It’s going to be epic.
So epic I could ride it dozens of times.
Or not at all.
Honestly, it might 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 on its next new ship, the Norwegian Aqua.
Billed as the world’s first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide (not just at sea, but on land as well), it’s unlike anything else that’s ever appeared atop a cruise ship.
It’s a spectacularly large attraction that dominates the top deck of the ship, as I saw Wednesday during a tour of the still-under-construction Norwegian Aqua at the shipyard where it’s being built.
While it wasn’t running yet — it won’t be ready for riders until Norwegian Aqua debuts in March 2025 — its massive tubular course was already largely in place, looping around the ship’s superstructure.
It was a sight to behold.
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But it’s what we 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 propel riders into two-person rafts at speeds up to 31 mph.
Related: Huge new Norwegian ship to sail from Miami
The magnet will be installed in the coming weeks, he said. This will differentiate the ride from other water rides on cruise ships that use water jets to propel riders, such as Aquaduck on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
“This is essentially the same technology used on land on a roller coaster,” Tavernini said during a briefing for a small group of media assembled on the Norwegian Aqua’s top deck where the ride would launch.
The location for the loading platform where Tavernini stood was on deck 18 of the ship. From there, riders will be escorted upwards past Deck 19 to Deck 20.
The ride has two tracks and is designed to have four sets of rafts in motion at any given time.
Tavernini said the magnet system that propels riders forward can be adjusted to make the ride more or less intense, providing flexibility in its operation. It can be driven full blast for a high-thrill experience or dialed back for a relaxed experience.
While the former setting may appeal to thrill ride enthusiasts, the latter setting would be more suitable for young children with their parents.
“We want it to be as broad as possible,” Tavernini said. “Not everyone wants to be super excited.”
According to Tavernini, the ride track will consist of mostly opaque tubing but will have clear sections that will give passengers on the top deck of the ship a glimpse of the riders zipping around. Passengers on the ride will also get a brief glimpse of the ocean beyond, about 200 feet below.
Ride tubes extend in places on the sides of the ship.
The Aqua Slidecoaster will replace the giant go-kart racetracks on top of the five most recently built Norwegian ships.
In an exclusive interview with TPG after a preview of the ride, Norwegian president David Herrera said that while racetracks are very popular with customers, it’s time to try something different.
“It’s about giving guests … choice,” he said, adding that the variety is what Norwegian consumers want.
Herrera noted that the Aqua SlideCoaster will be able to accommodate more riders per hour than the racetracks on the last five new Norwegian ships — more than 200 people an hour.
Herrera suggested that is an important factor that Norwegians consider when making weight.
Since it will fly above the top decks of the ship, the ride will also allow for a more intuitive flow of passengers around it and more open space below it than racetracks on other ships, which Herrera noted took up a larger footprint.
“The racetrack is great for people who are riding the racetrack, but man, that thing takes up a lot of space,” Herrera quipped.
Herrera said Norwegian leadership is still considering how fast to run the ride and whether to carve out specific adults-only hours when it will operate at its highest speed.
Another option, Herrera said, was to run one of the two tubes slower than the other.
Herrera noted that as the ride’s speed setting increased, Norwegian had to impose a higher height limit for safety reasons. That would mean that small children cannot operate it.
Whatever speed they set the ride at, Herrera is confident it will be a crowd pleaser.
“It will be a home run,” he predicted.
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