Pickleball on a Cruise

Pickleball on a cruise means playing on a dedicated or shared sports court onboard, sometimes with an open air, top deck ocean view. Court access, equipment, and lessons vary by cruise line, and even by ship within the same line. The details below reflect what each line’s own website confirms, so check before you sail if a specific ship’s setup matters to you.

The cruise lines with pickleball courts

Two major lines confirm pickleball with a specific, published ship list on their own websites, as of September 2026.

Holland America Line describes itself as the exclusive cruise line partner of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), according to hollandamerica.com. The line lists pickleball courts, included with the cruise fare, on 11 ships:

• Eurodam
• Koningsdam
• Nieuw Amsterdam
• Nieuw Statendam
• Noordam
• Oosterdam
• Rotterdam
• Volendam
• Westerdam
• Zaandam
• Zuiderdam

Holland America’s site also confirms complimentary beginner lessons, onboard tournaments, and top deck ocean views from the courts. The courts are open air, so play depends on the weather.

Carnival Cruise Line lists pickleball, also included at no extra charge, on 22 ships, according to carnival.com: Adventure, Breeze, Celebration, Conquest, Dream, Encounter, Firenze, Freedom, Glory, Horizon, Jubilee, Legend, Magic, Miracle, Panorama, Pride, Spirit, Splendor, Sunrise, Venezia, Vista, and Mardi Gras. Carnival lists Festivale and Tropicale as coming soon. Carnival requires players to be 18 or older and to wear closed toe athletic shoes and workout clothing. Swimwear, sandals, and flip flops are not allowed on the court.

Cruise lines add and change onboard activities as fleets are renovated, and not every line publishes a ship by ship pickleball list the way Holland America and Carnival do. If a specific ship’s court setup matters to your trip, confirm it directly on the cruise line’s own website or through the daily program once you are onboard.

What to expect playing pickleball at sea

Expect casual, social play on a shared court, not a private lesson every day. Onboard courts often double as basketball or general sports courts, so pickleball runs at set times listed in the daily program or the cruise line’s app, rather than all day.

A few realities to plan around:

• Check the daily schedule. Courts are shared spaces, so open play windows and any tournaments are posted in the cruise app or the paper daily program, not on a fixed weekly calendar.
• Weather matters on open air courts. Wind at sea can change how the ball flies, and rain can close an outdoor court for the day. Holland America’s courts are open air, so plan for a backup activity.
• Space is tighter than a resort court. Shipboard courts often share lines and boundaries with basketball or volleyball, so rallies can feel more cramped than a dedicated pickleball facility on land.
• Equipment is usually included. Holland America and Carnival both include paddles and balls with pickleball access, based on each line’s own website. Packing a paddle you already like is still worth it if grip or weight matters to you.
• Dress for the rules. Carnival requires closed toe athletic shoes and workout clothing, and bans swimwear, sandals, and flip flops on its courts.
• Sign up early on popular sailings. Courts are a shared resource, and a full ship means more players wanting the same time slot.

Cruise pickleball is a good way to stay active and meet other players on a long sailing. It will not match the space of a dedicated resort court, so set expectations for a casual, shared setup rather than a tournament grade facility.

Themed pickleball cruises

They can be, if you want guaranteed daily play and instruction built into the trip. Independent operators book blocks of cabins on regular sailings and add pickleball clinics, drills, and organized open play on top of the cruise itself.

Pickleball in Paradise is one such operator. According to pickleballinparadise.com, it books its trips on Royal Caribbean sailings and offers three trip types: Clinic Trips built around instruction, Open Play Trips for informal matches, and Private Pickleball Trips for groups that want their own charter. The company states it has sent more than 2,000 players on pickleball cruises since 2021.

What to know before booking a themed trip:

• Pricing is not published as a flat rate. Pickleball in Paradise asks for a deposit to hold a spot rather than listing a fixed price online, so cost depends on the specific sailing, cabin, and trip length.
• These trips ride on top of a normal cruise. You are still booking a Royal Caribbean sailing, then adding the pickleball programming, so check whether trip fees are included in your cruise fare.
• Popular sailings fill up. Themed trips use a smaller block of cabins than the ship as a whole, so booking ahead matters more than on a standard sailing.

A themed cruise works like a packaged pickleball vacation at sea, with the courts, coaching, and schedule handled for you. If you would rather compare land based options first, take a look at pickleball vacation packages built around resorts and clubs.

Frequently asked questions

Which cruise lines confirm pickleball on their own websites? Holland America and Carnival both list pickleball with a specific, published ship count on their own websites. Holland America names 11 ships and Carnival names 22, with 2 more coming soon.

Is pickleball free on cruise ships? On Holland America and Carnival, yes. Both lines list pickleball, including court time and equipment, as part of the cruise fare on their own websites, with no extra charge mentioned.

Do cruise ships provide paddles and balls? Holland America and Carnival both include equipment with pickleball access, based on each line’s own website. Bringing a paddle you already like is still a good idea if fit and feel matter to you.

Is there an age requirement to play pickleball on a cruise? On Carnival, yes. Carnival’s website lists an age requirement of 18 and older for its pickleball courts.

What should you wear to play pickleball on a cruise ship? Carnival requires closed toe athletic shoes and workout clothing on its pickleball courts, and does not allow swimwear, sandals, or flip flops, according to its website.

Can you play pickleball in bad weather on a cruise? It depends on the ship. Holland America’s pickleball courts sit on open decks with ocean views, so wind and rain can interrupt play, based on the line’s own website. Check the daily program for a backup indoor activity on days when the weather turns.

What is a themed pickleball cruise? It is a sailing where an outside operator adds organized pickleball programming on top of a standard cruise. Pickleball in Paradise, for example, books its trips on Royal Caribbean sailings and has sent more than 2,000 players on pickleball cruises since 2021, according to its website.

How do you find the onboard pickleball schedule once you are sailing? Check the cruise line’s app or the printed daily program after you board. Shared courts run pickleball at set times rather than all day.

Planning a sea and paddle trip? Pack smart by checking whether you can bring a pickleball paddle on a plane before your flight to the port. And if you would rather line up matches on dry land between sailings, browse the pickleball clubs directory to find a group near home.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.