If you only do a handful of things on a Bliss Cruise, make them Glow Night, a playroom walk-through, the dance parties, a themed dinner, the meet and greets, dinner with strangers and the late-night buffet. In Episode 269, we count down our top 10 Bliss Cruise must-dos from the six or seven Bliss sailings we’ve done, right before we board the biggest Bliss ship yet.
They aren’t in any particular order, and “must do” really just means we highly recommend trying them so you get the full experience. Whether this is your first Bliss or your tenth, here’s what we’d never skip.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or listen on Buzzsprout. Every episode lives on the show page.
Chapters
- 02:43 Why this is a Bliss Cruise episode
- 04:21 Glow Night, the party you can’t miss
- 10:10 The Topless Travel pool party
- 15:17 Tour the playrooms
- 19:57 Dance parties and dance-and-play
- 33:51 Themed dinners and meet and greets
- 41:27 Sit with strangers at dinner
- 44:48 Late-night snacks
- 48:15 Honorable mentions and our goals for this sailing
What’s the one Bliss Cruise party you shouldn’t miss?
Glow Night. If you’re not a theme person, this is still the one night to dress in theme, and as Dan put it, “if you’re gonna pick one party that you do not want to miss, glow night is that party.” It takes over the top deck with black lights, lasers, glow gear and a rotation of DJs, so it’s the closest thing to a rave you’ll find at a lifestyle event. It usually lands mid-week, after everyone has shaken off the first-day jitters, and on this sailing it falls on a port day in Aruba.
Is the Topless Travel pool party worth it?
Yes. Topless Travel are the cool kids of Bliss: a hand-picked crew of host couples and singles who are always at the front of the stage, led by Party Mark. Their pool party is home to the famous car wash and Mark’s outrageous games. If big crowds overwhelm you, their smaller meet and greet early in the week is an easy way to meet a very approachable group.
Should you tour the playrooms even if you’re nervous?
Absolutely, and do it early. A playroom is open most hours of the day, and there are tour times at the start of the week. Rip the band-aid off on night one, even if you just walk through, so you’re not realizing on the last day that you could have been enjoying it all week. There’s something for every style: couples-only rooms, clothing-optional rooms, daytime rooms, women-only spaces, a dungeon, and open-air spaces on the top deck. And if you get the chance to spend a night together under the stars on the top deck, even just the two of you, take it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of memory.
Why are the dance parties such a big deal?
For us, the night parties are the best part. Bliss now runs smaller parties around the ship by genre, like country, Latin, top 40 and EDM, so you can follow the music you love. Lacy’s rule: “I feel like if you find the music that you like and go there, those are probably your people.” That also means you keep running into the same like-minded couples instead of losing them in a crowd of thousands.
Then there are the dance-and-play parties, held right in the playrooms. You can dance, mingle and connect without the go-back-to-the-room-and-change shuffle where everyone disappears. If you’re newer, it’s also a low-pressure way to be in the room without feeling like you have to do anything.
How do you actually meet people on a Bliss Cruise?
Put yourself out there. It’s not one of our numbered picks, but it might be the biggest one. Plenty of us get in our own way because nobody wants to make the first move. Name what you’re hoping for, and as Dan said, “put yourself out there.”
The meet and greets make it easy. There’s one for almost everything: under 40 and over 45, hot wife, hall pass, kinky couples, soft swap, full swap, bisexual couples, military and even a sober and sexy group. Some roll straight into a playtime, so if you click with someone, you know where to go next. Our own goal this sailing is to hit a couple more of them.
Are the Bliss themed dinners worth booking?
Yes, if you can get a seat. The fetish dinner and other themed dinners take over a specialty restaurant with dark linens, candelabras and a curated show. It’s more “fetish 101” than hardcore, and after a week of the main dining room, it’s a fun change. They sell out in minutes, so book the second they open.
Should you sit with strangers at dinner?
Tell the host you’re happy to share a table. Some of our favorite Bliss memories are dinners with couples who had the wildest stories, from a couple married 40 years on their first lifestyle trip to authors and travelers comparing the lifestyle overseas. Lacy said it best: “But it’s also nice sometimes to meet some new people, even if it’s just for friendship.” It’s also a great follow-up move: meet a couple at the pool, then set a time and deck to meet for dinner.
What’s the late-night snack scene like?
Our number 10 is how we end almost every night: the late buffet around 2 a.m., in robes and pajamas, with the same friendly crowd every night. Party Mark’s crew also roams with cookies and milk. Carbs, friends and recapping the night is honestly one of our favorite meals on the ship.
Our goals for this Bliss Cruise
Honorable mentions go to the pool, where we’ve made great connections, and the jungle-like solarium. As for this sailing, Lacy wants to be more intentional: “if I like somebody, I just want to like shoot my shot.” We’re also pacing ourselves for a seven-night trip, with lube and a rest night planned, and we’re hoping to bring at least one new couple into our circle, the way we met our Reno friends in the pool five years ago.
Sailing with us? Come say hi at our meet and greet on day one, 4 to 5 p.m. on deck five (it’s on the Bliss app), and catch up on our Bliss Cruise packing list and theme-night cheat sheet and our take on prepping before you board. Thinking about a future sailing? You can book with us at Swinger Society.
Our takeaway: pace yourself, put yourself out there, and say yes to the experiences you can only get on Bliss.