Sliding Into Norwegian’s Rush and the Drop Thrill Slides

August 21, 2024 Randy Young

When you see a Norwegian Prima-class ship, the first thing you’re likely to notice is the twisting blue tubes going down the side. Most people mistake these for waterslides, but they’re actually 10-story dry thrill slides called “The Drop” and “The Rush.” These slides provide a mild thrill on a sea day or after a day in port.

Norwegian’s First Dry Slide but Not the First at Sea

Norwegian isn’t the first cruise line to have a multi-story dry thrill slide. Royal Caribbean pioneered the concept with the Ultimate Abyss thrill slide on Harmony of the Seas in 2015. This new concept thrilled guests as they climbed into a scary-looking angler fish’s mouth, braved a glass platform, and slid down from Deck 18 to Deck 8. It was so popular that Royal Caribbean put the Ultimate Abyss slide on every new Oasis-class ship since then and even retrofitted older Oasis-class ships to have it.

Years later, MSC came out with their own version on the World Europa. This gleaming metal tube twists its way down into the World Promenade. When MSC’s World Europa debuted, MSC took the title of longest thrill slide at sea from Royal Caribbean. Since then, Royal took that title back by extending the Ultimate Abyss on its newest ship, Utopia of the Seas.

Norwegian’s version of the dry slides doesn’t claim to be the tallest or fastest, but they hold one record. According to Norwegian, one of their slides reaches “the highest G-forces of any cruise line; more Gs than an accelerating F1 racecar.”

The Drop Thrill Slide

The drop is the slide on the port side of the cruise ship. It’s the first freefall dry slide at sea, meaning the floor drops out from beneath you, sending you down ten stories to the exterior promenade of Ocean Boulevard. This slide is the one that has guests experiencing the highest g-forces at sea.

You board The Drop by going to Deck 18 and heading towards the mini-golf and Bullseye Dart Lounge section. There, you’ll be greeted with a neon queue to wait in line.

As you approach the front of the line, the attendant will have you grab a carpet-textured black bag. This bag is what helps you get down the slide without friction burns. When it’s your turn, you get into a blue tube with a clear front; it kind of resembles a coffin standing on its end. The attendant helps you get in the bag, and the door slowly closes. A voice counts down…3…2…1…and then you’re off.

The floor drops out beneath you, and you start to descend below the deck. It’s not as quick as a freefall water slide, but it is sudden. As you go down, you pass through a clear section of the slide that overhangs the water. You slow down in the clear section of the tube so you can appreciate how high you are before you enter the pitch dark again and twist and turn your way down.

Overall, the ride is less than 30 seconds, although it can depend on the humidity and how greased up the slide is.

Requirements for Norwegian’s The Drop Thrill Slide

To ride The Drop, you must be at least 52″ tall. It has a maximum height of 79″ (6’7″) and a maximum weight of 330 pounds. Your clothes must also be dry. You’ll have to remove your eyeglasses and sunglasses, but you can hold them as you go down; you can also take a small bag or purse down in the body bag with you.

Ships with The Drop Thrill Slide

The Rush Thrill Slide

The Rush is a racing slide located on the starboard side of the Prima and Viva (the Rush will not be on the upcoming Norwegian Aqua). The ride is the same height as The Drop slide, but for this slide, rather than the floor dropping out beneath you, you start horizontally.

The entrance to The Rush is near The Stadium sports area on Deck 18. You enter the pink and neon queue and wait your turn. Like The Drop, you grab a bag as you get to the front of the line. Then you and a friend sit down in the bag and wait. The lights above you turn from red to green, and you scoot yourself into the slide until gravity takes over and you start heading down. You twist and turn down the completely dark tube until you arrive at the landing on Ocean Boulevard.

Requirements for Norwegian’s The Rush Thrill Slide

To ride The Rush, you must be at least 48″ tall. It has a maximum height of 79″ (6’7″) and a maximum weight of 330 pounds. Your clothes must also be dry. Eyeglasses and sunglasses must be removed, but you can hold them as you go down. You can also take a small bag or purse down in the body bag with you.

Ships with The Rush

How to Ride Norwegian’s Thrill Slides

The Rush and The Drop have no additional cost, they are included in the cruise fare. You don’t have to make reservations either. Just show up when it’s open and wait in the queue. When I sailed on the Prima and Viva, the longest I ever waited was 5 minutes.

My Take: A Fun and Free Activity While at Sea

While some established Norwegian cruisers, especially those staying in the exclusive “The Haven,” have complained about these attractions, I find them to be an excellent addition to the ship. It’s refreshing to see an attraction with no additional cost and that you don’t have to reserve in advance.

The slides are also good for all ages, not just kids. It gives anyone a little thrill on a sea day or after visiting one of the ports. On my cruise on the Prima, I went on The Rush slide, and when I got off, a gentleman in his 70s was asking if it was fun and was considering trying it. His wife was trying to talk him out of it, but he eventually went on, and that’s what I like about a cruise; you can try something you might not have done at home.

In terms of the “thrill” of the ride, The Drop and The Rush can be subject to weather; humidity and rain will slow down the slides, so they may get shut down on some days. It also means you don’t know what your experience will be; one time, I was flying down the slide at top speeds; the other, I barely made it out of the tube; I was going too slowly. I also found the ride less intense than the Ultimate Abyss on Royal Caribbean.