15 Incredible Cruise Ship Amenities

in the competitive industry of cruise tourism companies are pushing the limits with what can be built on their ships from roller coasters to climbing walls the amenities on modern day cruise ships are getting a bit ridiculous let's take a look at the top 15 most amazing cruise ship amenities number 15 north star royal caribbean cruises are one of the largest operators in the world and in recent years they've made a point of ensuring they install the most creative and often unbelievable features on their ships their quantum class vessels which first set sail in 2014 are the third largest cruise ships in the world each have an attraction called north star and this is truly something you have to see to believe essentially it's a glass pod that's attached to a mechanical arm guests are sealed inside the pod then it's lifted up into the air and then over the side of the ship with a capacity of up to 14 people the 20-minute ride raises you as high as 300 feet above sea level which leads to stunning views out across the vessel the ocean or whichever port the ship is docked in there are however restrictions on how it can operate in port or on stormy days so the best time to experience it is when the liner is at sea and the water is relatively calm amazingly the company has thought of everything in their design of the north star and you retain full access to the onboard wi-fi even when you're at its maximum height 14 helicopters you might think cruise ships have a variety of vehicles for you to be able to play with in port such as jet skis or glass bottom boats but the australian-based scenic eclipse has something far more exciting its very own helicopter stored in a specifically designed cargo bay the two brand new airbus h-130s were top-of-the-line choppers when they were bought and are some of the quietest ones available meaning the disruption to other passengers and wildlife is minimal there's also a system inside the cabin which reduces the amount of vibrations that you feel which leads to an incredibly smooth ride the company hired experienced staff including military veterans and rescue pilots to take guests from the top deck for 20-minute tours over the ports that they visit with leather seats you are sure to be comfortable on board they also provide bose noise cancelling headsets to allow for easy communication between the guests and crew with cruises available that travel to the antarctic and arctic regions a facility like this really gives travelers a vantage point that until now has been virtually impossible while there's only one ship in the world that has its own helicopters you can't imagine it'll be too long before others begin to follow suit number 13 roller coaster roller coasters were once something that you'd only see in an amusement park but recently they seemingly started to appear almost everywhere from backyards to the tops of tower blocks now there's even one that's been built on a cruise ship this isn't just a small ride claiming to be a roller coaster either but a full-fledged experience called bolt it's the main feature of the carnival cruise line's new ship called mardi gras which was due to first set sail in 2020 reaching up to 187 feet above sea level guests are strapped into motorcycle-like cars and shoot around the track at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour as it's fitted to the top deck the coaster offers 360 degree views across the ship and the ocean and to make it even more exciting riders are able to control the speed of their cars themselves there's even an added competitive edge too with lap times being posted on a board after the race so everyone knows who's the bravest of them all as the first ship based roller coaster in the world bolt is certainly unique and innovative and its inclusion will surely force other operators to up their game and begin designing coaster tracks of their own watch this space because it's surely just the beginning of a new trend of amusement parks at sea number 12 go-karts go-karts are often people's first experience of driving a vehicle with thousands of tracks around the world it's highly competitive too with the majority of the planet's top race car drivers beginning out as carters and it seemed like only a matter of time before a cruise ship company found a way to build a track on the top deck of a ship in 2019 norwegian cruise lines announced that three of their ships would be fitted with one and on their flagship the encore the new custom design track actually transitions across two decks called the norwegian encore speedway it's 1150 feet long has 10 turns there are even four parts that hang up to 13 feet over the edge of the ship there's room on the track for 10 cards at a time each of which is fully electric powered and can reach speeds of up to 30 miles an hour they may not be the fastest you could ever drive but they're definitely the fastest vehicles available to race around a ship race sessions last for around 8 minutes and there are extra features to get spectators involved too there is for example an observation deck with a laser gun if you manage to shoot one of the carts you'll give it a temporary speed boost the tracks on each of the three ships are different in their own ways and on the sister ship the joy it's ferrari themed and emblazoned with the italian manufacturer's signature red coloration throughout unsurprisingly since they first opened the company said that the go-kart tracks are their number one onboard activity and there are continuous queues full of kids and adults alike number 11 surf simulator cruise ships are so large they're almost like floating cities huge amounts of research and technology are involved in their design to ensure they're stable and comfortable at sea as possible but for those who thrive on the thrill of catching a wave royal caribbean has the answer on several of their ships they offer an attraction called the flow rider which is a 40 foot long surf simulator designed to appeal to everyone from complete novices to experienced professionals the first time you get on whether you're planning to surf or bodyboard you're given an introduction into how the simulator works how to ride the waves and according to the team behind it how to fall because eventually everyone falls there are actually 220 flowrider surf simulators around the world the royal caribbean is the only company that takes them out to sea and has 16 of them across the fleet private lessons are available for those who want to perfect their technique and since the wave strength can be customized they are suitable for people of any age from young children to adults in the latter years of their lives with experiences like this available on board who even needs to visit the beaches of the tropical locations the cruise ships travel to number 10 the ultimate abyss cruise ships have for a long time featured swimming pools on their decks and most of them have several water slides to increase the excitement royal caribbean however has taken this a step further with the introduction of the ultimate abyss which is a slide like no other the attraction is installed on all of their oasis class ships and is made up of two 216 foot long slides that run parallel to each other beginning at the sports zone on the 16th deck they twist and turn all the way to the boardwalk on the sixth deck at the back of the ship with riders reaching speeds of up to nine miles an hour on the specially designed mats of course there are surprises along the way as the slides are completely enclosed and run through dark tunnels inside are flashing lights and an audio system that plays music and mysterious noises which combine to create an experience like no other even the entrance is designed to get your heart pumping because after walking through a giant fish mouth you walk up to the glass platform and can see the full 100 foot drop of the slide beneath you despite seeming ominous at first it's been designed to be enjoyable for everyone so there aren't any vertical drops or truly terrifying sections but once you emerge out the other end you'll find yourself near the aqua theater where you can sit down and watch a show 9. sky bike skyride is a human-powered monorail-like attraction that was originally designed for installation at land-based venues but since being installed on several of carnival's cruise ships a few years ago it repeatedly won awards for being one of the best features available at sea it's made up of a track that takes twists and turns around the ship riders sit on specially designed bikes which they pedal to move along as they're strapped in tight the route goes surprisingly high makes use of space that would otherwise be left empty the track at points extends beyond the width of the ship and suspends riders more than 150 feet above the sea is therefore easy to install without needing to sacrifice any other attractions and gives guests a unique view of the ship and the ocean amazingly as of january 2020 the sky rides on two of carnival ships that accommodated more than 350 000 people who peddled a combined 67 000 miles that's definitely one of the best ways to burn off the excessive buffet dinner you've had the night before that has become one of the reasons why carnival ships are some of the most popular in the world we are constantly adding more people to the top fives production team to bring you all the best content be sure to subscribe with notifications on and hit the like button number eight ropes course if you've ever been to summer camp or virtually any visitor attraction in a forest then the chances are you've either tried or had the opportunity to go on a rope course usually these see guests traversing rope bridges and swings that are suspended in the treetops but norwegian cruise lines has come up with a different approach almost giving the guests the opportunity to feel what it was like to be a sailor in previous centuries their rope courses take people on tours across the top levels of their vessels they're available on the company's breakaway class ships and each one has been designed differently to offer unique experience they incorporate anywhere between 40 and 100 obstacles which includes suspension bridges zip-line tracks even planks that reach eight feet out across the side of the vessel guests are of course strapped into harnesses and must follow a predetermined path of rails at their own pace guys are located throughout the course to assist anyone who's having difficulties with any section and to ensure everything proceeds as safely as possible if this is an amenity that's totally your thing then be sure to board the norwegian escape it's the only ship in the fleet to have two precarious planks that veer out over the edge and also the longest and most varied rope course in the entire cruise ship industry number seven water coaster first built on the disney dream in 2011 and subsequently on disney fantasy in the following year aqua duck is a water coaster that's designed by the people behind the rides at disney's amusement parks the imagineers it was the first and still the only water coaster to be installed on a cruise ship and at 765 feet long is supported by a series of 46 foot tall stilts the entrance can be found at the water parks of the ships on deck 12 and the track is made out of transparent acrylic riders sit in inflatable rafts and are carried up the beginning of the ride by a conveyor belt you'll see the ocean and the ship through the tube as the raft is launched into the track which goes 12 feet over the side of the ship and is 150 feet above sea level high-powered water jets are used to push the rafts uphill at crazy speed of 20 feet per second then they slide down a series of turns and two sloped straight sections before entering a 335 foot long rapid section and then finishing in a lazy river the experience feels like a roller coaster even though it's a boat ride and despite being over in a little more than a minute you'll be queuing up for another go straight away number six carousel lounge since being founded in montreal in 1984 cirque du soleil has become one of the most renowned live performance companies in the world with numerous shows that tour the globe several residencies in vegas and a reputation for reinventing what audiences expect from a show it can often prove difficult to get your hands on tickets to see one for yourself that is of course unless you're booked onto an msc cruise on one of their maraviglia class ships on board they have a custom design theater called the carousel lounge which is built in conjunction with cirque du soleil with all the technology and apparatus needed to stage performances there are four ships in total and on each one there are two unique shows that aren't presented anywhere else in the world even on the other ships this means that eight were designed all with their own music costumes choreography and artists inside each lounge is a 130 foot tall led screen a rotating stage a retractable staircase various other tricks and surprises it's been a massive undertaking and took more than four years of planning not least because they had to design a stage and show that would work no matter the sea conditions that the ship was passing through at the time number five bionic bar we've all been frustrated when we found ourselves waiting too long at a bar to receive our drinks but there's no complaining at the new bars on royal caribbean cruises because instead of being staffed by expert mixologists the cocktails are created by robotic arms called the bionic bar it's possibly the most futuristic experience you'll find on any cruise ship guests are able to order their cocktail or mocktail of choice on a tablet and then watch as the robot arms selected drinks that are suspended from the ceiling of the bar and expertly prepare them in front of their eyes you're not limited to the drinks on the menu either and can instead request a custom drink and you're never left in doubt as to how long it'll be until yours is in your hands electronic displays around the bar shows who's in the queue and which order is being prepared while they also provide information such as which drink is currently being made the ingredients it uses how many steps it will be until it complete there are human workers on hand too just in case things go wrong or there are spillages to clear up but if the success of the bionic bars on the quantum-class vessels are anything to go by we could be seeing technology like this being used in more land-based venues very soon number four virtual balcony cabins on cruise ships aren't where guests tend to spend most of their time but offer the perfect place to rest and unwind after a long day of taking in the sights and making most of the facilities on board for those that can afford rooms with a view the windows look out across the ocean with spectacular vistas but there's a large number of interior cabins where this simply isn't possible in the past guests would just have to make do with feeling like they're boxed in but royal caribbean has developed a new technology that affords everyone with the same experience on some of their ships the interior state rooms have been fitted with virtual balconies which are 80 inch high definition screens that virtually cover the entire wall from the floor to the ceiling these can be used to project live images of the outside of the vessel or customize images depending on what the guest wants if you're taking a nap in the afternoon then you can set it to show a sunset or a nighttime scene well if you want to keep the party going through the night you can choose for the virtual balcony to display the midday sun number three rock climbing ever since royal caribbean first put a rock climbing wall on one of their ships the feature has become so popular that they've gone on to install them on every other vessel while you may be looking forward to climbing an actual rock face on one of the islands that you visit there's no better way to practice learn how to climb or perfect your skills than on an artificial wall they've got you covered no matter your skill level the 30 foot walls have a variety of different paths from beginner routes to expert difficulties and are open longer than most other amenities so you'll always be able to book a time slot to suit you all safety equipment is included such as helmets harnesses and shoes there are experienced staff members on hand to give advice training sessions and whatever other help you may need the walls aren't just there for recreational fun either the ship hosts regular tournaments between guests which are divided into those for advanced climbers and novices across different age groups they host speed runs and challenges and host challenging advanced climber sessions for those who really want to test their abilities number two race car simulator for most of us the only time we can drive in a vehicle at high speed is when we get onto the freeway or have an opportunity to take part in a track day but the majority of people will never get the chance to see what it's like in the fastest race cars on the planet sure we can get a sense of it through video games but that's far from being like the real thing the norwegian cruise line realized that a lot of their customers would love an unusual experience like this so they commissioned a specialist simulation company to build a formula one simulator for their ship the norwegian joy this isn't just a basic game we're talking about the type of simulator that professional drivers practice in and it took a huge amount of research and investment to develop they began by purchasing a williams fw 31 which was the exact vehicle that nico roseberg drove in the 2009 championship it was converted over eight months to mount it on a frame that simulates the g-forces involved along with a fully functional force feedback steering wheel pedals that can be adjusted for the user's height a full suite of surround sound speakers and a 235 inch screen that's made up of 24.9 million pixels custom software projects faithfully recreated formula 1 tracks onto the display it was all done in collaboration with the engineers from the williams formula 1 team to ensure it's as lifelike as possible it's an incredible system and one that would be fully booked no matter where it was installed in the world the fact that it's on a cruise ship makes it all the more impressive it just goes to show that the only limit of what you can do on board is the imagination of the designers number one indoor skydiving skydiving is the most popular extreme sport around the world but not everyone's able to jump out of a plane and plummet down towards the ground with only a parachute to slow down their descent in recent years this has led to the development of indoor skydive centers which make use of powerful system of fans to create an updraft so anyone who walks out across it will be lifted into the air this is as close to the sensation of skydiving as you can get without doing the real thing the venues have become increasingly common so much so that you'll even find them in some shopping malls they do however use a huge amount of power and involve some heavy machinery so it was a serious feat of engineering when royal caribbean announced the inclusion of an indoor skydiving facility on each of its quantum class ships done in partnership with ripcord by ifly guests are given flight suits goggles and helmets and are taken through the same training process that those going on a real skydive would sessions are done with groups of ten once everyone has had their safety briefing and instructed on how to make the most of the experience they're invited to take their 60 second turn above the fans it's simple to get going and most people by the end of it are ready to try and start performing a few tricks of their own too feeling like you're falling from a plane is probably the last thing you'd expect to experience while on a cruise but anything's possible especially now companies have become so competitive trying to convince customers to go with them watch our binge watching playlist if you'd like to watch all of our most popular top 15 videos grab a drink grab a snack and get ready to binge you

Channel: Top Fives

Views: 1,232,546

Keywords: Incredible Cruise Ship Amenities

Id: gMNr2xvxQZ0

Length: 18min 34sec (1114 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 20 2021