Shipboard Spas & Fitness Facilities Go Outside the Hull
According to Bob Dickinson, president/CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, more than 1.5 million passengers are expected to utilize the fitness and spa facilities aboard its 20-ship fleet.
Surfing Patti’s Personal Best
Celebrity Cruises: (800-437-3111, www.celebrity.com)
Facilities: Large fitness areas filled with treadmills, elliptical machines and updated devices such as virtual reality bikes, rowing ergometers and Aerobicycles. Personal trainers are available for a fee to help you boost your metabolism strengthen and stretch teach weight training and basically motivate and pump you up. One catchy session called “Help! I Don’t Belong to a Gym,” provides tips for training at home.
Pamper Possibilities: The innovative AquaSpa by Elemis--which pummels the body with hydrotherapy jets-- is the highlight of each eye-catching spa, while the Acupuncture at Sea program headlines therapeutic options on five of its newest vessels. The Oriental technique targets passengers who want to stop smoking, lose weight, reduce stress and decrease pain—which takes in a pretty big group. According to Dietmar Wertanzl, the company’s senior vice president of fleet operations, the program has enjoyed large success since its debut on the Infinity in 2003.
The spa specializes in trendy two and five hour “ceremonies” such as the “Egyptian Ceremony of Milk and Ginger” which includes a soak in a hydro pool, a milk bath (if you’re not clean enough), a ginger salt glow (you never can be too clean), coconut rub and milk ritual float, Chakra balancing massage and a Japanese Silk Booster Facial. The “Tahitian Ceremony of Flowers” utilizes two therapists who rub you simultaneously. Advance bookings are available by calling 1-800-437-3111. Just so you don’t suffer sticker shock, expect to shell out roughly $350 and up per procedure.
Carnival Cruises (800-438-6744, www.carnival.com):
The Facilities: The 13,300 square feet Spa Carnival on the Valor is the trendsetter of the fleet with wide windows overlooking the sea; and saunas and steam rooms that also afford ocean views. Passengers can burn calories and firm up with kickboxing, spinning (for a fee), aerobics and spa cuisine.
Pamper possibilities: A comprehensive list of top to bottom salubrious services. The novel fleet wide Y Spa Program (which is also offered on RCI) offers youth-friendly services such as deep cleansing fresh fruit facials, surfers’ scrubs, sea salt scrubs, teeth whitening and poolside hair braiding.
Crystal Cruises: (800-820-6663, www.crystalcruises.com)
The Facilities: Eye pleasing, fully equipped fengshui correct fitness centers and spas designed with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea (aerobics, stretch, step) are superb. Exercise classes and personal trainers (available for a fee) are top notch.
Pamper Possibilities: Salons are stunners with serene treatment rooms. The spa menu includes the usual head to toe maneuvers along with packages such as the Frangipani Ceremony of Strands (translation: hair and scalp treatment that costs from $191 to $211) to $61 “Sole Delight” pedicures. Treatments on every Crystal ship rank leagues above most ship spas. Best bets include the oxygen-lifting facial ($109 and up), aroma stone massage ($175 and up for an hour and a half), and the coconut rub and milk ritual, two hours of nirvana for about $239.
Princess Cruises: (800-774-6237, www.princess.com)
Facilities: Super gyms combined with an extensive roster of exercise classes such as high/lo aerobics, basketball play, "minimize your middle", step aerobics, firm & fabulous, and circuit training. Kickboxing, Yoga, Pilates and Spinning and personal trainers are available for a fee.
Pamper Possibilities: The newly designed Lotus Spas offer a head-spinning menu of corporal extravagances. “Rituals” are the rage here, 4 to 8 hour-long sessions that range from $340 to $640. A la carte therapies such as Oxygen Facials start at $99, a deep tissue sport massage is $104, Chakra Stone massage runs $158 for an hour and a half and a lime and ginger salt glow goes for $120. Each facility provides steam baths, saunas, outdoor Jacuzzi’s and an inviting spa pool suspended between two decks adjacent to the gym. Treatments can be pre-booked on the web at www.timetospa.com, or a by calling 800-433-5293.
Windstar Cruises: (800-258-7245, www.windstarcruises.com)
Facilities: Each of these four and five master sailing ships boasts greatly enhanced spas and fitness centers. WindSurf leads the pack with a spiffy 1,895-square-foot facility filled with Nautilus equipment, an exercise gym, treadmills, stationary bicycles, free weights, elliptical machines, stair climbers and workout stations. Wrap around windows offer great ocean views. Supervised aerobics, Yoga and Pilates (for an extra $11 a class), Cardio Kick-Boxing, and Kai Bo are held regularly in the Nautilus Fitness Room.
Pamper Possibilities: Exotic face and body options such as Aroma stones massage, ocean wrap, Reiki, Shiatsu, Reflexology, nail and hair care and much more. Personal trainers and diet consultants are available to measure your body fat (to avoid shock, do this early in the cruise) and offer weight control tips. Other ways to stay in shape include snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking off the water sports platform, or running around the jogging track (many times, these are small ships remember).
Royal Caribbean International: (800-327-6700, www.royalcaribbean.com)
Facilities: Cater to Xtreme fitness fanatics with some of the biggest and best workout areas afloat, especially on the Brilliance of the Sea with 15,000-square-feet of dedicated space. There are dozens of treadmills, tons of equipment and a 30-foot high rock-climbing wall. Fitness Frenzy packages cater to teens with boot camp sessions guaranteed to get rid of the baby fat.
Pamper Possibilities:
Along with usual assortment of indulgences, is the fleet wide Y Spa menu for teenagers that includes “Fake Bake” body scrub; “Surfers Scrub” aromatherapy massage; “Fruity Facials” and manicures and pedicures. Adult options such as Ionithermie—a Parisian “body correction” designed to firm abs, buttocks, hips, thighs and waist and pare 1 to 8 inches off those areas--costs about $132. Hot stones sizzle at $175 for 90 minutes, a seaweed rub, which allegedly soothes aches, pains and arthritic conditions runs $176 for 90 minutes.
Holland America: (800-426-0327, www.hollandamerica.com)
Facilities: 1,400 square foot floating versions of the prestigious Texas-based Greenhouse Spas. Currently available on all Vista Class ships; the spa will operate fleet wide in spring of 2006. There is a $15 usage fee for spa facilities, but use of the super sized, well-stocked fitness centers are complimentary. .
Pamper Possibilities: out of body indulgences here beginning with two to four hour Greenhouse “Ceremonies” that run $215 to $350 to specialized rubs such as aroma stone therapy for $159; reflexology for $99; Shiatsu ($99), wraps ($115-$222), tanning sessions, salt glows and way beyond.
Silversea Cruises: (800-722-9955, www.silversea.com)
Facilities: nicely appointed fitness rooms, top intructor and Personal trainers.
Pamper Possibilities: South African therapists who really know their stuff. Highlights of the extensive menu include the hot stone massage (210), a side-by-side couple’s Balinese Bliss 80-minute rub ($160 per person), and personalized facials (from $115).
Ticketed passengers can book spa and salon treatments 48 hours prior to sailing on line by going to www.silversea.com and clicking ‘My Voyage.”
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