Royal Caribbean has changed the expectations for family fun on a cruise ship. It wasn't that meany years ago where cruise ship activities meant pools, trivia contests, nighttime theater shows, and not that much else.
As its ships got bigger, Royal Caribbean (RCL) started raising the bar for all-ages fun. The cruise line has added water slides, FlowRider surf simulators, laser tag, ice skating, and even a skydiving simulator on some ships. You can literally play a full court game of basketball and ride bumper cars at the SportsPlex on its Quantum Class ships.
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Basically, Royal Caribbean took cruising -- something that was largely an activity for older people -- and made it super family-friendly. The cruise line has packed its ships with things to do making them sort of theme parks at sea. That's a model that rival Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) has followed along with (and even improved upon with the roller coasters on its two newest ships) and MSC has begun emulating as well.
Royal Caribbean has endlessly tried to outdo itself with new activities and ways to delight younger passengers and families. Not every idea, however, succeeds as well as others and the cruise line is throwing in the towel on one of its most visible, most unique onboard areas.
Royal Caribbean Drops a Signature Attraction
A handful of Royal Caribbean ships including Mariner of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Spectrum of the Seas offer the Sky Pad, a unique virtual reality/trampoline experience. The cruise line described the attraction -- a giant yellow sphere that can't be missed on the ships' upper decks -- as follows:
Hop into the Sky Pad for an out-of-this-world bungee trampoline experience. Strap in, put on your virtual reality headset and get transported to another time, place, or planet. Whether you’re smashing candies in a sugar-coated world or traveling light years into the future, your virtual adventure will launch you high into the stratosphere and let your imagination soar.
It was a novel idea that was free for passengers, by SkyPad also suffered from relatively low capacities. Now, the cruise line has made a surprising decision to eliminate the signature attraction.
The cruise line sent out the following notice to travel agents:
"On March 31, 2023, the Sky Pad across our fleet will be transforming! Starting in April, the Sky Pad will retire the Virtual Reality bungee experience and become a new versatile venue for exciting onboard activities."
What's Next for Royal Caribbean's Sky Pad Space?
Royal Caribbean didn't offer many details about what's next for the highly-visible Sky Pad space other than saying that "all of the activities hosted in the Sky Pad venue will continue to be complimentary and included in your client's cruise fare."
That makes it sound like the signature yellow sphere structure won't be going away. Instead, it seems like the "venue" will be repurposed, perhaps for an activity that can accommodate more passengers.
Royal Caribbean did temporarily suspend use of the Sky Pad back in 2019 when a lawsuit was filed over an alleged injury.
"In a lawsuit filed March 12 in federal court in Miami, a Sarasota man said he was injured when the harness used to fasten him to the bungee apparatus disconnected. Casey Holladay said he suffered injuries in a 20-foot fall. He is asking for $75,000," Travel Weekly reported.
After a safety review, the cruise line returned the Sky Pad to its regular operations across the fleet.
