Wanderlust Swingers – A Swinger Podcast & Lifestyle Stories

EP214 – Swinger Cruises: Inside Bliss Cruise with CEO Russell Stephens

In this episode, we’re joined by Russell Stephens, CEO and part owner of Bliss Cruise, the world’s largest and most influential lifestyle cruise brand, for an unfiltered conversation about the past, present, and future of Bliss Cruise.

Russell shares how Bliss Cruise was acquired, why the ownership structure changed, and how decisions are actually made behind the scenes. We talk candidly about community concerns, guest privacy, pricing, drink packages, sponsorships, and the realities of working with major cruise lines while protecting a sex-positive lifestyle experience.

Join Cate on Bliss Cruise – April 2026

Cate will be sailing on the April 2026 Bliss Cruise, including the beach parties in Jamaica and Cozumel.

Book here to join Cate and receive exclusive cashback:
https://wanderlustswingers.com/bliss-cruise-april-2026/

- $750 cashback for international guests

- $300 cashback for North American guests

We also dive deep into what most guests never see, the logistics, planning, staffing, and production required to transform a “vanilla” cruise ship into a full-scale lifestyle event with thousands of guests.

If you’ve ever wondered:

- Who actually owns Bliss Cruise and how decisions are made

- How a cruise ship is converted into a swinger cruise in under 24 hours

- Why drink packages cost what they do

- What happened with cameras, videography, and privacy concerns

- How Bliss balances legacy guests with modernizing the experience

- Whether West Coast Bliss cruises are ever coming

- What goes into playrooms, music programming, and themed cruises

In This Episode

- Why Bliss Cruise was acquired and what changed with new ownership

- Russell’s personal history in the lifestyle and why that matters

- How guest feedback and surveys directly shape future cruises

- Privacy, consent, videography, and lessons learned

- Drink packages, pricing realities, and why sneaking alcohol hurts the community

- Sponsorship decisions and why some partnerships won’t happen again

- Behind-the-scenes logistics: staffing, playrooms, AV, decor, and scheduling

- How Royal Caribbean crews actually feel about Bliss sailings

- What makes Bliss Cruise different from resorts, clubs, and land-based events

Useful Links

Join us at a Swingers Event:
https://wanderlustswingers.com/swingers-events/

Wanderlust Swingers Website:
https://wanderlustswingers.com/

Patreon – Event photos, behind-the-scenes & extra content:
https://www.patreon.com/SwingingDownunder

Join SDC – Find swingers near you & explore events:
https://www.sdc.com/?ref=32122