| You really want to take a cruise but you also | | | | |
| really want to go to a spa for physical | | | | Many times the spa and beauty staff will |
| fitness and maybe a little pampering. In the | | | | discount their services on days when the ship |
| world today you can do both. Years ago you | | | | is in port. If you are going to a few cruise |
| were lucky to find a spa on a cruise ship. If | | | | destinations that you have previously |
| there was one, it was in a really remote area | | | | visited, take advantage of these offers. You |
| of the ship. As for physical fitness there | | | | will find that you can pick your time of day |
| was very little equipment and most of it was | | | | to get these treatments done with little or |
| tired. When people started to become more | | | | no competition. If you are an early riser, |
| conscious of their looks and health the | | | | choose an appointment in the morning and then |
| cruise lines revised their way of thinking. | | | | get off the ship to enjoy that port. Or, |
| Cruise travel now can double as a spa | | | | conversely, disembark early to explore your |
| vacation as well as learning a new physical | | | | new port, and then return to the ship in the |
| fitness program. | | | | early afternoon to take advantage of a |
| | | | discounted treatment. |
| The newer cruise ships have gone to great | | | | |
| lengths to accommodate the cruise passenger | | | | When you go to your spa appointment, do not |
| who also wants to beautify and tone up. The | | | | wear jewelry or fancy clothes. Most |
| cruise lines have installed state of the art | | | | treatments are a bit messy and you don't want |
| equipment, added numerous exercise classes, | | | | to ruin any of your belongings. It is best |
| and offer the newest beauty treatments | | | | just to wear a robe. When you get there an |
| available. Many of the cruise lines have | | | | attendant will give you a towel and a private |
| relocated their fitness centers to the top | | | | locker to put away your things. You may then |
| decks of the ships with lots of windows so | | | | be asked to wait in a room. Your technician |
| you can have a view while you are on the | | | | will come out to take you to the room |
| treadmill, bike, or lifting weights. Tucked | | | | designated for that particular application. |
| up into the corner is a big TV so you can | | | | You will also fill out a form on your health |
| watch the news from back home. The cruise | | | | and any surgeries that you have had. The room |
| ships now have three distinct areas, one for | | | | you are in will most likely have a shower. It |
| fitness, one for spa treatments and one for | | | | will definitely have a sound system to play |
| the beauty salon. | | | | soothing music and there will be an array of |
| | | | exotic oils and creams. |
| As mentioned, the fitness centers on cruise | | | | |
| ships are now a thing to behold. They all | | | | The cruise ship spas have gotten quite |
| will definitely have treadmills, | | | | creative. They now offer couples massages |
| Stairmasters, free weights rowing machines | | | | where you and your partner are in the same |
| and bikes. Some cruise lines even have | | | | room with different massage therapists. Then |
| complete Nautilus machines. Popular exercise | | | | there are four hand massages where two people |
| machines, especially on sea days, may require | | | | work on you at the same time. Some of the |
| you to sign up for a particular time of day | | | | cruise lines offer in suite massages and some |
| and will limit the amount of time you can use | | | | even have massages on the deck. |
| the machine. | | | | |
| | | | By far the highest percentage of staff are |
| If you want to use your cruise travel as a | | | | women but there a few men. If you have a |
| vehicle to start an exercise regime there are | | | | preference between male or female spa |
| physical trainers onboard. Their services, | | | | technicians, state it when you make your |
| however, will cost you extra. The trainer | | | | appointment. Some people are uncomfortable |
| will ask you lots of questions about your | | | | lying naked on a table with a therapist of |
| health and diet and then will come up with a | | | | the opposite sex. Check the cruise ships |
| personal regime for you. He or she will then | | | | policy on tipping. Some cruise lines |
| book times through the week for you to work | | | | automatically tack on a 15% charge to your |
| together. | | | | bill while on others you may have to pay in |
| | | | cash. To save embarrassment, check at the |
| All cruise lines offer exercise classes, | | | | time you make your appointments. |
| yoga, aerobics, dance, water aerobics, even | | | | |
| Pilates and kickboxing. Some of these may | | | | There are three lines that allow you to make |
| require a slight fee. To find out when these | | | | your spa appoints before boarding the ship. |
| classes are held consult your daily bulletin | | | | Princess, Windstar and Celebrity all offer |
| for times and fees, if any. | | | | this option. In some cases they even have |
| | | | packages that you can book in advance. Be |
| Now, you're thinking why would I start a | | | | careful here though, they may give you some |
| physical fitness regime while on a cruise | | | | very early morning appointments which means |
| ship, especially since they serve all that | | | | you have to go and change them on the very |
| food, 24 hours a day? Well along with the | | | | first day. This is not the best policy since |
| newer, shinier and better facilities the | | | | they should be giving you prime appointments |
| cruise lines have also instituted what they | | | | for booking ahead. |
| call spa cuisine. Everyday they will offer a | | | | |
| "lighter side" menu if you are really serious | | | | Beauty salons will offer a full array of |
| about you new physical fitness regime. | | | | services. You can have your nails done, your |
| | | | hair colored or hand and foot treatments |
| Don't assume that if the ship is older, it | | | | aside from just a trim. Most of the beauty |
| won't have a decent fitness and spa area. | | | | salons have Europeans staffs. That is not |
| Check with your cruise travel agent to find | | | | necessarily a bad thing. Places like Austria |
| out what facilities are onboard the cruise | | | | require their beauty students to go to the |
| ship you have chosen. For instance, the QE2 | | | | equivalent of our college. |
| is an older ship but it has a beautifully | | | | |
| outfitted spa with a large staff. Celebrity's | | | | See, it is possible to turn your cruise into |
| slight older Century has a Thalassotherapy | | | | a spa vacation or physical fitness week. Just |
| pool for their passenger's enjoyment and it | | | | follow what your trainer or your beauty |
| has become quite popular among their | | | | technicians tell you and eat the spa cuisine. |
| cruisers. | | | | You've just achieved three goals, a little |
| | | | bit of pampering, a fitness regime, and a |
| When you board your cruise ship go to the spa | | | | light and healthy diet. This may be a new way |
| area. Usually on the first day the staff will | | | | for you to view cruise travel. |
| be explaining their treatments and | | | | |
| occasionally demonstrate how it is done. | | | | Happy Cruising! |
| Sometimes they will raffle off treatments, so | | | | |
| go to the demonstration just for that reason. | | | | Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights |
| If you have definitely decided that you will | | | | Reserved. |
| be doing some treatments, book them on day | | | | |
| one to get the best times. Any beauty salon | | | | This article may be distributed freely on |
| appointments should be made then too, hair | | | | your website and in your ezines, as long as |
| appointments for formal night go very | | | | this entire article, copyright notice, links |
| quickly. | | | | and the resource box are unchanged. |