Its January… let’s face it, we all drank and ate a little bit too much over the festive period. Let’s also face it, when you go on a cruise you shouldn’t have to hold yourself back – you’re on vacation! If you’re anything like us those Hawaiian shirts are always a little bit tighter at the end of the cruise, than they were at the start! Don’t let a cruise vacation stop you from maintaining your gym routine or fall off your health kick. There’s just as much, if not more, on a ship to help you maintain your healthy life style…
If you’re a gym bunny or simply want to ensure you don’t roll off the ship at the end of your voyage, we’re put together a handy little guide to healthier options, spas, and gyms onboard two health minded cruise lines; Celebrity Cruises and Virgin Voyages.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity cruises ships come in three different sizes, they all include well equipped Technogym gyms, a solarium pool (for all to use) and their ‘AquaClass’ for a fully immersive wellness experience.
Let’s HIIT the gym first… Celebrity Apex, Beyond and Accent ships offer expanded F45 studios, so you can continue your group HIIT training programme whilst at sea, with qualified instructors. if you prefer to get up out of the saddle, you’ll find RydeÒ classes across all Edge-Class ships; a full body workout, on a bike to the beat and the bass of energising music - count us in! Want to go it alone? You’ll find PelotonÒ bikes across all ships to rock your ride on demand, continue your streak and work on your personal best, if you’re in the retreat you can even have one in your suite, ready when you are! Classes are an upcharge, but don’t worry, class passes can be purchased. More of a water baby? You’ll find the longest pools at sea onboard the Edge-Class, so you can do your morning laps whilst watching the sun rise on the resort deck. laps aren’t restricted to the water; all ships have a jogging track on the upper deck; Celebrities’ latest ships take it one step further with an elevated figure of 8 to make things a little bit more interesting!
So, you’ve worked up a sweat and it’s time to refuel, every ship in the fleet has a spa café serving a range of freshly pressed juices, light healthily bites like peanut butter and banana bagels, egg white warps, healthy smoothies and protein shakes. Food is included in your cruise fare and the shakes and juices are included in the premium drink’s packages.
The onboard wellness experience extends to your home from home in ‘AquaClass’ cabins featuring spa amenities such as cashmere mattresses, in-room bottled water, healthy room-service options and a yoga mats. This class of cabin includes access to the thermal suite for the duration of your sailing, where you can enjoy the Hammam, Crystalarium, Steam, Sauna, and the rainfall water therapy room; all purched at the front of the ship to take in those vistas. Check our Apex story highlights on Instagram for a rundown of our full experience.
Our favourite feature of AquaClass is exclusive access to the Blu, Celebrities clean eating concept featuring crisp, fresh and inventive flavours. We enjoyed delicious runny poached eggs, bran muffins and fresh juices in the morning. Items such as pan-seared filet mignon, Celery Purée, Green Asparagus, Cabernet Confit Shallots with Olive Oil Beef Jus can be found on the menu in the evenings.
If you want to kick back and relax all guests onboard can enjoy the adults only solarium, a spa inspired indoor space with a heated pool thermal jets or Jacuzzi’s depending on the ship.
Last, but not least Celebrity has teamed up with Gwyneth Paltrow’s modern lifestyle brand goop to curate exclusive offerings including hand-selected goop products for our in-room fitness menus, TV programming, and a signature smoothie. Come home a new, from a Celebrity Cruise feeling ‘Well Travelled’.
Virgin Voyages
Ahoy Sailors! Virgin should be good at this right? After all they have owned and run award winning Virgin Active gyms across the UK, South Africa and Europe and they have previously sold wellness products through their cosmetic brand Virgin Vie. What’s more, you won’t find any of those pesky children onboard, so its peace and tranquilly all aboard… at least until you retox at scarlet night in the evenings!
It looks as though Virgin Voyages took a leaf out of our book, prescribing a dose of Vitamin Sea – its ideology inspired by the oceans and their importance in the health and well-being for our daily lives. A dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’ is naturally intertwined across the entire ship, with well-being activated through a mix of high-energy moments coupled with relaxation and rejuvenation. A wide variety of group fitness classes on board are all provided complimentary within the voyage fare, allowing sailors opportunities to revel in their favourite fitness activities or even try something new.
The upscale lady ships have five distinct wellness areas onboard so you can sweat, relax, or just be still and breathe — it's up to you. Round one starts at the training camp VV’s indoor/outdoor group training area. From indoor functional training sessions and gravity-defying bungee classes to thier MyBeast outdoor gym equipment and Geezers Boxing ring. See the day in up on the pertch, where every morning starts with sunrise or yoga, or when the day draws to a close. The fitness classes come in all shapes and sizes, just like you and me.
Time to strike a pose and strut your stuff on ‘The Runway’, joggers to the left walkers to the right, run rings around the red halo perched on top of their lady ships. The red running track is 255 meters long allowing you to sweat, strut or stroll, morning, noon, or night.
The B-Complex is your all-encompassing gym experience from strength, spin, yoga and cardio in its Build, Burn, Bike and Balance rooms, all with dramatic ocean views. Once again, you’ll find state of the art Technogym equipment in the on-demand gym floor.
After working up a sweat or finding a moment of reflection, you can restore yourself in the serenity zone by hopping in the topaz blue coloured super-sized well-being spa pool. Enjoy fresh cold-pressed juices, served at the Gym and Tonic bar, jump on the Venice Beach-like fitness apparatus, or sit back relax and retox while you ‘Shake for Champagne’ and wait for a bottle of Moet to magically appear.
Finally, down on deck five you’ll find Redemption, the ships spa. The space is inspired by an underwater cave and serves as your hideaway, while you destress and wash your worries away. The spa refuge features a hydrotherapy pool, mud room, salt room, cold plunge pools, quartz beds, and rejuvenating spa treatments. By night, sailors can complete their well-being journey by attending one of the voyage’s evening spa parties where a DJ will transform the spa’s thermal suite into a mermaid hideaway extravaganza.
What’s more Virgin have recruited world class athletes from Venus Williams to Blake Griffin and Kemba Walker to inspire fitness and wellness programmes to keep you on top of your game!
So next time you’re planning your cruise it’s not all buffets, burgers, and booze. Take your daily exercise with you, try something new or return home feeling fresh, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world!