I admit it. I love “Dancing with the Stars.”  I always look forward to hearing who the new guest celebrities will be on the popular TV show and learning which pro dancer will be paired up with which new partner forthe season.

I also love cruising.  So I was doubly happy when I heard that Holland America is combining the two for an exciting new cruise theme – “Dancing with the Stars: At Sea.”

In 2013 and 2014, the Holland America Line will feature exclusive  “Dancing with the Stars” events including dance lessons, a chance to meet the dancers and guest celebrities, plus dazzling stage productions with all their glitzy costumes and astounding routines.

But the next part of the program is even more fantastic – a chance to win a free cruise by showing off your own dancing skills. Woo hoo!

Holland America will be featuring a “Dancing with the Stars” program on every sailing of their 15 ships. That’s where passengers can learn to dance the quickstep, the paso doble, the tango, the waltz – those dancesthey have been watching on the TV program. The ship’s entertainment crew will be teaching those shipboard classes.

Then – the exciting part – winners of each sailing’s dance-off will get to dance center stage during one of the cruise’s performances and will be entered in a Grand Champions Cruise in January. The top scoring dancers on the 15 cruise ships will be cruising free in an ocean view stateroom on the ms Nieuw Amsterdam  Jan. 12 for the grand finale. The overall winner from all the finalists on that January cruise will get a trophy and title as cruise line champs.

Heck with that mirror ball trophy on the TV show. I’d sure rather have that Holland America cruise.

Currently scheduled to appear on select sailings are two-time champion pro dancers Mark Ballas and Kym Johnson; pros Tristan MacManus and Lacey Schwimmer; and some  favorite celebrity competitors.

So shine up those dancing shoes for your own memorable star-studded ocean cruise.