THEY’LL be tripping the light fantastic on a new dance cruise featuring former Strictly legends Arlene Phillips and Ian Waite this winter – the first of its kind for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Sailing from Southampton on smaller ship Borealis in December, the five-night festive voyage will bring together a mix of dance, from ballroom, Latin and sequence, to tap, line-dancing and more.

Olivier award-winning Dame Arlene, one of the UK’s most celebrated choreographers, and Ian, professional dancer and television personality, will be the headline acts.

They’ll be hosting ‘An Audience With’ sessions and meet‑and‑greet events with guests. Ian will also host a dance masterclass, and there will be a specially curated entertainment programme.

Expect live production shows and visiting entertainers from the world of dance, interactive workshops and activities, social dance events, iconic dance film screenings and a Gatsby-inspired party.

Ashore, guests will discover illuminated canals as part of the annual Light Festival in Amsterdam, where Museumplein will be transformed with ice skating, traditional stalls and stroopwafels and mulled wine.

Honfleur will offer a gentler rhythm, with its cobbled streets, colourful timber-framed houses and picturesque harbour to explore on the run-up to Christmas.

Borealis’ five-night ‘A Celebration of Dance at Sea’ cruise (S2631a) sails from Southampton on December 13, 2026. Prices start from £499 per person.For more details visit the cruise website.

The cruise is not affiliated to, or associated with, the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, on which Dame Arlene served as a judge and Ian as a professional dancer. Images: Fred.Olsen Cruise Line