Royal Caribbean is known for its innovation in onboard activities, always striving to bring new and exciting experiences to cruising. From introducing mini-golf and ice skating to rock climbing, this cruise line has never shied away from pushing boundaries. One such fun activity that has become quite popular on their ships is bumper cars. But which Royal Caribbean ship has bumper cars?
Well, surprisingly, it’s not just one. In fact, there are five Royal Caribbean ships with bumper cars!
You’ll find bumper cars on Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, and Odyssey of the Seas.
The Classic Fairground Bumper Car
Ah, bumper cars – the nostalgic amusement park attraction that has filled our childhood with laughter and mild whiplash.
In my day we called these “The Dodgems“. These thrilling little vehicles are powered by electricity and are designed for riders to collide with one another, all in good fun.
Remember each car featured a tall pole that had a spring clip to keep it in contact with a wire mesh on the ceiling of the track?
As the cars jostled and bumped into each other the sparks would quite literally fly as the electrical conducting pole made contact with the wire mesh.
The experience was a wonderful combination of the senses – the excitement of the race – who was first to take out your friends, the noise of the screams and laughs, the sight of the electrical sparks, and the smell of burning rubber and electrical charged ozone.
Wonderful times!
Now, imagine enjoying this delightful activity on a massive cruise ship, surrounded by the vast ocean.
Well sadly health and safety and modern technology have taken over, so some of that nostalgic experience has gone.
Fortunately, however, Royal Caribbean has moved the humble bumper car on a bit and now we have super slick bumper cars with full on-board electrics. That means there are no poles for some dodgy-looking bloke to use to hang off the back of your daughter’s car LOL. Add to that a huge track space to drive in with new flashing LED’s loud music and lots of fun.
The bumper car experience is all part of the Seaplex sports and entertainment complex that can be found on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum and Quantum Ultra class vessels.
Which Royal Caribbean Ship Has Bumper Cars? Here’s the Definitive List of Cruise Ships
Bumper cars can be found in the Seaplex sports and entertainment complex which is available on the Quantum and Quantum Ultra Class ships.
Quantum of the Seas
Quantum of the Seas, the first of the new Quantum class, was launched in November 2014 and has a passenger capacity of 4,908.
This ship is perfect for thrill-seekers and leisure lovers alike, featuring innovative and high-tech attractions that would become common across the Quantum class ships. These included the RipCord by iFly, the first skydiving simulator at sea, and the North Star observation capsule, offering breathtaking 360-degree views as it towers above and over the edge of the ship.
Quantum of the Seas currently alternates between Alaska (based in Seattle) and Australia (based in Brisbane), where it offers a range of itineraries including the South Pacific, New Zealand, and North Queensland.
Anthem of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas, was welcomed to the Royal Caribbean fleet in April 2015. Like its predecessor, this ship is 1,141 feet in length and boasts a gross tonnage of 168,666.
Anthem of the Seas currently sails from Cape Liberty, New Jersey doing 7 day itineraries around the Bahamas and 11 day trips to the Southern Caribbean.
At the end of April, Anthem will cross the Atlantic and base itself in Southampton, United Kingdom for varied itineraries that take in the British Isle, Norwegian Fjords, and the Meditteranean.
It will then move to Singapore in November before returning to Seattle in May 2025.
Ovation of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas, was the last of the stand Quantum-class vessels to be built, embarking on its maiden voyage in April 2016.
Ovation of the Seas is currently based in Sydney, Australia. It will reposition to Seattle in May for Alaskan itineraries before returning to Sydney in November.
Spectrum of the Seas
Spectrum of the Seas was the first of Royal Caribbean’s new Quantum-Ultra class, setting sail in April 2019.
Spectrum currently serves the Far East market and it’s home port is Singapore. Later this year it moves its base to Shanghai, China.
Odyssey of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas, was the second and last of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra class. It embarked on its maiden voyage in July 2021.
Currently in Fort Lauderdale, the Odyssey of the Seas offers itineraries to the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Aruba, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
In late April it will make the long Transatlantic journey to Italy where it will be based at the Port of Civitavecchia near Rome. From here it will sail varied itineraries around the Greek Isles, Turkey and Italy.
In November it will then take over the New Jersey slot vacated by Anthem of the Seas, serving seven-day itineraries to the Bahamas.
Beyond Bumper Car Rides: What Else Is the Seaplex Entertainment Space Used For.
The Seaplex sports and entertainment complexes are used for a range of activities on board.
The arena itself converts into a basketball court, a rolling skate rink, and even a dance floor. Most exciting is the indoor trapeze training facility – if you ever wanted to see what it would be like to join the Circus, now’s your chance!
Within the Seaplex complex, you also find other activities including Table Tennis / Ping Pong and Video games consoles.
What Age Do You Need To Be To Ride The Bumper Cars on Royal Caribbean?
Kids aged 5 to 7 need to ride with an adult and also need to be a minimum of 3′ 6″ tall. Kid older than 8 than ride alone as long as they are 4′ tall or more.
How Much Do The Bumper Cards Cost on Royal Caribbean?
There is no additional charge for the bumper cars. They are included in your Royal Caribbean Cruise fare.
[Related Article: Want to know what drinks are free on Royal Caribbean?]
Will The Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Icon of the Seas Have Bumper Cars?
Icon of the Seas is set to launch in January 2024, and it’s going to be the biggest cruise ship in the World. With its innovative design and groundbreaking features, you may wonder if bumper cars will be among the attractions onboard Icon of the Seas.
Well, the answer is No. The Icon of the Seas will not have bumper cars. Although a popular activity Royal Caribbean seemed to have stopped the rollout of this innovation with the last of the Quantum Ultra class ships.
However, with all the other things to do on Icon of the Seas, I don’t think you’ll get bored.
Bumper Cars at Sea, Sky-Diving, Surfing, Ice Skating – What’s Next For Royal Caribbean International?
Royal Caribbean International really does like to lead this industry with many new “first” cruise ship activities at Sea.
I truly wonder what they’ll come up with next. The first 360 roller coaster at sea? The chair-o-plane ride at sea? – can you imagine that one dangling you off the side of the ship – no me neither LOL
So what do you think they’ll do next? Let us know in the comments – bonus points for the craziest and best ideas!
