Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Running on Cruise Ship - 4 Miles on Grandeur of the Seas

Just got off a nice Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas cruise and kept fit by running on the walking/running track on the 10th level and did some rock climbing, etc. It is possible before you get too fired up on drinks and buffet food to stay in shape and run on a cruise ship.

Keeping fit on a cruise ship? If that sounds like an oxymoron, then you aren't aware of the exciting, state-of-the-art fitness centers which are part of the many amenities on today's cruise ships. While traditional (and oh-so-fattening) midnight buffets have gone the way of the hula hoop and healthy menus are de rigueur on cruise ships, fitness programs and gyms on today's newest vessels help keep passengers buff and healthy. Really dedicated to fitness? Personal trainers can offer one-on-one help, but stationary bicycles, treadmills, and rowing, stair-climbing and Keiser pneumatic progressive resistance machines are all aboard for the do-it-yourselfer. A variety of free weights and dumbbells are also available. As a bonus, most of today's cruise ship fitness centers have been built with floor-to-ceiling windows offering wonderful vistas and a workout for the psyche as well as the body. Another plus: each cruise ship offers some form of jogging track, and for walkers, each ship also provides information regarding the number of laps around the promenade deck that equal one mile. An ideal way of working off calories is to avoid elevators, and use the ship's stairways.


Royal Caribbean International - Rock climbing, inline skating and roller blading are featured aboard "Voyager of the Seas", "Explorer of the Seas", "Radiance of the Seas", "Grandeur of the Seas" and the upcoming "Adventure of the Seas", while Voyager, Explorer and Adventurer offer ice skating as well. Fitness centers are open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm and all ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet feature state-of-the-art equipment and a jogging track.