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Apart from the apparent reason that nudists are not like most people, there’s also a more wholesome story to tell. They have a seemingly care-free mentality, and they judge and complain less in everyday life.
Even on nude cruises with thousands of naked people, your changes to the nudist culture and environment will be quick.
Everyone’s welcoming and inviting. There are also essential and official rules that the community and staff enforce. So if you choose to cruise nude, be ready to make new friends, but don’t worry, not everyone’s a swinger.
While nude cruises are not for everyone, these top results will most definitely raise eyebrows.
What You Need to Know
You’d think that showing it all or some of it would expose what your inner critic calls your “problem areas.” Thus, a nude cruise might make you feel unattractive.
Give yourself about two hours aboard, and you’ll feel the opposite. Clothes are evil. You wouldn’t have a muffin top if it weren’t for jeans, so lose the bar, and say goodbye to back bulges. Why do you think artists prefer painting their subjects all-natural?
Things to Expect
For those who do go on these trips should know that some clothing is required in many circumstances. For example, a cruise ship may require clothing in formal dining rooms and specific call ports.
It can also catch cold weather, so you may want to bring a jacket or other clothing items to cover up. While many, if not most patrons, will likely be nude on the ship, the staff will surely not be. It is not appropriate or safe for people who clean the ship, serve the drinks, or cook the food being naked.
Besides the nudity aspect, a nude cruise is not too much different from a traditional cruise. These cruises also feature games, entertainment and lots of food and drink, and the opportunities to relax.
Sometimes traditional cruise lines, like Carnival, offer select cruises for naturalists.
While Bare Necessities sponsors some of these cruises, you may find other options when you can call the cruise line.
Note that these types of cruises are not as common as traditional ones. So it may take some hard work to find the perfect opportunity.
If there are no cruises of choice available on the American lines, the European cruise lines are the best option to explore.
Nude Cruises vs. Regular Cruises
Well, outside of the obvious, a few factors differ from one another. Most fall under rules of etiquette or decorum to which it’s polite to observe.
For one, some websites need to keep it in check. Photos can be taken, but if it’s a group setting, better get permission first from all those in the image. It’s also essential not to eyeball or stare. The point of nude cruising is comfortable in an open-minded environment.
A towel is a necessary accessory on any nude cruise, not to cover their body but to use it as sitting on ship furnishings, and without one is a no-no. Towels are readily available ship-wide, but passengers can still pack their towels as well.
Activities might be enriching like art classes with nude models and body painting lessons.
Lines That Offers Nude Cruises
Nude cruises take place on many cruise lines to many destinations, focusing on warm-weather climates. All are booked as full-ship charters.
This means that a third-party operator like Bare Necessities or Castaways Travel will buy out the whole ship. They will then sell cabins to clients who are interested in theme cruising. But you need to be part of a charter group to book a nude cruise.
This also explains why many nude cruise passengers are repeat customers. According to Bare Necessities, 70 percent of its clients are repeat cruisers. Hence, their annual voyages might feel a bit like a reunion of sorts for past passengers.
Luckily, you can find clothing-optional cruises on both mainstream lines and upscale or boutique cruise companies.
Nude Cruise Destinations
When a Caribbean cruise ship sails to one of its private islands, it is common to see a nude excursion offering. On excursions like these, passengers can lounge naked on the beach.
In Europe, Bare Necessities take their customers in countries like Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro.
For many visitors to Italy, the other side of the land is a mystery. But for Italians and savvy European travelers, this is where they choose to have fun.
It is also where you will be continuing your gastronomic voyage. Some lines like Royal Clipper even offer cooking demonstrations by a Michelin Star Guest Chef!
They embrace the vast diversity of people that are attracted to nude social recreation. They also welcome people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and age ranges.
Onboard Activities
As with other cruises, daytime fun activities will include things like pool volleyball or table tennis tournaments. There is also bing and trivia quizzes.
At night, cruise lines usually arrange parties, such as an ’80s party or costume party.
Charter groups put some more parties.
Bare Necessities, for example, hosts Mardi Gras or Undressed To Kill: James Bond Night themed-parties. Castaways Travel offers a Glow Rave Night and an Animal Kingdom Party, where passengers put their favorite animal prints.
In general, cruises don’t have a theme, outside of being nude cruises, but theme nights are typical.
Do You Have to Get Naked All the Time?
You can wear as much or as little as you want to wear. Some people just get hooked into it, wearing an article of clothing or two until they are comfortable being naked with others around.
In general, clothing is required for dining in the ship’s main dining room or any specialty restaurants. While aboard a nude cruise, the dress code is strictly casual, meaning T-shirts and shorts are acceptable.
Passengers are not allowed to wear lingerie to the dining room or specialty restaurants. Rules are more loose in the casual buffet, where nudity is permitted. You can also enjoy room service and balcony dining while nude.
The captain will also say if you need to be dressed, and if he does, get dressed. Most announcements will come as the ship nears port. The captain will also tell you when you can cruise naked.
In the captain’s cocktail party, formal wear is often the norm.
While clothing isn’t necessarily required in places like the fitness center or jogging track, most passengers will wear clothing for support and comfort.
The AANR suggests that “clothed when practical, nude when appropriate” approach to visits to nude resorts or beaches. The same policy would apply to cruise ships.
In today’s world of themed cruises, it seems that there’s a cruise for just about every personality and taste.
Given that nude recreation is roughly a $440-million-per-year industry, according to the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), it’s not surprising that a couple of nude cruises take place each year. Some of them have been around for decades, even!
The concept aims to get at those people who enjoy or are curious about nude vacations without compromising safety and comfort.