Thermal Suites on new(er) NCL ships

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

Hi everyone! I haven't been to any NCL thermal suite. I am considering it for my October Norwegian Prima sailing. At this point, I know nothing about the Prima thermal suite, so if anyone has any info- I'd love it. 

 

Assuming no much info is out right now on Prima's TS, I'd love to know from those who have sailed and used the TS on the newer ships, just to get an idea. I have a couple questions:

 

1. Can you bring alcohol into the TS?

2. Is there a bar in or around the TS for guests to use?

3. Can you purchase a day pass or only for the entire cruise?

4. Do the single gender locker rooms have any single gender sauna or steam or showers, or all all the features co-ed except for the changing rooms?

5. Is access complimentary for the day if you get a massage?

 

Thanks very much!!

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, Teacherloves2Cruise said:

Hi everyone! I haven't been to any NCL thermal suite. I am considering it for my October Norwegian Prima sailing. At this point, I know nothing about the Prima thermal suite, so if anyone has any info- I'd love it. 

 

Assuming no much info is out right now on Prima's TS, I'd love to know from those who have sailed and used the TS on the newer ships, just to get an idea. I have a couple questions:

 

1. Can you bring alcohol into the TS?

2. Is there a bar in or around the TS for guests to use?

3. Can you purchase a day pass or only for the entire cruise?

4. Do the single gender locker rooms have any single gender sauna or steam or showers, or all all the features co-ed except for the changing rooms?

5. Is access complimentary for the day if you get a massage?

 

Thanks very much!!

1. While I've never seen a sign that says no alcohol in the thermal suite, I also saw no one enjoying an alcoholic beverage while in the thermal suite. Kind of goes counter to the whole rest and relaxation. Through a quick Google search, I did see that it is, at the very least, not recommended to bring booze in. A glass glass would definitely be a no-no.

2. No - you're in the spa complex.

3. Yes to day pass, if space allows

4. Showers yes, thankfully individual stall showers!

5. No. Frankie boy wants his money - no complimentary offering for a spa treatment.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

1. While I've never seen a sign that says no alcohol in the thermal suite, I also saw no one enjoying an alcoholic beverage while in the thermal suite. Kind of goes counter to the whole rest and relaxation. Through a quick Google search, I did see that it is, at the very least, not recommended to bring booze in. A glass glass would definitely be a no-no.

2. No - you're in the spa complex.

3. Yes to day pass, if space allows

4. Showers yes, thankfully individual stall showers!

5. No. Frankie boy wants his money - no complimentary offering for a spa treatment.

Thanks for sharing! Re 1 and 2- I hear your point. Not looking to get toasted but it might be a nice quiet place to enjoy sailing away from Nova Scotia with a (plastic) glass a champagne. Re 5- that's sad but not surprising! 🙂

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, Teacherloves2Cruise said:

Thanks for sharing! Re 1 and 2- I hear your point. Not looking to get toasted but it might be a nice quiet place to enjoy sailing away from Nova Scotia with a (plastic) glass a champagne. Re 5- that's sad but not surprising! 🙂

Definitely don't take my words as definitive regarding alcohol! I just haven't seen a sign, nor anyone with it...I also highly doubt NCL polices this, except for (I hope) real glasses. 

 

Enjoy your cruise, hopefully away from a bunch of kids (former K-8 admin here)! 

[YVRteacher]

When I was on the Bliss in March I bought a day pass to the spa.  People were bringing in wine in glasses and the staff did not stop them.  I don’t care whether or not people drink in the spa but I do feel like glass shouldn’t be allowed since guests are often in bare feet.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

Definitely don't take my words as definitive regarding alcohol! I just haven't seen a sign, nor anyone with it...I also highly doubt NCL polices this, except for (I hope) real glasses. 

 

Enjoy your cruise, hopefully away from a bunch of kids (former K-8 admin here)! 

Thank you! Yes, no kids on this sailing are allowed (don't get me wrong, I love kids, have 3 myself. . . .)

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

Just now, YVRteacher said:

When I was on the Bliss in March I bought a day pass to the spa.  People were bringing in wine in glasses and the staff did not stop them.  I don’t care whether or not people drink in the spa but I do feel like glass shouldn’t be allowed since guests are often in bare feet.

Good to know and I agree about glass!!

[MichiganBound]

I have been on the several NCL cruises where guests had alcoholic drinks in the TS.  They would go out to the bar on the pool deck and bring them back to the TS.  They were always in plastic.

 

I don't know what the official rule is but it may come down to whomever is manning the check-in desk for the spa at the time.

[OrcaGirl]

I’ve often brought an alcoholic beverage into the thermal spa on the Bliss and Encore, not wine but a mudslide or pina colada in a plastic cup. Only issue I had was when I had an Aperol Spritz in a proper glass leftover from lunch… the spa desk attendant just asked me to pour it into a plastic cup once I was inside.

 

I expect if I’d been trying to drink the beverages in the pool or hot tub, that would have been an issue but I just liked to sip my beverage while reading in the loungers.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

45 minutes ago, MichiganBound said:

I have been on the several NCL cruises where guests had alcoholic drinks in the TS.  They would go out to the bar on the pool deck and bring them back to the TS.  They were always in plastic.

 

I don't know what the official rule is but it may come down to whomever is manning the check-in desk for the spa at the time.

 

24 minutes ago, OrcaGirl said:

I’ve often brought an alcoholic beverage into the thermal spa on the Bliss and Encore, not wine but a mudslide or pina colada in a plastic cup. Only issue I had was when I had an Aperol Spritz in a proper glass leftover from lunch… the spa desk attendant just asked me to pour it into a plastic cup once I was inside.

 

I expect if I’d been trying to drink the beverages in the pool or hot tub, that would have been an issue but I just liked to sip my beverage while reading in the loungers.

Thank you both! I can certainly ask for a glass of champagne in a plastic cup. 🙂 

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Teacherloves2Cruise said:

1. Can you bring alcohol into the TS?

2. Is there a bar in or around the TS for guests to use?

3. Can you purchase a day pass or only for the entire cruise?

4. Do the single gender locker rooms have any single gender sauna or steam or showers, or all all the features co-ed except for the changing rooms?

5. Is access complimentary for the day if you get a massage?

1. Yes. But it is a lot of effort. Easier to drink flavored waters and teas in the spa. 

 

2. No bar in the Thermal Suite, but you are never more than 5 minutes to the nearest bar on a ship

 

3. Day passes are sold at the discretion of the spa staff and normally only on slow port days. If the thermal suite weekly passes sell out, then they may not offer any day passes. I suspect with the new, fancy Thermal Suite on the Prima and Viva, the weekly passes will sell out. 

 

4. NCL has not had single gender saunas or steam rooms on the big ships since the Epic (none of the breakaway / breakaway+ ships). There are showers in the changing rooms. 

 

5. No. You have to pay for thermal suite access. 

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

Thanks for the replies, I had a couple more questions.

 

Are there robes to use for those of us who don't have them in our cabins? If so, can you take them back to your cabin and use them to go to and from?

 

Are bathing suits required at all times, if covered by a robe or if you want to wear other shorts or clothes? I ask because sometimes I get tired of being in a bathing suit and if I am not getting wet (ie. using the relaxation space) I may prefer to just wear a robe with shorts under or just shorts themselves.

 

Do the changing rooms have showers typically? Lockers? And if they have lockers, are they locked/ how so?

 

Thanks again for your time.

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Yes there are robes in the spa.  You can also ask your room steward to bring a robe for the cabin and to wear back and forth to the spa.

 

There are no rules posted about needing to wear bathing suits.  On the smaller ships where there are separate hot tubs and saunas for men and women, some people go naked.  I don’t like that at all!

 

You can wear shorts or other clothes.  Sometimes I just like to read in one of the heated ceramic loungers and don’t want to be in a wet bathing suit anymore so I’ll change. It’s helpful to bring a bag on board that will be your spa bag and have items like your book, hairbrush, phone (for Instagram photos!) and whatever else you’ll want.  I bring a water bottle so I’m not wasting plastic cups.

 

The changing rooms have showers.  There is also a rain shower in the communal spa area.

 

Yes, there are lockers in the changing rooms.  On all the ships on which I’ve sailed you enter your own 4-digit code.

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, Teacherloves2Cruise said:

Are there robes to use for those of us who don't have them in our cabins? If so, can you take them back to your cabin and use them to go to and from?

 

Are bathing suits required at all times, if covered by a robe or if you want to wear other shorts or clothes? I ask because sometimes I get tired of being in a bathing suit and if I am not getting wet (ie. using the relaxation space) I may prefer to just wear a robe with shorts under or just shorts themselves.

Do the changing rooms have showers typically? Lockers? And if they have lockers, are they locked/ how so?

In the past, the spa staff didn't say anything if you wore your robe back to your room. On our cruise last week, there were signs everywhere that the robes could not be removed from the spa. Your room steward can get you a robe if you really want one. 

 

Bathing suits are not required. You can wear street clothes into the spa. 

 

Locker rooms have lockers and showers. 

 

 

This is the Encore not Prima

 

Robes and Towels

 

Changing Area and Lockers

 

Showers and toilets

 

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

18 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

In the past, the spa staff didn't say anything if you wore your robe back to your room. On our cruise last week, there were signs everywhere that the robes could not be removed from the spa. Your room steward can get you a robe if you really want one. 

 

Bathing suits are not required. You can wear street clothes into the spa. 

 

Locker rooms have lockers and showers. 

 

 

This is the Encore not Prima

 

Robes and Towels

 

Changing Area and Lockers

 

Showers and toilets

 

Thanks so much for sharing.