Question 1

Great Stirrup Cay on Your Own

Accepted Answer

A day here is yours to plan, because the island is kept for Norwegian's guests and the sandy beach and the snorkeling areas are on its northern part. The only real decisions are how long to spend in the water and when to head back. The beach and the cove: The northern part of the island has a sandy beach edged with rocks and snorkeling areas, and the main swimming area is Bertram's Cove. Two graves: Two graves, from 1834 and 1838, stand in a fenced grassy area near the visitor center. Leave the sea as you found it: The island is a protected marine sanctuary, and taking anything out of the water is strictly prohibited. Sun and heat: Daytime temperatures average 85 to 93°F from May to November, so bring sun protection and drink plenty of water. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers who lose track of the time, even at a private island, and if you came ashore by tender, allow for the queue at the landing.

Question 2

Tipping Guide

Accepted Answer

In the Bahamas, a 15 percent service charge is added to the bill at most establishments, and any extra tip is optional. The Bahamian dollar is pegged one to one with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted at par. Check the bill for the service charge before you add anything.

Question 3

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Great Stirrup Cay was a pirate haunt, a plantation, a wartime listening post and a space-age radio station before a cruise line took exclusive control of it in 1977, the first to do so. Its lighthouse has stood since 1863. First peoples: The Lucayans, relatives of the Arawaks, are the first known settlers of the Bahamas. Pirates and planters, to 1815: The cay served as a pirate hideout while the British settled Nassau and the larger islands. The first documented settlers arrived around 1815, and charts of the period show it as Stirrup's Cay. Two graves, 1834 and 1838: Allan Bertram, a Royal Navy captain who owned the island, asked to be buried here when he died in 1834; the main swimming cove carries his name. Elizabeth Wright Braden Hixson, a passenger on a passing ship, died in 1838 and was buried beside him. The lighthouse, 1863: The Imperial Lighthouse Service built the lighthouse, which stands nearly 80 feet tall. Once staffed, it now runs automatically on solar power. Civil War and decline: During the American Civil War, Confederate ships carrying cotton to Europe used the island for provisioning while Union warships patrolled nearby. After slavery was abolished, the plantation was abandoned. War and the space age: President Franklin D. Roosevelt fished off its reefs in 1935. In World War II, the United States laid undersea cables here to listen for submarines, and two cable houses still stand on the southeastern shore. The US Air Force later built a radio-navigation station used during early space shuttle launches; it closed in 1991. A cruise disaster, 1965: On November 13, 1965, the cruise ship Yarmouth Castle, sailing from Miami to Nassau, burned and sank 13 miles off the island. The private island, 1977 to today: Norwegian Caribbean Lines leased the northern section from the Belcher Oil Company in 1977, the first time a cruise line had exclusive control of an island, and bought it in 1986. New dining areas, cabanas and wider beaches followed in 2017, and the two-ship pier opened on December 28, 2025.

Question 4

For Families

Accepted Answer

Great Stirrup Cay suits a slow family day of swimming and snorkeling, with the sandy beach and the snorkeling areas on the island's northern part. Plan around how much sun your children can take. Younger children: Stay near the main swimming area at Bertram's Cove, keep to calm water, and take regular breaks in the shade. School age: Look out for lizards and land crabs on shore, and for gulls, frigatebirds and sanderlings along the beach. Older children and teenagers: The snorkeling areas among the rocks on the northern side suit confident swimmers. Everyone: The island is a protected marine sanctuary, so shells, coral and anything else in the water stay where they are.

Question 5

Beaches and Water

Accepted Answer

The beach is on the northern part of the island, a stretch of sand edged by rocks with snorkeling areas close to shore. Bertram's Cove is the main swimming area. The waters around the island are a protected marine sanctuary, and removing anything from the water is strictly prohibited. The sea averages 81 to 86°F from May to November and about 77°F from December to April. Rain is heaviest from May to October, and the drier months run from November to April.

Great Stirrup Cay

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