NCL Sets Sept. 4 Opening for Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay — Day Passes on Sale May 28

What Norwegian announced today

Norwegian Cruise Line finally put a date on its biggest Great Stirrup Cay upgrade: Great Tides Waterpark opens Thursday, Sept. 4, 2026, and the line will start selling waterpark day passes and private cabana reservations on May 28, 2026 for sailings that visit the island on or after opening day. If you have been waiting for a real calendar—not another “coming soon” teaser—this is the announcement families were watching for.

The nearly six-acre park is the headline piece of NCL’s private-island expansion in the Bahamas. Norwegian president Marc Kazlauskas framed it in the May 27 release as the next chapter for Great Stirrup Cay, where guests already spend beach-and-lagoon days between ship time and shore excursions.

Opening day, Norwegian Luna sailing, and park highlights

The grand opening is tied to Norwegian Luna’s seven-night Caribbean sailing that departs Miami on Aug. 29, 2026 and reaches Great Stirrup Cay on Sept. 4—so the first guests through the gates are on that specific week, not a random mid-fleet call. Trade coverage matches the line’s timing; if you want the debut sailing itself, that Miami departure is the one to price first.

What you are buying into on the island side, per NCL’s announcement:

• 19 waterslides across the new park footprint
• An approximately 800-foot dynamic river with a swim-up bar and an illuminated grotto tunnel
• Cliff-jump platforms and a dedicated kids splash zone
• Three new food trucks for quick bites between slides

Picture a full waterpark day layered onto the beach club you already know—more slides and river time, less “find a lounger and hope the kids stay entertained.”

Day passes, cabanas, and what opens May 28

Starting May 28, 2026, guests on itineraries that call Great Stirrup Cay on or after Sept. 4 can purchase waterpark day passes and reserve private cabanas through myNCL after the cruise is booked. Cabanas accommodate up to six guests and include waterpark admission in the reservation, according to the line—useful for multigenerational groups who want shade and a home base between river laps.

Important planning detail: the May 27 announcement confirms when sales open and which sailings qualify; it does not publish retail pass or cabana prices. Treat dollar amounts as verify on myNCL once the sale is live—do not assume last year’s island add-ons carry over.

If you already booked a fall 2026 Miami Caribbean week that includes Great Stirrup Cay before Sept. 4, you may still get the classic beach day on that sailing; the waterpark opens for calls on or after the Sept. 4 debut.

What this means for you

For NCL families comparing a ship-only Caribbean week versus a private-island-heavy itinerary, this is the moment to align cruise dates, pass purchase timing, and budget. Your fare may still bundle beach access and Free at Sea perks on many sailings, but the waterpark is a new paid layer on top of what used to be mostly included island time—different math than stacking drink packages on the ship.

Our evergreen guide on Great Stirrup Cay upgrades, the new pier, and Free at Sea stacking walks through how island days fit the 2026 promo picture without repeating every fare code here. For contrast on shipboard bundles versus island-day spending, see how NCL Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus work on summer 2026 Caribbean sailings.

When we checked on May 28, 2026, sample Norwegian Cruise Line sailings from Miami on our site started around $319 per person including taxes and fees—helpful for comparing nights and ships, not as a substitute for the fare you see after you pick dates and cabin category. Waterpark pass pricing was still not listed in the announcement; confirm those add-ons in myNCL once sales open.

The sailings below filter NCL from Miami with lowest fares first—start here if you want a Great Stirrup Cay call on or after opening week without guessing from a generic Caribbean search.

What to do next

If Great Tides is on your must-do list, book a sailing that calls Great Stirrup Cay on or after Sept. 4, 2026, then set a reminder to buy day passes and any cabana through myNCL when sales open May 28. Price the Aug. 29 Miami Norwegian Luna week if you want the ribbon-cutting sailing itself; otherwise shop later fall departures that still hit the island after opening day.

Compare live Miami options on our sailings search so you are matching ship, nights, and island day—not just the lowest tile in a generic grid. We will keep watching whether NCL publishes pass pricing and whether inventory tightens once the first post-opening weeks fill in.