Dress to impress and the ladies are yours…

Well if you are on a ship and don’t know how to dance then it could well happen, unless of course you are a dance host!!

Cruise lines know that a lot of ladies still like to cruise alone or just that their partner has two left feet. The one thing travelling alone they can’t do is waltz around the dance floor, well it would look a little silly if they are on their own.

A lot of cruise lines out there have realised there is a call for dance hosts so that their single travellers  get the most from their cruise and the gentlemen who don’t or can’t dance who are in a couple don’t get moaned at for not getting on the dance floor.

The male dance hosts are in the majority which to me say’s that women outlive men, it’s a fact that I won’t argue with and I think right now you can count the female hosts on one hand (I may be wrong).

So what do you need to become a dance host?

You have no doubt noticed them around the dance floor looking for the ladies on their own and getting them up to dance, they are not stalkers they are just making sure the ladies are not feeling left out.

Mostly silver haired (think Philip Schofield)  slim, perfectly turned out, energetic and most importantly they know how to dance and I mean dance in the ballroom way not throwing yourself around on the floor.

Typically, hosts must be between the ages of 40 and 70, although most veer toward the latter number. They must also be single, divorced or widowed. They’re retired or semi-retired, and love cruising. Gentleman hosts have worked in many professions, from insurance and education to military and law. They’re proficient in basic ballroom dances like fox-trot, waltz, swing, rumba and cha-cha. They might also pull off a cool tango and move passably to Beyonce. In return for their dance and social skills, they receive free cruise passage.

STOP RIGHT THERE…

Free cruise!!

Yes that is correct, but it’s not a free ride, you work hard for it, Hosts don’t just dance; they actively engage in daytime shipboard activities, too. They participate in games like trivia, assist dance instructors and act as partners in classes and often escort passengers on shore excursions. Later in the day, they host cocktail parties and dinner tables for solo travelers.  They ooze sophistication in the lounges, initiating conversation with single ladies but that’s not all.

What You Can Do with a Dance Host

You can play games, now before you get too excited let me just tell you that I mean board and card games, shame on you for thinking otherwise.

You can get them to escort you to a show, you may not be the only one in that party though. If you are heading ashore and he is free you can ask him to escort you as it is part of their role if you like.

You can dance with a host even if you’re not cruising solo. Many of us cruise with partners who don’t like to dance or, worse, can’t. If your mate grudgingly agrees to one dance and then sulks when the next song begins, ask a host to dance. Just be sensitive to single passengers and know that they are his priority.

What Not to Do with Dance Hosts

Don’t expect cruise dance hosts to show favoritism. They’re required to give equal time to all the single ladies. Hosts could get into trouble — or worse, booted off the ship — if they don’t. Therefore, don’t expect a seat at a host’s dinner table every night and don’t try to monopolize one on the dance floor.

Never offer a gentleman host a gratuity. They aren’t selling services like a masseuse or manicurist, and such gestures would be considered insulting. If you feel a verbal thank you is not enough  then a small inexpensive gift purchased during a shore excursion or in the ship’s boutique would be ok.

Don’t invite a host to your cabin, even if your intentions are only to have drinks and chat. Dance hosts aren’t permitted to enter other passengers’ cabins.

Finally… don’t fall for a gentleman host. Hosts aren’t cruising to find a love connection; if they wanted a relationship, they’d stay home and have one. Besides, it’s against the rules. Just enjoy the companionship for what it is on board.

But what do you think? would it be the life for you!! I would be curious to know…