Tuesday, April 23, 2024

The best cruise ship waterslides and watery fun zones

cruise ship water park

Available only on Liberty of the Seas, this thrilling, boomerang-like slide propels you into weightlessness then ricochets you back down the other side. Adrenaline PeakRoyal Caribbean is famous for rock climbing walls on ships, and this iteration is dubbed Adrenaline Peak. There are five different lanes for climbing and it will also not just be a blank wall with some handholds.

What are the restrictions for the slides in Category 6 Waterpark?

This part of the island isn’t open to everyone; an entrance fee applies. The AquaLab, available on the Magic, Wonder and Fantasy, is an all-ages water playground with pouring paint cans, leaky pipes, geysers and jets, guaranteed to keep you cool on a hot day. On the Magic and Wonder, the Twist n’ Spout double-looping waterslide will slide and spin you down hundreds of feet. For the littlest cruisers, there are fun and safe areas just for them. Everything here is designed to be fun and active, with a focus on being outdoors for the entire family. Whether you have kids (or yourself) that want to take on the biggest waterslides at sea… or you’d rather find a spot on the deck to watch, Thrill Island looks to have you covered.

Cruise Water Parks: The Best of the Best Aquatic Attractions

The waterslides on CocoCay don’t have age limits but have max weights of 300 pounds and typically have a 48″ minimum to ride. The raft rides of CocoCay have a 48″ minimum as well, unless with an adult and wearing a life vest. Lost DunesMini-golf has become a fixture on cruise ships, but we’ll be honest — most courses are pretty pedestrian. Royal Caribbean says Lost Dunes is mini-golf “on steroids.” The area is heavily themed with the “Thrill Island” idea, complete with wrecked ship, crashed planes and more. But without a doubt the most eye-catching and discussed feature of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship is the massive waterpark that dominates the back of the ship.

H2O Zone vs. Splashaway Bay: Differences

cruise ship water park

Carnival Vista and Carnival Panorama, meanwhile, feature an enclosed water tube Kaleid-O-Slide, on which riders make their way around 455 feet of twists and turns on one- or two-person rafts. As if that weren't dizzying enough, the Kaleid-O-Slide actually looks like a kaleidoscope, with colorful rotating lights and trippy visual effects. There’s also a polar-themed water park for youngsters, with large sculptures of polar bears and whales as well as spray guns, water dunkers and a small slide. When it’s time to head back to the ship, you’ll simply take the towels back with you. Drop them off at the towel station back on board so that you don’t get charged. You can always bring beach towels from the ship (they are available by the pools onboard), but it’s inevitable that someone will forget to bring one.

Cruise Ship Water Parks Aren’t Just About Slides; Royal Caribbean Started with Flow Riders

All of Disney's cruise ships feature an aquatic ride of some sort. Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream have the water park fan-favorite AquaDuck -- an elevated two-person-raft "water coaster," made up of a 765-foot-long tube that veers out over the side of the ship. Both ships also have Mickey’s Slide and Mr. Ray’s Slide in the Nemo’s Reef area for the 8 and under cruisers. MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia class ships feature three water slides – two with tubes which twist and turn through mostly darkness, and one which looks like a wide-brimmed champagne glass where riders swirl round and round. Take a cruise on any of MSC Cruises’ newest ships and you’ll be amazed by the water parks.

cruise ship water park

MSC Cruises’ Aqua Park

World's largest cruise ship comes complete with a waterpark - It's Nice That

World's largest cruise ship comes complete with a waterpark.

Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

There is a towel station in the Thrill Waterpark, right beside the wave pool. The Snack Shack is like a mini fast-food restaurant that serves burgers, chicken sandwiches, dogs, fries, and dessert. Having one in the waterpark means you can stop by and get something to eat without going through the hassle of leaving the park, eating, and coming back in.

Royal Caribbean, for instance, added an 800-foot-long "water coaster" to the back of its 3,386-passenger Navigator of the Seas just a few years ago. It's one of more than two dozen giant waterslides the line has added to more than half a dozen ships in the last seven years. The line’s water parks also include well-designed splash areas for young cruisers. Allure, Anthem, Freedom, Independence, Oasis and Quantum of the Seas feature the H2O Zone, which is perfect for babies and toddlers. Carnival's water slides have height restrictions that vary from ship to ship and are based on slide type.

Aside from choosing a great ship, it’s also important to think carefully about your itinerary and the time of year that you’re cruising. Whilst it is possible to ride the slides in the Mediterranean in January, it’s going to be pretty cold so your kids aren’t likely to have more than a couple of goes. The slides are also likely to be closed for much of the day if the weather is anything less than warm.

On Board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for its First Cruise - The New York Times

On Board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for its First Cruise.

Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Hungry? You Don’t Have to Leave the Thrill Waterpark to Eat

Royal Caribbean is a great option for families for a number of reasons, primarily because some ships feature splash areas and smaller water slides that are great for even the tiniest of tykes. Additionally, their newest ship debuting in January 2024 will feature the largest ever cruise water park with even more attractions that are sure to please family members of all ages. This new and improved park will feature Hurricane Hunter and Storm Surge, two newer raft water slides that the whole family can ride down together.

The complex includes two four-deck-high racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon, where you can do side-by-side speed tests with your travel partner. Big lines that have steered clear of the water-park-at-sea trend include Princess Cruises, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises. Geared more toward couples than families and typically drawing an older demographic, all three of these lines have stuck to a more subdued feel for the outdoor areas of their ships. The top decks of vessels operated by Princess, Holland America and Celebrity still mostly revolve around traditional swimming areas with pools, hot tubs and lounge chairs.

The experience takes place on the massive Royal Caribbean logo on the side of the ship — and 150 feet over the ocean. And at the end, the floor drops, sending you riding out over the ocean. A true sight to behold, The Blaster is so long because it's what's known as a water coaster. It features water jets that propel you up, down and forward — extending the ride — as you careen around the ship's basketball court and surfing simulator in an inner tube.

Unlike (most of) the rest of CocoCay, which is free for you to explore, there is a fee to enjoy the waterpark. Like many things on Royal Caribbean, the fee depends on your specific cruise and ship. While rates used to be in the $40-50 range per person just a few years ago, now it’s common to see admission in the $80-$100 range these days. Sometimes you don’t need anything fancy to make a slide exhilarating. Pressure Drop is a straight 108-foot drop, but what sets it apart is that it’s an open slide that has a 66-degree incline. Guests will have to push themselves into a near-vertical drop with an open tube.

Here you’ll find various pools, water cannons and fountains for splashing around. Consider that you’ll arrive to CocoCay in the morning — usually around 8-9 a.m. Many people head off the ship earlier in the morning, and those who go to the waterpark seem to make a beeline there. Food is a big part of any cruise, and one of the great things about CocoCay is that you have a number of free options. This includes two large buffet-style restaurants that serve lunches of burgers, tacos, hot dogs, and more.

The easiest way to book your spot is to reserve online through your Royal Caribbean account in advance of your cruise. You can also book once you are onboard through the Royal Caribbean app or through the shore excursions desk. Chances are that if you are taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean from the East Coast, then your ship is going to have a stop at CocoCay. Randy Young is the founder and editor-in-chief at Cruise Spotlight. He has been in marketing for 19 years and has been cruising for just as long.

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