It’s a potential free cruise around the globe for a traveler and three friends—but don’t expect it to involve much lounging around poolside with cocktails.
Starting today, Royal Caribbean International is launching a social media contest on its Instagram page, scouring cyberspace for “The World’s Most Adventurous Squad.” The cruise line is looking for a group of up to four adventure travelers, who are thirsty for a good time; thrive on one-way tickets and backcountry adventures; and aren’t afraid of extracurriculars like bungee-jumping, skydiving, and spelunking.
Anyone can apply. But don’t expect it to be easy. Contestants have to tackle one of five separate challenges in order to make it to the final round. Each challenge lasts for 72 hours on the cruise line’s Instagram page, with the first challenge beginning on the 29th and the last one ending April 12. These include challenges like “Thrills and Chills” (photos/videos of adrenaline-inducing activities – see teaser video above); “Hidden Gems” (documentation of spots off the beaten track that the average traveler might not know about); and “Epic Eats” (harnessing your inner Andrew Zimmern). Simply take a related photo/video/GIF in real time (or locate one in your archives); tag it with up to three friends’ accounts; and post it, mentioning @RoyalCaribbean, #AdventureSquad, and #Contest. (Browse all the challenges here; only the first challenge has been unlocked.)
Then, of course, is the final hurdle. After each challenge round is completed, Aussie travel guru Tyson Mayr (i.e. “The Naked Traveller”) will judge the entrants and select one winning team from each category. Those five teams will then be invited onto Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas ship, where they’ll compete in adventures onboard (a teaser video shows an indoor skydiving arena on the ship) and on land (locations include Falmouth, Jamaica; and Cozumel, Mexico). The entire revolution will be televised … on social media, that is.
The winning team gets bragging rights to the title of “World’s Most Adventurous Squad,” and gets hooked up with trips to anywhere the cruise line travels (check out a list of destinations here). Oh, and that victory lap will be beamed to Royal Caribbean’s digital billboards in New York City.
Below, find the timing for each challenge round (contestants can compete in any or all of them):
Challenge 1: 9:00:01 a.m. ET 3/27/17—11:59:59 a.m. ET 3/31/17
Challenge 2: 12:00:01 p.m. ET 3/31/17—11:59:59 a.m. ET 4/3/17
Challenge 3: 12:00:01 p.m. ET 4/3/17—11:59:59 a.m. ET 4/6/17
Challenge 4: 12:00:01 p.m. ET 4/6/17—11:59:59 a.m. ET 4/9/17
Challenge 5: 12:00:01 p.m. ET 4/9/17—11:59:59 a.m. ET 4/12/17
Watch a short teaser video Royal Caribbean released in advance of the first challenge.
—Will Levith for RealClearLife
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