Help! I've never had a massage!

[EaglesWing]

Please help a lady with aching shoulders who wants to try a massage and has never had the luxury of one. :o I will be sailing to the Caribbean in April, and am trying to get the courage to try it. Help me, please! What do I wear during this? What does this cost? What do I pay as an appropriate tip? I think I would start with the shorter time (is that maybe 20 minutes?) and just a plain massage. Can someone out there encourage me?:confused:

[funlovin'cruiser]

Please help a lady with aching shoulders who wants to try a massage and has never had the luxury of one. :o I will be sailing to the Caribbean in April, and am trying to get the courage to try it. Help me, please! What do I wear during this? What does this cost? What do I pay as an appropriate tip? I think I would start with the shorter time (is that maybe 20 minutes?) and just a plain massage. Can someone out there encourage me?:confused:

 

If I were you and were unsure about going whole-hog on the massage until you tried it out, I would recommend the "Head, Neck and Shoulder" massage. It runs about 30 minutes and can give you an overview of what the masseuses can do to your aching shoulders, plus the scalp massage part of it is LOVELY. Prices vary on every ship. There is a standard price, but I find that if you jump on specials (either the boarding day special or wait for one of the mail drops in your cabin to announce specials) that particular massage is usually included. As it is a shorter time period, you have less of a chance of not getting slotted in too :-) Tipping generally runs 20% of the charge (at least that's what I pay on HAL and what is automatically charged when I go to spas at home). If you already know the price of your treatment, I recommend taking the tip as cash if you can, as it guarantees that 100% of your tip goes to your technician. When you sign it on your bill a portion goes back to the parent company on board, Steiner Leisure. Oh, for the H,N&S massage, you can wear your robe that's in your room (you would just drop it down around your shoulders, or you can use the robes that the spa provides for you (just get there a bit early to check in and change.):)

[knitlady037]

If you have not had the great experience of a massage, then I would wait till a port day when the spa usually runs a $99 special. You get to combine three 20 minute services. You can get a taste of each one and decide what you like best. My two favorites are the hot stone massage and the seaweed wrap. Have fun experimenting!

[Valentino]

Don't be shy - if you fancy the full massage then go for it. I believe you are a female and I would say wear your robe!! :D and a pair of panties and lie back and enjoy the experience. A full body massage is just about the best experience you can have - although as noted above a neck head and shoulder massage will be lovely, you'll really enjoy the experience. The masseurs will be well trained in the art of modesty and at no time should you ever feel exposed in any way. They will take you into the massage room and tell you to take your robe off and coveryourself with a wrap that is provided while they go out of the room and let you get sorted. Then they come back into the room and if you're not snoring within five minutes i'll eat my hat :D

 

Once tried you'll be hooked, I promise you. ;)

[Typhoon1]

Once tried you'll be hooked, I promise you. ;)

 

Especially if the massage has a happy ending. :eek::eek:

[cb at sea]

You can wear your undies or not....it's up to you. You will undress, put on a robe, go to the room, they will tell you to take off the robe and get under the sheet. You won't be "naked" at any time...they keep the "important" areas covered.

Massages are lovely, but expensive on a ship!

[High Seas Texan]

I understand how you feel, I remember my anxiety over my first massage. It was a gift, pre paid by one of my clients, so I flet I had to do it. In a spa setting, you undress in the locker rooms and slip into a robe and slippers and proceed to the massage room. The therapist will indroduce themselves, then steop out of the room as you get out of the robe and lay on the table and cover yourself with the sheet. Professional therapist keep you covered the entire time except for the area they are working on. You will never feel totally naked. Although you can keep undergarments on if you wish, you will enjoy the massage more if you are nude under the sheet. Your modesty is protected the entire time. When the massage is over, the therapist will leave the room and you put on your robe and depart back to the locker room. As for a tip, 20% is customary in most spas I have been to. It is up to you, as some people tip more and some less. You will love the experience. Once you have one massage, you want another!

Cheers,

George

[Playsprite]

I go to the student massage clinic here in town almost weekly as it only costs $25 for a full hour. The best advice I have is to speak up. Don't be intimidated. If when they are massaging you and you want more pressure tell them! If it is too much pressure Tell them! If they are on a spot that hurts so good, let them know they have hit the spot. :pThe more info you give the better your massage will be. I also agree with the nude under the sheet comment. It is so much better to have your gluts worked skin to skin than through a sheet.

Have fun and enjoy! You will have a new addiction..lol:eek:

[Davidson Duo]

Please take the plunge. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as you hope you will. They really are wonderful.

 

I could never justify spending the extra on myself for what I felt was just an indulgence. Then my wonderful daughter and daughter-in-laws bought me a gift card for my 50 birthday with the stipulation I HAD to use it on myself for a full massage. I felt that if we were treating ourselves to a cruise to be pampered, I might as well go for the full deal.

 

I chose a hot stone massage and thought I had died and gone to heaven. I had a work place accident previously that caused damage to my arm/wrist and ankle. I always have aches, pains, stiffness, and am always exhausted from the pain. This massage freed me of the constant reminder of my folly for a good portion of our cruise. What a truly wonderful gift which allowed me to thoroughly enjoy my vacation.

 

The staff is very professional and will go out of their way to try to tailor their treatment to your needs. I suggest you go to the spa open house on the first day where you can tour the facilities and they will show you the treatment rooms and explain what each treatment covers. They quite often will have demonstrations so you can become familiar with them. You can tell them where your areas of concern are, your budget, and they can let you know the different treatments that will benefit you. Then you can choose which one you feel will best suit you.

 

Maybe choose a basic shoulder massage for the first time, then once you find out how great they are, you can choose a more extensive massage. We leave in a couple of weeks on a 28 day cruise and I plan on having 3 appointments. I enjoy them so much that I would rather splurge on them on my pampering holiday than spend the money in the casino, specialty restaurant, or for alcohol.

 

I hope you book one and enjoy it as much as I do. Enjoy!:)

[ore-ee-gun]

YES!! Do it! I would suggest the 50-minute well-being massage - I don't remember the exact cost, but it was about $115 plus tip. A bit pricey compared to what I can get at home, but hey - you're on a cruise. ;) Unless you have a "thing" about people touching you, you'll regret not doing the longest time that your budget allows. Those 50 minutes absolutely fly.

[Granitehead58]

:cool:I predict you will be hooked after having your first massage. Nothing like a good massage. Do not be afraid to ask questions, prior to your massage your massage therapist will consult with you and ask you questions. You will have a wonderful experience!! :):D

[trvlcrzy]

I've only had one. It was a Christmas gift from my husband during our Statendam cruise.

 

Having no experience, the person at the spa reservations desk suggested I stick with Swedish instead of Deep Tissue. She said I could ask for more pressure if I felt I needed it in a particular area. We had done a lot of walking during the previous port day, so my leg muscles were sensitive. She worked the dickens out of them! I thought I would jump off the table. I felt that for days. (And, yes... I did say that she was using too much pressure on my calves! She would lighten up for a few seconds and then pounce again!) She was kinder with the tightness in my neck and shoulders, and that was truly lovely.

 

I would do it again, but it is not a regular thing in my budget, so it would only be an indulgence for special occasions.

[magictam]

I have a massage every 2 weeks here at home. I've experienced everything from Swedish, deep tissue, hot stones to cranial. My therapist uses a variety of techniques depending on what I need that day.

 

While cruising I usually have at least one massage. Either on ship or on the beach. I've enjoyed everyone of them, some more than others. On 2 occasions I was sore after the massage especially with my last one on Princess I was sore and stiff for days after. If that had been my first massage I would never have gone again. I've also had what I term the buff and puff massage (way over priced).

 

I would suggest trying a few massages before you go, so you can figure out what you like, what your comfort level is and especially how you feel after the massage. You'll know what to expect on the ship and what to ask for.

 

Enjoy your cruise and your massage.

[CootUncommon]

Hi, I'm new. I've never had a massage either, and I'm one of those people who has a "thing" about people touching me..... I think I would start with the head, neck, and shoulders one myself. Hopefully, I could overcome my fear after that. I've always wanted to try it, just couldn't. Good luck, sounds like you'll enjoy it!

[Sage]

I guess that I am in the minority here, as I find massages to be painful at times. I also bruise like an over ripe peach, and usually walk away with nasty bruises. As another poster has said, please let them know if they are applying too much pressure or not enough. Only you know what is comfortable for you. Enjoy.