NCL is Building a Waterpark on Great Stirrup Cay

Coming in the summer of 2026, NCL is opening the Great Tides Waterpark. The park will be roughly 6 acres and will feature 19 waterslides, a dynamic river, a jet kart water track, and more.

“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 when they escape to ‘The Great Life’ with us."

What can you find in the new waterpark?

Tidal Tower stands at 170 feet and will be home to eight thrilling waterslides. Several tube slides, a racing waterslide, and other slides round out the tower. Conveyor belts will haul the tubes up the tower so guests don’t have to carry them.

Cliffside Cove is another attraction that features more racer slides, two different cliff jumps standing at 10 and 15 feet tall, and a family slide where four guests can slide down simultaneously. There is also a hidden cave bar called the Grotto Bar, tucked under the family slide.

For the little kiddos there will be a 9,000 square foot splash zone that will have an oversized tipping bucket, 8 mini slides, and interactive water features. 

The dynamic river is like a lazy river but the current will be faster. The river is 800 feet long and you can enter from several points, including a wading pool that has a swim-up bar nearby. The dynamic river will feature an illuminated grotto tunnel with bioluminescent scenes. 

Not much is given about the new jet karts except that they are a mix of go-karting and jet skiing. It sounds like this might be an additional shore excursion and possibly not included with the waterpark.  

Great Stirrup Cay is developing in stages.

While the Great Tides Waterpark is a year away, there will be some new attractions at Great Stirrup Cay coming later this year. These include a brand-new heated pool, a new multi-ship pier, the scenic welcome plaza, and an island-wide tram service. 

The Great Life Lagoon is a 1.4 acre pool area and will be complete along with private ocean and pool view cabanas and villas and two swim-up bars. The Reef Bar is designed to be vibrant with a DJ spinning all-day beats and The Waves Bar will be on the other end of the pool with a beach-style entrance leading to a splash area for kids called Splash Harbor.

Another named area that will be available later this year is Horizon Park, which will have lawn style games, pickleball courts, a 9 hole mini golf course, half a sports court and more. Hammock Bay will include over 50 hammocks, a bar, and will be near the BBQ buffet. 

The adults only area is Vibe Shore Club and will offer a private bar, hanging day beds, and premium lounge seating. This will cost extra with a day-pass and will have additional villas to rent.

NCL is having a sweepstakes and giving away cruises to Great Stirrup Cay.

NCL is launching an “Escape to the Great Life” campaign with a nationwide sweepstakes from July 29 to Aug. 31, 2025 and giving away 250 cruises to Great Stirrup Cay. 

If you are in NYC you could stop by NCL’s new exhibit in SoHo that features Great Stirrup Cay and enter the sweepstakes there. NCL is creating custom escape experiences with immersive LED graphic island visuals and tropical sights and sounds. There will be NCL SWAG to grab. These exhibits are only available for a limited time through the end of July. 

Additionally, there will be 7  “escape hatches” hidden across Manhattan in the popular areas of Hudson Yards, Gansevoort Plaza, 54th Street in Times Square, Broadway and Broome, Grand Central Station, State Street in the Financial District, and on the Highline Sundeck on 14th Street, providing additional opportunities to enter to win one of the 250 cruise giveaways. NCL is also hiding 3 of these “escape hatches” in Miami located in Wynwood, on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach and at Bayside Marketplace in downtown.

NCL is set to have one million guests at Great Stirrup Cay in 2026 and nearly all of their Caribbean cruises will make a stop at the island. If you’re interested in checking out the island and Great Tides Waterpark, NCL is offering up to $1,500 off all Caribbean and Bahamas sailings with “The Great Life Sale” for a limited time.