In fact, plenty of our fellow cruisers don’t even identify as swingers or non-monogamous. They just appreciate the opportunity to take a luxury vacation with non-judgmental, sex-positive people who hold space for them. They attend a variety of parties. Some are limited to middle-aged people or seniors only, while others include people of a variety of ages. Deanna prefers a variety of ages, even though she's not looking to be a cougar. "Younger men don't do anything for me," she laughs. I promised everyone that we would meet on the next LLV trip, be it a hotel takeover or a cruise, and that next time we wouldn’t wait so long to get to know each other. Of course, having the kind of sex most people only get to fantasise about didn’t hurt either. Friday

In contrast, Mark prefers the seniors-only soiree. "The older women are more… educated," he ventures. "Experienced," Deanna suggests. "Exactly," Mark agrees. Perhaps surprisingly, sex with others was not our priority: for us, it’s about building community. We’ve made some of our closest friends at swingers events, and we hoped that after a week of cruising, that number would grow. The pleasure on his face was palpable as we gave him a blowjob together, as was the pleasure on ours when he took turns going down on us. The session ended with him taking her from behind while burying his fingers in me, leaving all of us sweaty and breathless. We stripped off our costumes, and he went down on me before taking me from behind. Three couples swapped in the space adjacent to us, their sex sounds and moans giving us a thrill that boosted both our orgasms. Tuesday

I watched a man sitting on the edge of the tub receive the most peculiar hand job imaginable from a woman he'd just met while their spouses monitored the action close by, laughing.

I was so in my element that all the insecurities I brought on board were gone by this point. Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that swinging requires looking a certain way: the name of the game is confidence, and I was seeing that being myself is all I need. Wednesday So much of masturbation is focused on the orgasm, they said, and during this session we would take the time to bring pleasure to the body and spirit, aligning genitals with the heart. Midnight approached on one of their final nights, and as the club emptied out, Rob and Laura headed for the late-night Jacuzzi. For the first time all week, Laura decided to ditch her bikini bottom and climb into the hot tub fully naked. Suddenly, from the swirl of bodies, shimmering in the pool lights, another couple appeared before them. The fellow—a few years older than them, thin, balding, and handsome, drink in hand—stepped forward with a kindly smile. “Rob? Laura? Is that you? I'm Mike.” He shook their hands. “And this is my wife, Tina.” She moved into the light, a slender, fine-featured beauty in her late 40s. “So you've been here for a few days already,” Mike says. “How's it been going?”It took nearly six months after Deanna agreed to prepare and find a suitable event for them. Mark looked online for the right venue, and both were required to get STD testing in advance — along with bringing protection, a clean bill of health was a requirement from the party organizers. With the legwork done, Mark and Deanna headed to their first swingers' party. Tell you what,” said Mike, smoothly guiding them toward the perimeter of the pool. “Tina and I were going to get in one of the cabanas. You guys want to join us?” Within a few months, the couple had created a pattern. They go to a swingers' event every few weeks, which is frequently enough that they can now spot the "regulars," but not so frequently that they consider themselves part of that group. They're allowed to sleep with anyone they choose and don't approve of each other's partners — but they do always talk about their experiences afterward.

With the balcony door open, I watched the landscape cruise by while he used his mouth to bring me to orgasm. I switched positions on the couch, so he was behind me, making sure he got to take in the pleasurable view while experiencing his own pleasure. If one of them finishes with their partner-for-the-night before the other, he or she simply waits in the common space of the event. They always leave together and — most importantly — they never interact with any of these sex partners outside of the club. They claim this rule keeps the experience from "seeping in" to their relationship at home. How Swinging Helped Their Marriage Sure, I'd prepared myself to see some amorous behavior, but I'd imagined it'd be fleeting and discreet. Swinging, I had deduced before arriving, was a fact of life at Desire Pearl—and the possibility of a little public sex (perhaps with someone new) must have been a draw for some couples. I knew all that. But even when the trailhead signs warn about bears and rattlesnakes, you're still a little surprised when you see them.The scene was like a Mardi Gras melee on Bourbon Street—except everyone was showing everyone else their tits. I met a couple from West Virginia here on their honeymoon (what?!) and a doctor and his wife from small-town Idaho, with eight kids, who said they weren't swingers, only nudists who enjoy the anything-goes atmosphere at Desire. After a few lazy hours poolside, Rob and Laura had to tend to a critical errand: walking down the beach in their swimsuits to take pictures of themselves at a normal neighboring resort. For the first time on the cruise, I was starting to feel worn out – in the most satisfying way, of course. He eased into his seat on the dance floor as she writhed her body around him in time to the music, making me wish it was my birthday, too. Thursday