4 More Unusual Cruise Ship Amenities

[Jason]

Cruise industry folks know that vacationers have literal boatloads of sailing options to choose from these days, inspiring the trend to outfit ships with the most whiz-bang attractions and amenities at sea.

Today you'll find souped-up ships oozing outrageous features -- such as amusement park-worthy diversions (racetracks with hairpin turns), high-tech innovations (robot bartenders) and Instagram-worthy settings (from ice bars to underwater lounges) -- as the lines try to one-up each other to get you to travel with them.

Here are 4 more unusual cruise ship amenities to ensure you'll be anything but bored once you're onboard ...

Skydiving simulator on Royal Caribbean International

Innovator Royal Caribbean -- responsible for industry firsts such as rock climbing, ice skating, zip lines and surfing simulation -- has also brought the first skydiving experience to sea with its RipCord by iFLY attraction, available on its Quantum-class ships.  Adrenaline-seekers can get a taste of simulated skydiving on an open-air deck -- affording stunning sea views as they spread their "wings" and experience what it's like to float on air in the 23-foot-high wind tunnel.  A brief training course, flight gear and hands-on instruction help ensure that levitating like a pro is a (strong) breeze.

Ice Bar on Norwegian Cruise Line

The coolest bar on the high seas, Norwegian's Skyy Vodka Ice Bar invites cruisers to bundle up and throw back a frosty drink aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic.  Temperature-controlled at a brisk 17 degrees Fahrenheit (- 8 C), the $20 admission gets guests 45 minutes to chill out at the frozen bar and take in the decorative ice sculptures; two specialty beverages (including Skyy vodka-based cocktails), served in carved-from-ice glassware; and, mercifully, the use of hooded parkas and gloves.

Planetarium on Cunard Line

Cunard Line's refined Queen Mary 2 boasts the only full-sized planetarium at sea, which is housed in its Illuminations theater.  Passengers can partake in plenty of programming under the giant dome (it's large enough to accommodate 150 reclining seats), such as narrated star shows, virtual reality rides and special presentations and lectures in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society.  If you're a true outer space enthusiasts, board during the ship's "Transatlantic Space Week" voyage (embarking New York City on October 7, 2018) to share the planetarium -- and the rest of the ship -- with special guests that include a former NASA astronaut.

Glass-bottomed 'SeaWalk' on Princess Cruises

Walking on water is par for the course when you sail on one of three Princess ships (Regal Princess, Royal Princess and Majestic Princess) outfitted with the line's signature overwater SeaWalk feature.  See the sea from a bird's-eye perspective while strutting across the 60-foot-long, glass-bottomed walkway, which cantilevers the ships' sides by 28 feet.  Those lacking a head for heights needn't apply: SeaWalk overlooks the ocean waves 128 feet below, from a perch atop the ships' 16th or 17th deck.

By Elissa Garay, CNN
Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more
For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com

View full article

[Shari2]

Wow!  Amazing!  Don't know about the sky-diving for me, but might stop in the vodka ice bar if it's a really hot day...only for a quick drink and cool-off...it might remind me too much of being back home in the cold winter...LOL The glass-bottom walkway is pretty cool, so is the planetarium.  The sky-diving picture didn't come on for me, but I can imagine it.  Too scary for me...LOL

Edited August 7, 2018 by Shari2

[zebra]

Been on the royal Princess twice and walked the "Seawalk" many times .... it's cool to see the ocean below your feet.  I've also been to the Chena Hot Springs Ice Palace in Alaska twice and that is also a cool (pun intended) experience.  Loved watching them chisel ice into martini glasses and then sitting on ice bar stools and drinking the Vodka martini's.  Fun!!!  So that Ice Bar on Norwegian should be a great draw card.

[jacketwatch]

The Ovation has a go cart oval and don’t forget the wave simulators for “surfing” ?