For stress-free travel, cruising the high seas is hard to beat. Wherever you want to explore – from New Zealand’s striking landscapes to the sun-soaked islands of Fiji, the magnificent gorges of the Kimberley or the under-the-radar islands of Indonesia – travelling by ship is the easy way to see it all.
A new generation of vessels is riding the wellness wave, luring passengers with onboard offerings designed to leave you in better shape than when you arrived.
1. Hike in The Kimberley
Explore the breathtaking landscapes of the Kimberley with boutique company Coral Expeditions, which mixes up its on-water explorations with shore excursions, where you can visit indigenous art galleries and towering waterfalls. Climbing and clambering through the rock formations at places like Red Cone Creek is a chance to discover some secret spots including hidden swimming holes.
3. Cycle on the riverbank
Celebrity Cruises isn’t the only cruise line to realise that their passengers are no longer content with just kicking back on their sun loungers by the pool drinking cocktails. Sign up for a holiday with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, which runs river cruises in Europe, Asia, Egypt and South America, and you can participate in daily classes, such as yoga and Pilates, as well as fun shore excursions designed to keep your fitness levels up.
“A lot of our clients are very sporty and want a very active form of holiday,” says Alice Ager, Uniworld’s managing director for Australia and NZ.
“Our itineraries include hikes and the chance to disembark the ship and ride a bicycle along the riverbank to meet the ship in the next location.”
3. Jump into a Bungee class
With Virgin Voyages you’ll find plenty of excursions that’ll keep your heart rate up, whether it’s hiking active volcanoes in the Greek Islands, kayaking in the Mediterranean or biking in the South of France.
Onboard facilities include basketball courts and punching bags on the pool deck alongside more standard gym spaces. If you like to try out new classes, there are many to choose from, including the On-the-Upswing Bungee class, where you strap yourself into some bungee cords and follow a sequence of jumps, lunges and dances.
Then there’s VHS, or Video Headbands Simmons – an 80s-inspired class that’s held in the ship’s nightclub rather than the gym. Named after flamboyant fitness personality Richard Simmons, it’s endlessly entertaining and also a great chance to let loose and meet new people.
4. Brave Nordic bathing
A different approach to wellness is on display at Viking Cruises. Drawing inspiration from the company’s Scandinavian heritage, Viking ships offer a Nordic bathing experience. Moving between a sauna, a cold pool and a snow grotto – all made of natural materials including teak, black slate and fragrant juniper wood – passengers can experience the invigorating effects of hot and cold therapy. The ritual is said to improve circulation. It's available on the Octantis, Viking Star and Viking Sea ships.
5. Eat vegan
Vegan (or vegan wannabee) travellers will find themselves well looked after by cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises and boutique company Azamara Cruises, where the extensive vegan menus include dishes such as tempura mushrooms with cauliflower purée, and a green minestrone enriched with flavoursome herbs.
6. Learn yoga on deck
Get your downward dog on the right way on Uniworld’s 13-day India’s Golden Triangle & Sacred Ganges trip, which includes a yoga-based wellness program and six tranquil days cruising along the Ganges River. Ayurvedic treatments are also available.
7. Trek to Komodo dragons
A cruise through Bali, Komodo and Flores aboard a ship like the Ombak Putih, a traditional Indonesian schooner that sleeps 24 people, allows you to enjoy adventures that take you way beyond the everyday.
There are treks to tropical waterfalls and remote villages, where you’ll be greeted like an honoured guest, as well as expeditions in search of Komodo dragons. There’s also plenty of time to check out the area’s beaches and coral reefs, with kayaks and stand-up paddleboards ready for use. There are even opportunities to snorkel with turtles and, if you’re lucky, with the extraordinary whale sharks.
8. Experience cold-water therapy
Staying closer to home, breathe in some of the purest air around with Tasmania’s On Board Expedition Cruises, aboard a catamaran with just six cabins. Their cruises explore Tasmania’s southwestern wilderness, an area largely unmarred by tracks and trails, which makes this a cruise where you can really get away from it all.
“These landscapes are so jaw-droppingly beautiful, they have an effect on people,” says On Board’s Alice van der Woude. “It can be quite emotional for people.”
On Board’s Tasmanian cruises, which run between November and May, don’t always follow a set route. No matter where the itinerary takes you, she says, one thing is guaranteed: being surrounded by nature will have a calming effect.
On Board recently introduced a new itinerary specifically for those looking to recalibrate both body and mind. The Port Davey Wild Wellness expedition is a three-day trip that’s designed to go deep. Using principles from the Wim Hof breathing method, the program incorporates exercises using breathwork, a proven way to calm the nervous system. Additional activities include journalling sessions and, for those who feel up to the challenge, some cold body work, plunging into the cool southwestern waters.
Whether or not you opt for the full immersion, a healthy hit of nature never goes astray. “We want you to get out and get amongst it,” says Alice. “Get your feet dirty, get a little muddy – just switch off and be present.”
9. Relax with crystals
Sail on a cutting-edge ship, like Celebrity Edge by Celebrity Cruises, and you can dive into an extensive activity program that includes classes in boxing, cycling and meditation, alongside seminars on traditional Chinese medicine.
If you're looking to try something new, sign up for posture analysis, delve into mindfulness with a colouring session, or take your travel companion to a couples’ massage class.
Need to take some time out? Hit the SEA Thermal Suite. Try a rather different setting for your mindfulness practice in the crystalarium or salt rooms.
Celebrity Cruises says the crystalarium is “a beautiful refuge of natural stone walls, featuring a healing Amethyst crystal. The element of Earth emanates a luminous vibrancy while the crystal serves as the conduit for natural healing energy.”
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