More Cruise Ship gigs:

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

'Some talk of Cruise Ship gigs lately.

Here is an interesting site:
http://www.cruisegigs.com/

Leroy Riggs · From: Looney Tunes, R.I.P.

These cruise gigs have always interested me but I've never looked into them. Maybe I will.

Two years ago, the war wagon and I went on a Mexican Riviera cruise for 10 days. It didn't take me long to find the night club and there, I found a 4-piece variety band from the Philippines that was one of the best I've heard in any venue. They sounded like a 5-6 piece.

One would have to compete with the bands from countries such as the Philippines where they get much less money. I'm not sure how well they pay but I think I'm looking into it.

B. Greg Jones · From: Middleport, Ohio USA

Let me put my 2 cents worth in here. I can't speak for all cruise lines but I did a 13 week haul on Carnival, sailing out of Port Canaveral to the Bahamas, several years ago. Was out to sea in the middle of Hurricane Aaron. That storm tossed us around like a canoe in whitewater rapids. For a musician, the Carnival jobs aint that great. Lota things I could tell ya all but too long to post. If any of you are interested in a job with Carnival, feel free to email me and I will give you all the details.

Greg

Skip Cole · From: North Mississippi

I don't float well at all, and i'm alergic to icebergs

, but it sounds interesting.

------------------
"I Can Only Imagine"

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

I'm on the same page as Mr. Jones here. I've worked a few cruise ships in my youth and let me tell you it aint like the "Love Boat". NO mingling with the passengers allowed!

I suppose if you were a 21 year old unemployed trombone player, it might be cool.
Usually you have to move from stage to stage located on different locations on the ship a few times a day. As a steel player, that is no fun at all. The musicians are definitely considered third class passengers and usually have to bunk up together in tiny cabins way down in the bilge next to some pretty suspicious and scary crew members who are probably runnin from the law in their home countries. Have I painted a purdy picture?

One thing for sure though, you WILL gain a few pounds. If you can get a short term gig on "theme" cruises like Country or Jazz etc., that's the way to go. You'll usually get a room with a porthole then. One time I got to play some gigs with Ferlin Husky and Billy Walker on a cruise.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Being a person that has problems with authority and rules, I think I'll pass on it. From what I've heard it makes a job with the older national act with all the rules mentioned a month ago, seem like a summer at Ken Keasey's farm. Similar are the riverboat gigs. Quarantine from passengers, and quarters issues.

In that vein, a national act that I know has had a problem making his gigs to the point of being dropped by Sony. The answer? A Celebrity Cruise.

I wonder if he made the whole gig without taking swim for it..

Besides, who can actually read music....

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 09 October 2004 at 11:34 AM.]

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

Some years ago we played the Beverly Hillcrest hotel in Beverly Hills for two weeks.

Not much different than a cruise ship I guess. At the end of the set we were consigned to the kitchen, or a little area on the outside patio where no one could see us. At 12 stories up it was a great view even for us no-accounts. While playing we'd get applause and requests, but for God's sake don't mingle with the guests.

At least we could head back into the valley and sleep in our own beds.

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

My band was asked to play at a wedding reception at a big, expensive country club in Raleigh. The bass and sax man were standing around in their coats and ties, waiting for the bride and groom to arrive and someone from the club came up and told them they'd have to wait outside "BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T MEMBERS". Those guys didn't tell me about it until a couple of weeks later- and it's a good thing they didn't because I'd have been ballistic. That's about the most stupid thing I've ever heard. If whoever-it-was had said that to me, I'd have said "make me". That's absurd. I don't mind loading in through the kitchen and not sampling the buffet (unless invited,)etc... but there comes a point when it's just too much. Let whoever-it-was explain to the bride why her band's not there!

I also played a gig on Baldhead Island where we had to drive to the dock in Southport, load all our gear onto little push-carts that were then in turn loaded onto the ferry. Then we rode the ferry out to the island, and we offloaded all the gear onto little motorized trollies that carried us to the stage. Then we had to do it again, in reverse, after the gig. It was nuts. It took all day and was three times the work. I can imagine that the cruise line gigs are a lot like that. I would've been glad to do it at 18- at 49 it doesn't appeal!

Rick

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Rough experiences noted above. My recent cruise ship experience was very pleasant...we could mingle and talk with the passengers and the sound crew went out of their way to make our shows go well...it was a great experience. I guess it all depends upon the Line ...

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

I think it depend's more on what duty and what degree of indentured servitude you sign up for. If you were just doing a one off George, I'm sure that it was more just like an extended casual with perks. Of course maybe the Aloha Spirit really does exist on the boats around the islands.

B. Greg Jones · From: Middleport, Ohio USA

Well folks, working for Carnival, here is how it is. We were "Cruise Staff", which meant nothing but being at our "muster station" for boat drill. Our cabins were small, on the 2nd deck, no portholes, no carpet. Dont drop yer soap in the shower and try to pick it up without yer butt hitting the sink or doorknob!!! We were not allowed to socialize at all with the passengers, eat in their dining rooms, sit at the bar, or dance. We got Prime Rib sometimes for dinner. It was fried prime rib. The reason it was fried was because it was LEFTOVER FROM THE PASSENGER MEAL THE NIGHT BEFORE. We also had to play on the top deck, outside while ported in Nassau 2 nights a week. In the Bahamas there are no warnings for an oncoming thunderstorm (although the ship had dopler radar), they would still make us play. My Mullen D-10 took a couple of saltwater baths. You have to keep an eye on your gear or it will end up missing too.

When we ported at Canaveral at 7:00am, you were awoken to the sound of the US Customs officers with the drug dogs going through the crew cabins. Kinda tough on a picker that keeps late hours dontcha think?

There were 947 crew members on the particular ship that I was on. Only 35 were Americans. Alot of the crew could not speak any English and most of them worked for little or next to nothing. For some of them, they were happy to be away from their economically poor country. Some worked for room and board and tips.

I did make a few friends and there was some fun to be had, but not much. They will work your butt off. The food got so bad towards the end of the haul that I was putting ketchup on everything just to choke it down. I can remember talking to my mother one afternoon and she asked what I would like for a home cooked meal when I got back home. I told her " Mom, I would give anything for a bologna sandwich!!!! She had a fresh pound waiting on me when I walked through the door!!! LOL

I am only speaking of MY experience with just this one cruise line.I am sure there are better conditions for musicians on other cruise lines and some of you have had pleasant experiences working cruises. Would I do it again? Sure, but not on Carnival and not for 13 weeks straight

Sorry for the long post,

Greg

Steve Gorman · From: Gilroy California

Sometimes travel agencies book those musical dance cruises. Last year we did a short 4 day cruise to Catalina and Ensenada and we worked for the travel company, not Carnival directly. So we kinda got the best of both worlds. We played twice a day, at 2 PM and 8 PM, and the rest of the time we were free to roam around, EAT, and be merry. The bass player's amp was damaged by Carnival, though, and he had a heck of a time getting them to admit it and take care of it. All in all, it was great fun, and we are booked again this December. The pay? Free cruise, that's it.

Steve Gorman

Dag Wolf · From: Bergen, Norway

I`ve done a few cruises over the years. We always tell that we are to be treated like passengers. All areas are open for us and eating first class for free of course.

The east european bands that work for a month each time are not allowed to be at the passengers side of the ship. They make good money if you compare it to what the will make in their nativ country.

I would not take the gig if I couldn`t get to be around the other passengers. Many times people book their cruise after they see who`s gonna play onboard. We meet a lot of fans there and I think it`s cool to finally have time to sit down and talk to people.

Next cruise are coming up in November and takes us from the beautiful town of Bergen down the coastline and then over to Denmark.
5 piece band who are good friends so I look forward to a good time onboard.

Dag

[This message was edited by Dag Wolf on 11 October 2004 at 02:51 AM.]

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Forum Index > Steel Players		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: