Cruise ship bands, your experiences and thoughts?

[Gary75]

Well, I go on cruises all the time for my holidays, and along the way I have seen some great bands and some not so great. I'd like to get into that arena and was wondering how you go about approaching it? Is it all it's cracked up to be? I've seen everthing from top notch jazz big bands to duos. There was a great band on the Princess cruise ship I was on a couple of years ago in the Caribbean, Matt Best Big Band if I remember rightly!

 

Who do you approach and what rules and regulations is there in this arena?

[keysplease]

If the ship hits an iceberg and you're asked to keep playing on the top deck while everyone else boards lifeboats, politely decline and get into a raft.

[Dave Horne]

Go to their various web sites and contact them. I jumped through their hoops and was offered a job. The downside, they want your first tour to be between four and six months.

 

The pay, when I looked into this about five years ago, was between $1600 and $1800 or so per month. It's not great money, but you do get to play and your monthly expenses are minimal.

 

In addition to an audition, you'll also have to have a clean bill of health; the use of illegal drugs will cost you your job.

[Gary75]

Yes I was told I'd have to undergo a medical, I wonder how discriminate they are, im healthy but have diabetes, in control. To be fair, I've seen my fair share of overweight middle aged men in cruise bands and feel sure I could easily compete and win at the next series of Gladiators if they were against me.

[Moonglow]

Check out this link:

 

http://www.oceanbound.ca/index_en.php

 

Seems cruise ship entertainment is their specialty area. Good luck!

[MikeT156]

Dave Horne was kind enough to email information to me about cruise ship jobs about 18 months ago when I couldn't find any employment where I live. Some other things to consider:

 

You MUST be able to sight read music. I don't know how much the type of music you are expected to play varies from each line, but the info I got from Dave had some REALLY old songs that you were expected to play. Solo guitar acts were hired to stroll on decks and serenade people as they were lounging and you had to be able to handle a wide variety of requests. I found the pay to be way too low to make it worthwhile, as I have home expenses that have to be paid whether I'm home or not and I would have to leave my home abandoned for long periods of time, I live solo too. Being that I live in Central PA, the wind can blow out the pilot on my furnace, and with no one there to relight it, my place would fill with gas, and the pipes would freeze during winter months. Not a good thing. If you already play a lot of standards from memory, and/or can sight read music really well, and are free to travel, it might be for you, but I didn't fit into their criteria so I had to pass.

 

I'm sure brother Dave would be happy to pass along any info that he sent me.

 

 

Mike T.

[Dave Horne]

I'm sure brother Dave would be happy to pass along any info that he sent me.

 

That info has long since been deleted. I'm sure I just copied and pasted from what the cruise lines themselves sent me.

 

Gangsu will be glad to know I actually recorded myself for the cruise line - it was a minidisk recording.

 

To the original poster - search the internet, get the names of a few cruise lines, go to their sites and look for 'entertainment employment'.

 

 

[David R]

I did a showband contract a couple of years ago. Ideally you do need to be able to sight-read, and be proficient in a wide variety of styles. The calibre of musicians isn't always as high as it should be, though. A lot of great musicians fail their medical, and so some musicians are taken because they're clean and they can kind of play. The first contract is always the toughest in this regard, because you never know who's in the band until you're out in the middle of the ocean with them. If I were to go back, I could request to be on the same ship as so-and-so.

 

The production shows are to click track, and there are pre-recorded tracks that the soundman mixes in and out depending on if the band is full, and if everyone can play. I know that before I signed on for my contract, the band was playing almost totally live (except for additional synth tracks and backing vocals). However, the group I was in was tied to the tracks due to the inadequacy of certain musicians.

 

We had books for each production show, plus a general band book for the cocktails and other live sets. Memorization wasn't necessary, but being familiar with the tunes helped. I think if you went on as a solo pianist or lounge group, you'd have to know a metric tonne of tunes.

 

If you're in a great band of cool people, it can be a fun time. If, for whatever reason, you're not happy, it's very difficult to leave work at work, because you live in close quarters with the very co-workers who anger you! The pay is alright but if you're making similar kinds of money "on land," I wouldn't let everything drop for it.

 

Just my $.02.

 

David

[Gary75]

Thanks for the input guys. I think we have to differentiate between the two types of employment on the ships. There is employment in the ships house band where you back any artists that are booked to perform. For instance there was a great jazz clarinet player who came on and the ships big band backed them. Then I saw a run of the mill 4 piece band who were doing a bit of rock/blues, nothing technically good, just clawing at some chords by the swimming pool. I got told I'd have to learn about 150 songs which cover all styles. In the small cabaret band stake, I think you get folks forming bands on land with the purpose of doing these cabaret spots on ships. I don't think any of the cabaret acts sight read, and even if they did they had nothing with them on stage, but like i say, it was only blues/pop/soul anyway!

 

Im going on a two week cruise next weekend. I get withdrawal symptoms from playing especially when I see all the deserted pianos around the ship and I can't use them! I think maybe I will have some conversations with the acts on this cruise.

 

Alternatively, I still have the offer of a job as a deckhand on a submarine.

[stepay]

Don't forget intestinal distress! Viruses that turn your insides to goo are commonly spread on cruise ships.

[linwood]

I've never gone out on the ships, but I've done stuff for the production shows. Lot's of work involved with those. The money was ok. 1k a min. You know how long a show is, do the math.

[bhodaway10]

I contemplated playing on a cruise ship after graduating college. I called in to all of the cruise ships and they had me play for them "over the phone." Basically, they would say "OK - play something w/ changes." "OK play a ballad, etc." Some told me to come down to the LA area and some told me they were going to do an interview where they'd have somebody tape me playing the piano while they were giving me an interview.

 

I ultimately decided not to do it because I wasn't ready to leave the area and I was unsure what would have happened down there. They're still calling me to come in to interview down in LA.

 

 

One of my bass players told me about his experience. He claimed it's nuts - most of the players are on something - uppers/downers/etc. People are getting sent home left and right due to drugs. It's also a wild party - perfect for the single man he claims. =) He did get a pretty good living out of it though - through his contacts, he now flies throughout the region playing as a cover band.

 

B.

 

 

[montunoman]

I took a year off college to do a cruise gig (as a drummer). For me at the time the money was great and I had no expenses/home so I got to save just about all my pay.

 

I got the gig through per luck. Our college jazz band was invited to play as guest. The drummer of the ship's trio was wanting out so the trio's pianist had me sit in and hired me. I had to do the pysicial/drug test thing in LA

 

It's true what Stepay say's about "intestinal distress" I got quite sick a few times.

 

 

[linwood]

Yes, people get sick on ships. These shows had tons of vocals in them. Earl Brown would arr the vox and there was tons of 4 to 6 part harmony going on, a lot of times on the broadway type stuff it was intense. I'd hire singers that could read it/sing it. That's the only way to get the work done. I'd always record "sick tracks" for the leads just in case they couldn't sing one night, the eng. could fly them in.

[Analogaddict]

It's an interesting venue indeed. AFAIK, the wild partying has been toned down a bit in favor of security responsibilities. In my opinion, musicians are NOT optimal for the kind of security thinking needed on a cruise ship...

 

Also, if you're in the caribbean, think of how moist and/or salty it will get and make sure you have a keyboard stand that can handle waves. If there's bad weather ahead, eat bananas and take your motion sickness pill in time. Why bananas, you may wonder. 1. They are easy to eat. 2. They 'stabilize' your stomach. The more food, the less motion sickness. 3. If you do get sick, well, bananas aren't that hard to lose.

[JohnH]

I have 8 years of experience and reports from band mates on other lines.....Ill post back later as this could be a long post......

 

John

[niacin]

I know a few guys who have done it after graduating from their jazz studies. Yes it's great for the single guy. For your audition they will probably send you some charts and then you do an audition over the phone. You absolutely must be able to cover various styles (this is where some folks I know who have auditioned just haven't had their shit together after 3 years of bop). The statements about the cabaret bands are all true but there is an alternative. As a piano player you will find some ships that have solo spots, in the restaurant etc., and while you do have to be somewhat conservative in what you dish up as cocktail music, I know a guy who did it for 6 months after graduation and he came back with great chops, having treated the gig as a chance to do some long-term shredding.

[Dave Horne]

Also, if you're in the caribbean, think of how moist and/or salty it will get and make sure you have a keyboard stand that can handle waves.

 

Re keyboards - I was under the impression from the cruise line I spoke with that they supply the keyboards.

[Gary75]

Yeah I got told there would be keyboards available on ship, but hey, how many of us would want to go into a job and be faced with unfamiliar keyboards when your playing the same day or or day after? Mind you, if there was a weighted controller and synth keyboard, I'd just take my module with me.

[Song80s]

I think its a miserable job

 

The cruise ' novelty ' would wear off quickly. I suppose if you are an alcoholic, you could tolerate 6-10 months on a cruise ship

 

I did a Holland America cruise ( Alaska) last May. The pool band was average, playing the usual pop stuff. I spoke to the keys guy

( he had a Triton). He said they had to commit for 10 months and the pay was low. I also spoke to the piano bar guy on the cruise- he was a heavy drinker.

 

YMWV

[stepay]

The singer in a former band of mine (not recently former -- WAY fomer) used to be a singer on a cruise ship. He loved it. Man that dude has pipes.

[JohnH]

Ok...

 

The jazzy, reading guys go for the orchestra gigs, where reading is required and you will be doing show tunes, guest talent nights, backing up fly on acts, dixieland jazz trios on the promenade, captain's cocktail parties, etc. Non reading, bar rockers like me, take the regular band gigs and do rock, funk disco, country top 40,. I had a great career doing this and did it for way too long. I had some great relationships with women I met, that I never would have otherwise, and made tons great friends who I dearly miss. The only reason I did eight years, was that 6 of them were in my home port, so I could at least go home twice or once a week for a few hours and see my pets, family and have lunch with friend's during their work lunch breaks, as well as pickup mail and tapes of my beloved auto racing and shows I like. I was always totally miserable when I had to port out of Miami and Puerto Rico. The Caribbean is a total bore, over rated with not much to do, sucky rude people...The only good thing about it is conch fritters and great beaches. Mexico was great...all of it. I never got sick of Ensenada and was there twice a week for five years and I still get down there for vacation time as I only live 190 miles away. The waiters still remember what I like to eat and drink...awesome. Towards the end of my run, after 911, they started making us stay on the ship, which is called Port Manning. It totally sucked and the ship truely became a prison. I worked for Carnival. There were more rules and more rules as time went on, with the Port Manning being the last straw. It was good timing though as I had planned to leave in December 2001 so I only had to put up with it for 6 weeks. The best lines to work for?

 

Hands down it's Royal Carribean, they fly you to the gig, 600 a week starting pay, the musicians are treated like guests. They provide gear as well. On Carnival we didn't get any of this, and the pay varied. The worst I heard is Princess and I would advise anybody looking for a cruise ship gig to avoid it at all costs. There are no days off, which you do get on Carnival and Royal Carribbean. My ex band leader is still out there gigging and has worked for several of these other lines. Hope this helps.

 

John

[Steve Force]

JohnH!

[JohnH]

Oh and I should add......I left out one of the most important things. The experience of gigging 6 nights a week, with three different bands and being exposed to tons of music I'd never heard by fellow musicians and playing lots of different songs with a lot of different players has made me a better musician than if I'd just stayed home. I also was finally able to afford some better gear as Id been stuck with a D50 and Juno 106 and a crummy stand for years. I was just an ok keyboardist/singer/guitarist when I started and when I finished I was a true pro, proficient and seasoned at all three instruments as well as a sequencing expert.

 

John

[Gary75]

John, I thank you for your time writing that, a nice insight. I did like the Princess Cruise insight. I was offered a 4 month contract last year, but it was to replace someone else at short notice, and i just couldnt learn 150 songs in a month, some may be able to, but i couldnt do it personally. That was with Princess Cruises. Im based in the UK and it was a Carribean stint. I was on the Sea Princess over christmas/new year 2005 and i found the entertainment to be good although the festive entertainment was poor as they had a policy not to push xmas on other religions that were on board that did'nt celebrate. But I mean, come on, the whole reason to go on a christmas cruise is to enjoy the festive season on a ship!

 

Royal Carribean? Yes I have had great reports from just the being a passanger side of things.

[C.J. Lewis]

Well, I go on cruises all the time for my holidays, and along the way I have seen some great bands and some not so great. I'd like to get into that arena and was wondering how you go about approaching it? Is it all it's cracked up to be? I've seen everthing from top notch jazz big bands to duos. There was a great band on the Princess cruise ship I was on a couple of years ago in the Caribbean, Matt Best Big Band if I remember rightly!

 

Who do you approach and what rules and regulations is there in this arena?

 

b3boy,

 

My experience is many years old - I did a Carnival gig after my 2nd year of college in the Eastern Carribean. The ship was called 'The Festivale', a retired U.S. Navy vessel conversion (or so I heard).

 

Honestly, all of the stories of clean bill of health and illegal drug use are true - we lost more than one band leader to the green stuff that grows free in Dominica. Personally never had use for the stuff, so I was free of that.

 

My take on the gig? Definitely a job for a single guy or gal with the ability to travel for long periods. Contracts are preferred, I somehow got on w/o a contract because I get the feeling they were under a time constraint to get someone on NOW!

 

Since I was a solo act, I can't say too much about the band experience. I know the band read from real books a lot of the time, and backed up the talent show and fly on acts (as has been discussed), and they seemed to have more time on task than I did. I literally only worked 9:30pm-midnight every night but Thursday (off). Tuesday and Friday, I did the Captain's cocktail party from 5-7, and that was it...19 hours for $350 a week. Now, that was 1991, and I was only 18-19 years old and had no debts or expenses. I heard rumours that the guys on Princess made $1k/week and better, but I never did confirm that. I'm sure it was dependent on experience and the deal you worked.

 

Pros:

 

* Ratio of women to men in 1991 on Carnival was roughly 5:1

* Kawai 6'11" Artist Grand (I forget the model #)

* Ms. America pageant visited the boat one week, sat in my bar

* Free drinks (I wasn't really a drinker, but I sure got to try a bunch of foofy drinks!)

* Completely free during the day (my experience, anyway)

* Very few expenses

* Girls, girls, girls

* Beautiful scenery on the islands (and the view was great, too!)

* St. John's / Megan's Bay...wow!

* The food is exceptional

* You're on a cruise ship...playing music...with great food...and lots of single women...get free drinks...while visiting beautiful ports of call...

 

Cons:

 

* ...?

 

I'm sure there are some, but I can't really think of any right now?!? Call me idealistic, but I had a stellar time!

[shariblake]

Ivorycj, now I want to go play music on a cruise!!!

[Nancy Hutagalung]

Helpful thread, everyone! I had considered this sort of opportunity, and then nixed the idea, but I'm sort of thinking about it--well, sort of.

[Dave Pierce]

I know a trumpet player who does the cruise ship thing, and he loves it. Says that it's the perfect gig for a single man.

 

In fact, now that I think about it, I haven't seen Manny in a while. I'm guessing he's back out on a ship somewhere!

 

He says you do have to read, and that if your sight-reading isn't flawless, you'd better prep too. The leaders he's worked for have very little tolerance for even the slightest flubbing of parts, in rehearsal or otherwise.

 

--Dave

 

[ELP71]

Never done a cruise but know plenty of guys who have. Just like any gig, find the right venue...or get to know someone who is connected to the industry if you want to make some real money.

 

I have heard (and it seems to be true) that the solo piano guys have the sweetest gigs, even moreso if you can do the pianist/singer thing. Mad tips, I hear.