Raison d’Etre’s spa and wellness brand LivNordic has launched the first of three spas planned on cruise ships as part of a partnership with Viking Ocean Cruises. Inspired by Nordic bathing traditions, including alternating hot and cold experiences, this ship’s spa offers the first snow grotto at sea.

The new eight-treatment room spa – complete with one couples’ suite that offers its own whirlpool – also houses a steamroom, two saunas – by Effegibi, two plunge pools, an indoor saltwater pool and a separate freshwater hot tub – heated to 39ºC (102ºF). Day beds and heated ceramic loungers line the outside of the wet zone, which also features a -10ºC (14ºF) snow grotto that features real snow – supplied by TechnoAlpine Snow Experts. If the plunge pools and snow room aren’t cold enough, the spa has a cold water bucket hanging from the ceiling to cool guests down after a lengthy period in the saunas or steamroom.

LivNordic group spa director Nora Forsberg detailed how Nordic tradition is incorporated into the spa journey exclusively for Spa Opportunities: “In Scandinavian countries we like to sit in the sauna for as long as we can before rolling around in the snow or making a hole in an ice-covered lake and pouring water over ourselves.”

The spa is run by 10 spa staff, including Forsberg. Staff come from Sweden, Hungary, Portugal, Canada and Serbia and they were each enrolled in a 6-8-week training programme in Venice – where the ship was built – to learn about how to achieve a ‘conscious touch’.

Ian Bell, project manager for Raison d’Etre outlined the concept of ‘conscious touch’ exclusively for Spa Opportunities: “Before any of the treatments were taught to our spa staff, the therapists needed to work out how to be in touch with themselves and their own energy. It’s not about literal touch, but it’s about helping them to focus on themselves and work out their own issues before they can work on clients.

“Happiness and growth are two of Raison d’Etre’s core values so ongoing daily motivational training is a priority to keep our staff, and consequently clients, happy,” added Bell.

The LivNordic spa menu is a simplistic offering of three types of Swedish massage – each of which can be upgraded with a selection of specialist techniques, including cupping, scrubs or a slimming treatment. The spa also offers one Nordic-inspired facial and another by Hydrafacial, in addition to one hand and one foot ritual.

Forsberg added: “The reason for keeping the menu choice down is to not burden guests with options and to keep the treatments easy to explain.”

While guests must pay for treatments, the entire wet zone is available for all passengers to use.

Inspired by nature, the LivNordic design uses white pigmented ash, reminiscent of the Tree of Life in Norse Mythology – Yggdrasil. This is complemented by limestone and black slate from Sweden, rough juniper panels, etched opaque glass and birch trees.

The two other LivNordic spas aboard Viking Ocean Cruise’s ships are set to launch – one in 2016 and another in 2017. The spas will be similar in size and design – with eight treatment rooms, according to Forsberg. Other LivNordic spas will be rolled out globally in the years to come.

In terms of suppliers, Living Earth Crafts delivered the pedicure thrones and treatment tables, Takara Belmont provided the hair salon chairs. Technogym installed the gym equipment aboard, adjacent to the spa and hair salon. Cosmetic products are supplied by The Organic Pharmacy, Hydrafacial, Calgel – for nails and Rahua – for hair.

Local Nordic retail items on sale in the boutique include Nordic bracelets; wheat warmers used in Nordic homes; yoga clothing by Katarina Waldenstrom; Swedish wooden scent balls by Dofta; Swedish tea; cleansing device from Stockholm by Foreo; and Nordic knitted hats by Forsberg’s Norwegian 95-year-old grandmother – Berit Clausen.

The ‘Viking Star’ ship was christened in Bergen, Norway, and will offer its maximum of 930 passengers a chance to sail the Mediterranean, Baltic, Nordic and European waters. Other facilities aboard the ship include six food and beverage zones, one of which is a live demonstration kitchen. There is also a theatre and a cinema – which has a license to screen TED talks during the day, a terrace, on-deck swimming pool and an impressive jazz bar called Torshaven.

The LivNordic concept is based on four principles that stem from the Nordic people’s ability to intuitively understand how to balance suitable activity with quality rest. Each of the four principles has informed the spa training, design and wellbeing support services for clients.

The first principle, ‘Nordic Wellbeing.’ demonstrates to clients how Nordic cultures have become experts in utilising the stark contrasts that exist in their countries to achieve high levels of health and wellbeing.

Another of the four principles, ‘Harnessing Contrasts’, shows the spa concept’s incorporation of extreme light and dark seasonal differences, plus hot and cold bathing rituals.

The principle ‘Connectivity to Nature’ further evokes the brand’s dedication to a culturally simplistic approach to a balanced lifestyle – via a balanced diet of fresh unprocessed food, functional exercise and finding the time to relax.

While the brand is based on traditional Nordic wellbeing rituals, LivNordic attempts to honour the best of the past and celebrate the best of the present by using modern technology – ‘Inspired Innovations’ – to enhance treatments.

“LivNordic spas are our ambassadors, promoting a balanced and healthy lifestyle anywhere in the world – the Nordic way,” said Anna Bjurstam, owner of Raison d’Etre. In April, Raison d'être appointed CIDESCO International president Anna-Cari Gund as managing director, to lead the expansion of the LivNordic brand.