Today’s post comes from my husband, Bradley, a fitness nut (vs me, who just likes nuts). He writes about keeping up with your fitness routine while on a cruise.
Cruise lines are notorious for their midnight buffets & having food within an arm’s reach 24 hours a day. But, is it possible to work out while cruising, stay in shape, & still have a good time?
Absolutely.
I typically work out four to five days during the work week & ride my bike nearly 100 miles on the weekends. I generally eat healthy & participate in a number of cycling events throughout the summer. So while we were on our 10-day cruise on the Celebrity Equinox earlier this year, it was important for me to keep up my routine. I had successfully done this on previous cruises & was eager to try out a new cruise line & thus a new gym.
I packed two sets of workout clothes that didn’t take up much space in my suitcase. By doing laundry once during the cruise, something we were going to do anyway, I was able to cut down on the amount of extra clothes I would need to bring. After each workout, I rung out my shirt & shorts in the sink of our cabin & then rinsed them out with water. Because of the quick dry material, I was able to treat my work out clothes like a bathing suit (& minimize filling the entire cabin with the smell of sweaty clothes).
I researched the ship layout ahead of time & figured out what gym equipment & classes would be available so I could plan exactly what my routine would be. The fitness center on the Equinox was a decent size. It had a good number of treadmills & elliptical machines with a nice view off the Starboard side of the ship (a much better view than the cinder block wall in the gym). There were the expected weight machines – chest press, should press, lat pull-down, triceps press, bicep curl, etc. The fitness center also had free weights & a couple sets of the frequently used lighter weights. There was a lament floor area for the fitness classes, spinning classes, & seminars (you know where they tell you that the reason you’re not losing weight or getting a flatter stomach is because you’re not using their secret detox).
Based on the itinerary, I planned out ahead of time to work out on the first day (sea day), the second day (sea day), an early port departure day mid-cruise, & the second to last day, which was spent at sea. The first sea day of the trip the fitness center was like a gym the first Monday after New Year’s – crowded, with all of those people with good intentions. And, much like as what happens when winter turns to spring on a land based gym, the number of fellow passengers working out diminished as the cruise continued. My workouts on the ship usually included jump rope (I brought my own), push-ups, free weights, weigh machines, & a 20-minute run on the treadmill. I have done spinning classes on previous cruises, but didn’t bring my bike shoes that clip in on the trip, so I opted out of the class. The one spin class I saw going on during my workouts had about five people & cost $12 each class.
Overall, I really enjoyed my work out on the Equinox. The fitness center helped me start my day refreshed with a good workout or kill some time in the afternoon while Christina was off reading (or napping… or hobnobbing with her new officer friends). With smart choices in the dining room & activities in port, I was able to enjoy my cruise & pick up where I left off with my training afterward.
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