Wellness at sea is just another day in the life with Norwegian Cruise Line.
“Wellness is no longer a trend—it’s a full-fledged lifestyle,” says Katina Athanasiou, global VP of charters, meetings & incentives at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC). “It’s no longer confined to the spa and fitness center, but woven into dining rooms, decks and leisure spaces, onboard programming and even shore excursions.” For more wellness at sea ideas, read on.
A Masterclass in the Culinary Arts
The expectation of wellness also extends to unique, feel-good culinary programs. Groups can attend classes in the Culinary Arts Kitchen in RSSC’s Seven Seas Explorer that reflect cuisines of the ship’s destinations. Themed classes such as “Teatime at the Abbey,” where groups learn to assemble a teatime party inspired by the hit TV show “Downton Abbey,” can also be booked. RSSC will soon debut “Seven Seas Wellness” on the newly refurbished Seven Seas Voyager that will include more than 10 wellness-themed excursions and activities such as vinyasa yoga, tai chi and thermal baths.
“For groups, we have the ability to customize the class to suit their needs, and we can tailor the length, menu and class description,” says Athanasiou. “We also have the ability to work collaboratively with our clients to customize and curate receptions, gala dinners, specialty VIP dinners, wine tastings, galley tours, culinary-focused shore excursions and more.”
Wellness-themed Destination Tours
RSSC is about to debut Seven Seas Wellness aboard the newly refurbished Seven Seas Voyager for its Mediterranean cruises, departing late-May through to September 2017. Groups booking a Seven Seas Wellness experience can choose from more than 10 wellness-themed excursions in destinations such as Rome, Taormina, Venice, Monte Carlo and Provence – enjoying activities such as Vinyasa Yoga, Tai Chi and thermal baths. They can then select from one of five 50-minute spa services provided by partner Canyon Ranch, such as an ocean scrub, vitamin-infused facial or organic body wrap.
Small-Batch Wellness and Culinary Excursions
Oceania offers similar small-batch wellness tours that accommodate fewer than two dozen participants and marry wellness activities such as yoga, pilates, water therapies and meditation with destinations experiences in France, Italy, Spain, and Greece. The brand has also partnered with Canyon Ranch to offer the most extensive and inclusive wellness program afloat, which includes 29 fitness and wellness classes at no additional cost. Oceania has also curated a range of culinary tours in Alaska, including an Ale Trail exploring the local craft beers of Astoria, a fishing expedition on a crab boat off the coast of Ketchikan, or deep-sea sport fishing for salmon in Sitka.
Active Tours for Groups
NCL also offers a range of culinary and active tours for groups, such as a salsa excursion in Cozumel where groups can learn how to make authentic Mexican salsa, guacamole and pico de gallo. Also available are culinary walking tours of Bar Harbor in Maine, or a tour of St. Maarten with visits to a local craft rum producer and a French Caribbean cooking demonstration. Groups seeking something more active can kayak the Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas, Chile; or hike into a canyon in Kahului, Maui and rappel down 30- and 50-foot waterfalls; or even buckle up in a safety harness and follow a narrow rooftop path high above Stockholm in Sweden, learning about the storied city from a unique birds-eye perspective.
