September 8, 2026

Great Tides Waterpark from Norwegian Cruise Line Wows its First Guests on Opening Weekend

Masterplanned by Martin Aquatic for Norwegian’s private island Great Stirrup Cay, the highly-anticipated waterpark debuted to excited cruise guests over Labor Day Weekend.

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With a special ribbon cutting that took place on September 1, media and VIP guests were invited by Norwegian Cruise Line to preview the new Great Tides Waterpark on the brand’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, days before its official opening. Since then, the online buzz for the park’s attractions (including Tidal Tower, Cliffside Cove, The Wandering River, and Splash Cay) has made a huge impression on potential cruisers, demonstrating how this new park offers something for everyone.

“In working alongside Norwegian Cruise Line on the development of this waterpark, our team sought to create a comprehensive amenity that the whole family could enjoy together,” said Josh Martin, president & creative director of Martin Aquatic. "There are kid-focused elements, adult-centric escapes, and then moments for everyone to experience as a family."

Thrillseekers can enjoy the eight waterslides on Tidal Tower, the instantly-recognizable, 170-foot tall tower that can be seen as the cruise ship approaches. The waterslides by WhiteWater offer heart-pounding drops and an industry-first “jousting” moment on the aquacoaster Breakwater Blasters, as well as the debut of the ‘Nautilus’ slide Tropic Spiral. The ride is the first of its kind and gives guests a thrilling oscillation before sending the raft forwards or backwards down the rest of the ride.

The Cliffside Cove area fits three unique attractions into one large (and 12-foot deep) pool. The Great Slide allows a family of four to all slide together, and two shotgun slides drop riders into the pool below. But the highlight of every reviewer online is the 15-foot cliff jump (and its smaller 10-foot jump) that is a first at any cruise island destination.

The Wandering River stretches more than 800 feet, flowing through an immersive multimedia tunnel and even winding past a swim-up bar where adults can stop for a drink. Kids will love the 9,000-square-foot Splash Cay, with its eight junior-sized slides and tipping bucket on top of the structure.

Not only are guests raving about the waterpark’s thrilling slides and unique attractions, but the industry is also celebrating the project. According to the editor of Seatrade Cruise News, the opening of Great Tides Waterpark has made the destination “instantly more competitive” with other cruise destinations. Or as NCL chief sales officer John Chernesky put it, “we have not just caught up but hopefully leapfrogged the competition to position ourselves with the best of the best.”

 

The entire waterpark project was completed in record time, with an accelerated design schedule and 15 months of construction. With time-saving installation from Martin Aquatic’s Blue Mar Basins equipment, the project stayed on schedule and now has operationally-efficient solutions powering its water treatment.

 

Martin Aquatic’s design and engineering team ensured that this waterpark would be unique for the cruise industry, featuring first-in-the-market waterslide elements as well as heated water throughout.

 

“We’ve worked in the cruise market for the last decade, and we have an inside perspective into guest expectations for private island developments,” said Martin. “Collaborating with Norwegian again after designing their last island amenity on Harvest Caye has been a truly rewarding experience. We are thrilled to see the positive guest response to a waterpark project that we put so much passion into.”