We got a sneak peek at Norwegian Cruise Line's new thrill ride, and it's epic
It's going to be epic.
So epic I might just ride it dozens of times.
Or not at all.
Honestly, it might just be too much for me.
That's my hot take after getting a sneak peek at the Aqua Slidecoaster, the massive new attraction that Norwegian Cruise Line is building atop its next new ship, Norwegian Aqua.
Billed as the first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide in the world (not just at sea but on land, too), it's like nothing else that's ever appeared atop a cruise ship.
As I saw Wednesday during a tour of the still-under-construction Norwegian Aqua, the Aqua Slidecoaster is a stunningly large-for-a-cruise-ship attraction that dominates the top deck of the vessel.
While it wasn't yet running — it won't be ready for riders until Norwegian Aqua debuts in March 2025 — its massive tubular course was already mostly in place, swirling around the ship's superstructure.
It was a sight to behold.
But it's what I didn't see during the tour that will really set it apart.
As Alex Tavernini, Norwegian's senior director of guest experiences and innovation, explained, the Aqua Slidecoaster is being built with powerful magnets that will shoot riders forward in two-person rafts at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour.
Related: Giant new Norwegian ship will sail from Miami
Tavernini said the magnets would be installed in the coming weeks. They are what will set the ride apart from other water rides on cruise ships that use water jets to propel riders forward, such as the AquaDuck on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
"This is essentially the same technology used on land on roller coasters," Tavernini said during a briefing for a small group of media assembled at the spot on Norwegian Aqua's top deck where the ride begins.
The location for the loading platform where Tavernini was standing was on Deck 18 of the vessel. From there, riders will be catapulted upward past Deck 19 to Deck 20.
The ride has two tracks and is built to have four sets of rafts in motion at any given time.
Tavernini said the magnet system that would catapult riders forward could be adjusted to make the ride more or less intense, offering flexibility in its operations. It can be run at full blast for a high-thrill experience or dialed back for a milder experience.
While the former setting might appeal to thrill ride enthusiasts, the latter setting would be more appropriate for smaller kids with their parents.
"We want it to be as inclusive as possible," Tavernini said. "Not everyone wants to be super thrilled."
According to Tavernini, the ride track will consist mostly of opaque tubing but will feature clear sections that will give passengers on the ship's top decks a glimpse of riders zipping around. Passengers on the ride will also get a brief glimpse outward to the sea nearly 200 feet below.
The ride's tubes extend over the sides of the ship in places.
The Aqua Slidecoaster will replace the giant go-kart racetracks at the top of the five most recently built Norwegian vessels.
In an exclusive interview with TPG after the sneak peek, Norwegian's president David Herrera said that while the racetracks had been a big hit with customers, it was time to try something different.
"It's all about giving the guests ... optionality," he said, adding that variety was something Norwegian's customers want.
Herrera noted that the Aqua Slidecoaster would be able to accommodate more riders per hour than the racetracks on the last five new Norwegian vessels — more than 200 people an hour.
That's an important factor that Norwegian considered when weighing whether to add the ride, Herrera suggested.
Since it soars above the top decks of the ship, the ride also allows for a more intuitive flow of passengers around it and more open space beneath it than the racetracks on other ships. Herrera noted those attractions took up a huge footprint.
"The racetrack is great for the people who are riding the racetrack, but man, that thing takes up a lot of space," Herrera quipped.
Herrera said Norwegian's leadership was still thinking through how fast to run the ride and whether to carve out specific adults-only hours when it would operate at its highest speeds.
Another option was to run one of the two tubes at a slower speed than the other, Herrera said.
Herrera noted that as the ride's speed setting increased, Norwegian would have to impose a higher height cutoff for riders for safety reasons. That would mean younger children couldn't ride it.
Whatever speed they set for the ride, Herrera is confident it's going to be a crowd pleaser.
"It's going to be a home run," he predicted.
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