RydingWaves

On 9/21/2023 at 4:08 PM, BettyPC said:

Don't know where I have been - but obviously asleep at the wheel!   This will be great.  Anyone staying in NYC for a few days?    I am thinking I need to do that.  Would love to see Rockefeller Center - haven't seen it for decades.   

 

Betty

We always stay at the RIU Times Square when in NYC.  It is located 3 blocks from Times Square and on Restaurant Row. I highly recommend it foe a safe and convenient place to stay. 

If you look back at Twodjs post #766 from February 17, 2019 you will see the pictures of what the Celebrity Millennium looks like.  The remodel of the Summit is supposed to me the same.  I am going  in October, and I hope it will still have the free sauna, no matter how small it is.  Sometimes when it is smaller you get crammed together for better conversations!

On the last day of our October 2019 cruise we were talking with some guys that we met at the Martini Bar on the Eclipse.  According to them there still is a sauna in the men's locker room.  However, we looked for it twice and never found it earlier in the cruise, so we assumed it was gone.  What a bummer, it was a 15 day cruise with lots of sea days. I hope you have fun, and ask if you can't find it.

I was on the Victory years ago, but it appears that the deck plans haven't changed yet.  You will enjoy the free Sauna and Steam Room.  I've had lots of rewarding conversations in both, overlooking the ocean, what could be better?  The showers are really nice too.  With 3 showers on either side of the isle, and doors that don't latch, during wavy seas you get to see the person across from you as the doors swing to and fro.  Many a good conversation has started by simply showering before your sauna or steam.  Enjoy your cruise.

12 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Surprisingly few guys in the Eurodam sauna last week to Alaska! I normally really enjoy my sauna time and stopped by for a couple of hours each afternoon, varied the time and even checked it out in the morning. An all time low of only 3 guys, each dropping in just once during the cruise. Two wore suits and stared straight ahead, the third sat on his towel, but didn't speak English, so no communication. Sigh... got used to sitting on my towel quietly. Not so great for stress relief. It was the complete opposite experience on the same ship last December in Mexico and on the Eclipse just a few weeks ago. I guess just the luck of the draw. Wishing all those reading this a more enjoyable experience on your upcoming cruises.

Sorry to hear about your language barrier.  You mentioned the Eclipse a few weeks ago, was that the Celebrity Eclipse?  I'm cruising 15 days on her to Hawaii in October. If so, is the sauna free or pay?  Thanks in advance.

On 5/1/2019 at 2:16 PM, OntarioBiMe said:

Sad and silly to hear about the bathing suit required signs posted on the Jade.  I will stick to wrapping a towel around when I walk and sit on it in sauna, maybe one covering my lap just to satisfy the prudes.

 

My last cruise on the Gem there were no signs but will see if they are on her as well my next Gem cruise in November. 

 

Last Gem cruise there were no signs but 90% of all guys wore trunks anyway.  Me and one other guy sat on towels, another couple guys would wrap towels tightly,  everyone dressed for the pool! 

I got several odd looks walking from shower area to the sauna nude while carrying a towel to sit on and one around my neck for perspiration.  I am used to gym locker where everyone is nude (or maybe has a towel) from the moment they head from locker to shower to sauna/steam and back again

The Gem sauna was nice but boring, great place to just think in silence as rarely anyone there and when there was another guest(s) using the facility there was no chatting/small talk etc over the entire 11 or 12 day cruise.  Guys would keep to themselves in awkward silence. Wasn't until the final night, in the free steam room in the gym locker did I bump into a nice gent and finally got to relax and enjoy a friendly chat.

 

Hoping for the best for next Gem cruise!

Ontario, I wish you good luck and nice conversations on your NCL Gem Cruise.  Please update us on the situation.  I myself will be trying Celebrity for my next two cruises.  Eclipse this October (15 days to Hawaii) and the Summit next October (through the Panama Canal.)  We are skipping the "for fee" sauna and steam area, but hopefully we will be able to run into some nice chatty people at the Martini Bar (fingers crossed.)

Hi, just of the NCL Jade, April 1st.  On the Jewel Class ships (Jewel, Jade, Gem and Pearl) they have a sauna in the men's room of the Gym.  The thermal suite which was $219 for 10 days was single sex with all the works.  But they have changed the rules to state that a swim suit is required at all times.  These notices are posted on all doors and walls and entrances to the sauna and steam room too.  Everyone followed this except for me and another passenger.  

Unfortunately there were no detailed conversations in the steam room or sauna because of this rule.  Plus I never saw more than 8 other people use the spa.  I mean to say that I saw the same 8 people over the 10 day cruise, usually one or two in the spa at a time.  I have decided that I will not pay for a thermal spa on any future cruises as the single sex thermal spas are being phased out.

One other note:  on the Jade, they are remodeling the spa to match the other ships in the class in November of 2020.  The Jewel is being remodeled in September of 2020.  They are removing the whirlpool in the single sex sides and replacing them with individual tub style hot tubs.

twodjs, Thanks for the great news.  I was on the Celebrity Summit October 2018 and loved the free sauna in the men's changing room that overlooked the ocean.  Even though they are taking away the view of the ocean on my cruise, October 2020, I will be back on her and be able to have my free sauna.

I just returned from Las Vegas and went to Caesar's Qua Spa.  It was $65 for a weekend day pass, I think $50 for a weekday day pass.  It is a Roman Bath, with multiple hot tubs of varying heat from cold to hot.  There was a sauna, steam room, Hot inhalation room and an Ice room.  There was also a relaxation room where they served coffee, tea, juice, fruit and pretzels.  This was all in a single sex area.  Most people wore the supplied robes or just a towel.  If you bought a spa service (massage, waxing e.g.) you were taken into a separate area between the male and female sections of the spa.  It was definitely worth the admission price as it was very relaxing after a long day of traveling on a cramped airplane.

21 hours ago, twodjs said:

Yes, saw your original post about the Summit. Checked the drydock schedule and Eclipse doesn't get "fixed" until April, 2020. We just booked the Hawaii to Vancouver for next April. Looks like our cruises are both safe. Enjoy your cruise!

I wish you a great cruise too!  Let's rock that boat (for one last time) bon voyage!

9 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news - but just watched a video of the new Celebrity Edge Spa. ALL areas in the Thermal Suite are co-ed (suits required) and the changing areas only consist of lockers, toilets and showers. NO gender-specific sauna, even in the locker room area! (big disappointment and a definite change from their earlier class ships). It appears that the locker area is only available to users of the fee-based Thermal Suite, as the Spa, Thermal Suite and locker rooms are on a different deck than the gym. Thermal suite is an included perk if you book an Aqua class cabin. Hope future drydocks upgrades don't mean death to all the gender-specific free saunas in Celebrity's fleet!

As I posted after my October 2018 cruise on the Celebrity Summit, they are doing away with the single sex sauna on her.  I fear that the writing is on the steam room door...co-ed and pay to use...It is sad.  I am going on the Celebrity Eclipse October 2019 for a 15 day LA to Hawaii and back.  I hope they hold off changing that steam room till later.  15 days and no conversations???  I'll report, once back.

On 3/19/2007 at 7:26 AM, sexyaznboy said:

Hey guys, going on Summit in a few weeks, can someone comment on the fitness facilities there? They are supposed to be well equipped. I'm rather confused regarding charges for the sauna and steam room, I've heard some say they charge and others say they don't charge. I think it is silly to charge patrons for anything other than spa services. Is it coed? As for that issue, I guess I am rather shy, not that I have a great body for people to gawk at :p but I prefer having men and women in their own saunas/steam rooms!

I just got off of the Summit on Saturday October 27th, 2018 and they are going to renovate the entire spa area when the ship goes into dry dock early in 2019.  They are removing the free saunas from the locker rooms and replacing them with balcony cabins.  To use a sauna you will have to purchase the Persian Gardens Spa for $119 for a 6-day cruise.  I for one will not be sailing on the Summit again.

That's because there's no such ship. It's the CELEBRITY SUMMIT. That ship is a Millennium Class ship with a complementary men's only dry sauna (which has a big round window overlooking the water) in the men's locker too in the spa area. The facilities are pretty similar across this particular ship class, so any reviews of the Celebrity Millennium, Summit, Constellation, and Infinity pretty much sums it up.

 

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Thanks Kwokpot, I was in such a hurry to try and get plans made again, and was looking at so many ships and deck plans that I got totally confused. This Thread is very helpful in so many ways.

Help, just received notification that they changed the ship for my October 2018 NYC Cruise. NCL switched from the Gem (great Spa facilities to the Breakaway.) I need to find another ship to depart NYC on. I was trying to find some info about the Carnival Summit but there is nothing in the thread. Has anyone ever sailed on the Summit and able to help me. Thanks in advance because time is of the essence.[/quote

 

That’s a shame, you have my sympathies. If it is the Celebrity Summit then you’ll get by but it’s by no means anywhere as good as you’d have found on the NCL Gem. I would have done the same, I have no intention of sailing on ships with no separate men’s facilities.

 

 

Thanks for your nice thoughts. We will try and enjoy the CoEd areas too. Who knows maybe we can start a conversation in public and finish it in the Sauna with a View.

Help, just received notification that they changed the ship for my October 2018 NYC Cruise. NCL switched from the Gem (great Spa facilities to the Breakaway.) I need to find another ship to depart NYC on. I was trying to find some info about the Carnival Summit but there is nothing in the thread. Has anyone ever sailed on the Summit and able to help me. Thanks in advance because time is of the essence.

This thread is great!

 

Anyone know anything about the set up for the upcoming MSC Seaside?

 

 

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I've been trying to find info on any of the MSC ships too. The Deck Plans are not very informative. Anyone have info on MSC Divina or MSC Seaside? Thanks in advance and happy cruising.

I know there is a big men's only section of the pa that costs $$$ per day or per cruise. There are also apparently a free steamroom in the locker rooms?

 

Anyone who's been on the Gem, did you try both the paid and free facilities?

 

Was the free steam any good?

 

For the paid version, did you buy the pass for the entire cruise or just buy the daily pass? $199 seems pricey to me especially when in port 50% of the days. That said, if the paid for spa is that enjoyable it would be a small price to pay.

The free steam room was in the bathroom of the gym. Nothing special just a 4x4 steam room in a toilet. The paid spa was definitely worth the extra cost. We used it as one of our shore excursions.

Thanks for the great detailed information. Is this true for their entire fleet?

 

<<< This is just for the Jewel Class ships: Jewel, Gem, Pearl and Jade. >>>

 

Do you say this because the cold plunge is physically sized for just one person, alone? Or because it would actually be dangerous or cause injury if someone else tried to "plunge" in while you were in there?

 

<<< It is seriously the size of a home bathtub sitting on a pedestal. >>>

 

Yes those relaxing conversations in dim light are the best and most relaxing; it gets you relaxed & makes for a more intimate setting, and doesn't make you feel like you're in a brightly-lit zoo exhibit where everyone is peeking in at you. I guess you would want to prepare for someone entering, and not be startled while you are in the middle of your conversation.

 

<<< Especially if you are in deep in a conversation, because you have to be discrete. I did have an interesting conversation with the Gym Manager, when I asked him how he flexed his pectoral muscles. He was super friendly. >>>

 

You know, I never understood why so many locker rooms, both on land and on sea, have showers with curtains. I am from the old school and military life, where there were either open showers---or a round "shower station", in which guys stand around a long cylinder with about 4-5 shower heads surrounding it; and guys changed/undressed/dressed freely. My thought is: we're all men here, and if you're that insecure & need that much "privacy", then maybe you shouldn't be coming to a public place---you should shower at home.

 

<<< I tried to show everyone that it was okay to shower out there, they finally caught on by the end of the cruise. >>>

 

Now, why would someone need to fit two people in there? ;) :D Does it get that packed in there, where the shower stalls are "double-booked"? :rolleyes:

 

<<< Safety first, bodyguard :D >>>

 

Yes, those are the things most important to me in the spa/locker area: a bench/place to rest between steam/sauna sessions; water/drinking fountain; the outward view (sometimes I will just stand there in my towel and get into a mesmerized daze, looking out of the windows)---so relaxing for the mind; and great conversations with others who are in there for similar reasons---to get away from wife/parents/friends, and have memorable interactions with other cruisers. :cool:

<<< I agree 100% >>>

Here is my best attempt at summarizing the posts in this thread from the past few years (did not go back further in case of updates to ships).

 

Here are the ships/classes that DO have a MEN's ONLY Sauna facility of some sort:

Carnival Conquest

Carnival Dream

Carnival Splendor

Carnival Triumph

Carnival Victory

Celebrity (All Millenium Class)

Celebrity (All Solstice Class)

Cunard Queen Elizabeth

Cunard Queen Victoria

Disney Magic

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Gem

Norwegian Jade

Norwegian Jewel

Norwegian Spirit

Norwegian Sun

P&O Ventura

Princess Diamond Princess

Princess Emerald Princess

Princess Pacific Princess

Princess Sea Princes

Royal Caribbean (All Freedom Class)

Royal Caribbean (All Radiance Class)

Royal Caribbean (All Vision Class except Enchantment)

Royal Caribbean (All Voyager Class)

Royal Caribbean Brillance of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas

 

Please Note: This is not an authoritative list and have neither sailed on (except Celebrity Equinox) nor confirmed the men's sauna configuration of the ships on this list. I have just tried to gather the information shared on this thread (not the entire thread).

 

If you have any corrections or additions, please reply!

 

Thanks so much to all of you who have posted this information! I've not sailed much yet, but plan to do so and the men's only sauna area is a deciding factor for me in choosing a ship.

 

 

Happy Sailing!

I was going to start planning my next cruise and needed to narrow down the "Great, Good and Don't Bother" ships. (I really don't care about the ports of calls, been there, done that!) This list will be very helpful for cruise planning.

Any info on the Carnival Triumph Sauna and steam?

In the locker room of the gym on the Carnival Triumph and Victory is a free sauna and steam room, They have ocean views. There are also 6 showers that have swinging glass doors, on rough days the doors just swing open and closed if you're shy you may get a surprise or find a new friend. There is a resting bench and the usual toilets, sinks etc.

Hi, I can describe the NCL Jewel for everyone, and would like to know if anyone can tell me about the NCL Gem, Jade and Pearl's Men's Thermal Spa Areas. The deck plans and pictures are confusing as to what they offer on each of the ships.

First in the Free Gym Locker room there is only a small steam room. It looked to fit about 4 to 6 people. It has a small bench, one shower and one toilet stall.

The Pay Thermal Spa is Highly worth the $149 we paid, we used it instead of spending money on a shore excursion. You can either pay for the entire cruise 7-day for $149, or pay for a day pass $40 (each choice is per person.) But it is limited to the first 100 people. On our cruise it didn't sell out, but I would recommend buying it immediately upon embarkation.

There is a co-ed area with 5 heated ceramic lounge chairs, one 8-person Thalassotherapy pool, and coffee, teas, iced tea and ice water. All this overlooking the bow of the ship.

In the male, clothing optional area, there are about 40 lockers and a large cedar bench, three showers, two sinks, a hair dryer and two toilets. They provide lots of towels and robes for use if you choose. There is a large steam room with seating for 8-12, a cold plunge pool for one, then a really large sauna with seating for about 15, with port side ocean views. In the sauna there is only one small light, so after sundown there is privacy in the sauna for conversations while overlooking the ocean. You can see anyone coming in before they get to the door. :)

Centered in the area of the steam and sauna is a station with a water fountain, bench and two 270-degree open showers for rinsing off between use. There are also two Tropical and/or Ice shower (you walk in, in a spiral, to get in there so there are no shower curtains. You could fit two people in each discretely. At the front of the room are 5 chairs with stools for relaxing, ice water and a 8 person hot tub with views off the bow and the port side of the ship. One note, the windows are coated, but at dusk there is one window looking towards the back of the ship that people from the balcony below can see into, if they know to look up. They must have thought that I had the president's suite when they saw me in the window, before we found this out.

The view from the front of the male area was enough to keep us enjoying the male suite much of the day, especially when arriving into port or departing. You can see the dolphins and porpoises swim the ship into port, while relaxing in your towel. After dinner it was nice to relax and have conversations with others before retiring for the night.