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Anyone been to Great Stirrup Cay recently?

ihopfar

By ihopfar,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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ihopfar

ihopfar

Posted
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I have seen the many folks post that they did not get to GSC on recent cruises because of the weather.

 

Has anyone been on a recent cruise that actually did make it to GSC? Just wondering when the last time the weather cooperated...

 

Thank you,

Joy and Brad

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LJH1

LJH1

Posted
Posted
I have seen the many folks post that they did not get to GSC on recent cruises because of the weather.

 

Has anyone been on a recent cruise that actually did make it to GSC? Just wondering when the last time the weather cooperated...

 

Thank you,

Joy and Brad[/quote

 

GSC will always be an unpredictable island due to weather such as hurricanes tropical storms and high winds. It's mostly in the hurricane season that the ship misses the island.

November onwards through our winter months the misses will be minimal.

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heart13

heart13

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Just went to GST on Thursday and we had a beautiful day on the island. After hearing so many negative posts - we were pleasantly surprised. The island wasn't overcrowded, the buffet line was fine and there were more than enough lounge chairs. The weather was picture perfect and we totally enjoyed the day.

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tiggerfan616

tiggerfan616

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GSC will always be an unpredictable island due to weather such as hurricanes tropical storms and high winds. It's mostly in the hurricane season that the ship misses the island.

November onwards through our winter months the misses will be minimal.

 

Interesting we missed our stop there in January because of rough seas and high winds but did make it in October. Weather was great 85 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, couldnt have asked for a better beach day.

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PinkSand26

PinkSand26

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We were just there last Friday as well. Perfect day, but there wasn't enough chairs on the beach. I don't think there was enough room! Anyways, we walked down farther and found less nicer chairs on a rocky beach that had GREAT snorkeling. No complaints!

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Globaliser

Globaliser

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Has anyone been on a recent cruise that actually did make it to GSC?
The Jewel made it to GSC on Saturday 21 November. However, the week before (when she was doing a 2-night cruise), it was known in advance that she would not make it there and so Key West was substituted for GSC.
Time for NCL to build their own dock.
It's probably just as much a question of practicality. It would have to be an enormously long dock to get into water deep enough for the ships. Just think how far off shore they have to anchor.
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GORDONCHICK

GORDONCHICK

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Costa Maya is occasionally missed for high winds as well, and they have a pier that can accommodate three ships. Once, a captain decided to try it and put a gash in the hull. Someone posted photos of the gash here on CC. I don't think it was an NCL ship though.

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MandaMJ

MandaMJ

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Yes I was there on Saturday the weather was perfect!!! Beautiful blue water!, (accidentally put Friday on the other post) it was awesome! Make sure you are one of the first to tender so you get a good seat.. they have clamshell umbrellas you can rent for $30 for the whole day too, buffet lunch, parasailing is great and snorkeling too.. saw a ray and lion fish, lots of others too! Most of the local shops only take cash though and if using a credit card they have a minimum purchase amount of $20. :)

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irishfive

irishfive

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We went while on the Pearl last week! It was our first time and we loved it--one of our most relaxing days of the cruise! We did not use the lounge chairs, although there were more than enough. We enjoyed the hammocks!! Loved the food, weather and beautiful setting. We also did the hike to the lighthouse. They said the path was closed due to construction, but we (and others) went past the sign, and out to the lighthouse. We never saw any construction! All in all a wonderful day!!

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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Costa Maya is occasionally missed for high winds as well, and they have a pier that can accommodate three ships. Once, a captain decided to try it and put a gash in the hull. Someone posted photos of the gash here on CC. I don't think it was an NCL ship though.

 

That was the Royal Caribbean ship sailing out of New Orleans about a year or so ago. I do remember that and believe if anything that has made a lot of Captains leary of that port. I would much rather have a relaxing day at sea then be stranded in the middle of no where in Mexico if they did hit the dock and put a gash that size in the side of the ship. :cool:

 

As for missing GSC... I am slated to go there twice in January so here's hoping one of those days are a miss and Key West gets substituted!! :D

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imsulin

imsulin

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Just my reflections:

 

I've done 9 NCL cruises that went to GSC (my favorite SS Norway!). Went at all times of year, and made GSC every time. Our first time there (late 80's), the beach was very wide (from shore to that rock wall), and plenty of beach chairs. The last time, (3-03), the beach area near the tender drop-off was very narrow, and we had to walk quite away down (towards the snorkelling area) to get a wider beach and find chairs. OTOH, my understanding is that NCL was the first line to incorporate the "private island" concept (ya gotta love Eleuthera!), and that NCL has since made improvements to widen the beach area. Sorry to say that I haven't been to GSC since 2003, but we sure enjoyed all of our beach days there!

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rmayor12

rmayor12

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We were there yesterday. No problems , but we did hear that alot of past cruises missed this stop.

I had read about being able to walk to the lighthouse on the island , but they now have a rope blocking the road . "authorized" people only.

 

I wound up walking the other way, ended up almost all the way to the Royal Caribbean private island.

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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I wound up walking the other way, ended up almost all the way to the Royal Caribbean private island.

 

Huh? Labadee is on the coast of Haiti, where were you walking? :eek::confused: LOL Maybe Celebrity's private island is over there in the Bahamas? I have never been to Celebrity's private island. Each time I've gone on Celebrity and it's been in the Caribbean we always go to Labadee in Haiti because it's bigger and better than Celebrity's. :cool:

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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RCI has a private island right next door to Great Stirrup Cay. From memory, I think it's marketed by RCI as Coco Cay, but its proper name is Little Stirrup Cay.

 

Ah, that has to be Celebrity's island's name if I recall. I think the Solstice will actually stop there this March if my mind serves me right since she's doing an Eastern run this time. She got put through her paces going to Labadee in March and then to Curacao all in 7 days! :D

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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Ah, that has to be Celebrity's island's name if I recall. I think the Solstice will actually stop there this March if my mind serves me right since she's doing an Eastern run this time. She got put through her paces going to Labadee in March and then to Curacao all in 7 days! :D

 

 

Celebrity, being owned by RCI, uses both Labadee and and Coco Cay (aka Little Stirrup Cay)...which is just a short distance from NCL's GSC.

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