tangoll

Alibaba and Janix, thanks for your almost daily reporting. I will be boarding in 2 days in Hong Kong and going on the 8 day segment to Singapore.

I understand that a large contingent of ballroom dancers from US should have boarded in then Yokohama, but now Kobe. Have you noticed them dancing the night away in the Queen's Room, and or at other times, practicing in the QR, etc?

Have you noticed the gentlemen dance hosts squiring single ladies onto the dance floor, and do you have any comment on their dance skills?

What arrangements is Cunard making for the 500 pax that have to be disembarked in Kobe (instead of originally Yokohama), and the 700+ pax embarking now in Kobe instead of Yokohama? Bus them, 5+ hours by expressway)? Pity the pax who have flight reservations out of Tokyo on the 18th March.

What a nightmare.

Yesterday confirmed booking Q503 -- QE, Hong Kong to Singapore, 26 March, 7 nights. Today, after several attempts with message that it takes about 24 hours before Voyage Personaliser prepared for my booking, I was able to log onto VP using Chrome. Filled in travel document details, emergency contact, and able to print out e-ticket. All done within 15 minutes.

So maybe VP problems fixed.

Jim Avery: May I ask what is sailing date of the $399 TA in Dec? East or Westbound? Thank you.

Question.....

All this talk about 'tempo'. What exactly are we talking about? Define what's lacking in Cunard's dance music "tempo".

Maybe it's like the old Dick Clark "American Bandstand" TV program where the teens were asked about the new song of the week. Oftentimes, the opinion would be 'don't like it; can't dance to it'.

So, when it comes to the Queens Ballroom, your favorite dance partner, tuxes & gowns, live orchestra, and a partially (or usually mostly) filled largest ballroom at sea, does "tempo" really matter? Cunard is no glitzy TV Dancing-with-the-stars exhibition venue. Maybe your 'tempo' issue mean that the orchestra or band obviously speeds up or slows down. Maybe you don't like the beat because you cannot adapt your favorite much-practiced dance steps; so try other dance steps (often that's more fun). Or, maybe you simply don't like to shuffle around the crowded floor with all the other duffers to some obscure beat, bemoaning the fact that you can't flash-your-dance-stuff. On the other hand, maybe you're from Namibia and Cunard doesn't seem to be able to do the correct native drum undertone accents. Dunno?

Never have tried asking the orchestra (band) for requests. Slip a buck in the jar and ask for your Hernando's tango. Cunard venues seem to play a variety of danceable music. We just seem to adapt and totally enjoy an evening of dancing aboard ship.

So, someone please define these Cunard music "tempo" short-comings with some examples. Then, we will be able to listen carefully, and say "Yes, by-golly, the orchestra's gone awry. HAL next time; Cunard's had it!

My bottom line.... I'd rather be dancing aboard any Cunard ship any night of the week than putzing around this CC dance blogging site second-guessing however the 'tempo' has changed.

Please comment. Fascinating subject.

Thank you.

I'll comment on this subject of music onboard Cunard ships. In the Daily Programme issued on board Queen Elizabeth on my segment mentioned above, one of the items is "9:30 pm BALLROOM & LATIN DANCE MUSIC … Dance to the Queens Room Orchestra…Queens Room, Deck 2". Therefore, the expectation is that the music to be played will be standard tempo music suitable for ballroom and latin dances as defined in the various dance association definitions mentioned by sara above. If the music were not for ballroom and latin dances, then the event description should be something else, like maybe "American Bandstand TV Music".

As for requests, I usually have to request that the orchestra play a Viennese Waltz piece, and once having done so, the orchestra will play a VW once or twice each evening thereafter; and no, the orchestra does not have jar on the piano for "gratuities" upon making requests. They are not trawling for tips.

Overall the Trevor Newby orchestra does try to maintain a consistent tempo throughout a piece. My comments on the pieces selected for playing are that the slow waltzes are too slow, the VW waltzes are also a bit slow, and too many quickstep pieces.

Dancer Bob, interesting perspectives you present there on the difficulties of being a dance host on Cunard ships. I imagine that since Cunard attracts more single lady dancers than other lines that have gentlemen hosts (Regent, Crystal, P+O), it must be more demanding on Cunard than other lines.

But, now and then, we do hear stories of dance hosts hooking up with ladies they met on the dance floor on a Cunard ship, with a proverbial happy ending.

According to Cunard, the soap provided free of charge in the laundrettes are specially formulated for the ships sewage/disposal system. So Cunard advises not to use your own brought on detergent. Also, the plastic bags need not be torn apart when tossed into the washing machine. The bag dissolves in water, but I always tear the bag apart and sprinkle the detergent onto the bottom of the washing machine drum before dumping the clothes in.

On an earlier cruise on QE in August 2013, I saw a lady come into the laundrette and take away several packets of detergent to add to a load she already had. I guess what she was doing was going from deck to deck and taking some, but not all, of the detergent packets for use outside of the ship.

As related to me by various dance hosts, the dance host creed:

1. Attend all dance group classes, solo get-togethers, escort single ladies to captain's cocktail parties, 50 minutes out of 60 minutes whenever orchestra is playing in Queen's Room, afternoon tea dance or sailaway party, and be available to escort ladies when requested for land tours or for sit down meals.

2. When dancing, must dance with all ladies who wish a dance before returning to same lady danced with previously.

3. Get free laundry each day, 5 items.

4. Pay to booking agent about US$30 per day for cruise assigned to be dance host.

5. If assignment is 30 days or more, then air fare provided to connect with ship.

6. Share room with another dance host.

7. Meals in the Lido/King's Court buffet unless invited to eat in dining room.

8. Must have basic dance skills as demonstrated in video sent to booking agent.

9. Be appropriately dressed for whatever occasion or ball theme.

Maybe Dancer Bob can expand on these duties or correct them. It's a tough job being a dance host, and be subject to orders and whim of the Social Hostess.

Just completed 7 night segment on QE from Hong Kong to Singapore. Overall music by Trevor Newby and orchestra, vocals by Paul Ritchie, were OK -- each piece not too long, slow waltzes a bit too slow, foxtrots the beats were too accented, played VW after we requested the 2nd night and thereafter -- but where do they select the songs played by DJ when band is on recess? Only decent piece played was Last Waltz, almost everything else unrecognizable. But too many quickstep pieces.

The worst were the dance hosts, starting with social hostess Janice. On other cruises, when the social hostess like Marianne, would have all the hosts with her at head of ballroom, and she would say something like, "This is Bill Foxtrot, from Surrey, UK, and his favourite dance is the slow foxtrot." This Janice just left the hosts standing off in the distance near the open entrance, and she said, "These guys all wearing similar outfits are our dance hosts, and if you wish a dance, make yourself known to them."

Then, at the group dance classes, there are many more solo ladies than men, but the dance hosts would stick with the same ladies they latched onto at the beginning of the class, and stay with the same ladies (usually younger, better looking ones) throughout the hour. They should be switching partners so that more ladies would get to practice with a male partner.

And once the band music was done, the dance hosts would all disappear, maybe to the disco or back to their cabins. Never once did I run into them at the midnight buffet or the Lido or just wandering around.

One was a decent dancer, 2 or 3 were OK, and one could barely walk.

A new batch of dance hosts came on during the overnight at Singapore, and they were much better and friendlier, met four of them at the midnight buffet their first night on board.

One was a tall guy who someone said was a dance instructor but I couldn't really tell. He was as tall as the partner that fantasy51 danced the VW with in the video, but I couldn't tell if it's the same male dancer.

But great cruise overall. Many Japanese, and especially the ladies, love to dance. Since I speak Japanese, they sought me out to talk to someone other than from their own travel group. Quite a few Hong Kong and Singapore Chinese but few mainland Chinese. I guess the predominantly English and European feel of the ship and atmosphere are still barriers to more of them signing up for a cruise, or maybe Cunard hasn't started marketing their ships on the mainland China.

At one group dance lesson, one lady barefeet came and asked me to dance the practice steps with her. I absolutely refused. Her feet were dirty and just gross. At least wear decent shoes if one wishes to dance with strangers.

Is in room wifi free of charge or do you have to have a internet time plan for the cruise?

Nice!

Must buy a new pair of Manolos for my wife then.

:)

If you are serious about taking ballroom dance lessons, especially private lessons, you might consider getting some proper ladie's latin or ballroom dance shoes, in addition to the Manolos. Maybe even for yourself. Supadance or Freed's of London are the two best, both UK made.

Regarding the visa for Cunard ships visiting ports in Vietnam, this is what is written on my Voyage Personaliser:

"A visa for Vietnam will be issued upon arrival in Vietnam for all guests and therefore you are not required to obtain a Vietnam visa in advance of the voyage. A visa fee of approximately USD $30 per visa will be charged to your stateroom account. Please note that your passport must contain at least one unused page for entry/departure endorsements for Vietnam and ensure that these unused pages are "visa" pages and not "amendment" pages in your passport."

I will be on the QE Hong Kong/Singapore sector which has two stops in Vietnam. I gather the visa is good for both stops.

Fantasy51/Diane, you make a very good point about small steps by the man to allow the lady to move forward down the line of dance on either the left or right turn. My steps are long enough to get around any lady, but a shorter lady has some difficulty going forward and past me unless I turn with smaller steps.

The other difficult aspect is on the contra check (count 1, 2, 3) and the next right fleckerl is also counted 1, 2, 3 with the man's right foot crossing in front on count 3. Then 4, 5, 6 with the right foot crossing in back on count 5.

The fleckerls are so difficult to execute correctly and thus rarely would one see any fleckerls done even in competition, and certainly almost never on the Queen's Room dance floor the one or two times that the orchestra plays a VW.

tangoll

There is plenty to do in Hong Kong but what I would like to know is how did you manage to just now book this sector. Cunard Australia has everything sold out long a go for QE and Hong Kong was never available for Yokohama to HK or HK to Singapore. I had to settle for Sydney to Yokohama but would have loved to get to HK and visit my son who lives there. I am disappointed in Cunard that availability is so restrictive in different countries.

I just booked two days ago HKG/Singapore on a Cunard "flash sale". US$500 for inside cabin, dbl occupancy, $600 per person oceanview, $800 per person balcony, etc. PM me if you wish my agent's contact. My placing the website address directly on this thread got blanked out. You might try vacations to go dott comm all together without spaces.

My booking was for single occupancy, inside cabin, US$1050 for this 7 day sector.

Get advice on where you can safely store your luggage for the day then catch the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island. Get a taxi to drop you off at the Peak Tram and take the funicular tram to the top of Victoria Peak. Enjoy the fabulous views (clouds permitting), have a bite/drink in the restaurant. Proceed back to Kowloon and enjoy browsing the shops around Ocean Terminal/Nathan Road, be sure to take afternoon tea in the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel. Take a leisurely stroll along the Avenue of the Stars (runs along the waterfront) and admire the very busy harbour and the fabulous view across to the Hong Kong waterfront.

 

A spare day in Hong Kong goes nowhere and can be very pleasurable so make the most of it while you can. Taxis, buses, ferries etc are all very cheap but there's no need to go far - much of it is walkable and the Star Ferry is fascinating if you have not done it before.

Good suggestions from Slow Foxy. As to what to do with your luggage, HK and Kowloon airport express train stations have airline check in services, which you can find out more from here:

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/getting_around/complom_checkin.html

Since you will be disembarking at Ocean Terminal on Kowloon side, get a taxi to Kowloon airport express station, check in your luggage at BA, and after that, you will be able to catch the MTR subway to anywhere you wish to go. Get an Octopus card for use at the check in service and on the subway. After your sightseeing is all done, you can go to either the Kowloon or HK airport express station to take the train to the airport. If you are able to manage your luggage this way and are able to get around on your own, you might not need your private transfer service; if so, you should cancel it. HK's transport infrastructure is probably the best in the world, with airport trains and buses, subway, large and mini-buses, taxis aplenty, and good sidewalks and clean roads, and the cable car to the peak. No rental bicycles or motorcycle taxis, though.

Have a good time in HK. I'll be embarking on the QE on 29 March to take the sector to Singapore.

How is the music in the Queen's Room? What band is playing and who is the solo vocalist?

I am booked on QE HKG/Singapore 29 Mar - 05 April, travelling solo, so will be looking out for any ladies who wish a dance now and then, esp Viennese Waltz, which I have improved since my last Cunard cruise. I now can do a left fleckerl, contra check, and go into a right fleckerl, several times, before exiting using a natural or right turn.

Anyone know whether there is a professional dance couple on board, or which orchestra is playing now? Or the solo vocalist?

I'll report on the music after the cruise.

tangoll

I just thought of this: how about tagging the luggage with a photo of the owner(s) of the bag. At least, if the bag is picked up erroneously by another person, someone may notice that the picture does not fit the one holding the bag. How about this as an idea.

Won't be used by me, as I only travel with carry on or self handle baggage.

A trans-Atlantic crossing of six nights at $1,900 is about as good as you will get for single occupancy, inside cabin. On an upcoming QV cruise to Caribbean, 11 nights, D8 cabin single occupancy, my best price is $2,850 all in. I may get upgraded as I am now Platinum on Cunard World Club, but a D8 cabin is perfectly fine as compared to other inside cabins.

$50 onboard credit won't buy much; about 15 glasses of coca cola which is what I drink in the Queen's Room in the evening during the dancing.

Only caveat I would venture to say would be to watch the weather, going into the rougher seas in N Atlantic, but you just never know.

whether seas would be rough or minor swells only.

I boarded the QV on 28 August, having stayed at BW Olimpia hotel, which is right at Piazzale Roma. It was about a 150 metre walk to the people mover, and as stated previously, 1 euro per person. Exiting the people mover, it was a long walk to the QV pier, which was at pier 117 if I remember correctly. It took 10 - 15 minutes to walk from the people mover to the check in building, and in the sun at about 30 degrees C, my shirt was soaked by the time I got to the building. I had just a backpack and a personal bag, so not so bad for me, but if you have a lot of luggage, you need to find some other way to get to the check in building.

How loud is "noisy"? There is a way to measure sound level, and that's with a decibel meter. I have one and I've thought about bringing one along on a cruise so that in the event I'm in a cabin which seems "noisy", at least, I have a basis on which to have a "learned" discussion with the ship about the problem. The meter is light and small in size so bringing one along is not a big deal. I might do that on future cruises. What do others think of the idea?

Not sure how to measure "vibrations". Maybe take a video of a glass rocking back and forth on a table during sleep time?