Thermal Suite Week Pass- same time every day?

[mcatmcat]

Hi 

I see you can purchase the Thermal Suite week pass but you need to select a time, do I have to show at that time or can I go at anytime. In the past I had purchased once on board  so not sure if this is different now 

[twangster]

Being able to purchase this in advance, in the cruise planner is new. 

 

I noticed the same so I called Royal and asked.  They said that is your time every day.  

 

It appears they are basically trying to sell hundreds of passes but they can only do so by allocating a specific time for each guest who buys a pass.  There is no way I can determine a time every day, the same time every single day, when I can visit the spa.  

 

I've had spa suites on Carnival.  I know how I tend to use these types of facilities in land resorts in Vegas.  It isn't by going every day at the same specific time within a 15 minute window.  

 

I'm not going to purchase and wait for someone else to be the guinea pig and validate it works as they confirmed it did on the phone because that just won't work for me.  

 

I also noticed for an upcoming transatlantic you have to buy each week separately.  $179 for week one, $179 for week two. 

 

 

[barbeyg]

I’ve booked it in the past and enjoyed it, but won’t commit to a set schedule.  I wonder how many people would want to do that? Part of the allure for me was the number of people participating, and being able to work it around my schedule.

 

[SarcasmSpasm]

Wow. That majorly stinks if that’s true. That’s one thing I splurge on while onboard.  But now with kids I certainly can’t commit to a certain time each day.  

 

Curious to to hear feedback from those who have used the new system and what their onboard experience was...

[GigiK]

Does it have to be the same time every day or can you select a different time for each day. That would be okay for us, but having to be there same time every day would not even be possible. And worrying about it would not be relaxing!

 

ETA - 15 minutes seems to be too short of a time slot as well. You would barely be seated before having to leave.

Edited October 23, 2018 by GigiK
ETA

[Bluelock]

I’m glad I didn’t book yet! I was assuming it was go at your leisure, not select a time that you may go every day, and only that time! 

[Sea Dog]

29 minutes ago, GigiK said:

 

 

15 minutes seems to be too short of a time slot as well. You would barely be seated before having to leave.

I agree. What I did last year on Adventure of the Seas (No booking just go to the spa) I would spend 5-7 minutes in Sauna, 5-7 minutes in steam then go to whirlpool for about 10-15 minutes and then I would repeat. Usually takes about 30 minutes and I feel great afterwards.

[fielddreamer]

We are also confused about making certain times. We have never seen this policy on any of the cruises we have been on. We usually go in the the early morning and then late after noon. If you look there are no times before noon so what does that mean? If you call they have no idea on this policy. How would they even control it? I am going to wait until we get on the ship! Good luck on figuring this one out.

Edited October 23, 2018 by fielddreamer

[twangster]

Alrighty then. 

 

So I took one for the team and booked it on the Symphony TA next week.  I'll find out soon enough if I am really restricted to my mid-afternoon appointment.  At least on a TA in the afternoon it doesn't conflict with any show times and sea day after sea day I now have something to look forward to. 

 

Cost was $99 plus 18% gratuity for a total of $116.82. 

[dairymancruiser]

I have booked it on the Allure OTS and we sail 12-30-18. I just pick a time because I didn't think it mattered. It says on my cruise planner at you leisure for the first day and for the week. So I don't think the time matters. Or should I say it better not matter because I would want my money back .

[twangster]

On RoyalIQ based ships when you book My Time Dining it has long said "At Your Leisure" in the calendar but in reality you have an actual dinner reservation time with a 15 minute window to appear.  

 

Why would they list so many time slots rather than just selling a pass?  I suppose it could mean they are trying to gather data on what times are most popular and they don't intend to enforce the time of day... yet.  I'll ask when I go to use it on Sunday.  Knowing Royal it could vary by ship or if sales are low they might not enforce it.  If 300 people start showing up at 9pm each night maybe they will enforce it.  

 

I'm pretty close to the aft end of the ship so I'll get my daily step count up just visiting the gym in the morning then spa each day.   

[GigiK]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Why would they list so many time slots rather than just selling a pass?  I suppose it could mean they are trying to gather data on what times are most popular and they don't intend to enforce the time of day... yet.  I'll ask when I go to use it on Sunday. 

 

If you would, let us know what they say - if you really do have to show up at the time you selected every day or you lose your visit for that day. Seems like setting themselves up for a lot of unhappy people. Also, it would be nice to know if you really are allowed to only stay 15 minutes. That short of a time would not even be worth going. A poster above said they spent about 30 minutes in the Thermal Suite and that sounds relaxing and reasonable.

 

Thank you!

[bangzoom6877]

We’ve gotten thermal suite passes on cruises before and we usually end up spending between 30 and 60 minutes in there, and we come out feeling completely relaxed. 15 minutes would be way too short. 

 

Also, regarding my time dining, it is my understanding that even if you reserve a time for dinner, you can still show up at your leisure and they won’t turn you away. 

[twangster]

3 hours ago, GigiK said:

 

If you would, let us know what they say 

 

Sure will.

 

2 hours ago, bangzoom6877 said:

Also, regarding my time dining, it is my understanding that even if you reserve a time for dinner, you can still show up at your leisure and they won’t turn you away. 

 

If you miss your 15 minute reservation window for MTD, you are no different than someone who has no reservation and just shows up for dinner.  The MTD has a queue for this and people are seen waiting for the next table to become available.  Hopefully the spa will sort of work like that, but I wonder how they'll manage capacity?  The spa has a finite capacity and isn't set up to queue standby spa users waiting for a bed to open up like the MTD is for guests waiting for the next table.

 

This advance spa sales is new for Royal so they are likely to adapt and tweak it over time as they see how it works out.  Time will tell.

[Longhorn Cruiser]

Does anyone know if the 20% off Spa service Diamond coupon would apply to the Thermal one week Pass?

[twangster]

Equally important... what is the charge onboard for a one week pass to the thermal spa? 

[twangster]

Observation - I went back into the cruise planner.  The time I purchased and a couple of other times are no longer available.  It appears each time has a finite capacity for purchase.

[fielddreamer]

I talked with a supervisor in cruise planner today and they talked around it and they had no answers either. They said it was something new and was only- pre purchase on Symphony . They had no answer for  the missing hrs. from 6 to 12 in the morning and you can only purchase one person at at time even thou it shows for both in booking just like buying dinning. It also shows a price of $89 on front page ,but when you pull the times up it shows $99. No one can give you a straight answer as to the policy. This is a roll-out that as usual is all messed up. I will wait to her from someone on the T.A. this weekend. We use it twice a day when we sail and if its only a set time then forget it. This system will never work !

[twangster]

It's available on a couple of ships, I've been watching prices fluctuate for a few weeks now.  I haven't pulled trigger for other ships but have extra OBC for Symphony and with all the sea days I can get value out of it.  

 

What do you typically pay onboard for 7 night spa pass?

 

You are right about it being messed up.  In the "Relaxation Features" category it's listed but isn't bookable but in the "Relaxation Areas" it is.    

 

One time pass appears to be $30.  Single $99, Couple pass $150.  For the Oasis 14 night TA in April you have to buy each week separately.  That was $179 a few weeks ago, now $99 per week if bought for one person.  Two months ago it was listed as $89 for the whole cruise but it wouldn't let you book it (I tired).  

Edited October 23, 2018 by twangster

[fielddreamer]

We have purchased it on most all of the ships we have sailed on. The price on Symphony is $116 per person and you can only purchase it one by one. Does not show a daily or couple price. On Royal 2 years ago it was $79 P.P. for a week, but now it is $199 P.P. . Have Royal on line now but they have now answers again. Just going to wait til we get on because I do not trust them right now. I am sure it will be different when we get on. All the spas play with the price on every cruise !  Bob

[fielddreamer]

A Royal supervisor just told me that this system does not look correct and they are going to talk with the dept. head about it. They do not understand the times either and the missing hrs in the morning!

[twangster]

Just boarded Symphony and toured the spa.  I asked about my cruise planner Thermal Spa pass.  She looked up my cabin # and saw I had purchased it.  She said it's good for any time they are open, not just the 2:30pm I booked.  Now that I have my SeaPass card I'm to head back to the spa and get a sticker put on my card to indicate the Thermal Spa access.

 

She was puzzled by the 2:30pm time slot.  I suspect that may the only way Royal can capacity control cruise planner purchases.  Only so many per time slot and once all all time slots sell out they are at capacity for pre-cruise purchases.  That's just a guess on my part.    

Edited October 28, 2018 by twangster

[Bluelock]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Just boarded Symphony and toured the spa.  I asked about my cruise planner Thermal Spa pass.  She looked up my cabin # and saw I had purchased it.  She said it's good for any time they are open, not just the 2:30pm I booked.  Now that I have my SeaPass card I'm to head back to the spa and get a sticker put on my card to indicate the Thermal Spa access.

 

She was puzzled by the 2:30pm time slot.  I suspect that may the only way Royal can capacity control cruise planner purchases.  Only so many per time slot and once all all time slots sell out they are at capacity for pre-cruise purchases.  That's just a guess on my part.    

 

Thanks for getting back to us! I suspect you may be right that they use it as a compacity control tool.

[fielddreamer]

I find that they sell as many as possible and did not worry about it. ! Did they raise the price of the thermal spa?

[Aussie Disney Fan]

Has anybody had any further experiences with this? It seems strange to me you can’t book for the whole cruise as they would loose a lot of passengers after the first 7 days