On Norwegian cruise ships, guests looking for luxury have The Haven an exclusive part of the ship that separate from the rest of their guests. Each Villa offers A/C, in villa TV with complimentary on-demand movies, access to the upscale Silver Cove buffet, full private restroom, a retractable glass wall providing unobstructed views and access to the beach. Here are my top takeaways-. What Can You Do On The Island?- The main attraction on the island is the fantastic beach! Buffet: Starting at 11:30, there is a large buffet serving up a number of dishes, including burgers, dogs, pizza, salads, chicken, fruits, and a few other dishes. This is definitely an Instagram worthy experience as it is generally geared toward taking pictures with the pigs- and there are plenty of opportunities for this. Royal Caribbean recently spent about $250 million renovating their island, putting in everything from the Caribbeans largest pool to a waterpark with the tallest waterslide in North America. You can take your experience to the next level by signing up for the zip-line adventure! If you want to be one of the first guests on the island make sure you get your tender ticket early. We chose to Swim With The Pigs during our day at the island. One thing thats great about Great Stirrup Cay is that the land forms coves around the swimming area. The island's northern part has snorkeling areas and asurrounded by rocks sandy beach. There was an error trying to send your message. And I really dont care all that much for Cruising now, after been doing so since the early 90s and watching the food quality deteriorate over the years and even more so recently. The island has an exclusive area called Silver Cove, with cabanas for rent that has a bar, restaurant, and its own lagoon. A limited number of passes for all passengers are available for purchasing on each NCL Bahamas cruise with Great Stirrup Cay. As a result, in 1863, theBritish Imperial Lighthouse Service erected the lighthouse on Great Stirrup Cay. If you want to purchase something here, then bring a little bit of cash. With the beach wheelchair, however, it should be much easier to navigate. All the island's existing eateries and bars were updated (decking, shaded areas, stools in all bars). Theyve destroyed the beauty of the island and cheapened in with PAY for items they didnt have earlier. In short, if youve ever wanted to visit a picturesque private island without having to pay a fortune, this is it. The island is a little unique in that you dont have a big pier (just yet) that the ship docks at to let passengers off. On Great Stirrup Cay, the equivalent is the Silver Cove area of the island. Other complimentary amenities and services provided to Silver Cove Villas include private beach access, buffet-style dining (at Silver Cove Restaurant). When sailing vessels gave way to steamships, shipping traffic increased through this channel. Absolutely! Also, if you need a shower to wash off the sand and the salt, there are showers on the sides of the restrooms that are free to use. *Tip- For those looking for a quieter beach experience, dont settle for the largest most central cove. Perfect for an island bite before hitting the beach. That reduces the waves and the choppy water and makes things perfect for playing in the water, even for small kids. Same as on the ship, your room key will grant you access to most everything offered. https://theme-fusion.com/. Join Colleen and Tina as they share stories about family and travel. Climate is tropical. Please try again later. If you get the Internet package on the ship, unfortunately it wont extend to the island. For those looking for a more active experience, I would choose differently as you wont really be swimming with these piglets- rather wading in the beach and taking pictures. Its the best chance to get that perfect photo in front of your ship. Jumbey Beach Grill (the island's main buffet restaurant) was extensively refurbished and redesigned. All the food service on the island is included in your cruise fare, and there are plenty of options to satisfy all palates. Norwegian is big into social media, and right now Instagram is king. Walk all the way to the end of the beach area, and youll find Silver Cove. Hugely disappointed with this line. On Great Stirrup Cay, you can snooze in a hammock under a shady palm tree, learn to snorkel in a peaceful cove where tropical fish weave around equally colorful coral, dance the limbo and enjoy a beach-side barbecue. They can still enjoy the rest of the ship but also have their own little spot. Whether you love social media of just want a nice snapshot, there are a ton of photo opportunities around Great Stirrup Cay. The islands are about 140 miles east of Miami, making it a close port of call for cruises departing the Florida port. Shore Excursions If youre looking add an adventure to your beach day you do have the option to book excursions during your time on the island. Thankfully restrooms arent hard to find on Great Stirrup Cay, as they are dotted around the island. One of the most popular are the over-the-water swings. I believe that there is not, but not sure. By continuing to browse the site you agree to our use of cookies. However, due to damages caused by Hurricane Matthew, the opening was delayeduntil November 20. Great Stirrup Cay has several coves that run across the length of the island. The types of villas available for rent are Studios (2-4 people), 1-Bedroom (4-6 people, with hot tub), 2-Bedroom (10 people, with hot tub, 2 bathrooms). Great Stirrup Cay is an unspoiled paradise of magnificent white sandy beaches, majestic coconut palms, and calm, pristine waters where an abundance of colorful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs. There are 2 courses featuring multiple zips, a ropes course, bridges and chimney climbs. Hot Dog Cart: Want a snack? Having recently been to Coco Cay in 2019, and seeing what is on Great Stirrup Cay, I have no desire whatsoever to visit it at this point. The private island destination was closed for refurbishmentbetweenAugust 25 andOctober 20, 2016. I suggest heading to the taco truck where you can choose from beef, pork, chicken or fish tacos. NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line on Saturday, November 20, continued the brand's Great Cruise Comeback restarting its 9th ship -Norwegian Joy NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line restarted voyages on November 13, 2021, aboard Norwegian Escape from Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida) to the Eastern NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line opened for sale its summer 2023 itineraries while launching a Black Friday Sale, the companys best deal of the year NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line opened for sale a range of winter 2022-2023 worldwide voyages for 13 of its 18 liners, providing guests with a variety of NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line introduced a brand new exclusive oceanfront resort-style destination on its private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup With the Hurricane Dorian's passing, major cruise companies were assessing, and gearing up to reopen private destinations in the Bahamas. 2022 Bahamas Ministry of Tourism All Rights Reserved. The port destination sits in the middle of the Berry Islands- about 140 miles from Miami. This area is equivalent to The Haven on the ship. The menus include ceviche, pulled pork sandwiches, spicy chicken sandwiches and more. Copyright 2021 Mystical Dream Travel | Vacation Planning Concierge Services |. Having it work on Great Stirrup Cay means you are better able to get your moneys worth. We will also mention that Great Stirrup Cay didnt feel particularly accessible otherwise as there are lots of spots that require walking through sand. Here is a complete map of the island, provided from NCL: Norwegians island sits in a chain of islands called the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. The island's renovations and upgrades were scheduled for completion by 2017 spring. We are proud sponsors of the Magical Traveling Moms Podcast. At about 2 by 0.5 miles, its decently sized but only a portion of the island is developed for cruise passengers. 2022 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. 11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruisetour | Norwegian Cruise Line, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruisetour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line, 20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line, 11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog. NCL puts towels on every lounger meaning that will have plenty of them on the island and dont need to bring one from the ship. The beach bars were enlarged. Its situated in an area along the Northwest Providence Channel. Shes home to lizards, seagulls, neon-colored fish and a few very fortunate guests of NCL. The same $15 per drink limit applies. Theres a seemingly never-ending row of lounge chairs and multiple protected coves for swimming and snorkeling. The new zip-line course (length 1000 ft / 305 m) has 2 parallel lines. So yummy! Check out the new Silver Cove (more on this below). Yes, but only a little bit. But of course, just like with bigger and better cruise ships, there is also competition among private islands. If youve never seen it in person, you will from the cruise ship. If you want to pay for an excursion or get a drink at the bar, just hand over your card to pay. This is actually not a lighthouse, but the peak of the zipline course that runs throughout the island. There is an original lighthouse (constructed in 1863). Instead, the ship docks offshore and you use a tender to get the shore. Beach wheelchairs with massive inflatable tires are available for you to use for free. For more information on this and other Norwegian Cruise Line experiences contact one of our travel agents! Great Stirrup Cay is part of Berry Islands (Bahamas). The first and largest cove is by far the most popular with people as its right by the landing for the tender boats. Each Silver Cove Villa is fitted with power outlets, air-conditioner, HDTV with infotainment system (on-demand movies, Internet), full en-suite bathroom, daybeds, club chairs, retractable glass wall (for unobstructed beach views), spacious veranda (outdoor terrace with premium garden furniture). These luxury villas include beds, a living room, bathroom, fridge, TV, and outdoor seating areas. Choose from a Studio, 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom villa available for varying prices accommodating up to 8, 10 and 16 guests respectively. Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with third party vendors, or used specifically by this site or app. The nearest large island is Great Harbour Cay. CocoCay is literally the next island over and you can see it right from the ship. (See our suggest cruise packing items here.). Meanwhile, you have two choices of where to rent a villa oceanside or surrounding a massive lagoon of electric blue water. Want to really get away from the crowds? In addition to snorkel gear, the islands rental center can provide wave runners, standup paddleboards, and floating mats. When you return, you will show the security guard your room card and ID to get back on the tender to the ship. Grab a refreshing cold brew or cocktail and a mid-afternoon bite at Jumbey Beach Grill. Here there arent as many people, and its a bit slower paced. Tenders run continually throughout the day so you can come and go from the island whenever you want. The new Lagoon Retreat is an adults-only private beach areawith its ownrestaurant, covered area, air-conditioned private villas (1x 4-room Spa Villa, plus22x villas / studios, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom accommodations). So what can you expect from your visit? When youre ready to go to Great Stirrup Cay, just walk down to the gangway deck and climb aboard the tender. All you have to do is look for the teal buildings. This gives you fantastic views of the ship up close from the water with no obstructed views. We saw a couple of hot dog carts roaming around the island during our stay. Become one with the sea on our floating mats. As wildlife, the island has different varieties of lizards and land crabs, seagullsand sanderlings(waders / shorebirds). The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas NCL private island. Unwind on white-sand beaches and enjoy the many ways to explore paradise. Build your own taco in the complimentary Abaco Taco Bar. Top 5 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Magic Shots, Great Stirrup Cay- A Guide Norwegians Private Island ~ Courtney, 8 Things To Know About Norwegian Escape ~ Dayna, Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita Review ~ Judi, 5 Romantic Must-Dos At Walt Disney World ~ Judi. The closure mostly affected the short itineraries of Norwegian Sky, which instead visited Nassau and Freeport (Grand Bahama)/ Key West FL. During our visit the open water had a slight chop, but the water near the beach was perfectly flat and calm. The ride takes about 10 minutes between the island and where the ship is anchored offshore. The ride takes about 10 minutes to get between the island and where the ship is anchored offshore. Do it all or nothing at all the choice is yours. Head to any bar on the island and you can get a drink just like you would on the ship. However, you should bring anything you might want for a day at the beach, including things like your swimsuit, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat. Apart from those two items, you dont NEED to bring anything. The cruise line might ask passengers to make a reservation for a tender, but we found that there isnt a need for a reservation. Or, circle the island in a kayak or sailboat. I recently experienced my very first cruise on the Norwegian Escape, and Great Stirrup Cay was our final port of call.