With the cruise liner Carnival Freedom chartered by the nude tourism company Bare Necessities setting sail from Florida next February and nude tourism on the rise it is almost inevitable that one asks; “How long will it be, before we see superyachts chartered by nudist groups?”
Nancy Tiemann, who is arranging the eight day cruise to Panama said “It’s not just about getting on a cruise ship and taking your clothes off. I think when we vacation, we would rather travel with like-minded people, whether nudists or jazz music lovers.”
Nude tourism isn’t a new concept: Tiemann started booking cruises two decades ago with a ship of 600 people and the American Association for Nude Recreation celebrated its 80th anniversary last year.
The industry has evolved, with resorts becoming more upscale, cruises getting larger, and judging from the turnout of vendors at the first nudist expo last week in Las Vegas, no shortage of tourism companies aiming to cater to those who would rather travel in the buff.
Smaller nude cruises have visited the Greek Islands, Croatia and the Italian and French Rivieras in addition to more conservative locales such as Egypt – though travellers were clothed when they toured the pyramids.
Nudists, who say they are not about forcing nudism on others, emphasise the nudist lifestyle is simply about enjoying oneself without the social or physical burden of clothing in a non-sexual, family-friendly environment of like-minded people.
“That whole joyous experience of the healthy human body is what we’re all about. And adult entertainment is not nude recreation,” said Susan Weaver, president of the American Association for Nude Recreation.
Nude tourism appears to be growing in popularity. A survey of US households with income of $US50,000 or more last year showed that 17 per cent of respondents saw a visit to a nude or clothing-optional resort as extremely or very desirable. Those figures were up from 12 per cent a year earlier.
Nudists also appear to be seeking out a higher-end experience far removed from the more affordable rustic tent camping and family-oriented sing-alongs by the campfire of previous generations, experts say.
“Wanting to be able to have a cocktail, wanting to be able to join a petanque team or play tennis competitively, or something like that, there is a trend of people looking for more upscale resorts,” Weaver said.
On cruises and at nudist resorts, where a strict code of conduct applies, owners occasionally have to deal with guests who came with faulty expectations, although several said that this was an increasingly rare experience.
Overt sexual activity is barred at resorts that fall under the American Association for Nude Recreation’s banner, and sexualized clothing or accessories are not considered appropriate.
Guests are typically advised to sit on towels to avoid sitting naked on furniture.
As for the next nude travel frontier, there is no shortage of ideas for vacations nudists describe as a significant source of stress relief for them as they leave societal norms and expectations behind.
Weaver said she would like to see nude golf, while another nudist dreamed of a nude town, where residents could go to the bank, grocery store or post office — all in the buff.
But the bravest new adventure that Bare Necessities is considering is a naked cruise to an unlikely destination: Antarctica.
“We are looking at ships right now,” Tiemann said, adding that her company had already successfully offered a naked cruise to Alaska. “Probably in the next two years we’ll be announcing it.”
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