Carnival Cruise Line’s brand new cruise ship Mardi Gras is in the final stages of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
The cruise ship will be the world’s first with a roller coaster and this week Santa Claus took a test run on BOLT.
With enthusiastic shrieks of delight and a few hearty “ho-ho-ho’s” echoing throughout the shipyard, Santa zipped along the 800-foot-long track featuring a hairpin curve around the ship’s iconic funnel, all while achieving speeds of up to 40 miles an hour.
The all-electric coaster can accommodate two riders – or one Santa Claus and his bag of toys, perhaps – in motorcycle-like vehicles that race 187 feet above the water line, providing incredible views to the sea below.
“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 Cruise Line is expecting to take delivery of Mardi Gras later this week. The cruise ship is currently scheduled to enter service on April 24, 2021. View Cruise Itineraries on Mardi Gras
The ship will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida and offer week long cruises to the Caribbean.
