Clothing optional

[beachchick]

It may be your private balcony where you think you can do anything you want anytime you want but there are exceptions.

 

While in port we (probably hundreds of us) saw a man completely naked on his "private" balcony showing off his assets to the world. :eek:

 

Even in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, you would be arrested if caught doing this.

There is a time and a place for everything.

 

Agreed! In port, especially with other ships nearby, is not the appropriate time/place for it. No way--And this comes from someone who enjoys clothing-optional and topless beaches, etc. and believes there's not a thing wrong with toplessness and nudity. Just please, keep it to appropriate times and places.

 

beachchick

[beetle9]

Is there a FreeStyle deck on the Sky?:)

i think the freestyle decks were just on the gem stype ships. We have seen both men and women co on the the deck.:)

[BeadBabe]

i think the freestyle decks were just on the gem stype ships. We have seen both men and women co on the the deck.:)

 

Beetle...you could be right. Athough I know the Epic does too. Maybe just the larger NCL ships. Well I sail on the 31st of October, so I'll find out and post here when I get back! :cool:

[nathand95]

Go for it Mike! If someone has an issue with you going CO,heck with em! It's your vacation so you should enjoy it whether you choose to wear clothes or not. You're paying extra for a balcony so you should enjoy it to the fullest extent. In the morning if it's a bit chilly I'm sure a cup of coffee and a hat would be perfect.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise. My Epic reivew is linked in my signature if you would like to check it out.

 

P.S. One thing I would like to see is how long you would last in the ice bar wearing a speedo. :p

[poolreader]

There are cruises that are totally CO, except in port. ;)

[BeadBabe]

Go for it Mike! If someone has an issue with you going CO,heck with em! It's your vacation so you should enjoy it whether you choose to wear clothes or not. You're paying extra for a balcony so you should enjoy it to the fullest extent. In the morning if it's a bit chilly I'm sure a cup of coffee and a hat would be perfect.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise. My Epic reivew is linked in my signature if you would like to check it out.

 

P.S. One thing I would like to see is how long you would last in the ice bar wearing a speedo. :p

 

I'm with you Nathan...it's my balcony and there are full side walls. Don't want to risk seeing something you don't want to see, then don't peek around! :cool:

I have a funny story though...my group of friends (I'm the tour guide) sailed the Pearl on the repo cruise thru the Panama Canal. Due to the Swine flu breakout in 2009, our last two Mexico ports were canceled but they added San Diego! Now I live in California, so I decided to stay on board and enjoy my balcony. The rest of my group got off and went to go tour some GIANT naval ship a few docks down. So there I am...ahhhhh....peace at least....the gang off ship and I have some quiet time...mojito in hand, slip out of my swimsuit top....ahhhhh:cool:

But wait...my cell phone rings. Oh that's right we are in port so I answer as it's one of my friends, who I'm sure is no doubt lost somewhere and needing help. "Hello" I say..."put your top back on" says he. "What???" I say..."look to your right, straight across on the yellow deck of the naval vessel". :eek: Yup, there they are...binoculars in hand pointed right at me. :o

"Perv!", I responded....I hear gaggles of laughter on the other end, and hang up! :D

[SAEMike]

Funny story, BeadBabe! Wow I thought this topic was dead after so many people ganged up on me for posting the question and I quit paying attention to it. I'm still hoping to be able to enjoy nature on my terms while we're cruising when we set sail on the Epic on October 16. But from my research on the weather in that area at this time of the year, I"m a little concerned that it may be a little chilly to do so. Oh well, I guess I'll find out once we get there. The impromptu litmus test will be the 2 days pre-cruise we are spending in Barcelona. I plan on checking out the CO beach areas there and getting some sun time in there, hopefully. Regardless, exactly 2 weeks from today I will be on a plane bound for Barcelona and a glorious birthday trip!!

 

I'm with you Nathan...it's my balcony and there are full side walls. Don't want to risk seeing something you don't want to see, then don't peek around! :cool:

 

I have a funny story though...my group of friends (I'm the tour guide) sailed the Pearl on the repo cruise thru the Panama Canal. Due to the Swine flu breakout in 2009, our last two Mexico ports were canceled but they added San Diego! Now I live in California, so I decided to stay on board and enjoy my balcony. The rest of my group got off and went to go tour some GIANT naval ship a few docks down. So there I am...ahhhhh....peace at least....the gang off ship and I have some quiet time...mojito in hand, slip out of my swimsuit top....ahhhhh:cool:

 

But wait...my cell phone rings. Oh that's right we are in port so I answer as it's one of my friends, who I'm sure is no doubt lost somewhere and needing help. "Hello" I say..."put your top back on" says he. "What???" I say..."look to your right, straight across on the yellow deck of the naval vessel". :eek: Yup, there they are...binoculars in hand pointed right at me. :o

 

"Perv!", I responded....I hear gaggles of laughter on the other end, and hang up! :D

[sdmike]

The chilly weather can be good, Mike.

 

"It's not that small, it's just COLD out" :D

[deladela]

i'm with you nathan...it's my balcony and there are full side walls. Don't want to risk seeing something you don't want to see, then don't peek around! :cool:

 

i have a funny story though...my group of friends (i'm the tour guide) sailed the pearl on the repo cruise thru the panama canal. Due to the swine flu breakout in 2009, our last two mexico ports were canceled but they added san diego! Now i live in california, so i decided to stay on board and enjoy my balcony. The rest of my group got off and went to go tour some giant naval ship a few docks down. So there i am...ahhhhh....peace at least....the gang off ship and i have some quiet time...mojito in hand, slip out of my swimsuit top....ahhhhh:cool:

 

but wait...my cell phone rings. Oh that's right we are in port so i answer as it's one of my friends, who i'm sure is no doubt lost somewhere and needing help. "hello" i say..."put your top back on" says he. "what???" i say..."look to your right, straight across on the yellow deck of the naval vessel". :eek: Yup, there they are...binoculars in hand pointed right at me. :o

 

"perv!", i responded....i hear gaggles of laughter on the other end, and hang up! :d

lol

[BeadBabe]

Funny story, BeadBabe! Wow I thought this topic was dead after so many people ganged up on me for posting the question and I quit paying attention to it. I'm still hoping to be able to enjoy nature on my terms while we're cruising when we set sail on the Epic on October 16. But from my research on the weather in that area at this time of the year, I"m a little concerned that it may be a little chilly to do so. Oh well, I guess I'll find out once we get there. The impromptu litmus test will be the 2 days pre-cruise we are spending in Barcelona. I plan on checking out the CO beach areas there and getting some sun time in there, hopefully. Regardless, exactly 2 weeks from today I will be on a plane bound for Barcelona and a glorious birthday trip!!

 

Mike, is that the repo cruise back to Miami?? I have friends on that voyage, but I think that leaves Barcelona on the 23rd. I'm sailing the Epic on the 10th of December. So post back and tell us all about it! :D

[BeadBabe]

lol

 

Gotta love friends right? :cool:

[SAEMike]

Beadbabe,

 

This is actually the cruise right before the repo cruise from Barcelona back to Miami. I wish I was able to do the B2B on both, but it's not going to happen this year.

 

I'll be sure to post a review once I get back!

Mike

 

Mike, is that the repo cruise back to Miami?? I have friends on that voyage, but I think that leaves Barcelona on the 23rd. I'm sailing the Epic on the 10th of December. So post back and tell us all about it! :D

[Jenjer]

Haha You made some lonely navy boy very happy :)

 

Did not know Epic had a "freestyle deck". Good to know. Think I will save that info for a surprise for DH.

 

I agree we Americans get to hung up on our bodies.

[libertyschool]

"It's not pushing boundaries. If I pay for a stateroom with a private balcony, then I will assume that I can be in whatever state of dress or undress I choose to be in on that balcony. My comment of "If kids want to look, they look" is not cavalier. It's reality. Especially if they are seeing something that they have never seen before. Children and adults alike ALL do it. As I stated in that comment, it's the responsibility of the parents to educate their children on what they are seeing. Now, if said parents choose to teach their children that the nude human body is a shameful thing and something that should be viewed in a negative light, then that is their prerogative. Unfortunately, I was raised in this manner, and then, when I got into college and started living less restricted and with a more worldly view of my surroundings and the people in it, I realized that what I had been taught about that subject matter was utter rubbish. As I said in another posting, every person has the same basic body. Some may deem others not as attractive or they may not approve of how someone decides to express themselves through their display of it, but those reservations are the problem and issue of the person holding those views and judgements, not of the person they are being reflected upon.

 

You said you will be traveling with your young child and if you're on your balcony and can easily see me through a gap, you would probably make a report. That's fine and that's your prerogative. t won't be hard to tell if I'm a naturist or just creepy. the haturist basks in the sun and enjoys nature in a relaxed manner. The creepy individual is scanning the other balconies trying to see what he can see and possibly doing things to himself. I can guarantee you that wouldn't be me. But going along with your threat to make a report, I'll be traveling with an adult friend and I can't stand small children. If you can look through a gap and see me, that means I can look through the very same gap and see you. How about I make a report that I am being harassed by the child and their parent who are constantly looking at me? Looking one time and recognizing that I'm nude is one thing. It is what it is. But constantly looking to see if I'm out there in the nude time and time again and huffing and puffing in a deprecating manner because of something YOU don't approve of or understand could be construed as creepy all the same. Sound ludicrous? So does your claim that my lounging on my private balcony in the nude would warrant lodging a complaint. It goes both ways."

First of all... you say that you take peoples comfort levels into consideration ... well clearly you don't. If your balcony is truly private then by all means, do as you please. However if there is a visible gap that makes it very easy for someone to see you, and there are young children using the balcony next to you, then exercise some respect. You talk about non-naturalists being myopic and sheeple, when in fact you are the same when it comes to your own point of view. I love my body even though it is not perfect and am completely comfortable in my skin. I have no difficulty seeing another person naked if that is their desire. I do not however find it comfortable to be naked. I like the feeling of clothing. I do not find it restricting. I find being naked, sweaty and sticking to chairs and other surfaces to be rather vile. That's my right and my opinion. I don't believe it makes me close-minded. Freedom applies to both sides of the arguement. As for young children who you admittedley "can't stand" ...WOW you sound like a real nice guy by the way. They do not have the same capacity for understanding things and being as open minded as most adults do. It could be downright tramuatizing for a child to see a naked man on the balcony next to them. Yes we teach our children to watch out for strangers and rightly so given the number of child abuse cases that occur. Although being a naturalist does not make you "creepy" a child would not necessarly see it that way. Yes, it would be the parents job to explain it to them. That doesn't mean that it would make the child feel better about it. I know for myself as a child it would have made me very un-comfortable. They have do not have the life experience required to understand it the way you do. If you simply don't care about how your behaviour affects others than I guess that's your own selfish perogative. However you have no right to tell people how they should to feel.

[beetle9]

Funny story, BeadBabe! Wow I thought this topic was dead after so many people ganged up on me for posting the question and I quit paying attention to it. I'm still hoping to be able to enjoy nature on my terms while we're cruising when we set sail on the Epic on October 16. But from my research on the weather in that area at this time of the year, I"m a little concerned that it may be a little chilly to do so. Oh well, I guess I'll find out once we get there. The impromptu litmus test will be the 2 days pre-cruise we are spending in Barcelona. I plan on checking out the CO beach areas there and getting some sun time in there, hopefully. Regardless, exactly 2 weeks from today I will be on a plane bound for Barcelona and a glorious birthday trip!!

Spains beaches are great and the people are way more open when we went trans atl a while back it was april and we went to beach and even tho it was a little cool the beach was not deserted. even rccl allowed use of the top deck above topsiders bar for co sunning on cruises to or in europe. Have a great trip.:)

[beetle9]

I'm with you Nathan...it's my balcony and there are full side walls. Don't want to risk seeing something you don't want to see, then don't peek around! :cool:

 

I have a funny story though...my group of friends (I'm the tour guide) sailed the Pearl on the repo cruise thru the Panama Canal. Due to the Swine flu breakout in 2009, our last two Mexico ports were canceled but they added San Diego! Now I live in California, so I decided to stay on board and enjoy my balcony. The rest of my group got off and went to go tour some GIANT naval ship a few docks down. So there I am...ahhhhh....peace at least....the gang off ship and I have some quiet time...mojito in hand, slip out of my swimsuit top....ahhhhh:cool:

 

But wait...my cell phone rings. Oh that's right we are in port so I answer as it's one of my friends, who I'm sure is no doubt lost somewhere and needing help. "Hello" I say..."put your top back on" says he. "What???" I say..."look to your right, straight across on the yellow deck of the naval vessel". :eek: Yup, there they are...binoculars in hand pointed right at me. :o

 

"Perv!", I responded....I hear gaggles of laughter on the other end, and hang up! :D

Thats to funny but like the post above some navy was happy lol. :)

[BeadBabe]

Thats to funny but like the post above some navy was happy lol. :)

 

Maybe but at least they weren't calling on my cell phone saying "put your top on!" :eek: lol

[swedish weave]

Maybe but at least they weren't calling on my cell phone saying "put your top on!" :eek: lol

 

And you call those "other people" your friends ??? :D:D Real friends would say " GOOD SHOW"

[galleycook]

I guess that's the thing with people who are naturists, or true nudists, versus the rest of American society. True nudists understand that sunbathing nude, or even living our lives in the nude as much as possible, has nothing to do with sex or erotica. It is about the freedom to exist as one with nature. It is about being comfortable in the skin that one possesses. It's about not always being needlessly bound by clothing and just being able to function without restrictions. Who care if "most of the people who choose to go "freestyle" would not be wooed by the adult film industry"? Being a nudist has nothing to do with wanting to engage in sex on camera. Incidentally, while I HAVE worked successfully in the adult film industry, I choose to live freely nude because it's simply more comfortable. I could care less if people approve or disapprove of my desire to go clothing optional. While I try to be respectful of people's comfort levels and zones, ultimately, their opinion does nothing to disrupt my comfort with myself. They are the insecure ones, not I. If they don't approve of going clothing optional, then it's probably a good idea that they don't. Unfortunately, here in the states, we are all taught that nudity = sex and that the human body is something of which to be ashamed and we learn to pas judgement on those who sidestep the rest of the sheeple. In reality, the human body, whether it be clothed or nude, is one of the most amazing machines in the world. And, thankfully, not everyone looks the same and not everyone does the same things with theirs, and not everyone harbors the same amount of shame as the insecure ones. The Europeans have got it right in that they don't have so many hang-ups with nudity and they don't equate nudity with sex. I guess that's why it's easier to find a nude beach in Europe than to find a nude resort in the United States.

 

You initially asked, "I'm wondering if it's improper or unacceptable to sit out on my balcony au natural while we are at sea".

 

Now you seem to be saying "I could care less if people approve or disapprove of my desire to go clothing optional". Why did you ask if you don't care?

And yes the human body, whether it be clothed or nude, is one of the most amazing machines in the world. So is a particle beam accelerator, but what's that have to do with wearing clothes??

[Starrgazer50]

I'll try and be as delicate as possible here. I'm set to sail on the Epic October 16. Our cabin is 9121, which I think is covered. I'm usually a naturist here at home. I'm wondering if it's improper or unacceptable to sit out on my balcony au naturel while we are at sea. Can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks!

I'm a beginner Naturalist myself and on my Jan 2011 cruise I was CO on my balcony all the time. No one can see you unless they peeked around the divider so it really doesnt matter. I made my debute at Orient Beach in St. Martin and I LOVE it! My best swimming experience.:D

Edited October 2, 2011 by Karaokelady

[Starrgazer50]

Typical incorrect belief. Sunbathing or beaching topless is not about "showing off" any of our "stuff" (what a nice euphemism). It's about enjoying the sun sans top (and tan lines). Sure, many women like to show off their bodies, but many of them do it wearing teeny, tiny little scraps of fabric. There's no correlation between topless sunbathing and flaunting one's body.

 

beachchick

I, of course, do not go CO for tan lines, nor to show off my stuff. I just like how it feels to be outside in the nude. It's feels very freeing. To swim nude in the ocean is wonderful. . It's like being in an endless bathtub.

Edited October 2, 2011 by Karaokelady

[Rover Boy]

I, of course, do not go CO for tan lines, nor to show off my stuff. I just like how it feels to be outside in the nude. It's feels very freeing. To swim nude in the ocean is wonderful. . It's like being in an endless bathtub.

Well said and I couldn't agree more!

[SAEMike]

I told you I would post an update once I got back from my cruise, so here it is. I just got off the Epic from the Western Med cruise on October 23. I did find the Freestyle deck, and it IS clothing optional, as verified by the crewmember I point-blank asked about it. There is an elevator on the pooldeck near the buffet line that goes to the 15th and 18th decks only. Take it to the 18th deck and, once you get off, there is a door to your right. Go through this door onto that deck and walk forward about 10 feet. You'll see a stairway on your left with a nondescript sign that says "Freestyle Deck." Go up these stairs and the FreeStyle Deck is at the top. This is a small area with only 16 lounge chairs, but it was hardly ever crowded up there. Of the times that I laid out up there, yes I did it nude, the most people at any one time were 6. There is no way to see onto this deck from down below, so the only way anyone can peep is if they actually venture up to it. You can tell the number of people who have no idea about this CO deck by the startled initial looks and repeated glances when they venture up to what they think is going to be a good photographic vantage point. I didn't care and no one ever made any comments. I just enjoyed basking in the beautiful sun and soaking it in.

[anthk333]

I told you I would post an update once I got back from my cruise, so here it is.

 

But what about your balcony? ;)

[mike_arruda]

was drink service available on the freestyle deck?

thanks,

Mike