Many people who contemplate taking a cruise know about the fun things to do on cruises like shopping, gambling, and, of course, eating. But, they’re not always privy to the fact that some cruises offer whimsical rides on grand carousels.
Carousels at sea? Yes, carousels that have horses, tigers, and other animal figures that you can ride on while you’re sailing the open ocean.
Here’s how you can take a whirl on a Royal Caribbean carousel while cruising to the Caribbean.
Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas
Riding a carousel at sea is an exciting activity that passengers sailing Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas ships can experience. Royal Caribbean has made a name for itself by offering amazing opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime moments on some of the most gorgeous waters on earth. But, the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas carousels are causing many in the cruise industry to take pause.
When these two ships were built, they received a feature that would surely “wow” guests. They got a simple, but elegant, carousel that would no doubt prove magical to kids and adults cruising on these vessels.
The Boardwalk
You’ll find the first-ever carousels at sea in Oasis of the Seas’ and Allure of the Seas’ Boardwalk neighborhood. These two carousels are handcrafted and designed especially for these ships, and Royal Caribbean, by Carousel Works. They are full sized, traditional, and truly one-of-a-kind.
The Boardwalk neighborhood on Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas finds its inspiration from the nostalgic seaside boardwalks of the past. It pays homage to an era gone by, by offering turn-of-the century authentic carousel designs with modern technology. Every last detail of these carousels is a tribute to the those that came before. Even the original artwork in the scenery panels, on the carousel’s eight rounding boards, features images that highlight the easy life of historic beach boardwalks.
Oasis of the Seas’ and Allure of the Seas’ carousels offer a bit of a history lesson, but the real excitement in them is that they’re just plain fun to ride. Each carousel has 18 rideable figures suspended from stainless poles and one ADA-accessible chariot. Eleven carousel horses follow a standard carousel design, including an intricately designed Royal Caribbean lead horse.
Carousel designers placed figures of a giraffe, zebra, elephant, and jaguar on the two carousels. They even positioned a crowned frog prince on them!
Seeing pictures of the magnificent Royal Caribbean carousels is enough to make some travelers book their passage on an Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas cruise instead of opting for other cruise lines. What do you think? Would you choose a Royal Caribbean cruise on one of these two ships just for a chance to ride the carousel? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop us a comment below.
