Guests sailing aboard MSC's newest ship shouldn't overlook the exclusive thermal suite. Featuring heated lounge chairs, a thalassotherapy pool, two saunas, a steam room, and more, it offers a relaxing escape from the ship’s crowded public spaces and amenities.
I spent time in the Aurea Spa's thermal suite on my recent cruise on MSC World America and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Although it isn't included in MSC's standard cruise fare, the spa sanctuary can be easily justified — it isn't for everyone, though.
Here's what I thought of MSC World America's thermal suite, and why I might hesitate to pay for access on future cruises.
MSC's thermal suite is complimentary for Yacht Club and Aurea guests
As a Yacht Club passenger, my partner and I had unlimited access to MSC World America's thermal suite during our weeklong sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.
Everyone else on my voyage could purchase day passes to the thermal suite directly through MSC's mobile app or at the spa reception desk. A single-day pass cost $89, while a couple's day pass was $169.
They were also offering a 3-day pass for $199, or about $66 per day. However, the best deal for BOGO passes was found on the last day of the weeklong cruise when docked in Ocean Cay, but it wasn't advertised well. I happened to stumble upon the deal scrolling through the MSC for Me mobile app.
It's not cheap, but considering the price covers more than an hour-long massage or facial, it’s easier to justify.
Reservations were not necessary on port days for Yacht Club passengers, but they were required on sea days to help with crowd control.
We had our butler assist with making a morning reservation on the first sea day, making it easy to book an 11:00AM slot.
The concierge was just as helpful in snagging us a last-minute slot for the last sea day before our final port in Ocean Cay.
Access includes all the rooms inside the thermal suite, as well as lockers to secure your belongings. There are also showers, restrooms, and hairdryers available in the locker room.
You don't have to worry about bringing a towel, either. There are plenty in the locker room and thermal suite, so you can pick up a dry one whenever you'd like.
The thermal suite was packed on the first sea day
Having visited thermal suites on other cruise ships, I envisioned a serene retreat where everyone was focused on relaxing and rejuvenating. Unfortunately, it was packed when we arrived. Not only that, but it was louder than I expected.
We found one lone chair to place our towels, my partner's e-reader, and our cell phones, while we went for a dip in the warm thalassotherapy pool. It wasn't too relaxing, though. The quiet atmosphere I expected was disrupted by the loud chatter from other guests, making it difficult to unwind.
After a few minutes, we made our way to the Mediterranean Bath, which was milder than the steam room and saunas and more about the aromatherapy. Directly across from the Mediterranean Bath were the Walking Kneipp hydrotherapy pools.
I had never heard of Kneipp walking before, but in the spirit of trying new things and getting the most value out of our Yacht Club experience, I decided to give it a try.
I began by stepping into one of the warm pools. After a minute or so, I switched to a cold pool, where the cool temperature made my feet tingle and tense up. It was a refreshing, although unusual, experience that's supposed to improve circulation and reduce swelling and inflammation.
We then discovered that the enclosed rooms were more relaxing, as they blocked out a lot of the sound coming from the main pool area. For instance, the Ganbanyoku Room with heated stone beds was peaceful. It would have been easy to nap in there!
After fighting the urge to sleep, my partner and I split up for a while. She sat in the salt room with her e-reader while I tried out the steam room and dry sauna. The eucalyptus aroma in the steam room quickly cleared my sinuses, and the intense heat in the sauna helped relax my muscles. The large ocean-view window was nice, too.
Later, I found my partner in the thalassotherapy pool with her e-reader, as she claimed a larger party was being really loud in the salt room.
The snow room wasn’t working, either. This was a little upsetting because it was the area she was most excited about. In total, we spent roughly an hour in the thermal suite on the first sea day before deciding we'd had enough.
Before we left, however, we grabbed a cup of flavored water from the small refreshment station. This is a must, especially if you're spending time in the sauna or steam room, to stay hydrated.
We returned the morning we docked in San Juan
Because we had such a long port day (9:00AM-11:00PM), we weren’t in a rush to get off the ship. Instead, we had a leisurely breakfast in the main buffet before venturing to the thermal spa around 9:20am.
When we arrived, it was practically empty, with just one other guest in the thalassotherapy pool. We both noted that it felt far more relaxing without guests trying to speak over the waterfall and jets. While it started to get a little busier closer to 10:00AM, it was nothing like the first sea day.
We never struggled to find space in whichever room we wanted, whether the Mediterranean Bath, soft sauna, or salt room. In fact, I had the sauna to myself for over 20 minutes — all while staring out the window and enjoying the views of the bustling city.
Unfortunately, the snow room was still out of commission on our port day in San Juan. As such, my partner took her e-reader into the salt room when I was in the sauna, as she doesn’t like the warmer thermal rooms. This wasn't a problem, though. She had been wanting to catch up on her reading, and the softly lit salt room turned out to be the perfect place to get lost in her latest read.
With the thermal suite being less busy in port, we spent more time in the spa than anticipated. Unwinding felt natural, and we quickly lost track of time. That said, I was shocked it wasn't busier because the main pools were closed until 11:30AM, which was unusual. I figured those with a thermal pass might take advantage of the thalassotherapy pool since it was open at 9:00AM.
The last sea day was still busy, but we weren't shocked by the crowd
The night before our last sea day, we made a hasty decision to visit the Yacht Club concierge and see if they could squeeze us in for another thermal session since we planned to spend most of the day ashore at MSC's private island in the Bahamas.
The concierge had no trouble accommodating our 11:00AM request, so after braving the Cliffhanger over-water swing, we returned to the thermal suite for a morning of relaxation. As expected, it was busier than the port day in San Juan. However, we weren't as disappointed because we knew what to expect. Instead, we worked around the crowds.
My partner and I started in the relatively empty thalassotherapy pool before she spotted an open heated lounger. While she relaxed on the chair, I ventured to the sauna, which was empty for most of my 20-minute stay. The steam room, however, was far more crowded. Then, we took another dip in the pool before returning to our cabin for an afternoon nap.
Ocean Cay was too warm for us, so we returned on the ship around 1:15PM and went straight to the empty thermal suite
Yacht Club cruisers have access to two private beaches at Ocean Cay, as well as a sit-down restaurant with elevated food options.
Although we wanted to spend most of the day ashore, it was too hot for us (that's what we get for cruising to the Caribbean in July!), so we returned onboard after lunch. This was one of the best decisions of the cruise.
We pretty much had the entire thermal suite to ourselves for two hours before other passengers finally started trickling in. With nobody else in the pool, I didn't feel bad stretching out and floating around.
By 3:00PM, it had started to get pretty busy, with the heated loungers filling up and the once-empty thermal rooms echoing with conversation from other guests.
While I'm disappointed we couldn't enjoy our day at Ocean Cay more, our afternoon session in the thermal suite more than made up for it.
Is MSC's thermal spa worth the price?
Because the thermal suite is included for Yacht Club and Aurea guests, each visit made it feel like we were getting our money's worth for the price tag of our suite. However, it's easy to wonder whether the amenities can justify the $89 (or $199) cost for passengers in standard staterooms.
Overall, I'd say yes if you're someone who likes to relax in the sauna, soak in a thalassotherapy pool, or enjoy quiet time in the Himalayan salt room. Had we paid $89 for a sea day pass, we would have been disappointed because of the crowds, though.
That said, we could easily see ourselves spending $89 on a port day (even better if it's a BOGO deal!), when most guests are off the ship and the thermal suite is quieter.
During our visits in San Juan and Ocean Cay, we had no trouble finding open heated loungers by the thalassotherapy pool or in the salt room. The steam and sauna rooms were nearly empty, too.
Consequently, the overall vibe was more peaceful and what you'd hope for in a tranquil spa environment, and we were really able to relax.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
