NCL Gives "Sneak Peak" of Great Stirrup Cay Reno Plans on Facebook

[momoftwinteens]

I was there last August and loved it. The water was so beautiful, it looked fake in my pictures. I can't wait to go back next year and compare. Thanks for posting the pictures. Funny thing is, I was on FB this morning and didn't see the post. Oh well. My thanks, just the same.

[steviek49]

Aren't these the same renovations that were announced back in the middle of March? Is this actually still "news" to people?

 

Considering that my family and I will be visiting GSC on our 4 day Sky cruise in April, I found the photos to be quite interesting.

And since all of the renovations are not scheduled to be completed until the end of 2011, I am very interested in reading and seeing continued updates until we set sail.

So yes! Keep the "news" coming and disregard this reply.

Thanks.

[zazou]

I'm a bit scare of the 'aqua park'. I love the snorkeling at GSC and hope this will not affect the snorkeling around the big rock.

 

 

Anybody know what this 'aqua park' is suppose to be?

[Ms belp]

Is it a tender marina, or will they have the ships in there??? I can't imagine it's going to be deep enough for the ships....but looking at the title of one of the pictures posted says it's where ships will dock.... makes me wonder :confused::confused::confused:

 

 

 

 

 

Marina basin where ships will dock at Great Stirrup Cay.

 

Looks like a swimmin' hole to me.:)

[newmexicoNita]

I saw this on NCL's Facebook page today, haven't seen it posted here yet:

 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=287751&id=43678986413&l=8e2545950f

 

You don't have to have a FB account to see the pictures. I don't have anything to compare it to since I haven't been to GSC yet, but I think the plan looks pretty good!

 

looks pretty cool, thanks for sharing. Being the first line to offer a private island, it really needed some serious work.

 

 

Nita

[SakeDad]

I'll be there Dec 12, hopefully I can get lots of pictures to post.:D

[spacepotatoes]

I was there last August and loved it. The water was so beautiful, it looked fake in my pictures. I can't wait to go back next year and compare. Thanks for posting the pictures. Funny thing is, I was on FB this morning and didn't see the post. Oh well. My thanks, just the same.

 

You probably didn't see it this morning because it was originally posted on Oct. 25th ;) But I'm glad people are still finding the thread useful! Can't wait to see it for ourselves in March :D

[momoftwinteens]

You probably didn't see it this morning because it was originally posted on Oct. 25th ;) But I'm glad people are still finding the thread useful! Can't wait to see it for ourselves in March :D

 

Duh!! I didn't think to look at the date! (Smack myself on the side of the head). I guess I was a bit bleary-eyed this morning. Thanks for pointing that out.:D

[Chuck2810]

I'm glad some of you found it useful!

 

Maybe I should have clarified in the original post - this is NOT the press release that has been going around for the last few months. That link is to actual pictures of the work in progress that NCL just released today, along with a couple of artist renderings of the finished product. So, it kind of IS news.

 

It's nice to finally have a visual of what's going on, and I'm excited that at least the marina should be done at the end of this year. Can't wait to get to check it out in March :D

 

I'll be there March 12th - I hope the new tendering arrangement give a better chance, last cruise they canceled because it was too rough. Just a normal Bahamas breeze...

[wg6530]

I'll be there March 12th - I hope the new tendering arrangement give a better chance, last cruise they canceled because it was too rough. Just a normal Bahamas breeze...

 

I have not yet made it to GSC. Twice it was cancelled due to inappropriate tendering conditions. Hope to make it next month.

 

I did experience rough tendering on another cruise line at Cabo. the seas didn't look too bad from higher decks or from the shoreline. But the wave bounced back off the ship as our tender pulled up to the ship. We were really rocking. I knew and trusted the officer operating the tender. with all his skill and training, he struggled to bring in the bouncing tender safely. My husband took another tender, different officer, some experience. it left me with a new appreciation of rough tendering and of the difficulty of Captain's decision in marginal conditions.

[omarchs]

I will be there at the end of December and I wasn't even going to bother getting off due to all the threads about what a problem it was getting a chair since the island was so small.

 

Will certainly be waiting for more feedback over the next month to see if there is more availability on the beach already and maybe we will give it a try. At least is sounds like a possibility now.

 

Thanks for all the helpful feedback so far!

[spacepotatoes]

I'll be there March 12th - I hope the new tendering arrangement give a better chance, last cruise they canceled because it was too rough. Just a normal Bahamas breeze...

 

I'll be there March 17th, just a few days after you :) It'll be interesting to see if the tender docks make a difference...it has to be better than just beaching the boats like they do now but if the water is truly rough, having the docks might not help much. The tenders will still have to make it there.

[mlmdaisy]

I haven't been to this island since I sailed on the Norway :rolleyes: and would like to know a few things before my sailing on the Pearl in a few weeks. Is it true that places to sit (chairs) are limited? Do people sit on towels on the sand? If we have our own equipment, can we snorkel without an excursion? Are there sand fleas? Back then we had the use of large circular floats with transparent centers. Are these still available? What would the cost be to rent them?

[CanadianTwosome]

Like many others, we've never made it to GSC, though we've been scheduled to stop there twice. Not that we minded that much - the first time we missed it we went to Key West (one of my favourite places), and the second time we had a nice, relaxing sea day. I'm wondering now if the tendering lagoon is intended to make tendering easier when the sea is rough on an otherwise sunny day that would be great for a beach day.

 

Perhaps someday we'll actually get there! :p

[spacepotatoes]

I haven't been to this island since I sailed on the Norway :rolleyes: and would like to know a few things before my sailing on the Pearl in a few weeks. Is it true that places to sit (chairs) are limited? Do people sit on towels on the sand? If we have our own equipment, can we snorkel without an excursion? Are there sand fleas? Back then we had the use of large circular floats with transparent centers. Are these still available? What would the cost be to rent them?

 

If you bring your own snorkel equipment, you don't have to book it as an excursion. I have read that they do still require you to rent a vest but the enforcement of that rule doesn't seem to be consistent.

[BIG_Steve]

If you bring your own snorkel equipment, you don't have to book it as an excursion. I have read that they do still require you to rent a vest but the enforcement of that rule doesn't seem to be consistent.

 

They call it an "excursion" but it's not. They rent you equipment, and show you how to use it if necessary. There is no outing led by anyone.

[Pianoman6582]

I'm glad some of you found it useful!

 

Maybe I should have clarified in the original post - this is NOT the press release that has been going around for the last few months. That link is to actual pictures of the work in progress that NCL just released today, along with a couple of artist renderings of the finished product. So, it kind of IS news.

 

It's nice to finally have a visual of what's going on, and I'm excited that at least the marina should be done at the end of this year. Can't wait to get to check it out in March :D

 

My Lee and I were just at GSC on the Sky. It's not just a drawing on a web page, it's becoming reality.... The island is amazingly different than it was the last time My Lee and I were on the island in August. They have reshaped the beach head and where the guests walk and eat.

 

Evidence of new construction is readily visible behind the straw market. Check out these pics....

 

And I thank you

JWK: Life's a Beach....

[zetachi]

Any recent returnees with updates. We'll be there in Feb. Was there last year in Fed on the Pearl and the weather was so so, very crowded. But being suite guests we were able to get early tender and had no problem finding chairs.

[NYcruzzer]

Here is a nice video of GSC circa 1989 with the Norway in the background

[randyamy]

Any update on whether or not the dock is now functional or are they still landing on the beach?

[JohnIreland]

Any update on whether or not the dock is now functional or are they still landing on the beach?

 

Will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks.

[randyamy]

Will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Thanks for the update!

[Cruisingaway1]

Thanks for the update. I can't believe they even brought us to this island when there was a TON of construction going on. Hammering, bulldozers, what a mess. This was not my idea of a relaxing day at the beach.

 

Am I the only one that feels this way?

[NYcruzzer]

Will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks.

 

I will be on the Jewel's 2/13 sailing. Is the 3-4 week estimate based on the original timetable or do you have info based on a conversation with someone in the know ? I sure hope you are correct and can't wait to see what changes there have been since my last visit to GSC 2 years ago.

[gerapau]

We were there on Dec. 18th on the Pearl and took this picture from the boat. There was quite a bit of noise from the construction. Sorry about the large size of the photo but it shows most of the construction. I am not sure what will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks given the state things were in on Dec. 18th.