Ncl Challenge Royal Caribbean With The First Race Track At Sea
Royal Caribbean introduced bumper cars to the SeaPlex on Quantum class ships back in 2014, but Norwegian Cruise Line have now one upped them with their new, two level go kart track on board their newest ship: the Norwegian Joy.
She will be arriving in 2017, with a capacity of 3,900 guests, carrying the lines promise to always deliver First class at sea experiences.
Norwegian Joy is proud to give its passengers the first ever race track at sea which youll find perched at the top of the ship. The track holds ten guests at once so youll be able to compete with your family and friends in a six minute race and even have your celebratory photo taken at the end of your first place finish!
And it doesnt stop there you can have a game of laser tag after in the open air course and move on to discover the thrills of the Galaxy Pavillion. This entertainment complex promises you an immersive virtual reality experience with simulator rides and interactive video walls.
Occulus gives you virtual reality technology which comes in the form of walking a plank in between ten storey buildings , hang gliding and even designing your own rollercoaster. Not to mention hovercraft bumper cars and the wider than ever waterslides- another first the Norwegian Joy is glad to offer. The high speed Double Aqua Loop free fall slide has two exhilarating loops: one that extends out the side of the ship and the second that stretches down to the deck below and, wait for it, its transparent!
Take On Thrilling Slides At A Water Park
Cruise ships waterparks arent just splash zones for kids near the main pool . Nowadays, cruise lines are pulling out all the stops for thrill-seekers, and there are some epic slides for those ready for adventure.
For example, Royal Caribbean offers the likes of the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest waterslide at sea , or Riptide, which hurtles you over the side of the cruise ship as you race on a mat .
Meanwhile, Norwegian offers multi-storey waterslides on its Breakaway Class ships from the terrifying plunge on Free Fall, to the racing twister slides on The Whip. MSC Cruises also has Aqua Parks on a number of its Seaside and Meraviglia class ships, which boast heaps of water slides including racing attractions.
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How Much Are Go Karts On Norwegian Encore
Each race session takes about 8 to 10 minutes, costing $15 per session. That is not too much to a price for an unbelievable experience of go-karting on top of a luxurious cruise ship.
A single lap is enough for those who just want to have a taste of go-karting. But to satisfy your appetite fully, you should consider going for several laps, since it is possible to bundle them up.
And if you are not fully quenched, consider purchasing the Unlimited Weekly Pass, which costs around $199 and lets you race whenever time you wish and whenever sessions you want for the entire week you are onboard the cruise. Splurging for this plan also comes with other perks, for instance, you will be able to benefit from the priority line, which means you donât have to wait in line too long.
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You Can Drive Surprisingly Fast
The cars have four speed settings, for beginner, intermediate and advanced drivers that go up to 30 miles per hour, with a turbo boost on each lap for thrill seekers. With many track corners and every lap lasting around eight minutes, theres plenty of time for a boost of acceleration on your cruise.
Image credit to Norwegian Cruise Line
Best Cruise Ships With Go Karts In 2022
Cruise ships have always been a symbol of luxury travel before even the Titanic in the early 1900s. Today these ships have additional features that you would find onshore theme parks. From roller coasters and carousels to go-kart tracks, cruise ships are slowly becoming premium travel service providers. For those who enjoy some worthy go-kart experience, here is everything you need to know about cruise ships with go-kart tracks.
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Norwegian Cruise Line To Have 3 Ships With Go
Photo: Pixabay
Contemporary cruise ships are known for being floating entertainment centers. From wave pools and rock-climbing walls to zip lines and skydiving simulators, theres definitely an activity for everyone on most of these vessels.
If youre planning your next trip with Norwegian Cruise Line, youll soon have one more activity to enjoy: go-karting. Its just one way that cruise ships are starting to cater to gearhead passengers.
Zeeshan Sheikh
Ice Bars And Snow Rooms
Sure, you might think of Caribbean beaches when you think of cruising, but a few ships offer the polar opposite experience onboard: snow- and ice-filled spaces that provide the ultimate chill.
Check out the Svedka Ice Bar on select Norwegian Cruise Line ships, where the room is kept at a frosty 15 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain everything inside the bar: the walls, glasses, seats and sculptures are all made of ice.
Another cool experience takes place aboard all Viking Ocean Cruise ships. There youll find a Snow Grotto, a snowy cave inside the ships thermal suite. Based on the Scandinavian ritual of winter bathing, you can go from a steam sauna to the snowy chamber and back again to wake up your senses.
The newest Norwegian Cruise Line ships, Escape and Encore, also both have similar snow rooms in their spas.
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What Type Of Go
The go-karts featured on the Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy are all-electric SiNUS iONs that have been customized for corrosion-resistance, due to the saline environment. These go-karts are known to be of high-quality and are extremely fun to race with!
A lot of people on cruises are with friends or family. Thats one reason why there are two-seaters karts, as well as the standard one-seaters go-karts available. This allows you to share this amazing racing experience with someone else. Whether its your partner, your parent or your kid, being able to race a kart on top of a ship in the middle of an ocean is an experience not many things can beat.
Another cool thing about these go-karts is that they are fully electric. Theyre extremely quiet but they do feature authentic engine sound effects to make you feel like you are going much faster than you actually are. With a top speed of up to 30 mph, youre able to race at decent speeds, considering youre on top of a cruise ship.
If youre wondering who actually customized the go-karts, then youd be happy to know that theyre custom-built for the tracks by none other than Alex Vega a name that is sure to be recognized by car fans around the world who watch The Auto Firm with Alex Vega. If youre interested, you should watch the episode of the show that features these exact go-karts.
Rides Last About 10 Minutes
The rides go by pretty quick. If youre waiting in line, thats a good thing. If youre racing, you want it to last forever. Wed estimate that a turn takes about 10 minutes long. For $15, thats not very long, but it is still a fun time. To be honest, racing any longer than that and the minimum wait would be unbearable.
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Does The Cruise Ship Provide Safety Gear
Norwegian Cruise Line provides a helmet with a visor, as well as a balaclava to all racer. The helmet sock fits over your head like a ski mask and prevents the helmet from touching your bare head. Not only is this more hygenic, but its also much more comfortable. The helmet socks are also washed after every single use so the whole experience is very clean and sanitary.
Cruise Line Offers A Shipboard Go
Norwegian Cruise Line’s electric karts can hit speeds up to 30 mph.
- Norwegian Cruise Line will soon offer three ships with go-kart tracks on board, including a two-story track on its new ship Encore that goes into service in November.
- The karts may not be the fastestthey max out at 30 mphbut there’s added excitement in that some parts of the track hang out several feet over the edge of the ship.
- One of the tracks has a Ferrari theme. But this fun does not come cheap: an eight-minute stint in a kart will cost $15.
Good news for those who, like the staff of Car and Driver, appreciate a good go-kart experience. Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest recreational option is a 1150-foot long go-kart track onboard its new cruise ship Encore, which will go into service in the Caribbean in late November.
Called the Norwegian Encore Speedway, the 11,500-foot track covers two stories on the top deck of the ship and has enough space to let up to 10 racers drive at the same time. The all-electric go-karts can hit 30 mph on a track that features 10 turns and has four areas that actually hang over the side of the shipin one case, almost 13 feet over the edge. Each race session takes around eight minutes, and there is a viewing track where observers can use lasers to tag drivers and give them an extra turbo boost. Formula E, take notes.
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These Cruise Ships Have Giant Go
On most cruise ships, you spend your days at sea lying by the pool, watching a show in the theater and stuffing your face at the all-you-can-eat buffet. But now, with Norwegian Cruise Line, you can tap into your more adventurous side and race go-karts.
Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and the soon-to-be ready Norwegian Encore all feature go-kart race tracks on board that sit on the top deck of the ship, overlooking the ocean. The go-karts, which go up to 30 mph, are electric and produce minimal noise, but you’ll be able to hear the rev of the engine in speakers located in the kart’s headrest.
Riders can race morning, day and night, but we recommend making a reservation in advance of boarding or while on the ship to avoid the long line of eager riders.
Norwegian Joy was the first ship to have an at-sea go-kart track when it began sailing in China in 2017. However, it very recently underwent $50 million dollars in renovations, including making the track wider for easier passing, and is now sailing in Alaska.
Norwegian Bliss, its sister ship, added an even bigger track to its deck in 2018 and Norwegian Encore, set to make its debut in Fall 2019, will reportedly have the largest race-track of all three.
Encore’s track will have over 1,100 feet and 10 exciting curves, with some reaching nearly 13 feet over the ship’s edge. Spectators can watch from a covered viewing area in the middle of the track and use laser guns to give their favorite racers a turbo boost.
You May Not Go Fast But It Feels Fast
Well be honest, you dont go that fast in absolute terms in the carts. Weve seen reports of up to 30-40 mph, but having raced on the ship firsthand, thats not the case. Wed estimate you go more 10-15 mph. While that may not sound fast, given how low to the ground you drive and the number of curves, it really feels much faster. There are definite times when you have to let off the gas to make a corner cleanly. Bottom line, you wont be disappointed with the speed.
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The Racetracks Were Inspired By The Ceos Grandchildren
When it came time to build Norwegian Bliss, the Norwegian Cruise Lines CEO, Frank del Rio, asked his grandchildren for their ideas. According Franko to del Rio, I just said, Why dont you come up with a list of ideas youd like to see on the next cruise ship? The next morning, they came up with the idea of a race track on board. I think next time they should put down a Personal Travel Agent on the ideas checklist.
Image credit to Norwegian Cruise Line
Which Cruise Ships Have Go
Currently, only the Norwegian Cruise Lin provides go-kart tracks on its top decks. These ships include the Norwegian Joy, the Norwegian Encore as well as the Norwegian Bliss. Each ship go-kart track has a capacity to accommodate ten riders at a time and uses electric go-karts that can clock up to 50 km/h.
The first go-karting cruise ship debuted in 2017 and the second one in 2018, while the latest was debuted a year later.
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Imax And Thrill Theaters On Carnival Horizon And Carnival Vista
Now that the two ships receive the newest blockbuster movies on the day they are released on land, the experience of sinking into a comfortable theater chair inside the beautiful only two IMAX theaters at sea is a truly special treat. The 187-seat theaters are part of the Carnival Multiplex, which also houses a multi-dimensional Thrill Theater.
The Power Is Controlled By The Staff
You might be hoping you get a face car when you race. The speed of the cars is actually dependent on the staff. In fact, when you first start on the track youll be disappointed with the speed out of the gates and climbing the hill. Its not until all the cars are on the track that the power is turned up and you can really start to drive quickly. As well, if there are any incidents on the track or when its time to pit at the end of the race, your speed will be cut.
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Go Kart Track Being Added To 2nd Norwegian Cruise Ship
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that they will be adding a race track to their second cruise ship when Norwegian Bliss is launched in 2018.
The two level race track will feature electric go karts and the track will be 40% longer than the one currently on Norwegian Joy. This will be the first North American based cruise ship with a go kart track on board.
After burning rubber at the race track, guests can test their agility at the open-air laser tag course. Themed as an abandoned space station, the course comes to life both day and night as guests go into stealth-mode and compete against family and friends with state-of-the art laser guns.
After working up a sweat, guests aboard Norwegian Bliss can cool down at the ships expansive pool and sundeck featuring two spacious pools and six infinity hot tubs that scale the side of the ship. The ships Aqua Park also includes two multi-story waterslides. Not for the faint of heart, the high-speed Ocean Loops free fall slide includes two exhilarating loops, one that extends out over the side of the ship and a second see-through loop that stretches down to the deck below, sure to offer a wet and wild ride.
The tandem Aqua Racer slide allows guests to race side-by-side on inner tubes for more than 360 feet, with a translucent section that provides stunning ocean views as guests twist and turn to the finish line.
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Do I Need A Reservation To Ride Go
Do you need to get a reservation? No. But should you? Absolutely!
These tracks, as you may have assumed, are the most popular parts of these two ships so they are going to be pretty much always occupied. If you want to save yourself from the long lines, its best to have a reservation for a spot the moment you board the cruise.
Otherwise, youre going to probably end up waiting for your turn for a much longer time than the actual lap will take. Alternatively, you can always opt for the Unlimited Weekly Pass for those extra queueing perks!
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What Are The Race Cars Like
Having ten gas-powered go-karts noisily making their way around the track would kill the peace and quiet for other passengers. So to get around that, Norweigan went with electric cars. Norwegian added speakers in the headrest that blast engine sounds to make sure riders still felt that authentic race car feel. The cars can be one or two-seaters . There are mixed reports as to the top speeds, but its reported they max out at between 30 and 40 MPH. The cars have a turbo button that is supposed to give a boost of speed, but weve heard these buttons no longer actually do anything.
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A Cruise Ship With Go
When you think of cruise ships, you think of relaxation. You think of bars, lounges, shows and areas where you can spend the days with your loved ones or alone too, if youre traveling alone. Believe it not, there are two cruise ships that have something much more exciting and adrenaline-inducing than the usual activities or sipping a margarita overlooking the beautiful ocean a go-kart race track! Here are some of the highlights:
- Go-karts feature speeds of up to 30 mph
- Features custom-built multi-level race track
- $15 per race or 199.95 for the Unlimited Pass
- Safety gear provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
- Amazing racing experience with an unbeatable view
Inspired by the grandkids of the companys CEO, these karting tracks are the first of their kind on any cruise ship. Its important to note that they are not just amusement-park karting race tracks either they feature an authentic racing experience similar to the one you can experience at indoor go-kart racing facilities on land.
Featuring a platform where people can sit and spectate, a covered pit lane, a system that times your laps, and even floodlights to let you race at night, this go-kart track on a cruise ship will give you an absolutely unique experience while being in the middle of the ocean! How exciting is that?
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