Santa Takes a Ride on Mardi Gras‘ Roller Coaster

Mardi Gras, the newest ship from Carnival Cruise Line, had a special guest this week as the ship prepares for delivery at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Jolly old Kris Kringle, otherwise known as Santa Claus, took a break from cobbling together Pelotons and Playstation 5s to give the ship’s highly anticipated roller coaster a try!

Bolt, built in collaboration with Germany-based Mauer Rides, is the very first ever roller coaster at sea and if Santa’s reaction is any indication, it will be one of the most popular features on board the brand new cruise ship. 

Witnesses say Santa let out a few hearty “ho-ho-ho’s” heard throughout the shipyard as he zipped along the 800-foot-long track. He reached speeds up to 40 MPH and navigated the all-electric coaster’s hairpin curves with ease. Being 187 feet above the water wasn’t a problem for a man who’s spent considerable time flying high above the clouds spreading Christmas cheer. 

“Never in my wildest dreams would I think a rollercoaster could be on a cruise ship.  It’s something we’ll be talking about at the North Pole for a long time!” St. Nick said.

Carnival Mardi Gras | Photo: Carnival Cruise Line

Traditionally, Santa Claus has relied on his magic reindeer to ferry him around the world on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts to those on the nice list. Could we see a switch to cruise ships in the future? Dasher nor Dancer could not be reached for comment. 

You can ride the new Bolt roller coaster on Mardi Gras when the ship enters service from Cape Canaveral in 2021. The ship will feature 2,600 staterooms, a large increase from the under 2,000 staterooms on Carnival’s current flagship, Vista along with a number of new eateries and amenities for guests to enjoy. Don’t fret, Guy’s Burger lovers, your favorite lunch spot is on board as well!