Five Of The Best Water Slides At Sea
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Cruises Editor
Cruise Ships
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Water slides are a big drawcard on cruise ships today, offering plenty of heart-pumping action for anyone who wants to do more than just laze by the pool. The new generation of at-sea water slides are bigger and more sophisticated than ever, offering hundreds of metres of twisting tubes, flashing lights and drop-out floors. Here’s our pick of the best five water slides at sea.
1. Carnival’s Green Thunder
When Carnival Spirit was “Aussified” before moving to Sydney, an exclusive addition to her line-up was Green Thunder. Located on the top deck, it’s the steepest and fastest water slide at sea. From a platform you step inside a capsule, plunge downwards, zipping and twisting through a green tube flowing with water, until you’re spat out at the bottom into a lazy river. Carnival Legend also has a Green Thunder water slide.
Need to know: Carnival Spirit (year-round) and Carnival Legend (summer season) cruise to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific from Sydney.
2. Disney’s AquaDuck
This unique “water coaster” was the first of its kind at sea, located aft on Deck 12 on and Disney Dream. It’s a transparent acrylic tube of water which propels you up and over the side of the ship, through the forward funnel, and down four decks into a lazy river. The exhilarating ride is more than 233 metres long, with a bird’s-eye view of the ships’ pools and panoramic ocean views.
Need to know: Disney Fantasy cruises the Caribbean, and Disney Dream cruises the Bahamas, both from Port Canaveral and Miami.
3. MSC’s Vertigo
Vertigo sits high up on Deck 18 on MSC Preziosa, a wet-and-wild ride covering 118 metres in length, nearly 13 metres in height, and at speeds of up to 20km/h. Taking you through twists and turns, including over the ship’s edge with a glimpse of the sea below, several sections of the slide are enhanced with translucent bands of colour which catch the sunlight, creating a strobe effect.
Need to know: MSC Preziosa cruises the Western Mediterranean from Genoa.
4. NCL’s Free Fall And The Whip
Available on Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway, these hair-raising rides are part of the huge Aqua Park 17 decks above the sea. Free Fall has been dubbed the fastest drop slide at sea and offers the biggest thrills, from its trapdoor-drop beginning to the high-G upward incline before the end. Meanwhile, The Whip is two racing twister slides which wrap around each other in a spiral, the purple one offering more of a kick.
Need to know: Norwegian Getaway cruises the Caribbean from Miami, and Norwegian Breakaway cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Florida from New York.
5. Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Storm
This will be the first water slide for a Royal Caribbean ship, debuting on Harmony of the Seas when she launches in Europe in 2016. Part of an elaborate new complex called Splashaway Bay, the Perfect Storm is a set of three water slides – Cyclone, Typhoon and Supercell – each one spanning three decks, and offering a wild ride.
Need to know: Harmony of the Seas will cruise the Mediterranean from Barcelona, and the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.
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