Have you ever experienced an eclipse from a cruise ship? We have!
Royal Caribbean just announced their 2026 European Cruise itineraries and one of them is being promoted as a special Solar Eclipse cruise. The Liberty of the Seas sailing that departs Southampton on August 7, 2026 will position itself in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026.
It’s even included as a highlight on the itinerary!
I found that Royal Caribbean had a similar sailing on Oasis of the Seas during the 2017 total solar eclipse.
“Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas will offer the best seat in the house to view the total solar eclipse, 99 years in the making, on an exclusive 7-night cruise that will feature the celebration of a lifetime with eclipse-themed experiences and a concert by a major headliner.”
Their headliner was Bonnie Tyler and DNCE singing the 80’s hit “Toal Eclipse of the Heart” How cheesy but awesome!
Annular Solar Eclipse Cruise
We cruised on Independence of the Seas that departed Port Canaveral on October 13, 2023. On October 14, 2023 there was an annular solar eclipse that we could view from the ship while we were at sea! Royal did not advertise it or announce it (to our knowledge) but since we knew about it ahead of time, we bought our own eclipse viewing glasses that we had from the 2017 eclipse.
TIP: Make sure you get the correct eclipse viewing glasses. There are a ton of fake eclipse viewing glasses out there, even on Amazon, that do not offer the protection your eyes need. Getting the wrong glasses can result in permanent eye damage. We bought these Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, but doesn’t completely cover the Sun. Because of this and combined with it being slightly cloudy during our eclipse day, I would bet that not many people even knew there was an eclipse happening!
When it was time, we grabbed our glasses and walked to the front of the ship to the helicopter pad. This was a great open spot with not many people there.
We put on our glasses and enjoyed the view…so cool! We look even cooler! 😉
There were a few people that walked up there and wondered what we were doing, so we let them borrow our glasses and they were shocked that there was an eclipse. I bet if Royal announced it and sold eclipse glasses on the ship, they’d have quite a few purchases!
After a few minutes, we walked back to the pool deck and I grabbed an ice cream and continued viewing. Ice cream and a solar eclipse while on a cruise…not many people can say they’ve experienced that!
Viewing an eclipse on a cruise ship is definitely a unique, once in a lifetime experience…especially if it is a total eclipse! Those going on the 2026 cruise will have such a story to tell!
Our Alaskan cruise was round-trip from Seattle, so we added a day before our cruise and a couple of days after to not only give wiggle room with flights, but to also do some adventuring around Seattle while we were out there. The kids had never been to Seattle, so we wanted to do some activities that we had done previously that we knew they would enjoy. One of those was a visit to Snoqualmie Falls!
This post will share our review and photos of our visit to Snoqualmie Falls after our Alaskan Cruise.
Before our cruise, we didn’t have a car, so we did activities within Seattle that we could monorail or walk to, like the Seattle Aquarium. After our cruise, we rented a car so we could venture a bit further out. On one day, we went to the Fish Ladder, Gas Works Park and Snoqualmie Falls, with Snoqualmie taking up the largest portion of the day.
What is Snoqualmie Falls?
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268-foot waterfall and is the second most visited natural landmark in Washington after Mount Rainier. It is more than twice as high as Niagara Falls! There are two observation decks, a hiking trail, restaurant, shop, and lodge/hotel. It is also known for its appearance in the television series Twin Peaks.
Where is Snoqualmie Falls?
Snoqualmie Falls is approximately 33 miles from the Seattle Cruise Terminal, which at the time of me looking this up, says it would take about 44 minutes to drive. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, in the heart of Downtown Seattle, and that is about 29 miles and a 32 minute drive to Snoqualmie Falls.
Does it cost money?
Admission to the Snoqualmie Falls is free. If you have a car, there is a parking lot at both the top and bottom of the falls. Per their official site, it says parking is free in the upper lot, but the lower parking lot has a fee of $7. However, I recall it being the opposite…we had to pay up top and the bottom was free. I remember this because we had a time limit and we made it just in time. So just be prepared to potentially pay if you have to park…and if you don’t, then yay!
Our Experience
After our cruise, we returned to the Hyatt Regency, which has a car rental agency on the lower floor. We rented a car and parked in the hotel garage for a nightly fee. When we were ready, we hit the road…the drive didn’t seem long because there was always interesting scenery…including the Space Needle as we left the city…
…and Mount Rainier peeking out from a distance the entire ride.
We decided to begin at the top of the falls and parked in the upper parking lot. It was quite busy and the lot isn’t huge, so we were fortunate to get a spot fairly quickly.
It’s just a short walk to the lookout area.
There is a safe, extensive wooden platform to view the falls from, so you’re not walking on a scary dirt path over a cliff.
There is a hiking path that runs from the top next to the lookout and all the way down to the base of the falls. If you want to view the falls from both angles, you can either hike down/up, or you can go get the car and drive to the other parking park. We chose to hike down the path.
The Snoqualmie Falls hiking path was really unique, with lots of cool trees with spots to take photos with stumps and branches.
The Hiking Trail is an actual cleared dirt path. There are lots of switchbacks and the path can be pretty steep at times, so keep that in mind when you are trying to decide whether you want to walk back up the trail or not.
Once you get near the bottom, there is another wooden bridge/walkway that leads you over the Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant pipes and closer to the falls.
When we were here in 2009, there wasn’t a built walkway and you could walk on the rocks all the way up to the falls. We even had to climb over the pipes back then too! Now, the walkway is the only path and stops quite a bit before reaching the falls. We were kind of bummed about this.
If you’re willing able to venture off the path and carefully walk over some rocks, there is a way to reach the water going the opposite way of the falls. If you walked down the wooden walkway to the falls, you would walk back and across from the trail is a little path to the water.
We watched an artist paint the scene…so cool!
We enjoyed walking barefoot in the water for a bit and then walked back up the way we came in.
At this point, we were ready to go back to the car and realized we had quite the long steep walk back up the hiking trail and we were running out of time to get the car, so I ran up the trail while the rest of the family waited down by the lower parking lot for me. What a workout!
Overall, a visit to Snoqualmie Falls is a fun, inexpensive idea if you have some time available and a car. We live in Florida and don’t have waterfalls like this near us, so this gave the kids the opportunity to see a waterfall of this size up close. They thought it was amazing and loved the trail and river at the bottom. I liked having an active, outdoor excursion…it was such a beautiful day! We really did get super lucky in the weather we experienced while in Seattle and Alaska. For reference, we went mid June and we would definitely pick June again if we were to do another Alaskan Cruise.
Since it didn’t take up all day, we also had time to visit the Ballard Locks Fish Ladder and Gas Works Park. Being able to zip around to various attractions made having a car so beneficial!
If you’re looking for a way to make a waterfalls day trip out of your adventure, there are lots of other waterfalls, lookout areas and places of interest in the area. Just look at the nearby area on the map and explore!
Looking for a fun and adventurous excursion in St. Kitts? We took a St. Kitts Dune Buggy tour that our family thought was so fun! This post will be a review with our experience and photos of our Dune Buggy cruise excursion in Basseterre St. Kitts.
When looking for a fun family-friendly excursion in St. Kitts during our Royal Caribbean cruise, we found Sunny Blue Rentals. We had already had a water excursion planned during this cruise with our Catamaran tour in St. Thomas, so we wanted something a little different that our kids, 9 and 7 at the time, could participate in as well. Sunny Blue Rentals had Dune Buggies that could accommodate either 2 or 4 people, so we chose them so our family could fit into one dune buggy…and so I wouldn’t have to drive! All of their ATVS are street legal and fully automatic.
We booked through their website and received an email confirmation. It was stated on their website and they reiterated in the confirmation that each driver had to bring their drivers license and $25 cash in order to obtain a temporary St. Kitts drivers license.
We were told to wait at a particular spot for our transportation to the tour location when we arrived at the cruise port in Basseterre St. Kitts. We waited a little long for the tour guide to show up and when we were finally all together, one of the “drivers” in our group had forgotten his drivers license and we had to wait for him to go all the way back onto the ship and come back. Nice.
When we arrived at the tour start location, it was a small building and each driver had to fill out their paperwork for the temporary license. Our dune buggies were lined up and ready for us, so we were directed to go to ours.
We were handed large goggles, which we quickly took for the kids, but us adults already had sunglasses, so we initially declined. He quickly replied that although they aren’t required, he highly recommends them. So we took them to have on hand just in case. Wow, he was not lying…trust me, YOU WANT THE GOGGLES! Pictures further down this post will show you why.
This was a guided tour, but only in the sense that we had a tour guide in an atv in the front of the pack leading the way and a tour guide in the back of the pack so that no one gets left behind. Otherwise, it was like we were driving on our own adventure.
We started out driving on roads away from the building, along the water, where we could see our cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas.
Then, we went offroad and into dirt, farmland, and trees. Time to hold on!
Once we got onto the dirt roads, we quickly put on our goggles. The dune buggies are pretty open and dirt was flying in from all around.
Every inch of our bodies and clothing was covered in dirt. We didn’t mind because we were having fun and we couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous we looked. But we had to be careful with laughing because if we opened our mouth, dirt would fly in! 😀
After driving for a bit, we arrived at a scenic spot to take photos and check out banana trees and other vegetation.
Our tour guide shared some history of St. Kitts and Nevis with us, as well as local life and traditions.
We then got back on the road and drove to another scenic lookout near the water.
At this location, there was a food/drink stand that we all got a Caribbean beer from and the kids got some chips. There were some locals hanging out as well and everyone was super friendly. There were also restrooms to wash our faces.
The courtyard had various little shops with locals selling goods. They weren’t pushy but if you’d rather not talk or look, you could walk down the middle of the courtyard towards the water.
After hanging out for a bit, we got back in our dune buggies and drove back to the tour building. We were then taken back to the cruise port.
This was a really fun tour. I particularly enjoyed that it was adventurous without being strenuous and that our whole family could be together in one dune buggy.
My sister and brother in law were able to get a 2-person dune buggy, so they spent less and they didn’t have to share with strangers. I know we all fam on a cruise, but sometimes you want the experience with just your party and not have to rock-paper-scissors which person gets to drive.
If you want to drive, you must be 18 years or older with a valid driver’s license present on the date of rental in order to operate the ATV/Dune Buggy or Scooter.
I did not rock-paper-scissors my husband…we all knew well ahead he would be driving because I am the passenger princess. It was also quite the off-roading experience that he was well-practiced in…it was like us passengers were on a thrill ride! We would not have had as much fun if I was the one driving.
I also liked how there was a sense of independence on the tour and that the guides trusted us to keep up. I am not against “being a tourist” as touristy things can be amazing, but I don’t like looking like I’m being herded like fragile old cattle. Our tour guide was like “Keep up and let’s go!” Love it!
One thing to note is that we did not go to Timothy Hill Overlook. That is the main picturesque lookout spot in St. Kitts & Nevis that offers a 360-degree view of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the island of Nevis and the hilly peninsula. If Timothy Hill Lookout is something you must do, I think they offer several tour options or simply ask the tour guide if that is somewhere you will be going or perhaps even ask via email when booking. Otherwise, you will have to go there some other way.
We would definitely recommend this tour and would even do it again…maybe my son will want to do it in a few years when he has his drivers license. I will still remain as the passenger princess but will maybe be holding on a little tighter.
The Kennedy Space Center is a great excursion option for cruises that either depart Port Canaveral or have a port day at Port Canaveral. This post will be a review with our experience and photos from our visit to the Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Center Location
The Kennedy Space Center is located at Cape Canaveral. More specifically, the Visitor Complex is located on Merritt Island. Cruise ships dock at several terminals in Port Canaveral. Just how far is Port Canaveral to Kennedy Space Center? It is about 15.4 miles away, or a 20 minute drive.
Orlando International Airport to Kennedy Space Center is about 44 miles, a 45 minute drive….totally dependent on traffic.
You can actually see beyond the Visitor Complex to the very large Vehicle Assembly Building from the cruise ship! The building is so big that it can be seen for miles all around. Many people think that is “Kennedy Space Center” but KSC is actually a little south of it, but you can drive by it on an optional free tour…more on that later.
During our May 2011 cruise, we were fortunate to see Space Shuttle Endeavor on the launchpad. We departed on May 15 and Endeavor launched May 16. This was the final mission for Endeavor before retiring and the 2nd to last mission of the entire Shuttle program.
Kennedy Space Center Tickets
They offer a variety of ticket options and add-on enhancements. They offer 1-day and 2-day tickets, with discounts for Seniors and Military, as well as an Annual Pass and Family Annual Pass.
Additionally, they offer special discounts throughout the year. I looked while writing this post and they have 2 special offers…a 1-day meal bundle discount and a discount for Brevard County Residents.
When we visited, we planned it during their Mercury Offer, which offered an amazing discount for residents of Orange, Volusia, Seminole, and Osceola County. $19 for adults and $14 for children 3-11. Score!
I say all of that basically as a tip for you to check their website for current prices and special offers when planning your visit. They may have a deal that is better than what the cruise ship is offering, but just be sure to factor in transportation to and from your location.
They also offer enhancement experiences for an additional cost, such as Lunch with an Astronaut and Astronaut Training Activities.
Kennedy Space Center Hotels
While there is no hotel right at the Kennedy Space Center (how cool would that be, though?!) they do partner with several local hotels to offer discounted hotel rates.
Kennedy Space Center Experience
Now that we’ve talked about where it is and how to get in, let’s talk about what to do at Kennedy Space Center! First, I’ll admit that we did not visit in relation to a cruise. We live about 50 minutes away, so we took advantage of a special offer during a day the kids were not in school. We did not spend the entire day, hence why this is often offered as a shore excursion, but you could make a full day out of it if your time allows.
Entering Kennedy Space Center is like entering a theme park! You have the turnstiles for you to present your ticket and then Guest Services to the side. To get our special offer, we had to go through Guest Services so that we could present our drivers license as proof of residency. But after that, we were in!
We started at the Rocket Garden, where you can walk among actual rockets of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs.
It is amazing to stand next to them and even climb inside a capsule.
There are several shows to watch, including an IMAX. Be sure to check the park information for that day to see showtimes and plan accordingly.
Next, our timing lined up to take the free bus out to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. KSC offers free shuttle busses every 15-20 minutes and travel time is 20 minutes. Be sure to check when the last shuttle departs the Visitor Complex and when the last shuttle leaves the Center to return, as it can be well before park closing to allow ample time. We didn’t want to miss out on this, so we made sure to do it early in our visit.
During the bus ride, you pass by the Vehicle Assembly Building. We see this building all the time when going on cruises or even taking day trips to the coast…it’s huge!
The bus also drove around the area surrounding the building and the narrator talked about operations in the area, including showing us the crawler that transports the rockets to their launch pad.
Once you enter the Apollo/Saturn V Center, you are met with the ginormous Saturn V Rocket. According to the KSC website: Every human who stepped foot on the Moon launched from Kennedy Space Center atop a Saturn V rocket.
During our visit, we were so lucky to see Artemis I on the launchpad! Artemis I was the first uncrewed mission of the Artemis program, intended to establish human presence on the moon for the first time since 1972! It was a historic launch and we got to see it beforehand.
The Apollo/Saturn V Center contains several demos, shows and walk-through exhibits. There is also a cafe with food & drinks for purchase.
After we were done exploring the Apollo/Saturn V Center, we took the bus back to the main KSC Visitor Center. The kids played with Legos while waiting for the next IMAX show to start…a mini rocket!!
In the Atlantis building, there is the actual Atlantis Rocket that you can see inside of.
There are lots of interactive games and simulations.
There is a tube crawl high in the air at the second floor level…
…and a slide to come back down!
Speaking of play areas, in the IMAX building, there is a huge multi-story play zone called Planet Play. There was a short wait to enter, but once in, the kids could run around freely and there were spots for the adults to sit and relax.
Is the Kennedy Space Center for Kids?
Yes, absolutely! I think the Kennedy Space Center if for all ages. There’s play places for the youngest kids, history, games, interactive experiences, shows and just a good variety of activities to entertain the entire family.
Kennedy Space Center Tips
Be sure to use the guide, map and check the current attractions, as some of them can change for your visit.
Time out your activities…the shows only play a few times a day and are each different lengths and then the trip out to the Apollo/Saturn V Center will take up some time and is a must. Taking a few minutes at the start of your day to plan out those time-sensitive items will help you maximize the fun!
Are you interested in experiencing Ketchikan Alaska on your own? Or maybe you have some time before or after your excursion? Then keep reading! This post will share our review, experience and photos doing our own walking tour around Ketchikan!
We visited Ketchikan Alaska as a port stop on our Alaskan Cruise. Our time in port was 7:00am-4:00pm. We had our Bering Sea Crab Fisherman Tour in the afternoon, so we had time to explore on our own and even hop back on the ship for lunch before heading to the excursion.
When researching what to do in Ketchikan, I came across this Ketchikan Walking Tour map. It contains 35 points of interest, including the Welcome Arch, Fish Ladder, Totem Poles, and more, all within walking distance.
We were so happy our ship docked with the Starboard side facing Ketchikan. This allowed us to have the most amazing view of Ketchikan while enjoying breakfast on our balcony!
As you can see, the town is right there and super convenient for anyone wanting to get off and explore for a bit.
We chose to go clockwise around the town. We didn’t entirely follow the path and we didn’t visit every point of interest, but we made sure to visit the main locations and as many totem poles as possible.
Right on the dock next to the cruise ships is “The Rock” statue.
“The Rock” is a bronze sculpture that is a symbolic representation of early Alaskan pioneers and the beginnings of Ketchikan. A fisherman, a miner, a logger, a bush pilot, a frontierswoman, and a Native drummer.
Next was the Ketchikan Welcome Arch. Please be mindful of the road and cars and don’t be an oblivious tourist.
Be on the lookout for all the totem poles! Curious of how many totem poles are in Ketchikan? I read there are over 80! We did not see 80, but we saw a lot….here are a few.
The Creek Street National Historic District is very popular, with restaurants, shops and nice viewing spots of the Ketchikan Creek.
The Ketchikan Creek winds through Creek Street, with some art figures, a waterfall and salmon viewing areas.
There is a Fish Ladder, but we weren’t there during busy salmon time, so not much to see there.
There is a trail through the woods…lots of steps!
But it’s worth it to reach the lookout where you can see the cruise ships! I can see our room!
We spent some time down by the creek skipping rocks, and were greeted by two bald eagles!
Do you see it? Here, I’ll help 🙂
Of course, we were so excited to see a Bald Eagle, but we felt silly later on when we saw 20-30 of them during our Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour later that day!
We ended our walking tour with a stroll down the Waterfront Boardwalk, which gave a great view of the Harbor and the cruise ships.
Overall, we explored for a few hours, taking photos and playing along the way. If you were a little shorter on time, you could skip portions of the trail or not spend as long in certain areas. If you had even more time, you could spend time shopping or eating at a restaurant.
If you have the time, I recommend exploring Ketchikan on your own using this Ketchikan Walking Tour to guide you. Can’t beat a free excursion! 🙂
Then the Royal Caribbean Fleet Guide will tell you!
I reference this image all the time when looking up cruises to see just what a ship has to offer or if I’m deciding between two ship options and I want to pick the best Royal Caribbean ship. I especially look when I have questions about a ship I’ve never need on.
I’m sharing it here with you so you can reference it too!
Then the Royal Caribbean Fleet Guide will tell you!
I reference this image all the time when looking up cruises to see just what a ship has to offer or if I’m deciding between two ship options and I want to pick the best Royal Caribbean ship. I especially look when I have questions about a ship I’ve never need on.
I’m sharing it here with you so you can reference it too!
This post will share our photos and experience on a whale watching tour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada during our Alaskan Cruise.
Victoria, BC was our final port stop on our 7-day Alaskan Cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. When searching for Victoria, BC shore excursions, we noticed many that were related to the Butchart Gardens or venturing through the city. While those sounded lovely, we knew our kids wouldn’t prefer them. Most other Alaskan ports have a whale-watching excursion of some kind, but since we had other types of excursion planned for each one, Victoria was our last chance for a whale-watching excursion.
We booked our excursion through the ship, as there was an option that was fairly priced. There was only one option, but I’m sure there were plenty more available through private companies.
We had done whale-watching in 2009 during our trip to Seattle. We took a sea plane from Seattle and then went on a small-ish boat in the San Juan Islands. It was amazing, especially for my photographer husband. We knew we wanted the kids to experience something similar.
But here’s the thing…we wish we would have cancelled this excursion. Why, you ask?
By this time in the trip (our last day) we had seen whales directly from the cruise ship several times. We would be lounging on the pool deck and see guests gathered on one side looking out windows, so we would venture over and whaddya know…whales in the wild.
Perhaps one of the most incredible unplanned times of our cruise was like after midnight sometime, while it was a little light out with that dim pink and blue sky (because it’s Alaska and the sun almost never fully sets during some times of the year) and we were on our balcony, it was super quiet and we saw a momma humpback whale and her baby playing, doing little breach jumps and swimming around each other. And here we were just sailing on by with no one else around. You can’t beat that.
We also saw many other types of wildlife from the ship (bring your binoculars! We used these.) so to leave a boat to get on another boat to go out in search of them and pay hundreds of dollars to do something you’ve already done throughout the week just seemed silly at this point.
We also arrived at Victoria late in the afternoon…we were in port 5-10pm, so going on the excursion meant we would miss our last Suite Lounge Happy Hour and normal dinner hours.
But we chose to go because otherwise we wouldn’t get off the ship and we wanted to bring the kids to Canada 🙂
After getting off the ship, we went through customs and then found the meeting location of the tour.
There were a lot of us. We waited for everyone to check in and then we took several busses to the pier where the whale-watching boat was. The boat was pretty large. It had two stories…both with an enclosed area. The bottom floor was fully enclosed with windows all around and seating against the windows.
The top floor also had windows all around with seating, but it also had an outside portion that full wrapped around the boat. So if you sat inside downstairs, you wouldn’t have anyone standing outside to block your view, but the outside area upstairs was completely full once we started seeing whales, so you weren’t able to see past people if you sat inside.
It took a good 30-45 minutes or more to venture out to where the whales are typically spotted. With any wildlife tour, there is no guarantee of what you will see. But the tour operators all communicate with each other when whales are spotted so they can all venture to the same spot and increase the chances of everyone having a successful tour.
First we saw a small pod of whales, I want to say humpback, but they were pretty far in the distance and we didn’t stay with them for long.
We then traveled some more and arrived at an orca pod. We stood outside and the boat followed them from multiple angles, allowing everyone a good view.
We followed this pod for the rest of the tour. So the excitement eventually wore off and the kids asked to go sit inside. There was a small snack stand there, so the kids bought chips and soda from Canada. Not sure how they’re different, probably healthier haha.
We then went downstairs to find a spot we could relax by the window and see outside, since we couldn’t see out much from inside upstairs with all the people standing outside.
We got bored 🙁 I know that sounds awful, but it was just too much of the same thing for too long. I would have preferred a shorter trip for less money. It probably also didn’t help that the kids were a little cranky from being bored and I wished I had brought electronics of some sort. I was trying to be the good mom but didn’t realize just how much downtime there would be.
Do we recommend this shore excursion?
We would recommend A whale excursion depending on your circumstances. If you are in an area as part of a land vacation, sure, and maybe even look at other Alaskan cities as options, as Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, etc. all also offer whale-watching tours. As part of a cruise where you may have already seen whales from the ship? Perhaps not. However, if we hadn’t already seen whales from the ship during the week, this was a guarantee that we would see them during the trip. So perhaps be flexible and book somewhere that allows cancellations/refunds.
I would have also preferred a smaller boat with less people that could travel a little faster and maybe not take so long.
If you are into nature photography, then this will definitely get you closer to the whales for better photos.
Last but not least, there is a cute shop right on the cruise pier where you can get Canada souvenirs before returning to the ship, but that was pretty much the only shop right there. Any more than that will require you to venture towards the city more.
Looking for more Alaska Shore Excursion reviews? Check out these posts!
Well, not really…but we did as close to skydiving as I will EVER get…we experienced RipCord by iFly while on Ovation of the Seas! Actual skydiving scares the bejeezus out of me and I have never been interested in partaking in the activity that has you falling to the ground at insane speeds to rely on fabric coming out of a backpack to save you. But a simulator on the ground (or ship) where you are only a few feet up in a controlled environment with an instructor holding onto you almost the entire time…I can do THAT!
This post will share our review, photos and experience with RipCord by iFly on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. I will also share general details about RipCord by iFly on all Royal Caribbean ships.
About RipCord by iFly
RipCord by iFly is indoor skydiving available on some Royal Caribbean ships. It provides the simulation of true free-fall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel, without the whole jumping out of a plane thing.
Which Royal Caribbean Ships have RipCord by iFly?
RipCord by iFly is on all Quantum and Quantum Ultra-Class Ships
Quantum Class
Quantum of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas
Quantum Ultra-Class
Spectrum of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas
RipCord by iFly Price & Experience Options
Similar to the North Star, Royal Caribbean offers options when it comes to your iFly experience.
Free: There is a free option that you can book once per cruise. With this option, you get one 60-second turn.
Extended Flight Experience (Paid): With this option, you get two 60-second turns. This was the option we chose.
How to Book RipCord by iFly
Both options can be booked via the Cruise Planner. The free options are released nightly during your cruise, and I’m sure they fill up fast, as ours did.
Ripcord by iFly Restrictions
Must be 3 years old, weigh less than 230 lbs. if shorter than 6’ or less than 250 lbs. if 6’ and taller. All loose articles, including jewelry, wallets, phones, loose change and any other materials that might fall or come loose must be removed prior to the experience.
You must wear sneakers, socks, comfortable pants/shorts, and a shirt that covers your mid-section.
Our RipCord by iFly Experience in Alaska
Just like the North Star experience, RipCord by iFly was a must for us on Ovation of the Seas because it is on ships that aren’t typically sailing from Florida, so we didn’t know when we would get the opportunity to experience it again. My husband and daughter chose not to do it, but that meant we had our own photographer and videographer.
Shortly before our scheduled time, we arrived at the iFly check in location. We were brought to a small room to watch a brief video that discussed safety, basic mechanics of how to position your body to perform certain actions, and the most important part…the iFly hand signals! When you’re in a wind tunnel, there is no talking because you can’t hear anyone! Once inside the tunnel, the instructor uses hand signals to tell you to bend or straighten your legs, put your chin up, or relax….he will also show the hand spread out…all as a reminder to do those things to improve how you’re “flying.” The hand signals are important, so after the video, the instructor gives a quick test to confirm you remember what they meant.
After the video, we were given our flight suits, helmets and goggles. If you’re trying to look cute and demure, this ain’t the place…those helmets and goggles are tight so they won’t budge with all that wind flying at you. Plus, once you are in that tunnel, good luck looking cute with your cheeks flapping around 😀
We got in a line and walked up to the tunnel and sat at the bench while we took turns. The first person got their 1st 60-second turn, then the 2nd person, all down the line, then it starts over for each person’s second turn. There were 6 of us, so it never felt long to wait and it was also pretty fun watching the others take their turns.
I liked having 2 separate turns because the instructor will give you quick tips to improve for your next turn.
When it’s your turn, you stand at the entrance opening and lean forward and then the wind does its job. The instructor holds onto your suit as needed to guide you, but will let go if you’re doing well. There is a second instructor outside the tunnel controlling how much wind is pumped out…smaller kids need less, bigger adults need more.
We both did amazing! My son was a natural, but this mommy sure hopes he never wants to skydive for real. We had a few hand signals thrown at us, mostly me to relax, but I always need to relax so that’s nothing new.
Gosh, I hope I don’t regret sharing this next photo on the internet…I’m doing it for you!
After us newbs all went, the instructor showed us how it’s really done. They amp up the wind and do some tricks, fully utilizing the entire height of the tunnel…so cool!
After, we walked back, removed our suit/helmet/goggles and that was it.
There was a photographer taking photos available to purchase after. They have a computer that shows you all the photos that were taken and you can select which one(s) you want with a couple packages to choose from. We did not have any type of overall cruise photo package, but we were able to purchase these separately.
Is Ripcord by iFly right for you?
This experience is quite active and loud, so if those things are not your bag, then you may want to be entertained by watching. I don’t think being scared of heights should affect your decision, as you don’t go high at all. In fact, your horizontal body doesn’t go higher than the instructor’s head or else he would not be able to control you. This photo shows your height compared to the instructor that is standing…sometimes you go a little higher than this, but never outside of their reach.
Overall, we enjoyed it and are glad we got to experience it. I’m not sure I would go out of my way to do it locally, but since it was available on my cruise, why not?!
This post will share our review, photos and experience on the North Star on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. I will also share general details about North Star on all Royal Caribbean ships.
About the North Star
The North Star was introduced by Royal Caribbean in 2014 with the first Quantum Class ship, Quantum of the Seas. It is a clear glass observation capsule that can hold up to 14 guests (plus the operator). The capsule (or “pod”) is attached to an extendable, mechanical arm that slowly elevates guests 300 feet above sea level, directly above and over both sides the ship, providing an incredible 360-degree view. Per Royal Caribbean, it is the winner of the Guinness World Record for tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship! Additionally, Royal Caribbean’s Voom WiFi works inside the North Star pod…not sure why you would need it, but I’m sharing anyway.
Which Royal Caribbean Ships have the North Star?
The North Star is on all Quantum and Quantum Ultra-Class Ships
Quantum Class
Quantum of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas
Quantum Ultra-Class
Spectrum of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas
North Star Price & Experience Options
Royal Caribbean offers several experiences to choose from, each varying in length of time and price:
Basic Experience (Complimentary)
The North Star Basic Experience is complimentary and included in the cost of the cruise. This ride is 15 minutes long and typically only available in ports. According to reviews, the pod just goes up and down, not over the sides of the ship. We did not partake in this experience.
Extended Experience ($19 per person)
The North Star Extended Experience is slightly longer at 16 minutes. During this experience, you go straight up, then over both sides of the ship. This was the experience we chose.
Premium Experience ($69 per person)
The North Star Premium Experience is a 20-minute ride. The biggest reason for the increased cost is that it is during high demand times, such as sailing through the glaciers in Alaska. We did not partake in this experience, but saw the people that did. There were several time slots for the North Star while at the Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm and I’m sure they’re view was spectacular! But our balcony was plenty amazing and included in the cost of our room HAHA
As with anything you read that is not from the official site, these details can change and it is always best to check your Cruise Planner for the most accurate, current info for your sailing. The details I provide are based on our sailing on Ovation of the Seas in Alaska with additional details per my research/knowledge.
North Star Restrictions
Guests must be at least 42 inches tall or 48 to ride alone and weigh a maximum of 300 lbs.
The North Star is wheelchair accessible, with an elevator to the entrance and a ramp into the pod. One wheelchair per time slot is allowed.
How to Book the North Star
Prior to the cruise, the Premium Experience was available to book in the Cruise Planner. The basic and extended experiences were not available in the app until we were actually on the ship, but not for the entire week all at once. Each day, available slots would open for the next day or two. Just use the app to select your experience, date/time, enter the number of people, and reserve…for paid experiences, you will check out and the cost will be added to your bill.
The basic (FREE) time slots fill up fast! We had an excursion for each port day, so we were pretty much left with the Extended experience as our only option except for a few slots here and there at the beginning or end of our port day.
Our North Star Experience in Alaska
We finally decided to reserve the Extended Experience on our last day, but it was in the morning on our way to arrive at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in the afternoon. So while we did not get the glacier view, there was a lot to see at that point. I also wasn’t aware that the free experience doesn’t go over the sides of the ship. If that was true at the time of our sailing, I would have been disappointed.
About 10-15 minutes before our scheduled time, we checked in at the North Star desk. We were each weighed – which is not a fun thing when it’s the last day of your cruise!
When everyone was checked in and the last group finished, we ventured up the stairs and walked into the North Star capsule. The Operator gave a brief intro and then we began our trip upward!
It was so cool getting to see the ship from that angle! It was similar to flying low over the ship in a helicopter, but without feeling nauseous.
The pod was extremely sturdy; it didn’t rock back-and-forth even with all of us moving around. There were a few other people in there with us, not the max of 14, but we didn’t feel crowded. We were all also good at slowly moving around the pod to give everyone a full view from all angles…it was like an unspoken rule we were all willingly following.
When we first woke up that day, you couldn’t see anything! It was so foggy and they even were blowing the horn every 2 minutes as an alert for nearby marine craft. We were so nervous this was going to be our view…
Thankfully, it cleared up and we had the most incredible view.
We could see our room!
As you can see, I got a lot of photos of the ship and its wake. You wouldn’t have that wake picture if you did the experience while in port since the ship wouldn’t be moving. I did get a few out into the ocean…kinda 😉
Definitely bring your sunglasses if it’s sunny!
We feel like we chose the right experience for us and our family of 4. We had a moderate amount of time, over the ocean but near land, and got the full up and side-to-side tour.
Is the North Star right for you?
If you are scared of heights, then this is not the experience for you. Otherwise, this is a chill way to experience this kind of height and view over a cruise ship. If you are willing to pay a little, this is a great way to be entertained during a sea day. Or take advantage of the free times if you don’t plan on getting off the ship for the entire length of your port day.
As I mentioned earlier, weather could affect your experience or even cause it to be cancelled. Some days are gorgeous where you can see for miles…
…and other days may be a little more dreary. This, of course, isn’t Royal’s fault, and you should enjoy the experience the best you can…or hey, even book another time to do it again!
Ovation of the Seas was an incredible ship, and the North Star is one of its main attractions that we did not want to miss, especially since none of the recent ships closer to home in the Caribbean have it. We definitely recommend it for all ages.
And if you need a reminder, just look up or to the side at any point while onboard, it was always there!
