Up Up & Away

[The Grumpus]

Just got word that the balloon will be closed for maintenance on August 15.  Not sure if this is a long term thing or just the day I’m there. After the 15th I’ll now be 0 for 5 with getting to ride that balloon. 
 

[smokeybandit]

I've been there 5 times since the restart and haven't seen the balloon go up at all.

 

I'm surprised they don't just scrap that thing and use that space for something new.

[silentbob007]

RCI needs to get over the infatuation with the balloon. It’s like they couldn’t make it work on a ship but they couldn’t let it go. 

[CastleCritic]

1 hour ago, silentbob007 said:

RCI needs to get over the infatuation with the balloon. It’s like they couldn’t make it work on a ship but they couldn’t let it go. 

I suspect letting it go was probably part of the reason they didnt 🙂

[Wivian]

Thank you @The Grumpus for this. 
I received just a cancellation email for our September 10 cruise. 
 

I really was waiting that balloon ride. Though I was also waiting to hear that it won’t happen due the wind but … 🙁

[LibertyBella]

We had a similar tethered balloon ride at our zoo, and although I wanted to go up in it, one day while I was working, my entire family went up in it without me (even though it was MY idea!).

 

So for revenge I booked a trip out west in New Mexico and went on a REAL balloon ride, soaring over the landscape for miles, learning how the balloon inflates and deflates, stepping in and out of the basket, having a chase car follow us when we landed, etc., etc.  After experiencing this marvelous adventure, I can say that the very short tethered experience is just a baby ride.

[Scottdalfonso]

@The Grumpus well it goes all the way out to at least the week of October 1, because people in our sailing group have posted this same email. 

[Scottdalfonso]

1 hour ago, LibertyBella said:

We had a similar tethered balloon ride at our zoo, and although I wanted to go up in it, one day while I was working, my entire family went up in it without me (even though it was MY idea!).

 

So for revenge I booked a trip out west in New Mexico and went on a REAL balloon ride, soaring over the landscape for miles, learning how the balloon inflates and deflates, stepping in and out of the basket, having a chase car follow us when we landed, etc., etc.  After experiencing this marvelous adventure, I can say that the very short tethered experience is just a baby ride.

I knew as soon as you mentioned the ZOO Balloon you were from Philly!  I used to love seeing that up in the air when I was driving down the Schuylkill! 

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

  I used to love seeing that up in the air when I was driving down the Schuylkill! 

You're one of the few people that have found something to love while driving on the Schuylkill

[Scottdalfonso]

18 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

You're one of the few people that have found something to love while driving on the Schuylkill

That and boathouse row were about it...now the balloon is gone and they are doing a multi year light replacement on boathouse row,so it's back to just pure hatred on that road,now. 

[PhillyFan33579]

11 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I've been there 5 times since the restart and haven't seen the balloon go up at all.

 

I'm surprised they don't just scrap that thing and use that space for something new.

I have been to Coco Cay 31 times since the restart. I have only seen the balloon operating two times. Definitely not a good use of space like you mentioned 

[jenushkask8s]

We got the cancellation email for our October 22 cruise so it's down at least until November (we are scheduled to visit CC on October 28). 

[The Grumpus]

3 hours ago, jenushkask8s said:

We got the cancellation email for our October 22 cruise so it's down at least until November (we are scheduled to visit CC on October 28). 

Wow, that's a pretty long time for some "TLC".  It doesn't take them that long to amp-up their ships.

[steveru621]

The weather issues are the main reason.

[Scottdalfonso]

1 hour ago, The Grumpus said:

Wow, that's a pretty long time for some "TLC".  It doesn't take them that long to amp-up their ships.

Makes me wonder if maybe they ARE trying to replace it or maybe do something to it where it can actually go up in a little bit of wind. Seems like a few more tethers would keep it pretty secure going up and down in light wind

[Jetdriver787]

Just another victim of inflation! 🤷‍♂️

[The Grumpus]

5 minutes ago, Jetdriver787 said:

Just another victim of inflation! 🤷‍♂️

Or in this case, deflation. 

[cruisegirl1]

We did the balloon when it was relatively new (June 2019), and for about $25 pp.  It only went half the distance up because of wind but it was a fun experience.  I recall they employed a person to maintain and operate the balloon. 

 

In the dozens of times we've been to Coco Cay, I think I has gone up only a handful of times. 

I suspect they need to regroup and put some revenue generating activity in the space. 

M

[Jimbo]

The Balloon  is done with Smoke and Mirrors, it really isn't there...............

[jwlane]

It'll be gone for quite a while.  https://www.news-journal.com/arena/thestreet/royal-caribbean-shuts-down-its-popular-balloon-ride/article_76794f33-1163-506f-bb48-ab25097b5a23.html

[SoloAlaska]

On 8/8/2023 at 3:42 AM, LibertyBella said:

We had a similar tethered balloon ride at our zoo, and although I wanted to go up in it, one day while I was working, my entire family went up in it without me (even though it was MY idea!).

 

So for revenge I booked a trip out west in New Mexico and went on a REAL balloon ride, soaring over the landscape for miles, learning how the balloon inflates and deflates, stepping in and out of the basket, having a chase car follow us when we landed, etc., etc.  After experiencing this marvelous adventure, I can say that the very short tethered experience is just a baby ride.

Omg yes love your revenge too. Tethered balloon ride is a baby ride. I use to be part of a competitive chase team (the mascot pretty much since I was about 6) and I had a tethered ride for my 6th birthday (it was a gift from the pilot). I love hot air ballooning but I also am well aware of the risks. I’ve been in 2 crash landings as a kid.

 

Every balloon is custom sewn in a small workshop and the baskets have to be woven by hand. It’s absolutely amazing when you start thinking about it. You don’t just order a balloon on amazon and get it delivered next day.

 

I’m sorry for everyone who had their ride cancelled and hope you can one day have your dream come true.

 

My mom was crew and they had John Glen in a balloon and he couldn’t believe “it’s just hot air” 😂

[Big_G]

The report I heard is it will be down for quite a while. We thought it was pretty cool up there but our time was delayed half the day because of a thunderstorm threat. 

[Russ Lomas]

On 8/7/2023 at 8:10 PM, The Grumpus said:

Just got word that the balloon will be closed for maintenance on August 15.  Not sure if this is a long term thing or just the day I’m there. After the 15th I’ll now be 0 for 5 with getting to ride that balloon. 
 

Thought this was another thread on RCCL raising the prices on cruises.  Disappointed it was about a hot air balloon.

[Ret MP]

I wonder who the genius was that suggested putting a hot-air balloon on a lone island in the Caribbean (not technically and geographically in the Caribbean Sea) and making it one of the main attractions of the island.  Surely someone at RCCL HQ knew that weather would be a major issue with a hot-air balloon and do nothing but piss people off with its issues.  

[soremekun]

I'm really disappointed..... they didn't use the word "enhanced".