timrocker Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 HI all, I am just curious if there are any players posting here who have done the cruise ship musician thing. I am curious where they went, for how long, and what it was like both on board and in port. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I'm kinda thinking on sending a demo pack off to Carnival at some point. I'd like to get my original CD done first. I'm at that point in my life, y'know... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Y'know, I'd like to know more about the typical audition requirements and prerequisites, myself... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I've met some - the money's good, but you have other crew duties when not playing, in many cases, so it's not about playing for a couple of hours and going off to do your own thing - you put in lots of hours performing other tasks on the ship. Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Bluesape: you put in lots of hours performing other tasks on the ship. Such as? Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Cabin boy? Aye captian!! Arrrr. Avast ye scurvy dogs. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Pappy Blue: Cabin boy? Aye captian!! Arrrr. Avast ye scurvy dogs. Arrr, right ye are, Pappy Blue. Right ye are. Avast ye scurvy landlubbers! Came to play did ye? Arrrr... go swab the deck with yer tongues 'ere I deck the mizzenmast with yer worthless carcasses!!! Har har har!! Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 The pirate alphabet; Aye...arrr...ayyy.... Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 They use the "R" alot because they sound like sissies when they say "Heyyy" with a lisp. That doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts. Seriously though. If they didn't put me to work on a cruise ship, I'd be tempted to load up on the tons of good food and limitless alcohol they provide. I saw a show on the travel or food channel. It showed the amount of food and drink they load onto that ship. Truly amazing. Biggest concern though: They might make you wear a sequined shirt. If you gain weight on the cruise, they may make you pay for a bigger shirt. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Pappy Blue: They use the "R" alot because they sound like sissies when they say "Heyyy" with a lisp. Arrr! Blast ye, I cannae say "heyyy" with a lithp no matter how hard I be tryin'. It's keelhaulin' fer ye, mark me words! Seriously though... how DO you say "heyyy" with a lisp? Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Gug Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I just went on a small cruise as a passenger and found out that the crews get pretty small quarters except for the ones with talent. The talent gets bigger more desireable quarters (sleeping quarters!... I could see you guys going for the "Add Reply" button). And I don't want to brag, but on my cruise was probably the world's BEST-known bass player EVER. Seen by more people than ANY other bass player in the world! You guessed it right, DANNY PARTRIDGE! AKA Danny Bonaducci. Mikegug www.facebook.com/theresistancemusic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 OT again: Why didn't the village people have a pirate? You're right Vince. You can't say hey with a lisp. I need a paper towel for my screen after trying. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 http://www.spongezone.net/patchybio.jpg now there is a cool pirate! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Pappy Blue: OT again: Why didn't the village people have a pirate?Good question. I have no idea why gays aren't into pirates. Though I'm sure there's a massive straight line there somewhere (no pun intended. OTOH, judging by the covers of some women's novels, there's a certain type of woman that absolutely adores the ole pirates. Originally posted by Pappy Blue: You're right Vince. You can't say hey with a lisp. I need a paper towel for my screen after trying. Yeah, I gave it a try here at work and besides getting stared at by my boss, nothing happened. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ross Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I went on an Alaskan cruise, and judging by (most of) the talent, it's got to be a piece of cake to get those gigs. There was one lounge act on this cruise that was so bad, I felt bad for them. I'd imagine that you have to sign up for a minimum amount of time. @guitarzan-- Patchy rules! It's not simple to be simple. -H. Matisse Ross Precision Guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Guitarzan: now there is a cool pirate! Another "skull and bones" member, I see. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 http://www.geocities.com/bbirdmusic/cf-picture.jpg Now here's a pirate for ye. Captain Feathersword is a friendly pirate who has a feather for a sword, which he uses to tickle everyone. He is a jovial character that loves to cook, dance and sing with his crew on his sailing ship "The Good Ship Feathersword". Those of you with kids or from Australia will recognize Captain Feathersword from the all time best kids band: The Wiggles. They actually write some good songs. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 pirates are cool for sure, but right now i feel like running with the romance novel thing..here ya go.. http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/mcmullet.jpg http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 That's Mel Gibson from Brave Heart. no fair, no fair. The only time mullets are cool is if Mel G. wears them. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Originally posted by Pappy Blue: The Wiggles. They actually write some good songs. Back in the 1980s they used to be a fairly succesful chart band called The Cockroaches. My favourite pirate story is about Blackbeard, who was playing cards with his two mates (1st and 2nd) and in the middle of the game he pulled out pistols and shot both of them in the legs. When they brokenly asked "what d-did you d-do that for?" he replied "Arr... If I hadnae shot ye, ye'd be forgetting who I AM!" Great story, but I'm glad it's in a history book and not in my real life. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Anywayyyy... what "other duties" are you expected to perform as a band on a cruise ship? Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyBlues Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I worked on the SS Norway (Ahrrr, shizzle me nizzle!) back in '81 as a contractor installing sound and lighting equipment, but I was only on the ship for a few weeks. Couple of my buddies went to work for the ship full time and did that for a year or so. The one thing that gets to you is being on the ship all the time and not having the freedom to take off and do something else. I guess you'd have to see what kind of contract you sign, maybe some ships you work a few weeks then get a week or two off so you can escape the ship, but maybe not. I'd say if claustrophobia is even a minor issue for you, might want to pass. L.B. I was born at night but I wasn't born last night... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Does anyone really want to know about this or are you all just doing pirate imitations? Frankly, I can't tell you what you want to know. I can direct you to the answers, however. We produce cruise ship shows for Celebrity Cruises on 6 or their ships. We work with their entertainment department on concept, develop theme and song choices, build sets, props and costumes, record tracks to accompany live musicians, and cast and rehearse the vocal and dancer talent every 6 months. We now design the lighting although technicians are hired by Celebrity. Which brings us to musicians. Musicians are hired through Pro-ship Entertainment. They hire musicians for other cruise lines as well. We have no dealings with them, so I can't help you from here other than to provide their contact information. Pro-ship Entertainment 5253 Decarie Boulevard Suite 308 Montreal, Quebec H3W 3C2 Canada info@proship.com http://www.proship.com/ Visit their website for information on auditions. You won't likely make much money, but if you're single and have no bills or debts on land you can have a great time travelling to places you might not otherwise ever have the chance of visiting. Some lines require musicians to do duties, others do not. The duties our dancers have to perform include acting as tour guides, librarians in the ship's library, teaching dance lessons and providing some entertainment outside the confines of the theater. Good luck! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 BTW - Just saw the previous poster. Typical contract is 6 months on Celebrity, although I don't know it's an absolute. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCustom Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 After the band I had been in for 9 years broke up, I tried the cruise ship gig back in the late 80s. The pay wasn't actually very good (about $325 a week IIRC). This was the Carribean cruise circuit (Miami, St. Thomas, Bahamas). And they do put you to work. Generally, we worked with the purser doing passenger services (delivering things to cabins, etc.). You also aren't allowed to "fraternize" with the passengers since we were "crew". But since you play two or three shows a night the other duties were light. We were also allowed to sleep late because our last (third) show ended at 2AM. The set lists were written by the entertainment director, I think -- at least he gave them to us -- some were truly awful. The lighting, staging (sets and decor), sound and everything else is controlled by the cruise line. We were expected to bring our own instruments and effects but amplifiers, cables, microphones, etc. were provided. We were given chits to use for meals and drinks. But anything above what those covered, we had to pay for. The quarters weren't the smallest on the ship (we bunked in "officer country", but they didn't compare at all the passengers' quarters (crew quarters are below the waterline). Only the Captain, XO, First Lieutenant and ship's doctor rated "nice" private cabins. Everyone else had to share quarters. I worked one six month gig and had enough. I don't recommend it unless you're single and can deal with not being able to "fraternize" with the passengers. Born on the Bayou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 Originally posted by LPCustom77: The set lists were written by the entertainment director, I think -- at least he gave them to us -- some were truly awful. How many songs do you have to know in order to get the job? I guess you must have to be pretty much a jukebox? Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCustom Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 Originally posted by Vince C.: Originally posted by LPCustom77: The set lists were written by the entertainment director, I think -- at least he gave them to us -- some were truly awful. How many songs do you have to know in order to get the job? I guess you must have to be pretty much a jukebox? One of the things we had to fill out was a form with songs on a list that we knew (check the box if you know this one and can PLAY/SING it). This was at the audition. Lots of papers to fill out afterward. Two weeks prior to our first cruise, they gave out charts for everything. We were then given those two weeks for rehearsals (at full pay fortunately). You _had_ to be able to play from charts. Just remember this was a _cruise ship_ band back in the days when Lawrence Welk was still on the air. NOT a rock band. No guitar solos. In fact, none of the music was guitar centered. About half the band was brass. We even had violins. I played my ES-335 the whole time. I was the only guitarist (bleh ) and most of the band members acted like I was a typhoid carrier. I played the guitar solo from "Starship Troopers" by Yes during one rehearsal onboard ship and everyone just stared at me. The band leader (yes, we had one of _those_) just looked at me and said, "are you done?". I was bored out of my mind. I didn't realize until after I signed on that this was the kind of band I was signing on for. (I left right after I did my audition and was one of the first to play). Most of the passengers were older than my parents. Although some did bring their daughters ( -- look but don't touch) or sons with them. Born on the Bayou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timrocker Posted September 15, 2005 Author Share Posted September 15, 2005 Yargh! Pirates Rock! I wanted to grow up to be one when I was a wee sliver. Imagine my disappointment to learn that the golden age of piracy was hundreds of years gone. Well, I see that some of our people have had experience at the cruise ship thing. I think from the description that I could stand it for exactly four months, if it was in the Carib. Or Mexico, Pacific side. I wouldn't mind doing a little extra labor here and there if it wasn't bogus. Tedster: Let's put together a band and go do the Bahamas trip this winter. I'm kidding. No I'm not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted September 15, 2005 Share Posted September 15, 2005 LPCustom77- maybe it's a good time for you to return to the High-Seas and High-C's... (Thanks for the link and info, Neil) From the Pro-Ship Entertainment 'site: "The Job: Due to recent changes in the cruise industry, cruise lines are starting to use more guitarists in their show bands. The purpose of this change is to move towards a more contemporary sounding unit (More like the David Letterman Band, Saturday Night Live Band or the Jay Leno Band type of sound). New requirements for these instrumentalists are excellent knowledge of the contemporary styles and grooves. The Guitar Player-position demands a good knowledge of Jazz as well as of all styles (comping and soloing) where the guitar is a predominant sound: Rock`n Roll, Pop, Motown, Country. Be ready to join with a guitar and effects that allow you to cover all of these styles (bring 2 guitars if needed). A good memorized repertoire of the above styles is also needed. Excellent sight-reading is also required. Short, neat hair is compulsory. You must display an exemplary attitude and presentation at all times. Conversational English and pleasant disposition is required." Now, no way am I prepared or qualified- right now- but my working up to this is actually within the scope of feasible possibilty. Certainly more readily attained than the qualifications to pass an audition for one of the US Military bands! Hmmmnn, food for thought... even just working towards being able to realistically audition for such a cruise-ship gig, and not actually following through and applying, would vastly improve one's musicianship (ehrr, I know how it looks, but, for real, no-pun-intended there... !!)... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted September 15, 2005 Share Posted September 15, 2005 Originally posted by CaevanO'Shite: LPCustom77- maybe it's a good time for you to return to the High-Seas and High-C's... (Thanks for the link and info, Neil) From the Pro-Ship Entertainment 'site: "The Job: Due to recent changes in the cruise industry... I saw a bit on the news the other night about how cruise ships are preparing to go the way of airlines and offer bargain basement but completely no frills cruises. Apparently you get a discount if you clean your own cabin. THAT sort of thing. I guess a knowledge of rap and nu metal might come in handy for some of these cruises. Maybe some Toby Keith too. Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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