SkyRide closed for extended maintenance aboard Carnival Vista and Horizon

Passengers who have booked cruises aboard Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon specifically for the new SkyRide attraction are going to be disappointed, as Carnival has announced it’s closed the ride for maintenance work.

“SkyRide is currently undergoing extended maintenance on Carnival Horizon and Carnival Vista,” a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line told Cruise Critic.

The cruise line has not said when the rides will open again, or what exactly the problem with them is, but the statement seems to suggest it may be a potential safety issue.

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“We conduct regular maintenance inspections of SkyRide on both ships,” the line said in a statement. “As we compared findings of the most recent inspections, we decided it best to take the rides out of service and consult with our engineering experts on some enhancements to maintain the high level of safety we are committed to providing.”

“We are making every effort to complete any recommended work as quickly as possible. We apologize for any disappointment this may cause our guests,” a spokesperson added.

SkyRide debuted aboard Carnival Vista back in 2016 and quickly became one of the most popular at-sea attractions aboard the eponymously named class of ships.

It’s featured aboard both Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon and will be offered aboard Carnival Panorama when she enters service later this year.

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It’s unclear if the SkyRide aboard Carnival Panorama will also be affected or whether the maintenance work is to do with prolonged use of the ride.

The ride is offered free of charge and lets passengers peddle around a course that’s suspended nearly 150 feet above sea level on ‘air bikes’ suspended beneath the track.

Passengers can also race each other around the 800-foot-long double-track while enjoying panoramic views of the ship and the ocean. According to Carrie on Travel, the course is designed in such a way that each rider gets a turn being on the outside edge.

Although Costa Cruises’ new ships Costa Venezia, which cruised from Dubai earlier this year, and Costa Firenze, which will also cruise from Dubai after her launch in 2020, are also Vista-class cruise ships, the SkyRide attraction is unique to Carnival Cruise Line at present.