Cost of go karts on Bliss

[Winston Wolf]

You make a valid point. It is interesting how Royal's Anthem of the Seas (similar size ship) is able to offer I-Fly, NorthStar, Flowrider, and bumper cars for free..

 

 

 

Or the Aquaduck on Disney (water coaster)

 

 

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[gambit57]

If there's a staging area, the next group can gear up while the group on track is racing. The only real time suck is swapping drivers at the end of the race.

 

It should be fairly low overhead so hopefully prices will be reasonable. It all sort of depends on demand of course. If the batteries on the karts are easily swappable, downtime is minimal. My kids have the Arrow kart and the Tesla Radio Flyer electric car. They both have minimal maintenance. Run time is pretty low on both. The little Tesla has a removable battery and if the Arrow had that option, with enough spare batteries, the thing could be run all day long.

 

Not quite sure how to deal with the mix of skills though. Kinda surprised that you can block the whole lane, unless the track on the Joy is pretty narrow and there's no reverse on the karts. I mean, it's not all that hard. I also wonder how much driving experience the passengers on the Joy have as well.

[floridian1]

Does anyone have Insider knowledge on what the age requirements will be for the go-karts.

 

I'm hoping there will be adult races and they will also have some races for kids only

[vcgibson]

I am also interested to hear what the age requirement will be.. or at least what it is on the JOY.. maybe that could give a good indication. I am sailing next year with my 14. 13 and 11 year old and if the youngest one doesn't get to do it she will NOT be happy!

[mking8288]

Does anyone have Insider knowledge on what the age requirements will be for the go-karts ... races ...

 

I am also interested ... at least what it is on the JOY.. maybe that could give a good indication. I am sailing next year ...

 

Took a little efforts to track & find the info abroad re the Joy - they apparently use a simple requirement, like theme parks, based on the rider's height, for eligibility. Thus, junior/kids need to be 48" in height being being allowed to drive the go-karts.

 

Helmets, head socks & close toes shoes required - for safety reasons, along with the restrain/seat belt harness.

 

As for the racing aspect, don't count on it as it is ... #cough #cough, rather slow & throttled, remotely.

 

Yes, there is a "reverse" button - but, at some of the "hair-pin" turns, one inexperienced driver will block & stop everyone else behind her/him on the somewhat narrow track - 2 go-karts can ride alongside at some of the stretches, if they know what they are doing and don't drift across the apex - thus, passing is possible with the 3 second boost function, I'm told.

 

See this -

 

This is a full review - audio in foreign (Chinese) with English caption - zoom to 14:00 for the Go-Karts in "motion" and see the track's backup at 14:20, not exactly zooooom or vrooooom. Laser tagging at night, however, is recommended & apparently, popular & fun.

 

[ppcox]

The price went up from $7 to $9.95 overnight

[gatorchinsky]

The price went up from $7 to $9.95 overnight

 

Unreal!!

[Winston Wolf]

The price went up from $7 to $9.95 overnight

 

 

 

Trending into ripoff category at that price

 

 

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[deliver42]

Do they also add the 20% service charge to this ridiculous price? LOL

[PTC DAWG]

I just don’t get the appeal of this at sea...sports court etc is a loss for the teens, and myself.it was a good spot to blow off steam so to say..this ship may be off my radar, and I have zero teens to deal with...I’ll be glad when the Escape comes back south...

[erdoran]

Do they also add the 20% service charge to this ridiculous price? LOL

I had the same question actually, seriously. BTW I thought gratuities were given, not demanded/required/autocharged along with a line for "extra tip"...... I don't mind tipping and appreciate the cue when I'm unclear (as for this case, although I don't see why a tip is expected) but it irks me to be forced to tip. I would anyway, it's not even about the $$, I just don't like that it's demanded/required.

[Travelcat2]

Apparently the cost has gone up to $9.95. We just got off of the Bliss yesterday - the ship was only half full and it was difficult to get a reservation for the go-carts. They go up to 35 mph which is fast - especially considering the hairpin turns. While I don't know the age limit, this is definitely not a kiddie ride. Adult men and women were enjoying the heck out of it!

[Travelcat2]

Photos of the cars taken last Friday.

 

 

 

[9876]

I honestly don't know. A crew member friend opened the Joy. So, he got to ride in it before the first cruise. He said the go carts were slow. But the cost was $5 for passengers. They surely can't allow you on for very long. Although at $5 a ride, I'm thinking not many kids will be on too much. You don't see the arcades full, since they cost too. Parents will only allocate so much, then they'll all be by the pool. They got rid of the ropes course, mini golf, rock walls and sports court. There's no where else for them to go now.

 

 

I honestly did not notice the other things were gone and that there was a charge for the new activities. I have not been to the CC board in a while! I have Encore booked for January 2020 and the rock walls, ropes course, etc... were going to be fun for my grown children. We may need to reconsider the ship choice.

[CruisinHarvey]

I honestly did not notice the other things were gone and that there was a charge for the new activities. I have not been to the CC board in a while! I have Encore booked for January 2020 and the rock walls, ropes course, etc... were going to be fun for my grown children. We may need to reconsider the ship choice.

 

I honesty haven't seen anything about the deck plans for the Encore. I do know that the go karts on the Bliss are now $7 and going up to $9.95 in January. Laser Tag is $5.

[Oceansaway17]

wow given the price increase, I would say it is just as much fun to watch the carts and save your money. I was on the Panama cruise and there was evening availability. On 7 days cruises it will get tight. They don't run much while in port.

Try the Bliss when they do the Panama again in November or again next Spring. 15 days allows for more time to do shows and the carts. and yes not a kiddy ride and can get quite aggressive. I wish and hope the Bliss will do an hour every so often for just kids.

[atanac]

Demand was probably so high they had a back up plan to tamp down demand by raising the price. If that

doesn't do the trick they will probably continue to raise the price until requests fall into whatever time frame

the carts can handle. I believe I read each race is around 10 minutes so an average of six runs per hour. I

haven't heard what the hours are for the race carts but it's obvious only a fraction of the guests will be able to

get reservations...especially on a five or seven day cruise.

[eddeb]

OK folks.

 

This is "FREE style" Cruising"

 

Andy, the new boss at NCL is very free at raising prices everywhere from week to week!]

 

Jimmy Buffet was included at first, then went to ala carte and now is just $15 pp.

 

All the specialty restaurants were very good and reasonable. Now salad is $6, and the portions

 

are getting more "gourmet" daily.

 

Go karts: why we booked. $3,100 for six days (before tips)

 

Was free.

 

Then was $5.

 

Then was $7.

 

Now is $9.95 plus tip, (did they check the tires?)

 

By the time we cruise it may be $20 bucks.

 

I could go on and on but I hope you get the message.

 

Yes Andy is trashing Kevin on EPS (extra charges), but at some point

 

he should realize he is running off the folks that helped NCL in the past.

 

Take care everyone.

 

May your seas be flat,

And your tummies be fat...

 

Every thing in jest as usual. :cool:

 

We are the Moore's

Tampa Bay

[Travelcat2]

Last Saturday they were 4 laps - not sure what they are doing on this cruise.

 

In terms of children, I don’t see how a child could reach the pedals plus the cars go much too fast for anyone not used to driving. However, IF kids can reach the pedals, and since the speed can be controlled remotely, perhaps they will permit older children to drive and they could reduce the speed quite a bit.

[erdoran]

Are they really charging tip on go-karts? Hadn't seen any other reports of that....what are we tipping for? How many people/run x how many runs/day?

[PTC DAWG]

OK folks.

 

This is "FREE style" Cruising"

 

Andy, the new boss at NCL is very free at raising prices everywhere from week to week!]

 

Jimmy Buffet was included at first, then went to ala carte and now is just $15 pp.

 

All the specialty restaurants were very good and reasonable. Now salad is $6, and the portions

 

are getting more "gourmet" daily.

 

Go karts: why we booked. $3,100 for six days (before tips)

 

Was free.

 

Then was $5.

 

Then was $7.

 

Now is $9.95 plus tip, (did they check the tires?)

 

By the time we cruise it may be $20 bucks.

 

I could go on and on but I hope you get the message.

 

Yes Andy is trashing Kevin on EPS (extra charges), but at some point

 

he should realize he is running off the folks that helped NCL in the past.

 

Take care everyone.

 

May your seas be flat,

And your tummies be fat...

 

Every thing in jest as usual. :cool:

 

We are the Moore's

Tampa Bay

 

Choose another line, I like the idea of my fare not going to pay for things I have no interest in at sea...like go carts...or the spa, or 7 nights at specialty restaurants..I prefer to get on the ship at a fair rate, and pay as I go.

 

That said, I don't think I could cruise with out the UBP...my credit card would be SMOKIN at the end of the trip.

[gambit57]

Choose another line, I like the idea of my fare not going to pay for things I have no interest in at sea...like go carts...or the spa, or 7 nights at specialty restaurants..I prefer to get on the ship at a fair rate, and pay as I go.

 

That said, I don't think I could cruise with out the UBP...my credit card would be SMOKIN at the end of the trip.

 

I think the main issue is the rising prices are going up so much, it's not exactly a "fair" rate from going a la carte anymore. It's paying all inclusive prices, but still having to pay for everything a la carte.

 

This is going to be my first NCL cruise, but at the rate the prices are going, unless I'm miraculously blown away by the experience, I'd rather pay the same amount (literally) and go on Disney. Or RCL, Princess (less actually, but the ships are older), etc.

[erdoran]

We are always free to vote with our wallets. there's a resort in the Poconos DH and I love. They started off expensive, and snuck in an extra 18% gratuity and taxes. OK. Then added $20/day resort fee...not so ok. Then the 18% gratuity became 20% service charge AND the resort started charging tax on the service charge--which means now the resort is pocketing the workers' tips, so I'd assume tipping is now expected. And the $20/day resort fee went to $25, then $27.50....so we've stopped going there, because the "in the door price" is the advertised room rate PLUS ABOUT 40% in "sneaky, hidden charges"-excluding tips. Not our way of doing business.

 

A bit off topic, but not - same deal on land, about voting with wallet. Sad to stop going there, but if no one says "enough" charges keep going up.

[PTC DAWG]

I think the main issue is the rising prices are going up so much, it's not exactly a "fair" rate from going a la carte anymore. It's paying all inclusive prices, but still having to pay for everything a la carte.

 

This is going to be my first NCL cruise, but at the rate the prices are going, unless I'm miraculously blown away by the experience, I'd rather pay the same amount (literally) and go on Disney. Or RCL, Princess (less actually, but the ships are older), etc.

 

I have priced Disney..not even close...IMHO...and the experience is totally different. RCL is more comparable, but they have extra costs things too.

 

I think NCL/Carnival/RCL have more in common than they they do differences.....from my experiences.

[Moby0215]

It’s all simple economics supply and demand. If there are more people that want to ride the go carts than they can handle, the obvious thing is to increase the price. It’s not rocket science.

 

Besides $10 is not that expensive. We have a go kart track near my house that charges $20 a race. Plus an$8 yearly license fee.

 

 

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