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Coming to Great Stirrup Cay: luxury beach villas, zip line, taco bar, private lagoon/spa

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Two bedroom luxury villas have an expansive outdoor terrace with a dining area and hot tub
A half-mile boardwalk for easy beach access, a complimentary taco bar, a new activity and entertainment complex, a zip line, luxury beach villas and a private lagoon area with a spa and exclusive restaurant are among the upgrades coming to Norwegian Cruise Line's Great Stirrup Cay.

The 10-acre beach will gain a boardwalk spanning the length of the shore with more than 100,000 square feet of pathway, giving easy access to the beaches and new shaded areas with benches for relaxation. A new half-acre entertainment and activity complex will feature a stage for live music, games and entertainers; basketball and volleyball courts, complete with bleachers; ping-pong tables; and a shaded picnic area where families can play board games or relax together. A new air-conditioned reception area with changing rooms will serve as the central hub where families can plan their day, reserve activities and rent games.

The new zip line course, more than 1,000 feet long, will have two parallel lines to allow for some friendly competition and high-flying races.

Snorkelers can use a waterproof map to guide them through a new mystical underwater sculpture garden to discover nautical creatures that tell tales of the deep.

From the many new shaded lounge and picnic spaces, to more than $1m in new landscaping throughout the island, to new restrooms and lockers at the tender marina, passengers will find a whole new experience by January, Norwegian said.

All dining and bar venues will be updated, adding new resort-style decking, shaded areas, high-top seating at all bars and family-style seating. In all, seating capacity at dining outlets will increase by 50%.

A new complimentary taco bar, Abaco Taco, will be added near the entertainment hub. Great Stirrup Cay's 8,500-square-foot buffet will be redesigned to provide faster and more efficient service, and the deck surrounding the buffet will be expanded. The center of the island will feature a shaded lounge area with modern, chic furniture and bar service.

Building on the brand’s exclusive partnership with Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, the island will also feature a LandShark Bar & Grill with menu items available à la carte.

Beginning in summer 2017, Great Stirrup Cay will offer a lagoon enclave, a private area with a secluded beach, ocean-view restaurant, a Mandara Spa, sheltered family area and 22 air-conditioned private villas. The lagoon will be available on a complimentary basis to The Haven and suite passengers, along with those who purchase an on-island Mandara Spa service. In addition, a limited number of passes to the lagoon will available for purchase.

The lagoon will have an air-conditioned reception area with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the area’s private beaches. Here, passengers can reserve activities, rent equipment or relax in the shade on the outdoor terrace or at an additional shaded seating area nearby accessed by the lagoon bridge. The center of the lagoon will feature a floating swim-up bar. Families can use a partitioned beach area along with grassy areas for active play with swing sets and picnic tables. For groups or special occasions, a private room can be reserved for functions of up to 75 people, with food and beverage service.

Those who reserve a luxury beach villa will whisked by air-conditioned shuttles running from the tender marina to the lagoon reception area. Studio villas feature an outdoor terrace, private bathroom and living/dining area, and can accommodate two to four people. One bedroom villas, for four to six people, have a bedroom, private bathroom, living and dining areas and outdoor terrace with a hot tub. The two bedroom villas, for up to 10 people each, have two bathrooms, living and dining areas, and an expansive outdoor terrace with a dining area and hot tub.

Exclusively for those using the lagoon retreat, the two-story Silver Palm restaurant will offer complimentary dining in a stunning setting with indoor and outdoor seating, and a rooftop terrace. All luxury beach villas will offer food and beverage service.