I went on a 2,000-person NUDE cruise - here's what it was really like aboard the ship

A keen traveler has shed light on what it is really like going on a nude cruise - with less luggage to pack being one of the major perks. 

Writing anonymously on Reddit the man, aged 67, invited other users to 'ask me anything' about the experience.

He booked a cruise via the Texas-based travel company Bare Necessities, which has been operating clothing-optional ship charters since 1990. 

The unnamed man said he was on a 2,000 passenger Carnival cruise liner with his 61-year-old wife for a seven-day round trip from Tampa, Florida, with stops in Mexico and Honduras along the way. 

He reiterated to other Reddit users that the trip - his first ever nudist cruise - was 'not a swingers cruise or a sex positive environment' and 'this was a crowd with lots of nudist experience.'

A keen traveler has shed light on what it is really like going on a nude cruise - with less luggage to pack being one of the major perks (stock image)

Explaining the ins and outs of nudist cruising, he revealed that the captain 'generally makes an announcement after exiting a port when clothes can be removed' and 'usually it's about thirty minutes.' 

The same then happens in reverse, when the ship starts nearing its next port of call. 

He added that people 'usually take advantage of the opportunity to be nude since that's the point of the cruise.'

On the staff side of things, he said all of the cruise workers were clothed 'except for one male/female duo' who performed in the theatre. 

He said that from his understanding, no employee from the cruise line is 'obligated' to work the nude charters if they do not feel comfortable. 

Many commenters were intrigued about what the crowd were like on the nude cruise, and the man gave his honest verdict. 

He wrote: 'Unquestionably, there were relatively few younger couples [and] it definitely skewed older.

'Certainly most were in their 50s to 70s. Many gay men. Not many gay women that I could tell, but I would think they would be comfortable. It's an accepting crowd.'

Writing anonymously about the nude cruise experience via Reddit the man, aged 67, invited other users to 'ask me anything.' He booked via the travel company Bare Necessities

Some people also quizzed the man on the attractiveness levels onboard the ship, and the man replied that 'cruises seem to be for people who like to eat and lie around, so there were a lot of large people.'

Overall, he said '20 per cent attractive, 20 per cent average, 60 per cent unattractive.'

When it came to nationalities, most of the cruise goers were American, he said, while there were also 'some Europeans and Australians.'

Many Reddit users were worried about people taking 'sneaky' photos and videos of people in the buff but the man put these concerns to bed by stating that everyone was 'very respectful.' 

He explained: 'Everyone knows you can't take pictures of other people. I was much less worried here than I have been at nude beaches. Almost no one had phones with them outside their cabin. 

'There were many signs posted. There were a lot of staff from the charter company whose job it was to enforce good naturist etiquette. 

'And I've spent time online researching nudism and I've never seen a single online photograph from the cruise except for the group shots that people voluntarily pose for. For those reasons, I wasn't concerned.'

Bare Necessities has been operating clothing-optional ship charters since 1990

Hygiene was another worry among readers, but the man revealed that all cruise goers took a towel around with them to sit on and there were clean towels 'all over the ship.'

While the majority of the cruise was nude, the man explained that clothing was worn at certain times.

For instance, 'clothes were required in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants.'

In fact, he observed that 'many people dressed for night generally [too], after spending the day nude in the sun. 

'So after 6pm, there was a strange mix of nude, normally dressed, and women dressed in sexy clothes, like see-through blouses.'

The man said the combination of some people nude and some people dressed at the bars was 'weird' but 'it added to the charm as far I was concerned.'

On the footwear front, 'shoes were required walking around the boat, although some folks went barefoot nonetheless' and at dinner 'everyone was in flip flops or sandals.'

Clothing had to be worn when the ship arrived in port but when they visited nudist beaches for excursions they could strip off again. 

Summing up his first nude cruise experience, the man concluded: 'It was awesome. Great weather and the opportunity to do a bunch of fun things nude (beaches, resorts, dancing, be at bars, etc.).

'My partner enjoyed it very much.'

Despite enjoying it, the man says he probably won't go again as 'there are a lot of great places in the world.'

Offering some pearls of wisdom to nudist novices, he says: 'Have you ever gone skinny dipping? It's great to be nude to go swimming, dancing, walking along the beach, etc. For me, that's the main thing.

'It's the same reason men don't wear shirts to go swimming or on the beach. It's great feeling. I'm sure some people have an exhibitionist thrill, but I don't.

'Yes, [being naked on a cruise] occasionally seemed a little silly, but you only live once... And yes, packing is easier.'