Missed the Big Nude Boat? There’s Another Way to Sail the Caribbean Naturally
For many naturists, the annual Big Nude Boat has become one of the most anticipated vacations of the year. Organized by Bare Necessities Tour & Travel, the clothing-optional cruise typically sets sail during the winter months, taking passengers on an extended Caribbean adventure aboard a large cruise ship.
There’s just one problem: it can sell out.
And even when cabins are available, a major cruise isn’t necessarily the Caribbean experience every naturist is looking for.
If you missed out on the Big Nude Boat—or simply like the idea of trading thousands of fellow passengers for a much smaller and more personal sailing adventure—there is another way to experience the Caribbean naturally.
Trade the Big Ship for a Catamaran
Instead of boarding a massive cruise ship, imagine setting sail aboard Manava, a catamaran operated by Captain Len of SailNude.
The difference in scale could hardly be greater.
Rather than sharing your vacation with thousands of passengers, a SailNude voyage aboard Manava is an intimate experience, with only a small number of guests aboard. With just a few couples sharing the catamaran, the Caribbean becomes less of a cruise destination and more like your own backyard for the week.
There are no crowded decks and no rush to get ashore before everyone else.
Instead, you wake up surrounded by the Caribbean.
See the Caribbean From the Water
Large cruise ships are excellent at carrying passengers between major ports, but a sailing catamaran offers a very different perspective.
On Manava, the sailing itself is part of the vacation.
There is ample time to relax on deck while the catamaran moves between islands and anchorages. For naturists, that means plenty of opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and warm Caribbean air without constantly packing up for the next organized activity.
And when it is time to get into the water, you don’t necessarily need to book an expensive shore excursion.
Swimming and snorkeling can simply be part of the day’s adventure.
Rather than looking down at the Caribbean from the upper deck of a cruise ship, you are living right on it.
No Lineups Required
Anyone who has travelled aboard a large cruise ship knows that its size brings both advantages and disadvantages.
There are enormous selections of restaurants, entertainment and activities—but there are also schedules, crowds, elevators, tenders, organized excursions and lines of passengers heading ashore at the same time.
A small catamaran operates in an entirely different world.
There isn’t a line to get off Manava.
There isn’t a crowd waiting for the same snorkeling excursion.
And there aren’t thousands of people returning to the ship before departure.
If the water looks inviting, it may simply be time for a swim.
That freedom is one of the things that makes a small sailing adventure so different from a conventional Caribbean cruise.
Good Food, Good Company and a Much Smaller Table
Dining is another very different experience.
Instead of choosing among huge cruise-ship dining rooms and buffets serving thousands of meals, guests aboard Manava share meals in the much more personal environment of the catamaran.
Captain Len and SailNude have developed an experience in which sailing, food, relaxation and exploring the Caribbean all become part of the same vacation rather than separate scheduled events.
With only a handful of people aboard, meals can also become part of the social experience—good food shared with people who started the voyage as fellow passengers and may well finish it as friends.
Big Nude Boat or Little Nude Boat?
It really isn’t necessary to choose which experience is “better,” because they are fundamentally different vacations.
The Big Nude Boat offers something remarkable: the opportunity for a huge community of naturists to take over a major cruise ship and enjoy a Caribbean vacation together.
SailNude offers almost the opposite experience.
Instead of thousands of naturists, there are only a few.
Instead of a cruise ship, there is a sailing catamaran.
Instead of watching the Caribbean pass by from high above the water, you’re sailing across it.
And instead of selecting shore excursions from a list, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and exploring become part of everyday life aboard the boat.
When the Big Nude Boat Is Sold Out…
So what happens if you finally decide that this is the year you’re going to take the Big Nude Boat—only to discover that the sailing or the cabin you wanted is already sold out?
Maybe it isn’t the end of your Caribbean naturist vacation after all.
It might simply be an opportunity to try something completely different.
Pack lightly, leave the crowds behind and consider setting sail with Captain Len aboard Manava.
You won’t have a giant theatre, a casino or a buffet serving thousands of passengers.
But you will have the Caribbean, a catamaran, a very small group of travelling companions, good meals, warm water, snorkeling, swimming and plenty of time under the Caribbean sun.
And when you find yourself relaxing on the deck of Manava with nothing between you and the horizon, you may discover that missing the Big Nude Boat wasn’t such bad luck after all.
