ONBOARD THE HARMONY OF THE SEAS — With more than 226,963
gross tons to fill, there is plenty to talk about on the world's largest cruise
ship. But easily the most talked-about feature is the slide.
Not the waterslides, although if this preview cruise from
England wasn't so chilly and drizzly, there would certainly be more interest in
the trio of waterslides called the Perfect Storm.
It's the Abyss, a pair of purple tubes that tower over
the ship's Boardwalk neighborhood. The 14-second plunge twists its way from Deck 16 to
Deck 6 and involves lighting, sound effects and lots of screaming.
Riders sit on a mat that looks like a padded nylon toboggan:
Put your feet in the mat's front cover, stick your legs out straight and grasp
on to the mat's rope. At the command of a crew member, you edge into
the tube, and then you're zooming down the tunnel.
Of course, the attraction drew a big line.
A crew member instructs riders on the proper way to slide down the Abyss. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
My strategy was to head to the Abyss immediately
following the ship's muster drill. At least a half-dozen passengers had had the
same idea, and then about two dozen more joined the queue after I did. The
entrance to the Abyss is located 148 feet above sea level. And, much to
Instagrammers' delight, it's in the mouth of a giant sculpture of an
anglerfish.
I admit to a giant burst of nerves and adrenaline right
after I was instructed in proper mat usage and before I was called up to the
top of the fish to actually sit on said mat. But at that point there was no
backing out. Down I went into the Abyss.
The first section is a few leisurely twists lit by LEDs,
but then I was plunged into darkness. The mat and I picked up tremendous
speed and then whipped off to the right (or left?).
Cue the screaming.
Of course, like any great thrill ride, I was sorry when
it was over. A sort of welcoming committee of curious passengers with their
iPhones was at the bottom, and as I staggered away from the slide, grinning
like a maniac, I passed by the Sabor restaurant and thought for a moment about
staggering in for a drink. If Sabor was an independently operated restaurant, I
would expect management to hang out a sign: "Survived the Abyss: 20% off
your next margarita."
The entrance to the Abyss, 148 feet above sea level. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
The screaming is an integral part of the experience, even before
you even get on the slide. About halfway down, when conditions produce the
optimal conditions for euphoric screaming, the sounds can be heard by those
waiting in the anglerfish for their turn. When the screaming or whooping drifts up to the
anglerfish, the attendant nods with satisfaction, and the rider-to-be chuckles
nervously.
By the end of the cruise's second day, roughly two
factions had formed: Those who had entered the Abyss and were psyched about the
experience, and those who wouldn't dare approach the entrance.
Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain is in the latter
camp. But the line's president and CEO, Michael Bayley, has taken the plunge. The
ship's captain, Gus Andersson, did it under "peer pressure."
"I don't particularly like heights," he said to
laughter. "I grabbed the bag, and I went. I was screaming of happiness
when I came out of it."
This report was updated on May 22, 2016.