Caribbean Cruising 2009 - If you must sail of into the sunset better do it nude:

Well we're off again these trips really are quite addictive and this is my third cruise and our second to the Caribbean while Kim has now racked up five. One of the things learnt from a number of work trips across the pond is that arriving a few days early lets you adjust to the new time zone. In our case it also let us spend a bit of time at Caliente a place that is arguably the premier nudist destination in the US if not the world with a warm tropical climate and balmy 7 degree temperatures. What! Yep we arrived during an "unseasonable" cold snap. Thankfully this only lasted a day or two longer so it was back to warm temperatures by Friday and some serious pool time catching up with our friends from previous cruises and those fellow travellers we'd meet on-line.

Caliente is like any other resort in that it has all of the facilities you'd expect such as a number of pools, restaurants, bars with a drinks service for those who don't want to leave their spot by the pool, gym, gift shop, health Spa and the only thing resembling a dress code is a requirement to be nude by the pool. The other benefit of staying here was that as the cruise is a major draw to the area for nudists from all over so the resort ran bus services to the pier on the day of departure which meant no messing around with shuttles or hire cars to get to the Carnival Legend, which was to be our home for the next week.

Leaving Tampa on a ship of this size, massive at 86,000 tons, is a bit of a slow process as she makes her way down the narrow channel and out into Tampa Bay towards the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Passing under this bridge as the sun sinks below the horizon holds an interest for all on board as the ship clears it by a mere 1.5 meters, which in itself is impressive to see, more importantly though as soon as it is passed the harbour pilot leaves the ship taking with him the requirement for clothing and the serious business of nude cruising can begin.

A few people have asked us what this cruising is like and to be honest it is a matter of personal preference. For us there is the simple luxury of getting out of bed when we're ready and knowing that breakfast will be waiting then coming back to find our bed made for us and the day ahead just to unwind by the pool or at one of the many workshops that are available ranging from couples massage to photography, with models supplied as required.

Being that these are not you're standard cruises about 70% of the people on board have been on a previous BNTT cruise so there is a fair bet you'll meet people you all ready know. Added to this the on-line forums that are available for those on the cruise mean that you'll have more chances to get to know your fellow travellers before you go, something that just doesn't happen with standard types of holidays.

Of course there is also seeing new and different places such as Key West which while not so new to us is certainly different. As we where in town we had to do lunch, and margaritas of course, at the original incarnation of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, Other's from the cruise went to the "Garden of Eden" a clothing optional bar and pool in Duval St. Most of the time nudists there are out numbered 10 to one however, this time the shoe was on the other foot and the textiles were very nervous.

Our second port of call for this trip was Montego Bay in Jamaica we decided to get a feel for the local culture by partaking in the Jamaican national sport of Bobsledding! Come on you must have seen the movie. Well while having no snow on the island may seem like a challenge this is soon overcome using steel rails and gravity added to this a chance to zipline down the mountain made it the must do for big kids like us. There was a bonus thrill ride here and it was difficult to work out which got us the most excited we're not sure if it the Bobsled, the zipline or the bus ride to Ocho Rios and back? It has to be said that these drivers play chicken at the professional level and sitting at the front of the bus where you can see all the action is not for the faint hearted.

After such an exciting time we figured that we needed to slow down a bit so we watched the sunset from a catamaran as we sailed nude along the Jamaican coast sipping Champaign before returning to our "mother ship" and slipping off into a moonlit Caribbean Sea.

Our final stop on this cruise was the island of Cozumel in Mexico which was the stop that initially sold us on this trip. Here we had the opportunity to have a look around some Mayan Ruins in Tulum Mexico. Tulum is the only Mayan city located on the coast and from this perspective is unique. While we've all heard of the Mayans and their amazing astronomical and mathematical abilities and their bloodthirsty nature to see their achievements close up is truly impressive. Our guide for the day was of Mayan decent and it was his knowledge and passion for his culture made for a very interesting day.

On the island our ship was berthed next to another Carnival ship the "Conquest" and it wasn't to long before some of the passengers on board noticed that a few of the swimming costumes worn around the pool and spa on the aft deck of our ship seemed a little skimpier than those on their's. Once they realized that this was only a temporary aberration and that they'd be removed soon after sailing everyone on the ship had to get a look at the nudists. I can't say how many came to look but I'm sure I saw their ship list just a little.

It's hard to say if this sort of "in your face" exposure to people who choose follow our lifestyle is good for us or not but I'm sure that these cruisers will be heading home with a few more memories than they'd counted on and more than one dinner conversation would have included the phrase "next time I want to be on that ship!".

One word of advice on Cozumel, the Tequila is cheap and plentiful. Seven passengers from our ship failed to make it back prior to sailing so make sure you take a designated sheep dog to round up the stragglers.

In what seemed like no time at all we were back in Tampa so with goodbyes said and a final night at Caliente we started the longer than usual trek back home with photos, memories and the thought that it's only thirteen months till our next one, two weeks to Hawaii (OK the real thought was where the hell is our luggage?).

A few people have asked us how much these cruises cost and as with all things that depends on what options you take. The big ship cruises offered are by far the cheapest with prices starting from around $700 US per person up to $11,000 if you want the very top of the range suite. Now remember when you’re looking at these prices they are in US dollars and you’ll need to add the cost of airfares and accommodation before and after the cruises. Shopping around for cheap airfares and taking an inside room could see you doing a trip like this for less than $8,000.

Care to join us and lift the Aussie head count? We'd love to see you there.

If you have questions we can be contacted here.

More photos from this trip can be found at our gallery site.

The cruise was booked through Bare Necessities Tour and Travel.

2010 and we'll be off again this time to Hawaii with the family stay tunned for more....