Carnival Corporation, operator of nine cruise lines and 102 cruise ships, celebrated the grand opening of Rainforest Adventure’s Rockland Estate eco-park attraction on April 11 in St. Maarten. The eco-park has the steepest zip line in the world called the Flying Dutchman.
Carnival Corporation provided the financing and the park was built by Rainforest Adventures. Rockland Estate is a one-of-a-kind attraction expected to quickly become one of the most popular in the Caribbean. Rockland Estate St. Maarten is the fifth Rainforest Adventures experience in the Caribbean and Central America. Its location was chosen for its unobstructed views, and the park’s 108 acres include Sentry Hill, one of St. Maarten’s highest elevations at 1,125 feet now featuring a viewing location encircled by walkways and platforms.
Experiences include the Flying Dutchman a thrilling flight dropping 1,050 feet in elevation over a 2,800 feet span, the Schooner Ride, a specially designed 657-foot track where guests ride through curves and straightaways in large inner tubes, and the Sentry Hill Zip Line, a 500-meter line traversing the mountain ridge. These “Big 3” are the stars of a package by the same name providing guests with a chance to experience everything the park has to offer at a great value, $139.00 for adults and $105.00 for children.
Located on the historic Emilio Wilson Estate a short ride from St. Maarten’s Port of Philipsburg Cruise Terminal, Rockland Estate eco-park encompasses the widest variety of thrill rides and attractions in the Caribbean.
The lineup features:
Soualiga Sky Explorer: Soualiga Sky Explorer encompasses 68 four-passenger chairs that take guests to a transfer station for zip line and tubing rides, and then on to the top of one of St. Maarten’s highest points at 1,125 feet where they can take in spectacular panoramic views.
Sentry Hill Zip Line: From the transfer station at the midpoint of the Soualiga Sky Explorer, guests can experience the exciting Sentry Hill Zip Line, where riders traverse a 1,600-foot, four-span line that provides unforgettable vistas of the mountain ridge.
Schooner Ride: The Schooner Ride at the midway point of the Soualiga Sky Explorer gives guests the chance to surf down the mountain in large 40-inch inner tubes across a specially designed 657-foot track of heart-pounding curves mixed with fast straightaways.
Top of Sentry Hill: One of St. Maarten’s highest elevations, Sentry Hill, offers walkways and platforms that encircle the mountaintop, showcasing 360-degree vistas of the island with views of neighboring Saba, St. Barts, St. Eustatius and Anguilla.
Flying Dutchman: The Flying Dutchman is Rockland Estate’s main attraction and the world’s steepest zip line. It guarantees thrill-seekers the ride of a lifetime while securely harnessed in a chair, dropping them 1,050 feet in elevation from the top of Sentry Hill down the mountain over a 2,800-foot span.
Emilio Wilson Museum: Originally built as a plantation home in the 1700s, the museum tells the powerful story of Trace Wilson, who was born into slavery on the property, and her direct descendant, St. Maarten pioneer and preservationist Emilio Wilson. It also highlights the customs, traditions, lifestyle and stories that have earned St. Maarten the moniker “The Friendly Island.”
St. Maarten is a popular destination for cruise guests, with 1.66 million cruisers visiting the island in 2016. The country’s port has been recognized several times by the readers of Cruise Fever as the best cruise port in the Caribbean, and was chosen by cruisers as the number two Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda port of call in Cruise Critic’s Cruiser’s Choice 2017 Destination Awards.
Carnival Corporation also partnered with Rainforest Adventures to develop Rainforest Adventures Jamaica at Mystic Mountain in Ochos Rios – a mainstay of Jamaica rain forest activities where guests can travel from the seashore to 700 feet above sea level at the top of a mountain, stretching over 100 acres.
Additionally, Carnival Corporation worked with Rainforest Adventures to design and build the Magical Flying Beach Chair at the cruise company’s Mahogany Bay Cruise Center in Roatan. The chair lift system takes cruise ship guests from the welcome center to Mahogany Beach via a six-minute ride across nearly 1,200 feet of suspended cables, providing not only convenient beach access, but also views of the lush countryside as well.
Carnival Corporation operates 102 cruise ships across nine cruise lines. The company visits over 700 ports around the world each year and has 19 new cruise ships debuting over the next five years. Carnival Corporation is the largest leisure travel company in the world.
