Lotus Spa

[Sunshine42794]

I have never had spa services while on a cruise.  I would like to know if the 18% Spa Service Fee that is added to the service cost is the actual gratuities for the worker or would I need to tip on top of that?  Thanks!

[wallyj]

2 hours ago, Sunshine42794 said:

I have never had spa services while on a cruise.  I would like to know if the 18% Spa Service Fee that is added to the service cost is the actual gratuities for the worker or would I need to tip on top of that?  Thanks!

The 18% service is automatically charged on the base fare of the service and no additional ‘tip’ is expected, although there is an additional line for extra gratuities, so some passengers do not notice the 18% service charge is already added and double ‘tip’.

 

In my opinion, the rates for services are easily double of what you would pay on land, but I understand many pay for the convenience and thrill/treat of having these services done on ship.

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, wallyj said:

The 18% service is automatically charged on the base fare of the service and no additional ‘tip’ is expected, although there is an additional line for extra gratuities, so some passengers do not notice the 18% service charge is already added and double ‘tip’.

 

In my opinion, the rates for services are easily double of what you would pay on land, but I understand many pay for the convenience and thrill/treat of having these services done on ship.

They don’t always remember the 10% discount for Elite’s either.  They should not have that extra tip line, as some think the 18% is not included.  
JMO

[jeromep]

20 hours ago, wallyj said:

thrill/treat

More of a treat for my wife and I than a thrill.  I have a regular massage therapist at home who's prices are easily 1/3 what you pay on board, so yes, you really do overpay for spa services on board.  However, the prices aren't too out of line compared to what you might pay at a Las Vegas resort spa or a big brand day spa and the style of service is more in line with Vegas resorts or destination day spas.

 

My home town medical massage practitioner has a small studio room in an office space dedicated to massage and esthetics practitioners.  It's comfortable, but not particularly spa like.  She rents her room much like a hair stylist rents a chair in a salon, and shares a common space, waiting room with the others that are renting space there.  Anyway, the spa experience is more involved on board, just like a destination spa or a resort spa.

 

You'll book your treatments with the front desk.  No need to book ahead of time on the web site or through the Princess app.  Just call them from your cabin, or visit the spa front desk and they will get you scheduled.  If you visit the front desk when they aren't particularly busy they will gladly give you a tour of the spa facility, show you treatment rooms, tell you what kinds of treatments they do in each type of room, make recommendations, etc.

 

The spa manager has financial targets they need to meet, just like any business.  This has quite a bit to do with the fact that the Lotus Spa is not run by Princess but is run by Steiner International (or Steiner Leisure, they may have gone through a minor name change).  They operate the spas on most cruise lines out there.  Canyon Ranch, the fancy destination spa in Arizona, has a division that operates on cruise ships, but they only serve a cruise brand or two and only on the lux lines.  All that said, the spa manager has sales targets they need to meet to pay the practitioners, cover the overhead of being on the ship, (staff, staff living expenses, materials, etc.), so if the spa isn't getting the quantity of business they need you'll see ads and specials in the Princess Patter.  Most of the spa services I've purchased over the years have always been on special.

 

The service charge is basically an enforced tip.  You'll see this practice at most destination day spas and resort spas.  In the destination and resort spa world that service charge, whatever it is, goes to the practitioner or into the tip pool that is split amongst the spa staff.  It depends on how they handle tips and who that spa considers tip eligible.  In some spas only practitioners get tips, in others the locker room and sauna attendants participate in the pool.  Either way, that is up to the business and their business model.

 

If you get a massage or scrub or something on board and you feel it was done particularly well, then a couple extra bucks on the tip line above and beyond the enforced service charge is a nice gesture.  Of course, I would only recommend doing that if you are already familiar with a particular service and know what you like out of that service.  If you are not familiar with a service and are getting it for the first time on board, don't feel compelled to tip extra.  I will say this, some of the best massages I've ever had have been on board ship.  The second best ones (close second) have been at destination day spas or resort spas.  What I can get locally are all very good, and serve their purpose, but day spas and resorts do attract a different caliber of practitioner.

 

In short, look out for on board specials, typically on port days, don't book too far ahead, but if you are interested in services, get a spa tour, and talk with the spa manager or whomever is running the front desk.  Let them know what you are curious about, and ask them for recommendations.  You'll have a fine time.

[trinitygirl]

I love getting massages on board - I know its ridiculously expensive but I don't have time during my normal life, so I treat myself on holiday.   I always take advantage of the special on embarkation day -  they do a 10%  off first treatment, 20% off second treatment, and 30% of subsequent treatments deal.  they also often have special deals during the cruise - particularly on port days.  One thing I have learned is that they can be canny with the times they offer:  frequently you will be told that they only have availability at a really inconvenient time (early or late) and I have found that if you just say No Can Do, a better time will miraculously become available.  

[Expat Cruise]

My wife will not use the spa on the ship. She says the prices are absolutely crazy. Ten to twenty times what she would pay when we're home. 

 

Other friends have used these service and say they do nothing but pitch you to buy more services. It just seems to not be worth using the services in our opinion.

 

[miagirl]

I became friendly with one of the Spa staffers on my last cruise.  I was pretty horrified to learn that the ONLY income those gals receive is the gratuities "tips" and some very very small commission on items that they sell.  Other than room and board that's it.  They are Steiner not Princess employees.  

 

If they don't have a customer all day they get ZERO pay for the day.  Those ridiculous prices just go straight into Steiner's pocket, minus a tiny bit of overhead.   That's why even in the "Medispa" there's that automatic tip added. it's crazy.

 

Since I live in a turnaround port, I took a bag of snacks and treats down to her on her last turnaround day here of the season.  We almost didn't get to meet.  She wasn't allowed off the ship until the last passenger had left and then she wasn't ALLOWED to leave the ship until her manager was located and gave her approval for her to get off.  it's like they are indentured servants or something.

 

I'll confess to being a spa hound.  I love being able to get a treatment and then float back to a lounge chair or my balcony as compared to having to drive myself home and deal with the outside world.  And now I'm conflicted over what was one of my favorite activities.

[memoak]

57 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

My wife will not use the spa on the ship. She says the prices are absolutely crazy. Ten to twenty times what she would pay when we're home. 

 

Other friends have used these service and say they do nothing but pitch you to buy more services. It just seems to not be worth using the services in our opinion.

 

The prices are way more than would pay at home but there is nothing like being pampered with a shave or beard trim with the hot towels and massage

[Roneill76]

They are heavily pressured to sell you products after your service is over.

It's a HUGE turnoff for me to be pushed products as I am trying to get up from my massage table just moments after completing a massage

After I told the lady No on several occasions, I was quickly escorted out of the Spa by the therapist and the look on her face was of disgust. 

Never again for me.

[jeromep]

17 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

My wife will not use the spa on the ship. She says the prices are absolutely crazy. Ten to twenty times what she would pay when we're home. 

 

Other friends have used these service and say they do nothing but pitch you to buy more services. It just seems to not be worth using the services in our opinion.

 

 

Yes, the prices are higher than I think all of us would expect at home.  I see you list the Philippines as home, so the 10 to 20x ratio you mention may actually be the case there.   Compared to domestic U.S. prices, even prices in an urban area, I only see a 3x or maybe a 4x difference in pricing on board compared to prices at home, but I stand by my statement that prices on board are only marginally more expensive than resort spas on land.

 

As for the product pitch, I hope that @Sunshine42794 and @Cindy12 are still following the thread as I have a bit of advice.  There is an on-boarding form they give to folks visiting the spa.  It seems similar to the on-boarding form you would fill out with a typical massage therapist you'd go to at home if you were visiting them for the first time.  At home those new client/patient forms are pretty much just a legal boilerplate requirement, mostly focused on any recent surgeries, lingering injuries, ongoing medical conditions, and such which might be something a massage therapist needs to know to do their job.  At the spa on board that form asks minimal questions about your medical status and focuses on "problem areas" of your skin.  The whole point of the form is to give the practitioner material to work with to pitch you product at the end of the session.  I learned very early on that you don't fill anything out on the form about your skin condition.  You don't have oily skin, you don't have dry skin, you don't have dandruff, you are perfect.  That then doesn't give the practitioner any material to work with.  All those check boxes line up with individual products they will pitch to you after the treatment.  On top of that all you have to do is let them know at the very beginning of your treatment that you know they try to sell product to you at the end of the treatment and that you won't be buying and would prefer not to have anything sold to you.  I've not encountered a practitioner which will do a pitch after a treatment if you have asked them not to prior to your treatment.  You don't have to be rude, you just let them know that you are a regular cruiser, that you visit the Lotus Spa on almost every cruise and that you just aren't interested in buying anything that is offered.

[Sunshine42794]

Thanks all!

[Expat Cruise]

5 hours ago, jeromep said:

 

Yes, the prices are higher than I think all of us would expect at home.  I see you list the Philippines as home, so the 10 to 20x ratio you mention may actually be the case there.   Compared to domestic U.S. prices, even prices in an urban area, I only see a 3x or maybe a 4x difference in pricing on board compared to prices at home, but I stand by my statement that prices on board are only marginally more expensive than resort spas on land.

 

Sorry, but a 3 to 4X time prices difference US vs Ship prices is not marginal. As for being close to resort spas on land, does not use them for the same reasons. My wife does not believe in wasting money, for the costs of a complete spa day on the ship, she has a full time household staff in our house for a month. 

 

[MTNest93]

We have a couples massage booked for embarkation day.  The price ($209) is actually less than what we pay on land by us (we live in a touristy area).  We plan to tip $5-10 cash to each therapist depending on the quality of the service.  

[Napagirl]

I guess it depends on where you live? I hardly see a difference between the Lotus spa prices and anything I could get where I live - but I'm in the Bay Area, CA so that's probably why. There are some facials and massages under $200 in the ship spa - you don't have to go in for the most expensive things. And of course the prices are even better if you book a special. The salon - hair/nails - are right about what I would pay at home. 

 

Getting my treatments on board is so lovely and well worth the money IMO. As for the products, I have never had anyone "hard sell" me. I did end up getting some Elemis products once and I was so happy with them! For those who also love that brand, they are having a sale online right now. 😉

[SuzieQ521]

Take advantage of the Port day specials; last week I did a treatment for $149 on a Port day that included 50 min massage plus 25 min facial; the next day was even a better deal at $129 for a total of 75 minutes--you could pick 3 different treatments from their list.

 

This was on Royal Princess