At the heart of the private island will be Great Tides Waterpark – spanning nearly six acres and featuring 19 waterslides – which will open in summer 2026.
One area – Tidal Tower – will be home to eight waterslides, including the two tallest slides of the tower where guests can experience drops and climbs on a tube.
Additional slides include ones where guests can race to the finish line on a mat, tube slides which feature large spirals and spins that send guests in a whole other direction as they shoot down in a burst of excitement, as well as body slides.
The waterpark will also feature a 9,000-square foot kids splash zone with an oversized tipping bucket more than 40-feet above the ground and eight mini slides and interactive water features.
In addition, there will be a dynamic river, an immersive water experience with an accelerated current that will be faster than "a typical lazy river", the line said.
Later this year, NCL passengers can experience some of the enhanced experiences at Great Stirrup Cay, beginning with the opening of the new heated pool, a new multi-ship pier, a welcome plaza, and an island-wide tram service that will make it easier than ever to get around the island.
A 1.4-acre pool area – called Great Life Lagoon – will be complete with private ocean and pool view cabanas and villas, complimentary loungers and two swim-up bars – called Reef Bar and Waves Bar.
Reef Bar will feature a DJ spinning records all day, while the Waves Bar, on the opposite side of the pool, will have a beach-style entrance to an splash area for children with more water features.
NCL expects to welcome a million guests to Great Stirrup Cay across 15 of its ships next year. It will bring its newest ships to its private island in the Bahamas, including Norwegian Aqua, offering a mix of seven-day Caribbean voyages from Miami and Port Canaveral through to October 2027 with calls to the Dominican Republic, US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands.
"Great Stirrup Cay has always been an amazing part of the Norwegian Cruise Line guest experience and continues to be one of our highest rated destinations," said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.
"At 270 acres our private island provides us with an incredible blueprint to reinvent what guests can experience. This new waterpark is an outstanding addition to our recent announcement about other amazing new amenities on the island soon to debut."
Herrera added: "With each phase of our enhancements, we’re bringing ashore more of what our guests love about sailing with NCL. Whether you want to relax by the huge new heated pool – complete with multiple swim up bars, are looking forward to racing down one of the 19 waterslides with your kids at Great Tides Waterpark, or just want to enjoy the ocean breeze from one of the hammocks at Hammock Bay, Great Stirrup Cay will soon boast even more ways. I am thrilled to welcome our guests to the greatest private island in the Caribbean."
