Cruise lines have long been one-upping each other to show off the most over-the-top attractions at sea. From the first go-cart racetrack to a water slide with a 10-story plummet to a skydiving simulator, these unique attractions mean your days spent at sea will be anything but boring.
Take a ride on the closest thing to an actual roller coaster at sea on Carnival Cruise Line's SkyRide, found on the Carnival Vista (and coming soon to its sister ship Carnival Horizon, which debuts in April 2018). Ride an open-air bicycle-like vehicle around an 800-foot-long track built atop the ship at speeds of up to 18 miles per hour. Race your friends while taking in panoramic views of the sea 150 feet below.
Located on Royal Caribbean's Quantum-, Oasis- and Freedom-class ships, the FlowRider features a surf simulator that generates waves on top of a cushioned platform, mimicking what it is like to surf on the ocean. Catch waves by either standing up or by boogie boarding.
Take a spin on a two-level Ferrari-branded go-cart racetrack in the middle of the ocean on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Joy, which is set to launch from Shanghai and Tianjin this summer. For this first-ever racetrack at sea, 10 passengers at a time will compete in electric go-carts throughout an 833-foot-long course.
Be greeted by larger-than-life images of Dr. Seuss characters at Dr. Seuss WaterWorks on Carnival Horizon, scheduled to debut in April 2018. This family-friendly waterpark features two slides, including The Cat in the Hat slide with over 450 feet of twists and turns, and The Fun Things slide named after the Thing 1 and Thing 2 duo. The waterpark also includes a 150-gallon tipping bucket patterned after The Cat's hat, along with a kiddie splash zone.
Skydiving at sea? Yes, it's a thing. Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas both feature RipCord by iFLY, the first-ever cruise ship skydiving simulator. During this gravity-defying adventure, you'll be suspended midair in a 23-foot-high, glass-enclosed vertical tunnel perched on the top deck of the ship. (Don't worry, a seasoned pro will be with you the entire time.)
The AquaDuck on Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy features a translucent tube so you can see the action as the slide takes fast dips, turns and uphill climbs over the side of the ship. (Take a virtual ride in this POV Aquaduck video.) On Disney Magic, the AquaDunk waterslide features a three-story vertical drop through a trap door into a translucent tube that shoots out 20 feet over the ship's side.
Located aboard Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas (the world's largest cruise ship), the 10-story Ultimate Abyss is the tallest water slide at sea.
Found on Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Escape, this three-story elevated ropes course features 99 different elements, including an exhilarating sky rail where you can glide through the air on zip tracks. This ropes course will test your courage as it spans the entire width of the ship and even features two planks that extend eight feet from the side of the ship.
Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas features the Perfect Storm's trio of water slides: two dueling racing slides called Typhoon and Cyclone, and one funnel-shaped tube slide called Supercell. Each slide plummets through a series of twists and turns, starting at the top deck and ending at the pool deck.
