Up, Up, and Away Balloon?

[JFCruise]

I'm going to Coco Cay next week and I had previously bought the UUA balloon trip or whatever you want to call it. But then about a month ago I received an email telling me that the product had been cancelled. I got refunded correctly, that was no issue at all.

But I've been curious since, and haven't found any information, as to why they might have cancelled it? I went back to the Planner and it the 'excursion' doesn't even appear. And a sorta lazy Google search doesn't provide any news items on a possible malfunction or whatever.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on with the balloon?

[KJones]

My guess: weather. With all the hurricanes / storms / wind this time of year, they likely don't want mass cancellations the day of, so they just dont' want to allow reservations in advance. It might be available to book at the shore excursion desk once you're onboard. Again, just a guess.

[KJ777]

We booked that one back in May 2022 and it ended up getting cancelled because of wind/weather.  Too bad, I think it would have been pretty cool to check out!

 

[cruisellama]

Very weather dependent related to wind conditions.    I've done it once, but other times the breezes closed it down.  Of course could be for other reasons.   World helium supplies have been very low (hence very expensive) since the pandemic and it might actually might not be cost effective for operate at this time - that's just a guess.  

[27th Lady]

looks like they just said closing for maintenance… feels like most of the time it doesn’t run anyhow due to weather as others above have said 
 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Royal-Caribbean-closes-CocoCay-balloon-ride-for-maintenance

[JFCruise]

@27th Lady This article actually aligns pretty well with the date my ride was cancelled. Thanks.

[smokeybandit]

I've never seen the balloon in the air, no matter the weather

[JimnKathy]

Been to Perfect Day 4 times...the balloon wasn't operational any of those times.  

[Xaa]

It was unlikely you were ever going to go up @JFCruise so better to know now.  I know that doesn't answer the why question.

[Pattycruise]

Been there almost 2 dozen times and saw the balloon up twice., and not even all day, just early morning.  Whoever pitched the idea and those who agreed to build that should have list their job! (Not serious, but what a waste)

[ScottD]

It's closed for a at least few months due to Maintenance. I wonder if they are actually doing something to make it a little more stable in light wind, or if they are just replacing it altogether. I doubt they'd replace it since it seems to be the focal point of most promotional pics, so hoping they are just adding some lines or a track or something that will allow it to fly in the light wind that usually grounds it. 

[twangster]

Probably don't want folks taking pictures of their new Hideaway adult only beach area under construction so they grounded it.  

The other thought is that sea air probably corrodes the mechanicals a lot faster than the same balloons at Disney in Orlando and other places around the country that are inland.  Salty sea air destroys even the best stainless steel in short order.

[ScottD]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Probably don't want folks taking pictures of their new Hideaway adult only beach area under construction so they grounded it.  

The other thought is that sea air probably corrodes the mechanicals a lot faster than the same balloons at Disney in Orlando and other places around the country that are inland.  Salty sea air destroys even the best stainless steel in short order.

Never even thought of the Adults only area thing..this makes sense!  These balloon things never seem to operate correctly, we had one in Philly at the Zoo-- you'd see that thing WAY up in the air from the Expressway, but apparently it was down for mechanical issues regularly and they eventually got rid of it. 

[whitsmom]

13 hours ago, KJ777 said:

We booked that one back in May 2022 and it ended up getting cancelled because of wind/weather.  Too bad, I think it would have been pretty cool to check out!

 

Ours was cancelled because it was too windy.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I think the hot air balloon was one of those "seemed like a good idea at the time" things.  The reality is that maintaining this attraction is just waaay more trouble than it is worth....IMO.  I expect them to remove it altogether at some point and put something else there where they can actually make some money.

[TXcruzer]

I thought I read somewhere that UUA balloon was being decommissioned completely 

[KJ777]

@TXcruzer I was wondering the same thing myself.  @WAAAYTOOO agree with you too!

[27th Lady]

I had thought that too but interestingly its still listed for new bookings for my Feb 2024 cruise 

[Ampurp85]

I was consistently booking the balloon and it was consistently being cancelled. The one time I didn't book it went up. After seeing it go up, I realized I dodged a bullet. It is less than 5min total that you are up in the air. When I was booking it was $35ish and then by early 2022 it was in the $50s on Black Friday sales.......now it is $70+.

[JFCruise]

On 9/13/2023 at 12:31 AM, Xaa said:

It was unlikely you were ever going to go up @JFCruise so better to know now.  I know that doesn't answer the why question.

Just got off the cruise - and yep, it was grounded all day long. Shame, but whatever.

[SpeedNoodles]

The only time I saw it up, it was wildly out of control due to sudden wind.  It was likely a very unpleasant ride for those aboard, and they closed it right after that.  All other times it's been grounded due to the wind all day.

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Booked a 5 day on Mariner yesterday. The balloon wasn't even offered as an excursion on Cruise Planner. Our two prior visits to Coco Cay, it wasn't operating.

[Cactus527]

1 hour ago, JFCruise said:

Just got off the cruise - and yep, it was grounded all day long. Shame, but whatever.

Saw that too. Enjoy the rain at PCC today?

[JFCruise]

@Cactus527 I was at PCC on Thursday. It didn't rain (except for a very very short and very light rain). It was sunny and hot.

[F1guynz]

It is offered in the cruise planner for our cruise on Harmony in September 2024

[RCIfan1912]

3 hours ago, F1guynz said:

It is offered in the cruise planner for our cruise on Harmony in September 2024

Huh, I just checked and its also offered on our Anthem cruise in late February 2024. Our son really wants to do this but I'm trying to spare him disappointment. Maybe just book it and hope for the best.