Newest Cruise Trend: Botox

In every industry, competition exists. Attempting to offer the newest, the latest, the best in trends, companies continually bring new services and products to their current itineraries so as to attract customers away from competitors. But Norwegian Cruise Lines may be causing a wrinkle in the system by offering to remove wrinkles through Botox injections on board its cruises.

The cruise industry has long included spa treatments aboard their cruise ships, providing men and women alike with the opportunity to be pampered at the hands of experienced technicians. Massages, facials, manicures and pedicures have been the normal services rendered to cruise guests. That is, until now. Beginning this year, Norwegian is unfolding its plans to introduce Botox, Restylane and Perlane facial treatments to its guests on three of Norwegian’s vessels; the Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Spirit, with a fleet-wide expansion planned for the fall of 2008.

Norwegian has integrated the services of a Miami-based plastic surgeon, Dr. Brad Herman, who is the medical director for the Mandara Spas for this innovative venture. Dr. Herman will supervise a team of medically licensed physicians who will administer the treatments, which are considered to be safe for cruise ships as long as they are administered in a sterile environment in the recommended amounts prescribed by the FDA.

Adding unique spa services to their menus is not new to cruise lines. Already, tooth bleaching and acupuncture have found their way onto the decks of a variety of cruise ships, and has proven to be a very successful and lucrative offering. Always on the lookout for new and inventive methods for attracting the cruising crowd, it seems inevitable that more services such as Botox treatments will be emerging. Will consumers be seeing “return to youth” theme cruises, featuring Botox and related facial treatments, up and coming on a cruise ship nearby? Only time will tell. One fact is for sure; while no costs have yet been named, eliminating wrinkles from a face is bound to put a dent in a wallet.

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