Elevate Spa’s latest Spa Peeps Gathering took place on a Caribbean cruise
More than 60 buyers and suppliers gathered for networking, education and a think tank
Suzanne Holbrook and Jessica Shea helped drive the educational content
More than 60 buyers and suppliers gathered on board Virgin Voyage’s Scarlet Lady for a four-night cruise to the Caribbean recently as part of Elevate Spa’s Spa Peeps Gathering.
The three-day event included one-to-one meetings, educational sessions, a think tank and various dinners and networking events on the ship, as well as stops in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.
“The Elevate Spa Cruise was an extraordinary opportunity to learn, grow, and teach,” said Lisa Wolfe, founder of Spa Peeps. “We pride ourselves on providing top-level education from the biggest and best names in the industry.”
Highlights from the cruise included a fireside chat on The Future Spa Experience, featuring Jessica Shea, vice president of wellness, retail and leisure operations at Hilton, and Frank Pitsikalis, SVP and chief marketing officer at Agilysys; an ‘Ask the Buyers’ session; a presentation on the Global Wellness Summit’s 2026 Future of Wellness Trend Report; and a think tank session featuring consultants Michael Lahm, Jeremy McCarthy and Cary Collier, alongside Shea and Suzanne Holbrook, head of global spa, fitness & wellness for Marriott International.
“Many thanks to Suzanne Holbrook and Jessica Shea for their continued support and for creating such impactful global educational topics,” said Wolfe. “Additionally, I want to thank the vendors for their unsurpassed support. The Elevate Virgin cruise provided a fun atmosphere that allowed relationships to be both built and solidified.”
Attendees echoed that sentiment, with many pointing to the format that mixed business with pleasure as key to the event’s success.
“The Elevate Spa Peeps cruise experience was a powerful and magical convergence of some of the spa and wellness industry’s most insightful leaders, paired with fun and meaningful time together,” said Jill Carlen, VP of business development for Living Earth Crafts. “The conversations surrounding intentional programming and wellness trends — within and beyond the spa — were truly special and deeply inspiring.”
McCarthy said the event created a unique opportunity for a small group of professionals to make deep connections in a relaxed environment. “The level of learning, sharing of best practices, and the building of meaningful industry connections made this event incredibly rewarding during a time when our industry is evolving at breakneck speed,” he said.
Mariuca Moala, US country manager for skincare brand Germaine de Capuccini, said the cruise offered the perfect combination of business alongside experiences for connection. “I especially appreciated the interactive activities, which created a more relaxed, business-casual atmosphere and allowed for more genuine and meaningful connections,” she said. “The panels and industry discussions were extremely insightful for a brand like Germaine de Capuccini, offering valuable perspectives on current market trends, expectations from professional beauty brands, and the challenges they are facing today. Lisa has a special talent for bringing together spa leaders in a way that makes each event uniquely engaging and interesting.”
