This post will focus on one of the not-so-nice parts of working on cruise ships; it can affect all areas of the crew, but for some reason there seems to be a higher concentration amongst musicians. While the job is really nice, I have found this darkness that can come out at time. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to it called "Dark Showband Musicians." I think at times we all experience it to a certain degree. It is when people aren't happy with their jobs and it starts to take them over.
I have found specific times when "the darkness" tends to show itself. The most common is at the end of a contract. Spending 6-8 months onboard the same ship, seeing the same people, eating the same food, playing the same shows, this can lead to some burnout. There is also a unique element to living where you work. That nice meal in the mess (dining room) at the beginning of the contract starts to look inedible after so many months. Even that nice crew member who always smiles when you pass by starts to get on that last nerve.
The other time can be more calendar related and that is around the holidays. The holidays can be fun while working on a ship, but it can also be a reminder that you aren't around your family and friends at that time of year. Many crew members call home or Skype home, ending the conversation with tears in their eyes, then have to go work with a smile on their face. They sacrifice time with their own family to serve other families who are on their vacation. Holidays are also the highest fares for a cruise, so there are a lot of added expectations for the crew and oftentimes extra work which can lead to more darkness.
Then there are other times that the darkness can come out at any random time. While it can signal other problems in a person's life, I have found five common reasons for everyday darkness with ship musicians.
1) Playing on a cruise ship often has a lot of included downtime. Even on a busy day, there are still hours to fill. The problem lies with the people who don't have a healthy way to spend their downtime. The happiest musicians I've seen have something else to do during their contract. That can be sightseeing, photography, working out, arranging songs, working on a course, etc. The people who don't enjoy their time usually sit in their cabin bored out of their mind, or spend every hour in the evening drinking at the crew bar. If you are about to do a contract, make of list of things you want to accomplish during the time and stick to it. And don't count on the internet for a way to spend time because first, it's extremely slow on a ship because it is a satellite based system, and second, crew pay for internet on the ship by the minute so the cost adds up quickly.
2) The musician isn't playing the music that they want to play. Not to generalize, but I've seen this the most with the jazz guys. Their ideal gig would be living in NYC and playing jazz all day, every day. On a cruise ship there is jazz, but also many other genres from classical to rock to Broadway. A side to this is not landing the gig that they want. In their minds, some musicians believe that they are dumbing themselves down and lowering their standards by performing on a ship. They are unhappy that they aren't working in NYC or LA. Truth be told, I have performed with a lot of great musicians, performers, and sound techs who have had amazing gigs both before and after cruise ships. I played with a lead trumpet from Maynard Ferguson's band, a trombone player who toured with Tom Jones, a sound tech who is now touring with the Rolling Stones, a singer who won the NBC show "The Sing Off" ... you get my point. The gig is what you make it.
3) They are caught in a money trap with ships and don't know how to get out. I have met so many people (not just musicians) who have said they are doing "one last contract" and then I see them a few months later signing back on the ship. Some people are just really irresponsible with money. While they work on ships to save money, but they spend too much (either too much shopping, drinking, or eating off the ship) and aren't left with enough savings to support themselves when they go back to land. When they go home for a 6-8 vacation and don't work and only spend, they go back to their next contract with no money left in their bank account. It's a viscous cycle that they just don't know how to break so working on a ship becomes a necessary evil to them. Set savings goals and stick to them. It's easy so save money by working on a ship; there is no rent, basic meals are paid for
4) Some people are just not meant for ship life. It's not a bad thing, it's just a fact. Ships are full of rules and schedules and some musicians aren't used to it and don't want that kind of structure. There are rules for everything and all cruise lines have a strict, zero tolerance policy on drugs and abuse of alcohol. Crew members must wear a uniform and name tag in a public areaI'm more of a rule follower myself, so I never had an issue in this regard, but I've seen a lot of "rebel" people that just can't cope with a lot of rules. Another aspect of ship life that is not for everyone is having to leave family and friends behind for 6-8 months at a time. It is a very big sacrifice, especially for parents who miss out on the major milestones of their children.
5) Finally, some people are just miserable no matter what and need something to complain about. Call them grumpy curmudgeons or whatever you like, but unfortunately these people can be detrimental to an ensemble. Darkness just breeds more darkness. Give them $10,000 in cash and they will complain it's not $20,000. I've worked with several of those people. One time we were doing 7-day cruises with an overnight in Dubai every single cruise for almost 3 months. One day I had to call a rehearsal in the late afternoon because of the theater schedule and we were doing a show with an entertainer at night. The keyboard player stood up and cursed at me because I was taking away some of his port time. He didn't figure it out that 1) he is working and work does come first, and 2) we were in Dubai for two days every week for three months, it's not like asking him to come back a couple of hours early was taking that much away from his Dubai experience.
To be honest, every single ship I have worked on has had people like this, but life is short and not worth wasting time on them. The good news is that not everyone is like that. I was usually lucky and could find people who were happy people. Life is what you make of it and you have the choice in your own attitude.
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