Great Stirrup Cay

[mabones]

Why doesn't NCL stop at GSC during all its scheduled cruises? I will be on the Escape in December 2016 & it doesn't stop there. I would think that the passengers would prefer NCL's own private island instead of Nassau.

[SissasMomE]

Why doesn't NCL stop at GSC during all its scheduled cruises? I will be on the Escape in December 2016 & it doesn't stop there. I would think that the passengers would prefer NCL's own private island instead of Nassau.

 

I sure wish they would! Nassau is a dump.

[mabones]

I agree! I have no desire to get off the Ship there. I have only been to Nassau once & it did nothing for me. I have been reading some stuff on GSC & it I will be there the Week before the Escape cruise & would love to get to go there again.

[GrabMyWrist]

We're stopping at both GSC and Nassau on our B2B next year. I too have no use for Nassau. I'd much prefer two days at GSC.

[aquarianne11]

Why doesn't NCL stop at GSC during all its scheduled cruises? I will be on the Escape in December 2016 & it doesn't stop there. I would think that the passengers would prefer NCL's own private island instead of Nassau.

 

I agree. GSC is awesome!

 

We'll be on the Escape on Dec 2015, we'll probably stay on the ship in Nassau. I'm pretty sure a lot us are planning the same thing.

Edited April 30, 2015 by aquarianne11

[Sauer-kraut]

Nassau = Home base for the ships All except the Pride of America are registered in Nassau

[Demonyte]

Weather conditions force them to skip GSC from time to time - I'd say that it's probably better for them to have a "guaranteed" port than one that they might have to skip.

[jrbeccles]

Weather conditions force them to skip GSC from time to time - I'd say that it's probably better for them to have a "guaranteed" port than one that they might have to skip.

 

If they would invest some money (like Disney did at Discovery Cay) and build a dock at GSC, then the tendering process would go away and the weather would not be big factor

[Demonyte]

If they would invest some money (like Disney did at Discovery Cay) and build a dock at GSC, then the tendering process would go away and the weather would not be big factor

 

 

From what I've read here, it's not so simple because of nature protection regulations or something like that (GSC apparently has protected reefs around it that prevent dredging a proper dock there).

[Laszlo]

Why doesn't NCL stop at GSC during all its scheduled cruises? I will be on the Escape in December 2016 & it doesn't stop there. I would think that the passengers would prefer NCL's own private island instead of Nassau.

 

 

That is the #1 reason my wife and I won't sail NCL out of Miami. We would love to sail the Getaway for Escape but Nassau is a DUMP compared to GSC. A day at sea is better than a day on Nassau.

[zubee23]

Remember when you had to walk in the water to board the tender? At least there is now a tender dock!!!

[Mistizoom]

That is the #1 reason my wife and I won't sail NCL out of Miami. We would love to sail the Getaway for Escape but Nassau is a DUMP compared to GSC. A day at sea is better than a day on Nassau.

 

:confused: My cruise on Norwegian Getaway from Miami next March stops at GSC and not Nassau.

[garnet115]

:confused: My cruise on Norwegian Getaway from Miami next March stops at GSC and not Nassau.

 

Ditto. It's one of the many reasons I picked Getaway over Escape for next Feb.

[mking8288]

Remember when you had to walk in the water to board the tender? At least there is now a tender dock!!!

Vaguely but sure do in the much, much earlier days before the tender piers and the double decker tender boats based @GSC were built.

Had to use the much smaller tender boats launched from one's own ship to go ashore, then, had to take a few steps between the beach & the boat - even small waves made for a rocky ride to shore and back.

-

Depending on wind & sea conditions, even with a scheduled GSC stop, it still isn't always possible to tender as you still need to transfer from the *AWAY and later the + Plus class ships onto the smaller tender for that 10 to 15 minutes ride, and you bounce up & down for sometimes 20 minutes during the boarding process. We've missed 3 GSC stops over the years, one was a last minute one when the Captain decided it was just not safe enough to do it - already off the island piers & dropped anchors, ready to launch - turned into another cruise-at-sea day until we got a berth at Nassau in the evening, and the shops & restaurants were mostly closed by then for that "dump".

[sharkmanstudio]

Here is a bunch of Great Stirrup Cay pics and info. https://www.facebook.com/GreatStirrupCay?ref=bookmarks

[Diver2014]

I've been to GSC several times and I'm just not a 'beach' person so it didn't do anything for me but don't get me wrong, it's a great place to spend a day. I wish they offered scuba diving there.

I'm booked for scuba diving in Nassau - hopefully the vendor will be Stuart Cove's and we do his shark dive....fingers crossed! Diving is the only reason I love going to Nassau. We were there in January and just walked around then got back on the ship. Most people went to Paradise Island but once you've been there, you've been there but it's great for scuba diving!

Edited May 1, 2015 by Diver2014

[Laszlo]

:confused: My cruise on Norwegian Getaway from Miami next March stops at GSC and not Nassau.

 

True for the Western cruises, your also going to Ocho Rios, Jamaica which I personally don't think much of either

[Demonyte]

Vaguely but sure do in the much, much earlier days before the tender piers and the double decker tender boats based @GSC were built.

 

The boats at GSC are Little Norway I and Little Norway II, tenders (actually independently registered vessels) of late SS Norway - those are not built for GSC.

 

http://www.captainsvoyage.com/ncl/ss-norway/ss-norway---little-norway.html

Edited May 1, 2015 by Demonyte

[Kingmaker_inc]

If they would invest some money (like Disney did at Discovery Cay) and build a dock at GSC, then the tendering process would go away and the weather would not be big factor

 

We have been there twice. Once was fantastic, the other was crap - due to the weather. The thing about a beach only destination, it isn't as much fun if it is cold and/or raining. Nassau does have other things to offer.

[Kingmaker_inc]

That is the #1 reason my wife and I won't sail NCL out of Miami. We would love to sail the Getaway for Escape but Nassau is a DUMP compared to GSC. A day at sea is better than a day on Nassau.

 

Let's hope the Nassau Tourism Department doesn't start using that as their slogan!!! LOL!

[Laszlo]

Let's hope the Nassau Tourism Department doesn't start using that as their slogan!!! LOL!

 

If they do I want to make sure I'm quoted LOL:D

[Winston Wolf]

let's hope the nassau tourism department doesn't start using that as their slogan!!! Lol!

 

 

+1.

[ncklhaus]

Remember when you had to walk in the water to board the tender? At least there is now a tender dock!!!

 

Our first cruise on the Dawn in 2005, NYC to Florida (Miami and Port Canaveral) and the Bahamas (Nassau and GSC). It was quite an experience. But we fell in love with cruising on that voyage and don't want an itinerary without GSC now.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Are there any shady places to sit at GSC without paying additional for a Cabana

[Diver2014]

Are there any shady places to sit at GSC without paying additional for a Cabana

 

There is plenty of tree shade around. You need to get there early to get chaise lounges in the shade. I also remember hammocks up in the tree area.