Royal Caribbean's FlowRider

September 8 | Leslie Dinunzio

Did you know that you can catch a wave while onboard a cruise ship? On several Royal Caribbean cruise ships, a fun activity call FlowRider is offered. The FlowRider is a wave simulator that rushes a massive amount of water up a slanted pad on the aft area of each ship. 

During a recent sailing to Bermuda on Adventure of the Seas, my family was able to try out the FlowRider for ourselves. Well, by "family" I mean my husband and children – I was the photographer! 

To start, guests are required to watch a safety video, perform some brief stretching moves and sign a waiver in order to receive a bracelet to ride. Crew members will ask if it’s your first time riding and, if so, will walk you through how to stay on the board without wiping out. They’ll also teach you how to enter the water once you know how to stay on the board. Once a participant is comfortable riding the wave, there are a handful of tricks you can work on, including bouncing, swaying from side to side and spinning in a 360. 

For those who have some experience with snowboarding or surfing, stand up surfing is also offered. You are required to test in order to receive the upgraded surf bracelet, meaning you have to be able to stand up on the board and make it from the edge of the FlowRider to the middle. You definitely need experience for this! 

A great perk for the FlowRider is that it’s included in your cruise fare. Just check your Cruise Compass each day for opening hours and get in line. On seas days, staff may divide the Flow Rider in two with an oversized tube so two people can ride at once. For my teenagers, a nighttime teen-only hour was offered on one of our sea days. We cruised into sunset while they enjoyed their time on the board.  

I’d love to help you plan a Royal Caribbean cruise so you can experience the FlowRider for yourself!

I can be reached at Leslie@wishesfamilytravel.com