If you’re cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line‘s Norwegian Sky August 25 through October 20, 2016 and were hoping to stop at the line’s private island in the Bahamas, you’re out of luck. Great Stirrup Cay is set to go under the knife for some much needed rehab work which will have the ship calling on Nassau and Grand Bahama instead.
Neither is a destination that makes up the loss of a day on the Cay though!
I first visited Great Stirrup Cay in December 2014 during a cruise on the MSC Divina. Like many cruise lines with private islands in the Bahamas, they lease them out to other lines on days when their own ships aren’t calling on them, which is how I got there.
Having visited several of the cruise line owned islands in the Bahamas (Half Moon Cay, Castaway Cay, CoCo Cay, and Labadee), I honestly can say Great Stirrup Cay was my least favorite. To quote my review from that day:
I was a tad disappointed with the island and I kept comparing it to other’s I’ve been to as I journeyed around in the soft, white sand. There really isn’t a “welcoming” feeling upon arrival at the island. Other islands have a nice, colorful welcome center, with bright signs directing you where to go. I didn’t see anything like that here. I wasn’t getting the “island paradise” vibe I’ve gotten on other islands. I tried to pin-point exactly what it was that was turning me off and just couldn’t pick out one thing.
Perhaps it was the lack of color? Most of the islands buildings were painted tan, unlike other islands where multiple colors are used on buildings to make them bright and cheery. The huts where islanders were selling souvenirs and offering hair braiding were different colors, but that was about it. The other buildings for water sports rentals, food, etc., were all drab and unremarkable.
There was a Bacardi bar that looks like it is a recent addition which was done up quite nicely, but then again, it lacked color. Even the private cabanas were all the same dull, drab, tan. The best way I can describe things is to say the facilities were Army-like. The food service building, where a buffet lunch was being served, reminded me of a mess hall, with long lines of people carrying trays waiting to be served their gruel.
So it’s exciting to see that Norwegian is investing some money into making Great Stirrup Cay more enjoyable for their guests. So what can visitors expect to find once the island reopens?
- A 1,000 foot zip line course with two parallel lines
- An underwater sculpture garden for snorkelers
- A beach boardwalk with 100,000 square feet of walkway
- $1M worth of landscaping upgrades
- Basketball and volleyball courts
- Ping-pong tables
- An entertainment stage
- Abaco Taco’s, a free taco stand
- Jimmy Buffett’s LandShark Bark & Grill ($) with indoor and outdoor seating
- Renovations of existing bars and restaurants with increased seating capacity
- New lockers and restrooms in the tender boat area
In addition, Norwegian is introducing the Lagoon Retreat, a private beach area complete with a spa and villas that can be rented by the day. The Retreat is for the exclusive use of those passengers staying in the Haven and other suites on the ship along with those who purchase spa services on the island. If you’re not staying in one of those stateroom categories, a handful of passes will be offered for sale on a first-come-first-sold basis.
The new Lagoon Retreat will feature a swim-up bar, private beach area, a free restaurant that also features a private room for special events and more.
Not all areas will be complete when the island re-opens in October. Some of the more intense renovations, such as the Retreat, will be open in early 2017.
For more about the enhancements being made to Great Stirrup Cay, click here to read the announcement from NCL.
No doubt it’s exciting to see these additions and enhancements being made to Great Stirrup Cay, especially since I felt they were direly needed. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing the island again and hopefully having a different opinion on it on my next visit.
In other private island news, as I previously wrote, MSC is investing $400 million on their first private island in the Caribbean – Ocean Cay. You can read what cruisers can expect on this private paradise when MSC cruise ships start calling on it in December 2017.
Have you been to Great Stirrup Cay lately? Let me know what you thought about your visit in the comments and be sure to share what new feature you’re most excited to experience.
