I’m not ashamed to admit that I enjoy a trip to the spa. I know a lot of men think the spa is “unmanly” but they only think that because they’ve never been there. Once you get a good, deep tissue massage with hot rocks, you’ll put your pride aside and realize that the spa is a pretty nice place.
Cruise ships pride themselves in their spas and the services they offer. We were amazed by the huge variety of options available when we took our first cruise to Alaska last summer. But we were also taken aback by the high prices — almost quadruple what we’ve paid at home. Then we learned something important. Those high prices apply on days when the ship is at sea. When the ship is in port, the prices come way down.
If you are cruising, be sure to look at the on-board publications and announcements for the daily spa specials. We picked a port day for a spot at the spa when we really didn’t have any off-shore activity planned. My wife and I each had 2 hours worth of treatments for about $80. We visited the spa in the morning, swam in a pool (which we had all to ourselves), and then still had time to go ashore, relaxed and refreshed, in the afternoon.
Have you stayed on the ship part of the day while at port? Tell us what you did on board in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you.