Holland America Line today announced that it has renewed its partnership with the hit Dancing with the Stars television show on ABC to continue Dancing with the Stars: At Sea through 2015. This will mark the third year that the successful program will be featured on every sailing of the line’s fleet of cruise ships. Six new theme cruises with celebrities and dance professionals from the show coming onboard have also been scheduled.
“On every cruise throughout the year our Dancing with the Stars: At Sea lessons are a huge draw and the competition to dance for the Champions Cruise is intense, which tells us we have a very successful and engaging program,” said Richard Meadows, Holland America Line’s executive vice president, sales, marketing and guest programs. “Dancing always has been a featured activity on our ships, and the partnership with Dancing with the Stars has enabled us to provide guests with a very special and exclusive experience.”
Theme Cruises
The celebrities and dance pros for the 2015 theme cruises will be announced in the coming weeks. Special highlights of the theme cruises include a fashion show and dance routines performed by the TV show’s cast members as well as a photo meet-and-greet and Q&A session. The 2015 theme cruises and 2016 Champions Cruise are listed by the line below:
Jan. 3, 2015: Seven-day eastern Caribbean cruise aboard ms Westerdam that sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Jan. 10, 2015: Seven-day eastern Caribbean cruise aboard ms Westerdam that sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
June 6, 2015: Seven-day Bermuda cruise aboard ms Veendam that sails roundtrip from Boston, Mass.
June 13, 2015: Seven-day Canada/New England cruise aboard ms Veendam that sails from Boston, Mass, to Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Jan. 3, 2016: Seven-day eastern Caribbean cruise aboard ms Nieuw Amsterdam that sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Champions Cruise: Jan. 10, 2016: Seven-day western Caribbean cruise aboard ms Nieuw Amsterdam that sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
All Sailings
Details of the programming featured on every sailing including a guest dance competition are described in full by the cruise line here:
Beginning with cruises that depart on or after Sept. 21, 2014, and continuing with sailings departing through Nov. 24, 2015, every sailing on all 15 ships in the Holland America Line fleet will feature exclusive Dancing with the Stars: At Sea programming. Included are complimentary dance lessons with the ship’s dance pros and a dance competition that gives guests an opportunity to compete for a chance to represent their ship on the Champions Cruise. The range of eligible dance competition cruises vary slightly by ship based on actual departure dates; specific eligibility schedules and complete rules for the Dancing with the Stars: At Sea dance competition are posted at www.hollandamerica.com.
Following preliminary rounds on each cruise finalists are paired with a Holland America Line dance professional to perform center stage in the ship’s main show lounge. A judging panel — ship officers, shipboard professional dancers and other cruise staff — will score participants’ performances and combine those scores with audience appreciation scores for a total tally to determine the winning guest. Judges onboard the theme cruises may also include some of the Dancing with the Stars dance pros or celebrities.
Winners of the guest competitions with the highest scores from each of Holland America Line’s ships will win a free ocean-view stateroom for two on the Champions Cruise to compete for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy and title of Holland America Line’s Dancing with the Stars: At Sea Champion. There will be one winner from each ship on the Champions Cruise sailing aboard Nieuw Amsterdam Jan. 10, 2016.
For more information on Dancing with the Stars: At Sea, visit Holland America Line‘s website here.
HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: JASON LEPPERT