Cloud 9 Spa, Carnival Cruise Line’s spa and fitness facility: What you need to know

Vacation is a time to relax, unwind and focus on your mental and physical well-being. With that in mind, nearly all cruise ships offer spas, salons and fitness centers that can help you look and feel your best when you sail.

Carnival Cruise Line's wellness area is called Cloud 9 and offers seminars, classes, treatments and services that have you covered from scalp massage to pedicure. Read on to find out all about the Cloud 9 Spa, Fitness Center and Salon, including which ships have them, what they provide and what they'll cost you.

What is Cloud 9 Spa on Carnival cruises? What are the Cloud 9 Salon and Fitness Center?

Cloud 9 is the name of the trifecta of products — spa, salon and fitness center — operated on most Carnival ships by independent contractor OneSpaWorld (which manages similar facilities on most cruise lines' vessels).

Spa treatments include massages (Swedish, hot stone and so forth), body wraps, facials, cellulite reduction, intravenous therapies, acupuncture and anti-wrinkle treatments.

Passengers wishing to have their hair coiffed or nails done can visit the related Cloud 9 Salon. Services include manicures, pedicures, blowouts, hairstyling, cuts and color, as well as men's services. Other offerings might be waxing, eyebrow shaping and teeth whitening.

Reservations are required for both the spa and the salon.

Related: Which cruise ship activities should you book ahead of time?

The Cloud 9 gym is affiliated with the Cloud 9 Spa and Salon on ships that have it. Like the spa and salon, it's managed by OneSpaWorld and provides an area for passengers to partake in for-fee exercise classes (think: yoga, spin and Pilates) and personal training or to conduct their own workouts on free-to-use equipment.

The Cloud 9 gyms are frequently outfitted with treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, both standard and recumbent exercise bikes, stair-climbers, weight machines, dumbbells, kettlebells, weight benches, medicine balls, yoga mats, balance balls and foam rollers. Other amenities might include water stations, towels and sanitizer for cleaning off machines and equipment.

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The spa and fitness complexes on each ship also provide men's and women's locker rooms, and most vessels have saunas and steam rooms, too. On ships with thermal suites, you'll find heated tile loungers, soaking pools and other amenities. You'll gain access if you stay in certain cabin types, book a spa treatment or purchase a thermal suite pass.

For more information on specific offerings, visit the Cloud 9 page on Carnival's website.

Cloud 9 Spa prices

Except for complimentary consultations and gym equipment that's free to use, you'll shell out extra for everything offered at the spa, salon and gym. Expect to pay a significant markup compared to land-based treatments and services.

Examples of treatments, services and pricing are as follows:

• Swedish massage: $179 for 50 minutes, $219 for 75 minutes and $299 for 100 minutes
• Aromatherapy hot stone massage: $199 for 50 minutes, $229 for 75 minutes and $299 for 100 minutes
• Pro-collagen facial: $199 for 50 minutes
• Traditional manicure: $59 (30 minutes)
• Traditional pedicure: $69 (45 minutes)
• Blowout: $59 to $89
• Haircut: from $89
• Fitness class (yoga, Pilates or spin): $20 per class (three- and six-class packs are also available)

Note: Prices were accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change without notice.

An 18% gratuity is also automatically tacked on to the cost of all spa and salon treatments and services.

Watch for discounts on the first or second day of your cruise, savings if you book multiple treatments or classes, or deals for services on port days when most passengers are ashore.

Be aware that spa and salon employees are trained to pitch you pricey beauty and hair care products following any treatments you schedule. If you want to avoid high-pressure sales tactics that could bring down your relaxed vibe, request before the start of your service that they refrain from doing it.

Additionally, Carnival ships that have the Cloud 9 Spa also have Cloud 9 Spa cabins. When you book one of those, you're entitled to Cloud 9 amenities like unlimited thermal suite access, a body scrub kit, priority spa reservations, discounts on port day treatments, a complimentary body composition analysis, upgraded Elemis toiletries in your cabin bathroom and even free fitness classes (two per person).

Is a visit to the Cloud 9 Fitness Center, Cloud 9 Salon or Cloud 9 Spa worth it?

That all depends. If you're someone who loves being pampered and doesn't mind a bit of a splurge, yes. If you're on a strict budget, a cruise is not the time to put the spa to the test since prices are much higher than what you likely can find at home.

If you're able to snag one of the deals mentioned above or you have a bit of onboard credit that's burning a hole in your account, it could make the experience a better value.

Plus, there's something to be said for convenience. Sometimes, you just don't have the time to paint your own nails before you embark, or you don't feel like styling your own hair for formal night. That's when the Cloud 9 Salon can come to the rescue — but you'll pay handsomely for the luxury.

Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise

You can almost never go wrong with a visit to the gym to use the free equipment. If you can't break your at-home gym routine or if all the food on your sailing has you feeling sluggish, it might be worth paying for an exercise class or two as well.

Beware of free seminars offered by spa technicians and fitness instructors. They're usually sales pitches for things like expensive beauty products, fancy treatments or shoe inserts that purport to correct posture.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how much time and money you want to invest in visits to the spa, salon and fitness center when you cruise.

Which Carnival ships have a Cloud 9 Spa, Salon and Fitness Center?

Of Carnival's 27 ships, 20 have facilities that are specifically branded as Cloud 9:

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Firenze
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee
• Carnival Luminosa
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Vista
• Mardi Gras

Note: Other ships offer similar services but do not have the Cloud 9 branding.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line ships and itineraries
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• All the classes of Carnival cruise ships, explained
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