davey_one_visits Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Has anyone ever worked on one? Did you have a positive experience? What kind of music did you play? What skills do you require? i.e sight reading How often did you work? Did it pay well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 [quote name='davey_one_visits' post='1241453' date='May 23 2011, 12:27 PM']Has anyone ever worked on one? Did you have a positive experience? What kind of music did you play? What skills do you require? i.e sight reading How often did you work? Did it pay well?[/quote] Im am about to start on one for P&O in june for 5 weeks (a trial period as we've never done this before). Our stuff is straight out rock/pop/soul in a 3 piece. As they're taking on a band we won't be doing any sight reading (thankfully!) and we're not very good at it. As far as I know we'll be playing 7 nights a week with the days to our selves. We get fed, accommodation, PA on board with full back line. and of course pay as well. I can keep you informed if you'd like. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) [quote name='davey_one_visits' post='1241453' date='May 23 2011, 12:27 PM']Has anyone ever worked on one? Did you have a positive experience? What kind of music did you play? What skills do you require? i.e sight reading How often did you work? Did it pay well?[/quote] Quite a few in the past. Ranging from two weeks to six months. Great experience [for me] Toured the world and met Musicians from all over the world. Every thing from Disco/Pop/Jazz through to working in the Pit for shows & turns. Reading & busking skills [knowing plenty of tunes] Worked nearly every night - getting the odd night off in ports that had over night stays. The P&O cruises at that time payed very well - it was MU contracted, so you were paid extra on top of your wages if you went over hours... IE extra show rehearsals, extra performances etc + plus you got holiday pay. Not every ones cup of tea, i was in my very early 20's and straight out of Music collage, so i was up for it. I also did a couple for American companies out of Miami and just going around the Caribbean - that was fantastic. Hours you work depend on the gig you do - if you are in one of the Bar trio/bands you can be working day times as well as the evening. Different companies all have different schedules for the Musos - and the dosh can go from good to terrible. [board, food and flights included of course] For me it got my chops & ears together - but for some they just drank till they dropped, everything passed them by, Then spent the rest of their lives moaning how crap cruises are. If you get a chance - at least try it once. Garry Edited May 23, 2011 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Iv heard of the drinking thing alot! Our contract states that we are not allowed to drink any alcohol at all on board. Nor are we allowed to get drunk when ported and get back on the ship, if we do we get left at the port to make our own way home! Its not a problem for me as I don't drink really. Do it, itll be fun! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 We got asked to play starting in Rome and ending in Rio last Xmas but we declined. I've been a little reluctant because I don't think the money was as good as it could have been and I'm almost certain you won't get to see as much as you'd think doing it. Also I'm very aware I don't want to make a career from playing ships, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've done short sea. It isn't the playing, it is everything else but the music... If you are dipping your toes in..take a short trip to see whether you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've done quite a few cruises and like Garry saw it as a chance to travel the world Med, Caribbean, South America, U.S, Far East, Middle East, India etc etc I have been quite lucky in that I was offered a lot of cruises when I left college but was always working enough to feel that the pay wasn't quite attractive enough (I realise I'm lucky to be able to say that) but then the act I am a regular member of started working for various cruise lines as guest entertainers. The pay is massively better, you get passenger cabins and privileges, you only ever do 1 show (but twice for 2 different dinner sittings) and maybe a ten minute spot in the variety show at the end. I've been on 2 week stints of a number of world cruises and done loads of short (6 day) med and Gibralter/Portugal/Canaries type things too. Most recent one was in April for Olsen from Malta to Southampton, and we are in line for some disney med and caribbean later in the year. as a bar band or in the theatre band the work demand is much much higher and the contracts are likely to be longer... but there are several benefits if you don't drink yourself to death, namely seeing the world and dancers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I know there is a distinction between Cruise ships and ferries, but this thread reminds of a trip to Europe I made last year. Got the ferry between Newcastle and Ijmudin. Sea on the way over - flat as a plate. Bar band on most of the night. Trip back was awful. Ship was pitching and rolling badly. Looked out the back window of the lounge and one minute you saw only sky and the next only sea. The band were, rather impressively, still trying to play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey_one_visits Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 Cheers for all the responses. I may have an opportunity in the summer holidays which I think I'll take. Pietruska I would like to hear about your experience as it sounds like I am doing something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soliloquy Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) I've done a few, I've found that one leads to another and so on. The last one as at Christmas, I had a phone call on the Sunday before Christmas, and had to be in Southampton the following morning at 11am. This was in all that terrible snow. Good sight reading skills are a must, and you need to be confident in busking too. I've found it to be a bit 'hi de hi' 'ish. I don't really like it too much. You do get plenty of free time in the days, it actually gets quite boring after a bit. There's plenty of opportunity for sightseeing when you're in port. Edited May 25, 2011 by Soliloquy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 [quote name='davey_one_visits' post='1244091' date='May 25 2011, 11:51 AM']Cheers for all the responses. I may have an opportunity in the summer holidays which I think I'll take. Pietruska I would like to hear about your experience as it sounds like I am doing something similar.[/quote] Not a problem. As Soliloquy has said, it leads to other work. Thats pretty much why we're doing it, we'd rather play the hotels in China and such and it looks like we have some work over there to. They're better pay and you're better looked after from the sounds of things. ie Instead of 2 of you sharing a 2 birth cabin, its a 5* Room each. But you have to start somewhere. Which ferry are you going to be working? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey_one_visits Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 [quote name='pietruszka' post='1245280' date='May 26 2011, 10:11 AM']Not a problem. As Soliloquy has said, it leads to other work. Thats pretty much why we're doing it, we'd rather play the hotels in China and such and it looks like we have some work over there to. They're better pay and you're better looked after from the sounds of things. ie Instead of 2 of you sharing a 2 birth cabin, its a 5* Room each. But you have to start somewhere. Which ferry are you going to be working? Dan[/quote] I'm not sure yet a friend of mine is waiting for some dates to come back. I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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