MSC Cruises Introduces New Wellness Experience | Cruise News – March 3, 2016

MSC Cruises Introduces New Wellness Experience

Cruise News – March 3, 2016

In response to a strong, growing demand for wellness travel, MSC Cruises is introducing an exclusive Wellness Experience, developed in partnership with Technogym. In an industry-first, MSC Cruises’ new wellness offering — which utilizes Technogym’s end-to-end wellness expertise and is exclusively available aboard MSC Cruises’ ships — is a one-of-a-kind, completely personalized experience that allows guests to meet their own personal health and wellness goals while on an MSC cruise.

Using a pre-cruise questionnaire, followed by an onboard one-on-one consultation with a Master Trainer who is trained by Technogym, each guest’s cruise is customized with shore excursions, gym classes, and healthy food options that are specific to the individuals goals and needs.

“The global wellness travel segment is projected to grow by nearly 10 percent annually over the next five years, as consumers are increasingly seeking out ways to combine being active and healthy with their vacation,” said Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer of MSC Cruises. “Through the launch of the MSC Cruises’ Wellness Experience powered by Technogym, we are further expanding our offering and making available to our guests the first completely personalized, 360° wellness experience at sea.”

The new Wellness Experience will be one of five inclusive experience categories that MSC Cruises’ guests can choose when booking their cruise. (The other experience categories include Bella, Fantastica, Aurea, and MSC Yacht Club and range from a la carte to all-inclusive amenities.)

To design the new experience, the MSC Cruises team worked for more than a year with the wellness, fitness, nutrition, and technology experts at Technogym in order to create a personalized experience for the guest. This includes:

• Pre-Sailing Aspiration Finder™Questionnaire

As soon as a guest books the wellness experience for their cruise, they are invited to complete the Aspiration Finder™ — the first-ever scientific online questionnaire developed by Technogym’s Research Department —which helps MSC understand its guests’ wellness motivations, such as the desire to look and feel better, improve sporting performance, or overall health and happiness. The result of the questionnaire is a personalized Aspiration Map, which forms the basis for the individualized program.

• Onboard Consultations and Health Assessments

Once on board, guests will receive a one-on-one appointment with a MSC Master Trainer who is trained by Technogym, who will conduct an assessment consisting of a body scale analyzer test combined with an in-depth consultation. This will result in establishing the wellness objectives each guest wants to work toward and developing a program customized to each guest for the duration of the cruise. In addition, guests will receive a medical check-up with the MSC doctor on board, which will include a blood pressure test, electrocardiogram, and lipid panel.

• Access to mywellness App

Participants in the Wellness Experience will receive complimentary Internet access to MSC’s exclusive version of Technogym’s mywellness app, which tracks the movement of the users and assigns them a daily movement target, includes information on MSC Cruises’ personalized training programs, and allows guests to see fitness class schedules and track their appointments while on board. Using GPS and smartphone accelerometer functions, the app integrates indoor training performed using gym equipment with daily life activities and outdoor training.

• Fitness Classes*

Guests participating in MSC Cruises’ Wellness Experience will also benefit from new group fitness classes that are being developed with the fitness experts at Technogym, designed around Technogym’s ARKE equipment for core and bodyweight training as well as a Technogym spinning class. In addition, a range of new on-trend fitness classes such as Bella Barre and Hula Fit will be introduced along with popular favorites including Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga. Schedules for the group classes will be coded to help guests select the right classes for their Aspiration Profile.

• Shore Excursions*

Shore activities exclusively for the Wellness Experience participants have been specially designed to complement the onboard fitness program so that guests can discover the sights at the ship’s ports of call while keeping active. The activities also provide the opportunity to socialize and meet like-minded people with similar wellness goals. Highlights include jogging around Ancient Olympia; a bike tour of Copenhagen; hiking up Mount Fløyenin Norway; a triathlon in Cozumel comprising of kayaking, running, and snorkeling; or beach training in Rio de Janeiro.

• Food and Beverage

The Wellness Experience also places a strong emphasis on nutrition. A wide range of balanced wellness menu options have been developed in partnership with the Technogym’s team of nutrition experts.  The buffet will feature a dedicated wellness corner with a choice of dishes designed to match the needs of the different Aspiration Profiles. The main restaurant will also feature healthy options that will be clearly distinguished on the menu to make it simple to select the right choice, and there will be a wellness room service breakfast menu. The MSC Aurea Spa bar will also serve a new range of protein and energy drinks as well as an array of other wellness beverages.

• Stateroom Amenities

Guests booking the Wellness Experience will get a choice of staterooms on the upper decks and in the most desirable areas of the ship. Guests will be provided with a wellness mat and Technogym Wellness Bag™ as well as sports clothing and towel. The stateroom will also feature a wellness-themed mini-bar stocked with sports drinks and a Fitness TV channel with videos created by the experts at Technogym. In addition, the laundry for the guest’s workout gear provided by MSC Cruises is included.

The Wellness Experience will be available aboard MSC Cruises’ ships starting in April 2017. Currently, booking for the Wellness Experience is open on MSC Seaside with prices starting at $929 per person (price includes the cost of the cruise + experience). Prices for the rest of the fleet will be available when booking opens for MSC Cruises’ summer 2017 sailings in the coming weeks.

 

*number of shore excursions and gym classes included in the wellness experience vary based on the length of the cruise.

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^{Photo: MSC Cruises}

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