Whoa!!!
That’s my official, professional assessment of the star attraction of
Carnival Spirit, the new Green Thunder thrill slide.
Boasting to be the steepest waterslide at sea, and named by an
Australian through a competition on Facebook, Green Thunder lives
up to the hype.
Standing on a platform, you are enclosed into a plastic capsule; then
the attendant flicks a switch and suddenly the floor drops out from
under your feet!
You literally freefall for a few seconds (I’m sure I didn’t touch the
sides), shooting down the pipe in a vertical position.
A couple of twists and turns later, you are spat out the other end,
soaking wet and breathless. It’s how I imagine it would feel to be
flushed down a toilet.
But all ages will love it (unless you are under the minimum height
requirement of 1.2 metres); several over-50s were giving it a whirl.
The lively atmosphere around the WaterWorks and pool area is
certainly the highlight of a Spirit cruise, especially at lunchtime when
the band is performing.
Half the ship’s passengers are there: sunbathing, swimming, singing,
drinking, enjoying a free burger or ice-cream from the poolside grill.
Looking around, there are lots of children with parents and a few
grandparents, but most people are aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
To separate young from older, the Serenity deck has an adults-only
pool and two spas, sun lounges and cabanas. It’s usually busy during
the day, so get there early or wait until just before sunset. The outdoor
bar is open later than others, often until 4am.
Children are well looked after, too. The supervised clubs are free of
charge and divided into age groups. Activities range from making
teddy bears to playing basketball. Night Owls (the only childcare with
a fee) is available until 1am.
For a guaranteed great meal, cough up the US$30 for four courses at
the Nouveau
Steakhouse, or treat
yourself to the
Chef’s Table
(US$75). Both are
exceptional.
The main restaurant and buffet are less inspiring, but the food is
good. It takes a while to find your way around the Lido as the stations
(carvery, deli, salads, 24-hour pizza etc) are located in separate
sections.
My main gripe about the Spirit is the garish décor: it’s either a clash
of crazy colours and patterns, or it’s very dim and dark brown, with a
lack of natural light indoors.
But the cabins are nice, with various configurations to suit families,
and most have balconies.
I also recommend the day spa, which offers discounts for early
booking, port days and manager’s specials.
Crew members come from a wide range of countries, but only one
Australian is staying on for the Sydney departures: Stu Dunn, who
does a stellar job as cruise director.
Be sure to attend his late-night deck party, where he teaches the
crowd how to dance. It’s funnier than the comedy shows.
Bookings
The cheapest fare on Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit is $444 per
person quad-share (interior cabin) from Sydney to Melbourne,
departing 3 Feb 2013. A cruise to Fiji via South Pacific islands,
departing 8 May 2013, starts at $1309 pp.
