Would SkyDiving be an activity you would ever imagine you could do on a Cruise Ship?
Can you imagine having the wind in your face and your body floating above the ground?
RipCord by iFly allows this opportunity to do just that.
What Ships have RipCord by iFly?
It is currently available on Four Royal Caribbean ships: Ovation of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas. These ships cover a wide variety of itineraries such as Alaska, UK, China, Singapore and the Caribbean.
What is it?
RipCord is a flight simulator, so I am sorry to say that you are not jumping off the side of the cruise ship. You are in a wind tunnel that allows you to simulate SkyDiving.
Who is Doing it?
I was so excited to try this as I rapidly approach 50, but I was right in the middle of those who wanted to participate. I saw children as young as 5 who were super excited to try it (you must be 3 or older). I also met a gentleman who loves to cruise on Royal Caribbean ships, and this was not his first time participating in this experience, he had just celebrated his 88th birthday.
iFly asks that if you are pregnant or have a heart condition or other physical limitations that you not participate in the experience. There are also weight requirements to be able to participate. If you are under 6 feet tall then you have to weigh less than 230 pounds and if you are over 6 foot tall then you have to be under 250 pounds.
How do I Sign Up?
Once onboard you can use the Royal Caribbean Ships App to schedule your time to visit the RipCord by iFly. You can choose your date and time easily in the app. The cost can vary by ship and sail date, but you will charge to your cabin through the app.
What Happens?
Entrance is on deck 15 aft of the ship. I suggest arriving about 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled time. They will weigh you when you arrive. Once weighed they will put you in a classroom and you must watch a safety video. After the 10-minute safety video you will be fitted for a flight suit, helmet, ear plugs and goggles. You will be asked to leave things that can come off in the cubbies that are provided. This includes rings, other jewelry and even some types of shoes. They can be sucked up into the fan and ruin the wind tunnel. Group size is 10 or less guests.
Once you have geared up it is GO TIME! You will be led up to the simulator on deck 16 by one of the instructors. The instructor will explain how to enter the simulator and make sure you understand the hand signals. Each guest is given 60 seconds in the wind tunnel. Stepping into that door to begin your simulator time is an adrenaline rush. You want to keep your body position so that you stay in the air. You need not worry there is an instructor with you the entire time, so let loose and have fun!
Ready to experience your thrill seeking adventure aboard a Royal Caribbean ship? Let us help you plan today!
Thanks to Embrace the Journey Travel Planner, Angel Waite, for writing this blog post for us. You can learn more about Angel here.