Norwegian Is Upgrading Its Private Island to Compete With Royal Caribbean | Invesloan.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.