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.

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

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?

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.]

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!

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,

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.]

quote:

---

I would not take the gig if I couldn`t get to be around the other passengers.

---