If you like a little excitement on your vacation, Carnival Cruise Line is about to offer something special for thrill-seekers: the first-ever at-sea roller coaster.
Dubbed the Bolt Ultimate Sea Coaster, this new amenity will debut on the Mardi Gras ship next year. The Mardi Gras ship will depart from the cruise line’s Port Canaveral terminal, according to the Carnival Cruise Line Twitter account.
As you might imagine, bringing the innovative concept of a roller coaster on top of a cruise ship to life was no easy feat.
“Creating the first shipboard roller coaster posed quite a challenge as it’s never been done,” Glenn Aprile, Carnival Cruise Line’s director of innovation, told CNBC Make It.
The wall of our new terminal @PortCanaveral where Mardi Gras will sail from is up! #CarnivalMardiGras https://t.co/z1X2ASz9Ko
— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) May 8, 2019
“The design and movement of the ship needed to be factored into the engineering and design, something that doesn’t need to be accounted for on a land-based coaster.”
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Carnival Cruise LineThe Bolt Ultimate Sea Coaster is a single-car, electric coaster called a Spike Coaster that allows the passenger to control the speed.
Two passengers can zip along together along a track that sits 187 feet above sea level. There is a minimum height requirement of 43 inches and a maximum height of 76 inches to ride the Bolt Ultimate Sea Coaster.
Hold on to your hats, because this coaster on the sea has drops that can reach speeds of up to 40 mph. If you go as fast as you can for the entire ride, it takes just one minute to complete.
Imagine rushing through the open air with views of the ocean all around you. It sounds pretty incredible, if not slightly terrifying!
Check it out in action in the YouTube video below, posted to Carnival Cruise Line’s official account:
The Mardi Gras will set sail on its maiden voyage in 2020 and will be the largest ship in the line’s fleet, with 20 decks and 5,200 rooms.
Another entertainment highlight on the ship will be Family Feud Live, which will give guests the experience of playing the survey-based game just as seen on the popular and long-running game show by the same name.
TV chef Emeril Lagasse will also have a restaurant on the Mardi Gras.
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Getty Images | Gustavo CaballeroThe ride is part of a trend of cruise ships offering over-the-top experiences. Cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger, and offering more to their guests, from personal butlers to high-profile shows.
Some, like the Bolt, provide the ships with amusement-park style amenities, from zip-lining to skywalks.
Check out the Royal Caribbean’s North Star, featuring glass observation capsules that go 300 feet over sea level and rotate over the side of the ship so you can check out the view.
They’ve helped the cruise ship get into the Guinness Book of World Records for highest viewing deck on a cruise ship.
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Royal Caribbean BlogThen there’s the AquaDuck water slide, which includes transparent tubes and goes all over the ship and splashes into a lazy river.
You can find it on the Disney Cruise Line ships, the Fantasy and the Dream. It looks like fun for kids and adults alike!
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Disney Cruise LineRoyal Caribbean is even offering bumper cars!
The ship you can find these on, the Quantum of the Seas, also offers an iFly simulated skydive experience.
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Royal Caribbean InternationalWould you ride these? There’s so much going on over the high seas, we’re wondering how you’ll even have time for lounging by the pool!
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