Ride BOLT The First Roller Coaster Aboard A Cruise Ship

Table Of Content

• Four MSC Ships Will Cruise from North America next Summer
• $15 for 20 seconds: What it's like to ride the first-ever roller coaster at sea
• What’s It Like To Ride Bolt?
• Weight limit and height requirement, plus other rules
• Cruise News Recap: Carnival Tampering, Dining Changes, Evacuation
• Carnival’s Roller Coaster Voted Best Cruise Ship Feature

You can cancel up to two hours before your slot to be eligible for a refund. Riders have control of a throttle which enables them to increase/decrease speed up to this limit. Its innovative design and thrilling experience have contributed to its recognition within the amusement industry.

Four MSC Ships Will Cruise from North America next Summer

There’s a minimum speed, but I’m pretty sure even that is fast… not to mention scary, given the height of the track. Regardless, as anyone who has ever endured the SkyRide lines aboard Carnival’s Vista-class ships, the reservation is a vast improvement. Once you check-in, you finally get to go up the stairs to the roller coaster platform. There isn’t an ADA option for this (nor for getting on the roller coaster), so you will want to access the stairs and the roller coaster car before making your reservation. In this case, riders need to be at least 52 inches tall (that’s four feet, three inches) and no taller than 77 inches (which equates to 6 feet, four inches).

$15 for 20 seconds: What it's like to ride the first-ever roller coaster at sea

As soon as you make the reservation, you’re charged $15 (as of September 2021). Guests are permitted to cancel for a refund if the cancellation is made two or more hours before your reservation’s start time. BOLT received more votes than any other cruise ship in the category since the Cruise Cruise Ship Awards opened in mid-September 2021. Cruise Hive readers have been allowed to vote once in each category, and any suspicious or repeat votes were not counted. Wonder of the Seas, which debuted in 2022, Symphony of the Seas (2018), Harmony of the Seas (2016), and Oasis of the Seas, which was launched in 2008 and later retrofitted with the abyss thrill ride. You have to book to ride BOLT, you cannot simply rock up and hope to join a queue or get in line.

What’s It Like To Ride Bolt?

Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. They were in the second of the two cars; while the first couple sped off, it was clear that my daughter was not using the throttle or boost and merely driving at the car's base speed. I could tell they were traveling more slowly and the first car appeared to be close to lapping my family.

There are quite a few good locations to take photos from all over the “Ultimate Playground” on Deck 18. There’s also a spare car stationed on the deck that you can use for a picture opportunity after you ride. Riders are not allowed to have any loose articles or items that may fall off during the ride.

Weight limit and height requirement, plus other rules

As a result, the ride has rapid horizontal acceleration and feels more like a launched roller coaster, like Disney’s Slinky Dog Dash or Universal’s Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure. Carnival turned to roller coaster manufacturer Maurer Rides to help them develop this first coaster at sea. Two electric cars, each carrying up to two people and evoking Jet Ski vibes, operate in tandem at different intervals, with the ability to accelerate at speeds faster than some sports cars. The person sitting at the front of the car is the "driver," and he or she decides how fast or slow the car goes, up to the maximum speed of 35 miles per hour. In July 2021, the pioneering Excel-class ship Mardi Gras proudly launched The Ultimate Sea Coaster.

Cruise News Recap: Carnival Tampering, Dining Changes, Evacuation

On calm sea days you can expect BOLT to be extremely busy so it might be worth booking an early or late slot (possibly around meal times). However, it is likely to be windier whilst at sea which could potentially impact operation. Port Days are usually a bit quieter, and more sheltered so could be a good option.

Carnival’s Roller Coaster Voted Best Cruise Ship Feature

At 150 feet above sea level, Ultimate Abyss is the tallest slide at sea. Guests enter a glass platform at the top of the slide and then descend 10 stories, twisting and turning before finally reaching the Boardwalk. Carnival Cruise line's roller coaster wins "Best Cruise Ship Feature" of 2023 in Cruise Hive's annual awards.

A roller coaster in the ocean: What Carnival Cruise Line's BOLT ride is like - Yahoo News Canada

A roller coaster in the ocean: What Carnival Cruise Line's BOLT ride is like.

Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

My car was creeping along at a sideways angle, and I was bit concerned about not making it over the hill. But I made it slowly around the bend, and realized the ride attendants had to cut my speed so I wouldn't crash into my son, who was slowing down as he neared the end of the ride. But if that's the case, it's a design flaw to have that final section banked. When it was first announced, the BOLT was supposed to be included in the cruise fare at no additional cost. However, things changed during the COVID cruise industry shut down, and Carnival announced it would be charging for a ride. To ride, you must wear shorts, pants, or capris; sundresses are not allowed.

Top speeds and high scores are cool, but doing it safely is important… and this actually starts with your clothes. That’s why we’re putting on our fashion-referee hat and laying out a few simple rules about what you can and can’t wear when you’re getting active on a Carnival cruise. First, cameras are situated on the track that grab a great shot of you whipping around. You can then purchase the picture in the Pixels area, or in the Hub app. The ship uses facial recognition technology, so the photo should automatically appear when you log in. The G-force on the BOLT is about a third of the other two coasters, in line with what drivers of a Formula One race car might feel.

Unfortunately, that also means you can't bring recording equipment, such as GoPros or selfie sticks, with you. You'll have to ask someone to snap photos or shoot video of you before you ride or as you're riding from the decks below. If it were a bit more affordable, we would likely do it again and again every time we sailed on the Mardi Gras.

Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT roller coaster that can be found aboard the Mardi Gras has been voted Best Cruise Ship Feature of 2021. Undoubtedly, the innovative new feature has been much talked about throughout the year, especially as BOLT is the first roller coaster at sea on Carnival’s new Excel-class cruise ship. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Karts earned third place in the best feature category. The electric-powered race cars travel up to 30 MPH around a multi-level track on the ships’ top decks. The ride is offered on Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore. For regular cruise ship passengers, it presents an opportunity to try something new and exciting.