Best Ships for Spas
Cruise-ship spas have evolved to the extent that some of the newest and biggest ships are now fitted with multi-level establishments with dozens of treatment rooms, offering the widest range of face and body treatments and massages, and elaborate, fully-equipped fitness centers with steam rooms, saunas, and hydrotherapy rooms.
Almost every ship can also offer traditional salon services for hair, nails, and skin. Some larger ships even have so-called “medi-spas” with certified staff offering Botox injections, teeth-whitening, and acupuncture. Others are intimate spaces that offer pampering on a smaller, albeit no less luxurious, scale.
Spa services don’t usually come cheap, though they are more or less equivalent to what you might pay in any resort spa. Expect to pay $120 for a one-hour Swedish massage, $119 to $169 for a facial, and $110-$120 for an hour of reflexology. Salon services are also equivalent to what you’d pay in a big-city salon: $35 to $59 for hair styling, $29 to $50 for a manicure, and $45 to $70 for a pedicure.
These are our favorite cruise ship spas.
Best Ships for Spas
Queen Mary 2
Cunard Line- Sails To Caribbean, Europe
Why It’s Wonderful
Canyon Ranch operates the utterly decadent spa on this ship. In addition to offering a wide range of massages and spa treatments, the Aqua Therapy Center facilities are the finest afloat.Norwegian Epic
Norwegian Cruise Line- Sails To Caribbean, Europe
Why It’s Wonderful
Massages and facials take a back seat to the elaborate pleasures of a soothing whirlpool and indoor relaxation areas worthy of a fine European spa resort.Celebrity Reflection
Celebrity Cruises- Sails To Caribbean, Europe
Why It’s Wonderful
Attractive, tranquil decor and a full complement of wraps, massages, and deluxe treatments are features of the AquaSpa. The expansive Persian Garden thermal suite includes cold and hot rooms as well as a Turkish hammam.Celebrity Millenium
Celebrity Cruises- Sails To Alaska
Why It’s Wonderful
In addition to offering a wide range of massages and spa treatments, the utterly decadent spa on this ship has a complimentary hydrotherapy pool and café.Oosterdam
Holland America Line- Sails To Alaska
Why It’s Wonderful
Massages and facials take a backseat to the elaborate pleasures of a soothing whirlpool and indoor relaxation areas worthy of a fine European spa resort.Celebrity Solstice
Celebrity Cruises- Sails To Alaska