Vitamin Sea: Wellness Cruises

Get on board for a healthier lifestyle with today’s wellness options at sea

By Heather Mikesell

With today’s overly connected society, it has never been more difficult to get away. Email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other electronic distractions all conspire to keep us constantly connected, which is doing little to improve our state of mind. In fact, a recent brief from the Global Wellness Institute noted that this “constant digital connection is killing well-being.”

It’s no surprise then that the cruise industry, which is focused on providing passengers with a relaxing and experiential escape, is taking notice and responding with a host of wellness-oriented programming.

Active Excursions

For years, passengers would head to the spa or fitness center for their fill of wellness-related activities. Now those healthy offerings are being incorporated into land excursions as well. Regent Seven Seas Cruises, for example, recently introduced Seven Seas Wellness, a new program that pairs a curated selection of Canyon Ranch SpaClub services with wellness-themed excursions, such as an intimate Tai Chi class in the garden courtyard of the Pharo Palace in Marseilles, France, or a visit to the hydrothermal pools of the Stufe di Nerone Baths in Sorrento, Italy. Debuting this past summer [2017] on Seven Seas Voyager Mediterranean cruises, the program proved so popular, it’s slated to return next year.

“For many of our guests, the pursuit of well-being is an essential part of a life well lived,” says Jason Montague, president and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “From eating right and exercising to practicing ways to reduce stress and experience moments that uplift the spirit, wellness is quickly becoming the ultimate luxury.”

Another program, Wellness Tours Inspired by Canyon Ranch aboard Oceania Cruises, also features wellness-oriented excursions, such as a laughter session to reduce stress in a restored farmhouse hotel in Spain and a tranquil meditation and yoga session followed by a wholesome plant-based lunch at a stunning wine estate in Corfu, Greece.

Fun Fitness

No longer a sedentary experience, cruises are also raising the bar on physical fitness. So if you’ve always wanted to….

^{Photo: UnCruise Adventures}

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