If you wanted the best that spas have to offer 15 years ago, you would probably have stayed on dry land, but today’s cruise ships have spas to rival the finest landlubber counterparts.
NCL’s Norwegian Epic (www.ncl.co.uk) has one of the largest spas at sea, with 24 treatment rooms, Rasul rooms (to slather yourself in mud and steam it off), a hydro-therapy courtyard and thermal suite. The 39 spa cabins include access to a hydrotherapy area and thermal rooms, and eight suites have their own in-room whirlpools. Even teens are catered for with mother-daughter Paradise and father-son Chill Out massages, and a ME! Bath Ice Cream manicure and pedicure as a fun activity for all the family.
Norwegian Epic passengers can also create their own DIY exfoliating body scrubs, made by a mixologist using a client’s choice of scents blended with dried herbs, salt or sugar.
The same facility is also available on P&O’s new Azura, where the spa package includes treatments, events and gifts, as well as a priority spa service. The Oasis Spa has a private outdoor terrace for alfresco massage, and all treatment rooms have balconies for outdoor pampering (www.pocruises.com).
There’s a mind-boggling array of at-sea treatments elsewhere. On MSC’s Magnifica, guests can enjoy a candle massage, or one using heated pink clamshells instead of hands and a face mask of scallop shells over the eyes to reap the benefits of colour through chromotherapy (www.msccruises.co.uk). On Carnival’s Carnival Dream in the Cloud 9 Spa, warm bamboo shoots soaked in essential oils are combined with deep-tissue massage (www.carnivalcruise.co.uk).
Celebrity’s newest ship, Eclipse, like her sister Equinox, has 130 AquaClass staterooms where guests receive a choice of aromatherapy scents and access to the AquaSpa relaxation room, the Persian Garden steam room and exclusive meals in healthy-eating restaurant Blu (www.celebritycruises.co.uk).
Windstar recently added Spa Suites to its yacht, Wind Surf. The company’s spa package includes a range of spa treatments (two facials, two massages and two grooming treatments), as well as products, a nightly gift from the spa and the services of a spa concierge.
Guests also have access to the spa under the stars nights on deck and unlimited fitness classes (www.windstarcruises.co.uk).
Costa’s new Deliziosa has 52 cabins and suites, with direct access to the adult-only parts of the two-deck spa. The spa package includes two exercise classes and two treatments from a range of massages and facials, including with hot stones. As well as access to the thalassotherapy seawater pool, thermal area, relaxation area and a wellness restaurant, guests get a low-calorie room service and a shower that filters impurities for super-soft skin (www.costacruises.co.uk).
For help against the effects of ageing, Silversea’s latest ship, Silver Spirit (www.silversea.com), offers guests treatments such as botox and the dermal fillers Restylane and Perlane (Celebrity Eclipse also has an onboard doctor who can help take the years off).
Silversea has a signature metal facial, using a mix of medicinal plants, rose quartz and pure silver leaf to help rejuvenate skin. The Deliziosa and Norwegian Epic offer the 24 Karat Gold Facial, inspired by the gold mask Cleopatra is said to have slept in, and costing £300 (R3 200).
Whether you want to be massaged with bamboo shoots or get a golden makeover, ship spas are as hot as lava stones right now.
p For other cruises with spas, see www.princess.com, www.cunard.com and www.royalcaribbean.co.uk – The Mail on Sunday