Roller coaster on carnival ship/.

[Captain Kong]

I think ships are getting dafter and dafter,


Thrill-seekers will be able to combine theme park highs with 360-degree ocean views riding the first ever at-sea roller coaster on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, launching in 2020.

The BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster will offer nearly 800ft of twists, turns and drops and speeds of nearly 40mph. Mardi Gras, Carnival’s largest ship to date, will have a passenger capacity of roughly 5,200.

Riding in one of the electric roller coasters’ two-person motorcycle-like vehicles, passengers will use a pedal to control their speed as they race along the track, sitting 187ft above sea level

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said: “Mardi Gras will be our most innovative ship ever with some truly special features and attractions, highlighted by BOLT.”

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BOLT, built by Munich-based Maurer Rides, will culminate with a hairpin turn around Carnival’s signature red funnel. At the end of each race passengers can watch for their speed to be posted then pick up a photo of an action shot from the ride.

Rendering of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras will have capacity for roughly 5,200 passengers
Mardi Gras takes her name from Carnival’s first ship, which entered service in 1972 with the name announced on popular game show, Wheel of Fortune – it was spelled across the programme’s signature puzzle board.

Ms Duffy said: “Our first ship Mardi Gras was a historic vessel, introducing a brand new style of cruising to the holidaying public. What better way to pay tribute to our company’s nearly 50-year history of creating wonderful holiday memories than by naming this groundbreaking vessel after our original and beloved ‘Fun Ship.”

She will be based at Port Canaveral, Florida, which is to feature a new state-of-the-art terminal. Mardi Gras will be nearly six times the size of her namesake and will be the first cruise ship in North America to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a relatively clean burning fuel.

A rendering of the roller coaster
Passengers will be able to admire the views, in between screams
Carnival will begin construction of a second X-class Carnival ship in 2020, with a 2022 delivery to mark the 50th anniversary of Carnival Cruise Line’s founding. Interested cruisers should keep an eye for Mardi Gras’ itineraries, which are to be announced on January 8 and go on sale January 31.

Carnival is among several cruise lines boasting fairground-style attractions on their ships. Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas includes a surf simulator and a zip line, for example, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy offer go-kart tracks.

[Keith Tindell]

They have a short film of that sort of thing on You Tube Brian, certain rides take you on the outside of the ship, over the side, just wonder if the Skippers uniform is a red coat !!!, just like Butlins at sea, the mind goggles, kt

[Nigel Smith]

Billy Connolly recently described a cruise as being cooped up with 3000 other people with the added option to drown. I'm inclined to agree!

[Captain Kong]

On those kind of ships I agree.
Not all cruise ships are like that.
I sail on small ships. with only a few hundred passengers and are elegant, and comfortable.
I am off in two weeks round the world again and have been on the same ship three times before, and see the same people every time, It has a British Captain, a man of experience, he started with Union Castle, and when he was a cadet on the GOOD HOPE CASTLE the ship burned and had to abandon ship, He spent three days in a lifeboat before landing on Ascension Island, So an experience British Master.
I would not spend my money after a lifetime at sea on Rubbish ships like the Carnival ones.
If you cruise, choose your ship, Company and itinerary carefully and it is a great way to go back to sea and enjoy the atmosphere without having to work,
Tho` I do turn to sometimes to get the feel of the old days again.
I also have spliced a few ropes while on the ship.

Note ,.... the decks are empty. not a lot of people, very spacious and comfortable.
Sure beats the hell out of two weeks stuck in a hotel in Benedorm.

[Keith Tindell]

You missed a bit on the deck head Brian, lol, kt

[happy daze john in oz]

Have to agree with Brian on this one.

There are so many cruise lines and ships out there now that they have to offer something different to catch the crowds.

But the better one do not need to do so, the ones that want to attract the families will go to some extreme lengths with the wonderful on board experiences as they call them.
I had on board experiences but that was a long time ago.

But there are still some companies, Princess and Cunard who offer ports of call as the specialities on offer and do not need such gimmicks.

[corrientes]

Carnival - absolute bottom end of the cruise market. Even the Filipino crews leave after only short spells on board compared with all the others. Cheap end of the business.

[Keith Tindell]

Think i would sooner spend a fortnight in Parkhurst prison than go on this type of cruise, kt


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtlCiWXqdg

[corrientes]

Quite interesting to watch the crew cleaning the inside of those tubes!!

[Captain Kong]

I wonder if they have a crowd of gypsys covered in tattoos working on that fairground.?


Please do not judge all cruise ships like that, the ones I go on are elegant, small and no kids. Dress in dinner suits for dinner, etc. and only 850 passengers not 5,000.