The shower spa
I was slightly excited as I was about to tick off another entry on my ‘aviation to-do list’. I had seen many photos and videos of the shower suite before, so it wasn’t a surprise when I eventually saw it with my own eyes. I suppose what isn’t very well conveyed is the size though, it’s actually quite large, and even the shower cubicle itself is a decent size and doesn’t feel claustrophobic. In fact, it was probably larger than my shower at home.
The shower cubicle and sink, with a fluffy floor mat
The view as you enter the shower spa – sink, toilet and amenities
Central console with hair dryer and more amenities
The shower itself
The crew member asked if I had used the shower before, to which I said that I hadn’t so she proceeded to explain everything to me. There is a five minute limit on the water, but it stops at one minute remaining as a warning. To restart, I simply had to press the start button again. She explained also that the shower door had to be closed otherwise the water would not flow.
She then took me through the amenities, including where the hair dryer was and other toiletries which were not on display. She also pointed out the seat belt sign and where the oxygen mask would fall from in the event of an emergency.
It’s not 100% clear what would happen if the seat belt sign did go on. The shower spa guide mentions ‘being helped back’ to one’s seat by the shower attendants. The thought of walking through the cabin with a towel wrapped around me is not particularly appealing to be honest!
Shower amenities, ‘Relax’ and ‘Revive’
Cold towels
Water indicator (post shower, I only used 4 minutes worth!)
Start/stop and temperature control
The crew member closed the door behind her and then I started getting undressed. I’d checked the moving map before entering the shower, and noted that I was about to have a shower at just over 41,000 feet and approx. 565 miles per hour, surely the highest and faster shower that I would have had to date
.
Here is a video of the shower spa (with clothes on, don’t worry!):
Video – An overview of shower spa
As I started to get undressed, I admit that it did feel rather weird. Actually getting to the point where you are standing there with no clothes on takes a little bit of courage!
Anyway, I selected some shower gel and shampoo from the selection on offer and then started up the shower. I was pleased to see that it was warm straight away. The pressure wasn’t that great though, and with the limit on the water, there was no time to waste. It was a bit weird to be showering as the aircraft moved around slightly!
My thoughts on the shower are that it is not at all a gimmick. Being able to freshen up after a long flight and look presentable and feel refreshed before going through customs and travelling to one’s final destination is invaluable. On this short flight of course, the value of it wasn’t quite there, as of course, I just used it for the sake of it. The size of the room itself is fantastic also. There is plenty of room to change. No more fumbling around in tiny standard size bathrooms to change back into your normal clothes!
After the shower I dried myself off and made myself presentable, before heading out and back to my seat. It was about 12.40pm Auckland time, so there was still around an hour to go before everyone would have to prepare for landing.
The stairs leading down to the main deck
I started up the IFE again, to resume what I had been watching previously. I was quite thirsty at this point, perhaps due to the Champagne consumption, and the heat of the shower. For the first time that I can remember, I used the call bell, and felt a little guilty about it. Kim arrived almost immediately and asked if there was anything that I needed. I asked for some iced water which was promptly delivered.
The Bar
After twenty minutes or so I decided to head to the back of the aircraft to check out the bar. I timed it just right as the purser was escorting a couple of other First Class passengers to the back as well. These turned out the be the couple that were standing in front of me at the check in desk and were in front of me during boarding too.
I asked for a glass of Champagne to take back with me and Kim suggested that she send the bottle down the back so that we could enjoy it at the bar.
On the way I took some photos of the First Class and Business Class cabins from the rear.
Looking forward from 4F
The main business class cabin
There were a few people in the bar area, but it wasn’t particularly busy. The purser introduced the crew member serving at the bar to us and she poured out some Dom whilst I started chatting to my fellow passengers. It turns out that they were Americans, travelling over to New Zealand to tour around for a couple of weeks, and that this was their first time on the A380. They certainly seemed to be enjoying the experience and the husband was snapping away with his camera as much as I was.
Our lovely crew member serves the Dom
Side seating
The bar, from the other angle
The view from the side sofa
The view from the side sofa
We sat and chatted for a while and after they left I just enjoyed the view out of the window. I had my photo taken with the crew member behind the bar who seemed very friendly. As I sat down the guy in the grey t-shirt was being a bit of an idiot. He’d clearly had a few drinks and was trying to chat up the crew member behind the bar. Pretty pathetic really, she must get that all the time unfortunately.