World Cruise Update: Hair Care Tips When You Cruise

If you haven’t already noticed, my hair isn’t the most natural of all possible colors. What was I going to do to take care of my hair on my world cruise? Keep reading for some hair care tips that will help you on your next cruise. It does always help to have some top of the range salon products with you. Whether you’re going on a short cruise or a long world cruise like mine, these hair care tips will work for anyone.

Preparing For A World Cruise

Before I left for my world cruise, I was preparing for it months in advance. I’m not talking about just shopping for clothes and packing, but anticipating what my needs would be before I left. Once at sea, would I be able to buy the things I needed? I wasn’t sure so I needed to pack them in advance.

Hair Care Tips #1: Purchase Enough Hair Care Products For Your Cruise

This may sound like a no brainer, but just because you love your product and think everyone else will, too doesn’t mean you’ll be able to find it in Tahiti or India. If you use a certain brand of shampoo or conditioner or styling product, bring more than you think you will need.

TSG Tip: I find that on my world cruise I am washing my hair far more often than I normally do. Normally, I’d supplement my regular wash with dry shampoo, but I find I have to wash because of the sea air and sun. I’d seriously be out of luck if I didn’t have enough hair care products for my entire 4 1/2 month cruise.

Hair Care Tips #2: If You Color Your Hair, Speak To Your Stylist Before Your Trip

Seems somewhat obvious, but definitely book an appointment with your stylist to discuss what you should do for your hair while you’re on your cruise. Luckily for me, I have the most amazing stylist and colorist in the world, the über talented Samantha Lombardi of Salon Capri. She has always given me the most amazing color and when we switched to red, the color pops while looking vibrant and soft to the touch.

Samantha laid out a plan for me as to what I would need to bring for my cruise as well as detailed instructions to give to the hair stylist on the ship. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her instructions.

Hair Care Tips #3: Go In And Speak To Someone In The Ship’s Salon Soon After Boarding

The cruise line hires extremely competent and professional hair stylists like Alberto to take care of everyone's hair. Click To Tweet

I don’t know about you, but the stress of thinking about someone not being able to color my hair was getting to me even before I boarded the ship. Shortly after embarkation, I decided to speak to someone in the salon on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Black Watch. Although the demographic might not seem conducive to my hair care needs, I really didn’t have a reason to worry. The cruise line hires extremely competent and professional hair stylists like Alberto to take care of everyone’s hair. While not everyone might have long hair or color treated hair like my own, Alberto was more than willing to follow Sam’s instructions to the letter and that’s all I needed to know.

Hair Care Tips #4: Go In Completely Prepared For Your Appointment

This means have all of your products with you and ready to go so that you and your stylist won’t have to deal with any unexpected surprises. That meant bringing in my own shampoo and conditioner since I not only have color treated hair, but it’s treated with keratin as well. I also brought in my own color and developer for my hair instead of hoping that they might have my color. You guessed it — no one carries that shade of red.

TSG Tip: If you do bring your own products, don’t be shy to ask for a discount. Worst case scenario is that they say no, but most likely they will say yes.

Hair Care Tips #5: Be Prepared For A Learning Curve

While I’d like to believe that all stylists are trained the same exact way, we all know that’s not the case. Because of that, you definitely need to be prepared for a learning curve and sometimes even a language barrier. If you’re patient and kind, good things will happen.

For example, today I went to get my hair colored and noticed I only had four tubes of color left instead of six. I’m supposed to have two for February, two for March, and two for April. I decided to skip the gloss part of the process and use one tube for my roots and ends. Something got lost in the translation, but Alberto and I were patient with one another and in the end, my hair came out looking fantastic.

TSG Tip: Did you know the on board salon on Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Black Watch as well as the other Fred. Olsen Cruise Line‘s ships offer a variety of spa treatments? These include facials, massages, manicures, and pedicures and more.

Hair Care Tips #6: Compliment and Tip Your Stylist

Whether you’re at home or on a world cruise like I am, a good job deserves a compliment. If someone does a good job, tell them with a compliment and a tip. This way the next time you come in, you’re sure to be remembered in a favorable way.

Hair Care Tips #7: Be Wary Of The Sun

Admittedly, however much reluctantly, I’m now a new member of the sun worshipping team here on Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Black Watch. As someone who has never had a tan, I’m shocked at how different I look with a little color. However, I will say that my hair is taking a beating in the sun. At home I get my hair colored every four to five weeks. At the end of four weeks here, my hair was nearly stripped of all of its color. While I enjoy the sun and my golden brown tan, my hair has turned from red to pink to almost white.

Hair Care Tips #8: Be Wary Of The Water

If you like swimming in the ship’s pool, consider wearing a bathing cap to protect your tresses. If you have color treated hair, this is the best way to keep the chlorine from changing your color to something well, less flattering than you’d like.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my hair care tips for cruising and that you’ve thought about a few things that can help you for your next cruise. Do you have any hair care tips for cruising that you’d like to share? Leave your comments below. Discover some other great destinations and travel ideas here on the Travel Shop Girl website.