I visited Norwegian’s private island and saw how it’s expanding to compete with Royal Caribbean

Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, is a sight to behold no matter where you turn.

Look down, and you’ll see your toes peeking through the soft white sand beach. Look up, and you’ll see where the clear blue Caribbean water meets the equally aquamarine sky.

Look to the left and you’ll see a giant Royal Caribbean cruise ship, docked at its neighboring private island.

For some travelers, the unobstructed view of Royal Caribbean’s resort could be a reminder of a very different vacation opportunity. But for Norwegian, it’s been a driving force to expeditiously upgrade Great Stirrup Cay with bigger and better amenities.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian’s private islands are separated by a mile of the Atlantic Ocean.

Norwegian was an early trendsetter, having acquired its 270-acre island in 1977 — decades before its rival launched Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Yet, Royal Caribbean’s neighboring 130-acre property has quickly become the undisputed winner of the cruise-owned resort race.

CocoCay’s amenities marry theme park thrills (a waterpark and zipline) and resort relaxation (a luxury lounge and adult-only party) with opportunities for guests to splurge big on upcharges like cabanas. It’s an attractive and highly profitable business model, especially as it sees more than 3 million Royal Caribbean guests annually.

By comparison, Great Stirrup Cay only accommodated about 400,000 cruisers in 2024, Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told analysts in April.

CocoCay is loud, jam-packed, and exciting — the opposite of its peaceful and less developed neighbor, Great Stirrup Cay.

Great Stirrup Cay’s buildouts include a zipline course, cabanas, bars, dining shacks, and a resort with waterfront villas.

It notably lacks a pier for its ships to dock at, with visitors instead required to take a tender from the cruise vessel to shore.

“The charm of these islands back when they were first created in the 70s, 80s, and 90s was that it was your private island escape from civilization,” Tom Roesser, product development and strategy manager for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told reporters during a tour of the island’s construction sites. “There was really nothing except for a beach and a barbecue. Things are different these days.”

This “difference” is what Norwegian hopes to address in the first phase of Great Stirrup Cay’s expansion.

Norwegian expects to debut a new pier, welcome center, and large pool by the end of the year, giving it the chops to better compete.

According to Roesser, the expansion has become a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week affair, with Norwegian purchasing a ferry to accommodate the hundreds of additional crew needed for the project.

For guests, some of the new additions will feel much needed. This includes the 1,500-foot-long, $150 million pier, which will simultaneously accommodate two of Norwegian’s largest ships — eliminating the need for tendering.

The pier will lead to a new welcome center providing shuttle service around the island.

Great Stirrup Cay’s updated design includes four trams, each accommodating up to 104 riders. Roesser said visitors only have to wait three to five minutes for a ride.

A photogenic 42-foot-long bridge is expected to connect the arrivals area with the island’s new pièce de résistance: a giant heated pool.

Great Stirrup Cay’s expansion plan includes a 28,476-square-foot pool accommodating 1,898 guests.

CocoCay has several swimming pools, including one that spans more than 33,000 square feet.

Great Stirrup Cay’s won’t be as large, but Roesser says it will have two swim-up bars, a thousand lounge chairs, and 33 rentable cabanas.

Half of the pool, specifically the section with the DJ stand, is expected to target a lively adult crowd. The other half should be more kid-friendly, outfitted with walk-in entry points and fountains.

The youngest visitors will also have an adjacent 1,500-square-foot splash zone with fountains, slides, and water blasters.

Norwegian is also building an adults-only beach club, recreational area, and relaxation cove with hammocks, although it’s unclear when they’ll be completed.

The second expansion phase primarily focuses on bringing recognizable amenities to the island.

Horizon Park, an outdoor recreational concept, was introduced on the recently refurbished Norwegian Bliss and Breakaway. The cruise line now plans to bring it to Great Stirrup Cay via a collection of lawn games such as cornhole, giant jenga, and shuffleboard.

Similarly, the cruise line also plans to duplicate its popular adult-only Vibe Beach Club, available on several ships, on the private island. However, like its onboard counterpart, guests will have to pay to reserve one of its 200 loungers and 16 oceanfront villas.

The cruise line is still evaluating additional amenities, like water slides, as future additions.

A little more than 100 crew live on the island full-time, according to Roesser. Expect more as the cruise line expands its property (only about 50 of the 270-acre island has been developed so far).

As the resort grows, so too will the number of visitors. Sommer told analysts that he expects Great Stirrup Cay will accommodate more than a million cruisers in 2026 — a substantial chunk of visitors for a company that sees between 2.5 million to 3 million travelers annually.

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