It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you plan your vacation, but a new study shows that some of us are booking nude cruises, choosing to pad along the decks, facing those sea breezes au naturel. A survey of 3,000 travelers by Faye Travel Insurance revealed (ha ha) that 3 percent of respondents are going on adult-only, clothing-optional cruises. Of course this brings up tons of questions, and we did a little bit of research to be able to answer a few before you even ask them. Yes, you must sit on a towel in public areas; yes, you must wear clothes to the dining room (although we found mention of one ship where you can be nude at the self-serve buffet...there’s probably a joke to be made here); no, the cruise staff are not also naked. Your captain will be in uniform. And although some cruises are also more freeform sexually, most nude cruises do not permit public sex—you’re just doing everything that you’d do on a regular cruise (sunbathing, gambling, dancing, shuffleboarding) but without clothes. Turn hard a starboard may take on new meaning, though.
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When the ship is docked at a port, you’ve got to be clothed, including on balconies, until the ship goes back to sea. There are designated “no photo zones,” where you can rest assured you won’t wind up in someone’s reel. Some may question the motivation behind this decision. According to the website FAQs at CruiseBare.com, “Many have expressed that they find themselves more relaxed and withholding less of who they are without the barrier of clothing. Bottom line? Being able to relax in your own skin leads to body acceptance.”
The survey looked at a few other fun/funky trends that are a little less mainstream than the usual trip to Florida. In fact, 12 percent of the surveyed travelers said they were embarrassed about some of their travel choices this year, and nearly a quarter said they intended to keep at least one of their trips a secret. What were the reasons given for concealing a trip? People feared being judged about their destination/trip, thought others might think they were spending too much money—and some are copying someone else’s plans and don’t want them to find out.
So, here are some of the other secretive findings:
Loving that airport a little too much: 7 percent said they will travel specifically (and only!) to visit a specific airport restaurant or shop.
Doing a little treatment while there: 6 percent are traveling for wellness that involves treatments like cryotherapy, red light therapy and stem cell treatments.
Going through the kids’ cash: with the charming acronym of SKI ("spending the kids’ inheritance"), 5 percent prefer to take a multi-generational trip than to save for their kids’ future.
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