Great Stirrup Cay to close for two months

Great Stirrup Cay will have villas in its exclusive Lagoon Retreat area.

Norwegian Cruise Line is closing Great Stirrup Cay to guests for about two months so it can work on improvements scheduled to debut next year.

The line's private island in the Bahamas will be unavailable from Aug. 25 to Oct. 20, spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello said. 

Closing Great Stirrup Cay mainly impacts short cruise itineraries on the Norwegian Sky, which will visit Nassau and Grand Bahama during that time.

Norwegian plans a major overhaul at Great Stirrup Cay that includes $1 million on new landscaping; the creation of 100,000 square feet of new pathways, including a new boardwalk along the beach; a 50% increase in dining capacity; the addition of zip lines; and a Lagoon Retreat area with villas for rent for its high-end guests staying in Haven and Suite accommodations.

The changes, included in the $400 million Norwegian Edge initiative, are mostly expected to be complete by spring 2017.