Think cruise ships are just about buffets and sun loungers? Think again!
Large modern cruise ships are basically floating cities at sea, and many have features that many wouldn’t expect.
It’s not unusual to find a cruise ship with a Ropes Course or even a Go Kart track onboard.
In this article, we look at some of the unusual things you may find on larger cruise ships.
#1. Go-Kart Tracks at Sea
On the top of some Norwegian ships, you will find multi-level Go Kart tracks.
When I tried the Go Karts onboard Norwegian Prima, I was surprised.
I had thought that the Go Karts onboard would be a bit like bumper cars – you would just go round and round in circles – but how wrong I was!
The track is Eighteen decks above the Ocean and around 166 feet above sea level. It felt very high up.
The track had hairpin bends, hills and corners. It was quite scary at first, as I had no idea where the track would go next!
Because the Go Karts are so close to the ground, it felt like we were going very fast.
After two laps, I got to know the track better, and I relaxed and really enjoyed myself.
I lost count of the laps, but I think it was around eight. There was a checkered flag at the end, so I knew when to stop.
I wasn’t last! I came 18th – out of 19 people!
Norwegian do charge extra for the Go Karts, but I definitely got $15 worth of enjoyment out of my Go Kart experience!
Find out everything you need to know – weight limits, what to wear, costs, etc here:
Which Norwegian Ships Have Go Karts Tracks?
#2. Ice Bars
Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Getaway all have Ice Bars.
All the furnishings inside – the bar, the tables, and the chairs are made of ice.
The cups are also made of ice, so you really need to wear gloves.
NCL’s ice bars are kept at a temperature of around 17° F to keep the ice frozen.
You will be given a hooded Poncho and gloves to keep you warm inside the bar.
They serve a selection of cocktails and non-alcoholic mocktails for children and those who don’t drink. The drinks come at an additional charge.
Skyy® Vodka Ice Bar
Norwegian Cruise Line
Inspired by the original ice hotels in Scandinavia, chill out in a 17° arctic chamber where the bars, walls, seats and glasses are all made from ice.
Although this is undoubtedly an unforgettable experience, I notice that on Norwegian’s newer ships, there is no Ice Bar.
Maybe the concept was less popular than they had hoped, or maybe keeping the area permanently below freezing is a challenge.
However, if you are onboard one of the ships with an Ice Bar, it might be something that you would like to try.
#3. Skydiving Simulators
iFly by Ripcord is a skydiving simulator found on multiple Royal Caribbean ships, as well as on land in skydiving venues.
The simulators are roughly 10 ft wide and 23ft tall. The fans push the air at roughly 160km per hour.
Before you can try it, you will be kitted up with a fly suit that goes over your clothes.
You also have earplugs in, glasses on, and wear a helmet.
Each person gets 60 seconds in the tube, which might not sound like a lot, but when you’re focusing so hard on the position of your feet, your chin and your hands, it is plenty.
Find out everything you need to know about Royal Caribbeans iFly here:
I Went Skydiving on a Cruise Ship: Royal’s iFly- Review, Free Tickets, and FAQs
Watch me skydiving in the iFly here:
#4. Ride a Roller Coaster
Carnival’s Mardi Gras has “Bolt”, the first-ever roller coaster at sea. This debuted in July 2021.
Instead of sitting down inside of a car, you are astride a car that is similar to a motorcycle.
You will be strapped in very tightly with a metal seatbelt that is checked multiple times before you will begin to move.
The electric track starts on the top deck, near the back of the ship and travels around the funnel.
You can reach speeds of up to 37 mph, but you have some control of the speed by using the levers on the handlebars.
There’s is a speedometer so you can see how fast you are going – but you may find you are too busy hanging on to worry about the speed!
It’s like being in an amusement park – but the ground moves as well as the roller coaster!
Carnival charges extra for riding the Bolt rollercoaster. Costs may vary, but it costs around $15 for two laps around the track.
Bolt is available on Carnival’s newer ships – Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.
#5. Water Parks and Slides
Many large ships have full-scale water parks, some with slides that hang over the edge of the ship. The sections out over the ocean may be clear plastic, so you can see where you are, and others can watch you sliding down.
These waterparks are great for keeping both adults and children amused.
For an example of these slides, watch the video below, where I descended ten decks on Norwegian Prima:
#6. Ice Rinks and Roller Rinks
Royal Caribbean is quite well known for having ice rinks on many of its ships.
They use these for organised Ice shows but they also have times when guests can just skate.
Some ships also have multipurpose spaces where you can roller skate.
MSC has Roller Rinks on its newer ships, MSC World Europa and MSC World America.
These activities are great for keeping children happy – but I really enjoy skating too, and was lucky to find I had the rink mostly to myself on MSC World Europa.
Find out about that amazing ship here:
#7. Surf Simulators
The Surf Simulator, or “FlowRider” as it is known, is one of the most recognisable activities onboard Royal Caribbean ships.
It’s perfect if you want to try surfing – or if you want to film some epic wipeout videos!
I had a go on the Flowrider onboard the Independence of the Seas a few years back. Although I am glad that I tried it – and even managed to get up onto my knees at one point – I didn’t feel the need to have another go when I sailed on Anthem of the Seas!
Royal Caribbean’s safety disclaimer is enough to put me off!
FLOWRIDER®
Royal Caribbean
CAUTION Riding on the Flowrider® is an extreme sport and high-risk recreational activity. Sheet wave surfing on the Flowrider may result in physical or mental injury, including but not limited to serious injury to the head, neck, back, hips, arms and legs, as well as the possibility of illness, disease, paralysis or death.
#8. Glass Walkways Over the Ocean
Many bigger ships have glass floors suspended over the open sea – you can see the one below on Costa Smeralda. I find these both exciting and frightening in equal measure!
Many cruise lines have these glass walkways – P&O, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Lines – to name but a few.
Princess Cruises has the “SeaWalk”, an enclosed glass walkway extending beyond the ship’s edge.
If you aren’t worried by heights, you should give one of these walkways a try!
The SeaWalk – The ship’s most distinguishing design element is an over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed enclosed walkway on the ship’s starboard side extending more than 28 feet beyond the edge of the vessel. From here passengers can enjoy dramatic views, including to the sea 128 feet below.
Princess Cruises
#9. Bumper Cars
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships have bumper cars.
When I sailed on Anthem of the Seas, we rode the bumper cars in the SportsPlex – a multi-use area also used at other times for laser quest and roller skating.
You can see by the picture below that it is a very popular activity. (They are not spectators around the edge; they are guests waiting their turn to have a go.)
Children over the age of eight, who are 122 cm tall, can ride alone. Those younger and shorter must be in the car with someone older.
No waiver needs to be signed, and the activity is free. You can just turn up and join the queue.
#10. Floating Parks with Over 20,000 Real Plants
When Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009, it was the first cruise ship in the world to feature a large open-air garden.
It’s called Central Park, after New York City’s Central Park. It is one of the “neighbourhoods” onboard Oasis-class ships.
Although this ship is now over 15 years old, it doesn’t make this garden any less impressive. The newer Icon class ships also feature this Central Park area, so the idea was obviously very popular.
For many, Royal Caribbean’s Central Park neighbourhoods are their favourite spaces onboard any ship.
Sitting amongst the flowers, it is hard to imagine you are actually on a cruise ship at all!
When you walk along the paths, you’ll hear recordings of birds, crickets, and other animals. There is an array of shrubs, seasonal flowers, foliage and even trees.
In the middle of the park, you’ll find green walls – covered in flowering vines and ferns. These are twenty-five feet high and quite breathtaking.
Behind the scenes, Royal Caribbean employ landscape specialists to tend the plants and trees and oversee the irrigation systems, lighting and drainage needed to make sure the plants flourish.
Symphony of the Seas is an amazing ship. Have a look at the different neighbourhoods, including Central Park, in the video below:
#11. Luxury Shops
Many cruise ships feature luxury Shops selling watches, some of which might be worth more than your car!
Some cruise ships have high-end boutiques with Rolexes, Cartier, and diamonds that cost more than your cruise fare – and possibly even your house.
I never tend to go in these shops, although I do look in the windows. As you know, I am a budget cruiser, and shops where the items on show have no prices make me nervous!
You can, of course, buy lower-cost items in cruise ship shops – everything from t-shirts to toiletries, gifts to medications.
They are more costly than in comparable shops on land, so I try to pack any medications or first aid items I could need.
Find out more here:
Cruise Ships Don’t Have Full Pharmacies on Board – Here’s What They Have
#12. Submarines and Helicopters
Certain expedition cruises come with their own mini submarines for underwater adventures- and even helicopters to give you the ultimate in uninterrupted views!
These aren’t on your standard cruise ships, though. They are found on luxury Super Yachts.
Scenic Eclipse has a submarine that can dive 1,000 feet below the ocean.
They offer an unforgettable experience on board one of their two custom-designed submersibles, Scenic Neptune I and II.
Take your seat with up to eight fellow guests alongside our expert pilot and prepare for a sightseeing experience like no other, 100 metres beneath the surface. Scenic Neptune redefines underwater exploration. With large, ultra-clear acrylic spheres, our submersibles have been designed for optimum viewing and total immersion.
Scenic
If two submersibles aren’t enough for you, Scenic has two helicopters as well!
Take to the skies in one of our two on board helicopters for the ultimate vantage point.
Choose to add the ultimate excursion onto your ultra-luxury Scenic Eclipse experience with flightseeing or remote landings in the Airbus H130-T2 helicopters. The quietest aircraft in the skies, you’ll enjoy air-conditioned interiors, Bose® noise cancelling headsets equipped with voice activation, and expansive visibility from every seat with large windows and wrap-around windscreen.
Experiences on board their two helicopters and submersibles are, of course, at an additional cost. Scenic offers luxury yacht cruises, so unsurprisingly, I have never sailed with them. I would love to one day…
All helicopter and submarine excursions are “subject to regulatory approval, availability, weight restrictions, medical approval and weather, tide and ice conditions”.
#13. Robot Bartenders & Even Delivery Robots!
The Bionic Bar on Royal Caribbean ships features robots that mix your drinks. You order via a tablet, and a robot arm shakes and stirs your cocktail.
When I was onboard MSC Virtuosa, I saw a robot bartender called Rob in the Starship Club.
Rob the robot has a face with human-like expressions and a voice.
Rob apparently speaks eight languages – as you would expect on an MSC cruise, where guests come from all over the world.
Unsurprisingly, drinks mixed and served by Rob come at an additional cost.
Princess cruises have very recently introduced delivery robots on their newer ships. These robots have been seen in the buffet, assisting the crew.
The images above come from Sylvia at @spintheglobe. Sylvia is a wheelchair user and has a website that explores accessible travel. It is well worth a follow. Many thanks, Sylvia!
#14. Zip Lines
Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships have zip lines that let you fly across the central area of the ship.
This only takes a few seconds, but it must be a real adrenalin rush.
I had booked a neighbourhood balcony onboard Symphony of the Seas, which had a view over the central area of the ship.
Every so often, I would look out and see someone flying past on the zip wire! It was very bizarre!
You can see that in the video below:
Before You Go
Find out about the activities and entertainment you can enjoy onboard the last Ocean Liner at sea, Queen Mary 2. She is very different to your standard cruise ship.
10 Things You Can Do on the Queen Mary 2 That You Can’t on Most Cruise Ships
Find out about the Ropes Course I tried onboard MSC Meraviglia here:
I Tried a Ropes Course on Top of a Cruise Ship! It was TERRIFYING (MSC Meraviglia)
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