FAQ's:
Where does the ship leave from and how do I get there? The ship leaves from the port of Seattle, WA. If coming from out of town for the cruise only, you will need to arrange your own travel to the port which is very accessible from the Seattle (SEA) airport, and anywhere in Seattle. There are many shuttles and taxi's available throughout the region, as well as Uber, Lyft, and other shared ride services.
If you are participating in the NW Dance Fest workshops, we will try to arrange a carpool for you on Sunday, June 11, leaving from Om Culture at around 12:30pm following the last workshop.
Who is the organizer and administrator for this cruise? This cruise is being organized by Ari Levitt & Jae Gregory at www.WorldwideDanceAdventures.com and Susan Stansbury at Holland America
- For questions related to either the cruise and/or your travel, please contact Susan Stansbury at 800-355-3017 ext. 29419 or by email at SStansbury@HollandAmerica.com
- For questions regarding the dance workshops, please contact Ari at arilevitt@hotmail.com
If I am single and would like to share a room, how can I find other participants who would like to do the same? If you are interested in connecting with other single participants who would be interested in sharing a cabin, please indicate this on your registration form.
How can I find out more about the ship? More information about the ship can be found on the Holland America Website
When do I need to have my down payment submitted by? A deposit of $350 ($700 for single occupancy) is due with your reservation of the cruise. Full payment is due within 7 days of registering.
What is included in the price? What additional charges/fee's should I anticipate? The price includes your cruise, taxes, port charges, dance workshops, and all onboard gratuities. It does not include transportation, optional onboard amenities, excursions, or incidentals.
Are prices guaranteed? The ships cabin pricing cannot be guaranteed and will fluctuate based on Holland America's current room charges and availability. Please check with us to confirm the latest status and pricing for rooms (Holland America frequently runs special deals)
What is the refund policy? To review the ships refund policy, please refer to Holland America "Refund" page. In addition to the ship's policy, there is a $150 admin fee for any cancellations within 3 months of the trip, and a $300 admin fee for any cancellation within 1 month of sailing. Also see the "COVID Safety, Regulations, & Policy" paragraph below
What is the typical day's dance schedule? Dance workshops will take place from 10am-noon during the day at sea, and on the free mornings or afternoons when we don't dock until the late morning or come back in the early evening. Other classes will be inserted during cruising times when not in port. The schedule will allow you to fully take advantage of all of the ship's activities and amenities during the rest of the day. There will be plenty of music and dancing in the afternoons and evenings, as well as opportunities for more informal gatherings and "tune-up" lessons.
What kinds of dance classes will be offered? Specific workshops topics will be decided closer to the sailing date (and on the ship) in order to best tailor the lessons to the group's abilities and interests. Styles will be selected from among swing, latin (salsa, cha cha, merengue, rhumba), ballroom (waltz, foxtrot, etc), night club 2-step, 1-step, blues, and fusion. We can be fairly flexible with how all of this is set up.
Will there be opportunities for private lessons? Yes, these can be arranged individually with Ari onboard the ship or beforehand by email. If you are taking advantage of the pre-cruise Dance Weekend in Seattle, we can also schedule lessons on shore then.
What level will the dance classes be geared toward and what will be their focus. Group classes will be geared toward the non-novice beginner/intermediate level dancer (ie: you should be comfortable with beginning level dance steps, connection, and framework, and be ready to move forward from there). If you still consider yourself a novice dancer, not to worry. You have plenty of time between now and June, 2023, to sign up for some local partner dance classes and get ramped up! (I would recommend classes in swing, salsa, latin, or ballroom, although just about any kind of social partner dance would be fine).
The class format will be very much geared toward fun, playful social partner dancing, which is to say that we will not be focussing on performance choreography, competition styling, or line-dancing. In each workshop, we'll start by laying the groundwork for strong partnering foundations, imparting a clear understanding of how connection, framework, and energy can be utilized to create playful movement and improvisations, and reviewing basic steps and combinations. On top of this we build a wide-ranging repertoire of fun moves and variations.
What is the evening dress for the ship? Each night on the ship, there is typically a different theme for dress. Our week of cruising will include two formal nights, two informal nights, and three casual nights. The recommendations for dress typically applies only to the ship's dining room and public areas after 5:00pm, and are as follow:
- Formal attire: For men this might include either a jacket & tie, a suit & tie, or a tuxedo; and an evening dress or gown for women.
- Informal attire: For men this might include shirt, jacket, and slacks; and a summer dress, or slacks & blouse for women.
- Casual attire: This is fairly flexible, though the ship does request that you not wear shorts or jeans.
What travel documents will I need? As per all international travel, you will need to bring a current passport from your country of citizenship. A driver's license is also recommended. No special visas or further documentation will be required for US citizens in these ports-of-call. CLICK HERE for information on how to get a US Passport
Do I need any special immunizations for international travel? You will NOT need proof of COVID-19 vaccination. While you should make sure that your other regular shots are up-to-date, no other special immunizations are needed for travel to these ports.
COVID Safety, Regulations, & Policies:
- You will NOT need proof of COVID-19 vaccination
- You will NOT need a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure
- All staterooms and public areas are frequently and thoroughly sanitized with medical-grade disinfectant proven to kill coronaviruses. Hand-washing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers are available throughout every ship.
- We have enhanced the air-handling systems on board all ships using a combination of increased circulation of fresh air together with upgraded air filtration.
- Masks on board are recommended but not required indoors or outdoors*
- COVID-19 Protection Program (Free of Charge):
- 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) if you or your stateroom travel party test positive for COVID-19 within 30 days prior to embarkation
- Complimentary onboard COVID-related medical center visits and testing of suspected COVID-19 cases, including reimbursement of expenses for COVID-related medical care required shoreside
- Flexible Cancellation Program (Free of Charge):
- Cancel up to 30 days before departure and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC)
- Receive a 100% FCC within 30 days and up until your embarkation date if you or someone in your immediate travel party tests positive for COVID-19
- You can purchase additional Cruise Travel Insurance. See details HERE
