Dance Hosting -- a great way to see the world?

[phoenix13]

I ran across this job posting online the other day:

Luxury cruise lines developed the Dance Host program in order to accompany unescorted women on the dance floor and during other shipboard entertainment activities. Historically, this tradition began because a larger proportion of women to men traveled on the ships and the cruise lines wanted to enhance their enjoyment on the cruise by having hosts available to escort them at social functions, shoreCruise Ship Jobs-Gentleman Dance Host excursions and other activities. Women responded very positively to the concept of Dance Hosts. It made them feel welcomed aboard the ships and at the same time it gave the Dance Host an opportunity to travel, meet interesting people and be a part of the cruise staff team.


Cruise lines invite anywhere from two to six men aboard to dance, interact and share the activities aboard the ship. Dance Hosts should be a mature gentlemen and act as a goodwill ambassadors for the cruise line. They should be in good health, have competent dance ability, have excellent social skills, a positive attitude and be charming conversationalists. Good manners are required and hosts must adhere to very strict moral standards.

 Many hosts that currently sail aboard cruise ships have backgrounds as professionals in the areas of law, business, travel, finance, medicine, military and education. Dance hosts are required to be single, divorced or widowed. Many hosts are retired or semi-retired and they have the opportunity to sail on several cruises a year. Dance Hosts must be capable of doing all the Ballroom and Latin Dances - Foxtrot, Swing, Waltz, Rumba, and Cha-Cha. Being able to dance other type of dances is a plus - Tango, Samba, Quick Step, Merengue, Salsa, Two-Step, Polka, Viennese Waltz, etc.
 It is very important to know that this is not a paid position aboard a cruise ship. Gentlemen Dance Hosts exchange their services for free cruises, room and board.

Apparently, it's an unpaid position, but offers free room and board in exchange for hosting services.   Has anybody here ever held this job or danced with a dance host? 

What were your experiences?  Good? Bad?  Ugly?  Do tell.

[elisedance]

ex-DP did this once and he was unlikely to do it again for what it does not clarify is "must adhere to very strict moral standards" - you are not under any circumstances alowed to mix with the paying public as an equal - you are a service.  That is you dance with them then you disappear to your quarters - which are a notch below the cabin boy.  'Strict moral standards' should be self evident.  Obviously what they don't want is sharks hitting up on the older wealthy ladies - but they do want men available for dancing whenever the latter should feel the need.

Unpaid is basically how the position is valued.

[phoenix13]

I suspected as much.  I've been on a few cruises where I was not at all pleased with the treatment of the staff. If dance hosts are considered part of the staff, I can imagine that the treatment and accommodation might be less than stellar.

[elisedance]

I suspected as much.  I've been on a few cruises where I was not at all pleased with the treatment of the staff. If dance hosts are considered part of the staff, I can imagine that the treatment and accommodation might be less than stellar.

And as a part of the staff thats not even paid - you can imagine how they are treated by the other staff...

[phoenix13]

From conversations I've had with cruise staff members, many of the staff are barely paid at all. That's why passengers get tipping guidelines --  because many of those guys and gals live n tips, not unlike underpaid wait staff in restaurants (in the US, where the minimum wage is just over $2 an hour.)

[millitiz]

hmmm. I read it somewhere that a guy did something similar, except he paid $200 bucks. But he had a blast - so I imagine that it is quite different.

[QPO]

I think it is appalling that people get paid a bare minimum wage and expect the public to pay with tips, That is not done in Austrlia (well not suppose to) they get paid around $20.00 per hour and tips that are provided are shared by all staff at the end of the night.

[phoenix13]

I think it is appalling that people get paid a bare minimum wage and expect the public to pay with tips, That is not done in Austrlia (well not suppose to) they get paid around $20.00 per hour and tips that are provided are shared by all staff at the end of the night.

Totally agreed, here.  It's appalling, but it's unlikely to change.  The restaurant owner's association has  very powerful lobby that squashes any proposed rate hikes, every time the subject comes up.

[phoenix13]

hmmm. I read it somewhere that a guy did something similar, except he paid $200 bucks. But he had a blast - so I imagine that it is quite different.

I could have sworn that someone here in PDO reported having a mostly positive experience with dance hosting.  Maybe I'm getting that mixed up with another forum.    *shrug*

[elisedance]

hmmm. I read it somewhere that a guy did something similar, except he paid $200 bucks. But he had a blast - so I imagine that it is quite different.

I could have sworn that someone here in PDO reported having a mostly positive experience with dance hosting.  Maybe I'm getting that mixed up with another forum.    *shrug*

well you just have just about read the whole forum by now (amazing!) so if anyone would know its you!