Ballroom dancing on Solstice

[kon000]

How's ballroom dancing like on solstice cruse?

We sail from Sydney to Auckland in Nov 13.

I like ballroom dancing and my husband doesn't dance, so if I were to dance, just myself, are there social dancers around? and if I take my dance shoes, is that too much??

[kitty9]

Ballroom dancing is really lacking on the S class ships and they no longer have dance hosts on board. Celebrity stopped the dance host program a number of years ago. There are basically two areas of dancing, one on deck three in an area by Guest Services and another in the Sky Observation Lounge, but I wouldn't call what they have is true ballroom dancing as the bands they hire play very generic music.

[runeu]

We don't know either what to expect on our Equinox sail in a few days - but we have decided to take our dance shoes. I mean, especially for the ladies they are more comfortable than other high heels because of the padding of the soles and they look very good! So why not taking them?! ;)

 

I hope we get a few chances to do ballroom/latin dancing :)

[Tangoqueen]

We are packing ours for the Infinity. Not expecting to get much dancing but you can live in hope. I would be so disappointed if we didn't take them and found that we could have used them, especially when they are so much more comfortable than my other evening shoes... I am sure that I saw on another thread there were occasional dance classes during the day?

[Esprit]

My wife always takes her dance shoes but the dancing opportunities are quite small.

 

The atrium is too small with too many passers by coming off the stairs so your flow around the floor is always interrupted.

 

Up in the Sky lounge there is more opportunity for Cha Cha Cha, Salsa, and Jive. The band would recognise us as keen dancers and play Foxtrot and Rumba music too, early in the evenings before the lounge got busy.

[LF2C]

My wife and I are on the Eclipse 22 June. Do I assume the answer will be the same?

Was on RCI last year and they had a trio dedicated to playing ballroom and latin........mind you, we were the only couple out of 3,500 passengers who turned up!

[dutrie]

My wife and I were on the January 26 Eclipse sailing. We took our dance shoes but were disappointed in the lack of suitable dance space. There are no wooden dance floors on the S class ships.

 

The only dance space used on our sailing was the foyer. As a previous poster has mentioned, the foyer space is small, people walk thru the area, and on many nights there was a photographer set up taking photos on the stairway. Despite these problems, there were always several couples dancing, but the floor was very crowded and you could not do ballroom dancing.

 

The Sky Lounge would have been a nice location to dance, but it was used every night for a private party or for Perry Grant.

 

Quasar has a small dance floor (with two large support posts breaking up the floor) but no one was ever in this room.

 

The show dancers taught introductory classes for waltz, foxtrot, rumba, cha cha, salsa and swing . There were up to 20 couples at some of the dance lessons and I frequently heard people questioning the dance instructors why they taught lessons when there were no suitable places to dance.

 

We were told to talk to guest relations about this problem. A few couples did. Later in the cruise, the orchestra played dance music in the foyer. Nice music, but no room to really dance.

 

We really liked the Eclipse and are scheduled on her again next year, but frankly, the dance opportunities are MUCH better on Princess.

Edited February 28, 2013 by dutrie

[Tiggertastic]

The Equinox and Solstice had dancing every night in the atrium and then sessions in the sky bar many evenings.

 

On the solstice, the band realised they had a group of dancers so played for them each evening.

 

A lot of it is down to the Cruise Director on the ship. The solstice had a dedicated dance teacher.

[kon000]

Thank you, I will bring my dance shoes with me, they are most comfortable shoes with heel anyway, so I might wear with formal dress as well.

Will check out the dance time and hope to dance sometimes.

 

My husband would like to learn basic, so it's great to hear Solstice has dedicated dance instructor

[kon000]

Do you think I can find someone to dance with if I turn up by myself?

[mummsie]

Do you think I can find someone to dance with if I turn up by myself?

 

I doubt it unfortunately. They are usually couples. Unless you can get friendly with a couple and the wife will let her husband off for the odd dance. mummsie

[mummsie]

We have been on the Eclipse twice, they have an hour of DJ Ballroom music from 7-8 most nights in the Sky Lounge. Occasionally they have a live band but those nights its so crowded you can't move. On the DJ nights, the guys plays a load of latin music and jive's that are way to fast. They also played some paso dobles which was ridiculous. The watzes they play are too slow for Vienesse and to fast for modern waltz. The had quite a few tangoes and quicksteps with the odd foxtrot thrown in. I am a competition ballroom dancer so I can pretty much dance to any music but some of the stuff they were playing was crazy. We also did some of the dance classes for something to do. They don't teach anything properly and the tango class we did we left half way through because they were teaching dangerous movements. It doesn't shop me from having a fun time though and its a good way of getting rid of excess energy after dinner :) mummsie

[LF2C]

I guess they just don't build modern cruise ships with proper dance floors.

Even as a seasoned ballroom dancer I wouln't bother taking dance shoes. Given the limitations, normal formal shoes should suffice!

 

Like most comments, the bands on cruise ships play for the majority (who can't dance) but recognise those who can and are usually very pleased to see couples dance"properly" even to the extent of asking what they should play.

[dutrie]

LF2C

We also have had the experience of bands expressing their appreciation for our dancing and asking us what we would like them to play. Many of the bands we have experienced on ships are very versatile and can play a wide variety of music so we have been able to dance smooth, rhythm, disco etc.

 

I always take my ballroom shoes along at a cruise. First of all, they are very light in weight for packing and it is just easier to dance in ballroom shoes rather than normal formal shoes.

[uktog]

On Solstice just now and one thing we have noticed is how popular and accessible the dancing in the atrium is to all. Talking to guests they say whilst it is not a proper floor and space is contained, they like the atmosphere as everyone is engaged in what is going on from decks 3 and above

For most this trade from a "perfect floor" had great advantages and for some it persuaded them to practice some old dancing skills without fear of being shown up by others who were expertly practiced in ballroom dancing

[cafeDB]

Going on the Solstice in November for the itinerary mainly but was quite disappointed to learn that the dance floors are so small. Pictures definitely looks too small for any ballroom dances, maybe just latin dances. I always laughed on Liberty OTS and Voyager when they had "Ballroom night" in the topfloor lounge with a little oval round floor the size of a pocket handkerchief. Apparently American cruise directors think " chacha, rhumba and salsa" are "ballroom dances" because that's the only music they played, with an occasional waltz. I'm hoping it will not be like that on Solstice. But then again, we can dance anywhere - including on the open deck in Halong Bay, in a Fuxing park in Shanghai and on top of a boat in Lake Windermere, as long as they play good music. The worst is when they have a floor but employ a band that doesn't know what dance music is.

 

I will bring my dance shoes on all cruises for all the reasons you've all stated, most comfortable, light and prettiest shoes I can pack. I got a tip from another dancer to always bring TWO pairs, in case one breaks and then you can't dance at all.

I wear them all night but just take care not to go on the open decks so I don't wet and spoil the soles.

[cafeDB]

Going on the Solstice in November for the itinerary mainly but was quite disappointed to learn that the dance floors are so small. Pictures definitely looks too small for any ballroom dances, maybe just latin dances. I always laughed on Liberty OTS and Voyager when they had "Ballroom night" in the topfloor lounge with a little oval round floor the size of a pocket handkerchief. Apparently American cruise directors think " chacha, rhumba and salsa" are "ballroom dances" because that's the only music they played, with an occasional waltz. I'm hoping it will not be like that on Solstice. But then again, we can dance anywhere - including on the open deck in Halong Bay, in a Fuxing park in Shanghai and on top of a boat in Lake Windermere, as long as they play good music. The worst is when they have a floor but employ a band that doesn't know what dance music is.

 

I will bring my dance shoes on all cruises for all the reasons you've all stated, most comfortable, light and prettiest shoes I can pack. I got a tip from another dancer to always bring TWO pairs, in case one breaks and then you can't dance at all.

I wear them all night but just take care not to go on the open decks so I don't wet and spoil the soles.

 

Reporting back on the Solstice.

Brought my shoes but didn't get much proper dancing at all.

Evening Ballroom dance music was played in the 3rd floor atrium, a main thoroughfare at the bottom of the grand staircase with a tiled floor and people walking all over it while you try to dance. Funny shaped, dangerous tiles, too small to do any proper lines for Standard but ok for Latin if there was not more than 2 other couples dancing.

They had a pretty decent wood floor up on the Sky Observation Lounge which they wasted almost every night on game shows and other nonsense. We gave up on the atrium and went up to the Sky Lounge with our iPhone to dance before the nonsense started. The night they finally decided to have ballroom dancing there they spread sticky gunk on the floor, claiming this is the "correct" way to prepare the floor for dancing! When the "ballroom" music started there was lots of no tempo-jazz and slowdance and undanceable music, only about 1 quarter that could be used by a proper dancer.

Cruise Director totally ignored all feedback on dancing and other entertainment, including board games! One of the most boring cruises I have ever been on, thank God for the port days and beautiful scenery.

Don't bother to bring dance shoes for the Celebrity, you'd waste and ruin them!