Everyone, everywhere enjoys a good whoosh. Fact. So here are six of the best cruise ships slides for you and your family.
The Blaster, Royal Caribbean
Let’s start with the biggest, because if childhood playgrounds taught us anything it’s that bigger is always better. As the longest waterslide at sea, The Blaster (on three of Royal Caribbean’s ships) is a 244-metre heartbeat raiser, offering a winning combination of hills, dips and drops. That’s all before the final hurrah – an open-air chute and the longest stretch of slide suspended over water known to man. The good news? It’s a tandem waterslide, meaning mum and dad can take their kids for support.
The Blaster on Royal Caribbean. Photo / Royal Caribbean
If you’re not content with simply descending from the top of the ship to the bottom, why not loop-de-loop over the side of the ship? It’s a similar concept to walking the plank except it’s considered fun. Ocean Loops features on three of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships and extend over the ocean - gushing at a rate of (many) knots below. But that’s the soft bit. This ride starts with a trap door, that opens without warning when riders stand atop it. So yes, you will freefall vertically for a second or two before your derriere finally makes contact with the chute.
Ocean Loops features on three of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships and extends over the ocean. Photo / Norwegian Cruise Line
AquaDuck, Disney Cruise Line
Ah Disney. The kingpin of good fun. You already know the slides are the stuff of dreams. Especially if you’re pint-sized and proudly (insert age here) ... “and a half”. With nine slides across the Disney Cruise fleet, we’re shining the spotlight on AquaDuck, located on both Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. It gets two thumbs up, namely for the finish line where the ride sploshes into a cool lazy river. And who doesn’t love a lazy river? Before that, you’ll whizz all around the ship in a two-person raft, enjoying both uncovered and transparent sections so you can pull faces at the spectators (AKA your mum) below.
The Supercell, Royal Caribbean
Here comes Royal Caribbean again. We’re not going to lie; the slide game is strong across all of RC’s cruise ships. The Supercell - found on the fleet’s larger vessels - starts like a regular waterslide but soon opens up into a huge circular bowl. Riders swirl around this enormous champagne bowl for a few exhilarating seconds before being pushed toward a funnel, and plopping out in the pool. It’s not fast but it is fun, and a huge hit with adults and children alike. The golden rule? No one mentions the words “toilet bowl”. It’s a champagne bowl. End of.
The Perfect Storm is completed by the Supercell, a champagne bowl slide. Photo / SBW-Photo
The Vertigo Slide, MSC Cruises
Not one if you’re someone who gets shaky legs on a stepladder, MSC Cruises’ Vertigo Slide sits a whopping 18 decks high. Reaching speeds of 20km/h via clear tubes – so you can really get a good feel for the height – it’s a short, 20-second shot of adrenaline. Of course, if you’re a lover of all things elevated, you’ll have an absolute blast. The views alone will make you want to go again and again.
The absolute champions at making their guests scream “wheeeeee”, Carnival started adding waterslides to their ships way back in 1978. Now you’ll find at least one waterslide on every ship. In fact, most vessels boast an entire waterpark called WaterWorks. These areas vary from ship to ship but you can generally expect waterslides, playzones, dumping buckets and a mecca of plastic fantastic good times. Certain ships feature side-by-side racing slides, for afternoons when all that matters is beating your sibling(s). Something you can use against them well into middle age.
