Epic - Thermal Suite Pass

[gregluk]

How does the thermal suite pass work on the epic?

Is it loaded on your stateroom key, and you can just scan it on the spa door and you can get in, or do they swipe your card at spa reception and let you in ?

 

Anyone got any recent experiences on how it works ?

 

Thanks

[JandC_Cruising]

If you "buy" a pass (as opposed to getting a spa grade stateroom) they will put a sticker on your key-card.  I think even if you pre-pay, you still need to get that sticker the first time you go to the spa.  If you have spa stateroom, it will already say it on your key-card. 

Each time you go to the spa, you will check-in with the front desk.  They will ask you if you need a locker or not and then take your key-card.  They keep that at the front desk while you are at the spa.  They will let you into the Thermal Suite area and you are then free to enjoy the spa!

Just don't forget to pick-up your key-card before heading back to your stateroom.

We've been so relaxed after some visits, we've forgotten 😆

 

 

[gregluk]

44 minutes ago, JandC_Cruising said:

If you "buy" a pass (as opposed to getting a spa grade stateroom) they will put a sticker on your key-card.  I think even if you pre-pay, you still need to get that sticker the first time you go to the spa.  If you have spa stateroom, it will already say it on your key-card. 

Each time you go to the spa, you will check-in with the front desk.  They will ask you if you need a locker or not and then take your key-card.  They keep that at the front desk while you are at the spa.  They will let you into the Thermal Suite area and you are then free to enjoy the spa!

Just don't forget to pick-up your key-card before heading back to your stateroom.

We've been so relaxed after some visits, we've forgotten 😆

 

 

Ah great thanks, that makes sense. Is that those little circle coloured dots I've seen on a few key-cards?

[JandC_Cruising]

2 minutes ago, gregluk said:

Ah great thanks, that makes sense. Is that those little circle coloured dots I've seen on a few key-cards?

I've seen that before and I've also seen a "spa" sticker on the back of some.

 

[Tgianco]

We embark NEXT Sunday on the Encore to Alaska. The weather forecast calls for pretty cold and wet.

My wife & I discussed Vibe, but, since those facilities are outside, it doesn't seem worth it for an early season Alaska cruise. 

The Thermal Pass seems that it might be worth it. Is that hot tub(s) inside? Would it make for good viewing of Glacier Bay? 

The only other reasons I could see for Vibe on this particular cruise (cold & wet) will be more privacy (but outside) and access to more food & drink (maybe).

Any advice?

[BirdTravels]

27 minutes ago, Tgianco said:

We embark NEXT Sunday on the Encore to Alaska. The weather forecast calls for pretty cold and wet. My wife & I discussed Vibe, but, since those facilities are outside, it doesn't seem worth it for an early season Alaska cruise. The Thermal Pass seems that it might be worth it. Is that hot tub(s) inside? Would it make for good viewing of Glacier Bay? The only other reasons I could see for Vibe on this particular cruise (cold & wet) will be more privacy (but outside) and access to more food & drink (maybe). Any advice?

 

The Thermal Suite is aft-facing. And Glacier Bay is an all-day event. While it will provide great views and a warm and comfy environment, I am not sure that I could spend the day in there.

 

The Observation Lounge is a better spot, but people will be camping out all night long to hold seats. There, you will have enclosed viewing, comfy seats, light snacks in the OL, the buffet one floor up, private bar, and drinks throughout the day. 

 

On the other hand, Glacier Bay is normally a "full winter clothing event" with heavy coats, hats, gloves. 

 

Let us know how it goes. We're on the Encore to Glacier Bay later in the season. 

 

The link below has some Thermal Suite photos starting on Post #157. The entire thread is a live post from the Encore a couple of weeks ago with photos of the ship. The hydrotherapy pool and jacuzzi are inside and do not provide any good views outside. 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

On 4/24/2023 at 6:28 AM, gregluk said:

How does the thermal suite pass work on the epic?

Is it loaded on your stateroom key, and you can just scan it on the spa door and you can get in, or do they swipe your card at spa reception and let you in ?

 

Anyone got any recent experiences on how it works ?

 

Thanks

Most recently, the spa people have been letting people in. For a while, they would key your room key so that it would open the Thermal Suite door. 

 

The Epic has the best Thermal Suite in the fleet. Steamrooms and saunas in the locker rooms (clothing optional - lots of jiggly bits), and coed steamrooms and saunas. Closed relaxation areas. And an outdoors, aft facing balcony. 

[Tgianco]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

The Thermal Suite is aft-facing. And Glacier Bay is an all-day event. While it will provide great views and a warm and comfy environment, I am not sure that I could spend the day in there.

 

The Observation Lounge is a better spot, but people will be camping out all night long to hold seats. There, you will have enclosed viewing, comfy seats, light snacks in the OL, the buffet one floor up, private bar, and drinks throughout the day. 

 

On the other hand, Glacier Bay is normally a "full winter clothing event" with heavy coats, hats, gloves. 

 

Let us know how it goes. We're on the Encore to Glacier Bay later in the season. 

 

The link below has some Thermal Suite photos starting on Post #157. The entire thread is a live post from the Encore a couple of weeks ago with photos of the ship. The hydrotherapy pool and jacuzzi are inside and do not provide any good views outside. 

 

 

Thank you. (wish I didn't have to quote the whole thing to @ you to thank you).

[cruiseny4life]

19 hours ago, Tgianco said:

wish I didn't have to quote the whole thing to @ you to thank you

 

You can highlight the section you would like to highlight, like jiggly bits (because I laugh every time I read it), and a little button will pop up stating "quote selection." Click that and only the highlighted section will be quoted. 

[redmomof4]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Click that and only the highlighted section will be quoted. 

Or click quote and then put your cursor into the quote and remove what you don’t want by back spacing through or select and cut 

[KangCruiser]

We were on the Epic in December. I think I am in the minority here where I didn't like the thermal spa at all. The first day the entire place smelled like bacon, lol. The staff said that was unusual, and it didn't happen any other day, but it set the scene wrong. Also location is important. Our room was in the front of the ship and it was a huge hike down narrow hallways to get to the back of the ship where the spa was. We only ended up using it twice in our seven days. Maybe if we were closer we would have used it more? I am a HUGE spa person, but the amenities there just didn't feel like the luxury spa I was expecting. For example, no slippers unless you are getting a treatment. Which sounds like a silly thing to complain about, but I just expected the full service. 

 

In reference to access, we had to check in at the spa desk and they took our room card (put it in a binder) and swapped that our for a spa access card. Then when you left, you had to swap back. There were often long lines at the desk helping people book treatments, etc. But if you just go to the side of the desk they will swap it fast for you while helping everyone else.

[DCGuy64]

We were also on the Epic in December. We used the Thermal Spa a LOT, in part because we were at sea the entire time. I wouldn't call it "luxury," but it was very nice and I'm glad we paid for it. Never had a bacon smell, that's really odd. All I could smell was chlorine, LOL. It seemed very popular during our trip. The only negative was that the thalassotherapy pool had to be drained one day, there was some maintenance issue, and another time water was sloshing over the sides (due to some rough seas). I think I used the spa about 12 times in 10 days, LOL.

[kavanaugh77]

Will be sailing on the epic dec 17’2023,

are the sauna steam rooms located in both the men’s and ladies locker room or are they strictly co-ed? Thank you

[kwokpot]

13 hours ago, kavanaugh77 said:

Will be sailing on the epic dec 17’2023,

are the sauna steam rooms located in both the men’s and ladies locker room or are they strictly co-ed? Thank you

The Epic is the last NCL newbuild ship to have single sex steam AND sauna in the spa locker rooms, in addition to the rooms in the co-ed thermal suite. At least on the men's side the steam room was a nice size but the sauna is tiny, but still a men's only sauna where it isn't necessary to wrap up tightly. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by kwokpot

[DCGuy64]

26 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

The Epic is the last NCL newbuild ship to have single sex steam AND sauna in the spa locker rooms, in addition to the rooms in the co-ed thermal suite. At least on the men's side the steam room was a nice size but the sauna is tiny, but still a men's only sauna where it isn't necessary to wrap up tightly. 

This is correct, my wife and I sailed the Epic last December and used the spa every day. It was nice having a single-sex sauna as well as the co-ed one (I think there were even two, a very hot one and a not-so-hot one).

[BirdTravels]

On 8/16/2023 at 8:09 PM, kavanaugh77 said:

Will be sailing on the epic dec 17’2023,

are the sauna steam rooms located in both the men’s and ladies locker room or are they strictly co-ed? Thank you

Both. uni-sex in the locker rooms where clothing is optional (lots of jiggly bits at times) and co-ed facilities in the main thermal suite. The Epic has the nicest Thermal Suite in the fleet. 

[kwokpot]

1 minute ago, BirdTravels said:

uni-sex in the locker rooms

As an aside unisex generally means for both sexes, not one sex. 

[MiniJeffrey]

On 8/18/2023 at 3:10 AM, BirdTravels said:

Both. uni-sex in the locker rooms where clothing is optional (lots of jiggly bits at times) and co-ed facilities in the main thermal suite. The Epic has the nicest Thermal Suite in the fleet. 

 

I've heard that some men even tend to get a little too personal int he men-onlyy facilities. 🫢

[kavanaugh77]

Thank you Everyone