Norwegian Cruise Line unveils a six-acre aquatic playground and sweeping island upgrades aimed at one-million annual guests.
Key Points
- Why it matters: The $150 million overhaul positions NCL's Private Island to compete directly with CocoCay and other mega-islands.
- Great Tides Waterpark opens summer 2026 with 19 waterslides, cliff jumps, and an 800-foot "dynamic" river.
- A new 1.4-acre pool, Great Life Lagoon, adds two swim-up bars and family splash zones.
- A dual-ship pier coming later this year removes tendering and raises capacity to 1 million visitors in 2026.
- Shore power, tram network, pickleball, mini-golf, and 50-hammock bay broaden non-water options.
Snapshot
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will bring its biggest land-based attraction to Great Stirrup Cay next summer: Great Tides Waterpark, a nearly six-acre complex highlighted by a 170-foot Tidal Tower supporting eight slides, an 800-foot fast-current river, and a 9,000-square-foot kids splash zone. The announcement caps a multi-phase $150 million redevelopment that also adds a heated lagoon pool, a pier able to berth two Breakaway-Plus ships, and fresh dining and sports facilities across the 270-acre Bahamian haven. President David J. Herrera calls the project "an incredible blueprint to reinvent what guests can experience."
Background
Purchased in 1977, Great Stirrup Cay was cruising's first Private Island but ceded bragging rights when Royal Caribbean poured hundreds of millions into Perfect Day at CocoCay. NCL answered in April 2025 with a pier, heated pool, and Vibe Shore Club. The line now sails 15 ships to the Bahamas-including the upcoming Norwegian Aqua-each itinerary banking on the island as a marquee call. Adding headline attractions and smoothing crowd flow is essential as NCL targets 1 million annual visitors in 2026, up from roughly 400,000 in 2024.
Latest Developments
Towering Slides and a Fast-Moving River
Stretching nearly six acres, Great Tides Waterpark's signature Tidal Tower rises 170 feet, launching eight slide experiences that range from two-lane mat races to raft drops with conveyor belts that spare riders a staircase haul. Cliffside Cove introduces 10- and 15-foot ledges for free-fall jumps plus a four-person family slide hovering above the Grotto Bar. A kid-centric zone places eight mini-slides around a 40-foot tipping bucket, while an 800-foot "dynamic" river accelerates beyond lazy-river speeds and tunnels through a bioluminescent grotto.
Beyond the Waterpark: Pools, Sports, and Serenity
Anchoring phase-one upgrades, Great Life Lagoon spans 1.4 acres of heated water with twin swim-up bars-Reef Bar pulsates with a DJ; Waves Bar sits beside the Splash Harbor splash pad. Horizon Park layers pickleball, mini-golf, and lawn games, whereas Hammock Bay strings more than 50 hammocks along a shaded crescent with its own bar. Adults seeking exclusivity can book Vibe Shore Club day passes for hanging daybeds and premium loungers.
Pier and Capacity Boost
The soon-to-open pier allows simultaneous docking for two large vessels, quashing weather-dependent tendering and unlocking same-day double calls. NCL forecasts 15 ships, including Norwegian Luna, to visit in 2026-part of a record deployment the line previewed earlier this month in its spring-summer 2027 schedule (related coverage).
Analysis
NCL's investment tackles three strategic gaps. First, capacity: pier construction and a tram network mitigate operational bottlenecks that previously limited shore time and dampened guest satisfaction. Second, parity: Royal Caribbean's CocoCay draws more than 3 million guests annually with headline slides and over-water cabanas; Great Tides Waterpark narrows that competitive moat while preserving NCL's more laid-back atmosphere. Third, revenue: paid cabanas, Jet Kart excursions, and Vibe Shore Club upsells diversify the island's on-site spend, crucial as ticket yields plateau. Combined with the forthcoming Prima-plus ships designed around elevated onboard spaces, the refreshed island completes an end-to-end "resort at sea" model that keeps discretionary dollars within the NCL ecosystem. Whether the attraction mix resonates long-term hinges on execution-crowd management, maintenance, and price discipline will determine if Great Stirrup Cay evolves from a pleasant beach stop to a must-have booking driver.
Final Thoughts
With Great Tides Waterpark, Norwegian Cruise Line reclaims its trailblazer status in the private-island race, pairing record-breaking slides with practical infrastructure that elevates the entire guest flow. If timelines hold and promised amenities deliver, Great Stirrup Cay could once again set the bar for cruise-line island experiences-anchored, fittingly, by the towering new Great Tides Waterpark.