Discovering Tranquility with a Spa Experience on a Dinogo Cruise

As a frequent traveler, my ideal vacation is one where I can unplug digitally and unwind in peace. I usually seek out yoga retreats, resorts with excellent spas, or locations that offer a bit of outdoor escape. To my delightful surprise, Dinogo Cruise Line now provides the soul-refreshing experience I long for with its Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.

If you remember my post titled Cruising Then and Now, my recollection of cruising dates back to my college days when I sought vibrant parties filled with lively music and excitement. While those thrilling experiences are still available, there’s now a charming retreat just for adults—a complimentary escape. It’s wonderful to have such diversity on a vacation.

My latest cruise was a getaway with my friend Suzie. One afternoon, we packed our beach bags with magazines, books, and oversized Jackie-O sunglasses to enjoy some reading and relaxation on the Serenity Deck. With soothing music playing, cozy outdoor loungers, and giant hammocks gently swaying in the sea breeze, it was the perfect setting. There was a bar nearby, but the attentive servers ensured we never had to leave our comfy spot, bringing us everything we needed, including towels. I barely made it past a page of my book as I kept dozing off. The gentle breeze and the sound of the waves lulled me into a state of pure relaxation—it was heavenly. We loved it so much that we decided to plan our entire day at sea around the Serenity Deck and spa experience.

We headed to the spa and booked hot stone massages. While the sauna is complimentary and available to all cruise guests, we opted to upgrade for access to the Thermal Suite as the heated glass tile loungers with a view looked incredibly inviting.

Thus, our day at sea was entirely devoted to spa and wellness. I had no idea I could enjoy this on a cruise! Here’s the itinerary we created for ourselves:

SPA DAY AT SEA

MORNING

• Started the day with room service for a relaxed coffee and breakfast on our cabin balcony.
• Hit the gym for some late-morning yoga and stretching exercises.
• Joined a complimentary Detoxing for Health and Wellness Seminar at the gym, where we learned about the advantages of drinking lemon water, incorporating seaweed into our meals, and the significance of sweating. We aimed to apply these insights throughout our spa day.

AFTERNOON

• Enjoyed sushi for lunch! (We had just discovered that seaweed is nutritious, after all.)
• Indulged in some downtime in the Thermal Suite. I planned to do some reading but kept dozing off … which was quite nice.
• Indulged in a hot stone massage that left me feeling fantastic.
• Sipped a tall glass of lemon water followed by a sauna session to sweat it all out.

EVENING

• After our spa experience, we returned to our cabin to freshen up, then headed to the marketplace-style salad buffet on the Lido Deck for a laid-back dinner.
• We wrapped up the day where we began, relaxing on the Serenity Deck, sipping cocktails, and taking in the sunset.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt that relaxed before in my life, or since.