ABOARD THE CARNIVAL BREEZE – It  doesn’t look all that scary. But when you are up there standing on a thin rope with the vast sky overhead and the deep sea beneath, it can be quite exhilarating.

And a bit frightening, I must admit.

A first for cruise ships when it was unveiled on the sister Carnival Magic, the ropes SkyCourse aboard the Carnival Breeze offers outdoor adventure suspended above deck with spectacular views. Hooked to a safety harness, passengers can participate in different rope activities of varying fitness levels – easy, moderate and challenging – while enjoying awesome sights of the sea nearly 150 feet below.

Traverse rope bridges, swinging steps and beams. It is worth a trip to the top just to see the ocean scenes.

Although ocean liners have long had exercise options for sports and health enthusiasts, the new Carnival Breeze is certainly going an extra mile in offering outdoor recreation. SportsSquare has enough activities that cruisers might burn off those one or two pounds we are said to gain on a cruise.

That is one or two pounds a day.

The miniature golf course is getting plenty of use on our cruise to the Caribbean.  A large lighted multi-purpose court is popular for basketball, volleyball and soccer.  Strong netting around the court keeps balls from zooming into the ocean. There are also ping-pong tables and foosball tables.

Sky Fitness features a wide array of exercise equipment, stationary bikes, elliptical and rowing machines, punching bags and more. A six-station Vita exercise course seems well used whenever I pass it.

For a run in the sun or a stroll at sunset, Sports Court is an 800-foot-long padded jogging path that surrounds the fitness area and the Lanai is a convenient wraparound walkway on the promenade. Nothing like getting some exercise while watching the ocean roll and stars starting to light the night sky.

Story amd Photo by Jackie Sheckler Finch