Tag Archives: Great Stirrup Cay

Norwegian Escape Resumes Service After Repairs

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The Norwegian Escape is back in action. After a month out of service due to a grounding incident, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship welcomed guests back on Saturday in Port Canaveral.

Marking its first cruise since Mar. 12, the 2015-built vessel departed on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyage that includes calls in Tortola, St. Thomas, Puerto Plata and Great Stirrup Cay.

The Norwegian Escape ran aground off Puerto Plata on Mar. 14. The ship was freed on the following morning but was said to have suffered minor damage.

With the ship back alongside in the Dominican Republic, guests were sent back to the United States between Mar. 16-18 using charter flights.

Upon returning to its homeport with no passengers on board, the Escape remained docked in Port Canaveral while repairs were being carried out.

A total of five cruises have been affected by the incident. While the Mar. 19, Mar. 26, Apr. 2 and Apr. 9 departures have been entirely cancelled, the Mar. 12 sailing was cut short due to the event.

Upon completing the Apr. 16 Caribbean cruise, the Norwegian Escape is set to cross the Atlantic for a summer season in Europe.

Based in Civitavecchia, Italy, the vessel is offering a series of ten- and 11-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Mediterranean.

NCL’s Silver Cove villas open on Great Stirrup Cay

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Norwegian Cruise Line’s deluxe Silver Cove area of its Great Stirrup Cay private island in the Bahamas has opened for guests.

Silver Cove includes an oceanfront lagoon area and private beach, 38 beachfront villas, a Mandara Spa as well as a new Moet Bar and the Silver Cove Restaurant and Bar.

The air-conditioned villas range from studios to larger one- and two-bedroom villas and they are equipped with a full bathroom, daybed, club chairs, TV with on-demand entertainment and outdoor patio and lounge seating.

Villa prices range from $299 to $1,100 per day, depending on size and season.

Norwegian Cruise Line eliminating plastic straws

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Norwegian Bliss in Southampton, photo credit Dave R Jones.

Norwegian Cruise Line said it is getting rid of single-use plastic straws on its 26 ships.

The ban also applies to its two private islands, Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye.

With the changes, Norwegian said it expects to eliminate over 50 million plastic straws from use annually.

In announcing the ban, Norwegian did not specify when the ban would be implemented or what it would use as a substitute for plastic straws.

Various cruise lines have announced initiatives to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics onboard as a contribution to marine conservation. Norwegian initiated its plastics-reduction approach by banning plastic straws in the inauguration of its latest ship, the Norwegian Bliss.