When first getting involved as a professional, a lot of previously amateur musicians don’t think too hard about what the future might hold for them. The excitement over passing an audition and being selected as a band member is exciting enough that for the first little while, the novelty of playing consistently and being paid for it is enough to float on. The songs you are playing feel new and interesting, you are still learning about your band mates and their personal styles, and you are loving the energy you get from playing in front of a crowd.
Flash ahead 5 or 6 months. The songs you are playing are far from new at this point. In fact, the nightly set list may have changed very little. Not only are you tired of playing and hearing the same songs night after night, but you are starting to catch yourself daydreaming during a set while your hands and fingers just mechanically go through the necessary motions. You barely even take the time to listen to the contributions of your musical companions anymore – why bother? At this point, you know it all by heart. more info
Note: Robert Pratt joined the Cunard Queen Victoria on Nov. 17 and will occasionally post notes from his experiences onboard. He currently plays the alto chair in the Queen’s Room Orchestra, and he also blogs at his personal website, wordandsound.com.
Once all the paperwork has been submitted and I’ve packed to join a new ship, my worries turn toward my cabin mate. All cruise ship musicians share a room, though longtimers who have done many contracts sometimes get a bonus single room. That’s a rare exception to the rule and only applies to the largest ships. more info
Only eight days after Princess inaugurated Ruby Princess, Celebrity held their festivities for their newest ship, Celebrity Solstice.
If you’ve been reading this blog, you’re not new to Solstice as we’ve documented its features in several posts. The “lawn club” seems to have drawn quite some attention, and lately some of that has turned negative. Some guests seem to think that having fresh grass under your toes isn’t a good substitute for more sunbeds. more info
You may ask yourself what this has to do with music on cruise ships and what the big deal is?
Well, it is not a big deal and yet it is. We at Oceanbound Entertainment Inc. believe that all of us ought to pitch in to reverse some of the harm that has been done to our planet. We consider these thousand trees only the beginning of our commitment and we’ll keep you informed on future developments.
Cruise ships pollute the air and do some harm to our oceans even though cruise lines are working hard to minimize their negative impact. The cruise industry is doing well in part because passengers want to enjoy pristine beaches, fresh air and the magnificent sea creatures that inhabit our oceans. If we can keep it that way our future generations will be thankful and our business will benefit greatly.
Trees for the future is the company that is planting trees around the world with your donations. They are doing a marvellous job and we commend them for their work.
Part of playing in a band on a cruise ship means that you will find yourself playing a lot of other people’s music. In fact, it’s rare to encounter a situation where you will actually be encouraged to play your own original pieces. Audiences on vacation are there to hear a familiar tune that they can groove, relax or get down to. As such, your set list is probably going to be filled with popular songs or old standards.
Now, some people might be discouraged by this reality. After all, many musicians are creative people who love to write as much as play. However, playing covers and standards doesn’t mean that you can’t inject your own creativity into each and every track. more info
It’s happened to almost any professional musician – you plug in at a new venue and are treated to a wall of noise and hum from your amps and speakers. It’s frustrating, and of course the sound engineers on site are rarely willing to admit that their building is feeding you dirty power, no matter how often you tell them that this never occurs at home.
In fact, at smaller gigs the organizers might not be music professionals themselves, and might have the attitude that any power is good power. You never know whether your gear is sharing an electrical source with other equipment in the building like air conditioning, fans or kitchen appliances which not only interfere with the cleanliness of the power, but which could also cause spikes that put your equipment at risk of being damaged.
We are currently looking for quality bands with high energy and character. Lead vocalists should have charisma and the ability to engage a crowd.
Bands should not only play great music with a fresh new sound, but should also be visually appealing and be able to create a fun atmosphere.
Go here and click on Party Bands to find out more.
Updated February 7, 2013
-Guitar & Piano/Vocalists Needed-
We are currently looking for young, highly skilled guitar/vocalists and piano/vocalists for work on cruise ships. Visit our jobs & auditions page to learn more about the jobs and the audition procedures. Contact information is
