The nude cruise report series continues as Mike explains how the nudists aboard the Maasdam broke Holland America Line's participation record for "On Deck for the Cure", a walk raising money for the fight against breast cancer.
Holland America launched "On Deck for the Cure" on April 1, 2006 and targeted about 500 On Deck for the Cure walks over the next year. With that 1-year campaign nearing completion, a group of nudists on one of the smaller ships in Holland America's 13-ship fleet beat the odds today - at the same time showing the world that nudists are good people too.
Read on about this record breaking event and other good times about the nude cruise:
In The Caribbean Sea, 20.11 North, 68.17 West, Aboard The M/S Holland America Maasdam (February 11, 2007) -- Our luxurious, floating nudist resort has just two more days left in our itinerary until this fabulous 10-day nude cruise comes to an all-too-early conclusion. We have been treated to life aboard a beautiful and comfortable ship, a gracious and accommodating crew, a passenger complement of 1,200 fun and friendly nudists, and weather that has been absolutely perfect for our clothes-free enjoyment of every day during our trip. I think everyone who leaves this ship on Tuesday morning will always carry very fond memories of the M/S Maasdam and the wonderful time we have all spent together.
One remarkable event that has been taking place aboard our cruise is worth reporting here. I'm sure this news will also make it into the AANR Bulletin in a few months, and perhaps elsewhere onto the Internet, because it is exciting and very newsworthy.
During every Holland America cruise, on every ship in the fleet, the passengers are invited to join in a non-competitive 5K walk around the Promenade Deck of the ship, to benefit the Susan G. Komen breast cancer research foundation. It's called, "On Deck for the Cure," and passengers donate $20 or more per person to participate. Before our cruise, the all-time Holland America Line (HAL) record for participation was 370 walkers. As of this morning, with a few hours left to go before the walk at 1:30 today, 627 of our fellow nude cruisers have signed up to be in the walk! That totally blows away the old record by nearly double, and represents a much higher percentage of participation than any other walk in HAL history.
Our Cruise Director David Martin is arranging a special group photo for all of us, which he says will have to run alongside the story about this great achievement in the HAL corporate newsletter! This is a really cool feather in the cap of the nudist community, and one that should get lots of positive press for this cruise and social nudism in general. Speaking for my wife and all the other breast cancer survivors on board the ship, congratulations to all our fellow cruisers.
Yesterday's highlight was the nude catamaran sail-and-snorkel tour that about 80 of us lucky Maasdam passengers took. Special arrangements by Bare Necessities with the tour operator allowed us the freedom and fun we enjoy so much, even when in St. Thomas, as US possession and with the strict anti-nudity customs common everywhere in US waters.
Our tour departed from the pier just a minute's walk from Maasdam's gangway, and as we have had all throughout our trip, the weather was perfect: temperatures in the low 80's and sunny skies with puffy white clouds. Our catamaran The Castaway Girl, along with her twin sister ship The Castaway Girl II, held about 100 of us in total, and after a clothed 45-minute sail over to Buck Island bird sanctuary just outside St. Thomas, we were permitted to enjoy the rest of our afternoon clothes-free.
Skinnydipping under the bright Caribbean sun, snorkeling the beautiful reefs of St. Thomas, and then enjoying a wonderful, warm and sunny 90-minute nude sail back to our ship while relaxing in the sun with friendly folks and frosty cold adult beverages is certainly one of life's rarest luxuries. We have been lucky enough to enjoy this indulgence many times in many sunny ports over the years, since we always try to sign up for the nude "booze cruise" catamaran tours whenever they are offered. Those three hours yesterday aboard the Castaway Girl are the ones we will treasure most fondly among all the many wonderful time spent on this amazing cruise.
Today is our last day at sea with complete freedom from textiles until we arrive at Half Moon Cay early Monday morning for the day at HAL's "private island." We are all hoping it is very private, and that it is available for the exclusive use of Maasdam's passengers, so that we may fully enjoy it in the most pleasant way possible. Monday night will be our last night aboard this wonderful ship, and the evening's entertainment features the always amazing passenger talent show. Then Tuesday morning we must say goodbye to the Maasdam and all these great nudist friends until we see them again on another trip sometime soon.
This is awesome news! It is amazing what a group of nudists can accomplish when they get together.
To learn more about this cruise, read Mike's previous nude cruise reports: February 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
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