The influence of theme parks and attractions can be seen in so many other experiences. There are themed restaurants, fanciful hotels, highly interactive museum exhibits, casinos with roller coasters and other rides, malls that are as much about entertainment as retail, and much more. Let’s add cruise ships to the list.
Recently, ever-larger, attraction-packed ships have been featuring water slides, go-karts, and other rides that have migrated from park midways. Carnival Cruise Line’s new Mardi Gras is the first ship to introduce a roller coaster. I got to experience Bolt, the first coaster at sea. You can read all about it in my Paste Magazine article.
