Key Aspects:

• 15 Norwegian Cruise ships will be sailing to Great Stirrup Cay in 2026 to experience the new Great Tides Waterpark. 
• Some of the newest ships in the fleet will be sailing to the private destination, including the soon-to-debut Norwegian Luna. 
• Cruise fans can also try to win their way in by entering the “Escape to the Great Life” sweepstakes online or at pop-up events in New York and Miami. 

When the news dropped about the Great Tides Waterpark that Norwegian Cruise Line is adding to Great Stirrup Cay, I had two thoughts:

First, I thought the 6-acre addition to NCL’s private island sounded amazing. Secondly, I immediately needed to know how I could get there when the expansion opens in 2026.

Luckily for eager cruisers like me, the cruise line has revamped its itineraries to meet the growing demand for Caribbean and Bahamas voyages, as well as in anticipation of the rush that will come with the debut of the waterpark.

The popular brand is anticipating one million guests will visit its exclusive destination in 2026.

Next year, 15 of Norwegian’s 20 cruise ships will be calling on Great Stirrup Cay, with plenty of embarkations from Florida’s PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Tampa.

Additional sailings will also set sail from New York, New York; Galveston, Texas; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

There will even be Transatlantic crossings that visit the revamped private destination onboard Norwegian Epic from Barcelona, Spain, and from Lisbon, Portugal, onboard Norwegian Dawn.

But not only is there more flexibility in choosing a home port, many of the ships being deployed to the region are among the newest in the fleet.

For example, Norwegian Luna will also debut shortly before the waterpark in 2026, and will begin her career by primarily operating 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyages from Miami that call on Great Stirrup Cay.

According to the itineraries listed on our Cruise Hive booking feature, Norwegian Luna will be conducting these sailings between April and October of 2026.

In addition to the Great Tides Waterpark, guests who book these sailings will also get to explore bucket list destinations like Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Of course, this is only one example of many exciting itineraries that include a day at the 270-acre resort.

Win Your Way In

The traditional way to make it to Great Stirrup Cay would be by booking a cruise, which you can do at discount with Cruise Hive.

But if you want to test your luck, NCL is also conducting a celebratory “Escape to the Great Life” sweepstakes from July 29 to August 31, 2025, that is open to cruise fans in the US and Canada.

250 winners will be awarded a balcony stateroom for two for an unspecified four-day voyage sailing to the Bahamian island in August 2026.

Read Also: What Are All the Cruise Line Private Islands and Destinations?

While prospective future guests can enter the competition online, those who are local to New York and Miami may relish the chance to enter in person through a fun pop-up experience.

Beginning at 3 p.m. EST on July 29,  a custom “escape hatch” at 104 Grand Street, New York City, will open that will use immersive technology and LED graphics to transport passersby to Great Stirrup Cay without ever leaving the city.

This event will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until July 31, and is a great chance for cruisers to get their name in the running.

At the same time, seven additional “escape hatches” to (virtually visit) Great Stirrup Cay will be hidden throughout New York, but patrons will have to discover those on their own in areas like Grand Central Station and Times Square.

Similarly, three of these immersive “escape hatches” will be hidden in Miami throughout the month of August.

While NCL hasn’t given away their exact locations, we do know that they’ll be found in Wynwood, on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, and at Bayside Marketplace in Downtown Miami.

Revamped Itineraries to Bring Cruisers to NCL’s Upgraded Private Island