Testimonials
Generous comments from our guests
Highlights of what my past guests are saying about their experiences with us
You are an excellent host and show sincere caring and respect to all participants.
You helped me get past the anxiety and into the swing of things.
I expected good teaching, and got excellent teaching!
It was so easy to become part of the dance community and feel like we were all family and happy to be together.
I definitely felt I had the opportunity to dance as much as I wanted never feeling like I had to sit out and wait my turn.
The dance instructors you selected were Superb, patient, thorough, and extortionate.
There were lots of laughter and goodwill that the hosts inspired that I forgot they were hosts sometimes – excellent!!
Your organization and planning made everything run so smoothly. You made all the ladies feel very special.
You are a man of integrity. We understand why so many people have their faith in you to provide a good, enjoyable dance cruise experience.
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Dear John, I do not remember if I mentioned this to you before, that I decided to go on this trip because of the itinerary and dancing. Both the components were beyond my expectations. From my perspective- Machu Pichu was the highlight of the trip. You organized it very well. Great selection of Boutique Hotels in nice locations! We sampled a lot of the local cuisine and local culture (this is important to me). Some places just have to be visited. Pictures and Documentaries do not do justice. The Cruise met my expectations and it was nice to be with people with common interests. Craig’s is a great Coach and I intend to get more coaching from him in the future. Needless to say going to Argentina and getting initiated in Argentine Tango was something beyond my dreams. I would like to let you know that you did a great job organizing this complex trip and creating great memories. Thanks once again, Ratna
Dear John, I write this to you with great pleasure. Arne and I had a perfectly wonderful time on the New Year’s Eve cruise. Your Instructor, Craig, aside from being delightful to spend time with, was an absolutely excellent dance instructor. The way he taught and stressed proper technique was perfect. Yesterday I had a dance lesson with my regular dance instructor and he was amazed as to how much better I was holding my frame and head position. He said I’ve never danced lighter. Your choice of dance hosts was terrific as well. The gentlemen went out of their way to make each of us feel special and well cared for. Each of them were excellent to partner on the dance floor. I appreciate their patience. And then there is you. John, you run a wonderful Dancing at Sea experience. It was well coordinated. You truly went out of your way to make all of us strangers into a cohesive group. We made special friends on this cruise and I know we will be staying in touch over the year. All the extra touches you added made everything even better. The cocktail party the first evening with a rose for every lady straight to the bottle of Champagne the last evening. I’m hoping we can work it out so we can do this again next New Year’s. I won’t know until the summer, but I can’t think of a better way to have a wonderful week. I plan on sharing all of our pictures and experiences with my dancing friends and see if I can have them join us as well, next year. Thank you again for such a wonderful experience. Phyllis
The Feb 7th cruise was my third one with Dancing at Sea. As a repeat client I’m obviously a very happy camper as I’ve already booked for the South American one for 2016. Since many of the same dance hosts and female guests were on this cruise as my first one last year, it really did feel like a summer camp reunion and one big happy family. Clearly John’s cruises have gained such a positive reputation that a lot of the dancers come back every year. That does not happen by accident and involves a lot of careful planning by John as well as his total involvement while on the cruise to ensure we have a quality experience; from carefully selecting the instructor and the dance hosts to scheduling classes, social events and tours. But even on my first cruise as a solo dancer who didn’t know anyone I felt very much welcomed and included in the group last year. What I particularly enjoyed on this cruise was the technical instruction and the carry- over of dance steps from one dance style to another; the day trip to
St. Lucia, the white evening, the flower gifts from John and of course, being able to dance in the grand piazza on the Royal. We really did dance all night, to the ship orchestras, to John’s great selection of ballroom music, and we even danced to a violin trio. Although the other Princess ships don’t have this beautiful dance space, I’m sure the dance experience will be equally positive. Marliese
Thank you John. We are very impressed that you have made an effort, and succeeded in getting a roommate for me so that I could get some refund. I know that you did not have to do that and you could’ve been content with keeping the payment that we made. And I would’ve understood. It confirms what we already felt- that you are a man of integrity. We understand why so many people have their faith in you to provide a good, enjoyable dance cruise experience. Jack and Suzanne
Hi, John. Most of what I say will be a written form of what I spoke with you about. Number one, I had a wonderful time. As you know, I was very intimidated at first. It’s natural to be anxious about the unknown, and I expected to feel that. What really hit me, though, was that first night at dinner when I was at a table with you and a number of the other ladies. Someone had already mentioned to me that one of the ladies was a gold level competitor which made me wonder if the others were that level. Then when you asked and each lady commented on the lessons they were taking (multiple a week) and how many years they’d been dancing, oh my – I really felt like I was in the wrong place. But you were so reassuring to me, then and all through the cruise. You are an excellent host and show sincere, caring and respect to all participants. You helped me get past the anxiety and into the swing of things. Also, I must compliment you on your choice of dance hosts. Each one of them, too, were considerate, respectful and gave me every reason to believe they were having the time of their life dancing with all of us. They were capable dancers and, other than getting a little rambunctious occasionally (which you handled tactfully), a joy to dance with. You did an excellent job in your selection of them. I really appreciate that you brought dance hosts on board. I definitely felt I had the opportunity to dance as much as I wanted never feeling like I had to sit out and wait my turn – You’re right about Princess Cruises being one of the best cruise lines. The staff on board ship were above and beyond excellent. My cabin was extremely comfortable, the food was great BUT I am pleased to say I did not gain a pound. Must have been all those days of forgetting to plan lunch into my schedule and all the activity on the dance floor each night. It’s amazing that dancing every single night of the week absolutely never got boring. The mix of people, the mix of music, all worked to keep everything new, exciting, and fun. What I find interesting is this cruise was so totally different than any other cruise I’ve been on. On other cruises I learned the ship quickly – where everything was, I spent time getting to know the other passengers, was more interested in the ports we were going to. This time I was having so much fun with the group and the dancing I never spent time wandering the ship, I barely met any other passengers, and I could have cared less where we went (although the trips to the beach were great). It was so easy to become part of the dance community and feel like we were all family and happy to be together. – Bottom line, I was impressed with you, as a person and especially how you “magically” made everything work so smoothly. I know it took a lot of effort on your part, but you made it seem so easy. Thank you for all you did, all you do, and who you are. I enjoyed getting to know you and definitely enjoyed dancing with you. Thank you for the honor of going with you to the Captain’s cocktail party too. You made me feel special. I do hope to join you again for the joy of dancing, cruising, and getting to know you better. Gratefully, Linda
Dear John, had such a fun cruise. Hated to come home! Loved the dance teacher, what a great personality for a teacher. He made it so much fun for us beginners. The long term dancers learned a lot too. We are not usually ” group” people, but enjoyed this interesting mix of people. The beach was a great choice, thanks for finding it. Best wishes for success on the next one ! Andrea
Dear John – Denise and I would like to express our sincere thanks for a wonderful first dancing experience at sea. We enjoyed the company of such delightful people and feel we have made some wonderful new friends that hopefully we will meet again. Your organization and planning made everything run so smoothly. You made all the ladies feel very special. We look forward to joining you again in the near future. Andrew and Denise
John, Obviously I had a great time! Dance host selections were a pleasant surprise! Some feedback on them below. You did a great job in selecting a nice variety of Gentlemen hosts!! I like that there was open dancing in the afternoons and you encouraged the hosts to be there and to stay involved until midnight! Thank you so much for this. The hosts found music and were there waiting to dance with the ladies if they showed up. There was a lot of laughter and goodwill that the hosts inspired that I forgot they were hosts sometimes – excellent!! And how nice that you too are a good dancer and fun!! Bonus!
Dear John, – I just returned from your “Dancing at Sea” cruise on the Queen Victoria. This was my first experience on a dance cruise with you and it exceeded my wildest expectation. The group was friendly and fun and we all got along exceptionally well. Your dance hosts were excellent dancers and patient, the level of the hosts and abilities to dance and lead well was extremely important to me for I am an experienced dancer. They were far superior to the dance hosts I have seen on this cruise and other cruises I have ever been on the Cunard line. The dance instructors you selected were Superb, patient, thorough, and extortionate. You do your job so well, with such professionalism. You were “on duty” at all time, never slacked off, and you went beyond the call of duty. Before the cruise you answered all my questions promptly and completely, you did a great job in finding me a wonderful room-mate, Suzanne and I have become good friends. I have not hesitated to tell everyone I meet how on a 1-10 the experience has been at “11”. I will not hesitate to tell anyone who is thinking of booking one of your cruises that whether they are single or couple, that experience with you is not to be missed. By nature I tend to have very high standards and try as I might and could not find anything that could be improved upon. With much admiration and affection, Thea – Potomac Maryland
Hi John: I’m still on a high from your most recent cruise. It far surpassed my expectations, particularly since I was a solo guest who did not know a soul in your group. First of all my compliments on the efficiency of your pre-cruise arrangements. All emails and questions were immediately answered , many of them while you were already cruising with a group. I don’t know if all the cruise lines are equally efficient, but any dealings with Princess cruises including embarking and dis-embarking were handled equally efficiently. Welcome aboard; Right from the first on board welcome and the cocktail party, it was clear that this was a warm and welcoming social group who quickly introduced everyone around. Even though it was obvious that about half the group knew each other from previous cruises, I never got the feeling that there was a clique and I was an outsider. By the end of the cruise, I knew almost everyone, and it really felt sort of like summer camp. The dance instruction; I expected good teaching, and got excellent teaching from Allan. He nicely started with basics for the less experienced and progressed piece by piece to a final combo which challenged all of us. I particularly appreciated that he gave us multi-purpose patterns that could be used in a number of dances. The dance hosts: I can’t say enough good things here. First of all, I had not expected that many. At most dance functions, women are 5 to 1 and you end up competing for the few good dancers. You generously supplied us with almost a dozens great guys. That meant that even the women could relax by day two having found out that yes, as you promised, we would not be left on the sidelines. Not only were the men lovely dancers, but also absolute gentlemen. They did indeed make sure that even the shyest and least experienced dancers were brought on to the dance floor. I watched them carefully adjust their dancing to all levels of partners, and personally had the absolute treat of being whirled around the dance floor in the most complicated patterns I could wish for once some of them found out I could cope….Heaven!! I can only compliment you on your selection/training of your hosts as they certainly played their role superbly. The open dancing just felt like a great party with lots of great dancers. The final compliment for the trip that I could make is although there was enough free time to get a bit of suntan, we were kept so busy dancing, that there was no time to waste money at the shops, or on drinks at the bar, or to stuff oneself at the buffet, and we got so much exercise, that I came home having lost weight and with left over spending money!!! Can’t wait until next year. With many thanks for a great experience…. Marliese
Dear John, I attended my first dance cruise ever with you on the June-July 2013 cruise to Bermuda on the Norwegian Breakaway. I was so impressed with the dance instructors Alex and Sandra. Their ability to explain theory and make it applicable was just what I needed. They also exhibited a high degree of professionalism. I would like to reserve space for the Milonga Tango Cruise on February 9, 2014. Thank you again for the great experience. Becky
Hi John, I just want to thank you for a wonderful time I had at the Tango cruise. Orlando and Andria are excellent instructors and so personable that I learned so much from them.Hopefully they will be able to come to our studio and do some more workshops…… Meeting new people, dancing, dinning and enjoying each others company made this trip even more pleasurable. I thank you and Maya for been such a great hosts. Hope to stay in touch and see you soon on your next cruse adventure. Love, Floria
John, Just want you to know that I really enjoyed both your Ballroom Cruise and Tango Cruise. It was quite unique experience for me. I appreciated all your efforts to make those trips successful. Thank You! Ming
John, We are so glad that we have experienced the Ranivand style of dance cruising. Everything was wonderful.It was particularly enjoyable to realize on our last evening that it had become like family. It seemed that everyone was so eager to get back together as soon as we could. Wishing you all the best and looking forward to seeing you again soon. Jack
Dear John, – I just returned from your “Dancing at Sea” cruise on the Queen Victoria. This was my first experience on a dance cruise with you and it exceeded my wildest expectation. The group was friendly and fun and we all got along exceptionally well. Your dance hosts were excellent dancers and patient, the level of the hosts and abilities to dance and lead well was extremely important to me for I am an experienced dancer. They were far superior to the dance hosts I have seen on this cruise and other cruises I have ever been on the Cunard line. The dance instructors you selected were Superb, patient, thorough, and excellent. You do your job so well, with such professionalism. You were “on duty” at all time, never slacked off, and you went beyond the call of duty. Before the cruise you answered all my questions promptly and completely, you did a great job in finding me a wonderful room-mate, Suzanne and I have become good friends. I have not hesitated to tell everyone I meet how on a 1-10 the experience has been at “11”. I will not hesitate to tell anyone who is thinking of booking one of your cruises that whether they are single or couple, that experience with you is not to be missed. By nature I tend to have very high standards and try as I might and could not find anything that could be improved upon. With much admiration and affection, Thea – Potomac Maryland
“We are from Indiana and enjoyed the cruise on Queen Victoria with Dancing at Sea. John Ranivand kept us very informed and was a hands-on coordinator of the entire cruise, making sure that all of his clients had the opportunity to receive scheduled dance lessons by professionals and encouraged everyone to take part in the evening dances. The dance group had a lot of social functions including excellent facilities for dinner. We would recommend a Dancing at Sea Cruise for anyone who loves ballroom dancing and want to be part of group with similar interests. Jack and Bev Newman
Dear John, What a pleasure it was to meet, dance, visit and take part in your wonderful dance cruise itinerary. You are a class act & a great dancer. I am proud to call you a friend and look forward to sailing the high seas with you again. THANK YOU for an Epic week with memories to last a lifetime. Shirley V.
Hi John, You did such a great job organizing it – it was the best dance cruise I’v been on because of the nice balance of men vs. women, and the quality of the dancers. And, you were so much fun to dance with! I also really appreciated your special birthday wishes and the photo – a great memory of the cruise. Please send me info on your upcoming cruises – I would definitely like to join you again. Bye for now, Patti G.
Dear John – Thank you so much for including us in the Tango Cruise. We really enjoyed the facilities and the Tango group. We thought the ship was very prepared and professional. We enjoyed the suite and the found the ship clean and organized. As for the Tango part, I found the instructors well prepared and passionate. I felt that I took away many new practice items to improve my dance and established many new future Tango possibilities. We had a lovely time and enjoyed the cruise and look forward to future programs.. Eileen
Thank you John. We had so much fun! It was a much needed vacation time for me , I am still singing and dancing tango !See you soon, I hope you will think about doing a day on land soon.Miss you all! Big hug to you ! Florence
John – I can’t think of a better way to have spent my birthday’s! I had a wonderful time and so did everyone I spoke to. You did an outstanding job and I hope we can have a reunion Tango Cruise next year.
The Feb 4th cruise was our first outing at sea and it was quite the adventure but the Dancing at Sea Team made it one of the most enjoyable vacations we have ever taken. The dancing instructors Danny and Christina were excellent and Danny’s way of teaching and the pearls of wisdom that he shared will never be forgotten. Kudos to your organizational skills the behind the scenes work you did to ensure we always had the best venue for our dancing instructions and our after hours dancing and get together. We are looking forward to our next trip with Dancing at Sea. Regards, Adrian and Ruth-Anne Lancop
Testimonial from Jeff and Doreen Johnson:Our honeymoon was scheduled and planned around the opportunity to “Dance at Sea!” We found the Dancing at Sea program online and talked with John several times prior to planning this trip. He helped us with the details such as our cabin,balcony, and we definitely had a wonderful time. The wedding cake was a surprise shaped as a cruise ship stack. We met at a Ballroom Dance Class and this was a perfect opportunity to continue doing what we loved to do together for our honeymoon. After taking 3 years of private lessons together and group classes, we found the classes on board challenging. The instructors were exceptional! Having a group to dance with at night was also very beneficial as we met people with similar interests and the dining and dancing with these people helped our journey become a memorable one!Thank you John for this opportunity to add new steps to our dance and our new life together! Doreen and Jeff
Crown Princess – February 04, 2012 – Thank you so much for your generosity. I must say that Danny Carter is so effective with his technique. I learned so much. Christina did a good job with the samba line dance, samba moves and west coast swing. I thought the cocktail hour was a nice touch. Group picture session was awesome. Your hosts were wonderful in that they would try to dance with every woman available…. You were a great host and worked very hard to change a tough situation into a positive one. I was impressed the afternoon you ordered coffee and water for us when we were up teetering through a dance class at Skywalkers. Trudy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Dear John – What could have been a disastrous 7 days cruise on the Crown Princess, due to the dreaded Norovirus, turned out to be one of the best cruises I have ever been on, and I have been on a lot of cruises. Yes, the cruise was cut short, but I had more fun on the shortened cruise than I have had on some 7 Days cruises! The fun was due to you and your professional teachers Danny and Christina. You were very nice and sincere to all your guests and made us all feel special. All the guests in your party were really great and we all seemed to bond quickly with on another. A number of us will be keeping in touch for many years to come… Again, thank you John. I will highly recommend Dancing at Sea to all my dancing friends who love to cruise. I will definitely be joining you again at sea!! Linda W. Fort Lauderdale Florida
Sensational dance cruise! Top rate instructors, dancing through the night, fabulous sites & John a gracious host to all his guests! You are the best! We had a fabulous group of dancers including couples and singles from various places in United States. Virginia, Indiana, New York, Maine, Massachusetts to name a few! The energy was electric! There was a fabulous balance between men and women and at certain times there were more men than women! Between the dynamic hosts and gracious male guests I was able to dance every dance in the evenings! Looking forward to the next trip!!! Thank you John!…….Margaret
The lessons given by the dance teachers were excellent and were all packed with a good mix of various dance steps that challenged the group yet were not beyond the reach of the group. Moreover,the dance steps taught were very clear and explicit , which made it easy for the group to learn all the steps in such a short time. Generally speaking, I do not think we could have learned so many dance steps in a dance studio in a comparable amount of time. Also, having a video recording session after session was an excellent idea. That in itself was worth a good part of the money that everyone paid for the trip. All of the comments that I heard were positive and it was a wonderful cruise from the very beginning. Also, the ship itself had a lot to offer all of us. The dinners that we had in the Manhattan Room, while dancing with the band playing were certainly one of the highlights of the cruise.
John, Thanks so much for the pictures and the wonderful dance cruise. We had a great time and look forward to joining you on another in the future. Eat, sleep, and dance-what a dream week for me!! Renee (Louisiana)
What a wonderful group of dancers and real friends. I will be back for other cruises with you soon. I had a great time. Joe (Pennsylvania)
Thank you so much for one of the best cruise vacation ever. Everything was great, specially the dance lessons and dance parties, wonderful group of the people. Every one was so happy at the end of the cruise as I was. You should be proud of making people happy. Michael (Florida)