Many luxury cruise lines are debuting new ships with robust spa facilities in 2022 and 2023. Other lines have refreshed their spa interiors, added new programming or treatments, or developed lengthier treatments, based on guest desires. Here’s a sampling of those top oceangoing developments.
Top Suite with a Spa
Designed by Miami’s Studio DADO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 750-passenger Seven Seas Grandeur will debut in November 2023. Construction on this ultra-luxury ship — a sister to Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Splendor — began in late 2021. This new oceangoing vessel will have among the industry’s highest space and staff-to-guest ratios.
Expected to embody luxury on all fronts, Seven Seas Grandeur will offer 366 spacious suites, all with private balconies, in 15 spacious suite categories. Top digs? Let’s just say the palatial 4,443-square-foot Regent Suite — overlooking the ship’s bow — is likely to be any spa lover’s dream. It’s been a hit on the two sister ships as well.
What’s the appeal? The Regent Suite has its own in-suite spa with sauna, steam room, jetted bathtub and the perk of unlimited, complimentary Serene Spa & Wellness treatments. That suite also offers guests two bedrooms; two-and-one-half marble-and-stone-detailed bathrooms; a living room with personalized bar set-up; and a dining room.
Seven Seas Grandeur also will field such specialty restaurants as Prime 7 and Chartreuse. On the new ship, Regent Seven Seas also has redesigned Compass Rose, the ship’s main restaurant; it will offer an epicurean experience and wide variety of gourmet options nightly.
At press time, the line still hadn’t revealed details about the new ship’s Serene Spa & Wellness spaces or experiences. But it’s likely that guests will find some similarity—how little or much remains to be seen—to what’s on Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer.
As for the line’s spa services across the fleet, they include Elemis facial therapies, body treatments, massages, manicures, pedicures, luxury Kerastase salon services, fitness classes, and personal training. Spa treatments also often incorporate ingredients inspired by the 450 destinations to which the line sails.
For example, “The Regent,” the line’s signature, 100-minute treatment features a mixture of rosemary, sea fennel and sea buckthorn from the Mediterranean coastlines. Worked into the body, it eases tension, soothes muscles and detoxifies. Warm eucalyptus-infused paraffin mitts and boots enhance the experience by nourishing and hydrating hands and feet.
For those seeking a globally inspired treatment, the 100-minute “Around the World Massage” taps into basalt from China, coconut poultice from the Caribbean, argan oil from Morocco and bamboo from Asia. Regent Seven Seas offers Serene Spa & Wellness tours ashore too. So, for example, guests might head ashore in New Zealand to soak in the detoxifying, restorative effects of a geothermal mud bath.
Seven Seas Grandeur will begin an inaugural season of sailings in November 2023. They’ll include 17 seven-to-16-night voyages in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, plus two transatlantic crossing.
The Yachting Lifestyle
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will debut its first new yacht, the 298-passenger Evrima, in August 2022. Offering a yacht-like, luxury experience, the vessel will first sail in the Mediterranean and later in the year reposition to the Caribbean for the winter season. Luxury travelers can head for the onboard Ritz-Carlton Spa for a rejuvenating spa treatment in one of five private treatment rooms, paired with ocean views. Or, alternatively, they can opt to have the treatment outside on their treatment room’s private terrace.
Nestled on Deck 9, the spa will also offer a steam room, sauna, relaxation lounge and fitness center, plus a beauty salon and gentlemen’s grooming lounge. The spa treatment menu—created in collaboration with ESPA—will help guests relax, recharge and restore. Treatments will be customizable and tailored to fit each guest’s individual needs.
One pampering option to consider? Luxury Travel Advisor would suggest the “Evrima Signature Massage,” which includes a purifying foot ritual, personalized full-body massage and an aromatherapy booster of the guest’s choice; guests can select either the 60-minute or 90-minute treatment. Another enticing option is a 90-minute “Essence of the Earth” treatment, which consists of a personalized body scrub, full body scrub exfoliation, full body mineral and mud wrap, and application of mineral lotion or oil for skin smoothing.
As for where to stay on the luxurious Evrima, one enticing option is the 1,091-square-foot Owner’s Suite with a 635-square-foot private terrace with whirlpool. Guests will discover a spacious living and dining area, a master bedroom with a custom king-bed sleep system and a master bath with double vanities and both a modern soaking tub and separate shower. The suite also has a walk-in wardrobe.
In addition, the Owner’s Suite’s living room sofa converts to a bed, and a second suite bathroom has a modern shower system. A personal concierge will be the guest’s single onboard touch point for an enjoyable journey from start to finish, plus there’s 24-hour in-suite service.
Inspired by Rome
In ancient Rome, the spa or “thermae” was more than a place for health-enhancing treatments and solarium warmth. To the wealthy, it was a “must have” for personal happiness and wellbeing. Roman villas sported grand architecture, wall paintings, floor mosaics and a spa, which was the central gathering place for sport and entertainment, food and drinks, and socializing, philosophizing and reciting poetry.
Tapping into that Roman view of wellness, in spring 2022, ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises unveiled its new Otium Spa concept on the 596-passenger Silver Dawn. This third Muse-class ship is sailing the Mediterranean this summer and fall and will reposition to the Caribbean and Central America for the 2022-2023 winter season.
In Latin, the concept of “otium” is about withdrawal from day-to-day affairs to pursue pleasure, rest, artistic pursuits and academic threads. It’s the opposite of “negotium” or going about one’s day-to-day business. So, Silversea’s Otium Spa offers redesigned spa, beauty salon and fitness areas, plus a new wellness menu. Spa experiences are also coupled with healthy and indulgent treats. Simply put, “Why not do as the Romans ‘did,’” is Silversea’s thinking. So, cruisers can enjoy caviar after a massage, sip on champagne while relaxing in the thermal suite, or relax with a couple’s massage set to live music.
In 2022, luxury cruise lines report that guests desire “more” of everything on vacation; that includes “longer” spa treatments. So, Silversea added four new 100-minute signature treatments to Otium’s spa menu. Among them is “Apollonian Spirit,” combining warm relief of tired muscles with mineral rich salt stones and a nutrient-rich cold mask to add a rescue therapy.
Otium also extends beyond Silver Dawn’s spa. In the guest’s suite, the Silversea butler will lay out a soft gray Otium spa robe (separate from the normal suite robes). Guests can wear this robe while heading to and from the spa, as it’s material won’t absorb oils or creams used during a treatment. Instead, the body retains those for the full therapeutic effect.
Between 6 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., guests relaxing in their suites can also order from a new Otium comfort food menu. How about caviar and lobster in a brioche roll with lemon mayonnaise and caviar? Also, the Otium concept extends to Silver Dawn’s suite bedding. Perks include new, 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens by Rivolta Carmignani, a new pillow menu and a new Otium Soft Touch mattress.
Guests will also discover the full Otium Spa concept aboard the line’s new, 728-passenger Silver Nova, launching in 2023. Will Otium’s spa spaces/design be replicated on existing Silversea ships? Officials say likely “no,” because a certain level of space is required, which the other ships may not have. What is being evaluated, though, is whether some program elements such as the in-suite perks could be available on Silversea’s other ships over time.
New Nordic Spas
With fast-paced growth, Viking Expedition Cruises debuted its first expedition ship, the 378-passenger Viking Octantis, on Antarctic cruises in January 2022. Featuring modern Scandinavian design, multiple restaurants and a hefty expedition offering (expedition team, Zodiacs, kayaks and a submarine), this Polar Class 6 vessel is now sailing North America’s Great Lakes for the summer.
Luxury Travel Advisor would opt to stay in the 1,238-square-foot, multi-room Owner’s Suite (OS) with a private garden lounge with a “badestamp” (wood-sided hot tub) and private Nordic balcony. One nifty interior perk of that Owner’s Suite is the private library with wine and music collections curated by Viking’s Chairman Torstein Hagen. This top suite’s interior also includes a separate dining area/boardroom that seats six.
In the past, many expedition ships were fairly basic, but that’s changed. For example, Viking Octantis’ Nordic Spa has an indoor heated pool area with expansive windows and a badestamp that’s open to the outside. Inside the spa’s Thermal Suite (with complimentary access for all guests aboard) is a sauna, steam room, snow grotto with real snowflakes wafting from the ceiling, and a warming cave with lounge chairs. Near the spa are Viking Octantis’ beauty salon and fitness center with state-of-the-art exercise equipment.
Viking and spa partner, LivNordic, have designed a spa menu that ranges from traditional Swedish massages to cleansing facials and much more. We’d suggest the “Swedish Mindful Massage,” which is centered around relaxation; guests can choose a 50-minute or 80-minute version. Alternatively, one unique option is the 110-minute “Arctic Detox,” a combination of a detox scrub with a Swedish detox massage and cupping.
In May 2022, Viking Ocean Cruises welcomed the new, 930-passenger Viking Mars. For the ship’s inaugural season, it will operate Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Northern Europe itineraries, before repositioning at year’s end to Australia and New Zealand. In addition, new sister Viking Neptune will debut in fall 2022. Both have spas with a thermal suite.
Venturing into the Wild
Ultra-luxury Seabourn has offered “Ventures by Seabourn” expedition-style programming on select voyages or ships for some time. During those designated sailings, an expedition team sails aboard with guests, conducts enrichment lectures and leads activities off the ship including Zodiac rides, hiking or kayaking. This month, though, Seabourn takes that up a notch by introducing the new 264-passenger Seabourn Venture, its first purpose-built, luxury expedition ship, which will sail Northern Europe/Arctic region cruises this summer.
Since antiquity, the sea has been touted for its healing properties—from better sleep by breathing sea air to reduced cortisol levels from watching the waves. With that in mind, both Seabourn Venture and sister Seabourn Pursuit, launching in March 2023, will bring the sea inside via the positioning of the spa’s sauna. It’s designed to open up their views to the outside world, adding to their serenity and relaxation, particularly when the ship is sailing in gorgeous, remote eco-areas.
As for the line’s spa menu, guests can recharge with a range of treatments. Luxury Travel Advisor suggests the “Amethyst Crystal Sound Bath Healing Treatment,” which utilizes sound therapy. We’d also recommend the detoxifying “Thousand Flower Detox Wrap with Massage.”
During that floral detox treatment, first Omega-rich green tea seed oil is massaged into the skin followed by the earth wrap which is comprised of Somerset soil packed with tree, flower and grass nutrients. That wrap frees the body of toxins, and then a green tea balm is the final touch. This treatment includes a half- or full-body massage and can be either 50, 75 or 100 minutes.
On every Seabourn ship, one perk for Seabourn’s guests is the “Mindful Living Program,” a robust spa and wellness partnership with Dr. Andrew Weil. It integrates physical, social, environmental and spiritual well-being for participants. Each ship has a Mindful Living Coach, a certified yoga and meditation practitioner, who will offer orientations, seminars and classes throughout the voyage. Central to the program is the daily practice of meditation and yoga and guests can participate in complimentary Mindful Meditation sessions. There are also daily restorative yoga classes.
As for accommodations, guests will sail in style. Most spacious suite is the Wintergarden Suite with large windows, 989 square feet of interior space and one veranda spanning 197 square feet. Guests will discover such suite perks as dining space for six, a whirlpool bathtub, a guest bath, pantry with wet bar, glass-enclosed solarium with tub and day bed, a convertible sofa bed for one, two closets and two flat-screen TVs, as well as complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service.
Pampered Journeys
In spring 2023, new luxury brand, Explora Journeys’ first new ship, Explora I, will set sail. It will offer 461 all-oceanfront suites, penthouses and residences. During its inaugural year, the ship will visit 132 ports in 40 different countries. That line-up includes two destinations, Kastellorizo, Greece, and Saint Pierre, Martinique, that Explora Journeys says haven’t been visited by cruise ships before.
Inaugural year itineraries for Explora I will include the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the U.K., Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the U.S. East Coast, Caribbean, South America and Hawaii. Sailings will range from six nights to an epic 44-night “Northern Europe Grand Journey.” Owned by MSC Group, Explora Journeys currently has two ships—Explora I and Explora II—under construction with two more to follow. All four will be in action by 2027.
Explora Journeys’ ships will sport robust outdoor deck space and a range of spacious accommodations. For example, the lead-in accommodations are 377 square feet, exceptionally large for an entry category. Top suite is the Owner’s Residence. Accommodating up to four adults, its perks include private butler services, oversized floor-to-ceiling windows, separate living, dining and sleeping areas, a spacious lounge area, a work desk area, a stocked minibar and more.
In all 461 oceanfront suites, though, every guest will have sea views and a private terrace. The ships will offer nine different culinary experiences, four pools, private cabanas and entertainment spaces. Spa enthusiasts should appreciate Explora I’s 7,535-plus square feet of indoor and outdoor wellness facilities and more than 2,900 square feet of fitness facilities, with state-of-the-art equipment. In addition, Explora Journeys will offer guests wellness experiences ashore, plus nutrition and sleep programming.
L’Occitane Seagoing Spa
Luxe Adventure Atlas Ocean Voyages’ second ship, the 196-passenger World Traveller, will launch in October 2022. As with sister ship, World Navigator, which debuted in 2021, the new ship will also offer SeaSpa by L’Occitane, the luxury beauty and wellbeing brand from Provence, France.
The 947-square-foot spa will offer two treatment rooms, a serenity lounge with a capacity of eight people, an infrared sauna, and a shower. The spa’s reception area will feature a wall with an extensive selection of L’Occitane bath and body products for purchase.
Exclusively offered in L’Occitane Spas—and therefore offered exclusively at sea aboard Atlas ships—is the “Sleep & Reset Massage.” It’s an innovative 90-minute massage tested by European Sleep Center for proven effectiveness on sleep quality. Atlas’ most popular massage is the “Relaxing Aromachologie Massage.” That treatment combines Swedish effleurage, Chinese acupressure and Balinese massage techniques to help ease tension and relieve stress.
World Traveller will sail an inaugural winter 2022-2023 season in Antarctica plus South America, Central America, Western Europe, Morocco and Canary Islands. In summer 2023, the new ship will head for Iceland, Greenland and the Arctic. World Seeker, Atlas’ third ship launching in 2023, will also feature a SeaSpa by L’Occitane; deployment had not yet been announced at press time.
Sailing Onward
In Monte Carlo last month, upmarket Azamara christened the 670-passenger Azamara Onward, fresh from a multi-million-dollar makeover designed to create an “almost new” ship. Most recently, the ship had sailed as Pacific Princess, and it’s now the fourth similarly-sized ship (all former R-class ships) in Azamara’s fleet. Currently, the ship is sailing within the Mediterranean region.
Azamara Onward’s Sanctum Spa offers such spa spaces as the Sanctum Terrace, a private spa deck with a bubbling saltwater bath and powerful jets that massage guests as they soak up the sea views. Spa services range from restorative facials to body sculpting and massage therapy (including hot stone therapy, deep tissue massage, Swedish massage and more).
One signature Azamara treatment that we’d suggest is “La Therapie Hydralift Facial,” designed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles; smooth skin tone and texture; and create a more youthful look. Guests wishing to book multiple treatment can tap into Azamara’s half- and full-day spa packages. Other services include teeth whitening, barber service, acupuncture, and complimentary onboard fitness and nutrition classes. One-on-one personal training carries an added charge.
In May 2022, American Queen Voyages christened its first new oceangoing expedition ship, the 186-passenger Ocean Victory. With X-bow design for a smoother, quieter ride, this ship carries a full expedition team. These experts interact with guests, give enrichment lectures and lead activities off the vessel such as kayaking, Zodiac rides and hiking.
We’d have to say that this expedition ship is “quite the looker,” with snazzy hull design in multiple shades of blue. Inside the expedition ship, guests will find multiple dining venues and lounges as well as a small spa area and separate fitness facility. This summer, Ocean Victory is sailing between Vancouver, B.C., and Sitka, AK, on Alaska expedition voyages.
Small-ship Ponant launched its luxurious Le Commandant Charcot late last year and it’s sailing its first season in Europe’s polar regions such as to Svalbard, Norway and even to the geographic North Pole. The ship will operate a Northwest Passage cruise in late summer too. This 184-passenger ship is the first hybrid-electric, high-polar exploration vessel powered by liquified natural gas (LNG).
For its new onboard wellness area, the luxury line has partnered with Biologique Recherche for spa therapies. One popular spot? Inspired by Finnish spas, it’s Le Commandant Charcot’s snow room with a combination of dry cold snow at 14 degrees Fahrenheit. After a session in the sauna, guests head here for contrasting hot and cold treatment benefits for blood circulation and the immune system.
Sailing the waters of Tahiti, French Polynesia and the South Pacific, Paul Gauguin Cruises’ 330-passenger Paul Gauguin was recently updated and sailed into 2022 with newly decorated suites and staterooms (more than 70 percent with private balconies), an onboard watersports marina, three dining venues and an extensive Deep Nature Spa by Algotherm.
Spa services include skin care therapies, skin exfoliation, massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, body wraps, facials, beauty treatments, nail services and hair styling. One good option is the ship’s signature, 90-minute “Polynesian Treat Massage,” a full body treatment using Monoi and tropical scents. One unique offering? Paul Gauguin’s spa has nifty, intro-to-spa options for children ages six to 12.
As part of its $250 million Star Plus Initiative, Windstar Cruises will introduce its revitalized 312-passenger Star Pride in June 2022. The two sister vessels, Star Breeze and Star Legend, received the updates in 2021, and all three ships have new suites, restaurants and a world-class spa and fitness center. Oceania Cruises is updating Riviera and Marina, to debut in December 2022 and November 2023, respectively. Design-wise, both will receive “all new” staterooms and suites as well as public spaces. Both have robust spas.
Many other oceangoing lines too offer enticing spa services at sea (some on new ships), including Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Scenic, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and others. Seeking a mega-ship, multigenerational experience? One option is family-friendly Royal Caribbean International’s new Wonder of the Seas with a new “Suite Neighborhood” and a Vitality Spa. More new ships will set sail in 2024, including Cunard Line’s new 2,996-passenger Queen Anne with Mareel Wellness and Beauty. On the spa front, let’s just say it’s a pampering outlook for luxury travelers headed to sea.
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