If you are headed on an adventure on one of the Royal Caribbean cruise ships, you may have noticed a FlowRider wave machine as a cruise activity option. I know I did; it certainly caught my eye when I booked my Allure of the Seas cruise. I also wondered, is the FlowRider free on Royal Caribbean cruises?
Yes, the FlowRider surf simulators are completely free for guests on Royal Caribbean cruises. However, if you want to book private sessions, you must pay one of 3 options; the $69 Group Instructional Lesson, $345 1-Hour Private Rental, or the $552 Ultimate FlowRider Experience.
How Long Are the Lines During the Free FlowRider Sessions?
Some Royal Caribbean ships have more than one FlowRider machine making the wait times minimal during free sessions. I only waited 5-10 minutes behind a group of kids and then waited again to have another go.
Of course, different ships, time of day, and other factors will influence longer wait times.
When I tried it out, they also split one of the two machines into two lanes using a large blow-up tube. This really helped speed up the lines as two people could go at one time.
Keep in mind this was to try it out using a bodyboard (boogie board), not the standard Flowboard (surfboard).
When using a standing Flowboard, only 1 person can go at a time, so they do not split it into two lanes for safety reasons. These lines are usually longer and can take up to 30 minutes or longer when 10 or more people are lined up. I didn’t bother waiting in this line as it was too long.
How Long is the Free Session?
When I was boogie boarding the instructors allowed us a couple minutes or so of riding. There was no set time really. If you didn’t fall they sort of just let you go until you did, I would just try some spins to test my limits. If you wanted to go again, just hop back in line!
For standing up, the instructor helped you get started. They would hold the board in place and you would try to stand on it. Often people would have trouble keeping their balance and would wipe out relatively quickly. After a couple of these attempts, your turn was over. If you were good, you would get a similar couple of minutes of riding as you would on the boogie board.
Royal Caribbean FlowRider Private Sessions Explained
As I already mentioned, the Flowrider wave machines are completely free an during your cruise they will have public sessions where you can visit and try it out. But if you want you can learn in a group setting, rent it out, or work 1 on 1 with employees for a fee.
Here are the paid sessions explained:
$69 Group Instructional Lesson (1-Hour)
The private group lessons can have up to 8 people in the session, you get a much better learning experience as you are working with an instructor teaching you how to successfully ride the wave.
There are different types of lesson sessions you can book as some people will choose the boogie boarding, others the stand-up surfing. Learning one-on-one in a group setting allows you to ask questions, and the instructors can really help you with your skills!
$345 Private FlowRider 1-Hour Rental
The private session is more of a rental session as the instructors are only there for your safety, not guidance. This is best suited for experienced FlowRider users looking to shred it up and get more time on the FlowRider machines.
$552 Ultimate FlowRider Experience
The Ultimate FlowRider option offers you and your group/family a one-of-a-kind experience. You get the full machine to yourselves for one hour, along with the instructors to help teach you all the skills to successfully FlowRide. If you want exclusivity, this is it!
This is the best option for personal one-on-one lessons with the most experienced FlowRider instructors out there. You get the most time on the water and you may even learn a few tricks if you have the skills!
You can even book the Ultimate FlowRider Experience solo if you want to!
How Do You Book a Paid FlowRider Session on Royal Caribbean?
You can reserve the private sessions via the cruise planner online, which you can book prior to being on the ship. You can also sign up while you are on the ship via the Royal Caribbean app, find the FlowRider activity, and book/reserve your session.
Another simple way to sign up is by going to the FlowRider desk where the instructors can explain all the types of lessons you can do!
How Old Do You Have to Be to Participate in the Paid Sessions?
The FlowRider has no specific age requirements; however, there are height requirements to be able to go. It doesn’t matter if it is the paid or the free sessions; you need to be 52 inches tall (4ft 2in) to use the boogie boards, or 58 inches to use the stand-up board (4ft 10in).
Want to know if your ship has a FlowRider? Read my detailed post “List of All Royal Caribbean Ships that Have FlowRiders” here!
Can People Watch You During Your FlowRider Session?
Yes, the FlowRider wave machines are in public spaces on the Royal Caribbean cruises. They are outside on the deck and people can easily walk by and watch you during a free or private lesson.
I remember on The Allure of the Seas they even had shows where the pro instructors would show off their amazing tricks. It got quite busy but it was amazing to see the things they could do on the FlowRider! I highly recommend checking it out if they have one scheduled on your cruise.
I will also say it was quite amusing to watch random people attempt to stand-up on the boards. There were a handful of wipeouts and “that’s gotta hurt” mumbles. When a beginner did get to stand up on their own, we did cheer them on, which was pretty cool!
Final Thoughts
The FlowRider surfing simulator is a unique experience, and I am extremely happy that Royal Caribbean offers this on a number of their ships for free. Also, getting the option to pay to get lessons is another major plus offered by them.
They even have great offers for the ones who already know how to shred the FlowRider, so you can even bring your own board if you have one!
But lastly, the Ultimate FlowRider Experience is an offer that you can’t really get anywhere else, let alone on a cruise ship. Get one-on-one lessons, learn with your friends and family, and just have fun!
Royal Caribbean ships are very good at keeping you busy, especially if you are a thrill seeker like me. I hope you learned a thing or two, if you have any more questions just email me or ask in the comment section below.
Wondering how much these machines cost? Read our related post “How Much Does A FlowRider Wave Machine Cost?” here.
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!