MIAMI, Fla. -- Caravel Cruise Lines International Ltd. announced today that beginning early next year it will become the first major cruise line to switch to nude only sailings.

Reading from a prepared statement, Elliott Precanderfast, spokesperson for the cruise line, told reporters, "Recently we completed a study which showed that, on average, each of our passengers brings aboard 67 pounds of luggage. From that, we calculated that only about 6 pounds were attributable to the weight of suitcases and of sundry items such as hairbrushes, toothpaste and the like. Multiply the remaining weight by an average boarding of 2,655 passengers on each of our 31 ships and the 2,500 tons we transport daily in our hulls represents a substantial drag on our fleet.

"By not having to transport passenger clothing, we figure that we will save approximately $462,000 in fuel costs each week. Moreover, we'll also save on personnel costs that are required to check and distribute luggage. Overall, we predict our savings to amount to more than $41 million per year."

Precanderfast said that Caravel expects to be able to pass on those savings to its customers while at the same time increasing dividends paid to its shareholders.

This change in policy will require that Caravel make some adjustments to its sailing schedule and to the activities it now offers aboard. For instance, said Precanderfast, "Ships will no longer be available for Antarctic tours and the traditional limbo contests will be phased out.”