LARCHMONT, N.Y. / Jan. 11, 2000--Spas have become as popular on cruise liners as they are at luxury hotels, so much so that in order to maintain their competitive edge cruise ships are finding spas onboard more of a necessity than a luxury, according to a recent report in 'Spa Business Monthly.' For complete information, visit www.liebertpub.com.

In fact, according to Cruise Line International Association, more than half of its member cruise lines offer spa facilities on at least some of their ships. And as with hotels, cruise liners are working hard to make their spas as luxurious as possible.

Cruise liners are casting an ever wider net in the search for new clients. One of the markets the cruise line industry is trying to capture is the baby boom – the very market currently accounting for the majority of land-side spa guests. That's why so many liners are now offering new or revamped spa facilities as well as state-of-the-art fitness centers. They are trying to replicate the land attractions within the bounds of a ship, creating floating resorts that have everything land-side spas do, with a whole ocean added in for good measure.

Is the exploding popularity of spas aboard cruise ships a threat to the land-based spa industry? "Not at all," according to Christopher Dauer, Editor-in-Chief of Spa Business Monthly, who added that the trend "reflects consumers' continued interest in spa offerings and their desire to be pampered and to take care of their health in every possible vacation setting."

Notably, some cruise liners have joined with hotel properties to give guests an ultimate land/sea vacation. Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines has added two Wyndham Grand Heritage Hotels to its pre-and post-cruise vacation packages. Guests sailing from Galveston, TX on the MS Celebration can stay at the Hotel Galvez on Galveston Island or the Tremont Hotel also in Galveston. The Hotel Galvez offers a number of amenities, including spa and exercise facilities, so that guests can transition from a sea spa to a land spa.

'Spa Business Monthly' is the only publication devoted exclusively to the business of spa management. Each issue is packed with vital information on prospering in this increasingly competitive field, including successful marketing practices, emerging spa techniques, exclusive revenue forecasts, trends in demographics, profiles of industry leaders, new opportunities for growth, and more.

To find out more information about ;Spa Business Monthly,' call 914/834-3100, ext. 629 (within N.Y. State) and 1-800-M-LIEBERT (outside NY state), fax 914/834-1388, email [email protected] or visit our website at www.liebertpub.com.

Joanne Gallichio
914/834-3100, ext. 629
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.