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Men's Spa Facilities on Cruise ships: Which ones do you think are the best?


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We just scored a great deal on a back corner Neptune Suite on Holland America's Oosterdam for a 7-day Mexico cruise on Jan. 3 2018. With all the concern about safety down there, we're treating it like seven sea days and never getting off the ship. Plenty of time to enjoy the sun, work out in the gym and of course enjoy the free men's sauna. It's compact, but has a shower, towels, and a small changing area where you can strip, grab a towel and e-n-j-o-y! With the shower close by, you can rinse off, cool your core, grab another towel and repeat! What a great way to recover from the Holidays!

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Hello guys:

 

I know the RCI Allure/Harmony/Oasis OTS all do not have separate, free mens steam/sauna.

Does anyone have any updates on the Carnival Magic, Sunshine, Paradise, or Glory? Or the Norwegian Getaway? Or the Holland America Koningsham (sp.)?

 

I am deciding on my next cruise and want to know what would suit me best.

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Hello guys:

 

I know the RCI Allure/Harmony/Oasis OTS all do not have separate, free mens steam/sauna.

Does anyone have any updates on the Carnival Magic, Sunshine, Paradise, or Glory? Or the Norwegian Getaway? Or the Holland America Koningsham (sp.)?

 

I am deciding on my next cruise and want to know what would suit me best.

No free steam/sauna on NCL Getaway. Almost all Carnival ships have at least one free men's only steam or sauna; the older ships usually have both. Magic and Sunshine only one; Glory has both.

Your list of ships, though is all over the map with regards to amenities, size, age and I don't see many of them being in direct competition. Do you cruise for itinerary or ship? Comparing the Getaway to the Paradise is apples to oranges.

 

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No free steam/sauna on NCL Getaway. Almost all Carnival ships have at least one free men's only steam or sauna; the older ships usually have both. Magic and Sunshine only one; Glory has both.

Thanks...when I did research, it didn't show Magic as having any of the free rooms...maybe this has changed?

 

Your list of ships, though is all over the map with regards to amenities, size, age and I don't see many of them being in direct competition. Do you cruise for itinerary or ship? Comparing the Getaway to the Paradise is apples to oranges.

Yeah, I am not a "status/amenities/name snob" like most, so my list of "apples to oranges" ships is perfectly suitable to me. I try to try out different ships so I can have a fist-hand experience of each ship, rather than rely solely on others' advice/reviews (a grave mistake I made when choosing the Grandeur and Conquest and Celebrity as whole---as everyone I talked to raved over it...but they were also older, so...); I cruise for the date and itinerary, not stuck up on "the biggest this" or "the best that". :cool:

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Thanks...when I did research, it didn't show Magic as having any of the free rooms...maybe this has changed?

 

 

Yeah, I am not a "status/amenities/name snob" like most, so my list of "apples to oranges" ships is perfectly suitable to me. I try to try out different ships so I can have a fist-hand experience of each ship, rather than rely solely on others' advice/reviews (a grave mistake I made when choosing the Grandeur and Conquest and Celebrity as whole---as everyone I talked to raved over it...but they were also older, so...); I cruise for the date and itinerary, not stuck up on "the biggest this" or "the best that". :cool:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/Ships/MC/DeckPlans/carnival-magic-Deck-Plan-pdf.ashx&ved=0ahUKEwj3mZfR4IvWAhWM5yYKHQfGDF0QFgglMAA&usg=AFQjCNGHdZnVCfPQGUbJCqvi6B1XPHN7lw

 

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MEN'S SAUNA update: I have a couple of voyages booked and wanted to comment on the Men's Saunas.

 

9 SEP 2017 > ms Rotterdam. My past experiences with HAL have been excellent, due in part to their included (no charge) saunas. Most of the guys using the sauna are usually fit and friendly European and follow the accepted "undress" code of towel only. Past trips include > Rotterdam, Volendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Zuiderdam & Statendam. All of these were before any refitting, so I'm basing my review on that condition. Men's Sauna is separate, with showers, sauna, lockers (small) and plenty of fresh towels. There is no steam unless you pay for premium spa package. The saunas are pretty quiet, afford privacy and usually hold about ten guys. Busy times are around 3pm and just before closing time.

 

JAN 2019 > ms Pacific Princess. Although she has just had a major refit, I'm glad to see that the steam room was left intact, as a part of the gym. I have only done World Cruises (8, so far) on the PP, so the passengers are a bit different from a 14-day run through the Caribbean. The steam room (there is no sauna) is adjacent to the workout area and offer two showers, a circular tile seating area, holding about 10 men, lockers (nice size) and plenty of fresh towels. Citrus or cucumber water is always available to help you rehydrate. In my experience, there are as many crew members (officers) as passengers using the steam room and are very friendly. I've had good encounters and remain in touch with several "steam buddies". I will review the refit configuration after the cruise.

 

Additionally, I recall the ms Coral Princess as having an extremely fun sauna (no steam). 3pm was like "happy hour" and lots of friendly, compatible mates.

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  • 3 weeks later...
NCL Gem: Mens only section of the spa was huge and clean. Sauna is really big, around 150 sq ft and windows on 3 sides. At night there is one tiny light on the wall so it is pitch dark except for light coming through glass door. Temperature was perfect and when it got too hot the lower level bench was just right.

 

Steamroom, unimpressive small room, benches made of plastic and very hospital like. Steam and temps were good but way to bright a light in it. Would be much nicer with lower light, in actual face they dont need a light in there as plenty of light comes through the door.

 

Hot tub, small one person tub with jets....was enjoyable even if water temp was colder than poolside hot tubs. Since 99% of the guys wore swim trunks the entire cruise you get weird looks when getting in/out nude. I guess because everyone is in swim trunks in the co-ed section they just don't bother to switch to towel/nude....steam room in a bathing suit just feels so wrong and gross.

 

There were also a few loungers that faced the ocean view windows and TV, 2 tiny showers with glass doors, 1 accessible shower with a curtain, ice water coolers, 2 cooling off showers (again, nude gets looks/stares), more than enough lockers and always plenty of clean towels and robes to use. Two toilets near the showers and 3 or 4 sinks to wash/shave etc.

 

The entire cruise I would be alone or the only non-swim trunk wearing guy in a room full of men who seemed like lost husbands who had never used a sauna before. Never had a good conversation all week so preferred the alone moments.

 

Popped my head into the free steam room in the gym locker room a few times during the week and it was always empty. Same white plastic seating, same super right lights.

 

On the final sea day the spa was full of the lost husbands so I decided to visit the gym steam room. Spent an hour or so steaming/cooling off and it turned out to be the best "spa time" all week. In just under an hour I was joined a couple of different times and each time the Gent was super friendly and had the only good conversations I had all cruise.

 

Having had the experience, next time I'll save the cash and stick with the tiny and free facility next time.

 

Had I been there, I would have been naked too. Using a steam room or sauna with clothes on is like taking a shower in a bathing suit.

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I was on a repeat cruise on Brilliance of the Seas in August and have to say that the men’s sauna/steam room area was pretty grotty.

 

The sauna wood had splinters, they’d used steel screws to fasten then down, so not good on bare skin when they’re hot. They have installed industrial styled lights inside the sauna, typical of what you’d see on the side on a warehouse!

 

The steam room was not steamy at all, hardly worth bothering with. The showers were poor.

 

The place was nearly always empty, so no chance of any conservations.

 

Overall very disappointing and I doubt I’ll sail on this ship again and probably not with Royal Caribbean again.

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I was on a repeat cruise on Brilliance of the Seas in August and have to say that the men’s sauna/steam room area was pretty grotty.

 

The sauna wood had splinters, they’d used steel screws to fasten then down, so not good on bare skin when they’re hot. They have installed industrial styled lights inside the sauna, typical of what you’d see on the side on a warehouse!

 

The steam room was not steamy at all, hardly worth bothering with. The showers were poor.

 

The place was nearly always empty, so no chance of any conservations.

 

Overall very disappointing and I doubt I’ll sail on this ship again and probably not with Royal Caribbean again.

 

 

 

I’m going on the Independence of the Seas out of Southampton in May 2018. I hope it’s not like that.

 

 

 

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Hey, a follow-up to the gym question I posted about the free facilities on NCL Dawn. Apparently there no lockers, showers or anything else unless you buy the Thermal Suite package. Wow, never been on a ship before without even lockers! Pre-cruise price is $139 for the week. Add $20 if booked on the ship.

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Originally posted by tastyozbloke Carnival - Legend / Spirit - on both (sister) ships, free male only facilities - small area with lockers; 4 or 5 shower rooms (one large disabled one); steam room too hot to sit in for long; sauna with very bright light and glass door has two levels of seating, enough room for maybe 6 people. Facilities seldom used at all, swimwear worn by 99% of users. Only had one conversation over several cruises. Not recommended at all. Very family-oriented crowd and quite bogan (redneck), but lots of nice scenery by the pools.

Sailing on Carnival Spirit out of Sydney tomorrow (Monday) and hope to get in some sauna/steam room time. Hopefully I’m not alone and there's opportunity for some male bonding while the wife is busy elsewhere.
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  • 2 weeks later...
The Summit is a great ship, one of my favourites actually.

 

The men's change room by the indoor pool has a large sauna with a large window so you can watch the sea go by as you relax. It seats 8-12 men comfortably and is free to use. There is an open shower area outside the sauna to cool off between sessions and three large private showers which many men use to get ready in the evenings before dinner.

 

There is also the Persian garden which is by the spa, this is a pay area and is co-ed. It has several saunas and steam rooms plus heated tiled loungers. Unlike other Celebrity ships this Persian Garden is relatively small and all inside with no windows so it isn't an area I particularly enjoy.

 

If you are in an Aqua class stateroom you will have free access to the Persian Garden and also access to the Blu dining room, which for me is very nice. The food is at par or better than the main dining room with its own menu each night, but the service is much better since it's a smaller restaurant, think of it as your own speciality dining restaurant.

 

Have fun! I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

 

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Hey! This info is really helpful. Can you advise if they also have lockers?

 

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Hey! This info is really helpful. Can you advise if they also have lockers?

 

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Yes they have lots of lockers, over 50 at least. They are the smaller cubby hole style and have a key lock. You can get the keys from an attendant at the spa by leaving you key card. I’d say about half the guys will get a key the rest just grab an open empty locker and leave their stuff unlocked while they use the sauna.

 

Have a fun cruise!

 

 

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Yes they have lots of lockers, over 50 at least. They are the smaller cubby hole style and have a key lock. You can get the keys from an attendant at the spa by leaving you key card. I’d say about half the guys will get a key the rest just grab an open empty locker and leave their stuff unlocked while they use the sauna.

 

Have a fun cruise!

 

 

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Thanks, Buddy. Please enjoy your next one as well. Sorry to necropost you!

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Sailing on Carnival Spirit out of Sydney tomorrow (Monday) and hope to get in some sauna/steam room time. Hopefully I’m not alone and there's opportunity for some male bonding while the wife is busy elsewhere.

 

 

 

Hope you had a great time. I love my bonding time in the steam/sauna. I’m sailing on the Independence of the Seas in May solo, so I’ll have plenty of time.

 

 

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Just off NCL Dawn. The ship is a different class than the "Pearl" style ships. Recently tastefully remodeled Thermal Suite is a more compact design and is in the back of the ship below the gym. There is a co-ed middle section and seperate men/women only sections. No lockers, showers or free saunas are available to gym users, only those purchasing the Thermal Suite package. On the men's only side - VERY clean, well stocked with towels and robes - plenty of lockers with the 4 number lock design - a prep area with hair dryers - and another area with sinks, 3 urinals and a toilet. Everything was in excellent shape. The sauna is "L" shaped, with two seating levels - about 8 guys max. The steam room is a "J" shape, with tiled seating areas, part one level, part two levels. Again 8 would fill the space. Both have some privacy. There are three compact showers with full opaque glass doors with a wood seating area along one side. Across are a single person cold plunge and a hot tub (no jets). No windows to the outside except in the co-ed part. Given the limited space available, overall very good design! This cruise was very port intensive, so really quiet until 5 pm or after. Majority wore towels or nothing. Some suits were thrown in to balance it out. Enjoyable cruise!

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Recently sailed on Carnival Spirit.

Small free male only sauna and steam room accessed through the men's locker room in the spa area (entrance to the gym).

Showers were great. Each shower was a seperate room with its own changing area with a lockable door. Very private.

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