Dance Lessons

[thecruisers723]

I have a friend trying to plan her first cruise. She wants to be able to take dance lessons on the cruise and then dress up for formal night and go dancing. Does Carnival have these types of dance lessons on their cruises?

[Out of Iowa]

Maybe she could begin Arthur Murray or similar lessons at her home for six weeks (or longer) before the cruise. There are short little group dance lessons on Carnival's showroom stage prior to some events (as the crowd gathers, if your CD is fun!), at deck parties....but I would not rely on these to become a dance star!

[thecruisers723]

Maybe she could begin Arthur Murray or similar lessons at her home for six weeks (or longer) before the cruise. There are short little group dance lessons on Carnival's showroom stage prior to some events (as the crowd gathers, if your CD is fun!), at deck parties....but I would not rely on these to become a dance star!

 

I'll relay this to her. Not sure if she just wants some basic ballroom steps to be able to make it through a song or to get fancier. I'll have to ask her. Thanks for the advice. Hubby and I cruise Carnival a lot, but aren't dancers so we haven't paid much attention to dance lesion options.

[Crusin Hogs]

I'll relay this to her. Not sure if she just wants some basic ballroom steps to be able to make it through a song or to get fancier. I'll have to ask her. Thanks for the advice. Hubby and I cruise Carnival a lot, but aren't dancers so we haven't paid much attention to dance lesion options.

 

You won't find any ball room dancing on Carnival , They have a disco club ,rock music

[riffatsea]

I have not seen ballroom dancing lessons on Carnival.

They used to have some line dance lessons or sort of hip hop stuff but even those seem to have gone off the activity list lately.

I asked about it on my last cruise and was told that the longer 14 day cruises might have more of that.

Too bad because I love to dance.

I don't think there is lots of ballroom dance music on the Carnival ships.

[vamartha]

I'd have to say that "twerking" was the dance I saw the most on my last couple cruises.

[MissKIA]

I apologize if this is somewhat hijacking your thread, but this a related question. Does Carnival teach the line dances they do at the sail away party and other parties or are you just expected to know them or pick them up by watching? I've never actually participated in any of these but I think my family of newbies that are joining us next cruise would enjoy joining in.

[Crusin Hogs]

I apologize if this is somewhat hijacking your thread, but this a related question. Does Carnival teach the line dances they do at the sail away party and other parties or are you just expected to know them or pick them up by watching? I've never actually participated in any of these but I think my family of newbies that are joining us next cruise would enjoy joining in.

 

No not no lessons ,most just know them

[cruisemom67]

You won't find any ball room dancing on Carnival , They have a disco club ,rock music

 

Every cruise I have been on has had ballroom dancing in the aft lounge at some point. We learned ballroom dancing 25 years ago and love to dance on the cruises. The discos have modern music, but you can find many other kinds as well.

[SadieN]

I apologize if this is somewhat hijacking your thread, but this a related question. Does Carnival teach the line dances they do at the sail away party and other parties or are you just expected to know them or pick them up by watching? I've never actually participated in any of these but I think my family of newbies that are joining us next cruise would enjoy joining in.

 

 

 

I just follow along, over the years I've learnt most all the dances.

 

On the longer cruises they do some sort of dance class with a recital at the end of the cruise.

[Crusin Hogs]

Every cruise I have been on has had ballroom dancing in the aft lounge at some point. We learned ballroom dancing 25 years ago and love to dance on the cruises. The discos have modern music, but you can find many other kinds as well.

 

Been on a cruise lately ?Aft lounge on Dream Class is now the comedy club

[cruisemom67]

Been on a cruise lately ?Aft lounge on Dream Class is now the comedy club

 

Not for a year, which you would have seen if you looked at my signature. 16 cruises over 25 years. We love the comedy shows, but they are not in there all the time. In fact, there is usually one night of the cruise that there are NO comedy shows as the comedians are switching ships.

 

The aft lounge is used for a multitude of things, including the Platinum/Diamond party, some art auctions, movies (usually Fantasy class as they don't have a Big Screen on Lido).

 

In any case, you CAN find music other than rock on board the ships.

[maryred]

Our last few cruises the only "dance" classes I have seen have been for MJ's "Thriller", 1 or 2 of the newer line dances, and if the cruise had many seadays maybe an afternoon salsa lesson or similar dance class.

As for having music that would be appropriate for ballroom dancing that I have only seen on rare occasions either in the Ocean Plaza or the Atrium Bar area between the 2 set dinner times. It really depended on if the ship currently had classical musicians, a jazz band, or a Latino music group.

Mostly in the Red Frog Pub, the live band would play top 40 hits from genres from the 50's through the 90's and maybe some newer. Many times the entire evening's playlist would be tied to what the production show of the evening was, 80's rock, Motown hits, 60's beach music, or first British Invasion.

The dance club on board would usually have 1 hour long themes each evening at opening (10 pm) with music selections by the DJ. Favorites include a tribute to Michael Jackson, a tribute to Whitney Houston, a tribute to Prince, the 80's, and Disco. Usually afterwards the music would revert to current charted hip-hop and club music.

On week long and longer cruises there will be 2 poolside deck parties at night after the late dinner finishes. One tends to be a glo-party with line dances and current party favorites. The other seems to rotate between an 80's theme, beach party, mardis gras, and Mexican fiesta.

[BallFour4]

Every cruise I have been on has had ballroom dancing in the aft lounge at some point. We learned ballroom dancing 25 years ago and love to dance on the cruises. The discos have modern music, but you can find many other kinds as well.

While I can't see your cruise history I can tell you that hasn't been offered in years. Have you cruised since the fleet converted to 2.0 on a substantial number of ships? The orchestra is gone on many, replaced with digital music for the shows.

 

The only dance classes we've seen in at least five years are the Michael Jackson dance class and the occasional class for country dances.

 

Not since the days of the Ecstasy and the past guest party being offered in the main show lounge have ballroom dances been an option. Now the past guest party in smaller, and the entertainer is often a guitar player featured for a few songs as people arrive.

 

A couple of cruise directors have taught a line dance or two at sail away, but not the full compliment. You'd need to learn to shuffle, wobble and slide before your cruise.

.

[RC Dancers]

They don't really have ballroom type dances on Carnival. Usually they will have a band in the smoke filled casino who will play some rhythm type dances or have some disco or salsa type theme for an hour or so in the smoke filled disco. As far as finding a dance partner, I would say that it is not likely.

 

Sometimes, they have a latin band on board to play Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Bachata.

 

As far as line dances go, they have the usuals, Electric Slide, Wobble, Cupid Shuffle. Better to learn them pre cruise on youtube.

 

If she is serious about dancing, take lessons before leaving home and book one of the dance cruises like Stardust. There is a thread about ballroom dancing in the special interests section.

[no1racefan1]

If she just wants to go and dance around, there will be opportunity for that.

If she's heard about the ballroom/Latin dancing available on some cruises, there probably won't be much opportunity for that on Carnival.

 

H and I took ballroom lessons for five years and we loved dancing every night on our first cruise, with Princess. Didn't have time to dance on our NCL cruise so don't know about their offerings, but I can assure you there was no ballroom-type dancing on our Carnival cruise. I know, because it's something we will always look for in the daily activities!

[thecruisers723]

Thank you for all of the replies. Sounds like if ballroom dancing is a must, she may need to try another line. I appreciate all your help.

[maryred]

Thank you for all of the replies. Sounds like if ballroom dancing is a must, she may need to try another line. I appreciate all your help.

 

Other lines she can rule out if ballroom dancing is a must for her enjoyment of a cruise:

Royal Caribbean

Celebrity

Norwegian Cruise Line

 

I have heard but it's through the "electronic grapevine" that these lines may still offer at least one night of ballroom dancing:

Cunard

Holland America Line

Princess Cruise Line

 

Or she can book a vanity cruise that is all about ballroom dancing http://www.dancersatsea.com/comingcruises.html