Nude curious?  First timer’s questions about social nude recreation…

Often when I talk to potential passengers on the phone and answer their questions about a Bare Necessities nude cruise I find that for many our cruise will be their first foray into social nude recreation.  Since my first group nude experience was on a cruise I couldn’t imagine a better introduction.  However, if potential passengers are still trepidatious I recommend checking out the AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) website’s Club Locator and encourage them to visit a local nudist resort to test the waters, so to speak.  There are some great nude places to visit around this great country of ours, and points beyond.

I have had the good fortune to visit quite a few beautiful nudist resorts such as the fabulous Mira Vista in Arizona, Koversada Naturist Park in Croatia, and Lake Como in Tampa, Florida.  I have also experienced Harbin Hot Springs in the nude, and sunned myself at the nude pool at the Meadowlark Inn, both located in or near Northern California’s wine country and both wonderful.  I’m looking forward to visiting several nudist resorts here in Texas this summer and just returned from the Federation of Canadian Naturist festival at Bare Oaks in Toronto, Canada.

So while I’m not an expert, I feel I’ve had enough experience to address most questions about being nude in a social setting.  You are most welcome to email me and disagree.  You are also welcome to share your experiences and ideas about social nude recreation with me, as long as you don’t mind if I borrow a well turned phrase or gem of explanation and use it myself.  I do not want to misrepresent the nudist community, or be presumptuous, I just thought to share some of what I tell potential nude cruisers and I’m ready to be corrected, if I’m wrong.

Most new passengers are titillated by the idea of a nude resort or a nude cruise, but I tell them quite plainly that it’s not what they think. It’s not a sexual experience, it’s a sensual experience. It’s the caress of an ocean breeze on bare skin, cool water cascading over your body, and no wet bathing suits to mess with. It’s also about freedom – the freedom from binding clothes and the freedom to meet people without any barriers. Meeting people in a nude setting is a great social leveler, and everyone instantly has something in common – the desire to enjoy nature and new experiences in their natural state.

Back in the day, the Germans started Freikörperkultur (FKK) which translates to Free Body Culture as a way to enjoy nature, sports, and a way of life in the nude.  Nudists are also called Naturists because of the desire to be nude outdoors.  While it’s very accepted in many parts of Europe and the Caribbean, it is still not widely accepted or understood in the US.

We at Bare Necessities are also doing our best to promote the idea of nudism here at home.  Last year we had a “Big Nude Boat” cabin giveaway at select AANR based resorts, we also offered a discount to AANR members to help promote increased membership in that worthy organization, and we gave away a record number of cabins at the first Nudist Expo in Vegas.  All of these giveaways and discounts resulted in a lot of media attention to healthy nude vacations and hopefully intrigued many new people to experience and understand what social nude recreation is all about.

Passengers also ask questions like “What do you pack in a suitcase for a nude cruise?” and “Where do you keep your keys?” and “How do you know it’s okay to be nude after the ship leaves the dock?” and those answers are simple… costumes for theme nights, on a lanyard around your neck, and when the Cruise Director makes the announcement respectively.  We have a wonderful cruise chartered for February on the Holland America Nieuw “Nude” Amsterdam if you’d like to find the answers for yourself!

Photo: Kat in the pool at the Meadowlark Inn, Calistoga, California in August, 2012.