Wellness Takes to the Sea
by Anne Dimon /When it comes to wellness vacations, cruising hasn’t always been considered a good bet—but times have changed.
“Since cruise lines are introducing more wellness-friendly features and products, more of my clients are now looking at cruise options for wellness getaways,” said cruise expert Deb Fogarty of Fort Lauderdale-based Be Well Travel.
Last year Fogarty organized a group onboard the Celebrity Constellation with a company called Clean Cuisine and More.
“They [the group] loved the fact that Celebrity has SPE Certified-food on board and gluten-free options, and that Canyon Ranch is now the spa brand on all Celebrities’ ships.” Fogarty said. (SPE Certified is a third-party certification which recognizes a foodservice establishment’s commitment to nutrition, sustainability and customers’ well-being.)
“This creates the perfect setting for wellness at Sea.”
Yoga onboard
Jeri Donovan, a Los Angeles-based, independent Virtuoso agent, finds that people are very interested in cruises that offer yoga on board, active adventure options, wildlife and nature viewing opportunities, healthy cuisine, and seminars on health-related topics.
“Personally, I don't consider a ship that has [just] a spa or fitness room to really be considered a wellness cruise; it has to be a richer and deeper experience,” she said.
Donovan recently sailed on Un-Cruise Adventures to the Sea of Cortes where she practiced yoga on the deck in the early morning and dined on delicious meals that always included a vegetarian selection.
She also hiked in the desert, kayaked along a stunning shoreline, snorkeled with sea lions and whale sharks, and went paddle boarding.
“Now this, is a wellness cruise,” she said. She even lost a few pounds from steady physical activity and healthy meal choices, she added.
Wellness partnerships
The at-sea wellness scenario is moving forward with the growth of new partnerships between cruise lines and wellness-focused companies.
Fogarty, for instance, is in the process of creating a 2016 yoga cruise aboard Royal Caribbean.
And on the Crystal Cruises September 2015 Istanbul to Rome itinerary, Canada-based Shaping Purpose is offering a program designed to help participants chart a course toward a greater sense of well-being by helping them identify goals and the actions needed to achieve them.
Donovan said she’s seeing more river cruise companies partnering with local hiking/biking companies to offer a stronger fitness and cultural component.
In 2014, Celebrity Cruises partnered with Canyon Ranch to unveil the largest and most comprehensive Canyon Ranch SpaClub at Sea.
Building on that alliance, the cruise line has now partnered with digital trailblazer Randi Zuckerberg who helped create a unique program dubbed Take Care of YourSelfie. The program encourages guests to find a tech-life balance while on vacation.
Voluntourism
Given that “giving back” is a component of wellness living, many consider voluntourism as coming under the umbrella of wellness travel.
Under that banner, Crystal Cruises has expanded its You Care, We Care shore excursion program which allows participants to engage in the humanitarian and conservation activities of organizations throughout the world.
The cruise line is also currently working on a 14-day Mind Body Spirit cruise for 2016.