Press release —
Dame Arlene Phillips and Ian Waite to headline Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ first Celebration of Dance at Sea sailing
Dance legends Arlene Phillips and Ian Waite will headline a specially curated dance-themed sailing in a first for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines this year.
Setting sail from Southampton aboard smaller ship Borealis in December, this five-night cruise will bring together a mix of dance, from ballroom, Latin and sequence, to tap, line-dancing and more.
Olivier award-winning Dame Arlene Phillips, one of the UK’s most celebrated choreographers, and Ian Waite, professional dancer and much-loved television personality, will be the headline acts, hosting ‘An Audience With’ sessions and meet‑and‑greet events with guests. Ian will also host a dance masterclass during the cruise.
These events will be underpinned by a specially curated on-board programme, delivered in collaboration with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ entertainment partner RWS Global, encompassing live production shows and visiting entertainers from the world of dance, interactive workshops and activities, social dance events, iconic dance film screenings and themed entertainment.
The cruise will culminate in a festive twist on a Gatsby-inspired party.
Doug Glenwright, Guest Experience Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“This is set to be a very special cruise as it’s a first for us at Fred. Olsen – our inaugural dance-themed cruise.
“Dance has always been an important part of our on-board experience, and this cruise will really shine a spotlight on this – at a time of year when we know the nation will be putting on their dancing shoes. It will be a vibrant, feel-good celebration of dance in all its forms, with a touch of festive sparkle throughout.
“Whether you’re a seasoned professional, taking your first steps on the dancefloor, or prefer to sit back and enjoy the performances, there will be something for every level of confidence as we dance our way into the festive season.
“I can promise is that it will be a themed cruise done in our own unique way, with guests at the heart of it all.”
Ashore, guests can enjoy the seasonal charm of Amsterdam and the harbourside beauty of Honfleur, both of which will feel particularly festive at this time of year.
In Amsterdam, guests will find illuminated canals as part of the annual Light Festival, and Museumplein will be transformed into a winter gathering place, with ice skating, traditional stalls and the chance to sample stroopwafels and mulled wine.
Honfleur will bring a gentler rhythm, with its cobbled streets, colourful timber-framed houses and picturesque harbour to explore.
Full details of the cruise are as follows:
Borealis’ five-night S2631a ‘A Celebration of Dance at Sea’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 13th December 2026. Prices start from £499 per person.
Itinerary:Southampton, UK – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Honfleur, France – Southampton, UK
For more details:Visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/s2631a
Guests who book by 30th June (inclusive) can take advantage of Fred. Olsen’s Freedom Fare Price Promise, which ensures that anyone who books a Freedom Fare within the first four weeks of a cruise going on sale will receive either a cabin upgrade or credit to spend on board, should an equivalent cabin on their cruise be reduced at a later date.
Booking a Freedom Fare comes with additional benefits, such as the ability to choose your cabin grade and number, dining time and table size, among others.
Guests who book by 30th July can also take advantage of a half price premium drinks package, for £22 per person, per night, offering a selection of specialty wines, spirits, beers, cocktails and soft drinks, available all day.
For more information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ A Celebration of Dance at Sea cruise, visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/s2631a. Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Dame Arlene Phillips is one of the UK’s most celebrated choreographers and creative directors, awarded a Damehood in 2022 for services to dance and charity. A former judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, she has enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning stage, film and television, with choreography credits including Guys and Dolls, Grease, Starlight Express, We Will Rock You and Saturday Night Fever. She won the Olivier Award for Best Choreography in 2024 for Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre and received a Special Award at the Olivier Awards in 2023 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to theatre. She is creative dramaturg on the recent London revival of Starlight Express and the upcoming world tour of the production.
Ian Waite is a professional dancer and television personality, best known as one of the original professional dancers on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, where he appeared for eight series and became a firm favourite with viewers. Following his departure from the show in 2011, he went on to present a popular regular segment on It Takes Two, ‘Waite’s Warm Up’, alongside Zoe Ball. Ian is also the co‑creator of the internationally successful dance fitness programme FitSteps, has toured extensively across the UK with a range of dance productions, and won the 2024 Mirrorball Trophy on Dancing with the Stars Australia with actress Lisa McCune.
