Best time to book a spa treatment

[SFLcruiser]

I notice in my cruise planner that there are various discounts for spa treatments depending on what day and time you book ie: cruising days are more expensive than port days.

 

I remember on Oasis last year they offered $99 for 6 mini treatments on the last cruising day.

 

Will there be better discounts offered on board? Or like with everything else, is the best discount offered pre cruise?

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

You will almost always get the best deals in the spa on port days.  Since [nearly] everyone is off the ship they don't have much business on port days so they usually run specials at that time.

 

So, if you are going to a port where you are indifferent about getting off or you get off early and return early enough to go to an afternoon appointment at the spa, you can save on treatments while the ship is in port.

 

Twice I have gotten the 20/20/20 special ($129) which are 3, 20 minute treatments.  They have a list of treatments and you pick which 3 you want (I usually get a mini-facial, neck and back massage and foot and ankle massage).  I cannot tell you how much of a savings this is (I don't recall how much these treatments are, individually) but I always think I'm getting a bargain (I couldn't prove it !).

 

As with all ship spas, they will try and sell you potions and ointments so if you're not interested in the hard sell, just tell them up front that you're not going to be purchasing any products and that will generally preclude any problems when it comes time for them to try and sell you something.  It's much easier to cut them off at the pass than to try and stop the hard sell once they get started....

[Matt]

I agree with Raye, I find the best deals available onboard when the ship is in port.  

 

Spa discounts online are kind of a new thing, and there are some savings to be had.  It just seems like onboard they are more "creative" with the discounts.

[DocLC]

Royal also has some pretty aggressive spa pricing on the boarding day.  We did a couples massage at sail away for 30% off and enjoy it very much.

[cruise-y]

I love a spa treatment.  And yes, it is a lot more expensive on a cruise than in your hometown.  For sure it is more expensive on sea days, but if you book in advance (before you sail) you can assure a spot.  When you are sun-scorched and wrinkly from jet skis and hiking, it is nice to have a moisturizer and softener.  Be careful of the up-sell, though.   I like Waaaytooo's advice to tell them upfront you don't want to buy extras, although I'm always worried they will shortchange my service if I tell them that.  My gripe with RCL is that even though they automatically add 18% (which is fine) they also expect you to add an additional trip.   After the treatment they stand there and watch you sign the tab and it can be intimidating to cross through that extra tip line.  I guess I'm a pushover and next time I will need to grow a backbone.

[Matt]

My gripe with RCL is that even though they automatically add 18% (which is fine) they also expect you to add an additional tip.  

I don't believe they expect you to do that. There is the option, but 18% gratuity is more than adequate gratuity for a spa treatment.  You can certainly tip more if you feel the masseuse was very good, or did something extra to make you feel more relaxed/feel better, but that's at your discretion.  

[DocLC]

As Matt said, you're not obligated to tip more; however, some of the staff do apply more pressure to tip additional then others. For example, when we booked an extensive spa treatment at 30% off, the person kept reminding us that the tip was based on the discounted price, heavily implying that we should tip additional. Normally I would as I to additional at happy hour or when there are drink specials; however, I didn't feel it was warranted here.

 

Note, however, that this doesn't happen all of the time. There have been others times when a tip wasn't even mentioned even when booking at a discount.

[cruise-y]

I really, really, really did feel extra pressure to add more than the 18% on RCCL.  And I didn't feel that at all on Oceania.  I'm just being honest here.  At the spa on RCCL, the tech stood right over me while I signed the tab.  She watched every single pen stroke.  Talk about intimidating.  At the bar on RCCL, the bartender clearly... clearly... gave better/faster service to those who added an additional tip.   I saw a guy wait 20 minutes for drinks while others were constantly served ahead of him, only because they tipped extra.   The suite and wait staff put big envelopes on our pillows and on our MDR dinner plates for extra tips.  You felt like a schmuck if you didn't add more than the automatic 18%.

 

On Oceania, there isn't even a line on the bar or spa tab to add an extra tip. You have to go out of your way to add it.  Nobody stood over us.  Nobody ever left us an extra envelope. Nobody provided better service than normal.  It was much more relaxing.  I'm sure we paid more for the basic price, but honestly, for me it was worth it.

 

I guess you can ignore the pressure.  I'm just too much of a chicken.

[DocLC]

Keep in mind that Oceania is a very different cruise line and is consider an upper scale cruise line with fares that usual reflect this.

 

I've only had three spa treatments on Royal and it was only on the last experience I mentioned above that there was any expectation of an additional tip. I've never felt that way at bars even when on a drink package and always received excellent service. I did tip additional after a few days as I was receiving stellar service, but I never felt obligated to do so.