The Swinger Cruise 2009

On April 26, 2009 the first ever 100% lifestyle take over cruise set sail with close to a full ship of sexy copules interested in the swinging lifestyle. Over the next 7 days this ship was rocking! Sexy pool parties by day, Theme events by night.

We think one of the best features of this cruise is that it was a 100% take over.
Only coupes that wanted this envoronment were on board.
No families or couples who would be offended by nudity or adult themes.

Well the 2009 cruise will certainly be one to remember. You always remember your first time and this was our first cruise together.

The arrival in Tampa was a breeze. The airport is first rate and we received our bags quickly. We were booked at the Sheraton Suites and they had a shuttle pick us up. We were a little confused where to meet the driver but realized you simply had to move to the far side of the building where all the buses and taxies meet. A quick call to the Sheraton was all it took.

Arrived at the Sheraton and checked in quickly. A lively bar scene was already in process and we stopped for a few drinks. By the time it got under way and going full speed I would guess they had at least 150 people at the bar and restaurant. We met a lot of fellow travelers and talked to folks in person we had only chatted with online. Big props to the Sheraton for being so accommodative to our group. The rooms were huge by the way. We elected to take a taxi the next day from the hotel, rather than wait for the bus. Too many bags to lug and the taxi was easy and cheap. ($25 + tip)

We arrived at the cruise terminal at about 11 am. The ship (the Legend) was empty and the terminal was relatively empty too. We gave our heavy bags to the porter and he got them on the ship for us. We checked in thru security with just our carryon bags. The security process was fast and a lot friendlier then the TSA checkpoints at the airport. We went to the check in desk and were signed in for the cruise with our sign and sail account. It took about 10 minutes.

We boarded the ship about 1130 and arrived on deck 2. We took the elevator up to the Lido deck and ordered a cold beer. We purchased soda cards at this time but I would advise against it. I think it would have been cheaper to pay as you go for soda. We did purchase drink coupons from the service desk and these were a real bargain. They were $21.50 for 4 drinks and they were not only cheaper but were a good way to self monitor your consumption. Our bags got to the cabin about 3 pm and we were ready to go. The lunch buffet is open the entire time and many folks had a bite to eat while waiting.

It’s an exciting moment when the ship begins to pull away from the dock. The Legend had quite an escort. Police, Coast Guard, Fish and Wildlife patrol boats all escorted us down the channel. The crew on these boats were no doubt rewarded with some interesting flashes from the lady passengers. I can’t imagine they normally photograph a departure that much :)

Sunday and Monday were days at sea. These were my favorite days. We really enjoyed being at sea and the weather was perfect. Sunday night was a little quiet. Folks were starting to get acquainted and I think the wear and tear of travel took its toll. A lot of people started to drink early on and by evening they had hit the wall. By the way those rum bunches that Carnival offers you are not free and they are very strong!

Monday morning we started to explore the ship. The breakfast buffets were very good and a great place to meet people. You can also eat at the Truffles restaurant in the aft part of the ship. This was a sit down service and we found it to be a little better then the buffet and more quiet. We found the gym and it was a nice one. Lots of cardio and weights to lift. It’s located on the bow right next to the spa. Book your spa appointments early. By mid way thru the cruise they were difficult to get. One of the playrooms was also located near the gym. A curious location but we liked it all the same. It was the smallest of the play areas but, that made it the coziest too.

The Cruise featured daily pool parties hosted by either Yolo or the travel agencies that sold the cruise. Most featured lot’s of giveaway prizes, drawings and games. A lot of travel was given away and it was fun to participate. Each party featured a DJ. The DJ’s ranged from OK to excellent. The better ones varied the music to the crowd and the mood it was in. The poor one’s just pumped out the techno. If you didn’t like the vibe you could go to the bow or aft pools. They had a completely different feel. A little more laid back and relaxed and easier to talk. We spend most of our time in the bow pool and met a lot of great people each day. The water slide is in on the aft of the ship. Do not miss that. What a blast.

A word about PDA’s: In the beginning they seemed to be more prevalent. We realized after day 2 they were not allowed. At that point announcements were made and signs were posted prohibiting PDA’s. After that most followed that guideline once they knew what was permitted. However a cruise on Carnival is not Hedo or Desire with respect to pda’s. Of course the playrooms were close by if you needed to get busy so it wasn’t a hardship by any stretch. Nudity was permitted while at sea and in Belize. It was not allowed while anchored in Grand Cayman or Roatan. We cancelled the stop in Cozumel due to the “swine flu” outbreak but nudity wasn’t allowed there either. A few folks were snapping photo’s which was fine if they asked. The one’s that didn’t were shut down by other guests or the security folks.

We enjoyed the seminars which were held onboard. Liked the BDSM seminar and heard the squirting seminar was outstanding. They are the only ones we personally attended. We loved the nightly theme parties and attend each one. The Hanky-Panky need a Spanky party was our favorite, followed by the leather and lace event. All of the parties featured a DJ who kept the party going full speed ahead.

The playrooms were great. The firebird lounge was the big one and was well attended every night of the trip. We also liked the comedian, Happy Cole, who was onboard. He geared his entire act to the cruise and it was really funny. The man is a great comedian and the perfect entertainer for this type of cruise.

We only got off the boat in Roatan and enjoyed the island. As we stated before the Captain made the decision not to stop in Cozumel. Grand Cayman was great according to those who got off the ship. Belize was so-so. Everyone loved Roatan and was impressed with the natural beauty of the island.

For a lifestyle event it was incredible. You had about 1900 people who were ready to party and have a good time. It really was something for everyone. We met up with people we chatted with before as well as a ton of new friends we met on the ship. We weren’t overwhelmed but you should definitely talk first and find a pace that both partners are comfortable with. Not just from a play aspect but from a party and consumption aspect. We didn’t witness any arguments between couples but I’m sure a few happened.

Some of the things we really loved were the dinner we had in the Golden Fleece restaurant, the playrooms, breakfast in truffles after our morning walk, the Medusa lounge parties, winning in the casino and the lido deck parties. We enjoyed the midnight snacks but thought they should have had more than pizza. I like breakfast 24/7 but that’s just me.

Will we go back? Absolutely! In all seriousness we wouldn’t miss this trip for anything. One of our favorite lifestyle vacations. We hope it becomes an annual event and we see a lot of our friends on the next one.

- Joyful007 (SLS)