Perhaps the most popular place to be on a cruise ship is poolside (most likely with a drink in your hand!), but a close second for many people is relaxing in a whirlpool/hot tub.
The warm water easing the aches and pains and loosening up stiff joints, all while getting fantastic views of the ocean… what’s not to like?
Well before you plan your cruise around sitting in the hot tub all day, there are definitely some things you should know about cruise ship whirlpools.
The Hot Tubs Can Be Among the Busiest Spots on the Ship
If you’re imagining easing into a hot tub on the cruise ship, then you should know that you’re not the only one.
Frankly, the hot tubs on cruise ships can get crowded… real crowded. It may be that if you try to get in at a time when the pool deck is busy you will have a tough time finding space. Or at the very least you’ll be sharing the whirlpool with a dozen of your closest friends.
In particular, it seems that kids especially like to visit, which may not be your cup of tea.
Don’t worry though, there are times and places where you can find a tub without tons of people in it (and we’ll share that info below).
There Are Set “Open” Hours… Whirlpools Aren’t Always Open
You might think that if you wanted to take an early morning or a late night dip to relax — times when the ship is at its quietest — that you’d be able to do so. Usually, that’s not the case.
Believe it or not, the pools and hot tubs on the ship have open and closing times. It’s typically sometime around 7-8 a.m. to 8-10 p.m. at night. And different pools may have different opening and closing times.
In general, however, don’t expect anything open too late or too early in the morning.
Visit Early or Late in the Day for More Elbow Room
While the hours may not be all day, if you’re wanting to avoid the crowds, then going early or late is your best idea.
Over dozens of cruises, we’ve found that just like the traditional pools, the crowds first thing in the morning and after the sun goes down are much thinner.
That’s not to say you will necessarily have an entire whirlpool to yourself, but they will be nowhere near as crowded as during the peak times of day.
Expect 2-3 Times the Number of Hot Tubs as Regular Pools
If you’re familiar with pools on the cruise ship, you know that they have some limitations. Because pools need to be on open decks, they are normally at the top of the ship. And because of the weight of water is so high up, pools are normally fairly small.
Modern ships are putting in more pools; the typical new ship normally has at least three and sometimes more. But still, the options are a bit limited for the number of people onboard.
When it comes to hot tubs, however, you have a lot more options. It will vary by ship, but we’d estimate you can take the number of pools on the ship and multiply it by two or three to get the number of whirlpools. So a ship with three pools can have somewhere from six to nine whirlpools.
Some Pools Are Quieter and Out of the Way
With the number of available hot tubs, it’s possible that there are some that may have a different vibe than others. For instance, if you want to soak but also be in the middle of it all, then check out the tubs by the main pool.
But others want a little more elbow room. In that case, if there are whirlpools in the adults-only area or at a secondary pool, then give them a check. These can have fewer people than the main pool area, giving a more relaxed vibe. And at least in the adults-only area, you won’t have to worry about sharing space with kids.
Where to Find the “Holy Grail” of Whirlpools
Want to soak in a hot tub but don’t want to do it with lots of other people around? Or you simply want a more calm vibe? In that case, you should check out the thermal spa.
Any ship you sail will have a spa area, and there’s a thermal area that’s built for relaxation. These areas feature heated loungers, rainfall showers, steam rooms, and much more. But the focal point is typically a large hot tub that’s much bigger than anything you’ll find on the pool decks.
And because there is a charge to access the thermal spa, there isn’t a crowd like you’ll find at the other hot tubs. For those that want to relax in peace while having a soak, this is the best spot on the ship.
