Spa Pass?

[hlsess]

what does the pass include? seriously thinking about it for the hot tubs- going on epic in December so it'll be chilly I think to sit on decks

[Booklover42]

Essentially a pass to the thermal spa...I bought a pass this summer and used it daily. There were heated lounges, sauna and a pool with different jet settings. Wifi was good and it was a quiet oasis.

[hlsess]

Regular sized pool? Hot tubs too? Can u take a cocktail in there. LOL?

[hawkeyetlse]

Here are some photos. I think you will like what you see… You can take drinks in there.

 

Are the passes still available for pre-purchase for your cruise? They seem to sell out fast for Epic.

[Va. Plumber]

Sorry, no swimming pool on Epic. IT does have a veranda overlooking the stern with some lounges.

[hlsess]

I keep reading reviews that the spa is always so crowded and sometimes chairs aren't available. Rethinking getting passes now.

[kirsty_r]

I keep reading reviews that the spa is always so crowded and sometimes chairs aren't available. Rethinking getting passes now.

 

its a kid free zone though. December is a low month for the EPIC - there's a chance as its a winter cruise that the ship may not be full?

 

The alternative might be posh passes?

 

I can imagine the spa full in the summer months with the European summer, but less in the winter, when kids are at school, but that is my speculation.

[chrisa2711]

Will they be selling day passes to the Thermal Suite on board? I'll be sailing on Breakaway next month and not sure I want to invest $180 up front in case I really don't like it.

[hlsess]

its a kid free zone though. December is a low month for the EPIC - there's a chance as its a winter cruise that the ship may not be full?

 

The alternative might be posh passes?

 

I can imagine the spa full in the summer months with the European summer, but less in the winter, when kids are at school, but that is my speculation.

 

this is a Christmas Cruise so no school....

[kirsty_r]

I would still go for it - a haven free from kids? :) If the spa is very busy when you are there speak with guest services as at the end of the day the spa shouldn't have sold too many passes to exceed capacity.

[perditax]

Never had a problem getting a padded lounger on my GA cruise in June. Thermal suite was worth every penny.

[piper45maru]

I can't speak from personal experience, but I met several solos on the Epic 2 months ago who had spa passes. I had decided not to invest in one because the itinerary was so port-intensive and I didn't think I'd use it enough, but I was really interested, so I grilled them about it. :D

 

Every one of them said that the spa was never crowded, it was heavenly, and it was worth every penny. They all chided me for thinking about getting a pass but then not following through, saying it was the best purchase they made and one of their favorite things about the trip. I think you'd be safe in booking it.

 

I'm still convinced I made the right decision on that trip, but I have invested in a pass for my cruise on the Pearl next week. Can't wait! :)

[hawkeyetlse]

If the spa is very busy when you are there speak with guest services as at the end of the day the spa shouldn't have sold too many passes to exceed capacity.

What is the capacity of the spa though? I think someone who goes there hoping to use a lounger and finds all the loungers occupied will feel that the spa is too crowded, even if there may still be plenty of space in other areas.

 

Maybe the number of lockers is an indication of the maximum number of people they designed the place for. How many lockers are there in th BA spa?

[perditax]

I have never seen a credible report of zero available loungers. I was in and out of the spa on GA all week in the middle of June. There were a few times where I couldn't have IMMEDIATELY gotten a STONE lounger, but I never had a problem getting a padded lounger with an ocean view, most often with no adjacent neighbors. I went at all times of the day/evening, often spent sunset there.

 

Maybe I got lucky, maybe they've started overselling them, but my experience in June was uniformly positive.

[piper45maru]

Maybe I got lucky, maybe they've started overselling them, but my experience in June was uniformly positive.

 

Your awesome review of your experience almost tipped me over the edge of buying one on my Epic cruise and is a good portion of the reason I'm so excited to try it on the Pearl.

 

*Okay, I apologize for hijacking and now return you to your regular thread discussion.*

[perditax]

Your awesome review of your experience almost tipped me over the edge of buying one on my Epic cruise and is a good portion of the reason I'm so excited to try it on the Pearl.

 

*Okay, I apologize for hijacking and now return you to your regular thread discussion.*

 

 

Hah! Thanks. Well, at least I backed up my claims with pictures, although to be fair the pictures of the totally empty spa were somewhat early in the morning. :)

 

Believe me, I am enough of an introvert that if the spa had been overcrowded I would have been whining like crazy in that report for having spent $200.

 

I have no experience with older NCL ships, but as long as they had the spa pool type plunge I would likely buy a pass, on the theory that they still tune the number of passes sold to the ship size.

[Biglove1954]

I will be on the Epic in January, have already booked the spa. Used the thermal spa on the Celebrity Summit and was there everyday. Lovely way to begin or end your day!!! Counting the days.......

[skierjj]

I bought my first thermal spa pass on the Epic for our family cruise in 2012. I also bought two more for my daughter and daughter in law. We loved it. All the crazy showers and plunges, steam, salt & sauna experiences are a great way to relax.

The best thing that I like are the heated tile loungers, they aren't 100% readily available, but most times that I wanted to relax, read and/or just watch the ocean go by, it was available.

I think one of the absolute best values, though, is if you have an inside cabin or multiple people in your room, it allows you to have a place to shower, dry your hair, get ready for dinner etc. and you can really spread out and have elbow room.

I have bought a spa pass on every cruise since; even if we have a larger cabin, (Except the sun which really doesn't have a spa). On our next cruise on the Getaway, over Thanksgiving, we have a spa balcony which includes 2 spa passes. Yay!

Hope this helps with your decision!

Happy cruising!

[chrisa2711]

After reading all the good stuff about the spa, and with only 17 days before my cruise on the BA, I went ahead and bought the spa pass this morning. Can't wait!

[kirsty_r]

also, just another thought, if your cruise is heavy on kids, kids aren't allowed in the spa, and you would think parents would be somewhere other than the spa to supervise kids, or be available if the kids club had problems. :)

[janetz]

After reading all the good stuff about the spa, and with only 17 days before my cruise on the BA, I went ahead and bought the spa pass this morning. Can't wait!

 

You will love it! :)

[mjkacmom]

also, just another thought, if your cruise is heavy on kids, kids aren't allowed in the spa, and you would think parents would be somewhere other than the spa to supervise kids, or be available if the kids club had problems. :)

 

So parents shouldn't go to the spa when their kids are in the club? How about going to dinner? Shows? Gym? Pool? You tell the club where you are going, you don't have to sit outside it.