Cruise ships are more like floating cities than ships. Anyone who’s ever been fortunate enough to sail the high seas on one of these bobbing paradises knows that there isn’t much you want for on a cruise ship. The food is fantastic, the shows are incredible and the excursions are divine. Incredibly, these luxurious crafts have managed to get even more opulent in recent years. Here are some unbelievable things you can do on a cruise ship!
1. Walk Through Central Park
Royal Caribbean recently tapped into its inner nature lover and created large parks on many of its ships, complete with flower beds, pathways, and benches. They used real grass to accomplish this lovely feat, so you can enjoy your own little version of Central Park on the high seas. It’s a nice sanctuary to retreat to when Bingo and Drink of the Day specials get old!
2. Chill Out at an Ice Bar
You might be heading for a tropical paradise in the Bahamas, but you can find some artic bliss inside your luxury ship at a below-zero ice bar. Ice bars have been popping up in major cities and are wildly popular so it’s no doubt that this trend has caught on in cruise ships. Norwegian Cruise Line brought Svedka ICE Bar to its Breakaway ship, with ice sculptures, ice bars, seats, and glasses carved out of ice. Complimentary mittens and coats are given at the door.
3. Get Served by a Robot Bartender
AI is here and it’s happy to mix you a dry martini! All jokes aside, robot bartenders are definitely becoming a thing on some of the more premier cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. Sit at the bar, place your order on an iPad, then watch as robots pour, shake, and serve your drinks.
4. Sing Your Heart Out
With the popularity of “American Idol” and “The Voice,” regular folks realize that they have a shot at being the next big star. Princess Cruises takes it to the next level with their onboard reality show “Voice of the Ocean,” where travelers sing-off to win prizes and, more importantly, bragging rights.
5. Bike In the Sky
Carnival Vista, a brand-new arm of the Carnival family, is pulling out all the stops for adrenaline junkies with its recumbent bike track that runs 150 feet above sea level. You’ll be biking above the ship and above the waves – a true test of your athleticism and nerves.
6. Soar Over the Ocean
With adrenaline pumping activities gaining massive popularity, Royal Caribbean decided to roll out a skydiving simulator on its Quantum-class ships, as well as zip lining on its Oasis-class ships. Now you can simulate a freefall dive into a wind tunnel, or zip line above the decks for full-on on-board thrills.
7. Ride the World’s First Water Coaster
Disney Cruise Line’s AquaDuck is a heart-pounding, full-on coaster experience with the added element of water. You’ll speed around over several decks, catching glimpses of the ocean as your heart leaps into your throat and your stomach does backflips.
8. Take a Craft Brewery Tour
Beer lovers rejoice! You can now enjoy some craft suds on the high seas with Carnival Vista’s craft beer bar. You can take a brewery tour and sample their brewery selections, including a stout, wheat beer, and seasonal favorite.
9. Drive Bumper Cars
There seems to be a trend of cruise ships embracing theme park-style rides, and Royal Caribbean is no exception. They recently rolled out their massive park, SeaPlex, that has plenty of family-friendly activities including a bumper car pavilion. Ready to get some friendly competition on?
10. Get Served By a Personal Butler
Cruise ships have long promoted the philosophy that life on the seven seas should be worry-free. Travelers enjoy unlimited food, great shows, and tons of pampering. Now, Silverseas is turning it up a notch by offering personal butlers to its patrons. Your personal butler will shadow you throughout the day, doing tasks like refreshing your ice or hanging up your clothes.
11. Go Star-Gazing Inside
While you can certainly get your fill of the glorious night’s sky from any deck of your cruise ship, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is offering its patrons the unique experience of catching the sky show inside, at a planetarium. They even have experts on hand to answer any astrological-related questions and point out the intricacies of galaxies far, far away.