The 5 Best Cruises for Post-Holiday
Our picks for sailings that are bound to jump-start your new wellness resolutions. All Caribbean destinations.
If you know the holiday season will take its toll…If you are craving for a post-holiday detox after all the festivities, consider booking a cruise early as a way to reset. Though the old cliché was that you gain weight on the luxury liners, it just does not hold today. Cruises now focus in particular on wellness, with ships offering plant-focused dining, holistic health programming and classes, and state-of-the-art spas and gyms. TravelKatz recommends these voyages for personal renewal and to kick off a healthful New Year.
Brilliant Beaches, Oceania Cruises
On a 12-day cruise on Oceania’s Riviera, you will meander the Caribbean, leaving from Miami. With a whopping four sea days (rare in this region), there’s plenty of time to make use of the new Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center. The center stresses wellness both onboard and ashore. Don’t miss a Himalayan salt stone massage, with stones pre-bathed in the aromatics of your choice. With a medi-spa on board, you can book fine line injections and other pick-me-ups. Join complimentary circuit-based training, yoga, Pilates, and cycling classes, too. For those looking for more pointed relief, there is an on-board acupuncturist. And for healthy dining, there’s a cold-pressed raw juice and smoothie bar, as well as spa meals available—think avocado toast or wakame sesame salad. On a cruise line devoted to fine dining, it’s no surprise that plant-based dishes, like sweet potato-oat tarte with forest mushrooms and plant-based truffle cheddar sauce, are just delicious!
Yucatan Adventures, Regent Seven Seas Cruises – NCL owned
Sometimes a scenery change delivers the best boost. On this Seven Seas Explorer sailing, you can pet spider and capuchin monkeys in a Roatan sanctuary, trek through a Guatemalan rainforest, river raft in a jungle in Belize, or zipline in Cozumel. Coral reef-ringed waters provide stellar underwater viewing for snorkelers and scuba divers. Onboard, lose yourself gazing at the ship’s $7 million art collection, which includes museum-quality works without the museum crowds. Snuggle into a plush bathrobe and rejuvenate with quiet time in your cabin; all accommodations are suites with big private balconies (even the smallest veranda has plenty of room to stretch and soak up the seascape). The new Serene Spa & Wellness features restorative treatments and fitness machines and classes “designed to enhance your whole being.” This novel spa and wellness program encompasses restaurants, showcasing vegetable-focused plates prepared with finesse. Yet perhaps the ultimate reboot comes the old school way, strolling the jogging track at dusk at sunset.
Caribbean Gems In-Depth, Seabourn – Carnival owned
Explore this luxe line’s commitment to health on this 14-day sailing on Seabourn Odyssey. When Seabourn launched Spa & Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil, a comprehensive mindful-living program embracing spiritual, social, and physical well-being they knew what they were doing, for sure!. A mindful living coach, trained in Dr. Weil’s principles and certified in yoga and meditation, leads guided classes and seminars. Learn about ancient Chinese herbal medicine with a complimentary consultation. Book a superfood facial to rejuvenate fatigued skin, meet with the fitness trainer to talk about more productive workouts and nutrition. Seabourn also notes vegetarian, low-fat, and gluten-free dishes on menus for ease of ordering.
Marigot to Bridgetown, SeaDream Yacht Club
Sink into a big soft Balinese bed on deck, where the Caribbean sunshine, gentle breezes, and a turquoise sea work their magic on you. On the 112-passenger SeaDream 1, which reads more yacht than cruise ship, 95 crew members pamper guests, delivering vegan artichoke pizza to your stateroom – raw, organic, and vegan dishes are SeaDream signatures, hosting sunrise yoga and tai chi, leading island hikes, or doling out beverages and caviar from a surfboard in the shallow waters of a secluded powdery sand beach. SeaDream also offers the only Thai-certified spa at sea. You will eschew crowds at small unspoiled ports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where primarily private boats anchor.
Pick your Favorite Perk in the Caribbean – Star Clippers
Well-being comes easy watching the sails flutter in a near-meditative trance or surrendering to a treatment that uses warm pure coconut compresses to help you moisturize before your massage. Star Clipper’s water sports platform opens with complimentary stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and water skiing available. Royal Clipper sails from Barbados, heading north to the Windward Islands or west to the Grenadine Islands. You may think you know the Caribbean but visiting this tropical part of the globe onboard one of our tall ships allows for a completely fresh perspective. Standing on deck, watching the sails rise while the sunset turns the sky from blue to gold is an experience you won’t find on other cruise ships, and one you’ll never forget. If you haven’t yet experienced the thrill of sailing alongside a Star Clippers ship while onboard another, there are plenty of opportunities available. Several times each season, Royal Clipper and Star Flyer meet-up and engage in an exhilarating sailing race through the Caribbean waters. You can feel the excitement as you stand on deck cheering on your ship! What fun!
On St. Lucia, sailing may remind you of what you already know—the sea is the ultimate cure-all. And don’t forget about the three Sandals Resorts (27 restaurants) while on St. Lucia for the ultimate resort/spa treatment at the Red Lane Spa. We can get you there for the half-day or the entire day…call us to make the reservation at 352-277-7300.
