Great Stirrup Cay

[TOMTOMRN331]

We are sailing on Escape in Feb 2019 and have a stop at GSC. 

 

I have seen some video blogs on YouTube which indicate you can use your UBP on the island for drinks. 

 

Is this true? 

 

[dexddd]

yes

[Jonslola]

Yes you can! 

I would also suggest you find Abaco Taco! I loved the fish tacos there, well, all the tacos there....lol! (The food is also included, just like on the ship)

[TOMTOMRN331]

Great information - thank you !

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, TOMTOMRN331 said:

We are sailing on Escape in Feb 2019 and have a stop at GSC. I have seen some video blogs on YouTube which indicate you can use your UBP on the island for drinks.  Is this true? 

Your Beverage package works on the island and your favorite bar staff will be there to serve you (they bring all of the bar stock from the ship and the bartenders set up the bars). 

 

The buffet (and taco stand) on on the island is also free. Don’t expect fine dining, it is good beach picnic food, prepared on the ship and cooked/warmed on the island. 

 

The island and offers only a little shade and the sun is brutal. We recommend renting a clamshell before you get to the island. 

[havanadaydreaming]

We were on GSC in Feb 18 and I don't thing you'll have to worry about the sun too much.  I was out in it for 4-5 hours without issue, although I did wear a ballcap due to mah trees receding up top. 

 

We went again in Nov and same thing.  hung out on the Bacardi bar deck for a couple hours (UBP! UBP!) before heading into the surf when it thinned out a bit. 

 

My only advice is to temper expectations on actually making it to the island until you see tenders are actually running the morning you drop anchor.  about 1/3 of the time, it seems, the waves are too rough to send the tender boats over to the island from the ship. 

 

 

 

 

[casofilia]

It is lovely to have a swim in their "lagoon" but a bit of a walk especially on the return in the sum.  It does work up a thirst though for the free beers.

[Niffernay]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Your Beverage package works on the island and your favorite bar staff will be there to serve you (they bring all of the bar stock from the ship and the bartenders set up the bars). 

I didn't know this.  Awesome!!

[casofilia]

Remember that the whole of the ship's passengers are on the Island at the same time!!!  And all want food and drink at the same time.  Make like a Scout; Be Prepared!!

[BirdTravels]

Since we are pasty white and burn easy, we usually are on the first tender over to the island, eat when the buffet open, and back to the ship after an afternoon swim,,, all avoiding the crowds. 

 

And, after 7 stops at GSC, we still feel that a clamshell is still a must unless you craw into the bushes for shade. 

[Debde]

41 minutes ago, casofilia said:

It is lovely to have a swim in their "lagoon" but a bit of a walk especially on the return in the sum.  It does work up a thirst though for the free beers.

Last time I was there we hoped on a golf cart ride and they took us right to the lagoon.

Is the lagoon still available to go to or is that where the Haven construction is??

[casofilia]

Is the lagoon still available to go to...?

 

I hope so as we really enjoyed a swim there; so safe and cooling.

[TOMTOMRN331]

1 hour ago, havanadaydreaming said:

We were on GSC in Feb 18 and I don't thing you'll have to worry about the sun too much.  I was out in it for 4-5 hours without issue, although I did wear a ballcap due to mah trees receding up top. 

 

We went again in Nov and same thing.  hung out on the Bacardi bar deck for a couple hours (UBP! UBP!) before heading into the surf when it thinned out a bit. 

 

My only advice is to temper expectations on actually making it to the island until you see tenders are actually running the morning you drop anchor.  about 1/3 of the time, it seems, the waves are too rough to send the tender boats over to the island from the ship. 

 

 

 

 

Not too worried about the sun. We ended up getting a Cabana. 

 

Yes I am well aware of the missed opportunities with getting from ship to island. They need to build a pier like in Belize 

[Debde]

1 hour ago, casofilia said:

Is the lagoon still available to go to...?

 

I hope so as we really enjoyed a swim there; so safe and cooling.

 

I'm concerned because I saw a picture of where the construction is and it sure did look like it was not accessible. Also could of been the angle it was taken too.

[SAmome]

1 hour ago, TOMTOMRN331 said:

Not too worried about the sun. We ended up getting a Cabana. 

 

Yes I am well aware of the missed opportunities with getting from ship to island. They need to build a pier like in Belize 

 

Or like RCCL is doing with Coco Cay.

[mnventure]

2 hours ago, Debde said:

 

I'm concerned because I saw a picture of where the construction is and it sure did look like it was not accessible. Also could of been the angle it was taken too.

When we were on GSC in February 2017, we could not go to the lagoon - it was fenced off for construction of the new Haven area. 

[casofilia]

When we were on GSC in February 2017, we could not go to the lagoon - it was fenced off for construction of the new Haven area. 

 

Shame but has anyone been there in the last month?

[Debde]

42 minutes ago, mnventure said:

When we were on GSC in February 2017, we could not go to the lagoon - it was fenced off for construction of the new Haven area. 

 

That's exactly what I thought due to the picture I saw. To my knowledge-construction is still on-going. 😦

[kochleffel]

I'm not even sure that I want to go ashore at GSC: I can swim but don't like to, have no particular interest in beaches, and generally want to get out of the sun, not into it.

 

Right now I'm thinking that I might go ashore just for lunch, mostly so that I could add to my list of countries visited. Is that feasible? (I don't add a country to the list if I just made a flight connection through an airport, so I don't thinking that mooring offshore and staying aboard ship counts, either.)

[rhinomike]

On 12/27/2018 at 1:34 PM, TOMTOMRN331 said:

Not too worried about the sun. We ended up getting a Cabana. 

 

Yes I am well aware of the missed opportunities with getting from ship to island. They need to build a pier like in Belize 

How was the cabana?  We will be there in April and thinking about getting a Cabana. 

[ziggyuk]

On 12/28/2018 at 2:34 PM, kochleffel said:

mostly so that I could add to my list of countries visited.

 

It's not a country.

[BirdTravels]

On 12/27/2018 at 5:28 PM, Debde said:

 

I'm concerned because I saw a picture of where the construction is and it sure did look like it was not accessible. Also could of been the angle it was taken too.

Once complete, it will be off limits to anyone not in the Haven

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by BirdTravels

[GUEST71919]

We won’t be there all day (I’m fair), but while we are there I would like a clam shell or umbrella. However,  neither is showing on the list of available items. I am hoping that the concierge can help with that once we board?  I had really hoped that the Haven area promised would be completed and offer some shade, but as with most construction it appears to be running a bit behind schedule!

Edited January 17, 2019 by 2Beeze

[TOMTOMRN331]

11 hours ago, rhinomike said:

How was the cabana?  We will be there in April and thinking about getting a Cabana. 

I will let you know. We sail 2/24 

[100th Meridian]

11 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

It's not a country.

It’s an island that is part of a country (The Bahamas).