I Didn't Know!

[dogladyjw]

I didn't know HAL did nude cruising until I read about it in the Alaska forum on CC. When did this start with HAL? It just doesn't sound like something HAL would do.

[Druke I]

HAL, along with most cruise lines, will charter out a ship to group(s).

 

Don't know how they determine who will or will not be eligible for charter, other than coming up with required cash.

[kryos]

HAL, along with most cruise lines, will charter out a ship to group(s).

 

Don't know how they determine who will or will not be eligible for charter, other than coming up with required cash.

I think pretty much any group can charter a ship ... if they come up with the money to do it. I can't imagine HAL or any other cruise line turning away a full ship charter regardless of the nature of the group.

 

Now, they might turn away a group booking on a regular sailing ... if the group's ideology would "conflict" with the interests of the other passengers; i.e., a nude cruise group who would want to "bare it" while out to sea on a ship full of non-nudist passengers. Obviously, in that case, there would be a lot of others onboard who might have a problem with that.

 

But, HAL themselves don't "do" nude cruises ... they also don't do Christian cruises, StarTrek conventions at sea, or any of the other theme groups we hear about. Individual operators run them, and just book them on a HAL ship ... either a full ship charter or a group traveling on a regular sailing.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Roz]

Can you imagine what the crew members tell their friends and family after a nude cruise. :eek: No wonder people in other countries and from other cultures think we're immoral.

 

I'm pretty open-minded, but the general public doesn't understand this whole business about groups chartering a cruise ship. A lot of folks are going to think that this is something HAL sponsors or promotes. Not a good PR image, IMO.

 

Roz

[Cruiseoften]

Can you imagine what the crew members tell their friends and family after a nude cruise. :eek: No wonder people in other countries and from other cultures think we're immoral.

 

I'm pretty open-minded, but the general public doesn't understand this whole business about groups chartering a cruise ship. A lot of folks are going to think that this is something HAL sponsors or promotes. Not a good PR image, IMO.

 

Roz

 

Roz if a ship is chartered, i.e. a group/organization/someone takes over the ENTIRE SHIP - it's 'chartered' and therefore unavailable for public booking - doubt that said ship would show up on HAL's (or any other lines schedule except as being 'chartered)) no one needs to know or be advised that the passengers will be nude.

[chasetf]

Can you imagine what the crew members tell their friends and family after a nude cruise. :eek: No wonder people in other countries and from other cultures think we're immoral. Roz

 

No, people from other countries wonder why we are so uptight. :confused: In Europe and other parts of the world it not such a big deal, accepted and practiced widely. It is amazing how hung up we get. Try it you might like it. :D

 

I know of many lines that have chartered ships for nude cruises. Some I can recall include HAL, Carnival, Windstar, and Costa..... and they all sell out at higher prices than textile cruises..

 

Does anyone on this board realize gays and lesbians also charter ships for cruises. Wonder what an uproar that will create now that I let that cat out of the bag. :eek:

[wcolucci]

eeewwwww...I think I'll put an extra towel down on the chaise lounge.

 

oh man, what about the upholstery on the fabric seats in the restaurants

 

 

on a nude cruise.......WHAT DOES ONE WEAR ON FORMAL NIGHT?????????????????????????????????

 

Yeah I guess we in the Excited States (as the French like to call us) are a bit hung up on covering our backsides, but perhaps that is why the French invented paisley type fabric designs....sort of camoflage...(ok, I'm going to go now)

[LoveTheDeepBlue]

Even on nude cruises proper attire is worn for dinner.

 

As for lunch and breakfast a towel is almost always placed on the chair before sitting.

 

To each his own.

[tomc]

Granted, we are one of the most uptight countries for skin and body parts that are taken for granted almost everywhere else. BUT, I would imagine that many of the service crew are from countries where that is nearly obscene and I wonder what it does to their sensibilities?

[Roz]

Tom,

 

That was the point I was trying to make. The vast majority of the crew aren't European, and modesty is a virtue in the cultural/religious background they come from.

 

Roz

[chasetf]

Granted, we are one of the most uptight countries for skin and body parts that are taken for granted almost everywhere else. BUT, I would imagine that many of the service crew are from countries where that is nearly obscene and I wonder what it does to their sensibilities?

As mentioned in other posts, the crew is given the option to not work that cruise if it would offend them. Personally I have never been on a naturist cruise, but I know many friends who have. They have told me many of the crew expressed the wish they could "participate" but were unable because of company policy.

[RuthC]

Personally I have never been on a naturist cruise, but I know many friends who have. They have told me many of the crew expressed the wish they could "participate" but were unable because of company policy.

I find it very hard to believe that the Indonesian crew---who are predominately Muslim---would express a wish to participate. Many of the Filipino crew are also Muslim.

 

Since they have to pay their own fare home/back to the ship, I also find it hard to believe that very many could afford to refuse to work one given cruise. And they would have a difficult time finding somewhere other than home to spend that week-10 days.

[Grumpy1]

While you may find it hard to believe, Ruth, I do not. True, many of the crew members are Muslim, but many of them are not. Also, not all Muslims accept the strict tenets of their faith, any more than all Christians accept the strictist teachings of their churches.

 

I have read that some of the 9/11 hijackers were known to have frequented bars and nightclubs before they killed themselves and 2800 others in the name of Islam.

 

I am sure there are some crew members that would feel uncomfortable and not want to be on these cruises, but there are also many that have no problem and would participate if allowed.

[RuthC]

I have read that some of the 9/11 hijackers were known to have frequented bars and nightclubs before they killed themselves and 2800 others in the name of Islam.

I hope we can agree that they were not representative of practioners of Islam.

 

I am sure there are some crew members that would feel uncomfortable and not want to be on these cruises, but there are also many that have no problem and would participate if allowed.

On this I expect we'll have to agree to disagree. Although I'm sure there are some Indonesian crew who would participate, I am just as sure that it would be the minority, and that they would not widely express it.

[Grumpy1]

I hope we can agree that they were not representative of practioners of Islam.

 

 

On this I expect we'll have to agree to disagree. Although I'm sure there are some Indonesian crew who would participate, I am just as sure that it would be the minority, and that they would not widely express it.

 

No, they were not representative of most practicioners of Islam. They were representing, supposedly, the most radical form and one would expect that they would have strictly adhered to all of the tenets of their religion.

 

I don't think we need to agree to disagree, you just said the same thing I did. Some would, some wouldn't. The only point we may disagree about would be percentages. I suspect that that my view of the number of crew that would not have a problem is higher than your view. ( But then you haven't had the benefit of experiencing life as a young man):D

[gatour]

Also, as a point of fact many Philipino's are Catholic so it is hard to make generalizations

[Cruiseoften]

In this day and age there are things with which one is obliged to live - e.g. the common acceptance of the "f" and "s" words. Even in so called 'up tight' England those 4 letter words are acceptable, for, I believe, 5 times in any school class..................

[kryos]

Granted, we are one of the most uptight countries for skin and body parts that are taken for granted almost everywhere else. BUT, I would imagine that many of the service crew are from countries where that is nearly obscene and I wonder what it does to their sensibilities?

I hate to tell you what it does to my sensibilities. :(

 

Call me a prude ... closed-minded ... whatever. But that's just what I am. To me, one's body is meant to be enjoyed by only a select few ... a VERY select few. I just couldn't imagine bearing it in public whether on a ship or at a nudist resort.

 

But that's just me, and I certainly hold nothing against the person who wishes to participate in that sort of thing. To each his own. But, please ... lord, don't ever let me be on a ship with such a group because it would make me very, very uncomfortable. I can only imagine how a great majority of the crew aboard ship would feel. Sure, they can opt out of working the week that the nudist group charter is running ... but is that really an option? I doubt the cruise line would transfer them to another ship for the week. Basically, they would lose a week's pay and probably have to pay for their lodging somewhere for that week. Truthfully, I doubt many of them could afford to take advantage of that "courtesy."

 

Like I said, you can call me a prude, if you'd like ... but I would be uncomfortable in that environment. But then, I would be uncomfortable on cruises geared to honeymooners, and even gays/lesbians. Nothing against those groups ... but I would just feel out of place ... like I don't belong. That's why I prefer longer cruises where the special interest groups are small and I can manage to fit in.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[aaerobear]

First and formost, lets remember that the trip is a CHARTER..get it? C H A R T E R. If it is not your bag, then don't go on a CHARTER.

 

As for offending the crew.. a few reminders might be in order. Remember that many many of the crew (stateroom/dining staff) come from countries where the majority of women are not allowed out without their heads covered (how many of you cover your heads so as not to offend the staff?) Many many of them are muslim and find pork to be offensive (how many of you do not eat pork so as to not offend the staff?) Alcohol is strictly forbidden to muslims (how many of you refrain from ordering alchohol so as to not offend the crew?) I know not all of the crews are muslim or from theses areas, but many are. They are also from countries that value the traditions of gracious service to people and are not easily offended by "different" values and choices.

 

These crew members are hard working professionals and know what they signed on for. Please do not pretend to think about the crew or offending them just to justify your own perception of what is right or wrong. it is a big world out there.

 

Also, if a crew member does not choose to sail on one of the charters, the chartering organization usually makes very good accomodations for them. But I will say that after speaking to many crew members, they love the "special" charters as they get a heck of a lot more tips and positive feedback from those passengers.

[GatorV]

On our cruise last yr as we sipped coffee in the coffee bar, our server chatted us up with raised eye brows and a big grin about how they had just had a "ship full of lesbians"

 

You could tell he had quite a few stories that he wanted to share...but we didn't encouiage, I'm sure he and the crew shared their stories though, and I'm sure they are not surprised by much after a yr or two.:eek:

[tomc]

aaerobear

Please do not pretend to think about the crew or offending them just to justify your own perception of what is right or wrong.

I'm not pretending anything. I am trying to be aware of others' sensibilities to a reasonable degree. ("Others" = crew members from cultures where this is very forbidden.) I don't care if people sail nude; we have a nude beach back home and I think it's fine ... not for me, but fine for others and nobody in our very small town really cares. But eating pork in front of a Muslim is not participatory, as he does not have to be involved; being nude in front of him is.