Heading out on your first cruise? With all you hear about eating and drinking on a ship, you may be concerned about staying fit. Well, there's nothing to worry about if you practice a little self-discipline.
Cruise lines today are catering to fitness enthusiasts and emphasizing wellness more than ever. If you’re a gym rat, hooked on your daily fitness fix (like I am at Crunch in Los Angeles), you'll find it easy to maintain your routine on a cruise — provided you can leave your deck lounge or the bar long enough!
From fitness centers to exercise classes
Just about every ship now sports fully equipped fitness centers, jogging tracks and even personal trainers to keep you fit afloat. Exercise classes are especially popular, including the popular Zumba, Pilates, yoga, spinning, cardio and more. And if, like me, you enjoy a steam, sauna or massage after your workout, there are even shipboard spas for that. All ships also have salons for hair care, nails and some even offer various cellulite and Botox treatments.
Cruise ship fitness centers vary in sizes, usually depending on the size of the vessel. The bigger the boat, the more room for the gym. More passengers than ever before use the fitness centers, so it’s sometimes difficult to get on a treadmill, bike or other equipment, but there is a 30-minute limit when people are waiting. We found the best times to go to the gym is when lunch or dinner is about to begin because people are busy getting ready to eat or have evening cocktails. The fitness centers and spas are also less jammed when ships are in port.
Here’s a rundown on the fitness facilities and spas that I've personally tested — in many cases more than once:
Crystal Cruises
Crystal's Crystal Symphony and Serenity sport top-notch spas and fitness centers with Technogym treadmills. These facilities generally offer views of the sea, free weights, lots of machines and one of the most comprehensive schedule of exercise classes afloat. There is also a great jogging track, paddle tennis course and golf driving cages as well as large pools for lap swimming.
This is one cruise line that offers plenty of free exercise classes, such as:
- Chi-Energizing
- Tour de Spin Indoor Cycling
- Step Harmony
- Aerobic Symphony
- Pilates (mat-based)
- Pathway to Yoga
- Body Sculpt/Core Conditioning
- Lower Body Workout (Bums, Tums and Thighs)
- Circuit Training
- Stretching
- Gym Orientation
- Gym Equipment Demonstration
- Aqua Aerobics (offered occasionally)
Crystal also holds free seminars to keep you motivated, such as:
- Slimming and Nutrition
- Back & Joint Care
- Introduction to Pilates
- Detox for Weight Loss
Crystal doesn't charge for exercise classes or seminars. There are personal trainers and body fat assessments available for a fee.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises' latest mantra is, “Chart a course for body & mind renewal…” It’s easy to stay in shape on any of its popular ships, which all sport exceptional fitness centers, Promenade decks for walking or running, jogging tracks, large pools and signature Lotus spas, which are usually located on the upper decks. There is also a luxurious spa-inspired top deck retreat, reserved just for adults: The Sanctuary features plush lounge furniture, steward service, soothing music, healthy beverages and spa fare, and even open-air massages in your own private cabana! Guests can enjoy free use of the fitness center, with lots of workouts from aerobics to Zumba, but there's an extra charge for specialty classes such as Pilates. Separately, the newer Sanctuary Collection provides exclusive spaces on select new ships. Prices vary by ship. Princess ships also sport good jogging tracks and large pools.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises offers a mix of complimentary daily classes plus premium fee-based formats (RYDE cycling, HIIT, boxing, bungee-fit, and F45 on select ships). AquaClass includes a limited number of complimentary fitness classes depending on cruise length. Pricing varies by ship and sailing, but paid group classes on Celebrity commonly run around $20–$25 per session, with multi-day class passes priced by cruise length (recent onboard menus and passenger reports commonly show about $39 for a 3-day pass and about $69 for 5–7 days, with longer ‘unlimited’ passes sometimes around $99 on longer itineraries).
Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises has fitness centers on all its ships. The Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center is a standout for health-minded travelers. Expect a state-of-the-art fitness center and a schedule that commonly includes sunrise yoga, boot camp, core conditioning, and other group classes—plus personal training options. Group fitness classes at Aquamar are complimentary. There is no charge to use the fitness facilities; spa treatments are extra, of course.
Regent Seven Seas
Ultra-luxury line Regent Seven Seas’ onboard wellness is anchored by Serene Spa & Wellness plus well-equipped fitness centers across the fleet. In addition to spa services, ships offer fitness facilities and (on many ships) dedicated outdoor activity spaces like jogging tracks and sports areas so you can keep up your walking/running routine at sea. My most recent experience was on Seven Seas Mariner, where I found the fitness center to be adequately stocked but often crowded.
One of our Cruise Ambassadors recently sailed on Seven Seas Explorer, with its modern Fitness Center, featuring Lifecycles, free weights, striders, StairMasters, treadmills, weight benches, a Nautilus machine, workout mats and step benches. Fitness experts lead popular exercise classes, such as Pilates, yoga and aerobics, and they're on hand to offer advice and demonstrate the use of fitness equipment.
Seabourn
Seabourn, the small luxury cruise line, operates intimate all-suite ships equipped with medium-sized but well-stocked fitness centers and super spas with ace therapists (massages and facials have always proved to be fantastic on these ships). Seabourn’s wellness offering is built around Spa & Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil, emphasizing mindful practices and a holistic approach (mind/body) alongside traditional spa, salon, and fitness services. Look for programming tied to mindful living and restorative wellness in addition to standard gym access. All spas have free saunas; steam baths, however, come with a usage fee. There are jogging tracks on the top decks.
Silversea
Aboard another luxury cruise line, Silversea, all of its ships have fitness and Wellness Centers with all the necessary equipment and free classes. Silversea’s wellness experience is centered on Otium (spa/wellness), paired with onboard fitness services. The Otium concept emphasizes relaxation and indulgent recovery, while still supporting an active routine through fitness facilities onboard.
Intimate spas on board are staffed by top-notch therapists, and you'll have free run of the steams and saunas. In addition to the head-to-toe pampering possibilities, Silversea offers anti-aging and medi services such as acupuncture, Botox and other fillers. We had one of the best Pilates instructors ever on a 28-day Los Angeles to New Zealand cruise and some of the best facials and massages on that one and other voyages. You'll find jogging tracks on the top decks. Personal trainers are available for a fee.
Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises is a strong option for active travelers thanks to a small-ship feel, open-deck ambiance, and itineraries that lend themselves to outdoor activity. Windstar has also introduced wellness-themed voyages featuring hosted programming such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork on select sailings.
Windstar’s spa retreats in each ship's WindSpa offer a pampered experience on board with massage, aromatic spa baths, facials, and hair and nail care. I had an excellent pedicure during a Tahitian cruise. You can also get plenty of exercise from the ships’ water sports platforms: stern-mounted “marinas” where you can dive off the ship to snorkel, kayak or windsurf on free equipment. There’s also scuba diving for an added fee.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line offers a wide mix of onboard fitness classes (e.g., yoga, Pilates, cycling, boot camp) plus package options, including class passes sold pre-cruise/onboard (often structured as multi-class or “unlimited” formats by sailing length). Its fitness centers on the majority of its fleet are some of the biggest and best equipped, though some popular classes such as Pilates, yoga and cycling come with a fee — which doesn’t stop the true fitness fanatics among us. Ships also have volleyball and basketball courts, big pools, and top spas offering the gamut of treatments plus beauty seminars on everything from makeup application to secrets of a flatter tummy.
Holland America Line
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Holland America’s onboard fitness centers are included at no extra cost, with a mix of cardio/weights and professionally staffed spaces. Many sailings also offer add-on classes (e.g., indoor cycling, Pilates) while the Greenhouse Spa & Salon focuses on recovery and relaxation.
Workout tip
If you plan to use the fitness facilities, you should bring a proper pair of sports shoes, shorts or warm-up clothing, and earbuds if you want to watch TV, movies or listen to music. Cruise lines such as Crystal, Seabourn, Regent and Silversea provide free earphones along with bottled water and towels. Other lines either sell water or have fountains to drink from.
Want to cruise on one of these lines?
Does an active cruise on any of these cruise lines look tempting? Contact a Cruiseable travel advocate and our Business Department will make sure you get the lowest price, the best value and all the perks. Call us at 1-877-322-3773 to speak to an expert travel professional, or send us a query.
Prices shown are typical onboard rates and can vary by ship, itinerary, and sailing date.
In our series Wellness & Fitness
- 7 ways to keep fit on your next cruise
- Cruise ship spas: What to expect & what they cost
- Top spas at luxury cruise lines
- Lotus Spa: Try a massage with bamboo, hot stones — or chocolate
- 12 reasons a cruise is a healthy vacation choice
- Seabourn amps up its wellness & fitness offerings
- Getting sick on a cruise ship
