Dancing On The Sun?

[Tapisfun]

We will be sailing on the Sun, leaving Buenos Aires for Santiago on Jan 31, 2010. We love to dance... ballroom and Latin. Has anyone been on this route with the Sun? What sort of dance venues do they have? is there live music? Do they have one venue devoted to Latin and/or ballroom? Is there many Latin American passengers on these cruises? We have found that when there are, there are often good dance venues as well. Also, are there dance lessons? Especially Tango?

[jagzoo]

Hi,

 

We just returned from that same cruise on the Sun: BA 12/6 to Valparaiso 12/20. We are ballroom/latin/argentine tango dancers and were fairly disappointed about dance opportunities on the Sun. There is a "disco",Ramblers, that plays mostly disco. This worked early in the cruise for hustle and some salsa but got crazy once the "free" dancers discovered it. Also I get migranes and dizzy from rotating lights and they started using them all the time at night. The best floor is up in the Observation lounge. There is a small circular wood floor area but also a large wood floor in front of the bar that was great for moving dances.There was a latin type band that played there occasionally - mostly cumbia and bachatta (although we managed salsa and A tango also). Occasionally there would be a short time of foxtrot/swing music. The best music is by Paula and her musicians (wonderful voice, do go and listen) but they play in an area that has no dance space (go figure). One night they played for a short time in the Observation lounge and we were in heaven! Say Hi from Gail and John for us.

 

The only dance lessons were very basic.

 

Punta Tombo and Volunteer Point (Falklands) are wonderful! Volunteer Point is worth the splurge if the cruise adds it. Ask at the shore excursion desk your first night!

 

I hope your cruise has less trouble with the Norwalk Virus. It got so bad on our ship that passengers couldn't even pour their own coffee! Everything, even on the buffet, had to be handed to you by a crew member; it really caused some backups! People with symptoms were quarantined for 48 hrs after last symptoms. I missed a port when they wouldn't let me off ship even though I had been symptom free for 24hrs (that is the CDC recommendation). I only had symptoms for about 6 hrs.

 

 

Good luck and have fun!

[Tapisfun]

Thanks for the info. It is really too bad there isn't more dancing. We will have several days in BA before the cruise so I guess we had better dance all we can while we are there. We have heard that there are places with inexpensive tango lessons followed by milongas after all over town.

 

We have found that RCCL has good dance venues, Celebrity does as well. The best cruise we had for dancing was a western Caribbean "Big Band Cruise" on MSC. Great itinerary (included the San Blas Islands) and lots of great dancing.

 

BTW what other favorite "don't miss" shore excursions did you have?

 

Thanks!

[Tapisfun]

Thanks for the info. It is really too bad there isn't more dancing. We will have several days in BA before the cruise so I guess we had better dance all we can while we are there. We have heard that there are places with inexpensive tango lessons followed by milongas after all over town.

 

We have found that RCCL has good dance venues, Celebrity does as well. The best cruise we had for dancing was a western Caribbean "Big Band Cruise" on MSC. Great itinerary (included the San Blas Islands) and lots of great dancing.

 

BTW what other favorite "don't miss" shore excursions did you have?

 

Thanks!

[jagzoo]

HI,

 

First I'm going to correct the info I gave earlier. The name of the disco is Dazzles Disco. Las Ramblers is a tapas bar; there is some music there but no dancing area. The Paula Koropecki Trio usually places in the Windjammer lounge; see if they get into the Observation Lounge at all!

 

We both feel that Volunteer Point and Punta Tombo were our favorite excursions. Punta Tombo we did with Whales Patagonia but there are many others also. I would recommend an independent group - less money, fewer people and you get there faster!

 

We also would recommend a small boat independent tour on the Beagle Channel at Ushuaia. We walked off the pier and chose Patagonia Adventure: http://www.patagoniaadvent.com.ar. Be sure to go with a company that has small regular boats NOT catamarans as you can't get outside and close to the animals on them. It was a beautiful day, saw sea lions, various cormorants, and many other birds; then we had time for sightseeing in Ushuaia also. Another trip we had reserved was a small boat trip (zodiacs) to Magdalena Island. We love penguins and water! But when we arrived there we found that they had "upgraded to Cats" that didn't let you get outside, except in a very small exterior space. We decided not to go as we really wanted the open sea experience (after all we had seen plenty of penguins). Most (all?) of the tours use "ferrys" that are catamarans. We toured around the city instead. In Puerto Montt we had reserved an excursion with GV tours which John took (they wouldn't let me off the ship) and he enjoyed it. All other places we did our own exploring in.

 

As for dancing in Buenos Aires - yes!!! We didn't do any lessons this time but there are often lessons before the milongas for about 15 pesos ($4). The milongas also usually cost about 15 pesos (Ar $4). A good one to start with is the afternoon milonga at Confiteria Ideal - low key, and a lot of tourists (esp. the women) but wonderful space. Then there are "evening" milongas various nights of the week ( maybe 6pm to 11pm), and finally nighttime milongas (11pm-4am).

 

Pick up a Tango Map or BA Tango for times and places. You can download a copy of BA Tango at http://www.scribd.com/doc/24173612/B-A-TANGO-201 or send a message with "subscription" in the subject line to abtango@yahoo.com and they will send a pdf. version to your email. Among our favorite Milongas (and lots of Porteños) are Salon Canning, Club Grisel (we actually were fortunate to have attended the "20 años de Color Tango" that is written up in BA Tango pages 13 and 27 and have their new CD) and Niño Bien. Download a Tango Map nice listing of Milongas and Lessons, listed by day-of-the-week: http://www.caseronporteno.com/upload/tangomap/milongas.pdf

 

Our friends María Olivera y Gustavo Benzecry Saba, who loaned us their apartment, are advertised on page 25. When in BA they teach a lesson Saturday at Salon Canning. Definitely, take the opportunity to have a lesson and say "hi" from us: Gail and John Taylor.

 

You will have a great time, both in BA and on the cruise!!

[Tapisfun]

Yes! Lots of dancing on the Sun. Great tango lessons on days at sea by Francine and Andre (2 each day) and 2 evening "practicas." Other ballroom dancing was available too and there were some ballroom lessons which we didn't attend.

 

Took 3 tango lessons in BsAs also at the Confiteria Ideal. Two out of three were excellent. Not bad.