It was our first full day on the Carnival Sunshine. We had stayed up late the night before (Camp Ocean for the girls, a drink at RedFrog Pub for us), so yep, we slept in on our first sea day. But as soon as we finished our late breakfast, we made our way to the Carnival SkyCourse – a ropes-course 150 feet off of the ground with daring maneuvers and great views.

It was tops on Maggie’s cruising to-do list and she was up for the challenge. Before our sailing, she had decided that she wanted it to be her ‘Dad and me’ activity for our trip and I was more than happy to keep my feet on the ground!

With two courses – a beginner and an intermediate course, Maggie opted for the easier one first, letting Dad do the intermediate one — but as soon as she finished, she asked to go immediately to the advanced course. She was hooked! (No pun intended!)

From rope bridges to swinging steps and balance beams, each course is 230-feet long — and I watched them tackle each course from below, cheering them on, holding my breath at times and offering Maggie encouragement when she needed a boost. She was determined … and smiling the entire time.

High Above The Seas

While others were relaxing in SportSquare, I was running all over the deck watching my kid being active and crushing the ropes course. When she made it to each platform, she’d look down at me with a big grin on her face and flash me a ‘thumbs up’.  As a parent, it is such a thrill to see your child succeed at something so fun!

The Carnival SkyCourse is one of the many adventures on the ship that parents and kids can experience together. As they made their way around the course, I loved seeing them encourage one another.

High above deck 10 with nothing but water surrounding us, they mastered the course and as soon as they were done, they hugged and high with adrenaline, they talked non-stop about which obstacles they loved, which ones were the most difficult — and how Mom wouldn’t stop taking their pictures along the way. (Ha!)

Ready to try out the Carnival SkyCourse on your next Carnival cruise? Choose your ships wisely as this experience is so unique, you’ll only find it on Carnival Breeze, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Magic, Carnival Panorama (coming in 2019), Carnival Sunshine and the Carnival Vista.

Here are some things to keep in mind —

Things to Know About the Carnival SkyCourse

• You must be at least 48 inches tall to participate in the Carnival SkyCourse.
• The Carnival SkyCourse has a weight limit of 275 pounds (300 pounds on the Carnival Horizon).
• Your clothes must cover all areas where the full body harness touches.
• No wet clothes allowed. You must be 100% dry.
• Closed-toe shoes are a must. Croc-like shoes are okay, but they must have a strap on the ankle. Sneakers are best for this adventure.

Get Ready for a Carnival SkyCourse Challenge

The SportsSquare crew mentioned to me that sea days were the most challenging days to do the SkyCourse – mainly because of the windy conditions with being at sea (remember you are 150 feet above the top deck!) plus, the endless water views may make it feel as though you’re even higher off the ground.

The intermediate course was definitely a challenge for her, but she mastered it and talked about the experience the rest of our trip. I loved seeing her get so excited about this accomplishment. And even more, I loved that it was something she could experience with Dad – the perfect family activity for a sea day.

A Great Family Adventure

It is these moments like these that keep us cruising again and again — there’s always a new adventure. A family adventure and that’s what’s most important to me. We can each have our own time on the ship, but the activities we do together as a family are the ones that stand out the most to us. I know this will be a memory that Maggie (and Dad!) hang on to for quite awhile.

And Maggie has already asked that next time we sail, we go on a ship with a ropes course. The Carnival Horizon has a brand-new ropes course with new obstacles and layout — making every sailing unique – in both views and skills!

Stay Up to Date with Carnival News

The Carnival Sunshine is filled with family adventures. Aren’t you ready to plan your own sailing?

For more information on the Carnival Sunshine and upcoming sailings, go to www.Carnival.com/Sunshine and check out the Carnival Cruise Line Facebook page and they are on Twitter at @CarnivalCruise.

Are You Ready to Try Carnival SkyCourse?

** For this sailing, my family and I were guests of Carnival Cruise Line. We received complimentary accommodations, but we paid for our additional amenities and gratuities. **