Doing the scary things... like Rock Climbing on a Cruise ship
I have a confession: I’m scared of heights.
I’m uncomfortable on a 6′ ladder, and I shamelessly cover my eyes on Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the ascent until we have to start going backwards. I skip the AstroOrbiter in Magic Kingdom, and this picture of me stuck on the top of Disneyland’s Incredicoaster with fellow MAT Advisor Maria? I’m not happy.
BUT oddly enough, flying doesn’t bother me.
What’s the point? Well, now that we’ve established I’m a big chicken when it comes to heights, I wanted to tell you a story about when I did a scary thing on my last cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.
I absolutely love Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships for the quality of the shows, itineraries and the wide variety of activities offered for all ages.
These Oasis class ships are great for everyone from toddlers to teenagers to Grandparents because there is simply so much to do! And of course, plenty of places to do absolutely nothing if you want as well!
Trying new things is essential as a Travel Advisor
When I sail on a cruise ship, I almost always do so with my “work goggles” on, so I choose my activities based on what I need to see or experience to further enhance my knowledge as a Travel Advisor.
When I am working onboard, I get up really early to tour the ship and grab photos when no one is out. When it’s time to eat I opt to try new foods or dining options instead of my trusted favorites in order to share my experience with my MAT families and Advisors.
Being able to share my experiences, and those of my MAT families is a crucial component of being a Travel Advisor, and sometimes that means trying things out of my comfort zone, and sometimes its way out of, or UP from my comfort zone… (like *ahem* riding the Incredicoaster)
Rock Climbing onboard Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas
All of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships have a similar Rock Climbing Wall which rises 40 feet above deck. Read that again- F-O-R-T-Y feet, that is 12 meters and HIGH up when you are a weenie.
There is no height requirement to climb on the rock wall, but the minimum age is 6 years old, so my team was giving me a little grief as this experience can be done by beginners (like me) to experienced speed climbers. After the waiver was signed, I traded in my tennis shoes for fancy climbing shoes and safety gear. (Royal Caribbean provides all of the safety equipment and shoes that you need to rock climb, but you need to bring socks!)
Then it was time to face my fear, and climb up. up. up.
(Don’t I look all cute and happy on the ground?!)
Quick note: Since there is not height requirement and the minimum age is 6 to rock climb on Royal Caribbean, if the harness does not fit you properly (if it is too big or too loose) you will not be allowed to climb, and the safety crew member gets the final say. Minors do need to be accompanied by an adult
Time to do the thing, and just keep climbing... just keep climbing....
First, let me say how incredibly patient the Royal Caribbean staff was with me. My “coach” made sure I was safe and kept encouraging me the whole time, allowing me to go as slow as I needed to.
The first few steps weren’t too bad, and I was doing okay until I got to about the 6′ ladder height. One thing you may not be able to see is, that the deck in which the Rock Climbing wall starts is not “the ground” (you can see the Aqua theater on the deck below) so you actually feel much higher up than you are, adding to the uh *excitement* of climbing.
About ten feet up, I started questioning my life choices; but my trusty ground coach kept encouraging me to go one more, one step at a time. I was quietly singing “just keep climbing, just keep climbing” to the iconic Finding Nemo tune in my head, trying to push through. My legs started shaking uncontrollably as I started to realize how high I was and how much further I was from the ground, but I kept pushing.
When I couldn’t go any further because my heart was beating out of my chest, it was time to go back down; which frankly was almost scarier than going higher at the time. My ground coach yelled “let go and just push off” to which my answer was, “nooooooo way.” My stubborn self tried to walk back down slowly, which was quite the struggle bis, but once I was within 10 feet I did push off, to which I slowly descended at a gentle, regulated “drop” safely back to the ground.
I did it, and didn’t die. (Though my fear made it feel like it though for a minute or two, ha!)
But I did visit the bar on the deck of the Boardwalks for an adulty beverage after!
I hope you folks appreciate the things your Travel Advisors do, because sometimes it is scary stuff!
I did not have to pay extra to Rock Climb
One of the best parts about doing scary things like rock climbing on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is, not having to pay for it, because it was included in my cruise fare. I didn’t have to pay 30-50 dollars to try something new, so the fear of wasting my money wasn’t a thing… instead I focused on my fear of heights, ha!
A Royal Caribbean cruise includes a TON of signature activities in your cruise fare, like: the FlowRider (surf simulator), waterslides, zipline, ice skating, the Ultimate Abyss (a REALLY tall dry slide), ice skating and more!
For me, cruising isn’t about just exploring new destinations, but about trying new experiences, and making memories while doing it! One of the hardest belly laughs I’ve had with my team was when they watched me attempt to ride the FlowRider for the first time… which went as well as you imagine.
Royal Caribbean offers a ton of fun for all levels of “adventurers” from the toddlers, kids, teens, chill adults, adventurous adults, and even the young at heart. You can play or you can plop down with a good book, which is what makes a Royal Caribbean cruise great for those multi-generational vacations with the whole family. Think Grandpa would rock climb? He can, if he wants to!
Learn more: Planning a Royal Caribbean Cruise with Mom Approved Travel
Which other Royal Caribbean ships have rock walls? Thankfully, most of them! The height may vary a bit, but some of our favorite Royal ships with Rock Walls besides Allure of the Seas are: Utopia of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and you will find rock walls on the new Icon class ships Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas.
We are Royal Caribbean Cruise Experts
We can’t wait for you to experience all that Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has to offer you and your family!
It would be our pleasure to help you get the absolute best value for your vacation dollars on your next Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, simply CLICK HERE to get started or reach out to one of our Royal Caribbean Travel Agent professionals at Mom Approved Travel, experts in planning family cruises.
