Norwegian Cruise Line is preparing to officially open Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay on September 4, 2026, marking one of the most significant phases in the ongoing transformation of its private island destination in The Bahamas.
Ahead of the public opening, NCL hosted an exclusive preview event for government representatives, travel partners, media, content creators and invited guests, offering a first look at the new attractions, dining concepts and guest areas that will become available when Norwegian Luna calls at the island later this week. The nearly six-acre waterpark is the latest major addition to Great Stirrup Cay, a 270-acre private island that Norwegian Cruise Line has been progressively repositioning as a more complete resort-style destination. The official opening will coincide with Norwegian Luna’s September 4 call, and day passes are already available for guests sailing to Great Stirrup Cay from that date onward.
At the centre of Great Tides Waterpark is the 170-foot Tidal Tower, which features eight slides, including Tropic Spiral, described by NCL as the world’s first Nautilus slide, and Breakwater Blasters, a pair of duelling Master Blaster slides using high-pressure water jets to propel riders uphill and through drops and turns. The park also includes Cliffside Cove, home to 10- and 15-foot cliff jumps, The Great Slide for groups of up to four guests, and Fearless Falls, which drops riders from elevated platforms directly into the water. Another major feature is the more than 800-foot-long Wandering River, designed as an immersive alternative to a traditional lazy river. The attraction includes a tunnel experience and Floataway Bar, a swim-up venue integrated directly into the route. Splash Cay, meanwhile, is aimed at families and younger guests, with more than 9,000 square feet of water play, eight mini-slides, interactive features and a 300-gallon tipping bucket. NCL has also introduced three new casual dining venues inside the park: Low Tide Smoke, focused on barbecue; Catch of the Cay, serving seafood; and Tidal Treats, dedicated to ice cream and soft serve.
The opening of Great Tides Waterpark should be viewed within a much broader redevelopment of Great Stirrup Cay. NCL has already opened the Great Life Lagoon, a 28,000-square-foot oceanfront pool with swim-up bars, private cabanas and complimentary loungers, as well as Splash Harbor, a family-oriented splash area. The island has also received a new pier and welcome plaza, significantly improving arrival logistics and reducing the need for tender operations.
From a product-development perspective, this layered approach is particularly interesting. Great Stirrup Cay now combines complimentary areas with paid premium experiences, allowing Norwegian Cruise Line to cater to different guest profiles while also increasing the commercial potential of a destination already included in the cruise itinerary. Families can spend the day between the pool, Splash Harbor and the beach, while guests seeking more active experiences can add the waterpark, ziplining, snorkeling or water sports. Those looking for a more private setting can move towards Silver Cove or Vibe Shore Club. The island is also becoming increasingly relevant from an itinerary perspective. Great Stirrup Cay is available year-round on selected Norwegian Cruise Line cruises and is served seasonally from a broad range of U.S. homeports including Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Jacksonville, New York and Philadelphia. This makes the destination an important asset not only for the guest experience, but also for deployment strategy, particularly as cruise lines continue to strengthen short Caribbean programmes and itineraries designed around proprietary destinations.
The preview event itself reflected the scale of the project, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings President and CEO John Chidsey, NCL President Marc Kazlauskas, U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Herschel Walker and Randy Rolle, Member of Parliament for Bimini and the Berry Islands. The event also included a Junkanoo performance and brand activations from Aperol, Coca-Cola, Casamigos and Hampton Water, underscoring the increasingly resort-like positioning of the destination. For Norwegian Cruise Line, the opening of Great Tides Waterpark therefore represents much more than the addition of another attraction. It completes a major stage in the redevelopment of Great Stirrup Cay and strengthens the island’s role as an extension of the NCL product itself. With new infrastructure, expanded family facilities, premium areas and a much broader range of activities now in place, the destination is becoming a more central part of the cruise experience rather than simply one stop among many.
As Norwegian Luna becomes the first ship to call after the official opening on September 4, Great Stirrup Cay will enter a new phase in its development. The result is a destination that increasingly reflects one of the clearest trends in contemporary cruising: the transformation of private islands into fully integrated resort environments, designed to combine convenience, exclusivity, entertainment and greater control over the guest experience ashore.
Adele D'Angelo
