The 7 top waterslides and splash zones on cruise ships

Welcome to the Waterslide Championship.

In recent years, the major players in the cruise industry — Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line — have been fiercely competing to outshine each other with their waterslides and aquatic fun zones on board.

Alongside extravagant new attractions like go-kart tracks and roller coasters, the companies behind the largest floating resorts have been filling the upper decks of their ships with even more spectacular water features.

For example, Royal Caribbean recently outfitted its latest ship, Icon of the Seas, with a record-breaking six waterslides as part of a sprawling waterpark area known as Category 6. These are just a few of the many new waterslides the line has integrated into its fleet over the years.

As recently as early 2016, Royal Caribbean had no waterslides on any of its ships.

In the past eight years, MSC Cruises has made a splash with massive water parks, featuring as many as four waterslides on over half a dozen of its latest ships. Norwegian has also outfitted its newest vessels with expansive water parks, some boasting up to five waterslides.

Not to be outdone, Carnival, a pioneer in introducing waterslides on ships, has expanded its water park areas with multiple waterslides on nearly every ship in its fleet.

A brief overview of aquatic attractions at sea

Initially, there was the swimming pool. This has long been a fundamental element of cruise ship experiences, present on nearly every cruise liner since the 1970s.

However, as early as 1978, at least one cruise line began enhancing its lido decks with a touch of waterslide excitement — and the term touch is key. That year, Carnival installed a single slide into the pool on its 728-passenger Festivale — a slide so petite that it’s amusing to consider it an attraction today.

Often regarded as the first waterslide ever featured on a cruise ship, the Festivale slide resembled those found in residential backyards at the time. The cruise industry was still quite young, and ships were significantly smaller than they are now. Festivale weighed in at just 32,697 tons, roughly one-eighth the size of today’s largest cruise ships.

Carnival, famously known as the Fun Ship line, became a pioneer in waterslides at sea. The Carnival Fantasy, which launched in 1990 with a capacity of 2,056 passengers, was the first cruise ship to feature a notable waterslide, measuring 115 feet long.

Just six years later, in 1996, Carnival made headlines with the introduction of a 214-foot-long corkscrew waterslide on what was then named Destiny. (The ship now operates as the Carnival Sunshine after renovations in 2013.) At that time, Destiny held the title of the world’s largest cruise ship.

In recent years, Carnival has ramped up its waterslide installations significantly. The line has integrated full-scale water park areas complete with waterslides, splash zones, and other attractions on nearly all of its 27 vessels. Only one of Carnival's ships, the Carnival Luminosa, lacks at least one waterslide.

One of Carnival’s water parks, located on the 6-year-old Carnival Horizon, features whimsical Disney-style theming centered around Dr. Seuss characters.

Norwegian, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean have only recently embraced large waterslides on their ships, with many of their latest vessels featuring expansive water park areas. Some brands are even retrofitting older ships with substantial waterslides.

Moreover, the family-oriented Disney Cruise Line now boasts significant water attractions on all its ships.

Which cruise ships feature the largest waterslides?

If your ideal cruise ship is packed with waterslides and water play zones, along with a variety of other extravagant attractions, focus on the largest floating megaresorts operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC Cruises, and Carnival.

At Royal Caribbean, look for the massive Icon Class and Oasis Class ships, which represent the six largest cruise vessels in the world. Norwegian showcases its largest waterslides and water parks on its newer Breakaway Plus, Breakaway, and Epic Class ships. Meanwhile, MSC Cruises' new Seaside, Meraviglia, Meraviglia Plus, and World Class ships feature impressive water parks.

Major cruise lines that have avoided the trend of water parks at sea include Princess Cruises, Holland America, and Celebrity Cruises. Targeted more towards couples than families, and generally attracting an older clientele, these lines maintain a more tranquil atmosphere on their ships' outdoor spaces. The upper decks of Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity vessels primarily feature traditional amenities like pools, hot tubs, and lounge areas.

Looking for an exciting splash on the top deck? Here are the most impressive aquatic attractions available at sea.

Category 6

Location: Icon of the Seas

When it comes to aquatic parks at sea, nothing rivals Category 6 on Icon of the Seas. Launched in January with the ship's debut, it features an astonishing six waterslides that span five decks.

These aren't just ordinary waterslides; each of the six either sets a record for its category or introduces a completely new concept never seen before on a ship.

The standout slide, named Frightening Bolt, holds the title for the tallest drop slide at sea. Another slide, Pressure Drop, is the first open free-fall slide available on a cruise ship.

The Category 6 water park also includes Storm-Chasers, which are dual waterslides recognized as the longest mat racing slides at sea; Hurricane Hunters, the first family raft slide at sea; and Storm Surge, the inaugural suspended family raft slide at sea.

The Perfect Storm

Location: Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas

This isn't merely a single large waterslide; it's an entire complex filled with some of the most thrilling slides you'll encounter across the world's oceans.

The Perfect Storm can be found on four of Royal Caribbean's grand Oasis Class ships — Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas — along with several of the line's smaller vessels. On many of these ships, the complex features two racer slides, Cyclone and Typhoon, standing four decks high, allowing you to race alongside your travel companion.

On the four Oasis Class ships, there's an additional Champagne bowl-style slide known as Supercell. This slide will spin you around in a large basin before sending you "down the drain" into a plunge pool. On Liberty of the Seas, another slide called The Tidal Wave propels you down a steep hill on an inner tube, culminating in a nearly vertical rise that offers a brief experience of weightlessness before you drop back down.

It's important to note that Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas features its own waterslide area called Perfect Storm — but it is quite different. More on that shortly.

The Blaster

Location: Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas

The Blaster is the ultimate waterslide at sea, stretching an impressive 800 feet, making it the longest ever constructed on a cruise ship. Introduced to Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in 2019, this seemingly never-ending yellow and orange tubing twists around the ship's back deck like a serpent.

A true marvel, The Blaster's length is due to its design as a water coaster. It incorporates water jets that propel riders up, down, and forward, prolonging the experience as you zip past the ship's basketball court and surfing simulator in an inner tube. At certain points, you even soar over the edge of the ship, gliding over open water, though there’s little time to enjoy the view.

Royal Caribbean has designated the section on Navigator of the Seas where The Blaster resides as the Perfect Storm — the same name given to waterslide areas on six other ships — but this area is entirely unique. Alongside The Blaster, the Perfect Storm zone on Navigator of the Seas features a headfirst mat racer slide named Riptide, which is the first of its kind at sea.

AquaDuck

Location: Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream

Only Disney Cruise Line could design the most exciting family water attraction at sea. AquaDuck is a water coaster, similar to The Blaster found on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, and is featured on Disney's two Dream Class ships. However, don’t anticipate anything too extreme; this ride is relatively mild by water park standards, catering to children of all ages and allowing parents to join in on tandem inner tubes.

Although AquaDuck is slightly shorter than The Blaster at 765 feet, it makes a significant impression due to its ideal location encircling the main pool area. From above, you can't help but notice the impressive clear acrylic tubing, supported by 46 enormous white stilts.

Alongside AquaDuck, the two Disney ships featuring this attraction (Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream) also offer a charming, smaller waterslide designed for kids, located next to the centrally situated Mickey's Pool. Known as Mickey's Slide, it’s whimsically propped up by a giant Mickey hand. Both vessels also have a playful zone for toddlers named Nemo's Reef, and Disney Fantasy boasts a water play area filled with jets, geysers, and bubblers called AquaLab.

It’s also noteworthy that Disney's latest ship — Disney Wish — features a similar water coaster called AquaMouse. The primary distinction is that riders can enjoy animated shorts while ascending the ramp at the beginning of the ride.

WaterWorks

Where you can find it: Almost all Carnival ships

When it comes to waterslides on cruise ships, Carnival is the unrivaled leader. The Fun Ship line introduced waterslides as early as 1978, and today, you can find at least one waterslide on nearly every ship in their fleet — a feat unmatched by any other cruise line.

In fact, nearly all Carnival vessels now boast not just a single waterslide but an entire water park area. Named WaterWorks, these sections differ in size and features across ships, typically including one or two large waterslides, an interactive watery play zone, and a sizable dump bucket that regularly drenches everyone nearby.

The largest water park complexes from Carnival are usually found on their newest ships, including Mardi Gras, Celebration, Carnival Jubilee, and Carnival Venezia. Each of these four ships features three waterslides — one more than most Carnival vessels.

Aqua Park (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Where you can find it: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss, and Norwegian Encore

Norwegian Cruise Line made a splash with waterslides starting in 2010 with the introduction of Norwegian Epic. This ship features three impressive waterslides, including the exhilarating Epic Plunge — a 200-foot-long tube ride that culminates in a swirling bowl. Epic Plunge is part of Norwegian Epic's Aqua Park, the first water park on a Norwegian ship. Since then, Norwegian has introduced Aqua Parks to six more new ships, including its largest, the 5-year-old Norwegian Encore.

Norwegian's Aqua Parks differ in size and attractions across their ships, but some, like the one on Norwegian Breakaway, boast as many as five distinct multistory waterslides. That's right: five waterslides on just one cruise ship!

On Norwegian Breakaway, the selection features twin free-fall slides that send riders nearly straight down several decks, two twisting racer slides side by side, and a family-friendly slide with a gentler drop. For variety, this complex is hard to surpass.

Aqua Park (MSC Cruises)

Where you can find it: MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Euribia, MSC World Europa

Rapidly expanding MSC Cruises has jumped into the waterslide competition in recent years— and in a big way. Each of the 10 ships launched since 2017 features a fully equipped water park on the top deck, brimming with waterslides and other aquatic attractions.

On MSC Seaside, which is based in North America, the Aqua Park boasts four waterslides and a kids' play area with engaging water features. The slide lineup includes two enormous, 525-foot-long dueling slides that extend over the ship's edge. The Aqua Park's summit also serves as the launch point for a zip line that glides 344 feet across the vessel's top.

Other MSC Cruises water parks at sea feature the winter-themed Polar Aqua Park on MSC Meraviglia, which includes a sky-high ropes course alongside four waterslides. Additionally, there’s the Aquaplay zone designed specifically for younger children.

Two MSC Cruises vessels — MSC Seashore and MSC World Europa — even offer virtual reality waterslides, allowing riders to don VR headsets as part of the thrilling experience.

Overall, 14 out of MSC Cruises' 22 ships now include at least one waterslide on their upper decks.