Cruise ships never fail to entertain. Whether you’re spending a weekend down in Baja, Mexico or 10 days sailing through the Caribbean, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep you entertained throughout your cruise. From wave pools and water sports to game rooms and comedy clubs, cruise ships offer something for everyone to enjoy.
Beyond these standard offerings, though, some cruise ships are pushing the envelope with activities and attractions you wouldn’t expect to find on the high seas. Some cater to adrenaline junkies with zip lines and gravity-defying waterslides, while others make you forget you’re on the water at all with attractions like planetariums and even a Central Park replica for an afternoon stroll through the gardens. Indeed, there’s a lot more to do on cruise ships today than hit the buffet and lounge around on the sun deck.
Ready to get inspired for your next cruise? Before you head to your port of call, check out some of the craziest things you can find on cruise ships below.
Waterslides
Aboard cruise ships maintained by the likes of Disney, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, you’ll find a selection of waterslides that would put your local water park to shame. Tunnels, bowl slides, vertical drops and heart-pounding twists and turns offer a fun-filled way to inject your cruise experience with a bit of aquatic adventure. Just take MSC’s Vertigo waterslide, for example: as the longest waterslide at sea, the Vertigo offer 390 feet of fast-moving fun, not to mention an extra dose of crazy as the slide jets over the side of the ships for views of the open ocean below.
Water Coasters
Water-related activities are par for the course aboard any cruise ship, but if you’re looking for something beyond the standard wave pool, waterslides or sunset views of the ocean at large, you might want to consider taking a ride on the next generation of water attractions: the water coaster. Disney Cruise Line’s AquaDuck is the first such experience, combining the traditional twists and turns of a waterslide with the thrilling G-forces of a roller coaster.
The AquaDuck ride takes riders through 750 feet of adrenaline-pumping adventure in a transparent acrylic tube, spanning four decks of the ship. A conveyor belt takes two-person rafts up to the tube, where they’re then taken 12 feet over the edge of the ship to view the ocean from 150 feet up. From there, water jets keep the raft in motion uphill and along straightaways, turns and drops. It all comes to a head at the end, where riders enjoy a float down the rapids and lazy river before reaching the end of the ride.
Skydiving
Jumping out of a plane to land on a cruise ship? Okay, let’s not get too crazy. Yes, you can skydive if you cruise with Royal Caribbean, but you won’t be jumping out of a plane into the open ocean with a cruise ship as your target. Instead, you’ll be experiencing the gravity-defying thrills of skydiving right from the center of the ship.
With the Ripcord by iFly experience aboard the Quantum of the Seas and the Anthem of the Seas, cruisers can simulate the sensations of skydiving in a 23-foot-tall indoor vertical wind tunnel. The first skydiving experience to be offered on a cruise ship, the iFly experience uses four fans to keep riders floating in the air as they experience the feeling of free-falling. The experience is also 100% safe, as riders are accompanied by trained instructors and wear full safety gear, including goggles and a helmet.
Planetarium
A virtual journey to the stars while voyaging across the vast ocean sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, but the reality is much closer than you think. On board the Queen Mary 2 by Cunard, guests can step into the final frontier during their cruise, thanks to the incredible planetarium on-board the ship. Currently, the Queen Mary 2 is the only ship to feature a planetarium.
A theater with seating for up to 150 people offers a simulated look at the starry skies above, displayed by computerized projectors all around the domed theater. During the planetarium sessions, guests can enjoy celebrity-narrated programs that give you a more intimate look at the galaxies above.
Central Park
Whether you’ve never been to Central Park or enjoy the iconic public green space as part of your backyard, you’d probably never expect to find something similar floating on the ocean blue. Yet, on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, you can take a stroll through Central Park – even if you’re thousands of miles from New York City. This whimsical garden is about the size of a football field and offers plenty of opportunities to take a walk surrounded by lush greenery. Drawing its inspiration from its namesake in New York City, Central Park also features boutique shops and fine dining options, so you can take a bite out of The Big Apple while on vacation at sea.
Zipline
Ziplining is usually a given when it comes to vacationing in a rainforest or visiting a popular peak. After all, what better way is there to reward yourself after a hike than by treating yourself to an unforgettable, fast-paced ride through treetops with birds-eye views of your surroundings?
But ziplining isn’t just for rainforests anymore: aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, adventurous cruisers can strap onto an 82-foot cable and soar nine decks above the ground.
Adventure Park
If you’re looking for thrills, you don’t have to wait for an offshore excursion to get your heart pounding. When you set sail with P&O Cruises, you can get your fill of adrenaline-pumping activities just outside your room. P&O Cruises’ signature Adventure Park is the first of its kind on the Seven Seas, billing itself as the “largest adventure park at sea.” And there’s certainly no shortage of things to do.
Ziplining is just one of the activities offered at this larger-than-life adventure park. Thrill-seekers can also try their hands at laser tag, rock climbing and a bungee trampoline. After conquering the ropes course, guests can go for a ride on the high-rope swings, and for the ultimate bragging rights, they can test their skills on the park’s Segway obstacle course.
(Main image: Mr.Thomas used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
