Ballroom dancing: best ships?

[jerblu]

I'm asking this question in the UK forums because I have the idea that dancing is more popular in Britain and Europe than it is in the USA.

 

Which ships have you found to have the best dancing? The best dance floors, the best all around dance experience, etc. My own favorite so far is the Crystal Symphony, but I wonder what others prefer.

 

And note, please, that I am NOT talking about disco or swaying in time, etc. I am asking about partner lead and follow, with long steps and flowing lines.

[cruiserking]

I'm asking this question in the UK forums because I have the idea that dancing is more popular in Britain and Europe than it is in the USA.

 

Which ships have you found to have the best dancing? The best dance floors, the best all around dance experience, etc. My own favorite so far is the Crystal Symphony, but I wonder what others prefer.

 

And note, please, that I am NOT talking about disco or swaying in time, etc. I am asking about partner lead and follow, with long steps and flowing lines.

 

 

The Queen Mary 2 has the largest ballroom at sea. The Queens Ballroom hosts many black tie events throughout each voyage. There is a lengthy thread re: dancing on the Cunard boards. If you are take your dancing seriously you should consider this ship. There is always a full orchestra aboard and many people who cruise the ship strictly for the priveledge of enjoy such a grand ballroom dancing arena at sea.

 

Jonathan

[Jimnbigd]

Royal Caribbean still has ballroom-style dancing, though it is down to a 3-piece band. I know Cleopatra's Needle on the Voyager of the Seas (deck 5 forward) has this most every night. Sometimes there is also dancing in the Viking Crown. Of course you won't find sequence dancing, except for the occassional line dance. Gosh, I sure enjoy seeing the sequence dancing videos on youtube of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. But back to the cruise -- For some reason, dancing is no longer popular. On the Carnival Ecstasy, the back lounge is now devoted strictly to karaoke; and the one lounge with live music played mostly rock. Even on my Norwegian Sea cruises 10 years ago, the back lounge had only a handful of people each night even though there was a great 5 piece band. Sigh.

[soccerref]

We also love our ballroom dancing and have managed to do some on all the cruise lines on which we have sailed - RCI, Princess, NCL, Carnival, Star Lines, Thomsons etc but have found that P&O have by far the best oportunities and largest floors. I know Cunard have even better facilities but we can't quite run to their prices.

[kitty9]

On Crystal they have a professional dance couple who not only give lessons every day on ballroom dancing, but they put on shows on all the different types of ballroom. Crystal has a full orchestra for ballroom dancing, and not just a three or four piece band.

[Essiesmom]

HAL has dancing in a small lounge on the atrium (Vista class) and on longer cruiises will have gentlemen hosts for dancing (as does Cunard). EM

[smoothdancer]

I have so say absolutley the Queen Mary for ballroom dancing. This is a full size ballroom floor and you will be among many dancers who understand line of dance. The UK dancers tend to complain that the music is not strict tempo but has not bothered us.

 

Here is a link to a picture of the floor... I love this room!!

http://www.justcruisin-sv.com/CruiseShips/QM%20PAGE%20TWO.htm

[janabm81]

I am a ballroom dance instructor and my fiance owns the studio, we have been cruising off and on for 5 years now and still haven't found a ship with a suitable dance floor and good band. We're talking about taking our students on the Queen Mary because we've heard there is better options but as far as regular big name brand ships go...ballroom dancing is an afterthought.

[Jimnbigd]

HAL has dancing in a small lounge on the atrium (Vista class) and on longer cruiises will have gentlemen hosts for dancing (as does Cunard). EM

 

Why aren't there any female hosts? :D

[Suzieanna]

Jim! haha!

 

If I was on your cruise I would dance with you! The reason there is no female hosts is that if the man can dance it is a good assumption his wife has made him learn, so he will have a partner at his beck and call!

 

Its us poor uncared for ladies who's husbands dont want to dance that have the problem. Any man that wants to be a hit with the ladies should learn to dance a bit - guaranteed result!!

[jerblu]

Ah, well. I had been hoping that there were ships catering to Europeans that I didnt know about. Thanks for the replies.

[eandj]

Oceania had a 10 or 12 piece orchestra and dancing galore.

[Dancer Bob]

The best dance experience is on Costa. The main dance floor on any of their newer ships is at least as big as Cunard's, and they have almost continuous music from around 6 PM til 01:30. The groups are usually very good about playing dance music if there are dancers. There several other venues, with different themes,like salsa. I now travel Costa almost exclusively. Cunard's music I've found usually disappointing. The Queen Victoria currently has Trevor Newby as band leader, he's excellent, but is moving to QE.

[ActiveTraveler]

On Crystal they have a professional dance couple who not only give lessons every day on ballroom dancing, but they put on shows on all the different types of ballroom. Crystal has a full orchestra for ballroom dancing, and not just a three or four piece band.

 

I read Crystal also has gentleman hosts who dance with the single ladies.:)

[jerblu]

I love Crystal, as must be obvious from my signature. But several of the descriptions are just not true.

 

The two Crystal ships have 6 piece bands (5 instruments and a female singer) that play each night in the dance lounge. The floor (Starlight Club) is not bad for a foxtrot, but you'd never want to do a quickstep there. One night each trip the showroom orchestra replaces the band, and quite frankly, they are terrible.

 

The Starlight on each ship is on the 6th floor, so there is good stability. There is a 2nd dance venue, the Palm Court, which they sometimes use, but it is on the 11th floor, so "Sway with me" has a significant meaning there.

 

They do have gentlemen hosts who dance with the ladies; usually three per trip. I have utmost admiration for them. They tell me they really like my dancing, but let me tell you that they are terrific. They dance every dance, adapt to their partners' ignorance, teach a little, here and there- I admire them beyond words.

 

There is always a professional ballroom dance couple who provide instruction in one or another basic ballroom dances on the days where the ship is cruising at sea. Both they and the gentlemen hosts go out with guests on the excursions to represent the ship on port days. It is possible to schedule private lessons, I believe, altho I have never done so. They are usually featured as part of the evening variety show entertainments, with a few numbers that show off their skills; I've always enjoyed that.

 

I love Crystal, and I love dancing on Crystal; it's a good dance experience, although it could be better still. I'm curious about other ships, which is why I started this thread. I'm glad to answer questions about Crystal if anyone has any. I am curious about the Costa ships; they are far less expensive, and altho I'm sure the food and amenities will not be as grand luxe as on Crystal, I might find myself enjoying the dancing enough to make up for it.

[Dancer Bob]

Costa's main dance floor is large enough for a quickstep and there's live music somewhere on the ship from 6PM til 01:30. There's two groups in the main lounge which alternate, but there's also cruise staff activities. At 11PM, I counted 6 separate venues with music. I now cruise Costa almost exclusively because of the dancing.

But Costa does not have dance hosts. There often are dance groups on board, but otherwise, not too hopeful. Costa's food also does not measure up to Crystal.

 

Cunard does provide "dance hosts", but some of them can barely walk, let alone dance. The quality of the music also varies widely. But otherwise you might find the line competitive with Crystal.

[euro cruiser]

If I was on your cruise I would dance with you! The reason there is no female hosts is that if the man can dance it is a good assumption his wife has made him learn, so he will have a partner at his beck and call!

 

Its us poor uncared for ladies who's husbands dont want to dance that have the problem. Any man that wants to be a hit with the ladies should learn to dance a bit - guaranteed result!!

Your post reminded me of a conversation a few years ago with a friend, a still good looking man in his mid-70's. He told me that about a year earlier he took ballroom dancing lessons and loved it ... and now he travels around Kansas (where he lives) going to dances and having a blast. The best part, he said, was that "even girls in their 30's will date me, because I can dance!"