Can it beat a real wave? Getting to grips with a 40ft cruise ship surf simulator
It’s hard to think of anything that better encapsulates the spirit of Royal Caribbean than the FlowRider surfing experience.
Synonymous with innovation and fun, the cruise line offers a raft of on-board activities, but none quite so iconic as its 40ft-long surf simulator. The best thing of all is that anybody can do it.
“It’s super simple,” says sports manager Anthony Evans, a sports science graduate who worked at a gym in Wales before taking to the seas. “You’re given a wristband, valid for the entire cruise, then you join the queue. We show you how to ride and, most importantly, how to fall – everyone falls eventually.”
Passengers can surf or body board. The FlowRider can be nerve-wracking for first-timers, Evans admits, but most people are just eager to give it a go. “From time to time we get someone who is really scared, and we spend plenty of time coaching and reassuring them – it’s so rewarding when we manage to get those guests into the waves.
“Then there are the people who get hooked,” Evans continues. “The experience can be addictive, especially for thrillseekers, and it can get really competitive. There are even guests who come on board purely for the FlowRider – they bring their own boards and ride from the minute we open until the moment we close.”
For anyone not enamoured by the idea of an audience as they surf, Royal Caribbean offers paid-for private lessons (the FlowRider is otherwise free of charge). “That’s how one of the top flowboarders got started – on Liberty of the Seas,” reveals Evans. “She watched for the first day or so. Then, when she worked up the will to try it, her parents booked her a lesson.”
Silver surfer
The FlowRider appeals to all ages, not just younger passengers. “The oldest rider I’ve ever had was an 87-year-old man, a seasoned cruiser,” says Evans. “He would come along with his walking frame, have a go on the rock-climbing wall then put on his wet suit and go body-boarding. He was really good at it.”
Perhaps the most recognisable guest to grace the FlowRider during Evans’s time on board has been actor Adam Sandler, who filmed part of Jack and Jill on Allure of the Seas. “If you watch the movie closely, you’ll see a younger version of me surfing as they cut from one scene to the next. I was lucky enough to be in the right place when they needed a surfer.”
When the facilities are closed to guests, members of the sports team get the opportunity to practise and improve their own skills. “Anything we learn, we pass on to others. They say a kung fu master should never give away all his tricks, but we do,” laughs Evans. “We want to provide the best experience for our guests, so we hold nothing back.”
There are 220 FlowRider attractions worldwide, 16 of them on Royal Caribbean ships. But the surf simulator is just one of the thrills offered by the fleet, and it’s the variety that keeps things fresh for Evans. “Where else can you teach someone to surf in the morning, then operate a wind tunnel for a skydiving simulator or supervise a rock-climbing wall in the afternoon?” he says.
There’s more to come, too. In May, Independence of the Seas will sail from Southampton fitted with Laser Tag, an Escape Room and a Trampoline Bungee Dome, all added as part of a multimillion-pound refit. “I can’t wait,” says Evans gleefully. “It’s like being a kid at Christmas – we get to play with all the new toys.”
royalcaribbean.co.uk
