With gorgeous facilities and cutting-edge treatments that rival those offered at some of the best spas around the globe, today’s most luxurious cruise ships are giving the world’s top wellness retreats a run for their IV drips. Explore this growing travel trend with an exclusive look at the plush experiences offered aboard two luxury liners that are elevating self-care at sea.
A Haven of Luxury and Innovation
When A&K Travel Group acquired the legendary but embattled Crystal Cruises a year ago, they embarked on an ambitious $150 million renovation ahead of its relaunch. “We literally tore the ship apart right down to the steel,” CEO Cristina Levis told a group of reporters and travel advisors who had gathered for the Crystal Serenity’s shakedown sail from Venice, Italy, to Marseille, France.
In addition to enlarging many of the suites and removing the casino, the AKTG team did a hard reset on another key space: the spa. “In partnership with our operator OneSpaWorld, we wanted to offer a full-service range of treatments curated to leave skin looking and feeling renewed like the dawn of a new day,” says Levis.
Photography provided by Crystal Cruises
Nestled on the 13th deck of the Crystal Serenity, the ship’s new Aurōra Spa offers guests a slice of tranquility during their days at sea. Inspired by the Goddess of Dawn, the light-dappled space — outfitted in blonde woods, organic materials and plush neutral furnishings — includes 12 treatment rooms, a 3,000-square-foot fitness center, a salon, a steam room, a relaxation room and a gorgeous sauna where waffle-robed spa-goers can sip a glass of cucumber water in their fluffy Etro slippers while admiring an astonishing sunset over the Adriatic sea.
But beyond merely being a space to relax and recharge, Aurōra also quietly bills itself as a place to pursue more aggressive rejuvenation treatments guests may not have the time for in their busy regular lives. “We offer a full range of exceptional services at sea that help our guests achieve more youthful-looking skin with minimal to no downtime,” says Levis, noting that complimentary consultations with on-site specialists help guests select the best treatment options for their stay.
Photography provided by Crystal Cruises
“We specialize in antiaging treatments,” notes Dr. Elba, Crystal’s aesthetic physician. In addition to the spa’s Elemis facials, (including the signature Biotec 2.0 The Ultimate Facial, which combines six distinct technologies to target various skin concerns, from firming to oxygenation) the spa offers a range of non-invasive treatments, including Thermage, Restylane, microneedling and Dysport. “We chose Dysport over Botox for the ship because it’s faster and it lasts longer,” says Dr. Elba. “On a ship, you never know if you’re going to have a guest for three days or 10, so it needs to work quickly.” Unlike Botox, which takes seven to 10 days to take full effect and lasts for three months, Dysport works in just three days and lasts four to five months, she explains. “This way, we can see the results right away and adjust the dose if necessary,” says Dr. Elba.
In addition to these non-invasive treatments, Crystal Cruises’ Aurōra Spa offers a range of less conventional treatments that speak to the holistic wellness of passengers. Among the more novel: intravenous infusion therapy, which offers a unique blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids tailored to individual needs. “The therapy is designed to boost the immune system, replenish essential nutrients and promote overall vitality,” explains Ian Mitts, the ship’s on-site acupuncturist.
Photography provided by Crystal Cruises
While an IV drip might not be the first treatment you’d expect to find aboard a luxury cruise ship, Mitts says it’s one of the most popular ones. “We have a lot of different kinds of food on the ship and this is great for treating indigestion. It is also good for a hangover because it detoxes the liver.” Given the free-flowing Champagne served aboard Crystal Serenity, it’s easy to understand the appeal of a 60-minute bRevived treatment that instantly hydrates and replenishes your vitamin B levels so you can dance the night away at the next evening’s poolside dance party. “We have a lot of guests who come in here almost every day,” says Mitts with a chuckle.
Signature treatments at Aurōra Spa go beyond the conventional, presenting passengers with a selection of innovative modalities designed to relax and rejuvenate both mind and body. For example, the Chariot of Life massage is enhanced by LED light therapy, which can help reset your circadian rhythm, reduce inflammation, increase circulation and even improve the texture of your skin. The spa also offers detoxifying treatments, including ion therapy and the Aurōra wrap. For guests who have enjoyed too much Nobu at sea at the ship’s award-winning UMI UMA restaurant, this detoxifying seaweed wrap can provide the perfect reset, encouraging a healthy sweat that will eliminate any traces of puffiness.
A Multisensory Wellness Journey
Of course, Crystal Cruises newly revamped Crystal Serenity isn’t the only luxury cruise ship taking its spa game to dazzling new heights. The brand new Explora 1, which took its maiden cruise last August, offers a similar blueprint for high-end luxury wellness at sea. Designed to mirror the soothing rhythms of the ocean, this breathtaking, 7,500-square-foot floating haven encompasses 11 treatment rooms, including two opulent private spa suites complete with serene outdoor relaxation areas. Like Crystal Cruises’ Aurōra spa, the Explora 1’s Ocean Wellness spa offers a lot more than a basic aromatherapeutic massage (although, of course, they have that too and it is, indeed, amazing, thanks to the heady oils used from Aromatherapy Associates).
For those interested in more than mere relaxation, a series of Medi Luxe treatments by Dr. Levy Switzerland await in a dedicated treatment room. An inviting outdoor space provides the perfect ambiance for relaxation, seamlessly blending the serenity of this idyllic oceanic setting with world-class pampering. And there’s no need to worry if your hair gets messed up, the onsite Beauty Studio offers everything from a quick touch up to nail services and beard trims.
Photography provided by Explora Journeys
And if all of that isn’t quite enough to fully recharge guests’ batteries, the Ocean Wellness spa aboard Explora 1 also offers a multi-sensory journey. Consisting of an Experience shower (in which air, steam and scented fragrances coalesce on the skin encouraging exfoliation and perspiration), a steam shower, a hydrotherapy pool, a Finnish sauna, a salt cave, an ice fall and heated marble loungers, this thermal wellness area is meant to be a regenerating oasis of psycho-physical well-being.
The spa’s philosophy of “healthy body, healthy mind” carries over to the state-of-the-art fitness center, which spans over 2,900 square feet of indoor space and outdoor facilities, complete with a sports court, running track and touchtennis area. With programming that ranges from immune-boosting yoga retreat to open-air spin classes, every aspect of the Ocean Wellness spa has been carefully considered to optimize the health and well-being of guests while they’re on board the ship.
Photography provided by Explora Journeys
The bottom line? The experience of spending a few days at sea during a cruise has come a long way in recent years, particularly with the recent launch of these two epic luxury cruise ships. With world-class wellness retreats that rival the best spas in the world, there could be just one problem: You may never want to venture off the ship.
