66 TRAVEL+LEISURE | OCTOBER 2019
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GIVE YOURSELF A BUFFER
“Not only is it wise to build in
a cushion on the front end of
a trip—in case of flight delays
or lost luggage—but it’s a
great way to relax and adjust
to the local time zone.
Arriving the same day and
going straight to the ship is
exhausting.” — Valerie Wilson
([email protected];
212-532-3400)
USE FLIGHT DEALS AS
A GUIDELINE
“Peek at the flights and
see if there’s a huge price
advantage to arriving or
departing on a certain day.
That might dictate the
number of days you end up
having to play with pre- or
post-cruise. If there isn’t a
big highlight that you know
you must see in the area,
then let your schedule and
the flights help dictate your
extra days.” — Mary Curry
([email protected];
406-540-1901)
STREAMLINE YOUR
DEPARTURE
“Passengers need to be off
the ship very early so the
crew can prepare the cabins
for the next sailing. I arrange
for a van, driver, and guide to
meet my clients when they
disembark. A van can hold
luggage until the hotel is
ready later in the afternoon.
Have lunch before check-in,
then spend time exploring
the port city.” — Marcella
Rappoport (mrappoport@
ovationtravel.com;
212-329-7260)
The Value of
Pre- and Post-
Sail Stays
Three cruise specialists
from T+L’s A-List share
their advice for bookending
itineraries in ways that
won’t tucker you out.
Take Your Wellness Practice
Everywhere
Healing-crystal massages and vegan smoothie bars are now the norm at sea.
But this year, cruise lines are offering activities for physical and spiritual health
off-ship, too. BY JANCEE DUNN
ONE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT just
might be through Oceania Cruises’
Bays & Buddhas voyage (oceania
cruises.com; 14-day sailings from
$3,799 per person), which includes a
half-day visit to the lush grounds of
renowned Bangkok temple Wat
Pathum Wanaram, where a Buddhist
monk leads a meditation session and
teaches mindfulness techniques. It’s
the kind of once-hard-to-find land
activity that now seems firmly part of
the industry’s future.
Elsewhere in Asia, Viking Cruises’
new Bangkok, Bali & Beyond itinerary
(viking.com; 15-day sailings from
$4,299 per person) offers the chance to
learn the ancient Chinese practice of
feng shui in Singapore. A guided tour
includes the city’s best architectural
examples of the method, plus tips
from an expert on how to implement
it at home.
In Japan, the Hong Kong–to-
Shanghai sailing on Silversea Cruises
(silversea.com; 16-day sailings from
$8,910 per person) stops at Ibusuki, a
town famous for its hot springs and
sand baths. Visitors head to the beach,
where they’re buried to their necks in
volcanic black sand with the help of a
spa attendant. (The sand reportedly
detoxifies the body and promotes
healthier skin.) Umbrellas and towels
are strategically placed to protect faces
from the sun. Twenty minutes later,
visitors rinse off in a hot spring.
Another water-related excursion is
found on Uniworld Boutique River
Cruise Collection’s journey along the
Moselle and Rhine rivers (uniworld.
com; 12-day sailings from $3,999 per
person). You’ll take a dip in the famed
thermal waters of Baden-Baden,
Germany, before visiting the
otherworldly Salinas Sea Salt Grotto,
which is blanketed in crystals. A deep-
breathing session in its salt-infused air
is said to heal a variety of maladies,
from seasonal allergies to dermatitis.
And all of Seabourn’s Alaska trips
(seabourn.com; seven-day sailings from
$4,299 per person) now include a visit
to Taku Glacier Lodge, in Juneau, where
a certified yoga instructor leads an
outdoor session in the brisk air—with
the magnificent blue-toned, five-mile-
wide Taku Glacier as the backdrop.
Bangkok’s Wat Pathum
Wanaram temple.
UPGRADE YOUR
EXCURSIONS
