ALL CALM AT SEA
From pampering in a spa to on-deck yoga and hi-tech training workouts, cruises are embracing wellness
Spa days, on-deck yoga and hi-tech workouts... how ships are now embracing wellness
WITH the early-morning mists slowly lifting above the river, sunrise yoga makes for the most serene start to a day. Ducks fly in making v-shaped ripples in the water and swans glide by, gently breaking the silence of an almost eerie river scene. So how do you define wellness while river or ocean cruising? Kayaking to a glacier? A day in the spa? Whale watching?
Perhaps simpler pleasures such as breakfast on your balcony to take in the views – or maybe nothing beats simply sitting on the deck in the sunshine with a cool beer.
Cruises cater for every interpretation to ensure guests can either keep up their daily routine or enjoy new experiences. Very often there is no extra charge, from borrowing bikes while on river cruise ships or spending a day in the thermal spas on the ocean.
At sea, the experience is even better on a shimmering ocean with the possibility of watching dolphins from the sauna!
All Marella cruise ships have a Champneys Spa – and with almost a century of experience in wellness, health and fitness, the standards are high with a full menu of facials, massages and manicures – and even acupuncture.
Champneys on Marella Explorer is the largest in the fleet with 13 treatment rooms, including two for couples. Access to the Thermal Suite is free – so book early to get full use of the herbal spa, horizon sauna and steam rooms. For more active guests, Marella Explorer’s onshore e-bike rides with two experienced guides cost around £49 for an exhilarating few hours exploring coastlines!
River cruise line Uniworld also ensures serious fitness followers can keep up their gym routines with the latest equipment, from TRX Suspension Training and workout programmes to on-deck classes, including yoga. Shore programmes feature hikes, cycling and Nordic walking with poles – or you can head out on your own adventure.
On TUI’s 155-guest adults-only river ships TUI Isla and TUI Skyla, guests can join Pilates sessions on the deck, use the wellness area and get dancing to live music in the lounge. TUI Maya also has a herb garden with aromas to revitalise the spirit.
Saga Cruises’ ships Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery both have 500 square metre spas with huge saunas with floor-to-ceiling windows. When it comes to treatments, there is no hard sell on products or persuasion for repeat bookings, which makes for a particularly restful experience.
The hairdressing salon is also treat, with competitive prices and without the rush of high-street salons. Sheila Honeywell, from Hampshire, who had not been able to get an appointment before her cruise, said she was ‘astonished at how relaxed and professional her stylist was’.
On all Viking Cruises’ ocean ships guests can use the Scandi-chic spa facilities and gym on a complimentary basis. The hydrotherapy pool, with a sophisticated wall of flames, echoes the theme of ‘ice and fire’, and guests can use the steam room, saunas and snow grotto for free. Tours also feature thermal spas such as the new Vök Baths – geothermal warm pools adjoining the cold water Lake Urrioavatn in east Iceland.
Emerald Cruises’ EmeraldACTIVE programme has an activity manager, who coordinates on-board yoga and Pilates classes, disco evenings and walking tours. The river ships have an infinity pool featuring a retractable roof for swimming and aquarobics – and at a flick of a switch the pool disappears under the floor to create the Pilates and yoga studio. It’s magic!
Cruises cater for most interests to ensure guests can keep up their daily routine or enjoy new experiences >> Quarantine restrictions in the UK and abroad are liable to change – always check Government and local advice before and during your holiday <<