Day Four was a sea day — the perfect chance to settle into the ship’s rhythm, relax, and explore even more of the food and fun onboard.
After breakfast, we naturally gravitated back to what had become our official pool spot. At this point, it felt like ours. A little sun, a little shade, good conversation, and that happy cruise feeling where nobody has anywhere they need to be.
By lunchtime, the group split up. The guys headed to the buffet, but the rest of us declared (once again) that we are not buffet people. Fewer crowds, fewer germs, and a more relaxed experience won out, so we went with a sit-down restaurant instead. Much more our speed.
How I Finally Cracked the Cruise Spa Code
Now let me tell you the most important thing I figured out on this cruise — how to enjoy the spa without getting upsold into oblivion.
If you’ve cruised before, you know how this usually goes. You book a relaxing treatment… and by the time you leave, you’ve been pitched a pile of products you never planned to buy. It’s awkward, it ruins the relaxed vibe, and suddenly your “treat yourself” moment feels like a sales appointment.
So this time, I decided I was going to crack the spa code.
Here’s exactly what I did — and it worked.
Step 1 — Call ahead
Before my appointment, I called the spa and asked them to put a note on my record that I did not want product recommendations or upselling.
Step 2 — Say it again at check-in
When I arrived (around 12:50), I asked them to pull up my record and confirm that note was there.
Step 3 — Put it in writing
On the intake form they hand you, I wrote in big letters:
NO UPSELLING PLEASE
And guess what? It worked.
I had a 100-minute massage plus a wash and blowout — and not one single product pitch. No “your skin is dehydrated,” no pressure, no guilt talk. Just relaxation.
Cruise spas are wonderful — but they are designed to increase your bill. If you go in with a plan like this, you actually get the experience you paid for and stay within your budget.
It completely changed the experience. I walked out relaxed instead of defensive, and honestly it felt like a luxury service instead of a sales session.
If you book a cruise spa treatment, do this. Don’t be shy. You’re not being rude — you’re setting expectations. And trust me, they still take great care of you.
I finally felt like I beat the system — and got the spa day I actually paid for.
I had a 100-minute massage and a wash and hair style afterward with zero sales pressure. No product talk. No pitches.
Total win.
By the time my hair was done, I met everyone for happy hour at Eden.
Debbie was wearing a Sassy Patty outfit, so we took a few photos to send her. Sassy runs a fun women’s clothing boutique, and whenever one of us wears one of her pieces, we send a picture and she shares it on her page.
That evening we had dinner in Normandie. We also learned a fun cruise trick — you can order from other dining rooms’ menus if there’s something you want to try. So naturally, we mixed things up a little. Some choices were better than others… and we definitely remembered what Steve ordered the other night and skipped that.
After dinner we went to the theater to see Tree of Life. Beautiful staging, music, and storytelling — and one performer in particular was incredible.
At the same time, Glenn and Tracie had their spa date. I passed along my no-upsell trick, but they didn’t have any issues anyway. I think women tend to be the real target for those product pitches.
Later, we went to the Grand Plaza to watch the chandelier show. I had a lychee martini (so good). Debbie had one Cosmo, Barb skipped drinks, and let’s just say my second martini felt like a great idea at the time and a less great idea the next morning.
Tomorrow we look forward to Grand Cayman Island.
Happiness is Possible 