The Champagne Masquerade Ball !!

Halloween on the High Seas
Written by Rick Archer

I had a dream the other night.  In my dream, the SSQQ Halloween Party arose from the dead to live again.   I am not making this up. 

I dreamt that the people who own the Bissonnet property where I ran SSQQ for 30 years gave me permission to hold one more Halloween Party for old time’s sake.  We could have our Haunted House back and another chance for the Frankenstein monster to greet people in the dark maze.  I jumped at the chance.  I could not wait!  What a wonderful opportunity. 

And then I woke up.  I felt a real sadness come over me. 

SSQQ in my day was legendary for its Halloween Parties.  I took immense pride in hosting all my parties, but Halloween was my unquestioned favorite. I always felt a tremendous satisfaction after throwing a great party. 

Once I awoke and realized it was "just a dream", my sadness was so poignant that I decided maybe there was a message there.  So I asked Marla if she would do me a favor.  Could she perhaps persuade the Navigator cruise ship to let us have a room to throw a Halloween party on the final night of our trip?

Marla smiled.  She said she would try.

Now it appears my dream will come true.  Marla was able to negotiate with the Navigator to give us their best dance room for an hour on the final night of our October Navigator Dance Cruise. 

I say let’s make it a Champagne Masquerade Ball! 

Think about it… our shipboard Halloween Party will take place on Saturday, October 18… just two weeks prior to this year’s Halloween events.   Seems like perfect timing to me.  So what can we expect to happen at our oceanside Champagne Masquerade Ball?

For years now, Marla has made sure that every cabin gets a bottle of champagne for this trip. The Champagne Party is a tradition on our trips that dates back all the way to Rhapsody 2004.

As it turned out, Rhapsody 2004 was very a special journey for me. This was the trip when Marla and I were married aboard the Rhapsody.  We made that year’s cruise trip our honeymoon.  Hmm… that reminds me, Marla and I have a tenth anniversary coming up.  My, how times flies when you are having fun!

As you might imagine, our first Champagne Party was a big hit.  To quote Mara, “My, my, such a terrible waste!!  Champagne is meant to make people happy!” 

No truer words have ever been spoken.  If we all save our Champagne for this upcoming Navigator Masquerade Ball, it will surely become a party for the ages.  All we need is to locate enough self-discipline to leave that precious bottle untouched till Saturday.  Then it will be time to liven the spirits at our Halloween Party.

The Masquerade Ball at Sea

What about costumes?   People always say, “I don’t have a costume.”

Here is a simple suggestion.  A “Mask” is a very effective costume accessory.  In fact, I desperately want Marla to schedule a cruise trip to Venice, Italy, some day so I can indeed experience the world’s most exquisite Masquerade Party, the Carnavale de Venetio. 

I am not quite sure we can match the Carnavale de Venetio for its stunning beauty, but there is no doubt in my mind that a Masquerade Ball of our very own will be an event of terrific entertainment!

I say let everyone go to any Halloween store and purchase a mask along with a cape… any black witch’s cape or Dracula’s cape will do just fine.

Trust me, those masks will ensure one heck of a group picture!   

Now the thing about masks is that they are admittedly uncomfortable.  You don't want to wear them for long.  So I will ask everyone to wear the mask for the first half of the event.   Don’t worry, I will bring straws along so we can all be sipping our magic champagne potions through our masks! 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN NAVIGATOR: THE SSQQ TRAVEL FALL DANCE CRUISE
Depart 430 pm, Sunday, October 12th -- Return 7 am, Sunday, October 19th

Group Travel Agent -- Marla Archer
Email questions to marla@ssqq.com 
Phone questions to 713 862-4428

Email Registration to marla@ssqq.com

At this point, the "Prevailing Rate" is in effect.   This rate varies daily based on Royal Caribbean's promotions.
Call Marla to see what the current rate for each cabin is.

All pricing is per person double occupancy

Transaction Rules

Our Royal Caribbean Navigator Cruise
is the perfect 'Dance' Vacation Getaway!

Rick and Marla Archer invite you to join us for our THIRTY FIRST SSQQ Travel Adventure coming in October of 2014.

Did you know we have taken well over 2200 people sailing over the years?  And we haven't lost a single passenger yet! 

In mid October 2014 we will continue our tradition of taking a Western Caribbean cruise in the Fall.   By scheduling the cruise this time of year, we are able to take advantage of better rates and avoid the dreaded hurricane season.

This year's trip is scheduled to depart on Sunday, October 12th and cruise the beautiful Western Caribbean through Sunday, October 19th. 

We are sailing once again on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas.  We sailed her on our Greece cruise in July, 2008.  The Navigator has been thoroughly enhanced with many updates such as-FlowRider®, the first signature surf simulator to debut on the Voyager-class and a 220-square foot outdoor screen to watch movies or sports events. In addition, you don't want to miss the Ice Show.  It is fabulous!

This is your chance to spend an entire week with your friends from Houston's dance community and enjoy seven nights experiencing luxury and grand style while sailing the Caribbean Sea on a Voyager Class Ship!

Slow Dance and Romance

As with all our trips, you can expect plenty of Slow Dance and Romance.  Without a care in the world for seven long days and nights, our guests are free to dance every waking hour and let their heart seek romance wherever they go.  As always on our trips to sea, dance and romance seem to go hand in hand.

Dancing on each SSQQ Travel cruise takes a variety of forms. During our days at sea, we conduct dance workshops in the late morning.

Every evening, there are typically at least two different dance venues with a live band sponsored by the ship. 

There are special dance parties such as the Captain's Reception and Welcome Aboard parties for returning guests.

Best of all, we reserve one of the dance floors for late-night dancing after Midnight.  We have the room to ourselves and we play our own music.

Ladies, Guard your Hearts!

It is important that you know there is all kinds of danger on SSQQ Travel Cruises, especially for women.  It is a well-documented fact from previous trips that the ladies of the group always take the risk of being rendered helpless at sea.

That ocean air is intoxicating and defenses are down.  Any man who can dance and smile is certain to be one heck of a popular guy aboard this trip!  No woman is safe on this trip.  In particular, beware of the man who offers the margarita.  He's the one you have to watch out for.  Just ask Marla.

But better be careful, guys, you aren't invulnerable either.  We know from experience that Cupid is always lurking just around the corner and he may just have your number!   

You men think you can dance your way out of any trouble, but you could easily fool around and fall in love... after all, we have a long list of couples who connected on our cruises and ended up... well, we aren't allowed to say how anyone "ended up."   Use your imagination.

Itinerary for the 2014 Fall Dance Cruise

Welcome Aboard Party!

Day One: Sunday - We set sail on Sunday, October 12th at 4:30 pm out of Galveston. Now as the evening draws near, we begin our adventure.

It's time to get the party started!

SSQQ Travel will host a Welcome Aboard Dance Party prior to dinner. This allows everyone the opportunity to say hello and get some dancing in.

We always sit together as a group in the Main Dining Room.  We have the second seating scheduled.

After dinner, there is dancing to live music in several venues, or take in the shipboard show.

We start our nightly after hours dancing at Midnight in our "Secret" Lounge.

Dancing on Formal Night

Day Two: Monday - We are at sea, so this is the perfect time for dance classes. On last year's cruise, we had three separate dance classes, first Foxtrot to prepare for formal dancing, then Waltz and finally, Salsa. It was loads of fun!

This will be our first Formal Night. 

We usually head toward the Main Lounge for Ballroom Dancing prior to dinner.

This is your chance to join the rest of the Dance Group to put on a real show.  This is the perfect opportunity to show off your ballroom dance skills in front of the entire ship.

Expect to Foxtrot, Waltz, Swing and Slow Dance to music played by the ship's band.  "In the Mood" and "Moonlight Serenade" will be your inspiration!

We are always the stars of this evening as the other passengers smile and gaze at our dancing with appreciation. This evening is definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

Cozumel -  Catamaran and Snorkeling!

Day 3: - Tuesday  Our first stop is to see our old friend Cozumel. We have from 8:00 am until 4:00 to enjoy this tropical paradise.  Cozumel is wonderful because the ship docks so close to the island you swear you could throw a football to someone on shore.

Cozumel is a large island about 12 miles off the coast of Mexico.  There is no bridge.  As a result, Cozumel is so much safer than the rest of Mexico because it is easy to defend.  This allows people to appreciate this beautiful island without any fear.

Since we had so much fun on our last group Catamaran and Snorkeling adventure in Roatan, I would like to schedule something similar for this port.

If sailing and snorkeling isn't your thing, you can hit the Beach.  Sometimes peopele go to Chankanaab Beach, other times they go San Francisco Beach, but everyone always seems to find the beach at some point in the day.  T

There are always lot of people who like to spend the day at one of the several stunning beaches of Cozumel. 

Cozumel beaches are the best.  The water is crystal blue, there are palm trees everywhere for shade, and there always seems to be the most wonderful breeze keeps things cool. 

As if things were not luxurious enough, there are waiters who come right up to your lounge chair throughout the day to ask if you want a cold beer.  It doesn't matter what brand of Mexican beer you order, the sun makes sure that every swallow of cold beer is delicious.  

After a while you get the nicest buzz. 

It is so pleasant out there that a nap is definitely called for.  Besides the many comfortable lounge chairs, maybe you will get lucky and find one of those cosmic hammocks for your nap.   And maybe you will even have some company!

Some of Mexico's greatest beauty is hidden to the naked eye.  Cozumel has an amazing abundance of fish thanks to its protected waters.  Not surprisingly, snorkeling is very popular at all the Cozumel beaches.  Snorkeling is one of the easiest sports imaginable. If you can swim, you should be able to snorkel. Since Cozumel is an island, they are able to protect their waters from any mainland pollution. The water right below our ship is so clear you can almost see the bottom.  Hint - bring some Rice Krispies from the ship.  If you drop some cereal into the water, you will immediately be the best friend of every fish in the sea.  You will be treated to all sorts of marvelous sights!

Cozumel has always been the spot where we have our competitive beach volleyball matchups.  Over the years, we have had many royal battles complete with skinned knees and bruised egos.  We play to win!  Plus there's the show-off factor.  There's nothing like diving in the sand to make a great play, followed by a quick glance to see if all the pretty girls noticed. 

If a day at the beach isn't your thing, Cozumel has a terrific shopping center just a short walk (400 yards) from the ship. You can purchase tee shirts, onyx chess sets, jewelry, liquor, beach towels; you name it. The mall is extensive and ultra-safe.  We saw police everywhere. And there were no panhandlers either. You can bargain with everyone and get some excellent deals.

If shopping isn't your thing and you want to skip the beach, there is a wide selection of excursions available.  You can visit nearby Mayan ruins dating back to 600 AD.  Another popular activity is to take a jeep tour of the island.  Some people rent their own motorbikes and head out in search of adventure.

And of course our notorious troublemakers will surely organize a bar-hopping tour. Cozumel is our favorite watering hole.  Over the years, many a margarita has made getting back to the ship on time a little more difficult than people might imagine.  Our best pictures usually come from the antics of this wild drinking spree.  Maybe we should add our best stories... at least the ones we can tell... come from the Cozumel bacchanalias.  Join at your own risk!

No matter how wild these drinking sprees get, the nice thing about Cozumel is the ship is only a couple hundred yards from the bars.  Not only can you hear the horns calling everyone back to the ship, no matter how much tequila you have had, you can always spot the ship.  Even better, the ship is so close that you can crawl on your knees to the ship and still make it in time.  We know this for a fact because we've seen it happen.    

And that night if you are still standing, that same night we can hook up the SSQQ Jukebox and have our own dance party!!

The Beautiful Cayman Islands

Day Four: - Wednesday  We arrive mid morning in Georgetown, Grand Cayman.  We have from 10:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. to see the island.  

The Caymans are smack dab in the middle of the infamous Hurricane Alley.  We missed visiting here three years in a row due to storm-related problems.  In 2008, 2009, and 2011 we were fortunate enough again to actually make it to Grand Cayman.  We found it to be delightful! 

The beaches here are some of the most beautiful in the world.  Rick will certainly again lead his guided tour of Seven Mile Beach, a long, comfortable walk along one of the Caribbean's most famous beaches.  There is so much to look at!  On one side you have the stunning blue waters and on the other side you have an endless of the most expensive condos and hotels imaginable.

Or if you prefer, take a research submarine and surround yourself with exotic marine life and huge coral formations as you explore the famous Cayman Wall, or snorkel with the Stingrays and enjoy the beautiful Cayman waters, or simply stroll through the quaint village and spend some time shopping. There is an activity for everyone!

Jamaica Me Crazy, Mon!

Day Five: Thursday - We arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica at 8:00 am. Our departure time is 5:00 pm. 

Jamaica offers gorgeous white-sand beaches and mangrove wetlands that surround Falmouth, which rests at the bottom of lush green mountains. You will find beautiful Georgian architecture in the historic town of Falmouth. 

Montego Bay is very close by and offers the best of the Caribbean.  Take a cab and surround yourself with the essence of Jamaica in the island's friendliest city.

The last time we were in Jamaica, we had a group excursion to YS Falls and river tubed.  Perhaps this time, we will climb the 600 foot waterfall at Dunn's River Falls.

Day 6 and 7:
Friday and Saturday -  Starting back to Home

These are our final days at sea and we will have our final group dance classes in the morning.

Traditionally Saturday is pool day.  Everyone spends time outdoors in the hot tub laughing their cares away.

There's usually a live band to entertain during the day.  As the spirit hits, people crawl out of the hot tub and dance to the live music on the Poolside Deck throughout the day.  

The Infamous Hot Tub

Final Sea Days - Sleep in after partying hard all week long and then enjoy a leisurely breakfast chatting with fellow SSQQ cruisers in the Windjammer.  Since we are sailing our way home, we will have our second dance class today.

After the morning class, enjoy yourday at sea relaxing in the sun by the pool or frolicking in the hot tub.  Speaking of the Hot Tub, surely someone has warned you about the SSQQ Hot Tub, yes?  We aren't allowed to publicly state what goes on in the Hot Tub, but there must some reason it stays packed all day long. 

Tonight SSQQ Travel will host our "Thank You" Cocktail Dance Party for the group prior to dinner.

Our Second Formal Night

Formal Night  on a cruise ship is a special time for everyone.  We all get dressed up to look our best.  Then everyone goes around taking each other's picture.  We all look so terrific all dressed up and fancy.  

Not surprisingly, this is the night we choose to take our Group Photo. 

Then we hit the dance floor and feel so elegant as all eyes watch us perform so gracefully. 

The evening seems just like New Year's Eve, except that we are out at sea surrounded by the splendor of the ship.

Even better, we are surrounded by our friends.

So What Haven't We Covered? 

Luxury and Recreation

First and foremost, we are sailing aboard a beautiful cruise ship for seven nights that offers more activities and fun things to do than you could ever imagine!   Our ship is basically an enormous floating hotel that has the facilities for every conceivable type of fun that is legal.  If there is something you desire, they aim to please.  Any amenity you might expect at a four-star hotel is generally there for the asking on a cruise ship as well.

What is interesting is that a Vegas hotel goes for $100-$200 a night.  On board a cruise ship, we get to enjoy the life of luxury for less than $60 per day.... and that is with meals and entertainment included!  This curious fact explains why "cruising" is considered one of the best travel bargains of all.
 

Friends

One reason our numbers are strong every year is due to an intangible, best described as the "Group Experience".  People enjoy seeing their friends so much that they don't want to miss the next adventure... and they haul a couple new people along to join the fun. 

One unique feature of a cruise is the chance to learn first-hand the meaning of the phrase "the more the merrier".   No matter how big our group grows, the energy just grows right along with it. 

If you want to be alone, there are hidden corners everywhere... or your own cabin for that matter.  If you want to be with the group, there's always a party going on somewhere.  If you want to play cards, go for it.  If you want to do a puzzle, go for it.  Whatever you want to do, the cruise ship has a spot for you and our group supplies the people to keep you company. 
 

Dinnertime

The best example of the Group Experience is our elaborate Dinner, an event that lasts about two hours each night.  Two hours may seem like a long time, but we are having so much fun we don't even feel the time pass. 

Every cruise ship takes the dining experience seriously.  The dining room is beautiful, the food is excellent, and the waiters very personable.  Our group usually occupies half the upper floor of the dining room.  You cannot help but smile when you see our group spread out from one side of the ship to the other.  Impressive.

It is true a cruise trip is often about romance.  The ship provides hidden restaurants for those kind of evenings and it isn't unusual for our guests to spend one night alone.  However, as a rule, the SSQQ Cruise is more about hanging out with friends for the entire week.

Marla assigns each person to a table.  She puts a lot of thought into this process and generally matches her people up very well.  Some tables are all singles.  Some tables are all couples.  Some tables are groups of friends who have bonded on previous trips. 

The people at your table become your buddies throughout the trip.  You have no idea the stories that people share at dinnertime.  The conversation ranges from the sublime to the silly. This is how people make friendships that become so strong that they carry over right onto shore after the trip is over.  The next thing you know, you are having dinner with the same people back in Houston.

Dinner with the group is one of the highlights of every day on the trip.  Once people get going, the noise level can get pretty high.  The smiles and laughter are infectious.  In fact, we even give out "Rowdiest Table" awards.  When you are sea, misbehavior is always rewarded.  Then you pay the blackmail fee to make sure the stories don't make it back to land; everyone is happy.   

Dancing

Every evening no matter where you go on the ship, wherever there is music, you are sure to see SSQQ dancers putting on a show.  Every cruise ship has a wide variety of music venues.  On any given night, you might hear Salsa music in one room, Western in another, Popular music and Ballroom in yet a third spot... all played by live bands. 

And that doesn't even include the Disco which is always in full swing.  Before dinner, after dinner, late night, it doesn't matter.  There are dancing opportunities all over the ship till the wee hours of the night. 

Throughout the evening, the SSQQ dancers basically take over the dance floors much to the delight of the other passengers. Historically, our dancing is so impressive that other guests often greet us as we return to our seats and thank us for being so much fun to watch.  

When you add up all the great dancers in our group, we definitely put on quite a show.  There have been several times where the guests were surprised to find out we are passengers on the ship just like they are.  They had assumed we were professional dancers hired to be part of the entertainment.  Now that is a compliment!  That said, the attention we receive is much deserved.   These dance cruises are definitely good for the ego.

It is the ultimate form of flattery to look up at the levels above and see the railings lined with people who watch us as if we are the evening's entertainment.   Whether it is a large group or just small pockets of dancers, we take over the ship every night anywhere we hear music.  The rest of the passengers stare in envy and wish they could join us. 

Do you have a child who has been in a dance recital?  A dance cruise is like a recital for adults.  A dance cruise serves as a reward for all those hours of dance lessons.  Good dancing requires a lot of time practicing. Most of the people in our group have taken dance lessons for months getting ready for this cruise... or years for that matter!  It is nice to receive recognition for hard work and time well spent.  Now you finally see your hard work pay off. 

There is a flip side to the attention our group receives.  Sometimes there is a look of wistfulness on those faces.  "Gee, I wish I could do that!"  Our dancers should not feel guilty.   Yes, it is a shame that so few people in America know how to partner dance, but that isn't our fault.  We are out there showing people what they are missing.  Once they see how much fun we are having, don't be surprised if they take dance lessons themselves the next time they book a cruise trip. In a sense, our dancing serves as an inspiration to the entire ship.

We dance from the moment we get on the ship.  Our SSQQ Welcome Aboard Dance Party begins soon after the ship departs.  Then we schedule our first dance workshop for the following morning.  Some people "charge" for dance lessons at sea.  That is not our style.  Marla and Rick are just grateful to have you on board.  We take delight in raising the energy with fun dance classes.

We will have Dance Workshops on each of our three days at sea.  Yes, we take requests!  In the past, we have taught Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz, Cha Cha, Salsa, Slow Dance, Rueda, Night Club, you name it. These workshops are well-attended.  Here is the perfect way to get to know your fellow guests in the group!

Rick and Marla aren't the only instructors on board.  There are usually other dance classes taught by instructors who work for the ship.  These ship-sponsored dance classes are usually very well-attended for a couple of reasons. The cruise industry is well aware how popular dancing is at sea.  They are also well aware that most people don't have a clue how to dance, so they provide lessons.  Typically, once the passengers see us in action, they flock to the classes in hope that they might learn enough to join us out on the floor.  No one is mean enough to point out the kind of moves we use cannot be learned in a couple of hours.  Why discourage them? 

Many of these classes are line dances.  Partner dancing classes exist as well.  Although the material is geared towards the non-dancing general audience, our dancers thoroughly enjoy the extended opportunities to dance and dance some more!  Don't tell anyone, but they take the lessons as a way to meet some of the other passengers.  Now isn't that clever?

We save some of our best dancing of the day for Midnight.  Marla secures one of the main dance venues and reserves it for our group.  This makes our late hours dance party a private event.  We set up our own music system and dance the night away.  This after-hours dancing often goes till 2 AM.  Of course, that seems pretty late, but people learn to time-shift on a cruise.  Frequently people don't even come to breakfast till 10 AM or so.

Join the Club!

Now that Marla and Rick have organized thirty trips, one thing is clear -
people love to travel in groups. 

They like knowing they will have company for each activity, they like the safety, and they like having people they care about to share their experiences.  It doesn't matter whether someone is single or in a relationship, once we are at sea, we function as a very tight-knit group.  We all look out for one another.

Whether it is a wild afternoon at Senor Frogs in Cozumel, zip-lining through the jungle in Jamaica, swimming with the sting rays at Grand Cayman,  sand volleyball on the beach, walking the Seven Mile Beach, and dancing with the group in a workshop, the SSQQ Travel Cruise is a chance to make firm and lasting friendships that will continue after you have left the ship.  And you never know, you might find the Love Boat legend is real after all.  Many people come on trips to find love.  With a group our size, the sparks are flying right and left.

The romance angle is well-known, but less advertised are all the neat people you will meet on this trip.  Dancing is just the starting point.  You will find people that you will wish to share adventures with long after you return to land.

Over the years, our cruise trips have created an entire community.  Come join our club!

For questions, call Marla Archer at 713 862 4428 or email her at marla@ssqq.com