Emmy® Award-Winning Choreographer and Pro Dancer Derek Hough to Sail on Holland America Line's 'Dancing with the Stars: At Sea' Champions Cruise Jan. 12, 2014

SEATTLE, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Derek Hough, the Emmy® Award–winning dancing professional best known for his role on the hit ABC television show "Dancing with the Stars", is scheduled to perform on the Jan. 12, 2014, "Dancing with the Stars: At Sea" Champions Cruise on ms Nieuw Amsterdam.

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Hough will join fellow professional dancers Tristan MacManus and Kym Johnson and actress Sabrina Bryan, who were previously announced to sail on the Champions Cruise as well as the Jan. 5, 2014, theme cruise departure aboard Nieuw Amsterdam. Both seven-day Caribbean sailings will also now feature singer Joey Fatone, television personality Carson Kressley and professional dancers Sharna Burgess and Emma Slater.

"We are thrilled to have superstar and Emmy® Award–winning dance pro Derek Hough bring his talents to Nieuw Amsterdam's stage on the 'Dancing with the Stars: At Sea' Champions Cruise," said Richard Meadows, executive vice president of sales, marketing and guest programs for Holland America Line. "This will be an incredibly exciting cruise, with a stellar line-up of dance pros and stars from the hit ABC show, along with the guest dance-off Champions competition featuring winners from previous dance-offs held this year onboard our 15 ships."

While onboard, the dance pros and celebrities will perform for guests, dazzling the audience with routines from the television series in the ship's main show lounge. Additional events on the theme cruises include dance lessons with the shipboard professional dancers, a special fashion show featuring the glamorous show costumes, and a chance to meet the dance pros and celebrities, ask questions and take photos with them.

The Jan. 12 Champions Cruise will feature 15 winning guests (one from each ship) from the "Dancing with the Stars: At Sea" competitions currently being held on all ships in the Holland America fleet. Holland America Line has already featured four "Dancing with the Stars: At Sea" theme cruises this year.

The winning guests and their professional shipboard dance partners will perform in the main show lounge for guests and the "Dancing with the Stars" talent. The winning couple will walk away with the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy and title of Holland America Line's "Dancing with the Stars: At Sea" Champion.  

The Jan. 5 cruise sails to the eastern Caribbean with calls at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the line's award-winning private island, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. The Jan. 12 Champions Cruise visits the western Caribbean with calls at Half Moon Cay; George Town, Grand Cayman, and Key West, Fla.

Hough received his first Emmy® for his choreography work on "Dancing with the Stars" at the awards show held Sept. 22 in Hollywood, Calif. He is a five time winner on "Dancing with the Stars", including being named champion on Season 17 on Nov. 26 with celebrity partner Amber Riley. Full episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" can be found at ABC.com.

For more information about Holland America Line or the "Dancing with the Stars: At Sea" theme cruises, consult a professional travel seller, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com or the Plan a Cruise tab at www.Facebook.com/HALcruises.

Follow Derek Hough on Twitter @DerekHough or Instagram at http://instagram.com/derekhough.

Editor's note: Photos from previous theme cruises that featured professional Kym Johnson, MacManus, Bryan, professional dancer and two-time Mirror Ball trophy winner Mark Ballas, Olympian Shawn Johnson and Kressley are available here: https://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/WNdb-fFX-cwW.

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog.  Access all social media outlets via the Online Communities quick link on the home page at www.hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc. (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 15 ships offers more than 500 cruises to 415 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies.  One- to 110-day itineraries visit all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal. The line currently has a new ship on order from Fincantieri shipyard for delivery in February 2016.

Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $500 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Café powered by The New York Times, Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
Holland America Line is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.  Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

SOURCE Holland America Line