Waterparks on Cruise Ships Getting Bigger and Better

by M.T. Schwartzman
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Sat January 20, 2024

When the temperature rises, what better way to cool down than at a top-deck waterpark? Hardly a big cruise ship is built these days that doesn’t have some kind of multigenerational water attraction, and with every new vessel, the onboard waterparks keep getting bigger.

These shipboard play zones are sure to leave every member of the family feeling exhilarated, with water features designed to please kids of all ages. All feature multiple waterslides stretching hundreds of feet long or towering several decks high, whose plunges and curves are limited only by the ship designer’s imagination. At least one incorporates virtual reality elements for the ultimate marriage of high-tech and high adventure.

Many waterpark rides accommodate just one person at a time, but others encourage group togetherness. Their intensity varies from tubes built for side-by-side racing to more muted attractions for a younger age group. Visually, they are brightly colored in pink, green, blue, orange, yellow and purple hues, which adds to the festive atmosphere. And the names of these slides are really imaginative, too.

So grab your swimsuit and get ready to enjoy these exciting shipboard waterparks, which represent the latest and largest afloat (age and height restrictions may apply):

Royal Caribbean Category 6

Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, now the largest cruise ship in the world, also boasts the largest waterpark at sea. Called Category 6, this oversized water world takes its name from six record-breaking slides “that are anything but tame,” according to the line, and set a new standard for shipboard waterparks.

Of course, these include a number of industry firsts: The 66-degree-inclined Pressure Drop is billed as the first free-fall slide at sea; the 46-foot-tall Frightening Bolt is the tallest drop slide at sea; Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter are the first family raft slides at sea accommodating four riders per raft; and Storm Chasers is cruising’s first mat-racing duo.

Carnival WaterWorks

Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and biggest ship, the Carnival Jubilee, has “the largest Carnival WaterWorks ever,” according to the line. It’s part of The Ultimate Playground sports and recreation complex high atop the vessel, which also includes the BOLT roller coaster and SportSquare activity area.

Among its thrills are three huge spiraling slides: Blue Lightening, Orange Thunder and the Twister, the latter described by the line as “one of the fastest, wettest rides you’ll find anywhere.” Also on tap are twin racing slides, the swirling DrainPipe and the giant dumping-bucket-driven PowerDrencher—all equally designed to get you seriously soaked.

MSC Aurora Borealis Aquapark

MSC Cruises’ Aurora Borealis Aquapark on Deck 20 aboard the huge new World Europa is “our biggest waterpark yet,” the line says. Named by MSC’s followers on Instagram, among its features are four towering waterslides that include two-in-one racing tubes.

But what sets this waterpark apart is its use of virtual reality: To enhance the sensation, riders wear VR headsets for a completely immersive, adrenaline-pumping experience. The idea is to keep everybody happy, from techies to teens to toddlers, who get their own dedicated splash pool.

Norwegian Joy's Aqua Park, Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Kids’ Aqua Park

Norwegian Cruise Line’s two newest ships, the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, feature a Kids’ Aqua Park with “some serious water play” for the younger set with multiple cascading water features. The two ships offer NCL's first tidal-wave waterslide for grown-ups, aptly known as The Wave.

Adults can look forward to something even greater on the forthcoming Norwegian Aqua, making its debut in April 2025 as the first ship in the new Prima-Plus series. A unique feature onboard, called the Aqua Slidecoaster, is billed as “the world’s first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide” and promises three stories of exciting twists and turns around the ship's funnel.

Disney Toy Story Splash Zone

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish, the line’s biggest ship to date, features several new family-friendly water-based attractions, all concentrated on Deck 12. These include the Toy Story Splash Zone, a water-play district explicitly designed for the line’s youngest guests. Characters from the “Toy Story” movie have been reimagined as larger-than-life bath toys in a tub replete with pop jets, geysers and water sprays.

Elsewhere on the Disney Wish are two age-specific waterslides: For teens and adults, there's the AquaMouse water coaster—a high-speed, hybrid waterslide/roller coaster featuring none other than Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Nearby is the awesomely named Slide-a-Saurus Rex, a smaller, kid-friendly waterslide.

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