It displaced almost 100,000 tons making it largest luxury passenger ship ever built. Despite it's size, the red and white steel monster could cruise the the high seas at a speed greater than 30 miles per hour. Water jets allowed it to turn 180 degrees inside the confines of a narrow body of water such as the Hudson River. In fact it could swivel.
S.S. USA offered all the amenities that vacationers could want. There were four swimming pools all 90 feet x 30 feet. A fully equipped health club offered both strength training room and cardio room. There were six cafes, and four very large gift shops. The latest movies always played in it's three theaters. Two bands, one rock and the other jazz/blues, were on hand to give concerts at two concert halls. There was even a large internet cafe with 150 PC and Apple McIntosh computers.
It's cabins could match the rooms of any five star hotel for comfort and luxury. Many had a small deck with chairs. They all had a television with DVD player, and a stereo.
My name is Stephanie. I am 41 years old and weigh 140 pounds. I obviously don't fit into the same clothes I wore as a teen but I still have a pretty good figure. I love to walk several laps around the track next to my condominium.
It was dusk on a Friday when I stepped off from the bus at the harbor where S.S. USA towered over the other structures near it. Nearby some harbor tugboats were docked.
Carrying one suitcase for my clothes I came to the line of people who walked up the stairway onto the ship's weather deck. I was actually traveling by myself, not something that many people would do.
It had been a while since I was emotionally involved with anyone. Actually I had been divorced for almost fifteen years. I could make friends easily because I like people and I do not shy away from meeting them.
My accommodations were in one of the ship's more economical rooms five decks down inside the hull. Yet even this room was quite comfortable and well furnished.
After watching the city and the skyline fade back into invisibility I found my room again where I changed clothes into my lime green two piece bathing suit.
I found the one of the ship's four swimming pools. Around it were several lounge chairs with tables. It had a diving board which was quite unexpected.
What I saw surprised me but in time I would soon grow accustomed to it. Before long it would feel normal. I had been sitting by the pool at mid ship for just seconds when a girl about, I'd say early to mid 20s, and fully nude came to the pool area. I looked around me to discover that I was the only person there wearing a bathing suit.
I have never been shy and I'm by no means a prude. I don't shock easily. Rather than leave, I simply took off my bathing suit.
Lying in the chase lounge next to me, enjoying a cigarette, was a woman with auburn hair. We quickly became acquainted.
"This is my first cruise."
"You'll find that they're a lot of fun. My husband and I love this free style. He's the blond in front of me."
Her husband came to the edge of the pool and leaned. He looked to be early thirties.
"This is my husband Larry."
"How do you do?"
"Fine," I replied. " My name is Stephanie."
The two pieces of my swim suit were used to hold my lounge while i bathe. I swam a few laps then came to the center.
"Stephanie are you single or married?"
"Single, actually I'm divorced," I replied.
I didn't talk much about my divorce. There was no point. I can only say that my x husband was not at fault.
"Helen and I have been married for 6 years. We've always wanted to come to a place that allows nude bathing."
"I have to say this is a first for me."
"Where do you live?"
"It's a small town just outside New York City. I'm a CPA for a local firm near my home."
"I'm a Mutual Fund manager with Fidelity Investments. My wife teaches high school biology. We're from suburban Boston."
"Are there any children?"
"Not yet," he replied. "We want to enjoy life for a while before we settle down. We'd like to start a family some day."
The water had been pumped from the ocean to fill the pool and felt cool. It was May but ocean temperatures off New England had not caught up with air temperatures.
Walking up the pool steps onto the patio I returned to my lounge chair where I passed a leisurely hour in company with Larry and Helen. Literature became the topic of conversation. Helen, a voracious reader, liked detective stories, and espionage.
The paperback in front of her on the table was opened to somewhere in the middle. The pages faced down.
"I've always liked to read. I can't stand romance novels. Most girls seem to enjoy them, but i don't get it."
"I read them."
A cruise ship could only be a miniature version of the world in which it functioned. In the world there were nudist colonies but areas away from the beach or lake were clothing required. Knowing this, I dressed in my swim suit so that I could walk back to my room without calling attention to myself. I could not imagine nudity being permitted anywhere else on the ship.
Back in my cabin I pulled on the same clothes I wore when I came aboard. It comprised of a pair of dark pink shorts, a gray T shirt and sandals.
Before long I would get an entirely different sense of the ship. In the corridors guys and girls were walking nude to and from their cabins. Reaching the weather deck I saw a tall, lean girl with light blond, long straight hair falling down past her shoulders. She wore a shade of dark pink lipstick with blue eyeliner. She was standing naked with her back to the rail.
By now I felt as though I had to question this whole scene.
