Norwegian Cruise Lines Put a Ferrari Race Track on a New Cruise Ship
But it’s not as awesome as you think. Just like cruise ships in general.
These days, cruise lines often go to rather exceptional lengths to distract their paying passengers from the fact that they're trapped on a bobbing nightmare filled with obese octogenarians and Norwalk virus that could capsize or crash at literally any moment. As such, the companies that build and run these skyscraper-sized vessels stock them up with every form of entertainment possible. For its latest floating monster, Norwegian Cruise Lines is teaming up with Ferrari to put a race track on its latest cruise ship, Norwegian Joy.
Okay, "race track" is a bit generous. As we mentioned when news first broke of the cruise line's plan, Norwegian Joy will actually boast a go-kart track, designed to accommodate 10 karts on its bi-level looping race course. Likewise, based on the press release, it seems Scuderia Ferrari's involvement extends as far as to slap its name on the track and install a watch store next door to it on the ship.
Still, even though it may be more like a shrunken-down version of Formula E than the Shanghai Grand Prix, the Norwegian Joy's Ferrari-branded track will be the first automotive(ish) race track at sea. Ship-goers in the Concierge and The Haven classes (which we assume are the upper levels where Kate Winslet and Billy Zane hang out) will be allotted a number of free trips on the course; here's hoping other passengers will also be able to take a crack at this mini-Fiorano.
If you happen to live anywhere other than the world's most populous nation, however, don't get your hopes up. As Norwegian Cruise Line's first ship specifically designed for the Chinese market, Norwegian Joy will be based out of Shanghai and Tianjin for the forseeable future.
Norwegian hasn't released much in the way of media assets besides the blurry image we posted up top, but a YouTube account called Kallis Video Production has some cool drone footage of the Norwegian Joy leaving drydock that shows off the track. We've posted it below for your viewing pleasure, 'cause that's just what we do.
