Tell me about dancing

[minniem]

Hi,

We are not new to cruising but are looking at taking our first HAL cruise next February. We love to dance, mostly ballroom but will dance to almost anything. Please anyone who has been on HAL tell us about dancing on board. Are there several places to dance? We are looking at Westerdam to the Eastern Caribbean in February.

Thank you.

Mimmie aka Jan and Lenny

[take us away]

There is usually ballroom-type dancing in the Ocean Bar before dinner (both seatings) and you can dance in the Crows Nest later in the evening (but may be a DJ).

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Ocean Bar now has "The Band". They don't always play before the first seating dinner. But they do play all types of music later in the evening.

There is also the Northern Lights -- mostly disco but they will play other music.

Sometimes a DJ will play music in the Crows Nest Late in the evening.

[sevenseasnomad]

We enjoyed dancing on Westerdam in April 2015. As previously mentioned, ballroom is in the Ocean Bar---on our cruise the Band played here from 7 to 10 or 11 each night. Queen's Lounge had the B.B. King Blues Club with performances/dancing at varying times, usually immediately after each fixed dinner seating. Performances lasted about 45 minutes to an hour. Since this group comprised one of the theater shows, they didn't play at all in the Queen's Lounge that particular evening. A couple of nights, before Northern Lights opened at 11, the DJ played 50-60s tunes one night/Motown one night for about 60 minutes. A steel drum musician would often play at the aft pool during lunch. A few people danced to his selections. Northern Lights DJ may or may not have your requests, but if the crowd is young, the DJ generally won't play anything that's not "hip" with the younger set, who tend to take over this area after midnight. Northern Lights generally opens at 11.

 

For all dancing/music/shows, consult the daily program that the cabin steward will leave on your bed each night for the following day's activities.

 

Other than those, I can't recall other dance venues. By next year, HAL could have different bands/venues. A passenger never knows until he/she boards. Hope this helps.

[igraf]

If you really want to get down and boogie then make sure you select a HAL ship that will be featuring the BB King Blues Club! They typically play in the Queen's Lounge on the newer and larger HAL ships, and had by far more passengers dancing (and with more energy) than I have ever seen on a HAL cruise.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

Hi,

We are not new to cruising but are looking at taking our first HAL cruise next February. We love to dance, mostly ballroom but will dance to almost anything. Please anyone who has been on HAL tell us about dancing on board. Are there several places to dance? We are looking at Westerdam to the Eastern Caribbean in February.

Thank you.

Mimmie aka Jan and Lenny

[serendipity1499]

Hi,

We are not new to cruising but are looking at taking our first HAL cruise next February. We love to dance, mostly ballroom but will dance to almost anything. Please anyone who has been on HAL tell us about dancing on board. Are there several places to dance? We are looking at Westerdam to the Eastern Caribbean in February.

Thank you.

Mimmie aka Jan and Lenny

 

OP: Thought you might like to know that the little red icon next to the title of your thread is NOT a question Mark...

 

It is actually is a Thumbs down icon, which is used on CC when you want others to be aware that you are unhappy with something.... Don't fret though, as others have made the exact same boo boo! LOL

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise on HAL & get to have some lovely dances together..

Edited June 1, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Dancer Bob]

Bumped up another recent thread that asked this question.

[CathyK2]

Since you love ballroom type dancing, I thought I would also mention that Holland America has "Dancing with the Stars at Sea". Generally on sea days, they will teach a ballroom dance and then they pick some that are really doing well, judge them like on the show and then you can compete the last night of the cruise. At least that is how they have done it on our last two HAL cruises. I don't know if that is something that would appeal to you as well, but thought I would toss that in. We just got back from our 14 day cruise last night and on this particular sailing, they did lessons in Cha Cha, Jive, Waltz, and Samba. So rather than a talent show like many cruise lines, you have a dancing show with your fellow passengers. May be a fun thing for you to try.

[Dancer Bob]

The original thread has several opinions about what HAL calls "Dancing With The Stars". More detail is included in my Westerdam review.

[silviaeaston]

I'm a relatively good dancer. Having said this, I LOVE Holland, but ballroom dancing is NOT their strong suite! Sorry people, I don't consider "Dancing with the Stars" as real dancing.... maybe calistenics, and/or for those that don't know how to dance, the whole show "entertains", but should never be called "dancing". Again, I love dancing, so I pass by the five music players trying to "wake up" the dancers, but their music is just so slow, it certainly doesn't "pick me up". The other band, is just too loud, and would never be called ballroom dancing. BUT I do enjoy enormously the piano player with the strings, so that fills my evenings. (For the best dancing I've done, I vote for Cunard or Royal Caribbean, especially Grandeur, although I've read on here, that the threesome there, have been let go, so I'm cancelling a cruise that I had reserved on that one. Having said this, in the Liberty of the Seas, they had "ballroom dancing" in the Catacombs (basement) with prerecorded music! (I was livid :mad:)