Senses Spa Review

My guest blogger Sara recently sailed on a 3 night Halloween on the High Seas cruise on the Disney Dream (full trip report here).  On that sailing, she and her husband had a couples massage at the Senses Spa and she was kind enough to write a full review for us.  She wasn’t able to take any photos, but I have some photos from the spa on the Dream from 2017 that I will insert into the post.  You can see my post with even more photos of the spa here.

Before we get started, I want to briefly mention some great new Disney finds.  I love finding new, unique Disney items and I always try to share them with all of you when I do.  I recently discovered TeePublic and their massive amount of Disney merchandise.  Just put “Disney” in the search box (or click here) and prepare to spend some time perusing it all.  In addition to shirts (of all types), they have mugs, notebooks, tote bags, phone cases, wall art, pillows and more.  I ordered a long sleeve child’s shirt, a notebook, and a tote bag and I love them all!

My family loves Stitch, so this notebook was a no-brainer.  I’ll use it on future cruises for my trip notes.  Can you name all 6 villain disguises?

My daughter is currently in a production of Mary Poppins, Jr., so this shirt is perfect for her:

She was also in a production of The Lion King, Jr. last spring, so she just HAD to have this tote bag:

Okay, let’s get down to business.  Here are Sara’s thoughts about the spa:

My first experience with Senses Spa and Salon was on my honeymoon five years ago. Since then I have been on five Disney Cruises, each time stopping in for a treatment at Senses Spa. My husband and I have compared the spa experience on all four Disney Ships, and our most recent experience on the Disney Dream was one of the best.

We booked a Couple’s Massage in advance for a port day in Nassau, Bahamas. The cruise planning website only gives the option of a 50 minute massage, but once onboard, we were able to change our massage to 75 minutes by contacting the spa directly. Port days (especially on longer itineraries) are one of the best times to visit the Spa. Typically there is a special offer while in port. This day was no different, in fact Senses sent my husband a $50 birthday voucher for any treatment over 50 minutes.

We originally booked a Swedish massage, but decided upgrade to hot stone (for my husband) and Bamboo (for myself). I have experienced the hot stone massage, and it is wonderfully relaxing. On our second cruise I tried the bamboo massage and never looked back.

After checking in at the front desk, we were given robes and directed to the separate ladies and men’s locker rooms. Calling it a “locker room” is an injustice, as these rooms are fully equipped with a sauna, showers, and changing rooms. There is counter space to fix hair and make-up; each space equipped with basic toiletries and hair dryers. I have heard that some guests use the locker rooms for their daily shower if their stateroom shower is in high demand, and I can see why.

The lockers provide instructions to program a code you choose, ensuring that your belongings are safe and secure during treatment. After storing our clothes and changing into our robes, we were directed to a quiet waiting area where hot tea and water flavored with cucumber and lemon were available. The room was dimly lit and furnished with loungers, continuing the relaxing theme while waiting for treatment to begin.

During check in we were told the schedule was a few minutes behind, but we only waited a few minutes before our therapists directed us into a Couple’s Villa for our treatment. We considered booking the spa villa for its intended purpose on this trip, but we wondered if the Dream would be ported next to another ship blocking the view of Nassau. This was the case, and our therapists had the curtains drawn for our privacy. After Michelle (my therapist) and her partner exited the room, I peeked behind the curtain to compare the Villa with one we booked on the Magic a few years ago. The layout was much more spacious than the Villa on the Magic, and the private Jacuzzi was on an outdoor deck (although still blocked by glass as on the pool deck). We definitely would have enjoyed that, if only we hadn’t been overlooking the Carnival Sensation. The Villa also had a private bathroom, which proved to be a great feature during a longer massage.

Michelle came back in and our massages began. She assured us that we would receive our appointment as scheduled, regardless of their delay. In the first ten minutes of my treatment, something on the face support of the table was tickling my face, making it nearly impossible for me to relax. After a few minutes of trying to ignore it, I mentioned it to Michelle and saw that the temporary covering over the face support was a piece of torn, gauze-like material. The frayed tear was completely surrounding the face support. Michelle quickly tucked it down, resolving the issue. I’m not sure if tearing (rather than cutting) this material is standard procedure, but if anything makes you uncomfortable during your treatment, I encourage you to speak up! The therapists want you to have the best experience possible, so don’t be shy about giving them feedback.

Because the bamboo provides a very deep tissue massage, at times it may feel overused during treatment. Michelle was well trained and knew how to balance the deep massage with gentle, more relaxing pressure as well. She used the bamboo to focus on larger muscles groups, and her hands and forearms on the smaller muscle groups, which tend to be more sensitive. For the first time ever, I feel asleep during the massage. I was not overly tired, just overly relaxed!

The treatment ended with a scalp massage; the perfect way to transition back into reality. This did leave my hair looking really crazy and a little oily. Afterward I realized that combs are not among the amenities offered in the locker room. For this reason, I would not recommend scheduling this treatment before other activities unless you have time to style your hair. You could also ask them not to massage your scalp, but it really is a great way to end the massage.

At the end of our treatment, the therapists tried to pitch a few products they thought would help with issues they observed throughout the treatment. We told them we wouldn’t be making any additional purchases at the time, and they were very respectful of that. There is an 18% gratuity for Spa treatments that is automatically added to the bill (you can read all about gratuities on DCL here). We felt the therapists earned that (plus a little more). The exceptional service has made Senses Spa the first thing I recommend to other cruisers. There are so many treatment options, you’re sure to find something that will make your cruise even more enjoyable!