The Go-Kart Track at Sea Is Real and It Is Faster Than You Expect

There is a two-story go-kart track bolted to the top of a cruise ship, and most people who sail past it never buckle in. That is a mistake. Racing electric karts a couple hundred feet above the ocean is not a gimmick you tolerate for the kids. It is genuinely fun.

Norwegian is the only line that does this, and it does it on more ships than you would guess. You will find tracks on Norwegian Bliss, Joy, and Encore, which run a two-level layout. Prima and Viva went bigger with a three-level track, and Aqua joined the group as the newest ship to carry one.

The flagship version is the Prima Speedway. It stretches about 1,378 feet with fourteen turns, wraps around and through the funnel, and holds up to fifteen racers at once. The karts top out near 30 miles per hour, which does not sound like much until you are the one taking a hairpin with the water below you. Part of the track opens to the ocean, so you get the view and the adrenaline in the same lap.

Pricing is simple and cheaper than people assume. A single session usually runs about $15 for a set of laps, and Norwegian sells an unlimited pass for roughly $199 for the whole cruise. If you are the type who will go back three or four times, the pass pays for itself fast. If you want to try it once and say you did, the single race is fine.

A few honest notes before you get excited. There are height and age minimums, generally around ten years old and four foot nine, so not every kid in your group makes the cut. Lines build up on sea days, and rough weather can shut the track down entirely. Book your first session early in the week so you have a backup day if the wind has other plans.

This is one of those things you either seek out or forget exists. You paid to be on a ship with a racetrack on the roof. You might as well drive it. If you want help picking the right Norwegian ship for the track that fits your crew, that is literally what we do.

Fair winds and following seas,
Captain Steve