Koningsdam: Question about ballroom dancing.

[Pbranson]

I saw there is ballroom dancing scheduled on the Koningsdam for 5:00 PM some days and had a few questions:

 

How do people dress for this? I see it is before the Gala - should we be in Gala attire?

 

Is instruction provided or should you come knowing how to dance?

 

Is there music live?

 

Thanks.

[Haljo1935]

I so wish I could help ypu, but I have zero knowledge of this. I am very interested to see responses, though, from those who do know. I haven't seen this listed on the ships I've been on...so intriguing...

[kazu]

On 8/23/2023 at 11:41 AM, Pbranson said:

I saw there is ballroom dancing scheduled on the Koningsdam for 5:00 PM some days and had a few questions:

 

How do people dress for this? I see it is before the Gala - should we be in Gala attire?

 

Is instruction provided or should you come knowing how to dance?

 

Is there music live?

 

Thanks.

 

If it’s at 5 PM and a Dressy night (Previously called Gala night), yes I would be wearing my “dressy” attire.

 

I haven’t seen instruction when I’ve seen it on board.

 

the times I have seen it (not on the Koningsdam), the music was live except for one ship.  On that occasion it was not live.

[Queenvee]

Just got off the Nieuw Statendam and the ballroom dancing music was recorded, played by the ship's DJ.  Took place in the BB King's Blues club.  Only a few couples dancing each night.  No instruction.

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, Queenvee said:

Just got off the Nieuw Statendam and the ballroom dancing music was recorded, played by the ship's DJ.  Took place in the BB King's Blues club.  Only a few couples dancing each night.  No instruction.

This is very much what we saw on the Koningsdam.  I would add, pretty much every night 5 pm, one hour, sometimes five or six couples, usually fewer, who mostly dressed either very casually (around the ship clothing on a sea day) or normal dinner time clothing.

 

Watch the Daily Program to be sure when and where.

 

Note to Pbranson: are you planning to do some posts or a review after your cruise?  I think you would have a lot to say and it would be interesting :)

Edited August 25, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[Pbranson]

On 8/25/2023 at 5:14 AM, Queenvee said:

Just got off the Nieuw Statendam and the ballroom dancing music was recorded, played by the ship's DJ.  Took place in the BB King's Blues club.  Only a few couples dancing each night.  No instruction.

Thanks for the details here. Glad to hear it isn't over subscribed. I booked this back when I thought there would live classical music on the ship and now to hear the ballroom dancing is a little weak sauce is a bummer. Not that it's anyone else's fault that I couldn't foxtrot my way out of a paper bag but a class would have been fun.

 

We're young (for this ship/line) and I suspect HAL thinks our demographic wants REALLY LOUD MUSIC,

 

"ISN'T IT COOL HOW ALL THE....."

 

         **confused 'I can't here you' gestures**

 

I SAID ISN'T IT REALLY COOL HOW ALL THE SOUND FROM THE VENUES IS BLEEDING TOGETHER IN THIS MUSIC WALK AREA!"

 

when what I really wanted was a string quartet or an organ jazz trio or something else that's elegant or low key. Bring back LCS! Bring back the horn section! 🙂

 

 

[Pbranson]

22 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Note to Pbranson: are you planning to do some posts or a review after your cruise?  I think you would have a lot to say and it would be interesting 🙂

Possibly, if time allows. It's our first time on HAL and my wife's first cruise. I did the 7 day Alaska itinerary we're on 25 years ago on Norwegian when I was in high school so I'm interested to seeing how cruising has progressed in that time. We board the Koningsdam today and are pretty stoked. Anything will beat the guy snoring so loudly in this Airbnb that I can *feel* the sympathetic resonances in my own sinus cavity. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Pbranson

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, Pbranson said:

Thanks for the details here. Glad to hear it isn't over subscribed. I booked this back when I thought there would live classical music on the ship and now to hear the ballroom dancing is a little weak sauce is a bummer. Not that it's anyone else's fault that I couldn't foxtrot my way out of a paper bag but a class would have been fun.

 

We're young (for this ship/line) and I suspect HAL thinks our demographic wants REALLY LOUD MUSIC,

 

"ISN'T IT COOL HOW ALL THE....."

 

         **confused 'I can't here you' gestures**

 

I SAID ISN'T IT REALLY COOL HOW ALL THE SOUND FROM THE VENUES IS BLEEDING TOGETHER IN THIS MUSIC WALK AREA!"

 

when what I really wanted was a string quartet or an organ jazz trio or something else that's elegant or low key. Bring back LCS! Bring back the horn section! 🙂

 

 

 

Your description of Music Walk is perfect! Cacophony Central.

 

Try Cunard for a good mixture of music--classical, jazz, showroom band, orchestra for dancing. At tea every afternoon, there's live solo music--harp or piano or guitar. They do dance lessons to improve your foxtrot.

[Pbranson]

1 minute ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Your description of Music Walk is perfect! Cacophony Central.

 

Try Cunard for a good mixture of music--classical, jazz, showroom band, orchestra for dancing. At tea every afternoon, there's live solo music--harp or piano or guitar. They do dance lessons to improve your foxtrot.

Username checks out 🙂

 

We originally wanted to go on Cunard in Alaska pre-pandemic for our honeymoon, then ended up on a catamaran in French Polynesia instead because of COVID; it's been so long since we booked with HAL that I can't remember what led us there in the end over Cunard. I appreciate the suggestion and will certainly keep them in mind for a future sailing.

[BSinPNS]

Just off Rotterdam.  It was exactly as Silver to Gold described in post 5.  Very casual attire with prerecorded music.  At most there were five couples, usually one or two and sometimes no one on the floor.  

[SilvertoGold]

18 minutes ago, Pbranson said:

Possibly, if time allows. It's our first time on HAL and my wife's first cruise. I did the 7 day Alaska itinerary we're on 25 years ago on Norwegian when I was in high school so I'm interested to seeing how cruising has progressed in that time. We board the Koningsdam today and are pretty stoked. Anything will beat the guy snoring so loudly in this Airbnb that I can *feel* the sympathetic resonances in my own sinus cavity. 

Hey! BON VOYAGE!  One positive for you is the Koningsdam is the Pinnacle class, the latest for HAL and has more music than the other HAL ships.  Try all venues on your first sea day and you will get the idea quickly about what you like. This cruise is port intensive so you won't have time of time to miss all the things you would otherwise want on a cruise with a lot of sea days.  Please do come back and let us know you thoughts, pluses and minuses. Have a GREAT time!

[Pbranson]

Thanks! Forgive my snark earlier, we are excited about the music offerings here, it all looks good 🙂 I was feeling a little salty after a few long days of packing and travel 

[oakridger]

Bon Voyage!!  Have a blast!

 

~Nancy