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Wellness

Discover your ‘Om’ on the ocean & fight the flab afloat: Latest cruise wellness trends

Wellness cruise holidays can serve as the perfect antidote to post-Christmas indulgence. If you’re after a New Year New You health kick these cruise lines will sort you out.

Words by Jeannine Williamson

There’s an old joke that you set off on a cruise as a passenger and get off as freight – with all the tempting food and drink some people pile on 0.45kg a day!

If you don’t want to stress about returning home with excess baggage or want to leave all your cares behind when you’re at sea, there are plenty of wellness cruises offering the chance to stay fighting fit and float back in a zen-like state.

We’ve rounded up some excellent options for 2024 and beyond.

Get steamy with some Japanese ‘skinship’

Leave your modesty in your locker and indulge in the ancient Japanese institution of onsen bathing. The country’s natural hot springs are revered for their relaxing, rejuvenating and therapeutic properties and a Silversea wellness cruise offers this time-honoured experience in Kannawa and Noboribetsu.

You’ll be expected to go in wearing nothing but your birthday suit. However, everyone bathes naked and there are separate baths for men and women.

Your guide will give you the full run-down on onsen etiquette and afterwards you’ll enjoy the fitting treat of ‘steamed’ sweets and hot tea. Later you can bask in the knowledge that you’ve taken part in a truly immersive experience known as hadaka no tsukiai, which translates as naked friendship and is also called ‘skinship’.

New is Silversea’s Roman-inspired Otium wellness program on Silver Nova which has evolved aboard the latest ship, with a redesigned spa, new Otium amenities, an all-new in-suite experience and more.

Noboribetsu hot spring
tibetan sound bowls

Calm a hectic mind

How about a sound bowl meditation class using a Tibetan sound, or singing bowl? By concentrating on the rich, rhythmic tone you can help reduce the constant chatter of the mind. Sessions are available on Scenic Eclipse and new sister ship Scenic Eclipse II.

Another option onboard is beginner-friendly aerial yoga combining traditional yoga with moves inspired by Pilates, dance and acrobatics. Using a hammock, or yoga swing, you can perform postures that are impossible on a mat. Offered on Scenic’s ocean cruises, aerial yoga is credited with reducing stress, relieving compression on the spine and improving strength and flexibility.

Scenic is also hosting an Olympic-themed special featuring Sir Steve Redgrave and Daley Thompson in 2024.  The celebrated GB icons will be esteemed guests for the exclusive Sporting Legends Cruise: Paris & Seine Edition, setting sail on July 8, just weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sir Steve, a five-time gold medalist, and the decathlon legend Thompson will join the cruise at Le Roche-Guyon. Here, they’ll partake in an intimate classical concert at Château de Le Roche-Guyon.

Following this, both luminaries will be on board for an engaging question-and-answer session, offering guests firsthand accounts of their journeys to athletic triumphs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to collect a personally signed memento and snap memorable selfies with the legends. Guests can join the one-time-only itinerary for as little as £4,395 per person.

Get on your water bike

Why swim or spin when you can go aqua cycling? Get bike wheels whizzing underwater on MSC Cruises’ MSC Divina, which sails in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Classes are held on selected sea days using stationary bikes submerged in the infinity pool. Participants pedal and sprint in time to the music against the resistance of the water.

Unlike indoor spinning classes there are panoramic views of the passing ocean and the feeling of actually moving along.

msc divina infinity pool
Celebrity Ascent eden plant-based meal

Clean up

Put a spring in your step with a bungee class. Available on Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series ships, these novel low-impact sessions use elastic resistance to work on balance, endurance and strength.

If you don’t want to go it alone, Celebrity Beyond and Apex also offer high-intensity team workouts and the brand-new Celebrity Ascent features Technogym bikes onboard.

For the ultimate holistic wellness cruise experience book an Aquaclass cabin where perks include free fitness classes and unlimited access to the thermal suite, on-demand in-room fitness amenities, the services of spa concierge and priority spa reservations, plus exclusive access to the ‘clean cuisine’ restaurant BLU which showcases healthy dishes.

New for Celebrity Ascent, guests can also get closer to the earth through a culinary journey rooted in untouched, fresh, and seasonal ingredients with the plant-based tasting menu at Eden Restaurant.

X marks the fitness spot with Xponential

Dance, row, cycle and stretch like nobody’s watching with Princess Cruises. The line recently teamed up with boutique fitness brand Xponential Fitness to introduce more than 120 different experiences across its 15-ship fleet, with classes such as Club Pilates, Pure Barre, Yoga Six, CycleBar, Row House, AKT Dance, and StretchLab.

You can join classes in the gym or, if you’re feeling shy, join in on-demand in your cabin. All guests booking a Princess Plus package get two free classes per cruise, and there are unlimited classes with the Princess Premier package.

If you want to keep up the good work, there’s a post-cruise discount to sign up for the XPASS to stream classes back at home.

Princess-Cruises-Xponential
Angkor Wat

Meditation on the Mekong

Sunrise stretching classes, learning the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi and meditating with a healing bowl to focus on breathing techniques and centre your thoughts are all part of AmaWaterway’s wellness cruises through Vietnam and Cambodia.

As you float mindfully along the Mekong, other classes include an introduction to the traditional way of making 100 percent organic teas for detoxifying, healing and re-energising.

Healthy mealtime choices include gluten-free, low-sodium and vegetarian options. Closer to home, there are wellness hosts on all of AmaWaterway’s European ships, apart from Portugal, with free daily classes including core strengthening, resistance band workouts, cycling and hiking tours, plus wellness presentations.

Pack a punch

Knock out cruise calories with Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Fight Klub.

Inspired by traditional boxing training, the non-stop high-intensity boxing classes pack a serious punch as you master skills from jabbing and punching, ducking and diving. And of course, as you’re squaring up to a boxing bag there’s no danger of getting a black eye.

Norwegian’s dynamic fitness classes also include a body sculpt boot camp, spread over several days, where you’ll get a personalised programme to continue at home.

For the ultimate adrenaline rush, scale new fitness heights on the high ropes course on Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy.

Norwegian-Cruise-Line-Fight-Klub
Sail Croatia yoga on deck

Chill out on the Croatian coastline

Sail Croatia is introducing four new yoga-themed cruises for 2024, blending the stunning Dalmatian coastline with revitalising activities. Enjoy sunset yoga overlooking Mljet National Park and yoga in a UNESCO vineyard, followed by traditional dinners and wine tastings.

These cruises on the ‘Almissa’ from Split accommodate up to 38 guests, offering air-conditioned cabins, sundecks perfect for yoga, and stops at secluded coves for swimming. Optional activities such as cycling, off-road buggy safari and river rafting are also available.

Prices start at £1,329 for departures in April and September, including breakfast and lunch daily, yoga sessions with a certified instructor at sunrise and sunset daily, a guided hike in Stari Grad, a Captain’s dinner evening, as well as a vineyard yoga session followed by wine tasting and traditional Croatian dinner.

Find your centre

Escape the daily grind with A-Rosa’s ‘Retreat on the River’ cruise, a transformative five-night experience during which you can engage in daily yoga classes and enriching discussions on fitness, health and nutrition, all aimed at rejuvenation and recentering.

Led by Ulrike Homuth, an esteemed Health & Lifestyle Coach and certified Anusara yoga instructor, this retreat promises yoga sessions against breathtaking vistas, deep dives into lifestyle enhancements for stress reduction, improved sleep and dietary habits.

Tailored takeaways fuse modern methods with ancient wisdom for a holistic approach. Departing on November 9, 2024, aboard the A-ROSA FLORA on the Danube, prices start from £999pp, covering return flights from Heathrow and a five-night stay on a Premium All-Inclusive basis for two sharing.

Ulrike Homuth - Yoga & Nutrition

What else?

Look out for special themed yoga cruises run by Star Clippers. The line’s beautiful masted tall ships, with traditional teak decks, provide a restful backdrop for morning classes, and chances are you’ll often be joined by dolphins swimming alongside.

Whether you want to sweat, relax or be still in the moment, Virgin Voyages puts a big emphasis on getting a good dose of healthy ‘Vitamin Sea’. From the Virgin-red outdoor running track, boxing ring and outdoor workout equipment, to HIIT workouts and yoga classes, there’s something for everyone.

Set Sail

Mediterranean: Italy, France & Greece with NCL

Duration: 11 nights

Where: Athens (Piraeus), Greece | Santorini, Greece | Naples, Italy | Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy | Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy | Cannes, France | Palma, Majorca, Spain | Barcelona, Spain | Ibiza, Spain | Motril, Spain | Seville (Cádiz), Spain | Lisbon, Portugal

Ship: Norwegian Jade

Price: From £1,199 pp

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Published 19.12.23