I've NEVER DONE THIS on a Cruise Ship Before! Pickle Ball Sport Craze on Royal Caribbean

[@CarlPugh]

A ship having pickleball courts will definitely be a major selling point for me.

[@ezee955]

Love the sport and played for 14 days while cruising the Baltic Sea

[@markestill6498]

Morgan, FYI, we brought the Sport to Royal when we did our first annual group pickleball cruise in 2018 on Liberty of the Seas. We had to bring our own nets and tape or own courts. We had reserved the courts early in morning for our group. The Sport Court manager was getting calls saying other guests were asking to play. So we trained all the court staff on the game and told them we would help out if they put it on the daily schedule for the entire ship. They did that on the last sea day and we introduced it to about 40 others that day. The court manager said he didn't care what everyone else did, but, he was getting this for his ship! We just completed #6 and would love to have you join us on #7 next year

[@cindymonday]

yes yes im booked on the ICON of the seas and cant wait to play on board!

[@csalazar1230]

I just started playing pickleball more seriously over the past month and have a cruise booked on the Odyssey of the Sea in December and actually really excited to play pickleball on a cruise ship now.

[@theillustratedvagabond]

Great video! I had no idea. I just checked and my next cruise has a court, super excited to play. I’m teaching art on the Queen Mary for the next month. Tucking my paddle in my bag. Thanks!

[@dancooper41]

Hi Morgan. There was pickle ball pretty much every day on Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady transatlantic which I got off of on Sunday. Very popular!

[@debbiekeltz-wolk7691]

It looks interesting and I would like to give it a try on our next cruise.

[@Beachdudeca]

I think pickle ball courts are a possible replacement for basketball courts on ships given cruise demographics

[@machellep1]

We played this in the gym on rainy days back in school in the 60-70s . Fun to see it making its way back.

[@brandicruises]

I’m definitely checking the daily activities on my next cruise to see if they have pickle ball. I don’t think I could join the fun at 6 am, though. Yet again, my world has been opened to new, interesting things by watching your channel. Thanks, Morgan!

[@jackieheidorn5875]

Thank you for the information regarding pickleball. I just received the invitation to the reunion later this year and the organizers have a mini-pickleball tourney as one of the activities. I envisioned something like lacrosse with fermented vegetables. After your explanation I might give it a try. Have fun.

[@larspersson6695]

Was also played in the SeaPlex on the Odyssey transatlantic cruise! :)

[@darlenehynes855]

Just gòt off the ncl sun and there was a man in his 80s playing pickleball. He said he loves it.

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

Yes! Isn't that great?

[@nicolechapman6440]

I played pickle ball in high school gym classes back in the early 90’s. Loved it.

[@KissesFromCanada]

Been meaning to try it

[@patriciajchan8700]

Nice to know we can play pickle ball on some cruise ships

[@jimlitwin1307]

Was just on Oasis of the Seas last week and they had a similar set-up for 3 pickleball nets on the sports court. But in your video, I did not see any lines for the pickleball court. Did you have to just guess if a ball was in or out? Oasis had lines for pickleball BUT the court length was not the regulation 44'. The width of the court was about right as was the kitchen depth. There was room to make the court longer and, in fact, we used an existing outer line for the baseline. The reason I am asking about the lack of lines is because our community has 100 people booked on a pickleball cruise in April 2024 on Symphony. Should we bring our own white tape to lay down the lines? Thanks. P.S. On Oasis, the netting covering the entire court consisted of squares about 3" wide - big enough to allow a pickleball through! This happened a couple of time. If the ball bounced just right towards the interior of the ship, it could go over the edge of the walkway just outside the court and drop 7 decks to the Boardwalk below! Fortunately this did not happen but I would hate to be the person on deck 8 getting hit with a pickleball that had fallen 7 decks!

[@cleasond]

I only go on cruise ships that have Pickleball. My favorite ship is Royal Caribbean quantum class ships with the indoor sports court called the Sea Plex. I recently was on the Ovation of the seas for 38 days and played Pickleball almost every day. It was the highlight of my trip.

[@livingweirdestherc6644]

I don’t play pickle ball but I did used to play tennis

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

You should try it!

[@chantall7833]

FYI Holland America has pickeball on the Nieuw Statendam at least. P.s. Guess who is getting your book for Mother’s Day!😉

[@shylaconrad]

Most Holland America ships have pickleball since they are associated with the Pickball Association - I'm a TA so I've been asked about this often lately.

[@jeremyferguson9292]

I play about 4 times a week and can’t wait to check out the competition on my upcoming cruise!

[@heather1980]

Oh I used to be a pretty good tennis and ping pong player many years ago-this looks like fun.

[@allisonroorda7937]

On our cruise last November, my hubby torn his calf playing pickleball. However, he is ready to play again!

[@markdesordi7506]

Love pickleball. The jubilee is going to have it. Going January!

[@craigzilla100]

Great video! I played pickleball around 2000 in highschool.. and didnt hear of it again for years . Now IT'S EVERYWHERE. Going on a cruise in 2 days. Im hoping i can get up early enough to go play! I tried it at the Y a few times last winter and loved it. Im a tennis player at heart though.. always.

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

Yes, it feels like "betraying" tennis to play it... but it's so much fun!

[@kvom01]

Royal Caribbean has pickleball on the Seaplex on two ships where I did transatlantic cruises: Odyssey and Adventure. The courts were set up every morning for three hours. For me the only real disadvantage was glare coming from the windows on both sides, but it was great exercise every morning after breakfast. I'll be on a Princess TA next month, but with outdoor courts in November I imagine the weather might not be the greatest.

[@scottpoole2182]

Our neighborhood had 2 pickleball courts on it. There were large, well-organized tournaments on them. I was a mediocre tennis player but slightly better at pickleball so I used to love playing. Holland America has an official association with the Professional Pickleball Association and has courts on most of their ships. I look forward to trying it out on the Westerdam.

[@debsterlee3801]

The NCL Prima has a pickleball court on it but unfortunately on our TA last fall, it was too cold and wet to be able to use it. Glad you had much better weather.

[@Duchess_of_Cadishead]

It looks interesting, and I just found out there are lots of clubs in Victoria, Australia; including one very close to me.

[@bristolishome8049]

I’ve never played it, but I’m intrigued now. I never knew what the craze was about, but after your explanation, I kinda want to try it!

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

It was a lot of fun!

[@laureljaneg]

Hey Morgan it a very good tennis player. I think pickle ball will be a great fit for me. I know that they have classes in my local area had no idea that they had Pickleball on cruise ships. I’m probably one of those people to noise. Might bother if I were next to a court. I was once looking for an inexpensive place to rent. There’s a studio apartment on the back of a house the yard to the house backed up to I think a middle school, the huge field, which I knew the third B sports out there and whistles, and all kinds of noise and the place wasn’t that great and I thought I don’t want to take the chance but I bought a bunch of noise early on the weekend when I try to get some extra sleep

[@KarynHill]

I can see the problem in cities where land is at a premium. It was already difficult to get space for things like this. I hope it works out well, though. Anything that gets people moving in a time where most people move as little as they can! I could handle the sound as long as it stops around 10 pm. Although really, I have ear plugs so it still wouldn't be much of a problem. I'm someone who has difficulty with sound so I'm already used to adjusting, though, which isn't often the case.

[@pryttyfatchick]

Im going on Quantum next week and pickle ball is listed, im thinking of giving it a try

[@mariajosegilrodriguez4707]

Is this on Symphony??? We do weekly paddle tennis at home, and are very interesting in knowing about this, and cant find anything on activies on board

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

This was on our transatlantic cruise on the Symphony of the Seas.

[@tgodiver]

do they provide the paddles and balls or do you have to provide bring your own paddle and ball?

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

Some brought their own but there were also paddles and balls provided.

[@moishepromosexclusive7863]

Going on the Oasis of the seas in a couple weeks. I have a couple questions. Do you have to reserve a spot to play pickleball? or can anyone just join, are there set times? Does the ship provide paddles and balls? I am bringing my own paddle, however i would like to play with my family members who do not own a paddle. Thank you in advance...

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

Well, if the Oasis does it like they did it on the Symphony, you just needed to show up at the time the Daily Planner lists for Pickle Ball. Paddles and balls were provided, but they weren't the best and many people had brought their own with. The game was very popular on our cruise with between 20-30 players showing up to play on the 3 courts. If you are picturing that you are going to reserve a court and then go play with your family for an hour... it's very different. Everyone kind of mixes and plays with everyone. There was a line next to the court and whoever the next 4 players were were the players that got the next available court. I hope that helps and I hope you have a great cruise!

[@kvom01]

@@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides Pretty much what happened on my cruises on Royal.

[@audreyann4777]

Ahhh…. you have math issues too! My husband and sons have been making fun of me for years. There’s a name for it, and it’s like dyslexia. It’s called Dyscalculia. I can barely add numbers. I’m guessing you are great at spelling and writing. I am. 😊 I’m an new pickle ball player.

[@timyak3079]

My friend Forest always said “Pickle is as pickle does 🥒”

[@timyak3079]

Is there a difference between a hard-core pickle and a soft-core pickle 🤔🤨

[@timyak3079]

I thought pickle balling was something done with a mellon-cutting spoon 🥄 (mellon baller) only with pickles 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@VeryunOfficialTravelGuides]

:-P

[@jeannebasanez7427]

Pickle ball is banned in Denver because of the noise it creates

[@SunnyTravels]

Pickleball: I am ALL PRO baby, and talk a lot of trash. But when I lose? Well, I'm just letting you have one--you looked like you needed the self-esteem boost! Gosh I'm such a great guy!

[@brennarizzardi135]

Okay, Morgan. You know I love you, but . . . I can’t. I wish I could still play tennis, and I do understand that boomers might like a modification of the game. But I object to the name Pickle and definitely object to the term ‘ballers’. Just No. But I will try it at some point. 🤩