to skip the port due to the waves being too large for tendering, despite the weather being otherwise nice. Meanwhile, we could see a Royal Caribbean ship docked next door. The construction of a pier should reduce the risk of any cancellations due to weather.
On the island, however, there’s much more to be excited about. Most notably, the new 1.4 acre pool area that will serve as the new heart of the island.
This spot will include a new heated pool as the focus. NCL says the new pool is “larger than two Olympic-sized pools combined” meaning there should be plenty of room for everyone. And if you think having a heated pool in The Bahamas is no big deal, you’ve never visited in the middle of winter when the water can get chilly otherwise.
In addition to the new pool, there are two swim-up bars, cabanas for rent, and the new Vibe Shore Club. The club is an adults-only spot that does charge a fee for a day pass, similar to the Vibe Beach Club on many NCL ships.
Additionally, the new updates include Splash Harbor, which is an included splashpad for kids, a new welcome center and a new tram system to get visitors around Great Stirrup Cay.
The Biggest Change Is Still Yet to Come
These new upgrades are really just the start of what’s to come. The crown jewel of the development will be the upcoming Great Tides Waterpark, which is planned for opening this summer.
As covered here, it will include a total of 19 waterslides ranging from racing slides to tube rides and seemingly everything in between. There will also be an 800-foot “dynamic” (not lazy!) river, a 9,000 square foot splash area for kids and even a spot where you can go cliff jumping.
With the improvements, NCL seems to be putting a lot more focus on itineraries to the island. It says that 17 different ships across the company will visit in 2026, bringing more than one million passengers.
