What to Wear in Thermal Spa?

[mnocket]

We've never used a thermal spa, but would like to try it on our upcoming Seaside cruise.  I've reviewed posts and watched review videos but I'm still not sure what to wear.  It seems like the lockers are rather small and intended to hold personal affects rather than clothing, so I'm guessing you arrive at the spa wearing  your "spa outfit"?..... Which is a bathing suit?  What's the protocol? Thanks.

[js]

For the Seaside and any other cruiseline where I used the spa area, I wear my bathing suit and a cover up.

Enjoy!

 

[theEvilQueen2]

I haven't been on MSC yet, but have used the thermal spas on other cruise lines. I wear my swimsuit under a cover up. The spa gives you a terry robe if you want, which I wear when roaming the halls from different areas and after my final shower. Then I dry off and put my own cover up on.

Some ships have separate saunas in the men's and women's rest rooms and in those you can just wrap a towel around yourself if you prefer. I'm trying to figure out the set up on Seaside but the maps aren't much help.     

[theEvilQueen2]

I should add that MSC being Italian and having a more international cliental, they're attitude on such things may not be as puritanical as us Americans (I'm thinking Speedos and topless beaches). Just part of the adventure.   ;  )  

[phissy]

Currently on Meraviglia and enjoyed the Thermal Spa areas on this ship.  Everyone in the area were in bathing suits.  No separate saunas or steam rooms for gender.  All in one area. 

Those of us from YC had bathrobes and slippers that we wore going down elevator to spa area.  Tried the various rooms and showers. Settled on Salt Room and then jacuzzi and thermal loungers. Three thermal loungers, center one is not heated.  Towels available readily inside  area as are cold water and tea. Locker rooms have towels and showers and toilets.  Initial check in has signed release then you receive a key for locker .   Enjoy !!

Edited March 21, 2019 by phissy

[Weby72]

So "Birthday suit and a broad smile" isn't an option?

[ziggyuk]

There was a hilarious thread on here last year where men taking a massage were told they had to wear the paper underwear designed for women and they were told shorts were not allowed.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2590485-massages-for-men/

Edited March 21, 2019 by ziggyuk

[CruiseIreland]

3 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

There was a hilarious thread on here last year where men taking a massage were told they had to wear the paper underwear designed for women and they were told shorts were not allowed.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2590485-massages-for-men/

Yes, l was on Seaside last month and when l presented myself for my Aurea massage, the masseuse offered me the option of going starkers on the table. She offered to leave the room while l slipped out of my Speedos. She did not offer any paper undies! 

[ziggyuk]

1 hour ago, CruiseIreland said:

Yes, l was on Seaside last month and when l presented myself for my Aurea massage, the masseuse offered me the option of going starkers on the table. She offered to leave the room while l slipped out of my Speedos. She did not offer any paper undies! 

 

Hope the budgie didn't get away 😮😂 

[Beamafar]

DH was presented with the paper undies on Poesia last September - don't think they're really budgie-escape proof, though   😱

[Monk86]

European cruise...birthday suit will be more than acceptable...expect to see all shapes and sizes

[marcoigna]

There are larger lockers in the change rooms so no issue on Seaside.  Yes bathing suits would be ideal.  Again Europeans are very open to nudity in this environment and was in sauna with nude man.  -   The divina is set up completely different and towels are more than enough.  

[Magnelasagne]

I would not go nude in a shared sauna, but in a separated male sauna I always drop my shorts. 

In Norway I think people would wonder whats wrong if you dont go nude in the sauna😂 

[mnocket]

Thanks for all the feedback.  Now I know what to do😁

[APDMOM]

On 3/22/2019 at 1:48 AM, mnocket said:

Thanks for all the feedback.  Now I know what to do😁

 

Hi, mnocket!

 

Did you already go on your Seaside cruise?  We are booked for June and I would like to have feedback on your experience.

 

We have the 14-day booked and I am wondering about the price of the daily pass.  It is $195 in our cruise planner... This seems good for 14 days.  Am I right?

[mnocket]

Not yet.  My cruise isn't until Sept.  I'm in yacht club and the thermal spa is included.  there is an active thread where someone reported that they got a 43% discount.  Might try posting there

[APDMOM]

42 minutes ago, mnocket said:

Not yet.  My cruise isn't until Sept.  I'm in yacht club and the thermal spa is included.  there is an active thread where someone reported that they got a 43% discount.  Might try posting there

Thank you for the link! 🙂

[2cruiseluvrs]

On the Seaside in Summer 2019, the Thermal Area was moderately busy sometimes and almost empty at other times. Nobody was nude as that is not allowed and swimwear is required. Most wore standard bathing suits. Some women and even some men were in thong and g-string bathing suits! When you enter the guest lobby, there is a check-in station. You walk past the station and open the door to the thermal suite. The mens and womens locker rooms / showers are on the left side. They are spacious and are plenty big to hold all of your outfit, shoes, etc. You can grab a dry towel and leave a wet towel behind in the locker room.

 

As you exit the locker room, you head straight into the main thermal area which is fully coed. Immediately there are two dry saunas on your right and a fragrant 2-person shower on your left. Continue down the hall, and there is a water beverage station on your left, the snow room on the left, the salt room on your left, and the jacuzzi pool on the right. Keep going and there are more fragrant showers on your left, as well as the exit door to the outdoor relaxing area and hot tub. On your right is the hot/cold waterjet experience (shooting from the floor). Finally on the right side is the light steam room, and then the dark steam room.

 

Yacht Club members receive free access to the thermal area. All others pay for it by the day or by the week. For me, it's absolutely worth it and one of the best parts of the cruise. I visit the thermal area twice a day because I love the steam rooms and frangrant showers. Since I don't like to sweat in my own clothes, I prefer minimal swimwear and frequent showers during the steam experience.

 

Fortunately the Thermal Area is pretty quiet most of the time. Most of the guests are there alone or as a couple. Most are not talking unless they are in the jacuzzi pool. Usually there is no talking in the steam rooms and saunas. Some people talk and laugh and comment when they are in the waterjet room, because the water is really cold intentionally. Occasionally you will see a group of 4-6 people together and they are conversing wherever they are. But quieter is better because people are there to relax.

 

It's an adults only area. Most of the guests seemed to be in their 30s-60s, though a few were in their 20s. You'll see all shapes and sizes, and you should absolutely enjoy it all with confidence and not worry about what anybody else thinks of you or your companions or your choice of swimwear or coverage.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, 2cruiseluvrs said:

You'll see all shapes and sizes, and you should absolutely enjoy it all with confidence and not worry about what anybody else thinks of you or your companions or your choice of swimwear or coverage.

 

2cruiseluvrs comments and experiences mirror mine for the most part.  Usually, in the sauna or steam room, there is no one else but me.  If someone else is present, we will converse at times.  I go from my stateroom to the Spa in flipflops, t-shirt, and swim trunks.  Initially when I started doing so, I felt a bit self-conscious, particularly if I was sharing an elevator with other guests.  I soon got over that.  "If they don't like the way that I am dressed, then stop looking" became my motto.  

 

If the ship has a hydrotherapy pool, as some now do, frequently conversations begin that are often very interesting, friendly, and continue from one day to the next.  

[2cruiseluvrs]

5 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

"If they don't like the way that I am dressed, then stop looking" became my motto.  

 

That's perfect. rkacruiser. I wore the Yacht Club -provided robe over my towel that was over my bathing attire. If you wanted to look, you could see my bare chest through the opening of the robe. I took the elevator straight down (priority service) to the 8th floor, turned the corner, and walked into the spa area. Rarely was someone else in the lift with me, and often there would be people in the lobby of the lift, but I really don't care what they might think of what I was wearing. If anything, I thought, "Yep, I am in the yacht club and yep I am wearing a robe, and yep, I am going to the steam room." The ladies at the counter recognized my Yacht Club robe with the logo, and didn't say a word to me; we just smiled at each other. I walked right on in to the mens room, put my robe and slippers into the locker, and headed for the steam rooms! Stateroom to Steam in about 3 minutes flat.

[JAGR]

20 hours ago, 2cruiseluvrs said:

Yacht Club members receive free access to the thermal area. All others pay for it by the day or by the week.

Just to clarify, Aurea guests have free access to the Thermal area and spa as well as YC members.

[Tapi]

On the Meraviglia (in the Med), most facilities in the Aurea Spa were coed, and everybody was wearing at least a bathing suit. But when we sailed on the Divina (in the Caribbean), some facilities were for either men or women and there were a lot of people walking around naked. Even in the relaxation area which was shared, there were a few people fully naked. 

[2cruiseluvrs]

1 hour ago, JAGR said:

Just to clarify, Aurea guests have free access to the Thermal area and spa as well as YC members.

 

Thank you for that JAGR, very good to know! I was in the Aurea on Divina about 5 years ago and had no idea I could use the thermal area! Oh, if I could only go back in time....

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Tapi said:

But when we sailed on the Divina (in the Caribbean), some facilities were for either men or women and there were a lot of people walking around naked. Even in the relaxation area which was shared, there were a few people fully naked. 

 

I'm surprised at that.  In the Med, OK, I might expect that.  But, sailing in the Caribbean?  

 

(If we ever sail together, you don't need to worry.  You won't see me in such a "state"!😄)

[Tapi]

15 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I'm surprised at that.  In the Med, OK, I might expect that.  But, sailing in the Caribbean?  

 

(If we ever sail together, you don't need to worry.  You won't see me in such a "state"!😄)

Ha,ha. I too thought that the spa attire on the Meraviglia in the Med would’ve been more “relaxed” than what we experienced on the Divina in the Caribbean, so I was a bit surprised that it was the other way around. I must admit that I’d lost some of my modesty after a few days on the Divina, so I would’ve been fine if the spa on the Meraviglia had been like the Divina.

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tapi