NCL Reverses Course and Honors Drink Packages Indefinitely at Great Stirrup Cay
Key Aspects:
NCL has announced two operational updates for Great Stirrup Cay impacting drink packages and the destination’s new pier.
First, Norwegian Cruise Line will now allow guests to use their “Free at Sea” drink package on the island indefinitely.
Next, the private destination will temporarily resume tendering operations as work on the new pier is completed.
Norwegian Cruise Line has dropped two big pieces of news for Great Stirrup Cay, one of which guests will be very happy about and the other some may find mildly annoying.
Starting with the good news, Norwegian Cruise Line has now fully walked back controversial plans to render the “Free at Sea” drink package unusable at the private Bahamian destination.
Potentially in response to the mass outrage, the current “Free at Sea” beverage program has been extended indefinitely at the private island.
Travel professionals have been notified of the switch, and as further confirmation, Great Stirrup Cay has also been removed as a package exclusion on NCL’s website.
“The Free at Sea beverage package has been extended indefinitely for Great Stirrup Cay. So if you have the FAS drink package it will still work on GSC after March 31; you don’t need to upgrade to FAS+,” a travel agent shared on social media.
If guests already upgraded their drink package in order to use it on the island, they are able to cancel or downgrade as long as they are at least three days out from embarkation day.
Why Was the Drink Package Change Controversial?
Initially, the onboard drink packages were going to be cancelled in exchange for the creation of a new, island-specific drink package. Details of this were never released, but it’s possible that they will still come in the future.
What ultimately ended up happening was guests who wanted drink package perks at Great Stirrup Cay were being told to upgrade to the “Free at Sea Plus” (FAS+) package, which is more expensive at a cost of $49.99 per person, per day.
For context, the “Free at Sea” package has a lower price point of $28.50 per person, per day, and that extra $21.49 per person can add up quickly. On a week-long cruise, that would be an extra $150.43 per person.
In light of the negative feedback, NCL had already delayed the implementation of the new policy. Before the indefinite pause, the launch was pushed back from March 1, 2026, until March 31, 2026.
Of course, drink packages are not mandatory to cruise with NCL. Beverages like water, lemonade, and basic teas and coffees are included in the cruise fare, and guests who would like something extra can purchase à la carte.
A Temporary Return to Tendering
Here comes the news that cruise guests may be less excited about. When Great Stirrup Cay first opened in the Berry Islands, it did so as a tender port.
This was problematic, as port calls were more likely to be cancelled due to inclement weather and shuttling guests between the ship and the shore could be a time suck.
The cruise line opened its own pier at the private destination at the end of 2025, but the pier in use is temporary and construction still needs to be completed. The island will temporarily return to tendering while the work on the permanent pier is finished, beginning in April.
“Many of you have used the pier built at GSC and noticed it was temporary. NCL will be working on the permanent pier, so tendering will return beginning in April,” the travel advisor’s update continued.
The goal is to complete the work by July, which should align well with the planned opening of the 19-slide Great Tides Waterpark this summer.
NCL Reverses Course and Honors Drink Packages Indefinitely at Great Stirrup Cay