Martin Aquatic Partners with Norwegian Cruise Line® to Design New Waterpark and More on Great Stirrup Cay

Norwegian Cruise Line® (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, has announced it is transforming its 270-acre private island in the Bahamas with the addition of Great Tides Waterpark, a new guest experience master-planned by Orlando-based Martin Aquatic. Planned to open in summer 2026, the waterpark will join another new guest amenity coming at the end of 2025: the Great Life Lagoon. The 28,000-sq.-ft. heated pool will feature two swim-up bars and family-friendly elements, all crafted by Martin Aquatic and powered by its patented system for water quality, Blue Mar Basins®.

“We’ve worked together with Norwegian Cruise Line over the last two years to create this incredible aquatic leisure destination, conceptualizing the amenities and selecting unique aquatic experiences,” said Josh Martin, president & creative director at Martin Aquatic. “We’re so excited for NCL guests to see the island’s transformation for themselves.”

“Great Stirrup Cay is an already fantastic private island destination, but with the expansion of the guest experience debuting later this year, it is on target to be the greatest private island getaway in the industry.

As the first private island in the Bahamas developed by a cruise line, Great Stirrup Cay has been welcoming guests for decades to find their own paradise; its new offerings will soon deliver more firsts in the cruise industry. Thrill-seekers and families will love two features in Great Tides Waterpark: 10 and 15-feet-tall cliff jumps (a cruise industry first), and the Caribbean’s only wide family slide, where four guests can slide down simultaneously. The large slide tower that anchors the waterpark is sure to amaze with its eight exciting rides including body slides, mat racers, and multi-person tube slides. The park also features a kids wet play structure with various slides and an 800-foot dynamic river with an illuminated media tunnel for a multi-sensory experience. All the slides and play structures on the island will be provided by WhiteWater West, a world leader in waterpark manufacturing based in Vancouver.

Before these highly anticipated changes, guests will first have access to the all-new Great Life Lagoon spread out over 28,000 square feet. Opening late 2025, the lagoon encapsulates both kid-friendly and adult-oriented amenities such as vertical spray elements for playing at the water’s edge, as well as two swim-up bars for parents to watch nearby, or for adults to enjoy the solitude from afar. This large pool is also powered by Blue Mar Basins, the proprietary water quality technology from Martin Aquatic that produces pristine water with superior cost-savings and sustainability measures. Another complimentary offering for guests is Splash Harbor, the 3,400-square-foot children’s wet play structure with slides and a dumping bucket. All of these features will be available via the island’s new pier, also opening in late 2025.

This project is not the first time that Martin Aquatic has supported the development of a private Caribbean destination for Norwegian Cruise Line. In fact, back in 2015, Martin Aquatic designed the 15,000-square-foot pool at the cruise line’s island off the coast of Belize, Harvest Caye. While the expansive resort amenity features a swim-up bar, NCL also provided an attraction for the youngest cruisers with the addition of a Martin Aquatic-designed splash pad one year later.

As excitement for Great Stirrup Cay continues to build, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that 15 of its ships will make calls to the island in 2026, allowing more than 1 million people to ‘escape to the great life.’