NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE
  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise/Travel
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
    • Victory I Great Lakes Cruise
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi's Wine Shelf
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Travel Bistro
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Explore
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
      • Yellowstone Camping Tales
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search

cruise&TRAVEL
​news

Slow Waltzing -- Even If the Shoe Doesn't Fit

12/21/2023

 
Picture
Look -- Gerry is slow waltzing with Pam
Picture
Crystal dancer Alexandra shows me the steps
PicturePam has a blowout
By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

Our recent voyage on Crystal Serenity included two sea days. While some guests prefer a port of call, a sea day for me is a great time to relax by the pool, read or chill in my favorite lounge. Unless ... my significant other spots something that catches her interest in the daytime activities guide.

"Look here," she exclaimed, as I gathered my book and sunglasses to head for one of the couches by the pool. "There's a dance class for learning the slow waltz starting in 10 minutes at the Palm Court. Let's go!"

It's not that I don't love to dance -- I do. But I guess you could say I'm more freelance than formal. I just move whatever body part in whatever direction as the beat takes me. But when it comes to programmed dancing, be it the cha cha, the waltz, the tango (yes, we have taken tango classes in the past) or ballroom dancing, my feet seem to fail me. 

Pam, on the other hand, is an excellent dancer. Her dance moves are like a work of art. And God bless her, she has done her best over the years to bring me along. She is convinced even I can master the slow waltz. So off we go.

PictureThe Crystal dancers join the fun
​The class was already in session when we got there, led by two of the ship's resident dancers, Alexandra Toronya and Mate Telek. They were lean, graceful and beautiful -- even when they weren't dancing. The class also featured two Ambassadors -- hosts aboard Crystal that dance with ladies without partners. 

We started by learning a basic box step. Men went to one side of the dance area, women on the other. It was fairly simple: Forward - side - back and repeat to a count of 1,2,3 ...4,5,6. Over and over and over. And surprise! I got it. Then we practiced to music.

Things were going along nicely until suddenly Pam realized she had a blowout. The sole of one of her shoes had come off and was flapping in the dance breeze.  Class stopped momentarily while she surveyed the damage and even resulted in an impromptu kickline as we all decided to join Pam and show off our shoes.

It was clear Pam's footwear was in no shape for slow waltzing, so we had to make our apologies and head back to our stateroom. But on the way I was counting 1,2,3 ... 4,5,6 as I boxed-stepped down the hallway. Who says i can't dance?

Picture
The class devolved into an impromptu kickline

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    ABOUT

    Stay current with the latest news from the cruise lines.

    Picture
    Gerry is Travel Editor at Aqua South Florida

    Picture
    Follow Gerry on Splash Magazines Worldwide
    Picture
    Follow Gerry 
    ​on All Things Cruise.
    Picture
    Cruise
    Reviews
    Index
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    SCARLET LADY
    Picture
    AMERICAN
    QUEEN

    Picture
    CELEBRITY
    APEX
    Picture
    WORLD
    NAVIGATOR

    Picture
    SCARLET LADY
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    CARNIVAL
    HORIZON
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    FEATURES

    Picture
    Picture

    MORE COVERAGE

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    February 2023
    June 2022
    November 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
Contact us: [email protected]

© COPYRIGHT  2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Picture
  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise/Travel
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
    • Victory I Great Lakes Cruise
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi's Wine Shelf
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Travel Bistro
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Explore
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
      • Yellowstone Camping Tales
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search