If you love to cruise, and you like the freedom of a clothing-optional or totally nude vacation, then a nude cruise might be perfect for you. In this article, we’ll discuss types of nude cruises, the best nude cruise companies, and sample nude cruise trips.
Types of Nude Cruises
There are two types of nude cruises. The first are for “naturists,” or people who just enjoy being nude, and the second are for “swingers,” or people whose nudity is sexually focused.
Nude cruises for naturists are usually clothing optional, leaving it up to you to decide when you want to wear clothes and when you don’t. “Swinger” cruises, also called “lifestyle” cruises, are also clothing optional. The main difference is that there are erotic activities onboard and sexual activity is emphasized.
Before you choose the best nude cruise for you, make sure you decide which type of nudity you’re looking for! And whichever nude cruise you choose, definitely pack plenty of sunscreen.
Naturist cruises are part of the popular nude recreation industry, which according to the American Association for Nude Recreation generates about $440 million a year. These types of cruises are for people who enjoy the health benefits of nudity, or feel more comfortable “in the buff.” They tend to be college-educated people, aged 35 to 65, who are into outdoor recreation and an active lifestyle.
On nude cruises, you can wear as much or as little clothing as you like, although clothing is usually required in areas like dining rooms. General hygiene rules are followed, like always sitting on a towel when in public areas. And for privacy, taking pictures is usually discouraged.
Swinger cruise guests often skew a bit younger, especially on cruises that allow singles, but you will find a range of ages here as well. The focus on these cruises is sexy play and erotic exploration.
On most clothing-optional and nude cruises, the captain and staff remain clothed. However, on Gay Nude Sails cruises, they are sometimes nude as well.
Desire Cruises
Desire is a company that has resorts as well as cruise offerings for couples only who are in the “lifestyle.” They charter ships for their adult-only swingers’ cruises, which are clothing optional and only allow heterosexual couples. A sample of the Desire Cruises’ offerings is the Venice to Rome cruise from May 18-25, 2023 on the Azamara Quest.
Upcoming Desire Cruises
Desire Rio de Janeiro Cruise: December 30, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Desire French Riviera Cruise: May 4 – 11, 2024
Desire Greece-Turkey Cruise: September 21 – 28, 2024
Desire Rome-Barcelona: May 13 – 20, 2025
Temptation Cruises
The “naughty by nature” Temptation brand, which also has resorts, charters large cruise ships for cruises that allow singles and all kinds of sexual orientations. Erotic activities are the focus on these trips, although they are not considered swingers’ cruises, they are called “lifestyle-friendly.”
There are topless-optional and clothing-optional areas, and sex is only permitted in the couples-only playroom or in private staterooms. There is usually just one Temptation cruise per year. The 2023 Temptation Caribbean Cruise was February 11-16, from Miami to the Caymans and Key West. In 2024, the Temptation swinger cruise is February 19-24, from Miami to Nassau and Cozumel on Celebrity Summit.
Bliss Cruise
This company also charters ships for adult-only swingers’ cruises that only allow heterosexual couples, but they have a more luxury-oriented angle. Sample clothing-optional cruises are the Bliss Cruise on the Celebrity ship Summit from April 17-22, 2023, which departs from Miami and hits Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and on the Celebrity Equinox from November 5-11, from Fort Lauderdale to various stops in the Caribbean, including Cozumel.
Other Bliss Cruises include on the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas from April 22-27, 2024, from Port Canaveral, Florida to the Caribbean, and on the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas from November 10-17, 2024, from Miami to the Caribbean.
Gay Sail
This company charters smaller ships like yachts and catamarans for gay clothing optional and nude cruises (in addition to regular, clothed gay cruises). Usually, a trip will consist of 1 to 3 ships, each holding 10 to 14 gay men (singles and couples permitted).
Gay Sail offers more than 45 cruise opportunities each year in areas like the Caribbean, Tahiti, Greece, and Croatia; some of these are nude cruises, and some of them are not.
Gay Nude Sail cruises include St. Martin, Anguilla, and St. Barth from February 4-11, 2023; week-long Adriatic cruises between Dubrovnik and Split throughout the summer; the Saronic Gulf of Greece from August 26 to September 2, 2023; and Tahiti in November 2023.
Bare Necessities Cruises
This company, based in Texas, is the top nudist cruise provider. They charter a variety of ships from different cruise lines, ranging from small yachts to large ocean liners. According to Bare Necessities, about 70 percent of their nude cruise guests are repeat customers.
All Bare Necessities Cruises are for couples, singles, and groups that are 18 and up, but this is definitely not a sexy atmosphere. In fact, their website says, “social nudity is not a sexual activity, and we strive to dispel the misconception that it is anything but natural and beautiful.”
The 2023 nude cruise with Bare Necessities is the Big Nude Boat cruise from February 12-26, 2023, on the Carnival Pride. This large ship has room for more than 2,000 people and will cruise the Caribbean, stopping at St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and Antigua. There will also be stops at nude beaches on the private islands of Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay.
Bare Necessities also has a Big Nude Boat cruise scheduled in 2024, from February 25-March 3. Additionally, there’s a Sailing the Greek Isles II trip (the first was sold out) from May 11-25, 2024. This nude cruise is aboard the elegant tall ship Star Clipper, which holds just 166 guests. It sets sail from Athens, Greece, and stops at multiple islands including Mykonos, Santorini, Sifnos, Kos, Rhodes, and Skyros, and Hydra. There will also be a tour of Ephesus, and a stop at a nude beach.
While much of the boat is clothing optional, guests are required to dress for meals, and when the ship is in port. Clothing is also required for off-ship excursions except for trips to designated nude beaches.
Ashley has always loved to explore new places and indulges her passion for travel whenever she can. She has been to 12 countries and 32 states so far.
Ashley has worked as a freelance writer for more than 20 years, specializing in the areas of travel, marketing, personal development, and the pursuit of happiness.
Favorite destinations include Sorrento and Capri, Italy; Haarlem, Netherlands; Paris; Sydney and K’gari, Australia; Rotorua and Waiheke Island, New Zealand; the American West; Palm Beach; the Florida Keys; and her hometown of New Orleans. Ashley has a goal of visiting every state plus many more international destinations.