Flowrider Lessons?

[akananook]

Could anyone provide any insight or experiences with how private flowrider lessons work? For example cost, time, age limits, etc.

 

My wife and daughters are going on an excursion one day and a good alternative for my son may be some flowrider lessons.

 

Any info is appreciate! We'll be on Allure and would be looking to do this on a port day if possible?

[CummingCruiser]

The cost was ~ $60-75 (can't remember exactly), but the lessons on my cruise were at night when it wasn't as busy as they close the flowrider and it is only the folks taking the lesson. So not sure how it would work on a port day.

 

I thought it was great as you spend the whole hour learing how to stand on the board (no time wasted on your belly, you can learn that on your own) and don't have to wait in line after each fall.

 

Falling doesn't hurt, but I would recommend taking some alleve, as you will feel it in the morning.

[dz9yvr]

When the flowrider is closed on port days, you will likely be able to rent the flowrider for private lessons. The cost is about $425 - $450 per hour for as many people as you like.

[2010_cruisers]

***** This may help ok:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experience/html.do?exCode=604

[Familygoboston]

We took lessons; they were 30 pp and open for lessons at 8am or 6pm before and after the regular hours. You book them ahead of time on line, or at the sports desk if there are openings nce on board. They weren't offered during the day.

 

Depending on how fit and athletic your son is, he may not need them. We are middle age scardy cats and took lessons mainly to make sure we were doing it right so we didn't get hurt and to lessen the number of onlookers to witness our humiliation ( good move- I lost my bottoms!)

 

Since young boys are made of rubber, there is little chance of him getting hurt;)

But if your son is like most of the kids we saw, if you get him on the Flowrider the first day or two, he will be stand up surfing in no time!

 

The staff on these is great, they teach as you go along, adding tricks and helping stabilize the people who want to stand till they feel ready. The kids get to know each others and will literally be there all day! He won't need a lesson to be involved.

 

Renting the Flowrider is great if you have a good sized group of people, as it will be all yours!

[krewzin]

We got together with 3 other people (there were 3 of us), and rented it out for an hour session for $300 IIRC ($50 each). There were 2 instructors with our group, and we got a LOT of ride time.

[dz9yvr]

For the $300 rate, the satff is just supposed to watch the flowrider without doing much instruction. If you are looking for instruction with the hour rental the price is higher.

[akananook]

Thanks all, great info!

[masonpips]

My son did the hour lesson the first morning on Oasis. It was $60 and we pre-booked online in advance. With 2 FloRiders they separated the people into boogie boarding and surfing. He did surfing and got GREAT instruction and it was well worth in IMO!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We were just on Liberty and for the first time I discovered that Royal now has video lessons on the TV at certain times for the FlowRider surfing and boogie board sessions. I know this in absolutely no way substitutes for the actually hands on classes on the real FlowRider, but at least these are free in case lessons are not convenient or are too pricey for some. I found the advice shown quite informative. Of course, the real thing is best.

[lori450]

I can't tell where you're from, but there are flowriders on land. There may be one near you for your son to learn on. I started on the Freedom when it first came out. I had my mid-life crisis on that thing! I got hooked. I now have my own board and have surfed on a flowrider in Florida and on the Independence of the Seas in December as we crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, as well as every Freedom class ship we have sailed on.

It's a tough call. The one thing I have noticed over the years (I am not qualified to assess the Oasis class ships) is that the Flowrider practices are strikingly inconsistent from cruise to cruise. There are a lot of factors involved, not the least of which is the type of crew member who is assigned to this venue. Think surfer dude.

Another poster mentioned that your son will probably pick it up quickly on his own. That poster is probably right. The advantage of the "after hours" fee for ride is that you get way more ride time. That's the best!!

So if you happen to be on a cruise and there is a short, fat, 55 year old woman doing 360's on the flowrider, just yell out, "Hi Lori!". (I've have more people video tape me than I care to imagine). Oh, and try it yourself. You'll get hooked!!

Oh, and lastly, my avatar is of my son on his very first flowrider ride. Back then, they would jump on with the younger kids and help them get the feel of it on their first ride.

[akananook]

I'm in south central PA. My son will be too short for stand up I think, so this is really more about giving him some dedicated time on it rather than waiting in lines for a few minutes of surfing at a pop. If the could teach him some boogie board tricks he'd have a real blast at it while his mom and sisters are off horseback riding on the beach. I'll be videoing ;).

[onefishtwofish]

My son did the lesson - it was a small group lesson with I believe 5 people and it was $60....he wasn't tall enough then for the stand up surfing so he did the boogie board one and he had a great lesson! It was worth it for him and he learned some great pointers! :D

[lori450]

There's one in Hershey Park, Camel Beach and Split Rock Resort.

 

I think purchasing some time on the wave with a few other people will be one of the highlights of his trip! The kids are naturals at it and you can see people riding it and doing tricks on you tube. If you tell him he will be getting a session, he can check out the videos and have a good idea of the things he can do on it. Lessons per se aren't really needed for the boogie board. He'll start on his belly, bump up to his knees, then try 360's. Or he can push the board out from his belly and do a "Superman" as the board slides back under him. I think the videos will be exciting for him and feed his anticipation. Just google united states flowrider locations on the web and you can see the land locations. You tube has videos from the ships, land and competitions. He'll love all of it.