Watch 'terrified' reporter fly on Anthem's edge

Gene Sloan

USA TODAY

ABOARD THE ANTHEM OF THE SEAS -- It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. It was tons of fun.

And it sure was windy.

Stepping into the RipCord by iFly skydiving attraction on Royal Caribbean's new Anthem of the Seas, I was hit with a blast of air that made my cheeks feel like they were retracting into my head and maybe about to come out my ears.

The 23-foot-high wind tunnel's upward stream was perfectly counteracting gravity, and -- hands outstretched, like Superman -- I was levitating.

Is this really what skydiving is like? To my surprise, it didn't produce the stomach-churning feeling of falling that I thought it would. The terror was fleeting.

It felt more like what it was: floating on a cushion of air -- albeit with the stability of a model airplane controlled by a two-year-old. I was sure that at any second I would careen into the capsule's glass walls, and a few times I did!

After what seemed like an eternity (but I'm told was only about a minute), the operator kicked up the wind power, and the instructor who had accompanied me into the chamber took me swirling to its top before depositing me safely back at the exit door. What a thrill!

Now maybe I'm ready for the real thing.

The RipCord on Anthem of the Seas is the second skydiving simulator at sea. The first is on sister ship Quantum of the Seas, which debuted in October.

USA TODAY Cruise this week is among a handful of U.S. media outlets getting early access to Anthem of the Seas, which will be christened today in Southampton, UK. For our 'first look' tour of the ship, click through the carousel below. For more of our coverage, including nearly half a dozen videos, follow the links at the bottom of this page or head to USA TODAY's Cruise Hub.

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