Pseudo-Spa Day on board a ship

[PescadoAmarillo]

I have not, for several years, splurged on a spa treatment on a cruise. It's not just that the treatments all seem to be a bit overpriced for what you get, but it's that HARD sell that accompanies them that UN-relaxes me at the end of the treatment and makes me feel like I've wasted the money that I did spend.

 

So here's what I do....first, find the spa shower area (near the fitness center, generally) and do a test run. Take your shower stuff, use the steam room and sauna, and then shower. On another day (usually a sea day for me), I head for the hot tubs with my husband. We enjoy that for awhile, and then I head back to the spa. I take a bag with my shower stuff plus a tube of facial mask, deep conditioner for my hair, cuticle cream, heavy body moisturizer and my favorite salt scrub from Bath and Body Works. For at least two hours I self-pamper, and if the ship offers a day pass to heated lounge chairs or an aromotherapy area or a thalasotherapy pool for around $10, I do that too (with a book in hand to really relax and enjoy if it's a dry area). I'm a wet noodle by the end of all this, and my total out of pocket is not more than $10. But the best part is taking time for ME, which doesn't often get done at home.

[vanclan]

I thought you couldn't use the spa services unless you had a special pass...am I mistaken?

[PescadoAmarillo]

Every ship I've been on has had free access to the shower area. I did have to pay for the steam room area on the Mercury. If you work out at the fitness center, it's where you would shower and steam and sauna afterwards, so it's free usually.

[DollyCruise]

You're on the right track girl.......it's the "ME" time that counts, really!

 

You don't have to break the bank.....smart!

 

 

Dolly

[cgladin]

JMB410:

Thanks for sharing that bit of advice...I would have never thought of it. If you have any other inventive money saving ideas for onboard the ship, I would love to hear them.