BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster World's First Rollercoaster at Sea

Table Of Content

• Siblings, 8 and 5, killed, 13 injured as suspected drunk driver plows through children's birthday
• Features
• Carnival Celebration
• Things to know before you ride
• When is the best time to ride BOLT?
• Melissa McCarthy defends ‘wonderful’ pal Meghan Markle: She’s ‘incredibly threatening to some people’
• Carnival Cracks Down on Unsanctioned Poolside Gambling During Cruise

They also strictly prohibit any cell phones, GoPro’s, or other electronics. Thankfully, Carnival has some cubbies right at the entrance, so you can store your stuff there and not have to worry about running back to your cabin to leave your stuff. Like many other attractions with weight-based limits, passengers step on a metal plate and get a green light if they’re cleared or red light if they’re not. Compared to the other coasters, the track is considerably shorter. It’s more than 70% shorter than the other two coasters, with a single lap taking around 30 seconds. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.

Siblings, 8 and 5, killed, 13 injured as suspected drunk driver plows through children's birthday

BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea featured on Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras cruise ship voted Best Cruise Ship Feature of 2021. The ride consists of electric-powered, single-occupant race cars that can reach speeds of 30 MPH, plus a turbo-boost that allows even more speed. A single run costs $9.95, with higher-priced days and weekly passes available. Riders have the unique ability to control the speed of their all-electric, two-person cars, reaching speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. The 800-meter track circles above Deck 18, starting out by the water park, continuing with a spiral section right above the mini-golf course then racing around the funnel and the ropes course. If you're playing putt-putt, it feels like the roller coaster cars might blow the hat right off your head.

Features

The experience is exceptionally customizable and unique due to the riders' ability to manage their speed and even increase the thrill. The BOLT roller coaster was up against dozens of other cruise ship features, with readers being allowed to add their favorite cruise ship feature as a vote. Instead, the Bolt roller coaster has two two-person Jet Ski-style vehicles that travel around the track independently. The "driver" (i.e., the rider in front) can actually control the speed of the roller coaster, both by turning a handlebar throttle and by pressing a button for a boost of speed. The rider in the back, however, simply enjoys the ride (and the screaming) with no responsibilities. Is Carnival's Bolt roller coaster actually the best top-deck, heart-thumping attraction on a ship?

Carnival Celebration

When the Carnival Vista first debuted in 2015, it introduced a new attraction, the SkyRide. The suspended, pedal-powered ride looped over the Sports area on the ship and has thrilled thousands of passengers on the Vista and later its sister ships, Horizon and Panorama. Florida-based Carnival Cruise Line, however, clearly wants to push things to the limit, having built what it claims is the first-ever roller coaster on a cruise ship.

The first go-kart track at sea was introduced on the Norwegian Joy in 2017 and has since been featured on Norwegian Bliss and the largest in the fleet so far on Norwegian Encore. The new Norwegian Prima, which joins the fleet in 2022, will go a step further by introducing the first three-level racetrack. Since Mardi Gras debuted with guests from Port Canaveral on July 31, the first roller coaster at sea has been a popular feature onboard. The LNG-powered vessel is 180,800 gross tons, and a sister ship named Carnival Celebration will join the fleet in 2022, also featuring a roller coaster. A third ship in the same class named Carnival jubilee will arrive in 2023.

If you are a thrill-seeker and like an adrenaline rush, then you will enjoy Bolt. Expect a quick start followed by a loop around the back of the ship. BOLT then speeds up for some up and down sections, before circling back around the funnel culminating in a fast exit. There are two cars, so a maximum of four riders will be on track at any given time.

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When is the best time to ride BOLT?

No, unlike some conventional theme-park rollercoasters there are no scary loops or upside-down sections. The attendant buckled me in with a heavy-duty seat belt that locks into place. He showed me how to use the hand throttle on the right handlebar to rev the engine and the button on the left to push for speed boosts. Taking a roller-coaster ride right after a big lunch is always a brave move, with those endless twists and turns risking an unwelcome second look at your recently consumed meal. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. As of September, Bolt is priced at $15 per person for each one-lap ride.

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Melissa McCarthy defends ‘wonderful’ pal Meghan Markle: She’s ‘incredibly threatening to some people’

An attendant helped me buckle the massive seatbelt and gave my friend, the driver, instructions on how to operate the controls. In the past two months, we've seen cruise ships slowly trickling back into service, with several now allowing Americans to sail from the Caribbean, Greece and the U.S. On July 31, in the first major new-ship launch since before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras will welcome its first round of revenue passengers. If there’s a downside, it’s that the ride is over before you know it… not to mention before the driver really understands the controls! The other potential downside is that if you’ve got hair, there’s a good chance you’re going to look like a bit of a hot mess.

Carnival Cracks Down on Unsanctioned Poolside Gambling During Cruise

Annoyingly, the cancellation notices came through after the start time of my reservations. Go up to deck 18 and ask the Carnival attendant who will still be there so that they can tell guests that it’s too windy. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now, you’ve heard that Carnival Cruise Line’s biggest, newest ship, Mardi Gras, features a roller coaster that zips along the top deck. The motorcycle-style thrill ride garnered more than double the percentage of votes that adventure rides on competitors Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line received.

You’re really not going to find a roller coaster like BOLT on land. The BOLT takes the SkyRide concept and takes it to the next level. It gets rid of guests manually having to power the cars and allows them to go much faster. The first cruise ship in the Americas powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, Mardi Gras sails week-long voyages to the eastern and western Caribbean from Port Canaveral every Saturday. Its unique location means that riders can enjoy — or suffer, depending on your disposition — not only the twists and turns, but also the ups and downs delivered by ocean swells.

BOLT is the centerpiece of the Ultimate Playground which features a massive water park with three slides, a suspended ropes course, mini-golf and more. The cruise industry is tentatively returning to operations after a dismal 18 months of lost business caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Mardi Gras operator Carnival was hit particularly hard, suffering a $10 billion loss in 2020 after making $3 billion in profit the year before the pandemic started. I likely wouldn't pay it, but if you're someone who likes the bragging rights that come with exclusive experiences or if you've got thrill-seeking kids, it might be money well spent.

The 220-meter track is located towards the ship’s aft 150 meters above sea level. BOLT can reach speeds up to 60 KPH and offers thrilling twists and turns, including around the iconic Carnival funnel. The landmark cruise creation features an 800-foot-long track marked with twists, dips and a hairpin turn around the ship’s tunnel, industry news site Cruise Critic reported. The speed is controlled by riders, who can make it go up to 40 miles per hour. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines.

On embarkation morning, it was pouring rain in Miami, and all of Carnival's outdoor attractions were shut down. The roller coaster only opened later in the afternoon, when the rain stopped and the sun sort of came out. Get virtually transported to your favorite SeaWorld coasters and take a seat in the front row with these awesome POV previews.

Unlike traditional roller coasters, Bolt's design on Mardi Gras stands out with its motorcycle-style two-person cars. Whether you're a solo adventurer seeking the thrill of solitude or prefer to share the experience, Mardi Gras accommodates both. In third place came Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Kart track found on all the Breakaway-Plus class cruise ships except for the Norwegian Escape.

If you’re going to be wearing glasses, they need to be held in place with head straps. When making your reservation, you will notice a slew of restrictions and requirements, similar to what you see posted outside a coaster like Space Mountain at Walt Disney World. In this year’s Cruise Ship Awards, there were a total of seven categories, and the results have already been announced for Best Cruise Homeport in the US and Best News Cruise Ship. Any suspicious or repeated votes were not included in the final result. The awards have been running since 2014 and, each year, are open for Cruise Hive readers.

While BOLT is called a roller coaster, it’s really not like anything else out there today. The car only seats 2 people, and it has a relatively low seating position, making it feel like a motorcycle or jetski than a traditional roller coaster car. This special experience with two laps around the track can be yours for only $15. At this cost, you get to ride the first roller coaster at sea with an unmatched rush, and its limited availability makes it a well-worthy and amazing experience. Carnival has done a great job balancing the high-end experience and keeping it affordable to all travelers. As there was no line, and we were only going to pay to ride once, we decided to go solo in our own cars.