Best Cruise Ship Amenities

Who doesn’t love all the great amenities that come along with cruising?  With the rising popularity of cruise ships, many cruise lines are stepping up their game when it comes to offering unique, over-the-top amenities onboard their cruises.  From Formula 1 racing simulators to Snow Grottos, here are some of the best cruise ship amenities out there. Viking Orion – Planetarium at Sea The Viking Orion is where you will find one of the only planetariums at sea.  Sit back, look up at the Explorers’ Dome, and watch awe-inspiring films such as “Life Under the Arctic Sky” and “Journey to Space” — part of the Explorations in Space collection with out-of-this-world images curated by NASA.  Viking also has a Resident Astronomer who gives lectures and leads stargazing sessions for guests of all ages to enjoy. MSC Divina – Formula 1 Simulator If you have a need for speed while on your cruise, MSC Divina has the best cruise ship amenity for you: a Formula 1 racing simulator.  Guests climb into a Formula 1 Ferrari replica while the simulator gives you the thrill of real high-speed acceleration and handling around some of the world’s most difficult turns and curves projected on the screens. Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas – Robotic Bar & Laser Tag The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, is home to two of the best cruise ships amenities.  The Bionic Bar is a fully robotic bar where you order your drink on a tablet and watch in awe as two robot bartenders pour and mix your drink to perfection.  Or, battle for control of the galaxy in Battle for Planet Z, a glow-in-the-dark laser tag attraction with an intergalactic theme that is fun for the whole family. Last but not nearly least is the Symphony of the Seas “Ultimate Abyss Slide” towering to a colossal ten stories in height! Norwegian Bliss – Racetrack at Sea Norwegian Joy offered the world’s first racetrack at sea, now Bliss is where you will find the longest racetrack at sea.  Cruisers can race on this 1,000 foot-long, dual-level track in electric cars complete with turbo boosts and sound effects. Viking Star, Sea, and Sky Cruise Ships – Snow Grotto Viking Ocean Cruises’ Star, Sea, and Sky cruise ships offer one of the most unique cruise ship amenities: a Snow Grotto at sea.  Located next to the ship’s thermal suite, the Snow Grotto is a small enclosed room with below-freezing temperatures and real snowflakes falling from the ceiling. Norwegian Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Class Ships – Sports Complex at Sea Norwegian Cruise Line offers an action-packed Sports Complex on its Breakaway and Breakaway Plus ships.  The multi-level complex offers amenities including basketball courts, mini golf and trampolines, to a ropes course and rock-climbing wall.  Norwegian’s Breakaway Class ships also feature a zipline course over the Sports Complex. Holland America Nieuw Statendam – Learn to Blend Your Own Wine Sorry, kids — this cruise ship amenity is only for the adults!  BLEND by Chateau Ste. Michelle, on Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam is the only dedicated wine-blending venue at sea. Led by the ship’s resident wine expert, BLEND offers guests the chance to learn how to blend their own wine from a selection of five barrels of single-vineyard red wine.  You can choose to enjoy your creation at one of the onboard dining venues or in your own stateroom. Ponant Cruises Le Laperouse – Blue Eye Lounge French Cruise Line, Ponant Cruises has a new 192-passenger yacht, “Le Laperouse”, which was christened in Reykjavik, Iceland last July. What makes the yacht so alluring (aside from its beauty, of course) is its lounge called Blue Eye. What distinguishes this lounge from all the others located on the high seas is its two eye-shaped port holes located just over eight (8) feet below the waterline. During the day, there is natural light that enters the lounge through the two portholes, but at night, all you see is illuminated underwater life. In addition to supplying underwater visuals, Blue Eye by way of its technology provides underwater sounds captured from up to a three (3) mile radius that is transferred into the lounge via their state of the art speaker system. Although, the yacht can be booked directly, our Tauck guests will be happy to hear that Tauck and Ponant have been partners since 1995! IMAX @ Sea with Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Horizon & Vista We’ve seen the the large screens located on the Lido deck of many a ships belonging to cruise lines like Princess, Royal Caribbean, NCL & Carnival; however, Carnival has upped the ante in partnering with IMAX! Carnival’s IMAX theater at sea takes up roughly three (3) decks and is able to accommodate up to 187 guests. There is; however, an charge as the experience is not included in the price of the cruise… There’s a different charge for first-run movies and documentaries. Movies cost $12.95 per adult and $9.95 per child. Documentaries on the other hand are $5.50 per person.

What to Do on Cruise Sea Days

For maximum enjoyment of a ship’s amenities, choosing the right cabin location is everything. See our full guide to How to Choose a Cabin on a Cruise to pick the stateroom that puts you closest to the features that matter most to you.