cruise ship experience

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 06:06 PM

Avoid the shellfish.

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: fretless
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 05:44 PM

Cruising can be great fun, but you should tread cautiously, Honest Frankie. I've worked on three summer cruises (although not as a musician). Crew/staff accommodations are far from luxurious. Hours for the band and for the musical acts can be long – bands and musical acts can be assigned to play background music for lunches and dinners as well as after-dinner shows, which can run quite late; and entertainment staff (including musicians) can be assigned to accompany daytime tours, etc., which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you're visiting places you want to see, but it cuts further into your free time. Pay usually isn't great since you are receiving room and board while you're sailing and the employer factors that into your take-home. But, it can be lots of fun at least for the first few times, and you can get to places you couldn't otherwise afford to visit. Go for it! Just ask lots of questions of your prospective employer(s).

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: DMcG
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 04:37 AM

I can't be sure if he is still there, but last year the main cruise band on the Aurora was run by a friend of mine from Church, John Donovan (no, they didn't play hymns the whole time.) He enjoyed it and while it was certainly hard work, it didn't really start until mid afternoon most days, so they did get quite a lot of opportunity to see the sights, etc etc.

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: open mike
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 04:29 AM

i was on a sailing cruise once and the on-board lounge piano player
had to put up with this troublesome passenger every night who
wanted to play guitar and sing, cutting into his time. It was
me...i found they had (an old beat-up) guitar on board and I
got people doing sing-alongs with me....but i might have gotten
old if i HAD to do it! the cruise line was Star Clippers, a
smaller ship which was a sailing vessel. Not the huge diesel
vessels which hold thousands of passengers..and dump poop in
the ocean, this one had a couple hundred guests on board,
and perhaps a hundred staff and crew.

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 03:24 AM

And I'd stay off the Aurora if I were you!

LTS

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: C-flat
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 02:34 AM

If you're an act then working the cruises can be great(I'm told) as you would only be called on a couple of times a week to perform and the rest of the time you're free to enjoy the facilities.
As a band member you'll be paid less for a lot more work. There'll be afternoon dances everyday, the main acts to support/back each evening and then there's the "talent" competitions!
My ex-sister in law worked quite a lot on the cruise ships with a well established act and loved it. The money was very good too.
I've travelled as a passenger on a fortnights cruise(never again) and met an old friend who was working as a drummer with a trio on board. I kept bumping into him the whole time and he was always working.
I would presume that you would need to be a proficient dot reader too.

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: mg
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 01:16 AM

don't know but apparently men who can dance get free cruises or something in exchange for being dance partners...mg

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 10:06 PM

A dentist I had took a month off each year and played piano on a cruise ship. Lots of stories, but he did have to avoid the occasional old gal. His stories about his happy married life (he was a bachelor or divorced) discouraged them. He enjoyed the break from work.

Subject: RE: cruise ship experience
From: Padre
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 09:51 PM

Beware of the Norwalk virus - seems to show up from time to time on cruise ships, to the great discomfort of passengers and crew.

Subject: cruise ship experience
From:
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 09:46 PM

Hello Catters,

    I've been sniffing around about working as a musician on a cruise ship. Anybody out there have experience and any suggestions or warnings etc?