Cruises are definitely considered family friendly and for the most part, they absolutely are. If you’re traveling as a family, then a cruise — just about any cruise — is ideal.
But they can also be a place where people let loose, adults go to have a good time, honeymooners enjoy their romance, and passengers in general go to blow off some steam.
In fact, there are some “naughty” things in cruising that you likely didn’t know and certainly they aren’t talked about in polite company…
Sex on the Ship
When you cruise, there’s definitely something going on behind closed doors… and on the ship, there are A LOT of closed doors. Specifically, we’re talking about romance.
Of course, with drinks flowing, warm weather, small bathing suits, and the relaxation that comes with vacation, it’s no surprise that making love is something that’s regularly going on around the ship. In fact, you’ll often find it’s a running joke at comedy shows on the ship.
That’s not to say it’s some hedonistic den onboard. But you can be assured that it’s going on. For instance, we’ve personally stepped out on our balcony before and noticed a couple going at it just a few doors down in the middle of the afternoon.
Most times it’s not as obvious, you can bank that romance is happening regularly around the ship.
Nude & “Lifestyle” Cruises Happen Regularly
Sure, it’s not a stretch to think that there’s some hanky-panky going on somewhere around the ship. But what about an entire ship full of nudists or even swingers?
Yes, it is possible that before you were on the ship, it was a vacation for thousands of nudists or even people that are part of the “lifestyle.”
Cruise lines will sometimes charter out ships to third-parties that then run special themed cruises. The cruise line provides the ship and crew, but the third party runs the cruise and sells the rooms.
Sailings like the Big Nude Boat or Bliss Cruise offer an experience that’s more adult — and with fewer clothes — than your typical cruise.
You don’t have to worry about accidentally booking one of these trips. Chartered cruises like this aren’t available through the normal channels. You book directly with the charter company, not the cruise line.
Gambling Can Net You Cruise Invites
It’s likely that everyone knows your ship will have a casino onboard. Gambling is a big evening activity on the ship and nights in the casino can be packed.
But what you might not know is that many people there are playing for more than just winning some cash.
Just like on land, cruise casinos have their own loyalty programs. When you play with your keycard inserted into a machine (or tracked at a table) you earn credits for your play and then get rewards for your play. That includes everything up to free cruises.
Now, don’t get too excited as it does take some considerable play to get a comped cruise. Our analysis of Royal Caribbean’s program said that it would take about $12,500 in play on a slot machine to earn an interior room offer. With an 8% edge on the slot machine, that would mean an expected loss of about $1,000 for your “free” room. For a balcony, that jumps to about $125,000 in play and a $10,000 net loss.
Illegal Drugs and Cruising
Drinks on the ship? That’s a no-brainer. What about drugs on the ship?
Obviously drugs are against the rules on the ship, if not also against the law. Marijuana does exist in a legal “grey area” for some ports where it’s illegal at a federal level, but legal at a state level. No matter, it’s not allowed on the ship even if sailing from a state where it’s legal.
That doesn’t mean, however, that drugs don’t make their way onboard. Of course, there is no way to know exactly how much gets on a ship but it’s common enough that cruise lines are cracking down.
You’ll see warnings at the port about bringing on illegal substances. And at least Carnival has had dogs that check passengers in the security area.
Best idea is to just leave it at home.
Sometimes the Crew Behaves Badly
For the most part the crew on your cruise is fantastic. They work hard and go out of their way to make sure you have a fantastic vacation. However, when you have thousands of crew members on a ship and hundreds of ships, there will inevitably be some bad apples.
Case in point, a number of crew members were recently detained across multiple ships in San Diego for exploitive material of children.
Another cruise had a crew member busted for allegedly placing a camera in a cabin bathroom. And another got in trouble for a hidden camera in a public bathroom/changing area on the ship.
Cameras See it All
Speaking of cameras, obviously no one should be filmed by a secret camera in a private place. If you decide to be a bit naughty outside the room, however, then know it’s probably on camera.
Cruise ships have cameras practically everywhere in public spaces. This includes your cabin hallway, the pool deck, casino, promenades, and more. There might be a few blind spots, but in general if you’re outside of your room or a bathroom, then you should expect to be on camera.
That’s something you’ll want to consider if you decide to do anything that’s against the rules outside the cabin. So if the mood for romance hits while walking the ship and it seems no one else is around, head back to the room anyway.
Skimpy Swimsuits and Cruising (Topless Sunbathing?!)
We mentioned earlier those “adult” cruises that feature fewer clothes than your normal cruise. But what about if you want to wear a little less on your regular cruise?
First, you likely know that nudity on a cruise isn’t permitted. So if you don’t want tan lines, then you’re out of luck.
There are no rules, however, about wearing revealing swimsuits. In fact, even on a family-focused cruise line thong swimsuits are perfectly fine around the pool deck. In fact, from hotspots like Miami, they can seem more the rule than the exception.
If you want to sunbathe topless, you’re largely out of luck. There are whispers that there used to be decks at the top of the ship where it was allowed, but those days are gone. One exception? Virgin Voyages — which is adults-only — does have a spot where you can still sunbathe without the top.
More on adult cruising:
