Carnival Conquest is joining America’s latest sports craze by introducing a permanent pickleball court.
The yard was added to the upper deck of the ship while it was in dry dock in September. Conquest resumed the Caribbean cruise on 10 October.
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis using a hollow perforated ball and hard-faced paddles. Although the game has been around for decades, its popularity is growing.
More than 4.8 million “pickers” play the sport in the U.S., according to a 2022 report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The sport’s popularity grew by nearly 40% in the last two years, making it the fastest growing sport. In comparison, yoga has grown 12.8% in that time frame.
Carnival said Conquest is the first ship with a permanent pickleball court, although other ships have basketball courts that accommodate ball and hand-held equipment.
