Dancing with the stars…at sea

For a few nights, I stepped to the lively beats of rock n’ roll and swayed my hips to the sensual beats of the Dominican bachata and Argentine tango, while the menacing sound of waves crashed by outside.

You might have danced in studios, on the streets, or on stage, but few would be able to say they have tackled so many different dance forms on board a ship.

While cruises have been around for decades, what’s less common and slowly gaining in popularity today are cruises with specific themes.

For dance enthusiasts like myself, it was sheer joy to be on board a Royal Carribean ship for one of its “Dance Camp At Sea”-themed cruises recently.

The camp, organised by regional dance veteran Aleena Tan, was activity-packed with Latin dancing and ballroom workshops by renowned coaches from around the world.

If you know your dance champions, Russian ballroom stars Mikhail Eremeeve and Olesya Eremeeva, were sailing the high seas with me as well.

That is not all, there were some interesting features within Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas:

Floating mini city

I was told: “You can do everything or nothing at all.”

Besides the art gallery and shopping street, the ship has a multitude of facilities on board. From rock climbing to ice skating, you are left wondering if they really managed to fit an entire city on board.

I was told that other Royal Caribbean cruise ships have FlowRider surf simulators and iFLY skydiving simulators on board too. Talk about doing everything on the ocean.

Some days, I packed my schedule to the brim with in-line skating, watching shows, playing games and more.

Other days I simply sat on deck chairs strategically placed at corners of the ship, allowing my mind to wander as I stared at the sun setting over the vast blue expanse.

Glorious food

Eating on board was certainly no simple affair.

Guests had the option of either buffet-style or fine dining, which consists of four courses, but waiters are always happy to bend a few rules to serve you more courses if you asked nicely.

If you somehow became bored of the food options – which is impossible since the menus are updated often – specialty restaurants like Italian dining Giovanni’s Table and American-style diner Johnny Rockets were on board to satisfy all palates.

Afternoons by the poolside were mouth-watering affairs, as chefs wheeled out their grills to cook sausages and burger patties, right next to a refreshing soft-serve ice cream stand.

Shows, shows and more shows

One of the highlights of the cruise was the ice skating show which was an extravaganza of skill and humour featuring an international lined-up of skaters from Russia, Germany and other countries.

Ukraine’s Got Talent’s Gold Art Duo, an acrobatic dance pair that consists of Shpatykovskii Andrii and his partner Knysh Ievgeniia, were also there, tossing each other around in gravity-defying stunts that made my palms sweat.

The resident Royal Caribbean singers – four vocal powerhouses from various cities across the United States – dancers and band are also nothing short of spectacular. They belted classic favourites like ‘Saturday Night Fever’ with the live band, while dancers twirled around them like a seasoned musical.

Other times they made the audience close their eyes and sway to classic jazz tunes, fully showing off their vocals.

I love the nightlife

The cruise is like the ‘ship that never sleeps’, filled with ‘singles meet up’ parties coupled with — you guessed it — a lot of dancing.

There were retro music clubs, jazz parties that went well into the night, piano bar sessions and even a group that crooned Mandopop favourites.

There was something for whatever plucked your musical heartstrings.

Pit-stops on land

When the ship docked for a day at Langkawi, most passengers disembarked to spend the day on land with a range of sightseeing packages to watch eagles or explore bat caves. These start from $50 a person. Depending on where you sail to, these options differ.

One could also choose to simply relax on the pristine beaches or shop at the nearest mall.

Why a cruise is for you

Primarily, it’s stress-free. You won’t need to plan anything, so if you seek a family holiday or even some couple time away from the hustle and bustle of city life, this might just be it.

Best part is, you can just let your kids roam freely on board without fear that they might wander off and get lost.

Better still if you’re up for a theme holiday. Royal Caribbean might be able to offer a cruise with a wacky theme just waiting to tickle your fancy.

It certainly caught me by surprise.

a1admin@sph.com.sg

With more than 20 ships under Royal Caribbean International sailing around the world at nine different regions, there will be a sail experience for everyone. There is a sailing from the Singapore port-of- call about every week, to Malaysia, Thailand, even South Korea and more.

The writer’s trip is sponsored by Royal Caribbean. Visit https://www.royalcaribbean.com.sg