Norwegian Now Expects Record 1.4 Million Guests at Great Stirrup Cay Next Year

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings just shared a big update during its earnings call this morning. On top of beating expectations with $2.9 billion in revenue and an adjusted EPS of $1.12, the company also plans to send more visitors to its newly enhanced private island.

According to CEO John W. Chidsey, the company now expects about 1.4 million guests to visit its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in 2027.

Originally, the cruise company stated that they expected about 1.2 million to visit the island, so that’s an increase of 200,000 passengers.

Norwegian is actively changing its sailing itineraries to make sure more ships and more passengers actually make it to GSC.

Adjusting Itineraries for More Visits

Not only do most cruise passengers love private islands for beach days and hassle-free resort experiences on land, but these destinations also help drive revenue for the cruise lines.

Norwegian has reworked its 2027 and 2028 sailings so more ships stop at Great Stirrup Cay.

A big reason this can even happen is the new two-berth pier that opened on September 4. Two ships can now dock at the same time.  No more slow tender operations.

Guests can walk right onto the island instead of waiting around, and they get more hours ashore as well.

Looking at November, 12 times next month at least two Norwegian Cruise Line ships will be docked at Great Stirrup Cay at the same time.

And on November 17, three NCL ships are scheduled to visit the private island on the same day. This means one of the ships will have to use tenders to transfer passengers to land while two will use the new pier.

What Is New at Great Stirrup Cay

For those who haven’t been to Great Stirrup Cay in a while, it’s a very different experience than it was even just a few months ago.

Early feedback from the new Great Tides Waterpark is strong too. Based on the earnings call, 90% of surveyed guests say they would recommend it. About 100 social media creators attended the opening, generating over 275 million views.

Management reports that water park participation and onboard spending are tracking right on target.

The almost 6-acre water park is the biggest part of the recent renovations, alongside several other additions across the island:

• Tidal Tower: A 170-foot structure featuring eight waterslides, including uphill water coasters and mat racers.
• Cliffside Cove: Features 10-foot and 15-foot cliff jumping platforms, a family raft slide, and the Grotto Bar tucked into the rocks.
• Wandering River: An 800-foot active river with a fast current, a bioluminescent tunnel, and a swim-up bar pool.
• Great Life Lagoon: A 28,000-square-foot heated oceanfront pool with two swim-up bars, private cabanas, and beach entry.
• Splash Harbor and Splash Cay: Family zones with a 3,400-square-foot splash pad and smaller slides for younger children.
• Island Infrastructure: The new two-berth pier also has a Welcome Plaza, an island tram system, and an overlook bridge to help guests get around.

Sailing 1.4 million visitors to Great Stirrup Cay next year is a clear step toward making the island a stronger competitive asset for Norwegian. And with Royal Caribbean and Carnival putting more resources into their own private destinations, cruising is extending to areas well outside the ship itself.

The park has only been open for a few weeks, but so far it looks like a winner for NCL.