Excel Class Spa

[mkcurran]

Did they fix the mistakes of the Vista class? Did they upgrade the hydrotherapy spa from kiddie pool to real spa?

Can anybody give me a review of the spa thermal suite?

[d-train]

We enjoyed the Mardi Gras spa last summer on our B2B. Thermal suite was well taken care of. Enjoyed each of the offerings in the thermal suite. Most of the time, it was quite empty, no issues in getting one of those heated loungers. As each week progressed, more folks found their way down and it got busier, but not crazy at all. The hydro pool was nice, larger than on Horizon. 
 

I got a pedicure, wife enjoyed a massage, both great service.

 

One thing I missed from Horizon Cloud 9 was being higher on the ship, with those amazing views of the ocean. The Excel class Cloud 9 being below, with no windows, was confining at first, but after a thoroughly relaxing experience, that disappeared very quickly.

 

looking forward to the thermal suite on Celebration next summer!

[kwokpot]

The Excel Class Spas do have a whirlpool but it's a small rectangle that holds about 4-5 people. It's in the center of the actual thermal suite. The other rooms in the thermal suite are two steam rooms that are quite large and a combo Salt room & Infrared sauna.

If you haven't experienced an infrared sauna they are different from a traditional swedish sauna. People complain that they're not hot enough but that's because they're using it incorrectly. Infrared saunas work just like those infrared space heaters you can buy for your house.And just like those heaters they work differently than a space heater that has a fan that blows hot air around. With the infrared sauna there are multiple infrared heaters built into the walls around the seating bench. In order to feel the heat you MUST sit right in front one of those heaters so the infrared radiates heat all over your back and those all over your body. If yo don't sit in front of one on the heaters the Salt room isn't going to be that hot. 

If you prefer the old fashioned sauna there is a small co-ed swedish sauna that's located outside of the thermal suite and behind the men's and women's spa locker rooms, which means everyone has acess to this one swedish sauna even if you don't have a thermal suite pass. 

Back to inside the thermal suite. You'll find the heated tile loungers, and some non-heated lounge chairs. There's an open experience showers that has changing colored lights and different water temperatures and sprays. There's a water fountain and a whole wall of towels. That's about it. Is it huge, no. Does it do the job, yes. 

[mkcurran]

1 hour ago, d-train said:

We enjoyed the Mardi Gras spa last summer on our B2B. Thermal suite was well taken care of. Enjoyed each of the offerings in the thermal suite. Most of the time, it was quite empty, no issues in getting one of those heated loungers. As each week progressed, more folks found their way down and it got busier, but not crazy at all. The hydro pool was nice, larger than on Horizon. 
 

I got a pedicure, wife enjoyed a massage, both great service.

 

One thing I missed from Horizon Cloud 9 was being higher on the ship, with those amazing views of the ocean. The Excel class Cloud 9 being below, with no windows, was confining at first, but after a thoroughly relaxing experience, that disappeared very quickly.

 

looking forward to the thermal suite on Celebration next summer!

So the hydro pool is larger than Vista class. More than 18 inches deep?

[mkcurran]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

The Excel Class Spas do have a whirlpool but it's a small rectangle that holds about 4-5 people. It's in the center of the actual thermal suite. The other rooms in the thermal suite are two steam rooms that are quite large and a combo Salt room & Infrared sauna.

If you haven't experienced an infrared sauna they are different from a traditional swedish sauna. People complain that they're not hot enough but that's because they're using it incorrectly. Infrared saunas work just like those infrared space heaters you can buy for your house.And just like those heaters they work differently than a space heater that has a fan that blows hot air around. With the infrared sauna there are multiple infrared heaters built into the walls around the seating bench. In order to feel the heat you MUST sit right in front one of those heaters so the infrared radiates heat all over your back and those all over your body. If yo don't sit in front of one on the heaters the Salt room isn't going to be that hot. 

If you prefer the old fashioned sauna there is a small co-ed swedish sauna that's located outside of the thermal suite and behind the men's and women's spa locker rooms, which means everyone has acess to this one swedish sauna even if you don't have a thermal suite pass. 

Back to inside the thermal suite. You'll find the heated tile loungers, and some non-heated lounge chairs. There's an open experience showers that has changing colored lights and different water temperatures and sprays. There's a water fountain and a whole wall of towels. That's about it. Is it huge, no. Does it do the job, yes. 

Do you do a lot of spa rooms when you cruise?

[SaucyWench]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

If you prefer the old fashioned sauna there is a small co-ed swedish sauna that's located outside of the thermal suite and behind the men's and women's spa locker rooms, which means everyone has acess to this one swedish sauna even if you don't have a thermal suite pass. 

 

Where are the men's and women's spa locker rooms and old fashioned sauna? I have looked at the maps of the Mardi Gras and the Celebration and just cannot see them! 

[kwokpot]

2 minutes ago, mkcurran said:

Do you do a lot of spa rooms when you cruise?

Yes, if I have a spa cabin and/or the ship has at least a free sauna I use it every day. I enjoy going to the gym every afternoon and afterwards using the steam, sauna and other heated facilities to relax and prepare for dinner. TBH I'm less of a fan of hot tubs/whirlpools but if I do enter them it's for 5-10 mins rather than hours as some people do. For me a whirlpool is a short term treatment space and not a substitute for a lounger. 

[kwokpot]

Just now, SaucyWench said:

Where are the men's and women's spa locker rooms and old fashioned sauna? I have looked at the maps of the Mardi Gras and the Celebration and just cannot see them! 

The locker rooms on Excel class ships are on the lower level of the spa where the treatment rooms are. You enter the Spa and to the left you proceed down the stairs then a little ways down the corridor on the left are the mens and women's spa locker rooms. Inside the locker rooms are small lockers, individual stall showers, toilets, sinks. There's a rear exit in both locker rooms that lead to the coed standalone sauna and also to the thermal suite entrance which requires a keycard to open the door to the thermal suite.

As I said earlier both the spa locker rooms and the standalone sauna are available for all passengers to use. 

[SaucyWench]

14 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

The locker rooms on Excel class ships are on the lower level of the spa where the treatment rooms are. You enter the Spa and to the left you proceed down the stairs then a little ways down the corridor on the left are the mens and women's spa locker rooms. Inside the locker rooms are small lockers, individual stall showers, toilets, sinks. There's a rear exit in both locker rooms that lead to the coed standalone sauna and also to the thermal suite entrance which requires a keycard to open the door to the thermal suite.

As I said earlier both the spa locker rooms and the standalone sauna are available for all passengers to use. 

Thank you so much! I've been on the Mardi Gras twice but didn't know that the locker rooms & sauna were there for all passengers. I'll look for them this summer on the Celebration!

[mkcurran]

35 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Yes, if I have a spa cabin and/or the ship has at least a free sauna I use it every day. I enjoy going to the gym every afternoon and afterwards using the steam, sauna and other heated facilities to relax and prepare for dinner. TBH I'm less of a fan of hot tubs/whirlpools but if I do enter them it's for 5-10 mins rather than hours as some people do. For me a whirlpool is a short term treatment space and not a substitute for a lounger. 

Honestly if you can stay in a hot tub for longer than 15 mminutes, it likely nothing enough. So I'm with you there.

Ever experience the spa on the Splendor?

 

[kwokpot]

11 minutes ago, SaucyWench said:

Thank you so much! I've been on the Mardi Gras twice but didn't know that the locker rooms & sauna were there for all passengers. I'll look for them this summer on the Celebration!

I confirmed it with at the spa desk when I 1st sailed the Mardi Gras. It isn't apparent since the locker rooms are hidden away. Here is a photo of the free sauna on the MardiGras. On the Celebration they have smartly put some frosting on the glass door since it's located exactly where the rear door of the women's locker room is so when someone exits the ladies locker room you can see right into it from the co-ed sauna. 

[kwokpot]

8 minutes ago, mkcurran said:

Honestly if you can stay in a hot tub for longer than 15 mminutes, it likely nothing enough. So I'm with you there.

Ever experience the spa on the Splendor?

 

No, I didn't have a thermal suite pass when I sailed the Splendor. But in the locker room was a small complementary sauna which I used daily. There was also a strange steam shower which basically was an individual stall shower that had steam capability.  

[mkcurran]

27 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

No, I didn't have a thermal suite pass when I sailed the Splendor. But in the locker room was a small complementary sauna which I used daily. There was also a strange steam shower which basically was an individual stall shower that had steam capability.  

Ah, okay. I was hoping you could compare. 

 

Anyway thanks so much for your answers.

[Jamman54]

We loved the Thermal suite on  the Splendor the best, followed by the Dream Class. Don't like the Thermal suites on the Excel class. It's like being in a cave, since there is no outside light. The T-Pool is tiny for the size of the ship, and to us the whole area looks cramped. For the above reasons we would not book a spa cabin or buy a spa pass on this class of ships. YMMV. 😎

[mkcurran]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

We loved the Thermal suite on  the Splendor the best, followed by the Dream Class. Don't like the Thermal suites on the Excel class. It's like being in a cave, since there is no outside light. The T-Pool is tiny for the size of the ship, and to us the whole area looks cramped. For the above reasons we would not book a spa cabin or buy a spa pass on this class of ships. YMMV. 😎

Thank you!

I was afraid starting with the Splendor spa would ruin it for other ships. 

Have you done Vista class spas? How does the Excel compare to them?

[Jamman54]

7 minutes ago, mkcurran said:

Thank you!

I was afraid starting with the Splendor spa would ruin it for other ships. 

Have you done Vista class spas? How does the Excel compare to them?

We don't like the Vista Class spas because they don't have T-Pools. When we book Vista Class ships we always book Havana cabins. If you check out our Mardi Gras review, we checked out the thermal suites as soon as we boarded the ship. Patti took plenty of pictures. 

[mkcurran]

Just now, Jamman54 said:

We don't like the Vista Class spas because they don't have T-Pools. When we book Vista Class ships we always book Havana cabins. If you check out our Mardi Gras review, we checked out the thermal suites as soon as we boarded the ship. Patti took plenty of pictures. 

Thanks! 

 

[d-train]

14 hours ago, mkcurran said:

So the hydro pool is larger than Vista class. More than 18 inches deep?

 

When I sit on the bench inside the hydro pool, the water is almost at my shoulders.

only 5' 6" tall...

 

There is a lounger of sorts in the pool, aluminum pipes, etc..., totally not comfortable,

and too high in the water... should of had a bench around the whole deal...

 

Noice set of steps to walk in too.

[mkcurran]

2 hours ago, d-train said:

 

When I sit on the bench inside the hydro pool, the water is almost at my shoulders.

only 5' 6" tall...

 

There is a lounger of sorts in the pool, aluminum pipes, etc..., totally not comfortable,

and too high in the water... should of had a bench around the whole deal...

 

Noice set of steps to walk in too.

The pipes have something to do with an actual t-pool, I believe. But good to know it's deeper than a kiddie pool. Thanks!