Strictly Cruises

[annarack]

Could someone let me know what is special about a Strictly cruise please, as in what events happen on board etc.  We are booked on Ventura next Easter for a School Holiday cruise and have noticed it is also surprisingly a Strictly one.  I say surprisingly as I would have expected the school holiday dates draw in enough customers without P&O having to provide a special theme to attract people.  I assume there will be dance shows and special guests on board, but how does it all work?  Do you have to book for the performances/talks etc?  Can we find out in advance which dancers are going to be on board?  Many thanks in advance.

[Mewat]

Our cruise in June was  a Strictly cruise - it wasn't when we booked it, but we received an email to inform us.  I was delighted as I love strictly and the cruise was to celebrate a big birthday.

If you check on the P&O website, eventually they will announce who will be on board.  Although, we were supposed to have Neil and Katya Jones on the second week, but due to travel problems they couldn't make it and we had Oti and her husband and Graziano instead.  We also had Shirley Ballas, but only for the second week.  There are costumes from the shows on display around the atrium and the headliners also do fashion shows wearing said costumes.  There are Q&A shows with the dancers which aren't ticketed, plus dance masterclasses - very crowded!  The only ticketed events are the dance shows given by the professionals - we had to queue for tickets at a certain time and day for them.  And the same for the second week with the other dancers.  You can also have your photo taken with the  pros. after the Q&A sessions by the ships photographers and then purchase it and go to a signing session with the pros.  I had mine take with Aljaz and Janette and got it signed.  There was also a passenger dance competition judged by Shirley, Oti and the Captain!

 

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Michele

[Denarius]

I went on a Strictly Come Dancing theme cruise to the Canary Islands on Britannia last April. I have not the slightest interest in the programme and never watch it, but wanted a Canary Island cruise and the only other available from the UK, on Princess, was about £800 more expensive at the time I booked. So I booked despite "Strictly" rather than because of it.

I did have sone concern that it might prove over intrusive, but it was not so as far as my own personal needs were concerned. That is because I very rarely attend shows in the theatre, and the rest of the ship seemed largely unaffected apart from some displays in the atrium. Not so the theatre, where "Strictly" themed entertainment replaced much of the normal programing. So anyone not interested therein and who normally attends shows may well have found their enjoyment curtailed.

PS Could anyone tell me why it is called STRICTLY Come Dancing? No-one on the cruise could.

[eddie11]

I don’t watch it either but I think it’s a “mash-up” from the film from ages ago Strictly Ballroom (which kinda rehabilitated formal dancing) and the really ancient long-running BBC programme Come Dancing.

Put ‘em together and what have you got? SCD

 

I guess the special history is why the BBC name is so different from other countries, where I think the theme is Dancing With the Stars?

 

Shame on the ents staff not knowing!

[Denarius]

35 minutes ago, eddie11 said:

I don’t watch it either but I think it’s a “mash-up” from the film from ages ago Strictly Ballroom (which kinda rehabilitated formal dancing) and the really ancient long-running BBC programme Come Dancing.

Put ‘em together and what have you got? SCD

 

I guess the special history is why the BBC name is so different from other countries, where I think the theme is Dancing With the Stars?

 

Shame on the ents staff not knowing!

To be fair on them, I never asked them. It was just a conversation piece which I sometimes raised at dinner when "Strictly", as it was inevitably referred to, was discussed.

[dgs1956]

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

 

PS Could anyone tell me why it is called STRICTLY Come Dancing? No-one on the cruise could.

I think its because of the original "Come Dancing" programme that was all trained dancers and they didn't want confusion with the new format. There was also a film called "Strictly Ballroom" that may have been the reason they picked "Strictly" but I don't know for sure. The film was rubbish BTW.

Edited August 31, 2019 by dgs1956

[amajaa]

Strictly Ballroom is hilarious, Australian humour but hilarious.

 

Btw I thought most people knew it was a mash up of Strictly Ballroom and the old Come Dancing.

Edited August 31, 2019 by amajaa

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, eddie11 said:

I don’t watch it either but I think it’s a “mash-up” from the film from ages ago Strictly Ballroom (which kinda rehabilitated formal dancing) and the really ancient long-running BBC programme Come Dancing.

Put ‘em together and what have you got? SCD

 

I guess the special history is why the BBC name is so different from other countries, where I think the theme is Dancing With the Stars?

 

Shame on the ents staff not knowing!

I think you will find that the BBC show is the original, and all the others are licensed spin offs, and whatever the "Strictly" origins it is extremely popular worldwide.

[annarack]

Thanks everyone for all your replies.  Mewat, thanks for the detail, that's great, I'm quite excited now!  I enjoy Strictly and will need to introduce by 4 year old daughter to the show this Autumn, so she can come and watch the dancing on board with me!  Not sure my husband or son will be too fussed, but it's a bonus for me, and it will be the first time we have been a themed cruise so nice to try something new.  Sounds fun.

[Mewat]

My husband is not a Strictly fan, but he came along to the dance shows that were put on in the theatre as well as the Q&A with Shirley Ballas.  We found ourselves sat next to Shirley and her partner in the Glasshouse one evening!  All of the shows were hosted by Lisa Riley and I believe that she does most of them on the other ships.  They also have a stand in the atrium where you can buy dance shoes and other accessories - even costumes.   Strictly Memorabilia (including sparkly '10' paddles) is on sale before and after the shows just outside the theatre.

 

Michele