Sinking onto the massage table, my therapist dims the lights and begins a sound bath, gentle notes floating in the air as she guides me through breathwork and meditation. It’s a relaxing appetizer, a prelude to a Ritual of Ocean Renewal spa treatment, that includes a full-body massage followed by an aquamarine crystals face and scalp massage.
The renewal is one of the treatments offered aboard Explora Journeys’s Explora I, a boutique luxury cruise ship that set sail in late-summer 2023. At the heart of Explora’s ethos, and its ship, is an “Ocean State of Mind” manifest in the form of a 7,500-square-foot, 11-treatment-room spa, called Ocean Wellness. It also hosts an impressively outfitted fitness and mindful nutrition center with guided journeys and retreats.
“When first designing the spa onboard Explora I, we wanted to create a space that mirrors the gentle, relaxing effects of the ocean, where guests can slow down and find a renewed sense of calm and centeredness,” says Julanda Marais, the senior lead of spa operations with Explora Journeys.
Of course, swish spas aboard cruise ships aren’t new. But in recent years, the luxury vanguard of the industry has refocused their programming to make their spas the center of life at sea.
“We are seeing quite a few new spa and wellness focused ships being launched, which is very exciting,” says Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Association. She adds that the demand for spa services is at an all-time high, with 2022 revenues in the U.S. exceeding $20.1 billion.
“The savvy traveling consumer expects to see a spa in their hotel, and now more than ever they are expecting it on their cruise as well,” she says. “Cruise guests are a captive audience and want to learn about proper nutrition, fitness and overall self-care and the time at sea is a perfect time to relax and learn.”
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is another line that has re-centered its spa. The Regent Suite on the new Seven Seas Grandeur, which set sail in Nov. 2023, is more than 4,400 square feet, but its selling point is a private in-suite spa with sauna, steam room, jetted bath, and, most luxurious of all, unlimited, complimentary Serene Spa & Wellness treatments
On shore, Regent has also curated Serene Spa & Wellness Tours—excursions designed to enhance wellness through immersive experiences. Think bathing in the Terme dei Papi, the Thermal Baths of the Popes in Rome, or a sunset yoga practice in Tenerife.
Alongside its Pulse Fitness Centers with group classes across its 19-ship fleet, Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced innovative and unique spa treatments and services. In the Mandara Spas onboard Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, for example, there is the industry’s first Charcoal Saunas at Sea, inspired by Japanese and Korean wellness practices to boost circulation and metabolism while at the same time removing toxins. The spas also feature salt pools as well as zero-gravity and wave massages.
“The focus on Norwegian Cruise Line’s health and wellness offerings has continued to grow, especially as guests are increasingly attuned to both their physical and mental well-being,” says Craig Steyn, vice president of onboard revenue for Norwegian Cruise Line. “From the introduction of elevated spa and fitness offerings to extensive spa enhancements, we know that it is such an important element of the full vacation experience.”
Seeing a trend in medi-spa services, Norwegian also offers Restylane dermal filler to restore youthful contours on the lower face and lips; Dysport wrinkle treatments to soften fine lines on the upper face; and Trusculpt body contouring, a non-invasive way to contour the body using radio frequency.
Crystal Cruises, which debuted its $150 million makeover of Crystal Serenity under the Abercrombie & Kent umbrella last summer, has also taken notice of the medi-spa trend and offers quite a few treatments in its Aurōra Spa. Among the more than 70 unique treatments found in the spa menu are high-tech Biotec and cryo and LED facials; IV treatments; medi-spa treatments using Thermage, Dysport, and Restylane; microneedling and more.
Passengers traveling aboard Viking Cruises’s Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis expedition ships have the opportunity to embrace their cozy sides thanks to the unique Hygge Massage, an holistic massage in the embrace of warm sand beds. For something more exhilarating, there’s a traditional Nordic bathing experience in the thermal suite, with saunas, hot tubs, warming caves, snow grottos, and cold-water buckets. That snow grotto is filled with real snowflakes that descend from the ceiling through the cold air. Other Nordic-inspired spa treatments curated by LivNordic, a Scandinavian wellness concept, are also available.
Though AquaClass has been a part of Celebrity Cruises for quite awhile, the cruise line introduced its enhanced wellness experience via staterooms on Celebrity Edge in 2018 before being rolled out fleetwide. Guests who reserve AquaClass staterooms enjoy Cashmere mattresses and pillow menus, not to mention healthy options at the exclusive AquaClass restaurant, access to the SEA Thermal Suite, a spa concierge, and complimentary fitness classes.
Taking its AquaClass to the next level, in 2022 Celebrity introduced its Aqua Sky Suites on Celebrity Beyond; the suites are now available fleetwide. In addition to enjoying all the benefits of AquaClass, guests in the suites also enjoy access to the Retreat, a boutique-hotel-within-a-ship concept, including access to the Retreat’s exclusive sundeck, lounge, and another private restaurant. Peloton, F45 Training, and Elemis are more wellness amenities found onboard Celebrity’s ships.
Other cruise lines that are making waves with their wellness offerings such as AmaWaterways, which has dedicated Wellness Hosts onboard most of its river cruises to not only lead fitness classes, but shore excursions, too, like guided hikes and bike rides. When Silversea debuted its Otium Spa onboard Silver Dawn last year, it also introduced its spa-to-suite offerings, including bathing and sleeping experiences. The Ritz-Carlton Spa goes to sea aboard the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima and Ilma, both of which feature treatment rooms with ocean views and private terraces for outdoor treatment options, not to mention sauna, steam, and quiet spaces to just be. Princess Cruises has partnered with Xponential Fitness to offer its virtual classes onboard, including Pure Barre, Yoga Six, and Stretch Lab.
Now breathe.
Photos courtesy of Regent and Explora
