Ballroom Dancing Redux

[ivyleaguegent]

In its prior incarnation, at least on the Symphony and at least on the 4 trips I took on that ship,  ballroom dancing after the show was at the Galaxy Lounge in front of the stage on a dance floor with a live band playing on the stage.  The dance floor was large enough to do a waltz, foxtrot, and tango.  I am dismayed to learn that the ballroom dancing after dinner is now in the Palm Court on whose woefully inadequate dance floor (not enlarged during the renovations) doing a waltz, foxtrot, or tango is not possible and with a duo using a music machine.  Hopefully this situation will be remedied before my cruise in May and I will be posting this comment in an alternate forum that I am advised is monitored by Ms. Levis.

 

Smooth or standard Ballroom dance passengers, an email or posting campaign to lobby for moving the after-show dancing to the Galaxy Lounge with a band certainly couldn't hurt.

 

Thanks.

[TRIPACIAN]

The dancing was great on the Serenity on our cruise.  

[howiefrommd]

Incorrect post.  Sorry.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by howiefrommd
Deleted. Incorrect post

[Texas Tillie]

2 hours ago, ivyleaguegent said:

In its prior incarnation, at least on the Symphony and at least on the 4 trips I took on that ship,  ballroom dancing after the show was at the Galaxy Lounge in front of the stage on a dance floor with a live band playing on the stage.  The dance floor was large enough to do a waltz, foxtrot, and tango.  I am dismayed to learn that the ballroom dancing after dinner is now in the Palm Court on whose woefully inadequate dance floor (not enlarged during the renovations) doing a waltz, foxtrot, or tango is not possible and with a duo using a music machine.  Hopefully this situation will be remedied before my cruise in May and I will be posting this comment in an alternate forum that I am advised is monitored by Ms. Levis.

 

Smooth or standard Ballroom dance passengers, an email or posting campaign to lobby for moving the after-show dancing to the Galaxy Lounge with a band certainly couldn't hurt.

 

Thanks.

 

I never saw ballroom dancing in the Galaxy on the Symphony. It was usually in the Starlite Lounge. There is a nice dance floor and a small stage for the band.

 

Patty

[Txcotn]

There was ballroom in Galaxy many years ago, it was called pre-theater dancing. No more though. 

[Texas Tillie]

46 minutes ago, Txcotn said:

There was ballroom in Galaxy many years ago, it was called pre-theater dancing. No more though. 

I go back 16 years, so it had to have been many years ago. 😳

 

Patty

[ivyleaguegent]

I didn’t start sailing on Crystal until 2016 so it was far more recent !

[Keith1010]

I was not aware of this as  I only remember Starlite on Symphony and Palm Court on Serenity.

 

NC is very much like OC but there are some changes and one is the size of the band that mainly plays music for the dancing.

 

Keith

[BWIVince]

11 hours ago, ivyleaguegent said:

In its prior incarnation, at least on the Symphony and at least on the 4 trips I took on that ship,  ballroom dancing after the show was at the Galaxy Lounge in front of the stage on a dance floor with a live band playing on the stage.  The dance floor was large enough to do a waltz, foxtrot, and tango.  I am dismayed to learn that the ballroom dancing after dinner is now in the Palm Court on whose woefully inadequate dance floor (not enlarged during the renovations) doing a waltz, foxtrot, or tango is not possible and with a duo using a music machine.  Hopefully this situation will be remedied before my cruise in May and I will be posting this comment in an alternate forum that I am advised is monitored by Ms. Levis.

 

Smooth or standard Ballroom dance passengers, an email or posting campaign to lobby for moving the after-show dancing to the Galaxy Lounge with a band certainly couldn't hurt.

 

Thanks.

Was this for a theme cruise, maybe?  I’ve been sailing Crystal since the beginning, and most of them on Symphony, and I’ve never seen them use the Galaxy for dancing on any regular cruises, on any ship, ever.  I could maybe see them do it on a big band cruise, or something like that though?

 

As Patty and Keith mentioned, on Symphony the Starlite is primarily the venue used for dancing-focused events (with the Plaza used for theme and special events now), but the dance floor was more than doubled in the Palm Court when they did the Kirk Nix refit in 2012 — I’m not sure I see them ever making it significantly larger than it is now, given the other dancing limitations of the venue.

 

Vince

Edited November 26, 2023 by BWIVince

[TER777]

I’ve been dancing on Crystal for 20 years, primarily on Symphony. Historically the bulk of the dancing on Symphony has been in the Starlite, nice sized wooden floor, deck 6, midship. Never in my experience was dancing in the Galaxy Lounge.  In fact,  the description ivyleaguegent gave in post #1 is of the Starlite, not the Galaxy.

 

 Currently the bulk of the dancing is in the Palm Court. On Symphony the floor is big enough for waltz, foxtrot etc. What I don’t like about it is the extra movement caused by the location, the vast panoramic windows on occasion resulting in blinding sunsets, and a toasty room. The floor is not wood and is prone to stickiness in heat and humidity. (It was improved in the dry dock.) It is also isolated feeling. Us dancers were used to people strolling by the Starlite and watching us dance. it made us feel part of the community. 
 

The duo is doing a good job. The backing machine gives a solid beat without overwhelming the piano and their voices. 
 

Hopefully dancing will return to the Starlite when bookings  support the additional musicians required. 

[Texas Tillie]

If Tracie says dancing was never in the Galaxy on old Crystal Symphony but in the Starlite, I am sure that my original thought is accurate. I'm thinking the OP has the name of the venues confused. 

 

Tracie, what is going on in the Starlite while they are having dancing in the Palm Court on Symphony? I'd love to go back to the Symphony where I spent the majority of my Crystal time, but I've now reached the time in life where flying half way around the world isn't something I'm able to do. 

 

Patty

[Txcotn]

10 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

I go back 16 years, so it had to have been many years ago. 😳

 

Patty

Indeed it was, perhaps in 2000 and before. I go back to 1995! Dancing was on the stage. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Txcotn

[Txcotn]

7 hours ago, ivyleaguegent said:

I didn’t start sailing on Crystal until 2016 so it was far more recent !

 

13 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

If Tracie says dancing was never in the Galaxy on old Crystal Symphony but in the Starlite, I am sure that my original thought is accurate. I'm thinking the OP has the name of the venues confused. 

 

Tracie, what is going on in the Starlite while they are having dancing in the Palm Court on Symphony? I'd love to go back to the Symphony where I spent the majority of my Crystal time, but I've now reached the time in life where flying half way around the world isn't something I'm able to do. 

 

Patty

Well Tracie goes back 20 years, I go back 28 and there WAS pre-dinner and pre-theatre dancing on the stage in Galaxy prior to and up to at least 2000. I even remember a couple who left the dinner table early to dance in Galaxy and it wasn't a special or theme cruise.

[Texas Tillie]

23 minutes ago, Txcotn said:

 

Well Tracie goes back 20 years, I go back 28 and there WAS pre-dinner and pre-theatre dancing on the stage in Galaxy prior to and up to at least 2000. I even remember a couple who left the dinner table early to dance in Galaxy and it wasn't a special or theme cruise.

 

OK, so we are at the point that it did happen at one time, but that time was over 20 years ago, is that right?? A lot changed on the old Crystal from 20 years ago until 2022 when old Crystal went kaput!

 

Patty

[Keith1010]

24 minutes ago, Txcotn said:

 

Well Tracie goes back 20 years, I go back 28 and there WAS pre-dinner and pre-theatre dancing on the stage in Galaxy prior to and up to at least 2000. I even remember a couple who left the dinner table early to dance in Galaxy and it wasn't a special or theme cruise.

One thing to remember was Starlite looked differently back then and was not open and not used as much as it is today.  

 

As I think through Galaxy I am wondering to me it's not a good idea for people to be dancing on stage there due to the possibility of falling off the stage.

 

Regardless, things change and it sounds like it was from over 20 years ago. Lots have changed from back then including no more Baked Alaska Parades, pillow chocolates and a bunch of other things.

Keith

[Txcotn]

That's probably why it was discontinued!

[Txcotn]

2 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

OK, so we are at the point that it did happen at one time, but that time was over 20 years ago, is that right?? A lot changed on the old Crystal from 20 years ago until 2022 when old Crystal went kaput!

 

Patty

I think someone asked "was there EVER" and the answer is YES.

[Texas Tillie]

7 hours ago, ivyleaguegent said:

I didn’t start sailing on Crystal until 2016 so it was far more recent !

 

This is the OP's second post. Tracie, whom I respect for all things ballroom dancing, says she never saw it in the Galaxy, especially not as recently as 2016. Anywho, I think the best dancers can hope is that on the Symphony the dancing can be relocated from the Palm Court to the Starlite.

 

Patty

[Txcotn]

Tracie may never have seen it but it was there before she was on the scene. I saw it with my own eyes.

[Shorex]

Let's all go with the assumption you are right, totally right, 100% right. But situations change over the decades, and it makes sense to accept the reality of what is, rather than yearn for what was.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Shorex
spelling

[ivyleaguegent]

2 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

I'm thinking the OP has the name of the venues confused. 

I apologize for starting a firestorm...lol.  Perhaps Patty is correct and in my dotage I simply have the names of the venues confused.  Therefore, my quixotic mission will be to have the after-dinner dancing moved to the Starlite Club.

[TRIPACIAN]

22 minutes ago, ivyleaguegent said:

I apologize for starting a firestorm...lol.  Perhaps Patty is correct and in my dotage I simply have the names of the venues confused.  Therefore, my quixotic mission will be to have the after-dinner dancing moved to the Starlite Club.

Quite often the  dancing is in the Starlite.  It depends on several factors, sea conditions being one of them.  

[Keith1010]

28 minutes ago, ivyleaguegent said:

I apologize for starting a firestorm...lol.  Perhaps Patty is correct and in my dotage I simply have the names of the venues confused.  Therefore, my quixotic mission will be to have the after-dinner dancing moved to the Starlite Club.

And as Tracie said the key to this is more bookings.

 

So, your mission ivyleaguegent should you decide to accept it is to sign up more people for Crystal Symphony cruises.  As always- should you or nay of your Force be caught or worse we will disavow knowledge of your mission.

 

May the force be with you.

 

Happy Holidays.

 

Keith

[ivyleaguegent]

5 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

So, your mission ivyleaguegent should you decide to accept it is to sign up more people for Crystal Symphony cruises.

This is my quest, to follow that star............

Happy Holidays to you also!  Hope to meet you onboard someday!

[Txcotn]

3 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

OK, so we are at the point that it did happen at one time, but that time was over 20 years ago, is that right?? A lot changed on the old Crystal from 20 years ago until 2022 when old Crystal went kaput!

 

Patty

Yes.