Cliff jumping, 19 slides: This major cruise line will add waterpark to private island
The company will add the new Great Tides Waterpark to its private destination, Great Stirrup Cay, in 2026. The almost six-acre area is one of many additions and enhancements planned for the island in the coming months, alongside more beverage, shore excursion and transportation options.
"We know it's a great island now," David J. Herrera, Norwegian's president, told USA TODAY in an interview ahead of the announcement. "It's going to get even greater in the future."
Here's what guests can expect.
What's new at Norwegian Cruise Line's private island?
The waterpark will offer a wide range of activities on the island.
Those include the 170-foot Tidal Tower, where eight of the park's 19 waterslides will be located; the kid-friendly Tidepool Town splash zone measuring 9,000 square feet and a nearly 800-foot-long "dynamic river," according to a news release. Billed as speedier than a lazy river, guests will also pass through a grotto tunnel illuminated with a "dreamlike bioluminescent scene."
"It's the next level up from your typical lazy river that you could get anywhere," said Herrera.
If that's not enough of a thrill, passengers can head to Cliffside Cove to make cliff jumps. There will be 10- and 15-foot options. The nearby Grotto Bar will also offer prime views of the action.
"I am certain that a popular spot will be sitting at the bar watching people face their fears and jump," Herrera added.
The waterpark is hardly the only new amenity. The Jet Karts Track will combine jet skiing and go-karting – the latter can be found on many Norwegian ships – at a "mini aquatic racecourse," per the release. Afterward, guests can recuperate in one of more than 50 hammocks at Hammock Bay.
The cruise line also previously shared plans earlier this year for a new welcome center, pool area, a nearby splash pad for families, a tram system – Herrera said the line is "investing so our guests never have to wait more than four or five minutes tops to go to any part of the island" – and more.
When will Great Stirrup Cay's waterpark open?
The waterpark will open in the summer of 2026, but some of Great Stirrup Cay's other new features will debut starting later this year, with exact dates still to come.
'Private islands on steroids': Why cruise lines are betting big on their own destinations
How much will the waterpark cost?
Pricing info is not yet available, but Herrera confirmed there will be an upcharge for the waterpark (as well as the Jet Karts Track and the adults-only Vibe Shore Club).
Great Stirrup Cay is one of Norwegian's top-rated ports, and the changes have been years in the making, according to Herrera.
"Because when people go there, you get a unique and genuine Island experience," he said. "It's a Caribbean experience. So when we're going to supplement that, we're going to expand that, we're going to enhance that, if we're going to do it, we're going to do it right. So we took our time."
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