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5 Cool Onboard Wellness Experiences to Try on a Cruise

1/26/2018

Regent Seven Seas Voyager is home to the Seven Seas Wellness experience during cruises in the Mediterranean.

By John Roberts

Wellness. It's a nice-sounding word that tries to encapsulate our goals for feeling and looking good and trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. To me, it simply means eating the right foods and getting enough exercise and activity to keep us feeling good and living our best lives possible.

These habits are important for all aspects of life, work, play and travel.

The global "wellness tourism" industry continues to grow, with the Global Wellness Institute reporting revenues of $563 billion in wellness tourism in 2015, up 14 percent from 2013. The growth rate for wellness tourism was double the rate for overall tourism revenue in general.

So, it's apparent that more and more of us are taking our health and fitness to heart. Cruise lines are listening to our demands for the types of experiences we want to have when we join them for our voyages. Every year, more ships are adding cool wellness programming for cruisers to enjoy.

Here are five onboard fitness- and wellness-based experiences that you are going to love.

AmaWaterways Wellness Program
AmaWaterways ships have long been equipped with a sun deck walking track, whirlpools, well-equipped fitness centers, 25 bikes and culinary offerings that cater to all dietary choices, with menus that feature healthy choices.

The line ramped up its wellness profile, though, with a new onboard wellness experience with a fitness instructor who leads four to six classes daily, including morning stretches, jogging, yoga, cardio and core strengthening and circuit training. Also, discussion sessions focus on healthy eating and relaxation techniques.

AmaWaterways started its program as a trial, bringing instructor and sports scientist Selena Wank onboard AmaLyra, in 2017, for sailings in France. In the 2018, the Wellness Program expands to seven ships, and it will be available on all AmaWaterways ships in 2019, says AmaWaterways President Rudi Schreiner.

MSC Cruises Wellness Experience
The Wellness Experience was designed in collaboration with noted equipment manufacturer TechnoGym. The program came to MSC Cruises' ships in 2017, and passengers can immerse themselves in fitness, healthy eating and exclusive excursions from start to finish during their cruise. The MSC Wellness Experience is crafted to meet each passenger's desires and goals while enjoying the Mediterranean-style cruise.

Using a pre-cruise questionnaire, followed by an onboard one-on-one consultation with a master trainer, trained by Technogym, your cruise is customized with shore excursions, gym classes and healthy food options. On shore, you might go jogging around Ancient Olympia, take a bike tour of Copenhagen, hike up Mount Floyen in Norway, participate in a fun triathlon in Cozumel (kayaking, running and snorkeling), or take a beach training session in Rio de Janeiro.

Onboard, special group fitness classes keep you moving. Choose Tai Chi, spinning, Pilates, yoga and other sessions.

For food, the buffet features a dedicated "Wellness Corner" with a choice of dishes designed to match your pre-cruise goals. The main restaurant offers healthy menu options to make it simple to select the right choice. There also is a wellness room-service breakfast menu. The MSC Aurea Spa bar offers a range of protein and energy drinks as well as an array of other wellness beverages.

Seabourn Spa and Wellness Cruises
Noted wellness expert Dr. Andrew Weil leads specific Seabourn Spa and Wellness themed sailings on this luxury cruise line.

All Seabourn ships and cruises feature a Wellness Guide, who leads complimentary meditation and yoga classes. The Seabourn Spa and Wellness program was designed in a partnership with Dr. Weil and the cruise line's spa company Steiner Leisure.

Much of the program is based on meditation and restorative yoga and body alignment therapies. Also integral to the wellness program are the Mind and Body seminars designed to educate cruisers on philosophies and practices that improve wellness. The presentations aim to provide ideas and practices that enhance well-being and increase the awareness of the connections between mind, body, environment and wellness.

Regent Seven Seas Wellness Program
The program debuted in 2017 and gives passengers custom-crafted spa and shore excursion experiences while sailing in the scenic Mediterranean on the luxury ship Regent Seven Seas Voyager.

The Seven Seas Wellness experience combines refreshing, low-impact activities in 10 Mediterranean destinations with one of five revitalizing treatments in the ship's onboard Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

Onshore, you get to try fun activities like Tai Chi in Marseille, France, or yoga on a seaside perch in Taormina, Sicily. Back onboard, you can select from these five spa treatments: body scrub, body buff with sea salts and essential oils, vitamin-infusion facial, massage with foot scrub, and organic body wrap.

Oceania Cruises Wellness Tours
Along with offering a large selection of included wellness programming, such as yoga, stretch, spinning, strength training and boot camp classes onboard, Oceania Cruises features a portfolio of Wellness Tours.

Oceania offers more than four dozen excursions that focus on traditional experiences in exotic locations. You can try things like reflexology on a rice barge in Bangkok, a garden walk, meditation and tea ceremony in Buenos Aires, the Chinese exercise of Qigong in a rainforest in Cairns, rejuvenating mud bath in Cartagena, and numerous other practices, such as yoga, chanting, meditation and dance therapy.

Do these programs appeal to you and what you want out of a cruise vacation? Or do you prefer to do your own thing when keeping up with your fitness regimen while traveling? Let us know in the comments.

Cheers!
JR

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How to Stick to a New Year's Resolution While Traveling

1/16/2018

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Staying at a resort or nice hotel on your trip? It's likely to have a decent gym for you to use.

By John Roberts

It's January, and it's cold in much of the country. For many of us, this means we schedule trips to get away to somewhere warmer for a little rest, rejuvenation and relaxation, especially after a busy holiday season.
This also means you will be challenged to keep up with your fitness-based or weight-loss-focused New Year's resolutions. Your valuable vacation time will be focused on your favorite ways to have fun, of course. Maybe that's a lot of adventurous activities or ample amounts of just chilling out.

Then, there is always the food and drinks.

One of the best -- who am I kidding; these are the best -- ways to enjoy a destination and its cultural aspects is through the great food and tasty beers, wines and cocktails we come across while traveling.
While many people can easily toss aside any discipline and dive into their trips to embrace the full-on food and fun orgy that a vacation offers, many anguish over their choices, especially if they are resolved to make healthy changes in their lives.

So, with all these forces at play, how can you stick to a New Year's resolution when you travel -- and still enjoy your trip?

Portion Control
If something tastes good, it's always easy to eat several servings. Instead, share a food item with your travel partner, and tell yourself before sitting down that you are going to stop eating as soon as you feel full. Go in on a few small plates to share so you don't overdo it and can still enjoy a sampling of several flavors from the places you visit. Also, plan to save calories for a taste of dessert or a couple beers or wines.

Pack Snacks
If you're out and about on excursions or just traveling by plane or train to get to your destination, you can too easily be tempted by junk food along the way. Or you often go for long periods of time without nutrition and then overeat at your next opportunity. You can stay a step ahead by packing healthy snacks for your travels. Bring along nutritious protein bars, almonds, apples, or other items on your diet to stave of hunger and keep your fuel levels up and on an even keel throughout the day. This also helps you save money because you won't have to splurge at fast-food or fast-casual eateries.

Track Your Macros
When you have a new diet for the new year, it's important to track what you eat. This might be easier to do at home as you cook for yourself in the kitchen. But many great apps make it easy to count your calories and macros (like carbs, protein and fat ratios). We use the MyFitnessPal app on our cellphones to chart what we eat throughout the day. You can set up your goals for daily calories and macronutrients, and the app comes preloaded with many searchable foods and meals from chain restaurants, etc.
We find that a rigorous tracking method can keep you on course and help with your willpower because you have a measure of control in the process. We all know it's easy to go a bit crazy on our diets when we are having a good time while traveling.

Travel with healthy snacks in tow to more easily stick to your New Year's resolution.

Make Time for Fitness
Diet and new eating habits are the focus of many New Year's resolutions, but exercise holds equal footing for many people seeking lifestyle changes. It is easy to get in good workout while on the road. You just have to make sure you plan for them and make a commitment. Carve out at least 30 minutes a day for a workout when you are on a trip. If you are staying at a hotel or resort, you are likely to have access to at least a rudimentary gym (and many times the fitness center are on par with your best neighborhood fitness centers).

Even if you don't have access to a gym, pack a pair of running shoes or exercise bands and a jump rope. Simple bodyweight exercises such as air squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks and burpees are always great options, too. You can also check YouTube to find any type of bodyweight workout or routines using the most basic equipment. Plus, numerous fitness apps offer a nice variety of workouts and help you track your fitness routines. Check out Map My Fitness, Workout Trainer and 8Fit for just a few options. Daily walks, hikes and swims in the ocean or at your resort's pool also qualify as great workouts.

Get Your Sleep
Getting at least seven restful hours of sleep is the ideal complement to a solid diet and exercise regimen. In fact, studies show that poor sleep can sabotage your diet, exercise and most importantly, your mood. So, make sure you get enough quality rest, even as you are trying to maximize your fun while traveling. You probably will be faced with a schedule that is a wild departure from your daily routine while back home. You stay up later, get up earlier and have time-zone changes, unfamiliar beds and noises, plus maybe quirky layovers at airports or train or bus stations to deal with.
Do your best to get your needed sleep, and also ensure that you are staying properly hydrated each day. Carry a water bottle everywhere and sip from it all day. With proper hydration and rest, you always feel fresh and focused enough to have a good time and stick to your goals.

Don't Stress It
All of this might sound like too much to worry about along with all the other logistics involved with travel. Don't worry if slip a little here and there. It's nothing to stress over. You need to have a good time and indulge a bit, too. The main point is that you have made yourself a resolution, a promise to change a habit. You want to be mindful of creating a more healthy lifestyle. It becomes more and more manageable and almost second nature as you build these habits into your daily lifestyle and your travel lifestyle, as well.

What do you think? Do you have any tips for sticking to a New Year's resolution when you travel? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments.

Thanks for reading, and always travel happy!
JR

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Six Things to Splurge On During Your Cruise

1/8/2018

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I give the Ryde spin class a try during my trip on Carnival Vista. Certain fitness classes come with a fee.

By John Roberts

My default setting is "frugal."

You'll rarely see me shelling out for many extras on a cruise. But I have discovered a few things that are worth digging into your pockets for on a cruise vacation. Some of these things you might not want on every trip, but I have often added these goodies and extras because they make sense and can make a good cruise even better.

Check out this list of "Six Cruise Essentials Not Included in Your Cruise Fare."

Shore Excursions

This is the best way to explore a new destination. You have to get off the ship to have fun and experience the culture of a country or region. That's why we travel, right? I usually look for something active like a snorkel outing on a catamaran that includes lunch and drinks. We also seek out hiking adventures and zipline outings. (Excursions that include several of these in one package are the best!) You also can find historic city walking tours or shopping excursions at most cruise ports. We've explored castles and palaces and savored beers and wines of different regions.

I am big on booking a shore excursion independently (search online for your excursions and book directly). You can usually save a lot of money and have a more intimate experience with a smaller group. But booking through the cruise ship is a good option, too, because you can be assured that the ship won't leave if you don't get back in time at the end of the day in port.

Spa Treatments

These can be pricy -- but we are talking about a splurge on your holiday. It can be so relaxing to treat yourself to a massage or facial at the ship's spa. The facilities also might include a sauna, steam room and other amenities to enjoy as long as you have booked a treatment. I don't get massages during my daily life on land, but I try to treat myself to a rejuvenating treatment when on a ship.

It's a wonderful way to refresh after several days playing in the hot sun or hiking and biking on your excursions. Try to book a treatment when in port for the best deals.

Spa Day Pass

OK, maybe you don't want a massage or any other treatment. You just want that quiet time in the spa. Day passes and passes that get you cruise-long access into the ship's spa facilities can be awesome. In the spa, you get away from the crowds on the lido deck so you can enjoy the serenity of a facility that includes things like fruit-infused waters, comfy loungers, heated ceramic loungers, hot tubs, sauna and steam rooms and thalassotherapy pools. Once you've done this once, you'll never want to cruise again without having access to the spa.

Specialty Dining

It's become a well-known fact that the best food on the mass-market cruise ships is now in the specialty restaurants. Make a reservation at a for-fee eatery if you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary or just want a romantic night out for a great meal away from your tablemates in the main dining room. You'll find all sorts of fine cuisine featured in the specialty restaurants at sea. There are steakhouses and Asian-fusion, Italian, seafood and French eateries. You'll pay from $30 to $50 a person extra to eat at these spots, but the meals can be one of the most memorable experiences of your trip -- especially if food is your thing.

Fitness Class

The fitness centers on the ships are free to use, and many of them have everything you would find at your gym back home. This allows you to get in your daily workouts and easily stick to your fitness regimen while on your cruise.

Additionally, the gyms on the cruise ships are good spots to try new types of workouts or to make those first steps toward beginning a workout program. Personal training is available to help you overcome any apprehension about going to the gym. Even fitness buffs can try something new, with offerings like kickboxing, spin classes, Pilates, yoga and TRX suspension training. I tried a Ryde spin-style class on Carnival Vista.

The cruise ship gym is the ideal relaxed and non-threatening environment to have fun and try something new. Plus, you have a week or more of leisure time to schedule a few sessions without the worry of your work and other life obligations derailing your plans.

Beverage Package

Yes, the all-you-can-drink packages can be a convenience for all of us beer and wine drinkers who like toss them back regularly on vacation. But I'm talking about at least snagging the much more affordable soda and water package. This is a good deal if you plan to enjoy a couple sodas a day (our vice is Diet Coke) and also want cold bottled waters. We grab a few bottles to head ashore and know we will always be hydrated, which is a good choice, especially in the Caribbean heat.

Yes, this is mainly a convenience item, and you could refill your own water bottles on the ship at the public fountains. But the soda/fresh water combo package is nice, and we think tastes a bit better overall.
What types of things do you have no problem splurging on for your cruise? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: Nine Essential Tips and Tricks for First-Time Cruisers

Thanks for reading, and happy travels!
JR

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5 Cool Onboard Wellness Experiences to Try on a Cruise

How to Stick to a New Year's Resolution While Traveling

Six Things to Splurge On During Your Cruise

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