Cruise Connection
When it comes to strengthening a relationship, it takes two (and a cruise).
When it comes to strengthening a relationship, it takes two (and a cruise).
FIRST THINGS FIRST — yes, the cruise my husband and I went on was a nude cruise.
This was the Bare Boat, organized by Bare Necessities Tour & Travel for the continued quest of liberation and self-acceptance. Where the shedding of physical clothes helps to also shed “mental clothes,” overcome ingrained insecurities, and accept new methods of attaining higher levels of intimacy and bonding. Over the years, my husband and I had grown apart. We were resolving to work on us and discover who we were as a couple; knowing how much we enjoyed cruising, a friend recommended a nude-themed cruise.
That friend stressed how there’d be no children taking over the hot tubs and that nude cruises are not sexually oriented. Chartered on a Carnival Cruise Line ship, the Bare Boat cruise made the same stops as other Carnival itineraries — Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Key West, and Carnival’s private island, Half Moon Cay — but the difference on this couples-themed cruise were the couples-focused workshops taught by experts as well as rekindling opportunities without the burden of, for instance, kids splashing around the hot tub. We could stay up late and sleep in even later … or we could lounge on deck getting all-over tans. The choice was ours.
Still, I was apprehensive about this cruise. I had many questions. Was this really a couples-themed cruise focused on strengthening our relationship … or just another adults-only cruise? Would not having pint-sized cabinmates be that big of a deal … or would I ultimately miss their young vibrancy?
Back to School
Throughout the cruise, there were workshops and lectures focusing on specific ways that we, as a couple, could reconnect and strengthen our bond. They were offered with promising names like Loving Touch Massage for Couples, Non- religious Meditation for Couples, Couples Intimacy, and Couples Dance Lessons.
The Loving Touch Massage workshop focused on how massage can encourage intimacy and closeness. There was instruction on how to create a soothing romantic space, what types of lotions and oils to use, and which motions to use for a specific desired effect. For example, a relaxing and soothing massage uses long gliding motions with the full flat surface of the hand. Rapid movements with moderate pressure generate heat in the muscle tissues.
REMOVING NEGATIVITY CREATES SPACE FOR UNDERSTANDING, PATIENCE, COMPASSION, AND INTIMACY.
Meditation for Couples taught us how meditating together could strengthen the relationship by deepening awareness of each other. A key aspect of having a successful relationship is the ability to listen and then respond versus reacting without listening. We learned how to quiet our busy brains preparing our minds to listen, ask questions, and then respond in an uplifting and supportive manner. An important takeaway for us was learning how to discuss life’s issues without using abrupt comments influenced by the weight of personal stress. We learned to trust each other to help carry the stress load rather than adding to it.
The Couples Intimacy Workshop followed many of the same points of the meditation workshop with one key difference. It taught us how to achieve a higher level of intimacy through non-sexual tantric methods. The meditation class focused on connecting the heart through listening, whereas the tantric class focused on connecting our spiritual selves through chakras (specific spiritual centers located throughout the body).
Tantra is a Hindu belief that reinforces creating a “safe zone” or “stress-free bubble” around each other to discuss life’s issues without judgment or worry of being thought of as foolish. One of the aspects of the art
LEARNING HOW TO MOVE TOGETHER IN UNISON AS A COUPLE REDUCES STRESS, CREATES A SHARED HOBBY, AND IS GREAT EXERCISE.
of tantra is learning how to remove the negativity, anger, hurt, and frustration from the bubble. Removing negativity creates space for understanding, patience, compassion, and intimacy. We learned how a simple touch or look in a crowded room could convey a message of love or a message of “I need your emotional strength.” We learned how the act of holding hands could both transmit and answer those messages. Through this ancient belief, we learned it is not always important who is right or wrong. It is about our love for each other and making life about our journey together through ups and downs.
Fun Unwinding
After we learned how to share the stress and to communicate with each other, it was time to learn how to have fun with each other. Learning how to move together in unison as a couple reduces stress, creates a shared hobby, and is great exercise. We learned two types of dances that celebrate love and emotionalbonding between couples: the East Coast Swing and the Rumba. Dancing was fun, active, and would go late into the night as we learned to not trip over each other’s feet and laugh at our missteps.
I had been weary at first, but after experiencing this couples-themed cruise, I can answer first-hand that, yes, our relationship was indeed strengthened, and, yes, not having children around hindering our unwindingprocess was in fact a big deal. I was captivated learning about and bonding with my husband.
Sometimes, couples need to step out of their comfort zone to become stronger and closer. And what better place to take those stepping-out steps than at sea?