Disappointing ballroom dancing on QM2.

[Catchum]

 I love to dance (don't care if anyone is watching) DH is hot on the dance floor but has limited mobility. I dance alone happily for him then he joins me for something that he likes. All the cruise lines I have been on, single ladies on the dance floor were accepted with no issues. Are you saying I need a man to dance on Cunard? I don't dance prescribed steps, line dance, fox trot or YMCA I dance from my heart for my lover not to impress or to be judged by anyone else 

Edited August 17 by Catchum

[D&N]

1 hour ago, ShipboardSteve said:

 

... as with a little thought and planning all passengers could be happy with at least some time on an evening to do what they like in the way of dancing.

I don't disagree with any of that, and on a Gala nights there will be some waltz, foxtrot, quicksteps where the floor is so full you need to restrict what steps you try to dance anyway.

 

But there will be other nights when there are less folk there and you could have quickstep around the perimeter and samba/disco in centre, or foxtrot with ballroom jive in centre etc. I did suggest to our singers, Jack and Esther, one night that they could call that but got impression that pretty much everything they said or sang/played had to be approved by Cunard.

 

Realistically none of this will happen. Singers are there to sing, musicians to play. Without instruction from Cunard they're not going to make announcements about dancing. Everyone just needs to make the best of it they can.

[RalphWiggum]

Has Cunard ever done a ballroom dance themed cruise?  Even though I actually like the current situation where there is little emphasis on ballroom dance, i think a week of a ballroom dance themed TA could be a lot of fun. Maybe more lessons during the day, more dance hosts, more demos by their dance pros at night, and a dedicated hour each night for ballroom dance.  
 

It might lessen the sting from the recent changes for the ballroom diehards?  
 

[Napagirl]

I've read this thread with great interest. While DH and I took ballroom dance lessons a LONG time ago, my daughter and I have enjoyed Vintage dancing (dances popular in Victorian era) for a few years. So I've been really looking forward to getting the chance to enjoy some ballroom dancing on our cruise. It looks like lessons are offered too - and I will definitely be taking advantage of those. Also very happy to see that there are host dancers, as DH might reluctantly dance ONE with me but basically doesn't love it. lol

 

I also love to freestyle dance, I enjoy a silent disco and love music across the decades. So I'm ready for all of it! I will be careful to stay out of the pro dancers' way but I will be out there having fun. 

[mia mom]

I am planning another transatlantic cruise.  Nightly ballroom or sequence dance at the Queens room is the highlight of the trip.  If there's no more ballroom dancing, I will be so sad.  Perhaps I will go with another cruise line where the perks for me is much better.  Does anyone know if there are dance hosts on the transatlantic cruises? 

[NE John]

1 hour ago, mia mom said:

I am planning another transatlantic cruise.  Nightly ballroom or sequence dance at the Queens room is the highlight of the trip.  If there's no more ballroom dancing, I will be so sad.  Perhaps I will go with another cruise line where the perks for me is much better.  Does anyone know if there are dance hosts on the transatlantic cruises? 

Lordy!  No one is saying there is no ballroom dancing on Cunard. What is happening, in my recent onboard experience, is that there are other type of dancing offerings as part of the Queen’s Room features. Just go on YouTube and you’ll see videos showing plenty of ballroom dancing on Cunard. However, be prepared for a set of Motown or disco in the QR too during your voyage. As mentioned, Beatlemania night in the QR was a smashing success in terms of a packed QR. Silent disco, Karaoke, ABBA nights, and general “Wedding” dancing is still confined to G32 or the Yacht Club. 

[ShipboardSteve]

People are not saying there is 'no' ballroom dancing, but it is becoming ever clearer that Queen Anne and Queen Victoria are driving ballroom dancing down by design and by top down management from head office, and making it less of a focus on those two ships. On QM2 and QE it seems there will still be more focus on the ballroom used for ballroom dancing a significant fraction of the time. Of course whether ballroom dancers wish to travel to those two ships if they don't generally have what may are perceived as attractive itineraries or focus on fly-cruises time will tell.  Service levels are being driven down as is become more and more clear from the posts on various forums.

[Pushpit]

I'd go a little further, that with the part exception of QA, the one form of dancing which is programmed daily, in some format or other, is Ballroom and Latin. There is a separate argument as to Cunard's positioning and encouragement of ballroom dancing, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this remains the most accessible dancing onboard.

[NE John]

1 hour ago, ShipboardSteve said:

People are not saying there is 'no' ballroom dancing, but it is becoming ever clearer that Queen Anne and Queen Victoria are driving ballroom dancing down by design and by top down management from head office, and making it less of a focus on those two ships. On QM2 and QE it seems there will still be more focus on the ballroom used for ballroom dancing a significant fraction of the time. Of course whether ballroom dancers wish to travel to those two ships if they don't generally have what may are perceived as attractive itineraries or focus on fly-cruises time will tell.  Service levels are being driven down as is become more and more clear from the posts on various forums.

I’m trying to reassure @mia mom that there will be ballroom dancing onboard as she did fret over the possibility of “no” ballroom dancing to be had. But you may have a point with QA and her seemingly smaller and less glamorous QR. I read there was chandelier acrobatics one evening (?). 
 

[ShipboardSteve]

The QA Queens Room dance floor is not much different in area to that on QM2, but it is a very different shape and the room is not a ballroom. The way in which music is played is also very different, and the recorded music in between 'live acts and music' is deliberately managed to not be dance music.

[D&N]

22 minutes ago, ShipboardSteve said:

The QA Queens Room dance floor is not much different in area to that on QM2, but it is a very different shape and the room is not a ballroom. The way in which music is played is also very different, and the recorded music in between 'live acts and music' is deliberately managed to not be dance music.

Of course it's still only a snapshot, but I've watched thirteen dance videos from Queen Anne and the shape of the floor does not make dancing difficult in any way. Only one of the videos covers a fifteen minute break between live acts and shows a foxtrot to a Sinatra song. But the couple that post the videos seem very impressed with the facility and they are comparing it to the other three queens.

 

Do you dance? Have you tried dancing on it, whether to live or recorded music?

 

Finally I'm puzzled by what could be "managed to not be dance music." If it has a beat it can be dance music!

Edited August 30 by D&N
punctuation

[Bell Boy]

4 hours ago, mia mom said:

I am planning another transatlantic cruise.  Nightly ballroom or sequence dance at the Queens room is the highlight of the trip.  If there's no more ballroom dancing, I will be so sad.  Perhaps I will go with another cruise line where the perks for me is much better.  Does anyone know if there are dance hosts on the transatlantic cruises? 

I have this morning just disembarked from 14 days ( QM2 transatlantic) 

Lots of opportunities EVERY evening for early evening pre diner Ballroom & Latin - with the occasional 9pm ballroom dancing until 11.45pm. Three opportunities over the 14 days for 50 mins Sequence dance session.

A dance host couple, male & female who were available every evening to partner either ladies or gentlemen.   Also a dance 'professional couple' who were responsible for the dance lessons every day at noon after the Captains announcement ( also available to partner solo ladies in the evenings) 

 

In addition to the above there were several gentlemen travelling solo (including my self) who made them self available to partner ladies at the midday dance lessons and occasionally during the evenings.   

[Planning to cruise]

11 hours ago, NE John said:

QA and her seemingly smaller and less glamorous QR. I read there was chandelier acrobatics one evening (?). 
 

Yes there was.  The problem was that if you werent seated in the central part of the room you couldnt fully see what was going on because of the overhanging balconies above.

[mia mom]

thanks for all your input,  Bell Boy your comments are encourging.  I hope I am on a sailing with solo cruisers who are dancers. Often my cabinmate is not a dancer.