bassjim Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 well as the heading says................have you done this and if so would you do it again or would you rather cut your hands off???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenadilla Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 It is a torture with no escape... You can't leave when you finish playing. (unless you swim for freedom) Imagine a night club that made you sleep on the dance floor (on a lumpy mattress). Yes, I would do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) The thing that puts me off... (asides from the sort of music I'd have to play ) is that I very much doubt you'd get a private cabin and so you'd end up sharing your only personal space (and bathroom) with some lumbering neanderthall snoring and farting his way through the night... Edited September 16, 2015 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Not a problem for me. I'm sure that I could, if necessary, out-snore and out-fart any neanderthal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBob09 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Currently doing it, on my third contract. I'll try and be as unbiased and informative as possible. Pay: Roughly $2,000 per month Gig: 2 production shows, a few "headliner" shows - these guys come on, hand out the music on the day, you rehearse an hour then do two shows that night. A couple of jazz sets a week. A couple of big band sets. Food: Fully paid for - But trust me, you'll be off in every port for food and beers. Crew bar: $2 beer these days. $3 hard liquor. Social life: Pretty good. Everyone's on the same boat. 'Scuse the pun. You'll make friends. You'll pull women. Contract length: 7 months is pretty standard. You'll always have the opportunity to get off in all the ports. Depending on where your run is depends on whether or not you'd want to get off though. I've worked with great bands and sh*t bands on ships. I've worked for great MD's and sh*t MD's. On some of the very biggest ships - in Royal Caribbean ships, Oasis, Allure, Quantum and Anthem, orchestra members get single cabins. They're tiny but they're yours therefore, they're great. Most other ships, you're sharing with another dude. Sometimes a musician, sometimes someone else from the entertainment division. Personally, I prefer to share with a non muso. It means they're out the cabin more and stuff. Apart from that, a good place to spend a lot of time by yourself in the shed if that's your bag. Few people do this though and that's why the orchestras sound so sh*t (some of them). Anything else you want to know, PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 thanks for your replies so far (andybob09 espsecially) as you have obviously actually done this for real. Any one else thats done this or is right now doing it Id welcome your opinions. For any one that hasnt ; although I appreciate your thoughts on how you would approach it if you were to ect I'm really only looking for the advise of those in the know, or maybe you know someone who has told you all about it. the more feedback from you shippys the better. fanks very muchos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBob09 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Oh, and reading is a MUST. The good MD's will fire you if you can't read very well. The bad ones will keep you in the orchestra but every other muso will hate you because you can't read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Clayton Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I did cruise ship work back in 1997 - 1998. It was fun and a great way to see the world. I won't go into too much detail as AndyBob09 has covered it well in the posts above, but I certainly don't regret doing it. Anyone who wants to do it should not underestimate how good their reading needs to be - mine was good when I started and after a fair few bollockings from the MD, got A LOT better VERY QUICKLY! Your jazz playing needs to be up to scratch too - not so much soloing, but certainly walking competently and knowing all the main standards to a good level. Again, I wasn't great at this to begin with, but I was in the shed most days doing what needed to be done. I always encourage my students to pursue it. It's a great way of whipping your playing into shape and seeing the world along the way. I always tell my students that being able to read music has taken me all around the world - cruise ships, tours etc. If that's not enough to persuade someone to learn to read, then nothing is! I wouldn't do it again now, but only due to the fact that I am married and have work that I enjoy on dry land. There's a time and place for cruise work I think, and it's when you're young and single! (No disrespect intended to older musicians who still do it, I certainly understand the appeal) Stuart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) Yes, have done many in the past (when the money was better)....Lol. Pretty much all what Andy and Stuart said above. I did a few long stints when I was younger, Caribbean and World Cruises etc. A great way to save money quickly and does wonders for your playing. I mainly did the show/Orchestra gigs and a few Jazz trio sets, and the standard was pretty high. I was fortunate enough to get the tail end of the P&O gigs as well, where you could just do two week depping in the production show band, Cruising around the Med, Canary Islands etc (In and out of Southampton). Social life was good (great in fact), single or shared cabin was dependant on what company or ship it was. Met my wife on a cruise thirty years ago. She was a singer dancer in the show I was backing. Up and down the South American Riveria for six months. That cruise was particulary good, because we used to get two over nights in Rio and two in Buenos Aires as well. And we got to eat with the passengers and use their bars, I am pretty sure that doesn't happen these days. We have very fond memories of that gig...lol... I have done my stint and loved it, but I wouldn't do it again. If you are young, I would highly recommend it. Certainly a way to get your playing, reading and busking chops together, and get to see the World. Edited September 16, 2015 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dand666 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) Hi Jim, Just about to leave Fri morn for my 4th contract on Princess. Off to Hawaii and west coast of USA till xmas. PM for any questions if you like. My wage is a lot higher, over $3200 a month. Probably because I'm in the party band. Oh and Andy, it's $1 a beer on Princess hehe. Edited September 16, 2015 by dand666 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 I never played on cruise ships but I worked as a lighting and sound engineer for a Thomson Gold hotel in Greece. It was very similar (I'm told by the players that had done both) to cruise work but obviously you are not confined so much during down time. I played a few shows on bass to cover sickness but I wasn't sharp enough to consider doing it full time and my reading is poor. It's another option if the cruise thing isnt right for you. I enjoyed my role hugely and the musicians all seemed happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Sounds like you might need to take plenty of strings with you. It's not like you can just nip out to the local music shop like you would on a tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dand666 Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 [quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1442419171' post='2866849'] Sounds like you might need to take plenty of strings with you. It's not like you can just nip out to the local music shop like you would on a tour. [/quote] You can get off at every port, and there's usually a music shop in most towns :-) But you're right, best to take a few packs with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Take some pliers and you can pinch them from the piano ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1442406761' post='2866710'] I'm sure that I could, if necessary, out-snore and out-fart any neanderthal. [/quote] That's snoring and farting talk where I come from, pardner! (Western Europe, about 40,000 years ago) Edited September 16, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Right, you, outside! Prawn Madras and a bottle of Cobra at ten paces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1442427643' post='2866926'] Right, you, outside! Prawn Madras and a bottle of Cobra at ten paces. [/quote] I already AM outside. Frozen solid in a glacier, in fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 What's the taxation situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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