Thermal Spa

[Archipelago]

Has anyone booked the thermal spa on any of the ships ? I am thinking about it on a 22 day voyage . Thoughts ? Experiences ? 

Thank You for your patience .

[Moriah]

I have used it on all of the ships except Koningsdam.  What are your questions about them?  What ship will you be on?  There are three distinct types of spas now - the two smaller ships do not have the hydropool, just a small hot tub in the same room with the thermal couches.  The Vistas and Signature ships have beautiful square hydropools, and the Pinnacle ships have basically the same one but round, and with more comfortable set-ups for sitting down in the water.  (also you can douse yourself with ice cubes and a few other additions :))

If it will be your first time, you might want to wait until embarkation day to decide. Take the tour (the spa has an open house on the first day) and see the facilities, hear the pricing, and decide if it looks like something you will use and enjoy.  I love the hydropool and the thermal couches - but my cruising style is sort of couch-potatoe-y (at least when on board) so it's perfect for me. That said, I don't do it on every cruise.  Depends who I'm with, how many sea days, etc.  If you ask specific questions I'm sure I and many others can answer.

[Archipelago]

It is Oosterdam and the website says limited availability . 

[Ferry_Watcher]

I booked a 13 day pass on a Transpacific crossing Oct '23 on the Westerdam.  It was surprisingly not busy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I probably used it maybe 7-8 days of that cruise.  The Westerdam does have the Therapy pool, as well as the ceramic loungers.

[Archipelago]

Thanks ..this is an Antarctic cruise and I think I may also enjoy it .

[cccole]

We booked it for our 22 day SA/Antarctica cruise.  It was wonderful.  We eat late so would go early evening and then change for dinner.  On sea days it was more crowded.  We always went late to avoid a problem.

 

We are booked on an Islands of the South Pacific cruise for 28 days. I don't think we will book it for the entire cruise because we will be in ports where we will be enjoying beautiful warm weather and beaches in many of the ports. 

 

The SA cruise was on the Oosterdam and the thermal suite was in need of maintenance.  At least 5 of the days part of it was not in operation.  The website said "limited availability" when we booked but I think they were selling the thermal suite the entire cruise.

 

Our South Pacific cruise is on the Noordam, which looks to be a nicer area.

 

I think you can purchase and cancel at anytime prior to the cruise.

 

Have a great cruise,  Cherie 

[Moriah]

13 minutes ago, Archipelago said:

It is Oosterdam and the website says limited availability . 

 

Yes, they only sell a certain number of passes so it is never crowded.  If you mean you are worried they will have no more room once you board, I highly doubt it - I don't think I've ever heard of that happening but maybe others will chime in.  Anarctic cruise!!!  I agree you will love having the thermal spa!

[cccole]

It does not get too crowded in the pool but  the "loungers" can become a problem.   Just our experience.    Cherie

[McDeb2119]

I book the pass on the cooler weather cruises. I booked on the Norway and my upcoming Iceland cruises.  We leave port fairly early most days so it is nice to come back after being outside in cooler temps and relax before dinner. Most times I’ll shower and dry my hair in the spa. This also gives me some alone time where both of us aren’t trying to get ready at the same time. 

Edited April 26 by McDeb2119

[cccole]

Not sure if McDeb2119 has booked this pass on the Oosterdam.  I did not feel like it was a great place to shower (glass doors were a frosted see-thru), and get ready for dinner but we used and enjoyed the thermal suite early evening about 50% of our cruise.  Cherie

[grannyshell]

We booked it for an 11 day cruise to the Canadian maritimes on Nieuw Statendam and also on the Rotterdam for a TA, both with cooler weather. I probably wouldn't do it for a warm weather cruise. It was never crowded. We'd go every day. The showers weren't private and there was no private place to change either. I wouldn't hesitate to book it again and will on our upcoming cruise to Norway. 

[Archipelago]

The showers not private but there are separate areas to change and shower for men and women aren't there ? 

[oakridger]

4 hours ago, Archipelago said:

The showers not private but there are separate areas to change and shower for men and women aren't there ? 

 

Yes.

[Haljo1935]

I book the ThermalSpa even on warmer itineraries as I use it to help workout trouble joints so I don't fall too behind on rehab. Sea days I usually go twice daily and depending on port times & our excursion schedule, I go at least once and sometimes twice/day.

Ther heated ceramic loungers are really bliss.

If you buy a day pass then decide to get the full cruise, they'll deduct the cost of the day pass.

[a.madruga]

one of our reason to book HAL is the thermal SPA 

relaxing limit space and adults only to us it's worth it

enjoy it if you get a chance to be there

[Petronillus]

I echo the view that for me the thermal spa is for cooler-weather cruises. I enjoyed the warm-water-heated ceramic loungers frequently (and immensely) on an Alaska cruise but hardly at all on the Mexico cruise that followed. 

If, for instance, I suffered from arthritis, I'd appreciate it for its therapeutic utility but as it is it's a guilt-free form of self-pampering.

[ricka47]

We have an upcoming cruise with many sea days, and I may get the pass. However, my wife and I will probably never go simultaneously. Do we need two passes?

 

I'm guessing that we do. But I seem to remember that we just had one in the hazy pre-Covid days, and it worked OK.

 

 

Edited Thursday at 12:52 PM by ricka47

[RuthC]

7 hours ago, ricka47 said:

We have an upcoming cruise with many sea days, and I may get the pass. However, my wife and I will probably never go simultaneously. Do we need two passes?

If your wife wants to go, she needs her own pass. No sharing of cabin keys to get a spa pass. 

[Haljo1935]

7 hours ago, ricka47 said:

We have an upcoming cruise with many sea days, and I may get the pass. However, my wife and I will probably never go simultaneously. Do we need two passes?

 

I'm guessing that we do. But I seem to remember that we just had one in the hazy pre-Covid days, and it worked OK.

 

 

You would each need your own pass.

[LarsenPNP]

My husband and I have booked the thermal spa package twice.  

 

Once was on a 28 day cruise on the Koningsdam, and we used it many days of the trip.  This trip had many sea days, and we found it was worth it.  

 

The second time I was a 14 day cruise on Oosterdam which was very port-intensive.  The *thought* was, we would be tired and achy when returning from excursions and we would use it a lot. We used it exactly once -- not such a good value. 

[cccole]

On 5/2/2024 at 1:10 PM, RuthC said:

If your wife wants to go, she needs her own pass. No sharing of cabin keys to get a spa pass. 

RuthC, If you do not get a pass for the entire cruise can just one in the cabin purchase a day pass?  I understand if you do not know the answer.  Thank you, Cherie

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, cccole said:

RuthC, If you do not get a pass for the entire cruise can just one in the cabin purchase a day pass? 

As far as I know, yes. This isn't like any of the beverage packages where one person in the cabin commits everyone in the cabin to the same purchase. 
IIRC, I have had the pass when I have shared a cabin, but my roomie didn't. But then we weren't on the same booking number either.