Spa use on the Dream and the Splendor

[David-n-Rita]

Hi,

We are booked on both the above ships. While we usually do not partake in "spa treatments", we would like to use the new therapy pool and sauna. The ships we have been on in the past, you paid only for "massages" and "treatments" but could otherwise use the Jacuzzi and sauna for free.

We understand that there is now a charge for this. We are not in the new spa cabins because we like our aft wraparounds. What is the charge to use the sauna and therapy pool? Is it daily or for the whole 7 days? Is it per person or is it a per couple charge? I looked for something to "pre pay" on the Carnival site but there is little info on "access charges" if you don't actually buy treatments.

Thanks in advance for any info you can give us. It appears that while Carnival totes the "spa" there is little info about using it beside the new "spa cabins"

 

Frankly we do not mind a charge because it does keep the crowds out of the spa (and children) - on the Destiny unruly children took over the gym jacuzzi and the employee were not real quick to stop them.

[aarinsmama]

I'd like to know this myself! We're cruising on the Splendor in January and have the same feelings about the spa as you!

[ABcruisers]

I believe I read somewhere that they sell a pass that you can use throughtout the week but I can't find it. Can someone confirm....we will be on the Splendor next month!!!

[David-n-Rita]

I am hoping to get an answer, it seems to be an elusive tidbit about cruising on these ships. We like to budget all our expenses before we go to avoid the Sign and sail bomb on the last day. We pre pay as much as we can and if it will add a few hundred dollars to our cruise tab, we would like to plan ahead. I read somewhere that it was $250-$300 dollars for a pass to the spa for the 7 days, but I am not sure if it is per person or per couple.

[misguidedangel]

I had a spa cabin (the spa suite) on the Splendor in September and I was a fan of the spa, and not just the thalasso pool or steam rooms...no, I had a pedicure, facial, seaweed treatment, and acupuncture. Oh my, what a treat.....well worth the roughly $1000 I spent in the spa (including spa products--Elemis products are amazing!!!!).

 

The spa cabins have access to thalasso and thermal suite steam rooms. They give you a wrist band, usually on the first day, and you show up with it on and they take your S&S card so you can get in to thalasso pool room and the steam rooms. They locked them as too many were sneaking in!

 

A pass can be bought for I think around $150. The Thalasso pool was amazing. It did do a world of good for my pool trashed knees. The only issue is if the sea is rough and the ship is bobbing at the bow, there will be serious wave action in the thalasso pool, almost too much to hang on!!!

 

Turkish bath--oooh my, 7 minutes was my max of the 10 min max you can stay. It is intense!!!! The Laconium (right next to it) was lovely!!!!

[mxylpic]

Can't find anything searching the site. Is this just Splendor and Dream or feetwide? I've used the exercise equipment on Sensation and then hit the Sauna. I would hate to have to pay something just to sweat for 10 mintues. :(

[somerandomidiot]

They said it was $149 (for the duration of the cruise) for the 9 day cruise i was on last week. I was on the Dream.

[cateyes2u]

I sailed on Splendor 10/25/09. I visited the spa, and inquired about their day pass. Management told me they no longer offered the $35 day pass and the facilities are only for people who are not booked in the spa cabins.

 

The reason she sited was there were complaints from the people booked on this floor that it was too crowded and too noisy, so they no longer allow this.

 

Things may be different on the Dream. I sail next week, and will inquire again, and will post again.

 

PJ

[Middleager]

I sailed on Splendor 10/25/09. I visited the spa, and inquired about their day pass. Management told me they no longer offered the $35 day pass and the facilities are only for people who are not booked in the spa cabins.

You mean it's for people who are booked in the spa cabins?

 

My wife and I were in the inside spa room on the Splendor 2009.08.30 cruise. We met a couple who were not in a spa room and paid $250 for the week, for their spa usage. The spa facility was not crowded. That was the sailing affected by hurricane Jimena, and I heard about 300 people did not get on board.

 

We did read some reviews saying they felt the pool was crowded. We didn't find the facility crowded. About half of the time there were people in the pool when we were there. But if there were more people in, then it would feel crowded. I can see people complaining if that happens, because you do pay extra for the spa rooms.

[David-n-Rita]

I sailed on Splendor 10/25/09. I visited the spa, and inquired about their day pass. Management told me they no longer offered the $35 day pass and the facilities are only for people who are not booked in the spa cabins.

 

The reason she sited was there were complaints from the people booked on this floor that it was too crowded and too noisy, so they no longer allow this.

 

Things may be different on the Dream. I sail next week, and will inquire again, and will post again.

 

PJ

 

I can see charging extra to use it if you are not in the Spa cabins but it is hard to believe that people paying for the most expensive cabins on the ship (suites, aft warp arounds) are NOT ALLOWED to even buy into the use of a spa that is advertised as a selling feature on the ship. Personally we only book in aft wraparounds as we like the back of the ship. These cabins are usually more costly than the spa cabins. Since there are a very limited amount of "spa cabins" that would mean over 2000 passengers would be banned from using the spa thallo pool even if we wanted to pay extra. Maybe everytime the pitch expensive treatments in the spa, I would just simply remind them that they are occuring big losses from 2000 people who maybe don't like being told they are second class citizens. I'd ask for it in writing and take it to the next shareholders meeting, it might be worth the trip.

[Middleager]

.. I would just simply remind them that they are occuring big losses from 2000 people who maybe don't like being told they are second class citizens.

Wow. Peole do pay extra for different things on the ship. If massage sessions are booked up, and they don't sell more massage sessions, does that make ALL those people who can longer get massage sessions second class citizens.

 

What about the supper club? If you are too late booking for it, will you scream at Carnival for treating you as second class citizens.

 

 

Be reasonable.

[mxylpic]

OK, so if I sail the Dream or Splendor in my lowly little balcony cabin :D, I have to pay an additional $249 for the cruise just to get access to the spa for a workout and a sauna? That really kind of stinks. (and before anyone says anything, specialty dining is different because there is a no-cost option.)

 

Admittedly, $249 is not a huge amount for a 7-day cruise -- about $15/day/person -- assuming both members of the couple will use the spa consistently. DW is really not the spa kind of person. ;)

 

But it is something to consider in the bottom line price of the cruise when considering other ships and/or lines.

[David-n-Rita]

Someone sent me a link with the info on spa use on the Dream. I then called Carnival direct and got the response below. I am going to follow up with the phone calls and then I will post the answer for everyone as it has caused some confusion and people want to know.

__________________________________________________

 

The Carnival Dream Cloud 9 Spa and spa accommodations boast an impressive 40,000 square foot area, creating a spa resort atop this magnificent floating resort. The Carnival Dream Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center will be one of the largest and most extensive spa facilities afloat. In addition to the gym and fitness area, the spa will feature a number of features such as a Thalassotherapy Pool and Thermal Suite, including indoor and outdoor relaxation areas and additional treatment rooms. Some of the facilities are capacity controlled and extra charges may apply.

 

Note: For those guests who do not purchase a Spa Stateroom, we offer Day Passes to use the Thalassotherapy Pool ($20) or the Thermal Suite ($20). A One Day Pass to use both is also offered ($35). Voyage Passes are available - cost depends on the length of the cruise.

I just got off the phone with our planner at Carnival and yes the sauna/Thallo pool are available to spa guests only as part of the cabin price. You can however buy a weekly pass at an additional price for the whole week. She did say that the daily pass listed above is not available anymore due to the fact that on a sea day, suddenly they had 600 people willing to pay $20.00 to use the Thallo pool and there was no way to accommodate that many. She did give me two numbers to call about the actual weekly rate for a particular sailing and the possibility of prepaying for the pass ahead of time so you weren't hit with the Sign & sail account bomb on the last day. I will call the numbers and get back to everyone arount this option.

[beachbumsCanada]

Does this include the exercise room as well?? We will have to pay an extra fee to exercise?

 

Beachbumscanada

[beachbumsCanada]

I phoned carnival and got an answer for my question. the fitness equipment is free for all to use, it is the other areas and services of the spa that require fees.:)

[punkybett]

I hate to sound ignorant, but what is a thalassotherapy pool and why would I want to use it?:confused:

[mxylpic]

I phoned carnival and got an answer for my question. the fitness equipment is free for all to use, it is the other areas and services of the spa that require fees.:)

 

Thanks for finding this out. I like using the exercise equipment and I'm glad to know that's still free. If the sauna isn't -- oh well that's not a huge deal.

[Middleager]

OK, so if I sail the Dream or Splendor in my lowly little balcony cabin :D, I have to pay an additional $249 for the cruise just to get access to the spa for a workout and a sauna? That really kind of stinks. (and before anyone says anything, specialty dining is different because there is a no-cost option.)

 

Admittedly, $249 is not a huge amount for a 7-day cruise -- about $15/day/person -- assuming both members of the couple will use the spa consistently. DW is really not the spa kind of person. ;)

 

But it is something to consider in the bottom line price of the cruise when considering other ships and/or lines.

No you don't have to pay extra to use the exercise equipment, or to use the sauna. You can also use the whirlpools elsewhere on the ship. Those are the no extra-cost option, just like dining.

 

People pay extra for the spa rooms, to use the special spa facilities. Other people might be able to buy passes to use them, if it doesn't make them too crowded.

 

If you pay extra for the supper club and it gets full, then a bunch more people say they should be given the right to pay extra and jam into the supper club, that'll just decrease the overall service level and comfort in the supper club.

[mxylpic]

No you don't have to pay extra to use the exercise equipment, or to use the sauna. You can also use the whirlpools elsewhere on the ship. Those are the no extra-cost option, just like dining.

 

 

Yep that's what they told beachbumscanada. So it's all good.

 

People pay extra for the spa rooms, to use the special spa facilities. Other people might be able to buy passes to use them, if it doesn't make them too crowded.

 

If you pay extra for the supper club and it gets full, then a bunch more people say they should be given the right to pay extra and jam into the supper club, that'll just decrease the overall service level and comfort in the supper club.

 

I agree.

 

It says on the Carnival FAQ regarding the Cloud 9 Spa that access is "capacity controlled" and I don't have a problem with it, or charging extra for the costly perks, as long as there are free options, which there still are. It just didn't seem fare or make any sense that Carnival would section off so much of the ship for so few. To have certain amenities come with the Spa staterooms, that's all good.

 

And as it turns out the price difference for the Spa version of a given category cabin and the regular is not that different then the price of the week long pass that was mentioned in this thread.