Carnival certainly appears to be the leader when it comes to bringing more excitement and wow factor to the high seas! The latest news from the home of the mega ships is that in 2020 the Mardi Gras will debut and with it Carnival will roll out BOLT, the first ever roller coaster at sea. The Mardi Gras will be based out of Port Canaveral, and the itinerary information is charted to be released to the public in January of 2019.
The Big Story
BOLT is an electric roller coaster that will offer almost 800 feet of twists and turns along a track that is constructed 187 feet above sea level. The ride will accommodate two passengers in a motorcycle-like vehicle, which will afford 360-degree views from high above the magnificent Mardi Gras. The ride begins with a racecar-like launch and can achieve speeds of near 40 miles per hours during the adventure. A big part of the fun of this coaster is that the actual riders will control the ride’s speed with a gas pedal-like lever. Hairpin turns, elevation changes and long straightaways will give this ride the feel or an actual racecourse high above the ocean. Riders can check their top speed and purchase an action photo that was taken during the run.
More to Mardi Gras
There is no disputing the fact that BOLT is the main attraction on the Mardi Gras, but that is far from its only amazing feature. This ship is being called, “the ultimate playground of the sea for fun seekers of all ages.” Specific details of the ship’s other features have not yet been made public, but with a promise like that, Carnival needs to be sure that Mardi Gras can live up to that kind of expectation. And the president of Carnival promises that this will be an exceptional ship as it is being named after the historic first ship ever launched by Carnival.
The XL-Class
The Mardi Gras will be the first of Carnival’s new XL-class ship, and a second ship will begin construction in 2020 with a scheduled delivery in 2022. The second ship will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Carnival Cruise Line. The XL-class is roughly 180,000 tons and will stretch to over 1,100 feet in length. And one of the most anticipated features of this behemoth is that it will be powered by liquefied natural gas. With revenue of over $16 billion in 2016, Carnival clearly understands what it takes to remain on top of the cruise ship industry and is committed to continuing to lead the way.
