How is the QE for an Alaska Cruise?

[kmerlin14]

17 hours ago, D&N said:

I hadn't come across your trip report before. That was really interesting. Thank you.

On dancing; My school taught dancing for school dances each year, but more than 20 years later in Jan 1993 we started to take ballroom and latin classes because we wanted to join in at dinner dances, and continued until we left Scotland in May 2016. We'd regard ourselves as fairly proficient. One of the things a good dance teacher should drill into you is regarding floor craft, and if you are a capable dancer you should be watching out for less experienced folk who perhaps are less aware of those around them and may not have the experience to modify their steps to avoid others. A social dancer should not feel intimidated from getting up and doing what they can. The experienced folk should know how to get round you. Failing that, stick your elbows out as far as you can, that'll see them off!

We used to go to social dances regularly here in the before times, so I know what you mean. And one of the hosts actually told my husband that we danced just fine and encouraged him to go for it, so we relaxed and did. It was more just the group of dancers on that cruise that were taking themselves very seriously. We did go out and buy him a tuxedo for his next cruise, but it got cancelled and rebooked three times, so I'm not sure if we will actually take it or not. I also do a lot of line dancing where the experienced dancers will always help out the beginners, so it was a shock to see one person shove her friend off the floor. But I was at the back making friends with the people back there as we tried to figure out the steps and help one another out like we do here. We haven't been to a ballroom class in a while, but I've kept up the line dancing through facebook, youtube, in the parking lot, and even socially distanced indoors when it was permitted. I even went on a virtual line dance cruise which was a lot of fun so we got all dressed up for that, but he wore his kilt for that. Probably going off topic here but I love dancing so I get too tempted if someone talks about it.

[lissie]

21 hours ago, D&N said:

I hadn't come across your trip report before. That was really interesting. Thank you.

On dancing; My school taught dancing for school dances each year, but more than 20 years later in Jan 1993 we started to take ballroom and latin classes because we wanted to join in at dinner dances, and continued until we left Scotland in May 2016. We'd regard ourselves as fairly proficient. One of the things a good dance teacher should drill into you is regarding floor craft, and if you are a capable dancer you should be watching out for less experienced folk who perhaps are less aware of those around them and may not have the experience to modify their steps to avoid others. A social dancer should not feel intimidated from getting up and doing what they can. The experienced folk should know how to get round you. Failing that, stick your elbows out as far as you can, that'll see them off!

I completely agree - we have danced competitively for years - and when I go to a local dance and I know who is social and who are superb competitive dancers - its not the very good ones who are rushing around the floor - against line of dance intimidating beginners. Its the try hards. You'd never know who the really good dancers were because they are having a social dance - often not in hold 

[shipgeeks]

OP, I agree with your decision to book an inside cabin.  We got moved to a balcony when we cruised AK a number of years ago, and we only used it once, for an hour or two, during the entire 10 days.  We spent all our waking hours up on deck, taking in the scenery on all sides, and basking in the sunshine. An oceanview is nice, just to see what the weather is and where you are, but there is usually a bowcam on cabin tv that will show you the same thing.

[AussieVoyager]

We did an inside cabin on QE in 2019 on a Tokyo - Alaska - Vancouver voyage. We were very happy with it (and we’ve had both balcony and inside cabins on QM2, QV and QE). We’ve decided we’re happy with insides from now on. 

[david,Mississauga]

The Canadian government has published this regarding embarking and disembarking cruise ships in Canada.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html

 

The travel advisory to avoid all cruise travel has been amended. The absolute advisory appears to apply only to non-vaccinated people and those with a higher risk. I am no expert on insurance, but at first glance this could make it easier for Canadians to obtain travel insurance.

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

 

 

[TouchstoneFeste]

On 3/6/2022 at 3:58 PM, D&N said:

One of the things a good dance teacher should drill into you is regarding floor craft, and if you are a capable dancer you should be watching out for less experienced folk who perhaps are less aware of those around them and may not have the experience to modify their steps to avoid others. A social dancer should not feel intimidated from getting up and doing what they can. The experienced folk should know how to get round you. Failing that, stick your elbows out as far as you can, that'll see them off!

 

My wife is a very good dancer, but I'm ... well, hopeless would be generous. Nonetheless, I intend to give it the old college try on our upcoming transatlantic. 

 

I've heard that it is customary for social dancers to self-segregate somewhat, either to the outside or inside of the dance floor. I've also heard that this custom is exactly opposite depending if you're European or North American. Is any of that true? If so, what's the custom on Cunard?

[D&N]

4 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

I've heard that it is customary for social dancers to self-segregate somewhat, either to the outside or inside of the dance floor. I've also heard that this custom is exactly opposite depending if you're European or North American. Is any of that true? If so, what's the custom on Cunard?

There is no custom. International standards dictate that when ballroom or sequence dancing you progress around the floor in an anti-clockwise direction, stopping or deviating if you come across an obstacle, including other dancers. Experienced folk with an empty floor might want to try out some fancy variation and break with the standard, but should refrain if others join in and there is a risk of collision.

Latin and line dancing is usually a bit different. Tending to be danced within a reasonably small area.

If the floor was big enough, and even QM2s might not be, you sometimes have a sequence dance taking place round the sides whilst others dance something static in the centre.

 

Social dancers should follow the standard and not feel any need to segregate.

Imagine if you have a learner or novice driver on the road in a car suitably marked to indicate their status to other road users.  Would you expect the novice to get out the road of the wannabee racing drivers? 🤣

[Tonopah]

We had only about 12 ballroom lessons under our belt before our first QM2 crossing. We were welcomed to the floor. We did know the etiquette of a dance floor and followed the rules. There was one guy who would shove his way across the dance floor. We called it “full contact ballroom”. Didn’t matter the dance, he was going full force diagonally across the floor like a bowling ball. Novices and pros alike rolled their eyes at him and went on with their enjoyment. 

 

Our next voyage is in November and we will have nearly 4 years of lessons. The kindness and acceptance of the dancers of all levels on the Queen’s Room dance floor gave us the confidence to continue dancing and we are so looking forward to being back “home”.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

We shared Tonopah’s experience on our double TA in 2019. There was one couple who would race around the floor, obviously enjoying their own competition moves, but most people were happy to have all of us there, including people like us who are pretty inexperienced. One sweet woman even commented on how much fun we appeared to be having.

 

[lissie]

9 hours ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

 

My wife is a very good dancer, but I'm ... well, hopeless would be generous. Nonetheless, I intend to give it the old college try on our upcoming transatlantic. 

 

I've heard that it is customary for social dancers to self-segregate somewhat, either to the outside or inside of the dance floor. I've also heard that this custom is exactly opposite depending if you're European or North American. Is any of that true? If so, what's the custom on Cunard?

As others have said - there is no "rule" as such. The important thing is with the ballroom dances (foxtrot, watlz, tango, quickstep) we dance anticlockwise around the room  - if you need to "reverse" you have to give way. Also don't stop - if you stop move to the side of the floor to get out of the way. And particularly don't stand in the middle of the floor and talk to your partner or others - that's the only thing that annoys me as an experienced dancer - as its just thoughtless -you can stand anywhere and talk - not just a dance floor 

[david,Mississauga]

This has nothing to do with dancing, but this news may be of interest to those taking Alaska cruises.

 

The federal government is expected to announce tomorrow that vaccinated travellers will not have to have proof of a negative COVID test to enter Canada as of the 1st of April. I hope this will apply to those arriving by ship, despite the recent announcement regarding the resumption of cruise travel for which I provided a link several posts back.

 

This is just one of many news articles:

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-government-to-drop-pre-departure-testing-1.6386763

 

[elmsliebev]

7 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

This has nothing to do with dancing, but this news may be of interest to those taking Alaska cruises.

 

The federal government is expected to announce tomorrow that vaccinated travellers will not have to have proof of a negative COVID test to enter Canada as of the 1st of April. I hope this will apply to those arriving by ship, despite the recent announcement regarding the resumption of cruise travel for which I provided a link several posts back.

 

This is just one of many news articles:

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-government-to-drop-pre-departure-testing-1.6386763

 

Thanks David, good news indeed. We fly into Vancouver then have 10 days Alaskan cruise, back to Vancouver for 1 day, then carry on the cruise through to Florida. So as things stand from April we won't need the test to enter Canada at the start, but will for boarding the ship. I think! We don't go until July so it may well have changed again by then (we are both fully vax'd and boostered).