Princess Cruises Announces First-Ever Club Pilates Retreat at Sea

Guests aboard an upcoming, wellness-themed Princess Cruises voyage can enjoy a structured Pilates exercise program against the serene backdrop of Alaska’s mountains, glaciers, and other inspiring coastal views. The September sailing operates roundtrip from Seattle and will call at four ports.

A First-of-its-Kind, Sea-going Pilates Cruise

Princess Cruises unveiled a 7-night cruise aboard Royal Princess that introduces the line’s first “Club Pilates at Sea: An Alaska Retreat” sailing, in partnership with Club Pilates, a brand owned by Xponential Fitness. Club Pilates was founded in 2007 and is based in California.

The collaboration between the cruise line and the fitness company was announced in 2022, and consists of a five-year licensing agreement that enables Xponential to offer boutique exercise experiences at sea.

“We’re beyond thrilled to partner with Princess Cruises – Alaska’s number one cruise operator – on our first-ever Club Pilates cruise which offers our members and, those interested in fitness, a unique opportunity to enjoy classes led by the best instructors in fitness, meet new people, and marvel at Alaska’s pristine natural beauty,” said Mike Gray, president of Club Pilates.

While on board the 3,600-guest ship, guests can participate in a range of instructor-guided Pilates and other Xponential fitness classes. The sea-going retreat will focus on the Pilates system, which includes low-impact physical exercise involving controlled movements, stretching, and breathing.

Additional elements of the Pilates cruise will be a moonlit Glow Flow class experience, and a restorative relaxation class. A variety of shoreside excursions will feature hiking, canoeing, ziplining, whale watching, salmon bakes, and tours of historic Gold Rush towns. 

With luck, guests aboard Royal Princess will get to view the Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights, too.

Departing Seattle on September 2, the 141,000-gross ton Royal Princess, which entered service in 2012, will call at Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Victoria, Canada, and will feature scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park.

New Fitness Programs Are Added Fleet Wide

Princess Cruises, in February 2023, rolled out a series of new fitness classes fleet wide as part of the partnership with Xponential and its other fitness brands, including Pure Barre, YogaSix, and StretchLab. The timing of the rollout coincided with the dawn of the new year, when many travelers look for vacation options that will help them get in shape for summer.

Xponential’s brands fit the bill, since Pure Barre focuses on strength and flexibility workouts, YogaSix centers on yoga practices, and StretchLab is a customized program for relaxation and improved mobility.

Onboard the ships, Xponential Fitness will work in tandem with OneSpaWorld, the cruise line’s spa operator and provider of health, wellness, and fitness at sea. Xponential’s offerings will be managed by OneSpaWorld staff.

A New Sun Princess on The Horizon

Princess Cruises, the “Love Boat” line, operates 15 ships and, in early 2024, will welcome its newest vessel, Sun Princess, now under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The 175,500-gross-ton ship is scheduled to sail her 10-day Inaugural Grand Mediterranean cruise on February 8, 2024, from Barcelona to Rome.

With the Xponential Fitness agreement spanning the entire Princess Cruises fleet, it is likely that Sun Princess also will host some of its wellness programs and possibly themed cruises, but the line has not yet announced such plans for the new vessel.

The 4,000-guest ship has several innovative spaces, including the Princess Arena, a unique, theater-in-the-round that will accommodate 1,000 guests.

New eateries are planned for the ship, such as Alfredo’s Pizzeria, where guests will be able to watch the chefs create their pizza, and a new entertainment venue, Princess Live!, will debut, providing a space for shows and games.