Construction Begins for Two-Ship Pier at Great Stirrup Cay

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It wonโ€™t be long before Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdingsโ€™ private island destination in the Bahamas, can simultaneously host two of the companyโ€™s biggest ships now that work on the islandโ€™s first pier has begun.

Currently, all ships calling at the island for a day of sun and fun must anchor offshore and tender guests to the destination โ€” a challenge considering some of the largest ships can accommodate 4,000 passengers.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) owns and operates Norwegian Cruise Line, premium boutique line Oceania Cruises, and ultra-luxe Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

The cruise conglomerate announced on January 20, 2025 that construction of the pier officially got under way on January 17, 2025. The building project is beginning later than originally scheduled.

When the project was revealed in April 2024, Norwegian officials expected construction to start in summer 2024, with work completed in late 2025.

Nonetheless, the ground-breaking was a celebratory event, with cruise line and Bahamian government officials participating.

โ€œThis past Friday, we celebrated a major milestone! We officially broke ground on the construction of our pier at our stunning private island, Great Stirrup Cay! This exciting $150 million project will enhance access to our highest guest-rated destination in the world,โ€ Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, stated.

โ€œWeโ€™re honored to have had the Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis MP KC and Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper join us for this special occasion, along with other local leaders,โ€ Sommer added.

The executiveโ€™s post did not confirm a completion date for the project, which, once finished, will enable ships from all three of the brands owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to call at the destination.

Besides Great Stirrup Cay, NCLH owns a second private destination, Harvest Caye, in Belize. Between the two, the cruise brands have exclusive island retreats in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Ground-Breaking Ceremony at Great Stirrup Cay
Ground-Breaking Ceremony at Great Stirrup Cay

Pier Development to Precede Fleet Expansions

The addition of a pier to accommodate two large cruise ships was announced at the same time when NCLH confirmed it would undertake a major expansion of its brandsโ€™ fleets. The announcement, in April 2024, revealed that 25,000 berths would be added across the three brands.

During the next 10 years, eight new-builds will be constructed, with launch dates ranging from 2026 to 2036.

Norwegian Cruise Line will receive four 200,000-gross-ton ships, each with a capacity for up to about 5,000 passengers. Staggered deliveries are planned for 2030, 2032, 2034, and 2036.

Oceania Cruises will welcome two 86,000-gross ton ships, each accommodating 1,450 guests and launching in 2027 and 2029.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will receive two ships. The 77,000-gross ton ships carrying up to 850 guests are expected to enter service in 2026 and 2029.

Read Also: Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas – What You Need to Know

Both Oceania and Norwegian Cruise Line currently have new-builds under construction. Oceaniaโ€™s Allura is due to launch in late July 2025. The 1,200-guest ship, being built at a Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, was originally slated to debut in June 2025. 

However, her introduction was postponed, causing several cruises in June and July 2025 to be cancelled. Her inaugural sailing is currently set for July 18, 2025, from Trieste, Italy, to Athens.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s new-build, Norwegian Luna, is scheduled to launch in April 2026 from PortMiami.

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Donna Tunney
Donna Tunney
Donna Tunney is a travel news/feature writer and editor with 20-plus years covering cruise news, luxury travel, and Europe and UK destinations. A former staffer at Travel Weekly and at the USAToday Network, she also was a luxury travel columnist at Travel Market Report, and a cruise columnist at Sherman's Travel.

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