Best massage - Ruby, Gem or Paradise

[cbalaska]

In the next 5 weeks I'm traveling on business on the Ruby Princess, NCL Gem and Carnival Paradise. While I'd love to indulge in a massage on all 3, the checkbook says to just treat myself once to the very best. I like just a good relaxing swedish mnassage, and if possible combined with a facial. So, my question is --- if it were you, which spa would you recommend, and do you even have a specific person to recommend? Thanks much!

[DrCindy]

I was on the NCL Gem in November. The spa offered lots of "specials" during the at sea days, so I indulged in one which included a 25 minute back, shoulder and neck massage and a 20-minute anti-aging facial. It was $89 plus an 18% automatic tip. Now keep in mind that I regularly go to a massage therapist at home monthly, who is wonderful with deep tissue massages, so I wasn't expecting the spa girl to be as good. She wasn't. She poured tons of oil on my back repeatedly, to the point that my hair got all greasy (I didn't bring a hair clip with me and she eventually put a towel over my hair). There was so much oil on me I was afraid I wouldn't be able to feel her hands- I would have bet that if you dropped a coin on my back it would slide right off! But I could feel her hands, she actually was applying too much pressure, since I told her I wanted deep tissue- and I had to tell her to let up. A part of my mid-back was actually a bit sore for awhile because she put too much pressure on it.

 

Hope that helps- just my 2 cents, I would NEVER expect a superior massage on a cruise line and you'll always overpay (my massage therapist charges $55 for a full hour!) The facial was nice though, since I never have those done professionally.