Stay in Shape on Scarlet Lady

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Myth - all there is to do on a ship is eat and I'll gain weight.

There is some truth to the statement above - yes, there's plenty to eat onboard a ship. Scarlet Lady has several included restaurants that you would normally pay an extra fee for on other cruise lines. They do however have several healthy, vegetarian, and vegan choices which can be helpful in keeping the weight off during your cruise. 

In addition, Scarlet Lady has several fitness options, including the Aquatic Club (Poolside Oasis), B-Complex (with state of the art equipment), Training Camp (group fitness area), Well-Being Pool, the Athletic Club (adult playground), The Perch (outdoor wellness space), The Runway (jogging track), and Gym & Tonic (healthy juices and full bar).  There are also yoga and other organized events on the ship and on land for you to participate in.

After your workout, you can have a relaxing massage in the spa.   This ship is really geared to those that want to stay / get in shape during their cruise.  The pictures above are just some of the choices.

Click the image (left) to read more about this cruise.

Bookmark this page and come back to read all about this award-winning new ship.

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Health and Fitness at Sea

World Health Day 2018

On 7 April, World Health Day, the World Health Organization marks its 70th anniversary. This year, World Health Day is dedicated to one of WHO’s founding principles: “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

Spa & Fitness Center

Why do we bring up health and fitness in a cruise blog?

Going on a cruise vacation doesn't imply that you'll have to break your health and fitness regiment..    While it is true that you can eat 24 hours a day if you like, that doesn't mean you have to do so or eat foods that go against your healthy lifestyle.   Quite the contrary is actually the case.  Cruise lines offer a wide variety of food for all lifestyles.   Many ships have recently expanded dining options to include spa menus served in either a spa restaurant setting or in the main dining room.

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Perhaps one of the best Spa and Fitness Centers at sea is the Vitality at Sea  Spa and Fitness Center on the largest ship afloat, the Allure of the Seas.

Vitality at Sea Spa

The spa features 29 treatment rooms with a full menu of indulgent treatments: signature treatments, facial treatments, massage therapies, body therapies, acupuncture services, Medi-Spa cosmetic treatments, tooth whitening and men's services.

Vitality at Sea Fitness Center 

Become a master of movement and stretch your body beyond its normal boundaries.  Enjoy state-of-the-art cardio and strength fitness equipment and new programs, including Gravity, heart-rate-based spinning and Kinesis.

Following a good workout in the fitness center, continue with a well balanced three course meal from the Vitality menu.   If you have special dietary needs, Allure of the Seas, as well as other cruise ships, are able to provide meals that satisfy those requirements.   Advance notice is suggested to assure that the cruise ship has necessary ingredients in stock.

So I hate to break the news to you that going on a cruise isn't an excuse for breaking those New Years' resolutions.   In some cases, it might even make it easier to keep your resolutions, since you have the healthy foods available as well as more fitness equipment and options than many stateside fitness centers.   

Vitality Spa and Fitness (click for more images on our FB fan page - make sure to Like us)

Video: Royal Rejuvenation: Vitality and Wellness at Sea
 Rev-up, relax, or refuel at the Vitality Spa & Fitness center onboard Royal Caribbean's ships. Guests can enjoy state-of-the-art cardio equipment, enjoyable fitness classes or choose from an array of services from the spa as well fuel up with healthy fare.

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New Look for Azamara Club Cruises Ships

Azamara Journey

& Azamara Quest

Refurbishment

Azamara Club Cruises announced that both of its ships will be undergoing some major changes late this year an early next year.   The most noticeable change will be the switch from a white hull to dark blue hulls.

Dry Dock Schedule:

Azamara Quest (8 Nights) November 7, 2012
Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain

Azamara Journey (7 Nights) January 6, 2013
Singapore's Sembawang Shipyard


According to Edie Bornstein, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Azamara, the new dark blue hulls will "better reflect the elegance onboard."

Here are the details of the refurbishments, which will be made to each ship:

• Caviar and champagne bar will be added within the specialty restaurant Aqualina
• New Chef's Table concept featuring three wine menus (Italian, French and Californian)
• The Casino Bar will be expanded and enhanced with new furniture 
• New steam room and showers; new Life Fitness cardio equipement in the Spa & Fitness center
• New carpets, upholstery and color palette in public spaces
• New mattresses and upgraded balcony furniture will be added to cabins
• Resurfaced pool with new sun loungers and pool towels 

About Azamara Club Cruises

Even before the refurbishment, intimate elegance is what you'll find aboard the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest.. With slightly more than 690 guests you'll discover unparalleled service with one staff member to every two guests. Enjoy an evening cordial while listening to the dazzling finger work of the pianist at the Drawing Room, meet new found friends for a signature cocktail at the Discoveries Lounge, immerse yourself in the thalassotherapy pool and let the invigorating waters rejuvenate your being or enjoy breathtaking views of far away lands while feeding your hunger at the Windows Cafe. With impeccable service, scrumptious cuisine and longer stays at out of the way destinations - discover what it means to sail with Azamara Club Cruises.

Azamara Journey

Azamara Quest

Ship Statistics30,277 GT, 694 passenger capacity, 593 feet length, 95 feet beam Builder: Chantiers de I'Atlantique   Completed in 2000, Refurbished 2007

Vitality at Sea Spa

Spa & Fitness Center

New Years is a time when resolutions are made.   Common resolutions include taking better care of ourselves, eating well, and getting more exercise.    Making resolutions is perhaps easy to do but we often find that keeping them, as time passes, is often much harder. For those that are still keeping their resolutions, congratulations.

Why do I bring up fitness resolutions in a cruise blog?

Going on a cruise vacation doesn't imply that you'll have to break your resolutions.   While it is true that you can eat 24 hours a day if you like, that doesn't mean you have to do so or eat foods that go against your new healthy lifestyle.   Quite the contrary is actually the case.  Cruise lines offer a wide variety of food for all lifestyles.   Many ships have recently expanded dining options to include spa menus served in either a spa restaurant setting or in the main dining room.

Perhaps one of the best Spa and Fitness Centers at sea is the Vitality at Sea  Spa and Fitness Center on the largest ship afloat, the Allure of the Seas.

Vitality at Sea Spa

The spa features 29 treatment rooms with a full menu of indulgent treatments: signature treatments, facial treatments, massage therapies, body therapies, acupuncture services, Medi-Spa cosmetic treatments, tooth whitening and men's services.

Vitality at Sea Fitness Center 

Become a master of movement and stretch your body beyond its normal boundaries.  Enjoy state-of-the-art cardio and strength fitness equipment and new programs, including Gravity, heart-rate-based spinning and Kinesis.

Following a good workout in the fitness center, continue with a well balanced three course meal from the Vitality menu.   If you have special dietary needs, Allure of the Seas, as well as other cruise ships, are able to provide meals that satisfy those requirements.   Advance notice is suggested to assure that the cruise ship has necessary ingredients in stock.

So I hate to break the news to you that going on a cruise isn't an excuse for breaking those New Years' resolutions.   In some cases, it might even make it easier to keep your resolutions, since you have the healthy foods available as well as more fitness equipment and options than many stateside fitness centers.   

Vitality Spa and Fitness (click for more images on our FB fan page - make sure to Like us)

Video: Royal Rejuvenation: Vitality and Wellness at Sea
 Rev-up, relax, or refuel at the Vitality Spa & Fitness center onboard Royal Caribbean's ships. Guests can enjoy state-of-the-art cardio equipment, enjoyable fitness classes or choose from an array of services from the spa as well fuel up with healthy fare.

Celebrity Solstice - Aqua Spa

People cruise for many reasons. One or more of the following might be among your list of reasons for a cruise vacation. Heading up the list are: getting away from your daily routine, seeing new lands, meeting new people, celebrating a special occasion, and relaxing and pampering yourself. This column focuses on the last reason in this short list of reasons.

Celebrity Solstice has taken pampering and relaxation to a new level. For those of you that have entered a spa and never wanted to leave, consider booking in the new AquaSpa Class stateroom. These cabins are on the same deck as the spa's relaxation room.

Select spa elements such as mood lighting, music and ambient sound, and a special 5-head Hangsgrohe showerhead, are incoporated into the stateroom. In addition you'll have specialized access to spa amenities, such as the Persian Garden, the Spa Conceirge, and you'll have assigned seating in the Blu resataurant. AquaClass stateroom and Suite guests enjoy complimentary use of the Persian Garden.

I've included the AquaSpa menu here so that you can see the wide range of unique spa treatments on Solstice Class ships.

My favorite treatment is the Aroma Stone Therapy Massage. If you've never tried this, make sure you attend the AquaSpa open house when you embark the ship.

My husband tried one of the signature massages, the Thai Herbal Poultice Massage. He said it was very relaxing. With this treatment, you still have a full body massage but the therapist also uses pressure and pounding with the herbed filled poultice in addition to her hands. This is the first ship that we've seen this particular treatment. Click on the menu above to see the full range of spa services.

Men and women have a wide selection of beauty, wellness and fitness options to choose from. If you want to look your best for dinner some night, you can make an appointment in the salon.
Whether you are interested in organized fitness classes, individualized personal training, or simply following your usual routine while onboard the ship, you'll be able to do so in the beautiful surroundings while looking out at the ocean.

I'll talk about the Solarium in another post. That rounds out the AquaSpa offerings for those of you that want to relax, pamper yourself, or maintain your fitness routine.

Galapagos - Onboard Celebrity Xpedition

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Before we depart the Celebrity Xpedition, I'd like to tell you more about the ship and life onboard during the past seven days. She is small compared to the mega ships that are being built today, like Celebrity Solstice for example. Xpedition weighs in at 2,842 Tons and has a capacity of 92 Passengers. It is 296 feet long (about the size of a football field).

Despite the small size, there still are multiple locations to gather with the crew and your fellow passengers. Because of her size, and the size of the passengers and crew, you can't help but become a n extended family by the end of the cruise.


The first location that you'll become familiar with once you board the Xpedition is Discovery Lounge. It is the hub of the ship serving as meeting room, cocktail party room, and entertainment center. For those wishing to stay in contact with the outside world, it also serves as the internet cafe.

Before dinner each night there was a cocktail party in Discovery Lounge along with a briefing about the next day's activities. Unlike other ships, you don't have to pull out your cabin key to pay for your drinks - they are included in the cruise price. You can try the special of the day or enjoy your favorite drink. Mine drink of choice while cruising is a chocolate martini. I am happy to report that the bartenders made excellent martinis (as well as many other drinks).


For the past ten years, one of the first things we do is check out the spa once we get onboard. Xpedition does have a spa and fitness center. There is a hot tub, sauna, and massage room along with treadmills, stationary bicycles and other fitness equipment on the Sunrise deck. My husband and I both booked Swedish massage appointments for one of the afternoons.

Later in the week we spent some time on the Sunrise deck in the hot tub and laying on one of the lounges. We didn't use the exercise equipment since we figured we were getting enough of a workout on our activities. Whether you want to relax or workout, the facilities on the Xpedition should be satisfactory.

Safety is an important concern on any cruise ship and the Xpedition does have lifeboats in addition to the Zodiacs which provided transportation for all our activities.

You may be wondering about the restaurant facilities. We'll talk about food in my next post. For now suffice it to say that this cruise had all the amenities of larger ships including parties, musical entertainment, and several enrichment opportunities.

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Additional Photos can be found on our Exotics Shutterfly page

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