Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, is the hottest buzzword in wellness tourism right now, including aboard cruise ships. Yep, it’s time to toss overboard the belief that booking a cruise means doing nothing between stack ‘em high buffets of highly processed foods. Ships are now luxurious health and fitness resorts on the high seas, where menus brim with nutritious and delicious fare and days can be as action-packed, healthy, and creative as you want them to be.
So, as a professional wellness traveller, I set sail in late 2024 from Barcelona, Spain to Accra, Ghana.on Crystal Symphony to indulge in the cruise line’s first wellness retreat.
What I found were classes and workshops and a programme designed in collaboration with registered nutritionists, certified yoga and meditation specialists, sports and fitness trainers, and famed authors, scientists and experts in their fields. Paired with meals smothered in good-for-your-body taste, and seasoned with fresh sea air and doses of sunshine, my wellness journey aboard Crystal Symphony was nothing short of extraordinary and as satisfying as any I’ve had on land.
“We’re so pleased to offer Crystal guests our new wellness retreats at sea, expertly curated in collaboration with some of the best in the health and wellness industry,” said Crystal’s Head Nutritionist, Dalila Roglieri. “It is important that our offerings align with discerning travellers’ evolving tastes and needs, as wellness is at the forefront of so many of our guests’ lives. These voyages will continue to shape a new era of exceptional experiences for Crystal.”
Mindful & Meaningful Guidance
One day, a fitness expert brought out resistance bands and dumbbells to target balance-based moves (tricky on a moving ship), and taught strength training and cross-training to boost cognitive functioning. On another, a meditation and yoga specialist led classes on enhancing energy and mobility, trigger therapy (painful in places), mindful gratitude walks to cultivate presence and appreciation and even chair yoga.
Workshops were held on stretching techniques, including dynamic, ballistic, static active, static passive, and isometric exercises, which can be integrated into daily routines at home. And we stood at attention for posture correction instruction and tips on ways to prevent injuries.
Two educational lectures presented by nutritionist Dr Christine Houghton, a registered nutritionist with a PhD in nutrigenomics, presented on topics: “What Really Is in Our Food?” and “Why Am I Always Tired?” Attendees left with calls to action to check food labels for the additives, preservatives, and marketing tricks that camouflage healthy eating.
Houghton also delved into nutrigenomics, a subject revolutionizing the way we consider our personal nutrition. When, what, and why we eat were questions for us to digest and consider, as were unnatural hunger cravings and weight fluctuations. Would we eat again?
3-Day Detox
Vacation and detox are two words that don’t often pair while on vacation, and I’ll admit, it’s not easy on an all-inclusive cruise. However, with the support and encouragement of the onboard wellness team, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to embark on the 3-day Body Detox.
Help also came in the way of dedicated menus for detoxers at the Waterside Restaurant, which included creative and delicious dishes such as baked mango-tamarind cauliflower with cilantro-mint chutney, vegan fettuccine alfredo and even a Pimm’s jelly cup for lunch.
Dinner didn’t disappoint either, and I ate well with dishes such as zucchini roll-ups with crisp vegetables and hummus, root vegetable bisque, butternut squash risotto, and baked coconut rice pudding with blueberry compote.
Intermittent fasting was also part of the programme. It involved fasting for 16 hours, omitting breakfast, and taking gentler exercise classes to maximize the value of a body detox. The itinerary incorporated a workshop for guests to craft a strategic personal well-being plan during and after the voyage to enhance overall well-being.
Dining
For a ship that carries just over 600 passengers, there are a surprising number of dining options with a sumptuous array of cuisines from around the globe, from the Italian Osteria d’Ovidio to Umi Uma, the only Nobu at sea, and Beefbar, the brainchild of visionary restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi.
The main Waterside Restaurant and Marketplace were excellent too and the afternoon tea in the Palm Court was pure indulgence, especially with an accompanying violinist adding to the refined ambience.
The Aurōra Spa
Located on the ship’s top deck, the Aurōra Spa takes its name from the Goddess of Dawn who streaks across the sky each morning to announce the sunrise, revitalizing and replenishing herself to offer an oasis of light to us mortals. I could think of no better place to pamper myself with signature treatments designed to bring new energy and balance to a new day.
The spa has a peaceful relaxation area, sauna and steam room, and an array of medi-spa treatments including dermal fillers, micro-needling, an Aurōra LED and Cryo facial experience to Thermageâ, the latest radio frequency technology, said to last three years. Sign me up!
Other healing services included traditional acupuncture with LED light therapy and a seminar on Chinese herbology.
The salon ensures guests are camera-ready with hairstyling, grooming for gentlemen, and Shellecâ nails done just in time for the glamourous onboard White Party.
Activities & Excursions
Whether a scribbler or a bona fide artist, you’ll find a space for self-expression and mindfulness during the Odyssey Art at Sea programme that invites guests to immerse themselves in creative projects that stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to help our bodies relax, digest and heal.
Not feeling artsy crafty? There was also a slew of activities, lectures, and excursions, from bridge, golf, and pickleball to Rumba, Salsa, Merengue and Tango classes.
Happiness is essential to well-being, so it was no surprise to find a lecture titled “Social Fitness for Happiness: How to Navigate and Thrive in Social Situations and Build Meaningful Connections for a Sense of Belonging.”
Wellness flowed into each destination along our cruise, and excursions stuck close to the theme including e-biking in Gibraltar, a Hammam ritual in Tangiers, a medicinal plant walk in Las Palmas and, in Cape Verde, yoga on the beach followed by an aloe vera workshop.
Crystal Symphony
Refined elegance comes to mind when describing the 238-metre, 781-foot Crystal Symphony. She was well-dressed throughout and glided across the water with poise.
Interior colours drifted into harmonising palettes, and paintings artfully reflected the décor. Alcoves of design are visible on each deck with chic touches portrayed in hidden corners. Spotlights dazzled the glitz and glamour expected of a ship of this calibre from the laced crystal chandelier over the Starlight Bar, a living green wall partnered with splashes of coral furnishings in another while a cascading waterfall added a signature in the Crystal Cove accompanied by a graceful golden stature at its side.
The light and airy Palm Court with its cream-coloured chairs, sky lights, floor-to-ceiling windows, and 270-degree forward view out to sea was a perfect venue for afternoon tea or quiet contemplation, while the dark wood panelling the intimate piano bar, Avenue Saloon, was the perfect setting for pre and post-dinner cocktails and late night listening.
As for entertainment, the comfort of the Galaxy Lounge proved ideal for first-class performances, the Hollywood Theatre for movies and lectures, and the new Casino de Monte-Carlo to try your luck.
Crystal Symphony’s all-suite accommodations offer different categories, including single occupancy for solo travellers. The style is contemporary and chic with artisanal features and a high level of comfort and amenities. Many of the spacious rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light and open onto private verandas.
Onboard butler service ensured personalized service with grace, diplomacy and attention to detail. Throughout the ship, impeccable service and a high crew-to-passenger ratio were delivered with genuine warmth, a hallmark of intimate and luxurious Crystal Cruises DNA
Wellness cruising is definitely in vogue, and more importantly… it works! My time aboard Crystal Symphony drained my stress as I succumbed to the rhythmic movement of the waves.
Ready to book? Crystal Cruises are offering comprehensive wellness retreats in 2025, itineraries and dates can be found at www.crystalcruises.com
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Author Bio: Jane Wilson, The Wellness Traveller
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Photos courtesy of Crystal Cruises
