Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT rollercoaster has won Popular Science magazine’s ‘Best of What’s New’ engineering award for its innovation and design work.
Installed aboard the cruise line’s flagship Mardi Gras liner, the rollercoaster debuted in July 2021. The rollercoaster features an elevated track that snakes across the cruise liner’s upper decks with almost 250 metres of twists, drops and turns, including hairpin turn around the ship’s iconic funnel. Riders can achieve speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour as they enjoy views to the sea 57 metres below.
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‘Normal rollercoasters use gravity to send thrill-seekers zooming and looping. But if you want to build a ride on a cruise ship – where stable, level ground is far from guaranteed – you have to get creative,’ the Popular Science judges said.
‘As you’re whipping around the Mardi Gras’s funnel while riding BOLT, I doubt many people are thinking about how we got the rollercoaster built, but this recognition from Popular Science underscores the tremendous work that went into making this happen,’ said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. ‘While ultimately we’re about providing new ways for our guests to have fun, we’re also honoured and appreciative of this incredible recognition for our team.’