When we think of vacationing on a cruise ship, we think of indulgence of all kinds. All you can eat rich foods served at all hours of the day and night, lounging poolside for days on end, maybe watching an extravagant show. It’s taken for granted by many that you’ll return from such a vacation tanned, rested and having gained five or ten pounds.

The cruise industry has noticed the increasing attention paid to the health impact of smart diet and exercise choices in recent years, though. Vacationers want to keep up the healthy habits they’ve formed, even on vacation, and they let their desire for those choices be known. The result is a huge increase in health, fitness and spa options from a host of cruise operators, with more in development all the time.

Healthy Menus

There is a huge range of options when it comes to food choices onboard a cruise ship. On the slightly healthy end, there are ships which do not use trans-fats in their offerings, and include some healthier selections with lower-fat proteins or lighter sauces in their regular dining menus. There are also organic and even vegetarian menus on certain ships.

Then there is the spa cafe concept. The spa cafe, made famous by Celebrity’s AquaSpa cafes, serves a full menu of light and healthful fare. This concept has been updated more recently with the Blu Restaurant, being rolled out on all Celebrity ships that feature the AquaSpa. These special dining rooms are restricted to passengers who book the Aqua class staterooms, featuring a host of soothing spa extras. Many cruise operators have incorporated similar packages into their offerings.

Fitness Facilities

We all know it’s not as easy as simply cutting back on calories. The truth is that staying active is the key to staving off a host of health problems, and holding onto the energy of youth for as long as possible. Exercise also benefits mood, and provides a boost that gets many of us going in the morning. Increasingly, vacationers don’t want to break their feel-good routine, even onboard ship, and the cruise operators are making it easy.

The variety of fitness options available to passengers on modern cruise ships is dizzying. There are enormous gyms and Olympic-sized pools, of course. There are walking paths, climbing walls and yoga classes. Beyond these, though, there are ships offering water skiing, kayaking, indoor cycling, surfing in a wave pool and boxing workouts in full-sized rings.

There are also opportunities for fitness on land. Many ships offer challenging hikes while in port, or allow passengers to use bicycles free of charge to explore their destination.

Cruise Your Way To Better Health

You will have to do some research to figure out the best combination of health and fitness options for you and yours. The most newly built liners will feature the most over-the-top facilities and there are wonderful, if pricier, options if you want to be detoxified and pampered along the way.

You may even want to check into tour groups like the Fun & Fitness Travel Club, which does group cruises on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships focused on, as you may have guessed, fun and fitness. No matter which cruise you choose, try to take advantage of something new, like a climbing wall or sea kayak. You may find a new passion and will certainly create a lasting memory of your trip.