Themed sailings, from ballroom to the eighties

A cruise ship is, among other things, a floating venue. It has a theatre, a ballroom or two, lounges and bars, a stage and a sound system, and a captive audience with plenty of time on its hands. So it is not surprising that cruise lines have long built sailings around a single interest, filling the ship with people who share it and the entertainment programme with things they enjoy.

The idea is not new. In the golden age of the transatlantic liners, ships carried their own orchestras, and dancing after dinner was part of every crossing. Themed cruises come in many forms: food and wine, gardening, history, comedy, classical music, and above all dance and popular music. On a short sailing from a British port, where the destination matters less than usual, the theme can become the whole point.

Ballroom at sea

Dance has a long association with cruising. The great liners of the early twentieth century had ballrooms where passengers danced every evening, and many cruise ships still have a large dance floor and a band or orchestra. On a dance-themed sailing, that floor becomes the heart of the ship. Such sailings typically bring professional dancers on board, giving classes in the ballroom and Latin dances during the day, from the waltz and the quickstep to the cha-cha and the rumba, and evening balls where everyone can put the lessons into practice.

Such sailings suit couples who already dance and want somewhere to do it, and beginners who have always meant to learn. A Christmas dance sailing adds a festive element, with the ship decorated and the evenings full of music.

Eighties music, and the bands

Music cruises are among the most popular themed sailings, built around a decade, a genre or a group of performers. An eighties sailing fills the ship with the music of that decade, typically with tribute acts, themed nights, costumes, quizzes and discos that go on late. For people who grew up with the music, the attraction is obvious.

A battle of the bands sailing turns the ship into a contest, with bands playing in turn over the voyage, a format that usually involves the audience in choosing a winner. It suits people who like live music and a lively atmosphere.

Short and sociable

Themed sailings are often short, two to five nights, which makes them a good introduction to cruising for people who are unsure whether they would like it. The shared interest gives everyone something to talk about, and solo travellers in particular often find it easier to meet people. They are also sociable in a way longer cruises are not: by the second evening, most people on the dance floor or in the audience know one another by sight.

The ports, if there are any, are a bonus rather than the reason to go. Some short themed sailings are essentially voyages from one British port to another, with the sea in between and the entertainment on board.

Ballroom dancing has had a revival in Britain since the television series Strictly Come Dancing began in 2004, and dance sailings have benefited from it, drawing people who caught the bug from the screen. On a short sailing to the Continent, the ports add something too: an afternoon in Amsterdam, walking the canals between rehearsals, or a stroll round the old harbour at Honfleur, whose tall slate-hung houses drew the painters of the nineteenth century. Christmas sailings tend to make the most of the season, with a ship decorated for the occasion and a festive programme to match.

The sailings

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' A Festive Celebration of Dance, five nights, sails from Southampton in December, with calls at Amsterdam and Honfleur.

Ambassador Cruise Line's Back to the 80's Sailing, two nights, sails from Bristol Royal Portbury to London Tilbury in November. Ambassador's Battle of the Bands, three nights, sails from Newcastle to Bristol Royal Portbury in October.

Themed sailings tend to sell out early among the people they are aimed at, and the shortest ones are often the most popular. Pack the dancing shoes, or the costume, and a sense of humour: the people who get most out of them are the ones who join in.