News Article

Lotus Spas Pamper Princess Passengers
Asian-Style Spa Experience Offers Relaxation, Rejuvenation, Fitness

Colorful Asian-inspired designs, a tranquil environment and exotic therapies transport passengers to a relaxing retreat aboard each Princess ship -- in the vessel's signature Lotus Spa?. With a menu of dozens of calming and rejuvenating treatments, the Lotus Spa experience has come to be one of the highlights of many passengers' Princess vacation.

First introduced aboard Golden Princess in 2001, the Lotus Spa concept is featured in state-of-the-art facilities designed to give passengers the opportunity to renew mind, body and spirit. The Asian-influenced spas offer a full range of body and facial treatments, relaxing steam and sauna facilities, and a salon featuring hair and nail services. The facilities also offer extensive fitness spaces with the latest exercise machines and group classes designed to give passengers the opportunity to stay in shape or start a new regime on their vacation.

Lotus Spa treatments may be reserved prior to the cruise through Princess' innovative Cruise Personalizer. Princess pioneered pre-reservation capability with the debut of Caribbean Princess in 2004, and the service has now been expanded fleet wide. This unique service makes booking spa appointments as simple as entering in a name and booking number and choosing from a menu of services that includes massages, body treatments, facials, hair and nail options. Passengers without Internet access can call 1-800-PRINCESS to reserve treatments.

Spa Treatment Options

Princess' Lotus Spas feature a relaxing atmosphere and treatments inspired by ancient therapies and rituals from the Far East and the most contemporary Western technologies. Highlights include a series of unique spa and beauty treatments to pamper guests including Aroma Stone Therapy, Absolute Spa Ritual (which includes a Deep Tissue Muscle Massage and Pro-Collagen Marine Facial), Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow with Massage, and a couples massage in the suite reserved for two. Other favorites include Oxydermy Facial, Deep Tissue Muscle Massage and body wraps such as the Aroma Spa Seaweed Massage.

The extensive spa facilities include sauna, steam rooms, and a thermal suite. A communal relaxation center, the thermal suite offers different grottos and chambers that release a variety of dry heat, steam and mists into the air with aromatherapy filled vapors. Spa goers can relax on a warm stone bed designed to make the pressures of life melt away. Use of the thermal suite is included in spa treatments, and daily and weekly passes are also available. A number of ships also feature a rasul room in which couples can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of steam and dry heat in a private climate-controlled treatment suite with mud for self-application.

The spa's salon offers hand and foot pampering with choices such as the Exotic Hand Ritual, Sole Delight Foot Treatment, paraffin wax dips, plus a variety of other manicure and pedicure choices. Hair cut, coloring, styling options and teeth whitening round out the salon options.

Male visitors to the spa will enjoy the "Time for Men" menu featuring comfortable, fuss-free services. The Barber on Board program lets men settle back in a comfortable barber station where they can indulge in luxurious shaves, as well as soothing face and scalp massages. Other pampering options for men include special hair care, facials and body treatments that appeal to male passengers.

In addition, teens will find a selection of spa treatment options just for them with the YSPA program, especially for ages 13 to 17. Whether they opt to escape from school stress with a Heavenly Massage or enjoy a Fabulous Fruity Facial, teens can indulge in spa treatments alone (if 16 or older with parental permission) or choose some bonding time with a Mother and Daughter Paradise Massage, or Father and Son Chill Out Massage.

Fitness

Lotus Spa also offers guests an exclusive fitness program focusing on three vital components of balanced health called Core.Balance.Strength., which is designed to help guests maximize their wellness potential by focusing on these three fitness components, each with a series of corresponding classes. The Core component is designed to create a strong foundation on which to build, and is based primarily of the principles of Pilates and correct postural alignment. Balance focuses on centering both mind and body, and features fusion yoga classes. Strength includes a high-energy mixture of both strength and cardio classes designed to get the heart racing and the endorphins flowing.

As part of the program, passengers who've dreamed of bicycling in the famed Tour de France can now get a taste of the action with a new Tour de Spin program, offered as part of the strength course options, which will benefit LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Riders who complete the three stages of the program -- Les Alps, featuring multi-level resistance; Time Trial, a fast interval workout; and Alp D'Huez, a mind/body climb -- will receive one of the foundation's famous yellow wristbands.

More advanced options available on many ships include one-on-one training, body composition analysis and a Chakra balancing capsule. Teen options include a Fitness Frenzy option to help keep younger cruisers in shape away from their school gym with three specialized boot camp classes and a personalized metabolism test.

Princess' larger vessels also feature a popular swim-against-the-current spa pool in which swimmers can test their endurance against an adjustable current for a workout that can equal many laps in a traditional pool.

Lotus Spa Fitness facilities are available with supervision between 7 am and 10 pm, while spa facilities and treatments are available 12 hours each day.