There are all different types of lifestyles out there. Nomadic lifestyle. Sustainable lifestyle. Bohemian lifestyle. And, of course, the nudist lifestyle.
Nudism, or sometimes called naturism, has been around for eons. After all, Adam and Eve were said to be nude. Fast forward a few millennia, and the world’ first nudist colony (well, it was more of a commune or club) was established in 1891. Yep, the Fellowship of the Naked Trust only had 3 members, and it only lasted about a year, but it was located in located in Thane, a city just outside Mumbai.
Add another 99 years to the world, and the nudist lifestyle was in full swing, with lots of “clothing-optional” places people could live or vacation. That’s around the time that Bare Necessities Tour & Travel Company, a travel agency that specialized in clothing-optional vacations, chartered its first full-ship nude cruise.
Since then, they’ve chartered over 75 nude cruises, with multiple cruises per year on different cruise lines and to a variety of locales. There was actually a very interesting “Ask Me Anything” conversation on Reddit a while back to give people a better idea of what nude cruises are like.
Anyway, Bare Necessities is at it again, and they’re currently taking reservations for the Big Nude Cruise, which will take place from February 3 to 14, 2025.
From their website:
Bare Necessities’ newest nude cruise is a private island double-dip with a brand new travel partner! We’ll begin our Big Nude Boat 2025 on Norwegian Pearl with an exclusive visit to an idyllic private island in The Bahamas, and cap off the cruise adventure with another exclusive stop on the way back. Two opportunities to enjoy a new slice of Bare-adise, coupled with a beautiful selection of Eastern Caribbean island stops, will make this a can’t miss Big Nude Boat experience.
The rules
Despite the continual orgies that some people think happen (they don’t), nude cruises are generally the same as cruising with clothes on…minus the clothes, of course ;-). However there are a few decorum rules that are specific to nude cruises:
When at port
When the ship is at sea or anchored in a port, passengers are allowed to be nude unless there have been announcements have been made that say otherwise. However when the ship is docked alongside in port, all passengers must be dressed throughout the entire vessel, including balconies, until the ship leaves port and an announcement is made that nudity is again permissible.
During meals
The Norwegian Pearl has a self-serve buffet on the pool deck, which is designated a clothes-free area during the Big Nude Boat cruise. However if passengers decide to eat in the dining room, they have to wear clothing. (They specify that casual clothes are fine in all of these venues. Bathrobes are not permitted in the dining room. They say, “When in doubt as to what is appropriate attire, simply confirm that breasts, bottoms and genitalia are fully covered by clothing that is not considered to be fetish-wear or lingerie.”)
The no-nos
Lingerie, fetish-wear, and excessive genital jewelry are not appropriate at any time.
Have a towel underneath you any time you sit
Passengers must always sit on a towel (or some sort of clothing) if they’re wearing a thong, G-string, or nothing at all (this is standard nudist etiquette). That rule applies virtually anywhere a passenger sits—in their stateroom, on the pool deck, in the buffet area, all venues aboard, and on clothing-optional excursions.
No photography without permission
Passengers can’t take photographs, videos or electronic images of anybody on the cruise without the express consent of that individual. This goes for whether guests are clothed or nude.
The areas around the pool and in dance venues are what they call “NO PHOTO ZONES” and NO PHOTOGRAPHY is allowed there, period. They’ll take away your photo taking device if you’re found taking photos, video, etc. in those areas..
Nothing sexually inappropriate
“Fondling or inappropriate touching of personal body parts or those of someone else, overt sexual activity or any form of solicitation for sexual acts is strictly prohibited.”
No nude displays
Passengers shouldn’t display themselves nude in front of other ships in port (that includes on their balcony) or while port authorities are on board the vessel for clearance.
Typical cruise rules
You see these as part of the rules on just about ANY cruise, especially a sell-out, nude or not:
- “Dangerous or rude behavior will not be tolerated at any time.”
- “Passengers must comply with US Federal law regarding the possession or use of illegal substances.”
- “Bare Necessities also complies with the cruise line’s regulations, including the right to dismiss persons from the cruise for abusing alcohol and/or drugs, not obeying all safety rules including our decorum and attire, as well as not complying with the laws of the country we are visiting.”
- “Failure to comply with any of the decorum and etiquette described in this section will be grounds for dismissal from the cruise. There are no refunds for dismissal and transportation is not provided from the port of dismissal.”
Just like the the “Ask Me Anything” guy said, save for some rules that are specific to a cruise with a bunch of nude people on it, it’s really like any other cruise.
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