Some cruise ships have features that could easily be part of on shore amusement parks. From Carnival’s new roller coaster to Royal Caribbean’s now-traditional carousel, here’s a selection of those one-of-a-kind attractions:
BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster – Carnival
Set to debut on the new Mardi Gras, BOLT is the first roller coaster at sea. The all-electric ride has an open-air course, suspended over the ship. With a motorcycle-style car, BOLT also allows guests to choose how fast they want to go.
Go-Karts – Norwegian
Currently, three Norwegian Cruise Line ships offer go-kart tracks on their top decks. Called Speedways, these tracks are available on the Norwegian Encore, the Norwegian Joy, and the Norwegian Bliss. With a capacity for ten racers at a time, the attractions use all-electric karts that can reach about 50 km/h.
Carousel – Royal Caribbean
Available on every Oasis Class ship, the Carousel is the highlight of the Boardwalk neighborhood on those vessels. According to Royal Caribbean, the hand-crafted ride evokes childhood memories, with horses, zebras, and bunnies inviting guests to hop on for a spin.
Dream Park at the Pier – Dream
Dream Cruises’ new ship, the Global Dream, will debut in 2022 with an entire theme park onboard. Called Dream Park at the Pier, the attraction will feature its own roller coaster, as well as a trampoline park, a surf simulator, and more.
Sportplex – MSC
The multipurpose venue Sportplex can be found on MSC’s Meraviglia Class ships. In addition to a sports court, the area features a bowling alley, a video arcade, and F1 simulators.
In the evening, the sports court is transformed into a party venue.
Studio B – Royal Caribbean
Studio B is the ice-skating rink onboard Royal Caribbean International’s ships. During the day, guests can test their skating abilities here. At night, the rink is transformed into a show venue for world-class professional skaters’ performances.
Laser Tag – Norwegian
Norwegian Cruise Line introduced at-sea Laser Tag arenas with the Norwegian Joy in 2017. The attraction is now available on two other ships – including the new Norwegian Encore, which has an enlarged version of it. The open-air arenas have a scenic and impressive setup, recreating sci-fi themes.
SkyRide – Carnival
Carnival’s SkyRide allows guests to ‘bike’ around the ship while suspended above the deck and the ocean. The two-lane, pedal-powered ride is available on Vista-class ships.
