A questions for the dancers on HAL

[lupaglupa]

My husband and I have started ballroom dancing lessons and we hope to dance on our cruise this fall. Can anyone tell me what dancing opportunities there might be? And what music is commonly played i.e. which dances we should focus on? Thanks in advance for nay info you have to share!

[Moriah]

Are you booked on a HAL cruise?  If so, if it is one of the loooooonger itineraries you may have a few ballroom dancing opportunities... but the shorter the itinerary, the less it's likely.  If you tell us which ship and itinerary you are on, or are thinking about, I'm sure people can give you more exact info.

Edited April 30 by Moriah

[lupaglupa]

We're doing a 15-day transatlantic from Rotterdam to Fort Lauderdale this October. 

[highscar]

1979.  We we’re exited to go one our first vacation to the Caribbean.  The hotel dinner time was formal with dancing. So.. wanting to be in the TIME. We took the new disco dance lessons. Ready to show off our talent.     All they played every night was  Glen Miller.   Love his orchestra but not what we planned for. DH WAS NOT HAPPY. 

[trickylibrarian]

Next cruise try Cunard.  Lots of dancing in the ballroom with a live band.  

[lupaglupa]

I've seen people dancing on several cruise, which is one of the things that inspired us to learn. But I can't remember which particular dances people were doing. And I don't think we're talented enough or dedicated enough to learn them all in the next few months 😉

[lupaglupa]

Just now, trickylibrarian said:

Next cruise try Cunard.  Lots of dancing in the ballroom with a live band.  

We've done Cunard! The lectures were wonderful, the food was only okay. We prefer HAL overall. 

[Sir PMP]

38 minutes ago, lupaglupa said:

We've done Cunard! The lectures were wonderful, the food was only okay. We prefer HAL overall. 

There's a ballroom hour at 5:00pm in Crows Nest on the older ships, piped in music though, and the band plays from 8:15pm on, in the Ocean bar, mostly Abba, R&R etc. Sometimes you will be able to squeeze in a cha cha cha or salsa.

[Wasasalad]

People just seem to get up and dance wherever music is playing! 

[rj59]

If you're ballroom dancers, I'd recommend Princess, since they often have ballroom dancing in their piazza. Even better is Celebrity, at least older ships with a Sky Lounge, where every evening they have recorded ballroom dancing music. I've seen serious Asian ballroom dancers on most Princess and Celebrity cruises I've been on. Cunard will also have dancing in the ballroom where they do afternoon tea, quite a spectacle on their formal nights. Unfortunately, HAL is build around live music venues and doesn't have a traditional atrium, so there really aren't good venues for dancing. 

[Mary229]

There are some dancers on every cruise but it really is luck of the draw.  Most often I have seen dancers at happy hour if there is a live band. But no, I don’t think you will find a venue set aside for ballroom dancing, nor will you likely see it as an announced activity. 

[POA1]

We had Ballroom Dance Hour almost every day on the Rotterdam. It was usually at 4:00 pm in the BB King Lounge. I can't comment on the music or dance styles, but it was on the program

 

[Petronillus]

On our most recent cruise on the Westerdam, we saw dancing in the evening at the BB Kings lounge. I'm not an aficionado of that style of music and can't tell rock from blues, but it was not ballroom dancing of any sort. The basic swing patterns would likely serve, but don't expect foxtrot or waltz.

[lupaglupa]

9 hours ago, POA1 said:

We had Ballroom Dance Hour almost every day on the Rotterdam. It was usually at 4:00 pm in the BB King Lounge. I can't comment on the music or dance styles, but it was on the program

 

Hopefully when we are on Rotterdam it will be the same!

[lupaglupa]

5 hours ago, Petronillus said:

On our most recent cruise on the Westerdam, we saw dancing in the evening at the BB Kings lounge. I'm not an aficionado of that style of music and can't tell rock from blues, but it was not ballroom dancing of any sort. The basic swing patterns would likely serve, but don't expect foxtrot or waltz.

That's very helpful - thank you!

[POA1]

24 minutes ago, lupaglupa said:

Hopefully when we are on Rotterdam it will be the same!

They had lessons in some style of dance at 3:00 pm and ballroom at 4:00 pm.

 

 

[lupaglupa]

That sounds cool! We can always use more lessons.