and Relax…

This is the word I most look forward to once I step on a cruise ship or into a luxury hotel, especially when I indulge in the spa facilities available to me. For me the best part of a holiday is to do something that I very rarely do in my normal every day life and that is to visit a spa and have a few hours to myself being pampered.

I have been very fortunate to travel to various destinations around the world within my 25 years of working in travel.

I have had spa treatments in India, Mauritius, various Caribbean Islands, Australia, Singapore and anywhere else that I have been and managed to get booked in for a treatment. From head, scalp and full body massages, to facials, skin cleansing, body wraps and my favourite has to be a pedicure.

I know it sounds mad, but there is nothing better than coming out of the spa with fresh toes and gorgeous sandal worthy feet.

Checking out the couples room in the spa for Britannia

On cruise ships I do always check out the Spa facilities and go to any free seminars that they may be offering, be that from applying make up to checking your body balance (I am still none the wiser). When you attend these little 1 hour seminars there is no obligation to buy into anything but you they do offer discounts. My last spa treatment on a cruise ended up with me having a clay body wrap with 25% off, happy days. I am pleased to say I lost approx. 6 inches all over, but alas it didn’t last as by the next morning (after dinner of course) I had regained that and more!! It did not bother me though as I had fab time being pampered and got some tips from the expert beauty therapist.

Some warm relaxation water bed thingy… not really too sure

Hot stone beds

I will admit the Gym does nothing for me, they are very nice and look great with all the latest equipment and gorgeous male instructors, but this is as far as I will get to doing any exercise (just having a look and being nosy). But I do admire those that still get up early each morning on their holiday and work out (they are nutters in my eyes).

Not really dressed for the gym…

You don’t have to have a treatment though to use the spa. Most of the spas will have adult only areas and there may be a small charge to use facilities such as the sauna, steam room, hydro pools, hot stone beds and anything else that they may have on board. But the charge normally covers you for a day and they normally  only allow so many guests in at a time so it is not overcrowded.

If I have a full day at sea and not much I want to do then this is the perfect sea day for me to spend as much time in the spa as possible.

In a couple of weeks time I shall be on the Royal Princess and intend to have some quality ‘me’ time in the spa on this trip too. I will let you know how I get on and how fabulous the spa is on board.

Dawn

x