|
Which is your worst
nightmare? To be part of
a group and totally
involved in all of that
group’s activities, or
being totally alone on a
vacation? For most of
us, the choice is
simple: we want to have
a little (or a lot!) of
each. We want to come
and go as we please.
When we feel like it, we
want to have around us
other people with whom
we feel comfortable.
When we don’t feel like
it, we want the option
to go off on our own and
participate in our or
another of our favorite
activities, whatever
that may be. In essence,
we want to be
“independent without
being alone”.
A dance cruise is a
great place to meet many
people with similar
interests, especially in
dancing. If you are a
couple or solo traveler
looking to meet people
and have fun in a
comfortable social
environment, you will do
so on a dance cruise. If
you are a single person
looking for dates, you
will probably be happier
elsewhere, unless the
promotional material for
the cruise group
specifically says
otherwise.
(A dance group on a
cruise ship will
typically be one of many
groups on the same
cruise. –Ed.)
If dancing is one of
your favorite
activities, then joining
a dance cruise may be
for you. (In the same
way, you may also enjoy
a dance cruise that
focuses on other
activities that you also
enjoy.)
If you decide you might
like to try a dance
cruise, you need to find
one or more cruises that
are being offered, and
take a careful look at
each of them.
Firstly, don’t be shy
about joining a group,
even if you know nobody.
They want you to join
and are hoping you will
ask about the group.
Otherwise, they would
not have told you about
it, or advertised it.
You may also have that
other nagging feeling:
am I good enough to join
this group for the
cruise, or am I only a
beginner in dancing?
Keep in mind that nobody
becomes an advanced
dancer instantly.
Everybody needs time to
learn. Again, if the
cruise group is
advertised, they want
you to join, and will
help you learn and
become a part of the
community.
Look for groups that
have a mixture of
couples and single
people, with a wide
range of ages. If the
group is all old or all
young, all single or all
couples, you may want to
find another group. “All
the same” can be very
drab.
Choose a group with
dancing tastes that are
similar to yours. Seven
evenings in a row of
just Argentine tango may
or may not be the
perfect choice for you.
Find out as much as you
can about the group
leaders and social
hosts. Are they going to
be proactive in
organizing activities,
getting things going,
and getting people
involved? Or will they
just be along for the
ride, leaving others to
initiate their own
dancing and other
activities? If they
organize or run social
dancing programs near
you, go to a dance that
they are hosting, and
see if you like the way
they run it. Talk to
them and tell them that
you are thinking of
joining the cruise
group. Look around the
room. Are the other
guests enjoying
themselves?
Look at the cruise
ship’s itinerary. Is the
ship going to ports that
you are interested in?
Is there a nice mix of
time ashore and time at
sea? Days at sea are not
wasted. On the contrary,
they can be the best and
most relaxing days of
the cruise. Remember,
you are planning a
vacation, not a business
trip.
Look at what is included
with the cruise group
programs, in addition to
what is included in any
basic cruise program.
Some of the things to
look for are: group
leaders, dance hosts,
pre-cruise reception,
cocktail parties,
special dinners, dance
lessons, evening dances,
shore excursion, and
other group activities.
If some or all of these
items are not included,
what is the benefit of
being in a group? Who
will start the evening’s
dancing? Will I (we) be
the only person (people)
on the dance floor?
Make sure that you can
choose to join in the
group’s activities if
you want to, but not be
expected to attend
everything that is
offered, everyday.
Dining: the dinner
seating for the group
should be pre-assigned,
so all members of the
group can sit together.
It’s nice to know you
have the option of
dining with your new
friends because you
belong to the group.
It’s no fun feeling you
need to be invited, just
to join them for dinner.
On the other hand, it is
also nice to be on a
dance cruise on a shop
that has an alternative
dining room available,
in case you want to have
a private dinner some
evenings.
If the price is too
cheap, it probably is.
Look for good value in
your dance cruise, and
not necessarily the
lowest price. Review
what is included in the
whole package: cruise,
cabin type, cabin
location on the ship,
flights, taxes,
transfers and group
activities. Be aware of
what items are not
included in the price
you are paying, and what
you should budget for
them.
Make sure that your
cruise is being offered
by an accredited travel
agency. In Ontario, all
legal travel resellers
must be licensed by TICO
(Travel Industry Council
of Ontario) and display
their TICO registration
number. All funds paid
to a TICO-licensed
travel agency are
protected by the travel
industry compensation
fund.
Lastly, enjoy your dance
cruise, with fellow
travellers who have
common interests to
yours, good fellowship,
good entertainment and
the degree of
independence that you
choose.
|