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Day 10: Something about Hari...and a few wellness tips
April 9, 2011
Day 9: A tour with the chef
April 8, 2011
Day 8: Impressed with Los Cabos' One & Only Palmilla
April 7, 2011
Day 7: Spa at Sea
April 6, 2011
Day 6: Shore Excursion: The Malecon of Le Paz
April 5, 2011
Day 5: Trying to Stay Fit on Ship
April 4, 2011
Day 4: A few images from the ship
April 3, 2011
Day 3: Lecture at Sea: Keri Glassman on Living a Nutritious Life.
April 2, 2011
Day 2: A Wide Range of Fitness Activities, an International Staff, Internet Challenges and the Wellness Component of Craps.
April 1, 2011
Day 1: My Wellness Cruise Aboard the Crystal Symphony
March 31, 2011
DAY 1 OF MY WELLNESS CRUISE ABOARD THE CRYSTAL SYMPOHONY
March 31, 2011
It’s 3:30 p.m. and the Crystal Symphony is still docked in San Pedro, California (about a 40- minute drive from Los Angeles). I’m sipping champagne and nibbling on caviar brought to our 10th deck penthouse suite by David our butler. It’s hard to think of this as “work.” But it is a Mind, Body & Soul - themed cruise – a perfect fit for the wellness-minded cruise enthusiast - so here I am for the next 10 days sailing south to the Mexican Riviera.
Our penthouse suite is a tad smaller than I thought it would be (remember I am a cruise newbie and have nothing to compare it to), but it’s very comfortable and as beautifully appointed as the rest of the ship. It also comes with all the amenities one would expect from a five-star ship including king-sized bed, balcony, sitting area, wireless Internet, a walk-in closet (with more wooden hangers then you’d find in any five-star hotel), a plasma-screen TV, a whirlpool bath, double sinks, separate shower stall, luxury linens and even a pillow menu. I’d post images but, at this moment, the Internet is a wee bit sluggish.
I’m impressed with the luxurious look and feel of the furnishings and fabrics and with the generous variety of Aveda bath amenities in containers double the size of those you’d find in a hotel.
At 4:15 p.m. I’m pulled away from the suite to “muster” on deck with all the other cruise ship guests – all of us wearing life jackets in a mandatory emergency drill. Safety comes first, we’re told.
Staff – like David – have so far has been incredible - totally five star. Passenger demographic skews a bit older than I’d expected and many, unlike myself, are savvy, long-time cruisers. One couple from Washington, D.C. told me they’d been on more than 50 cruises.
By 5:30 p.m. the ship is gently pulling away from dock and we are heading south toward Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta.
Following dinner, I set my watch for the next time zone and call it an early night, for tomorrow is packed with a variety of Mind, Body & Spirit activities. And, there is an entire 238 metre (781 feet) of luxury ship to explore.
DAY 2: A Wide Range of Fitness Activities, an International Staff, Internet Challenges and the Wellness Component of Craps.
March 31, 2011
Fitness classes on ship begin early each morning as they might at a wellness resort or health spa. Between 7:30 and 10:00 there are seven guided classes including a morning fitness walk around the deck, Nordic Walking, Yoga, Tai Chi, Spin, Zumba and Stretch.
There’s another round of fitness classes scheduled each afternoon.
My personal morning work out today has been simply walking up, down and around this luxury, mid-sized ship to familiarizing myself with its many features and amenities like the well-stocked Library with a wide range of books, magazines, movies and CDs; the many restaurants and lounges; the theatre and the casino. I’m keeping the spa for another day.
We’re at sea as I write this. From my stateroom balcony - as far as the eye can see – there is nothing but water. We’re scheduled to arrive in Puerto Vallarta on Sunday. It’s a destination I’ve visited a number of times over the years and I hadn’t planned to disembark, but Internet access onboard is a challenge for someone like me who needs to work everyday – yes, even while on a wellness cruise.
I’m sure it’s an inherent condition of simply being “at sea” but the connection is not high-speed and access is expensive. If you pay-as-you-go it’s .75 a minute! A $50 package buys you two hours of Internet time, it’s $300 for 25 hours.
I’ll be disembarking in Puerto Vallarta not to stroll the wide waterfront Maleçon (boardwalk) of that lovely Mexican Riviera town, but to find an Internet café. Travel writing and being the editor of a travel magazine may seem the glamorous jobs – and they do come with some degree of glamour and privilege - but at the end of the day Internet access is a tool of the trade and must have.
It’s mid-morning when we hear the announcement over the ship’s loudspeakers that there will be a fire and lifeboat drill for staff. At the time, I’m sitting chatting with Josef Matt, Hotel Director of the Crystal Symphony and a 17-year veteran of the company. Safety aboard ship, he says, is “a top priority.” He says the ship conducts a mandatory 45- minute drill every five to seven days.
Matt tells me that one of the things that make this “six-star luxury” ship special is the crew. On this particular cruise there are 570 crew members to about 800 guests – about 1 crew member to 1.65 guests.
As we chat, he multitasks by accepting calls and in-person reports from department heads updating him on the status of their stations. Life boat and fire drills are taken very seriously, he says, and every staff member, unless they are “excused” to carry on with essential services, must participate.
Matt tells me there is an international staff representing about 45 different countries. My butler David, for instance is from Chile; Priscilla and Carole, my stateroom stewardesses, are from Peru and South Africa, respectively..
And, why the Body, Body & Spirit theme? “It helps keep people fit and healthy,” he says. Rich Conti, a croupier in the casino tells me that even playing at the Craps Table can have a wellness component: “You get exercise from rolling the dice, and the money you win can be used at the spa.”
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony, 2011
DAY 3: Lecture at Sea: Keri Glassman on Living a Nutritious Life. April 2, 2011
One of the things I’m loving about this Mind, Body, Spirit themed cruise on the Crystal Symphony is the number, variety and quality of workshops and lectures.
This morning, author, TV personality and NYC-based nutrition consultant Kari Glassman presented a lecture on Living a Nutritious Life.
Off the top, she tells the audience of about 50 to 60 cruise ship guests who are attending this free lecture that “living a nutritious life is not ONLY about diet.” It’s not only about diet, I soon learn, it’s hardly even about food. Like Ayurveda and other lifestyle disciplines, Glassman takes the whole-person approach to health and wellness - sleeping, drinking, exercise and all the other components of living that make us all-round healthy persons.
Sometimes, she says, food is the last thing you need to worry about. And, throw out the term “will power,” she says, “it implies negative energy and is, in itself, stressful.
Here, along with her tips and advice, are Glassman’s eight cornerstones of living nutritiously:
1. Exercise Steady: A steady and regular routine is more important that binge exercising. Benefits include helping you sleep, helping to fight depression, releasing endorphins, increasing muscle mass which increases metabolism which helps you loose or maintain a healthy weight. Exercise should be a combo of strength training, stretching and cardio. But she cautions that exercise alone does not do that much for weight control.
2. Stress Less: Among other things stress hormones can lead to headaches, fatigue, weight gain and increased risk for depression. Her “stress less” tips include: exercise consistently, breathe properly, take at least five minutes every day to meditate, take a walk around the block, get six to eight hours of sleep every night.
3. Drink up: Proper hydration raises metabolism slightly and improves focus and energy level. Glassman recommends eight glasses of water plus two glasses of green tea each day. She admits she also drinks coffee and alcohol and, both, she says, (in moderation) can be good for you. Another thing to consider, she points out, is that sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger so drink up before opening the refrigerator.
4. Sleep Deep Sleep is a “huge component” of living a healthy life and sleep deprivation can even increases the risk of obesity. She tells the audience here on Crystal to think of sleep as they think of blueberries. “Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals, and during sleep we release hormones that act as antioxidants,” she says. From hence the term “beauty sleep.” Not sleeping properly also increases hunger the next day. (Let’s add to that irritability, which does nothing for our sense of well-being. )
5. Eat Empowered: Forget the term “will power.” Look at the benefits of food and eat positively as opposed to negatively. For instance, eat avocado, because of its healthy fats and fibre plus it’s good for skin. “Indulge in a conscious manner.” she says. Sure, she tells this group that has easy access to edible temptations almost round the clock on the ship, “go ahead and enjoy that cookie or piece of chocolate cake, just make sure the choice in a conscious one. You control the food, don’t let the food control you.” Start telling yourself you can have anything you want then empower yourself to make the right choices. For breakfast she strongly recommends a combo of protein and fibre to lay down a good foundation for the day and get the metabolism going.
6. Your world: Your world encompasses the environment in which you live and breathe. From green and sustainable practices, to light and colour – it all can effect mood and how you eat. Vibrant colours like orange and red, for instance, make us want to eat faster and consumer greater amounts.. Blues and purples influence us to eat slower and less. Reorganizing your refrigerator can have an effect on how we eat. For instance, she says, “put those veggies up front and centre, cleaned, washed sliced and diced. Make them easy to see and easy to munch on.” A clean and organized bedroom can help you sleep better just like a clean and orderly home can help productivity and reduce stress.
7. Sex Ed: “Sex releases hormones that act as natural antioxidant,” says Glassman. Even intimate acts such as snuggling or hand holding can reduce blood pressure.
8. Pamper Thyself: “Taking care of yourself leads to distressing” she tells an audience made up of mostly 60 plus who are certainly pampering themselves by booking this cruise. “Spend time with people you like, have a massage (which has its own benefits), take care of your skin – you feel better when you look better.”
At the end of the session, guests swarm around to ask question and she patiently takes the time to answer each and every one. When someone mentions conflicting information out there she admits that new studies and the results of ongoing scientific research can be confusing. “Be aware,” she says, “but be realistic and be as balance as possible your given situation. And, don’t stress about every single food decision.”
Find more information from Keri Glassman on living a nutritious life.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 5: Trying to Stay Fit on Ship.
April 4, 2011
It’s 7 a.m. on the Crystal Symphony and a lovely time to go for a run at sea. The raising sun in still low on the horizon, the sea air is fresh and invigorating and the cooling breeze is so loud as it whips around the Forward of the ship that thru my earphones I can hardly hear Tina Turner belting out the words of Rollin’ on the River.
Joining me this morning on Deck 7 is a handful of cruise guests participating in the daily Walk on Water class. Three point seven times around the deck is about one mile and the spring-board, wooden track (less pressure on the knees) makes it a great place to run.
SRO is the name of one of the very professional and glitzy nightly stage shows in the ship's theatre, but this morning the Stretch Class could also be called Standing Room Only. The small studio space that is part of the gym is packed and all the yoga mats have been spoken for but I do manage to find myself a small slice of floor to partake of the class led by Rob Whelan, one of two onboard fitness directors.
“Stretch class is always very popular,” he tells me. “Not only the group classes (scheduled at least once a day and more often during the Mind, Body, Spirit themed programs) but the one-on-one sessions.” The former manager of a fitness centre in Dublin, Ireland, Whelan has been in the fitness industry for the last eight years.
He says there are scheduled fitness activities – Yoga, Pilates and Spinning, for instance – on every cruise but for the Mind, Body, Spirit programs they add classes such as Zumba and Tai Chi and the regular classes are offered more frequently. “For this cruise, we also brought a paddle tennis Wimbledon champion on board,” he says.
Before heading to the stretch class I head back to my state room for a handful of almonds and a banana. I love that every day – so far - the fruit platter is refreshed with fresh grapes, plums, apples, tangerines… lot of variety.
Now it’s off to squeeze in an abs class before the ship docks at Le Paz. I’ve never been to Le Paz so I’m anxious to see what the town offers.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 6: Shore Excursion: The Malecon of Le Paz
April 5, 2011
The name means, “place of peace” and if for no other reason, Le Paz, Baja California seemed the perfect stop for Crystal Symphony’s 10-day Body, Mind & Spirit Cruise.
There’s a kayaking excursion being offered but I’m concerned about spending that much time in the mid-day, Mexican sun so I opt for a stroll along the town’s Maleçon.
The broad and paved boardwalk that follows the shoreline is similar to Puerto Vallarta’s famed Maleçon in look and feel but without all the shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants built up around it. For shopping, Puerto Vallarta is definitely the better choice.
But the Malecon here in Le Paz is definitely worth the hour-or-so it takes to stroll and enjoy its works of art.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 7: Spa at Sea
April 6, 2011
The Crystal Symphony has already docked in Cabo San Lucas when I check into the spa. The days that a ship is “in port” are generally the “best value days” at a ship’s spa. “That’s when we offer Spa Tasters and Mix-and-Match Packages,” says spa director Camilla Edin.
Today, the Port Day Indulgence is two of any four selected 25-minute treatments for $109. I selected the Deep Tissue Muscle Massage (50 minutes for $141) and I’m glad I did - not just for the massage (which was terrific) but for the opportunity to meet Hari Amador, a massage therapist from Singapore who shared many of his wellness tips and philosophies of life with me. (More on that later.)
First a tour. I’m early for my appointment and sitting in the spa’s reception area on the ship’s top deck (Deck 12 ), I can feel the boat gently rocking – like a cradle, a very nurturing feel.
Edin tells me that Sea Days are the busiest at the spa and that’s why they offer the specials on Port Days, because they help keep spa staff occupied on days when the ship is docked.
A massage therapist from Stockholm, Sweden, Edin has been working with Steiner spas (operators of spas on Crystal Cruises) for the last five years. She tells me Crystal Spas (one on the Crystal Symphony, the other on the Crystal Serenity) are the only two Feng Shui – inspired spas at sea. Nods to the discipline include earthy colours, the heads of treatment beds facing away from the doors, lots of natural light. There’s a full menu of treatments including a Thai Poultice Massage, Acupuncture and Teeth whitening. A Bamboo Massage is expected to be added soon.
There’s also a small hair salon (especially busy on the ship’s Formal Nights, says Edin), and an adjacent mani/pedi area both overlooking the ship’s top deck and blessed with lots of natural light and a partial ocean view. The spa – with its 10 treatment rooms - is a good size for a ship with 500 plus staterooms.
There’s a small bar area where guests can help themselves to tea and water - no snacks but one certainly has ample access to all the snacks they could ever want throughout the ship at all times of day or night.
A small guest lounge has a walk out to a private deck with wooden lounge chairs and an expansive sea view. The spa’s locker room is shared with the adjacent gym but it’s nicer than one might expect. There are spa robes, spa slippers and full size Elemis amenities. The locker room is also where you’ll find a dry sauna, a mosaic-tiled hammam large enough for six to eight people, and two good sized showers stalls.
All in all, the spa is totally in keeping with the rest of the first class experience aboard this ship.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 8: Impressed with One & Only Palmilla
April 7, 2011
It’s a 25-minute, $30 U.S. taxi ride from the Cabo San Lucas Marina (where the Crystal Symphony docks) to One & Only Palmilla (Pal-ME-ya) resort in St Joseph del Cabo and it’s definitely worth the time it takes to visit for the day (if you’re on a cruise) or longer if you’re not.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time for a spa treatment, but after a tour of the luxury resort, a meeting with spa director Kerensa Langitan, and one of their wellness lunches served in the Yoga Garden, the spa at One & Only Palmilla) joins my collection of spa favourites. Think top-tier luxury, meets wellness, meets impeccable service and attention to detail.
Yes, I know that’s a mouth full of accolades, but I do tend to offer such praise sparingly and when I use it, I mean it.
A few things that impressed:
1. The setting on the tip of a peninsula affords fabulous seaside views
2. The resort beautifully reflects the destination
3. The spa offers a perfect balance of indoor and outdoor spaces.
3. The family pools and adult pools are well separated to ensure the enjoyment of all
4. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten frees choices are available in most restaurants
5. Private beachfront coves can be reserved for the day and they come with a beach butler
6. There’s a great gym with all the latest technical equipment
7. The Watsu pool is one of the prettiest I’ve seen anywhere
8. There are 13 Spa Villas with their own day beds, whirlpools and treatment rooms.
It’s less than a two-hour flight from LA, it’s no surprise that so many LA celebs come to the resort for quick, high-end getaways.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 9: A tour with the Chef
April 8, 2011
Sixty-five thousand. That’s the number Markus Nufer executive chef rolls at me when I ask how many meals are prepared each day onboard the Crystal Symphony when the number of guests and staff are at full capacity.
Ninety-five per cent of food served is made from scratch on board, he says, and his staff of 102 people work in teams around the clock, seven days a week to keep up with demand and service in the ship’s six food and beverage outlets plus room service.
As we chat, the Chef invites me to join him on one of his four daily quality control tours.
In his 13 years in the cruise industry (prior to that he worked with Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and Regent hotels) the Swiss-born and trained chef has seen a number of changes on the food side of the cruise business. Cruise guests are eating differently, he says, and “we are preparing foods differently.”
Portions are smaller, more fish, more fruit (between 7-8 tons each week!), more greens, and 100 per cent no trans fats. He admits that they do still cook with butter, but are also using more of the healthier oils. And, deep frying? Yes. Guests still want their fries, he says, but all oils are trans fat free.
He says “many guests also come to us with special dietary needs - gluten free, sugar free, micro-biotic and South Beach, for instance. The ship caters to most dietary needs but they don’t count calories for guests.
On the way to the main kitchen we take a little detour down to the cold storage area where 14 huge storage rooms take up one half of an entire deck. In another kitchen, he heads to the fruit station, pulls up a bowl filled with oranges and tells me that for this cruise alone they ordered 8,000 pounds of oranges just for squeezing!
Over the last nine days of this cruise, I’ve noticed that all the restaurants here offer healthy choices. We walk through Trident, the “hamburger bar” on the pool deck and Chef points out that there is a different wrap featured each day. Today it’s smoked salmon. As we pass the Ice Cream Bar, he points out the bowl of fresh strawberries and the ice cream for diabetics. In the Crystal Dining Room on both lunch and dinner menus there are daily Vegetarian and Lighter Side options.
In the indoor/outdoor Lido, a self-serve salad bar compares with salad bars I’ve seen at destination spas – right down to the nuts and seeds.
There is no official “juice bar” but Chef tells me that in the Crystal Dining Room and the Lido Cafe staff whip up a freshly squeezed juice or combo of juices on request.
I learn that cruise ships are under what the chef calls “extremely strict health controls.” For instance, fish must be frozen for a certain period of time and at a certain temperature and the food from a buffet must be disposed of after four hours. “Crystal practices very green disposal and recycling procedures,” he says. Nothing, he stresses. “EVER goes overboard, not even water.” As another health precaution, “the only fresh eggs we use onboard are fried,” he says.
The man responsible for providing healthy food choices to thousands of Crystal cruise guests each year, also takes his own health seriously: He gave up smoking five years ago; he begins each day with cereal, fruit and soy milk; he doesn’t eat red meat; he sits down to six small meals a day; and he heads to the ship’s gym five times a week.
On that note, I’m heading to bed early tonight so I can make the early morning stretch class.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
DAY 10: Something about Hari - Wellness Advice from one of the spa's therapists
April 9, 2011
It’s difficult to get an appointment with Hari Amador. In an industry (cruise) where male therapists are uncommon, Singapore-born and raised Amador, is one of the busiest massage therapists on this ship. And, from personally experience (I had a deep tissue massage the other day in the spa it was no surprise to learn that most of his clients come from referrals.
Over the last nine years, the 40-plus year-old therapist has used his shore leaves to visit his mother in Singapore and to travel to various destinations to study various wellness modalities and cultural beliefs – places such as Australia (western techniques), Japan (Shiatsu), Thailand (Thai massage), Bali (Balinese massage) and India (Ayurveda.)
To his own daily life onboard ship and to the treatment table he takes the whole body approach and, for those clients who ask, he shares his suggestions on helping them with the problems they bring to the table.
There is nothing new and revolutionary here, but Amador dispenses the information with such sincerity and genuine interest for his client that these basic tips seem to take on a new importance.
Hari’s eight tips for a wellness life:
Drink enough water – 8 to 10 glasses each day.
Stretch regularly. It’s important for everyone but especially those of us who spend the better part of each day in the same position – such as a hunched over a laptop. He says he sees many problems – often posture related - arising from lack of stretching.
He suggests taking 10 minutes of every hour to walk, stretch, roll your neck, get your eyes off the computer screen, move your shoulder and arm joints and take deep breaths.
Take 200 deep breaths (50 X 4) every day to strengthen your immune system and reenergize. Think inhaling white, cleansing light and exhaling aches, pains and negative thoughts and energy.
Watch your diet. He admits that there are many more expert than he on the subject, but, personally, he follows the moderate (or no) intake of coffee, red meat, sugar and alcohol.
Silence your mind for at least 10 minutes each day. You can do this by just sitting in silence, focusing on a candle flame, listening to gentle music, or simply “watching” the breath.
Sleep. The scent of lavender, exercise (especially running or brisk walking) and fresh air in your bedroom at night will help you get the required six-to-eight hours a night.
Take massages seriously. He suggests at least two a month for those with chronic aches and pains, as a prevention and stress management. “Think maintenance so the system doesn’t fail,” he says.
Before our brief interview comes to an end and he heads into his next treatment, he shares a few of his own beliefs:
“Live without regret. Bad things only make us stronger if we are willing to learn from them.”
“Living well is about discipline. There is one body, one chance…so make it good.”
“Live in the moment. Do our best for every moment that has been given to us. There is no guarantee that tomorrow will ever come – so why worry. It doesn’t bring any good.”
I’ve met countless spa and wellness therapists over the last 20 years. Every now and then you meet one that brings a special quality to the treatment table. That’s the something about Hari.
Top of Wellness Cruise Crystal Symphony 2011
