How To Ride The Bolt Roller Coaster
To ride the BOLT roller coaster, youll have to make a reservation in advance via the Carnival HUB app. Unlike excursions or dining reservations, you cant make a reservation for this ride until youre aboard the ship. Its better to book it for some of the first days if possible the ride can shut down due to weather or technical malfunctions, so then it gives you plenty of other opportunities to rebook.
When you book, youll pick a 30-minute window when you want to ride. During that window of time, you check-in at the BOLT station, sign the waivers, and get ready to ride. With this system, you barely have any wait at all, which is nice compared to the SkyRide we mentioned that can have a wait of 15 45 minutes depending on the day/time.
Once you book in the HUB app, the $15 fee is immediately charged to your onboard account called Sail and Sign. However, if you cancel at least 2 hours before your start time, they will usually issue a refund to your Carnival account.
Things You Need To Know
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 case, riders need to be at least 52 inches tall and no taller than 77 inches . Weight-wise, you must be under 300 pounds. Yes, they have you step on a scale, but never fear: Your weight isnt actually displayed, only a light indicating that youre cleared to ride.
One thing that catches some people off guard is the fact that theres a bit of a dress code when it comes to riding Bolt. You need to be wearing closed-toe shoes and although they dont currently specifically refer to skirts, youre probably going to want to wear shorts or pants for the ride. If youre going to be wearing glasses, they need to be held in place with head straps.
Oh, and if youre hoping to capture the experience on your GoPro or cell? Think again. The ride operators are instructed to keep a close eye open and refuse to let those attempting to sneak the items onto the ride from boarding.
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Carnival Celebration Gets Bolt Ready For Action
Carnival Cruise Line released a new video this week just in time for National Rollercoaster Day, showcasing the stunning and thrilling new rollercoaster at sea onboard Carnival Celebration, BOLT.
Currently undergoing the final steps of construction before she sets sail in November of this year, Carnival Celebration is widely regarded as one of the most anticipated cruise ships in history. One of the features that makes her special is the electric BOLT roller coaster.
Spanning 800 feet and 187 feet above sea level, riders will experience dips, twists, and hairpin turns over the Ultimate Playground on the upper decks of Carnivals newest vessel while traveling at speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour.
Guests travel around the multi-award-winning roller coaster in a two-person car powered by electricity. Among others,the coaster was recognized by Popular Science with its Best of Whats New engineering award last year.
The recognition this incredible attraction has received since its debut on our flagship last year highlights the tremendous work that went into making it a reality, but the most important thing about BOLT is, simply, its fun. It embodies the great lengths well go to for our guests good time, and Im eager to see this next coaster in service when Carnival Celebration begins sailing, said Christine Duffy, Carnivals president.
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Carnival rides are taking to the high seas.
Carnival Cruise Lines newest and largest-ever vessel launched out of Floridas Port Canaveral on July 31, becoming the first-ever cruise ship to set sail with an onboard roller coaster, Bolt.
The landmark cruise creation features an 800-foot-long track marked with twists, dips and a hairpin turn around the ships tunnel, industry news site Cruise Critic reported. The attraction is positioned approximately 20 feet above the ships 18th deck specifically, above a miniature golf course and jogging track and 187 feet above sea level, according to Attractions Magazine. The speed is controlled by riders, who can make it go up to 40 miles per hour.
Due to its unique location on top of a cruise ship, engineers had to get creative in making the attraction functional. It does not use gravity like most roller coasters, but rather electricity. The motorcycle-like cars allow riders to go faster by turning the right handlebar back, like a throttle, or pushing a button by the left handlebar for an extra boost.
For riders who choose to go as fast as possible, the Points Guy says the experience only lasts about 20 seconds. The experience costs $15, a separate fee from the cruises ticket price which, the Points Guy said is worth it for thrill-seekers, but certainly not everyone.
My Take On Carnival’s Bolt Roller Coaster
After waiting in line for more than an hour, it was finally my turn. To fit the day’s business-casual dress code for media, I wore a dress with sandals, which was a mistake. Word to the wise: Wear pants or shorts, and make sure you’ve got closed-toed shoes. My wardrobe choice resulted in my tying the dress together to form a type of romper and borrowing shoes from a friend.
After being weighed and changing my shoes, I was waved through a gate and directed to board one of the cars, which you straddle like a motorcycle instead of sitting inside. An attendant helped me buckle the massive seatbelt and gave my friend, the driver, instructions on how to operate the controls.
When the light turned green, we shot forward at an alarming speed, careening around turns and down hills that gave me butterflies. Although it wasn’t quite as intense as most land-based coasters I’ve tried, it was exhilarating enough to elicit a couple of screams from me.
Thirty-five miles per hour doesn’t sound like a lot, but it felt much faster, possibly due to the wide-open surroundings. It was certainly more exciting than I expected, but because you can decide how heavily to use the throttle, it’s also a great experience for people who aren’t afraid of heights but prefer a slower-paced ride.
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Is The Bolt Roller Coaster Worth It
For roller coaster fans, its a tough call. The BOLT roller coaster is not the fastest, longest, or most intense roller coaster in the world. It is, however, the first at sea, and roller coaster enthusiasts who are completists may feel compelled to try it.
For regular cruise ship passengers, it presents an opportunity to try something new and exciting. With no inversions, a simple lap belt, and a relatively low speed, it is excellent for the more casual rider. The $15 per person may seem a bit steep for just one lap and less than a minute of ride time, though. To put it in perspective to other cruise ship attractions, Norwegian Cruise Line charges $15 for 8-10 minutes on the go-kart race track on the Bliss, Encore, Joy, and Prima.
Carnival Cruise Line Prepares To Test Its Second Roller Coaster
Carnival Cruise Line’s second BOLT roller coaster onboard Carnival Celebration prepares for test runs at the shipyard.
Carnival Cruise Line is hard at work to complete its second rollercoaster at sea, BOLT, as thrill seekers will be eager to ride once onboard Carnival Celebration.
Carnival released a new video earlier this week, showcasing its progress so far, with cars already making test runs.
The first BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster was installed onboard Carnival Celebrations sistership, . Traveling at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour on an 800-foot track full of drops, twists, and turns 187 feet above the water line, BOLT is one of the most exciting innovations placed onboard any cruise ship.
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Carnival Cruise Lines Bolt Roller Coaster Recognized With Best Of Whats New Award By Popular Science Magazine
Proving that the first roller coaster at sea is both fun and a feat of modern engineering, Popular Science magazine has recognized Carnival Cruise Line with its Best of Whats New engineering award for the innovation and design work that resulted in the July 2021 debut of BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea on board the lines flagship .
Since 1988, Popular Science annually reviews thousands of new products and innovations and chooses the top 100 winners across 10 categories. To win, a product or technology must represent a significant step forward in its category.
Normal roller coasters use gravity to send thrill-seekers zooming and looping. But if you want to build a ride on a cruise shipwhere stable, level ground is far from guaranteedyou have to get creative, according to Popular Science.
As youre whipping around the funnel while riding BOLT, I doubt many people are thinking about how we got the roller coaster built, but this recognition from Popular Science underscores the tremendous work that went into making this happen, said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. While ultimately, were about providing new ways for our guests to have fun, were also honored and appreciative of this incredible recognition for our team.
Established in 1872, Popular Science is one of Americas oldest and most trusted magazine brands with a legacy of bringing readers groundbreaking innovations and discoveries.
We Rode The First Roller Coaster At Sea Bolt On The Carnival Mardi Gras
The Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship has finally set sail with her first guests. In addition to being the first cruise ship with its atrium on the side of the ship, and the first in the Americas powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas, the most exciting first is that its the first cruise ship with a roller coaster onboard. Its called Bolt and we have ridden it.
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How Does Bolt Compare To Other Roller Coasters
Youre really not going to find a roller coaster like BOLT on land. Here we compared BOLT to two well-known roller coasters the Cyclone, a traditional wooden roller coaster at Coney Island, and Superman Ultimate Flight, a coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags New England, and Six Flag over Georgia.
| BOLT Roller Coaster |
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| 3.0 |
Compared to the other coasters, the track is considerably shorter. Its more than 70% shorter than the other two coasters, with a single lap taking around 30 seconds.
In terms of height, its a tougher call to make. Technically, the BOLT roller coaster is 187 over sea level, much taller than the other two coasters. But the BOLT is mounted on Deck 18, so most of the time, its only 20 higher than the nearest ground level. But being onboard in a wide-open car, its easy for it to feel much higher.
As you can see, this coaster is not extreme. The G-force on the BOLT is about a third of the other two coasters, in line with what drivers of a Formula One race car might feel.
Whats The Bolt Roller Coaster Like
While BOLT is called a roller coaster, its 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.
BOLT doesnt have a lift hill or a drop. Traditional roller coasters rely on gravity to help run the course, whether through a lift hill or a drop later on in the track. On the ocean, thats not really a possibility. While the car is in motion, the ship can bob up and down, or tilt and the gravitational forces can immediately change, altering the experience and possibly stopping the ride. To get around that, Maurer Rides put motors into the cars themselves to get them through the whole track. As a result, the ride has rapid horizontal acceleration and feels more like a launched roller coaster, like Disneys Slinky Dog Dash or Universals Hagrids Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure.
Unlike a regular roller coaster, on the BOLT, you can actually control your ride. The rider in the front can choose to use the throttle to control the speed, and theres also a BOOST button that gives an extra oomph when pressed. The car has a digital speedometer that displays your speed and a tank that shows how many times you can boost, but with only one lap per ride, ignore that and spend your brief time enjoying the unique ocean view instead.
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Carnival Cruise Line Partners With Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex To Launch Childrens Space Program
Space Cruisers Program to Debut on Carnival Celebration this November
In celebration of World Space Week, Carnival Cruise Line announced today that it is partnering with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to launch a childrens space program with activities inspired by NASA science, which will debut on Carnival Celebration this November.
As part of Camp Oceans science and discovery programming, the credible Space Cruisers curriculum supported by NASA is designed to be as educational as it is fun and will enable children of all ages to explore the universe and our home planet in an array of hands-on and one-of-a-kind learning experiences. Children will be able to complete missions to earn a special, themed mission patch representative of the program.
A summary of the Space Cruisers programming can be viewed here. Highlights include:
Space Cruisers will truly take our offerings to the next level with the perfect balance of fun and education to give both our younger guests and their families something to be excited about, said Melissa Mahaffey, director of youth experience for Carnival Cruise Line. Kids are always looking to explore new things, and this program gives them the chance to discover many of the awesome aspects of space through fun activities while taking away unique learnings.
What Can Guests Expect From Carnival Celebration
Celebration is the cruise line’s second Excel-class ship. Starting with its inaugural sailing on Nov. 21, the vessel will feature seven-day Caribbean voyages all year. The ship will have 17 passenger decks, and a “normal guest occupancy” of 5,282 based on double occupancy, Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told USA TODAY in an email.
Celebration will also be powered by cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas.
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Things To Know Before You Ride
You must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh less than 300 pounds in order to ride Bolt. The maximum height allowed is 77 inches . Because you cannot have any loose articles in your pockets or on your body , cubbies are provided for you to leave your belongings.
Unfortunately, that also means you can’t bring recording equipment, such as GoPros or selfie sticks, with you. You’ll have to ask someone to snap photos or shoot video of you before you ride or as you’re riding from the decks below.
Additionally, passengers are not allowed to wear dresses, skirts or open-toed shoes in order to ride, and they must be in good physical condition and able to hold onto the handrails. Cruisers cannot be intoxicated while riding, and their clothing must be dry .
The entrance to Bolt is on Deck 18, where you’ll find stairs up to the waiting area — an open-air space with corrals to keep people in line. Although it’s covered by sunshades, it can be sweltering, especially if it’s crowded.
Bolt Is An Electric Two
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Celebration ship will feature the lines second roller coaster at sea.
Bolt: Ultimate Sea Coaster accommodates two passengers at a time and travels at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour.
“It embodies the great lengths well go to for our guests to have a good time, and Im eager to see this next coaster in service when Carnival Celebration begins sailing.
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The Lines technicians have operated shoreside tests on the new Bolt, which was assembled at Maurer Rides in Germany for initial testing before being reassembled atop Carnival Celebration in Finland over the past few weeks.
Maurer Rides project manager Marco Hartwig added: At Maurer, we build and deliver excitement and we will deliver just that when Bolt debuts on Carnival Celebration. We cant wait to present this breathtaking ride to Carnivals guests.
Setting off on its inaugural cruise on 21 November 2022, the Carnival Celebration will offer year-round, seven-day Caribbean sailings from the redesigned Terminal F at PortMiami.
The first Bolt, which is also the first-ever roller coaster at sea, is currently in operation aboard the Mardi Gras.
For more information, visit www.carnival.com
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Bolt Roller Coaster Facts
Bolt will set cruisers back a steep $15 per person for one lap around the 800-meter track. The ride lasts about 20 seconds at its fastest, but it can take longer, depending on the chosen speed.
Two electric cars, each carrying up to two people and evoking Jet Ski vibes, operate in tandem at different intervals, with the ability to accelerate at speeds faster than some sports cars. The person sitting at the front of the car is the “driver,” and he or she decides how fast or slow the car goes, up to the maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.
The ride is suspended above the ship’s outer decks, reaching 187 feet above the water, offering 360-degree ocean views and making for a thrilling experience.