Should You Book a Massage on a Cruise?

Ask this in a cruise Facebook group, and you will get a LOT of strong opinions.

My opinion is that, if you will get enjoyment out of your cruise massage, then you absolutely should get one.

I’m a sucker for a spa day. But I rarely have the time, energy, or money to enjoy one on land. There’s always something else that needs to get done or a more pressing project that needs that extra cash in my wallet.

But once I get on a cruise ship, all bets are off, and I somehow find myself at the spa desk, inquiring about massages, facials, and add-ons.

Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about navigating the spa on board. So here’s my breakdown of what to know before you book a spa experience on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

How to Save Money on A Cruise Massage

First things first – you should not wait until you are on board to book a massage, if you can help it. The best prices are on board before you set sail. I’ve compared what I paid for my massages pre-cruise to the many different types of discounts they offer once you are onboard, and the pre-cruise prices are consistently still lower. If your cruise is sometime after Black Friday, check out the deals in November – these are as low as they are ever going to go.

Ok, so you got on board and still haven’t booked a massage. What to do?

First, never pay full price for a cruise massage without exhausting ALL your other options.

Please note that these are observations from the Royal Caribbean Vitality Spa. Other cruise lines may work differently.

On embarkation day, they will have a raffle in the spa. Go to the spa once you board to fill out a ticket, then make sure you show up for the raffle itself, which is usually right after the sail away party (check your app for specific timing).

You might win a prize (typically a set dollar amount off a treatment that never quite covers the full cost). But if you don’t win, don’t walk away! They’ll always have a manager’s special if you book that day. The catch here is that by now, the only appointments left at the special pricing are the ones nobody has booked yet. So, you may end up with an 8 AM massage when you would have preferred one in the evening. But hey, at least you’re saving some money.

Ok, you got carried away sitting by the pool and enjoying your drink package, so you missed the raffle. Should you just book a massage at full price?

NO! No no no

The next thing to do is call the spa or just go there and ask what specials they still have, especially on port days. Typically, these are the slowest days at the spa, so you can get a decent deal if you book while the ship is docked.

The last way to get a cheap (actually free) massage is to check your cruise app for times when they offer short teasers. These are very short chair massages that are typically done right in the lobby of the spa. It’s definitely not the same as a full massage experience, but if you just have a knot that you need to get out of your shoulders, it could do the trick.

If you didn’t pre-book your massage, missed the raffle and manager’s special offer, aren’t happy with a short free massage, and can’t get a massage during a port day, then, and only then, should you just pay full price for your cruise massage.

Watch Out for The Upsell At The End

The massages I have gotten onboard have been absolutely fantastic – I’m so relaxed I feel like I’m actually a little drunk (this is one reason I love doing a late-evening massage – best way to wind down before bedtime on the first night!).

But some of the spa staff can get sneaky and take advantage of your super relaxed state by trying to upsell the heck out of you once your massage is over.

Personally, I have never had a super aggressive sales pitch. I know they are going to come back and recommend products, but I simply say, “Thanks so much for these ideas. I’m going to think on it and will come back if I decide to buy anything.”

I have heard stories, though, of people who were handed a bag and took it as if it were a gift, only to discover they had actually been charged for the products inside.

So the big thing to know is never, ever, ever walk out of the spa carrying anything you didn’t bring in.

A Thermal Suite Can Be A Good Option Too

If you want to relax but don’t want a full spa treatment, consider getting a thermal suite pass (available on select ships). These suites have heated stone beds, a steam room, a sauna, and a rain shower. I personally love these and get the passes anytime they are offered. I find them especially peaceful on larger ships. They only sell a certain number of passes, making the thermal suite a rare quiet and private place on an otherwise busy ship.

When you buy your thermal suite pass online, it’ll be added to your SeaPass card. Go to the spa on the first day, and they’ll add a sticker to your card. Some spas will have you leave your card with the desk every time you go in, and others will just wave you through. I always ask for a walk-through of the thermal suite on the first day, even though I feel pretty comfortable there. Getting a guided tour makes sure I don’t miss anything. Plus, they’ll offer tips for maximizing your time, including whether you should steam or sauna first, and the optimal duration for each.

Thermal suite passes are also always cheapest to buy before you get on board, especially during the Black Friday sale. I got a 15-day pass on Odyssey of the Seas for just $99 – way less than a massage, and I was able to enjoy it for two whole weeks! At that price, I would sometimes just go up to the steam room for 15 minutes before bed.

Pro tip: I always book a room in the front of the ship for a super quick elevator ride up to the spa. You can definitely wear your robe here; it’s actually a little weird if you don’t (but nobody really cares).

The best thermal suite I have seen so far was on Serenade of the Seas. If you are sailing her, especially to Alaska, I think it’s very much worth the price of the thermal suite to have a perfect view when you leave port.

Tipping At The Spa

One final thing to know about spa services is that gratuity is already calculated when you buy your massage or other service. They will happily take an extra tip, but you have already paid it, so when you are relaxed and groggy after your 90-minute stone massage (which I HIGHLY recommend, especially for cold-weather sailing), DON’T feel like you have to give them any more money. You can always go back and give them an extra tip if you decide to before the end of your cruise.

Your thermal suite does not require any extra gratuity.

Are you a spa person? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @the.seasuite!