The Unexpected Reason A Cruise Spa Treatment Is Not Worth Splurging On

A cruise on the vast ocean, stopping in far-flung ports of call ... does it get any better than that? You have no place to be, no work to do, and lots of time to relax. It's an absolute joy, but it can also be really expensive, especially if you're dealing with add-on items like drinks, laundry services, or activities. However, there are tricks you can use, like doing your cruise laundry yourself if there is self-service or booking the cruise early to save money. Then there are essential tips like turning on airplane mode on your phone to avoid expensive surprise bills. One more unexpected cost-cutting thing you can do is to skip the ship's massage table and spa treatments. 

But wait, you might be thinking, "I'm on vacation, and I want to be pampered! What's wrong with that?" It makes sense that you'd want to squeeze every possible relaxation moment out of your trip, and that's wonderful. However, cruise ship spa treatments come at a hiked-up premium cost, and since they're the only place "in town," as it were, they don't have to lower prices to compete with anyone. You're a captive audience, and you're going to be paying for it. That said, there is a nifty tip that will allow you to loosen those muscles and turn yourself into a puddle of jelly without paying high prices on the high seas. 

You're already paying a lot for your cruise, and a massage or spa treatment can add quite a bit to the budget. As of this writing, a 75-minute massage at the Disney Senses Spa is around $200. One at Norwegian Cruise Lines' Mandara Spa can be between $150 and $180 for 50 minutes, and 75 minutes at the Royal Caribbean Spa and Wellness facility will come to over $150. That doesn't include the expected tip, which is between 15% and 20%. (Check your bill before you pay, as some places will add on a 20% gratuity automatically.)

Plus, the therapists or front desk staff will likely try to upsell you products or other services. While that is common at spas, you may have had a glass of vacation champagne (or three), and your chilled-out brain may not be doing the math post-massage. It may be a better call to hit the spa at home when you truly need a break from your everyday life rather than a break from ... well, relaxing.

However, there are a couple of ways to save money if you really want a massage or treatment while you're on your cruise vacation. First, if you decide not to exit the ship and visit one of the port cities, some cruise ship spas will give a discount since most of the passengers are on land. Another idea is to get a massage inside the port city itself. That way, the money you're spending is going to the local economy — plus, the treatments might cost much less than those available aboard the ship. Do a little research on the city and its best spas that won't break the bank.