Great Stirrup Cay: question re the beach

[Turtles06]

We haven't been to Great Stirrup Cay before, and are wondering whether the part of the beach where you walk into the water is smooth sand, or rocky (or covered with sharp shell fragments) to the extent you'd want to have water shoes.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!

[luddite]

Smooth sand. No shoes, no shirt,---yes service.

[momoftwinteens]

The beach isn't bad. However, when you get into deeper water by the rocks, the rocks can be sharp. Plus, the sand is hot. I would recommend water shoes also, because of what may be lurking under the sand, out of sight.

[AuntieBarb]

The water's edge at GSC does indeed have some relatively flat and slippery rocks. Necessary, well no....but I recommend water shoes.

[Automation]

We had water shoes, and we were happy we had them. It is not bad, but I recommend them.

[browniegirl]

I have to agree, been there a few times and yes, water shoes or flip flops for sure! Get off the boat early to get a chair.......or you won't get one, that isn't very fun! Food is okay, bbq burgers, hotdogs, etc. We have always enjoyed it, small small little market with people selling t-shirts, etc. You can snorkel (u can rent everything). Our kids rented one of those big floatie things but the current was so strong they had a hard time getting it out! A fun day.

 

Leah

[sebas030]

We had water shoes but we didn't wear them.

 

But that was in Feb before the Stir-up at Stirrup Cay :D;)

 

Now with the "renovation" of the island, I don't know.

 

The water front was sand with some rocks one you hit knee high water.

 

GSC was great..... I wish I were there right now

[hateswaterloves2cruise]

We've been to GSC twice, a year apart. First time I loved it. Sand was warm, water wonderful, great day. Second time, the sand fleas drove me back to the ship after an hour. Weird!

[cruizinwithkids]

We've been to GSC twice, a year apart. First time I loved it. Sand was warm, water wonderful, great day. Second time, the sand fleas drove me back to the ship after an hour. Weird!

 

Just curious - were you there the same time of year? If not, what time of year were you there that sand fleas were bad. I'm a big baby when it comes to everything.

[Passin Thru]

We were there in Nov and it was pretty but stormy and all the fish were hiding because they had a storm 2 days before. Hamburgers were well done only and like hockey pucks, potato salad was bland.

 

I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died.

[InverStone]

We haven't been to Great Stirrup Cay before, and are wondering whether the part of the beach where you walk into the water is smooth sand, or rocky (or covered with sharp shell fragments) to the extent you'd want to have water shoes.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

 

You will want water shoes, or at least bring sneakers...there are some pretty cool places to explore around the beach, but the rocks are sharp. It's a beautiful place. No sand fleas when we were there (my wife gets eaten by those things usually).

 

The food is also great (don't listen to the whiners...lots of great BBQ food). Food is probably a LOT better now since the reno (we have not seen it though) because before it was just BBQ pits for the chefs/cooks.

 

Inver

[Turtles06]

Hey folks, thanks so much for the replies. Perhaps my question wasn't clear: I am only interested in whether the situation is such that when walking INTO the water to swim or snorkel, water shoes would be advisable. (There are some beaches where it's very rocky or there are a lot of shell fragments at the water's edge and in the shallow water where you'd really want to have water shoes, and I'm trying to understand whether GSC is one of them.)

 

Don't worry, I don't intend to be barefoot getting off the ship or walking around on GSC to get lunch, etc. Just wondering whether water shoes were needed or advisable in the water itself. Where are the sharp rocks to which some of you referred? Out by the snorkel area? Are they avoidable, or will you find yourself stepping on them if you are snorkeling? (Assume I won't be wearing fins.)

 

Thanks!

[momoftwinteens]

Out where people snorkel, the water is a lot deeper(stands to reason). Because I am vertically challenged, I used the rocks to push off of when ever I wanted to resume snorkeling after taking a break, the water being almost over my head. I stand by my earlier recommendation. I would wear water shoes. There are some sharp rocks out by the rock wall and the wall itself is sharp in places. Since that is where the fish tend to hide, if you want to see them, you have to go near the wall.

[camz]

I cover my feet at all times, so I guess my opinion is one sided. I wore sneakers walking around the beach! GSC is undergoing major renovations, as we speak. That being said, things may change significantly in the near future. As far as the water shoes, I would say, take its better to have them and not need them, then to need them and not have them. They don't take up too much room in the suitcase! Remember you will be in part of the Bermuda Triangle so anything goes. :)

[coberg]

I am concerned about not having a chair since we will have my mother-in-law who is elderly and has some heath issues. The rest of us do not HAVE to have a chair, but she does. Is there anything we can do about this besides RUNNING off the boat to get her a chair. Also, is there any shade? She is not supposed to lie in direct sunlight.

[mia10010]

I am concerned about not having a chair since we will have my mother-in-law who is elderly and has some heath issues. The rest of us do not HAVE to have a chair, but she does. Is there anything we can do about this besides RUNNING off the boat to get her a chair. Also, is there any shade? She is not supposed to lie in direct sunlight.

 

 

I would recommend that you go right to the picnic tables and find one in the shade for your mother in law. If she is elderly, she will have a problem sitting down and getting up on the beach chairs because they are so low. I had this issue with my dad in July at GSC, and the picnic table with the benches worked best.

[raventhebouv]

I am concerned about not having a chair since we will have my mother-in-law who is elderly and has some heath issues. The rest of us do not HAVE to have a chair, but she does. Is there anything we can do about this besides RUNNING off the boat to get her a chair. Also, is there any shade? She is not supposed to lie in direct sunlight.

 

Definitely rent a clamshell on the beach at the excursion desk as soon as you get on board.

[Turtles06]

Thanks for all the replies. The water shoes are now packed!

 

(Now, all we have to do is not miss GSC! :))

[coberg]

Thanks for all of your great suggestions I am wondering if an elderly person will ahve trouble getting off and sitting on a beach chair, maybe we should not rent a clamshell on the beach and instead sit in the shade on a picnic table.She isn't comfortable wearing a bathiing suit anyway.

[camz]

To be totally honest, many of the elderly folks stayed onboard and enjoyed the uncrowded ship while ported at GSC. There is a tender involved, so depending on the individual's physical condition, staying onboard and enjoying the scenery and ship may be the best solution. :)

[Crusin'Cousins]

Definitely rent a clamshell on the beach at the excursion desk as soon as you get on board.

 

What exactly is a clamshell? What is the rental cost? Will there be limited numbers?

 

Also, can anyone tell us what the renovation of GSC involves and when it is scheduled to be completed?

 

Thanks!

[Turtles06]

What exactly is a clamshell? What is the rental cost? Will there be limited numbers?

 

Also' date=' can anyone tell us what the renovation of GSC involves and when it is scheduled to be completed?

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

Clamshell:

 

 

From what I've read on CC, they cost $30 to rent; you book them on board.

[Pianoman6582]

We haven't been to Great Stirrup Cay before, and are wondering whether the part of the beach where you walk into the water is smooth sand, or rocky (or covered with sharp shell fragments) to the extent you'd want to have water shoes.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

It's amazing to me the varied responses you get to the same question about this tiny pile of sand in the ocean called Great Stirrup Cay. I also think it's Laughable that the RCCI people couldn't bear to have THEIR island, which is right next door to Stirrup, being called Lesser or Little Stirrup Cay (depending on which map you looked at) so they renamed it to "Coco Cay." LOL, Sounds like a little island envy....anyway....

 

My Lee and I have been to Stirrup a number of times. If you ask the folks for a lesser done burger they'll make it for you but you have to wait a minute.... The potato salad is hit or miss, but not inedible. They have Pizza... I always get a slice to munch on while I wait in line for the other food.

 

The reply OP is right, get there early to get a chair. However, don't fret about it. Unless you're going to lie out and tan for six hours, throw your stuff on the sand and jump in the water. When you're done and hungry for lunch, bring your stuff over to the picnic tables. You can always find a picnic table because everyone's over by the beach chairs fighting over them. RELAX, you're on CRUISE TIME! Also, they have a limited number of Cabana Clamshell things as shown by another reply OP. Reserve those ahead of time on the ship.... They go fast.....

 

I'm not one to laugh at my fellow guests (at least not openly or at the time) but when my Lee and I were there in August, the poor F&B was the officer picked to go over and be on the island for that day (or the time of the day when this happened). This one lady was RIPPING into the F&B because there were no more beach chairs. She actually wanted the Food and Beverage Director to go back to the ship and bring more lounge chairs over.... Really? I just thought it was amusing to watch this woman melt down because she a, didn't come to the island early enough, or b, couldn't stand the idea of (EGAD:eek:) SAND on her BEACH BAG... OMG even!

 

If you want to swim or walk in the water without killing your feet, go in the water in front of the beach chair area. On the other side of where the tender beaches, there are big rocks everywhere.... Great for snorkeling, bad for wading. Don't walk on the rocks unless you're prepared to fall and break something or get splashed with ocean water--and fall and break something. I'm not saying I don't walk up there, I'm just saying it's not the safest place to walk....

 

They have a straw market there--because a stop without a place to buy something is just UN-AMERICAN....er...UN-NORWEGIAN! :rolleyes: They take cash, not your ship card (which I found mildly annoying because you're ON a private island, but anyway...)

 

Oh oh oh, and try the Parasailing.... it's worth EVERY PENNY! SOOOOO Awesome!

 

Enjoy the island!

 

And I thaNk You:

JWK: Meet Me at Stirrup

[pehlibaar]

It's amazing to me the varied responses you get to the same question about this tiny pile of sand in the ocean called Great Stirrup Cay. I also think it's Laughable that the RCCI people couldn't bear to have THEIR island, which is right next door to Stirrup, being called Lesser or Little Stirrup Cay (depending on which map you looked at) so they renamed it to "Coco Cay." LOL, Sounds like a little island envy....anyway....

 

My Lee and I have been to Stirrup a number of times. If you ask the folks for a lesser done burger they'll make it for you but you have to wait a minute.... The potato salad is hit or miss, but not inedible. They have Pizza... I always get a slice to munch on while I wait in line for the other food.

 

The reply OP is right, get there early to get a chair. However, don't fret about it. Unless you're going to lie out and tan for six hours, throw your stuff on the sand and jump in the water. When you're done and hungry for lunch, bring your stuff over to the picnic tables. You can always find a picnic table because everyone's over by the beach chairs fighting over them. RELAX, you're on CRUISE TIME! Also, they have a limited number of Cabana Clamshell things as shown by another reply OP. Reserve those ahead of time on the ship.... They go fast.....

 

I'm not one to laugh at my fellow guests (at least not openly or at the time) but when my Lee and I were there in August, the poor F&B was the officer picked to go over and be on the island for that day (or the time of the day when this happened). This one lady was RIPPING into the F&B because there were no more beach chairs. She actually wanted the Food and Beverage Director to go back to the ship and bring more lounge chairs over.... Really? I just thought it was amusing to watch this woman melt down because she a, didn't come to the island early enough, or b, couldn't stand the idea of (EGAD:eek:) SAND on her BEACH BAG... OMG even!

 

If you want to swim or walk in the water without killing your feet, go in the water in front of the beach chair area. On the other side of where the tender beaches, there are big rocks everywhere.... Great for snorkeling, bad for wading. Don't walk on the rocks unless you're prepared to fall and break something or get splashed with ocean water--and fall and break something. I'm not saying I don't walk up there, I'm just saying it's not the safest place to walk....

 

They have a straw market there--because a stop without a place to buy something is just UN-AMERICAN....er...UN-NORWEGIAN! :rolleyes: They take cash, not your ship card (which I found mildly annoying because you're ON a private island, but anyway...)

 

Oh oh oh, and try the Parasailing.... it's worth EVERY PENNY! SOOOOO Awesome!

 

Enjoy the island!

 

And I thaNk You:

JWK: Meet Me at Stirrup

 

How much is parasailing and is it something I should book ahead of time??

[patter44]

When we were at GSC in February last year they had mesh umbrellas scattered between the lounges. Are they still available or do you have to rent a clamshell?