Spa at Sea

Serena Spa aboard India’s first premium cruise line Karnika by Jalesh Cruises offers the perfect way to take your cruise experience several notches higher.

Cruising as a holiday option is slowly but surely opening up in India and the Indian seas now have their very own cruise liner Karnika. On its maiden voyage to Goa, I was lucky to be among the first guests on board and also experience the on board Serena Spa. While the cruise itself is quite relaxing, a spa session is the perfect antidote to relax and rejuvenate. Located on Deck 14, the spa is extensive with wonderful views of the ocean, a Zen-like aroma and a beautiful natural textured palette that has a calming sense almost immediately.

I was recommended one of the signature spa experiences offered on board – the Detox Body Massage. This is a combination of ancient herbal knowledge infused with modern day spa techniques. Creating a wonderful combination of Neem, Tulsi and Aloe Vera, this is a specially formulated mix that is mixed with water and applied as part of the therapy. Neem relieves dry skin, soothes itching, redness and skin irritation while it combats bacterial infection such as acne. Extracts of Tulsi the holy Basil is both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Aloe Vera is well known to be useful for the skin and especially in treating wounds and burn healing.

My therapist Ramtei from Mizoram ushers me to my room that is a delight as it has an entire section that faces the ocean. The room itself is a delight with brown, grey and beige tones and I am asked to change and lie face down. The massage starts with a feet ritual where Ramtei cleans by feet using a warm towel that feels instantly refreshing. After this she starts applying the herbal mix on my back evenly gently massaging the entire area using coordinated strokes. After this the mix is applied on my legs and using water to spread the mix, she uses elongated strokes to massage my legs. Once done am asked to turn over and the mix is applied on the front of my legs and hands. The massage is done as part of the application of the mix itself and in close to an hour the therapy is completed. Using a warm towel, Ramtei wipes my back ensuring that the mix comes off neatly. I am asked to shower post which my whole body feels soft, supple and most importantly refreshed.

Apart from a range of Body Massages, Body Therapies, Anti-Ageing Treatments, Skin Solutions, Acupuncture Sessions and Medi-Spa Cosmetic Treatments there is also a Thermal Suite that can be booked at an additional cost. The Thermal suite has a Hamam or Turkish Steam bath, Herbal Steam bath, Sauna overlooking the sea, a Meditation room, a Relaxation room overlooking the sea that can accommodate 12 Guests, Chilled showers, Rain Showers and Water Fall showers. The entire wellness space is spread across 10000 plus square feet and there are 11 rooms including two Beauty Facial rooms, one couple massage room, one Quartz Sand massage room, one Thai yoga room, one Sea weed/wrap treatment room, one massage room with Jacuzzi, two single massage rooms, one consultation room, a salon, four cutting stations, two hair back wash stations, one Barber royal shave chair, two nail art sections, one pedicure section and three foot massage stations on board. Yes all at sea. With uninterrupted ocean views, wellness on Karnika certainly adds a new dimension to relax, refresh and rejuvenate on a cruise liner.

Zen Cruises Pvt. Ltd, GSA for Jalesh Cruises

18th floor, A wing Marathon Futurex, N M Joshi Marg,

Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013.

Email: info@jaleshcruises.com Phone: 1800 266 8927

This story first appeared in Healthcare India’s June 2019 issue here: