Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster has been voted the Best Cruise Ship Feature in Cruise Hive’s 2022 Cruise Ship Awards. The thrill ride garnered more votes than adventure activities on ships operated by competing cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
BOLT Is Voted Best Cruise Ship Feature of 2022
For the second year in a row, the BOLT roller coaster currently featured on two Carnival Cruise Line ships, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, received the top votes in Cruise Hive’s Annual Cruise Ship Awards. The ride won the same award in 2021.
The thrill ride that lets guests soar 187 feet above the sea and reaches speeds of 40 MPH netted 41.16% of votes, coming in ahead of second-place winner Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Karts.
Readers were able to type in their own feature if their favorite was not listed, to make sure the entire industry was covered. Voting opened in September 2022, with readers only being allowed to cast a single vote in each of the eight categories.
Guests pay $15 per person to ride BOLT, which can accommodate up to two riders. The rider at the front controls the speed to customize the ride experience along the 800-foot track. The roller coaster is electric-powered and is located on the ship’s open deck at the Ultimate Playground zone.
Read Also: What’s It Like to Ride the First Roller Coaster at Sea?
BOLT was introduced on the Mardi Gras when she debuted in July 2021; the ship won Best New Cruise Ship in the 2021 Cruise Hive Annual Cruise Ship Awards. The ride also is featured on Carnival Celebration, which entered service in November 2022.
Royal, NCL Thrill Rides Take 2nd, 3rd Place
Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss came in second place in the best feature category of the 2022 Cruise Hive Cruise Ship Awards. It’s a twisting, turning 10-story slide that goes from deck 16 aft near the FlowRider all the way down to the Boardwalk neighborhood on four ships.
Wonder of the Seas, which debuted in 2022, Symphony of the Seas (2018), Harmony of the Seas (2016), and Oasis of the Seas, which was launched in 2008 and later retrofitted with the abyss thrill ride. The Ultimate Abyss is free to guests.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Karts earned third place in the best feature category. The electric-powered race cars travel up to 30 MPH around a multi-level track on the ships’ top decks. The ride is offered on Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore. Guests pay $15 for 10 laps around the track.
