Believe it or not, nudist travel is quite a popular niche in the United States, including the nudist cruise. These cruises allow patrons to bare all while visiting popular tourist destinations.
Nudist Cruise Operators
The easiest way to find a cruise for nudists is by working with an agency that specializes in nude travel. There are several of these agencies available, including:
- No Pockets Yacht Charters: This company is perfect for those who wish to bare all with a bit of privacy. Cruisers can have an entire yacht to themselves or share it with one other couple. All yachts must be chartered as a whole, except for one that allows for booking by cabin. The most common destination is the Caribbean, although the yachts can sail pretty much anywhere in the world.
- Castaways Travel: This travel agency is the nude division of Fox Travel, an agency that is affiliated with American Express Travel Services. Cruises you can book through Castaways include Hedonism Cruises, which offer nude beaches, nude hot tubs, nude pools and special nude deck sections; nude river cruises in Southern France; and nude yacht charters.
- Bare Necessities Tours: This tour company, which specializes in all types of nude travel, offers several cruise options. The FantaSEA Fest takes travelers to Key West, Half Moon Cay, Nassau and Mexico. Meanwhile, the Aloha Hawaii cruise travels to several Hawaiian islands. The Ancient World cruise visits Egypt, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey and the Sorobon cruise voyages to the nude-friendly south of France. Some cruises are family-friendly and some are adults-only.
- Shoes Only Travel: This company caters not only to naturalists, but also to swingers and "lifestyle couples." This is not the cruise to book if you are interested in family vacations, but it is a good place to find an exciting nudist trip. Destinations include the Caribbean and other tropical ports. Both individual and group travel are available.
What to Expect on a Cruise for Nudists
Of course, no one should take a nudist cruise if he or she is shy or embarrassed by seeing others in the buff. However, those who do go on these trips should know that some clothing is required in many circumstances. For example, a cruise line may require clothing in formal dining rooms and to certain ports of call. Also, it can get cold at night on the water, so you may want to bring a jacket or other clothing items to cover up.Also, while many, if not most patrons, will likely be nude on the ship, the staff will probably not be. It is not appropriate or safe for people who clean the ship, serve the drinks or cook the food to do so naked.
Besides the nudity aspect, a nudist cruise is not too much different from a traditional cruise. These cruises feature games, entertainment and lots of food and drink as well as opportunities to relax.
Sometimes traditional cruise lines, such as Carnival, offer special cruises for naturalists. While Bare Necessities sponsors some of these cruises, people may be able to find additional ones by calling the cruise lines directly. Note that these types of cruises are not nearly as common as traditional ones, so it may take some digging to find the perfect opportunity. If there are no cruises of choice available on the American lines, the European cruise lines are also a good option to explore.
