Royal Caribbean International has finally revealed the design of the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide on a cruise ship, which will span 10 decks.
When, in only five months, Royal Caribbean’s next new ship, Harmony of the Seas, debuts, it will be the world’s largest cruise ship featuring the tallest slide at sea ever.
The dry slide, dubbed Ultimate Abyss, is more than 150 feet above sea level and offers 216-foot long thrill ride that consists of a pair of side-by-side separate cylinders, each with a diameter of 2.6 feet and constructed of stainless steel. Before entering the slide, riders will walk on what is said to be a “very high, very see-through” glass platform and can take one last look at the Boardwalk 10 decks below. Then they climb onto a customized mat and are sent into a 100-foot drop that twists and turns at approximately nine miles per hour, running from the top of the Pool and Sports Zone on Deck 16 down to the Boardwalk near the AquaTheater on Deck 6 below. Audio effects within each tunnel will create a multi-sensory experience.
Besides Ultimate Abyss, Harmony of the Seas will be the first to feature Splashaway Bay an interactive aqua park for kids and toddlers with sea creature water cannons, winding slides, a multi-platform jungle-gym and a gigantic drench bucket. Aboard the Harmony of the Seas, thrill seekers can test the Perfect Storm- a trio of water slides: Supercell, Typhoon and Cyclone Supercell has a champagne bowl swirling guests around as they descend into their approach towards a big splash finale.
Harmony of the Seas is scheduled to debut in May 2016, following the launch of Anthem of the Seas in April 2014 and Ovation of the Seas in April 2016. Her inaugural summer season will offer Europe’s most popular cruise destinations on seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries calling on Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence, France; Florence, Rome and Naples, Italy.
In November 2016, Harmony will arrive to her homeport of Port Everglades in Fort. Lauderdale, Florida, offering seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings.