NCL’s Great Stirrup Cay Is Getting a New Waterpark With 19 Slides, Cliff Jumps, and a Bioluminescent River Tunnel
The first thing you hear is the rush — not just of water, but of pure anticipation. You’re standing on the edge of something entirely new: Great Tides Waterpark, the splashy centerpiece of Norwegian Cruise Line’s bold reinvention of its private island, Great Stirrup Cay in The Bahamas. The water glimmers, the air pulses with music, and ahead of you tower 170 feet of brightly colored slides twisting into the sky.
This is what NCL is calling “The Great Life” — and in summer 2026, Great Stirrup Cay becomes one of the region’s most exciting private cruise destinations.
The Heart of the Island: A Six-Acre Waterpark
At the center of the transformation is Great Tides Waterpark, a sprawling, six-acre playground with 19 waterslides, cliff jumps, the Caribbean’s only family slide for four, and an 800-foot “dynamic river” with a glowing, bioluminescent tunnel. The 170-foot Tidal Tower is its beacon — with conveyor-belt lifts that carry your raft to the top so you can focus on the ride, not the climb.
There’s also Cliffside Cove, which will feature a range of new attractions aimed at both families and adventure-oriented cruisers, including two cliff jumps at 10 and 15 feet. The area will also include racer slides and what NCL says will be the Caribbean’s only four-person family slide. Adjacent to the slide structure, a cave-style venue called The Grotto Bar will offer a shaded setting with views of the activity overhead. At the center of the waterpark, a 9,000-square-foot splash zone will include eight mini slides and a 40-foot tipping bucket, designed to serve younger guests with a variety of interactive water features.
Beyond the Slides: Island-Only Adventures
More is coming beyond the waterpark. A new aquatic jet kart racecourse — part go-kart, part jet ski — adds an adrenaline-fueled thrill to the shore excursion lineup. The new Horizon Park brings beachside competition with mini golf, lawn games and pickleball. And for those who prefer hammocks over high-speed, Hammock Bay will include its own bar and over 50 swinging beds.
When the Upgrades Roll Out
The upgrades begin this year with the debut of a new heated pool with multiple swim-up bars, a scenic welcome plaza, a full island tram system and Great Life Lagoon — a 1.4-acre pool area with cabanas, DJs, splash zones and cocktail service. There’s also the Vibe Shore Club, an adults-only zone with hanging daybeds and premium loungers.
And it’s not just infrastructure. The experience is expanding too. NCL will bring 15 ships and more than a million guests to Great Stirrup Cay in 2026 — including its newest cruise ships, Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna, both sailing seven-day itineraries from Miami and Port Canaveral with calls across the Bahamas and Caribbean.
“This new waterpark is an outstanding addition to our recent announcement about other amazing new amenities on the island soon to debut,” said Norwegian President David Herrera in a statement.
How to Sail to the New-Look Great Stirrup Cay
You can already book sailings to the new-look Great Stirrup Cay. A sample three-day cruise from Miami that also includes a stop in Nassau starts at $549 per person on Norwegian Getaway. Another August 2026 sailing on Getaway starts at $629 per person right now.
The expansion at Great Stirrup Cay comes amid a broader trend across the cruise industry, as lines continue to invest heavily in private destinations. From new waterparks and overwater cabanas to expanded shore excursions and island infrastructure, cruise lines are increasingly treating private islands as full-scale ports of call
