Band Advice

We’ve covered the basics of band musicians and how to prepare for a ship contract.  Now I will focus on some advice for bands once they get to the ship.  There are many things needed for success, but here are some tips based on my experience as a Musical Director who supervises the bands.

Split Responsibilities:

A Caribbean-themed band onboard a Royal Caribbean ship

Although there is a bandleader for each band, some of the responsibilities should be shared amongst all band members.  Yes, the bandleader does receive higher pay due to increased responsibilities but it should still be somewhat of a team effort.  Nobody likes working for a dictator and in my experience a bit of democracy can go a long way in keeping morale high.  Being a musician is about creativity and expressing yourself through your art and being given a set list every day without the chance to give any input will eventually cause problems.  Involve all the members of the band when developing repertoire and set lists.

Another thing that should be shared are the vocal responsibilities.  People do get sick and it is nearly impossible to go up to 8 months without needing to take a day off.  While bands typically get about one day off per week, depending on the ship’s management, there is no guarantee of a day off.  Most bands perform around 4 to 5 hours each day, so you can imagine that one person singing 4-5 hours per day, 6-7 days a week for 8 months spells disaster on the vocal cords.  It is common to develop a cold when first boarding a ship, I think it must be due to the closed environment and living in a world with few windows and fresh air in the crew areas.  Also realize that by working with 40+ nationalities and guests coming and going each cruise, the crew are exposed to lots of different germs.  Bands have different instrumentation; it is common for bands have all 4 members playing instruments (keyboard, guitar, bass, drums) and one person being given lead vocals and other members singing background vocals.  Some bands have a dedicated lead singer with 3 playing instruments (keyboard or guitar, bass, drums) and sharing background vocals.  But in any case, I highly recommend that lead vocals are not just assigned to one person.  What happens when that one person loses their voice?  It puts a serious strain on the Musical Director and Cruise Director when a band cannot perform their sets because somebody is sick.  The set still has to be covered so it takes some creative scheduling and the other bands must work extra sets to cover.  Trust me, another band does not want to give up their day off or run to cover your sets during their band’s breaks and pull double duty.  This could all be alleviated if the band can perform songs with other people singing lead vocals.  Also have some instrumentals in the repertoire just in case the band gets sick together.  Crew members live in small spaces together, so more than likely if one has a sore throat the rest of the band will too.  The band should also have backup plans to be able to perform missing one of its members just in case.

The band Hi-Lux, onboard a Carnival ship

Another unfortunate reason to split lead vocal duties is due to the fact that musicians do sometimes get fired.  I will go into the top no-no’s in a future post, but I have seen musicians fired for excessive drinking (ships have a blood-alcohol limit), drugs (zero tolerance), sleeping with guests (also zero tolerance due to the legal liabilities), stealing (on a ship you can’t run very far!), and other reasons.  During one of my contracts as Musical Director, we had a Latin trio and the only member who sang lead vocals was fired for being in a guest’s stateroom in the early hours of the morning.  He was fired by the Captain, but his two bandmates remained onboard because they did nothing wrong and it was nearing the end of their contract.  It turned out that the other 2 band members couldn’t sing at all and they struggled nightly.  Luckily their contract only lasted a couple more cruises, but it was quite painful to walk by and hear them struggle each night.

I have also seen a band have their bandleader fired after a late night drinking session.  He was the type of bandleader who made every decision himself and sang lead vocals on every single song night after night.  After a night of heavy drinking, he was fired and sent home by the Captain and the band’s agent sent a replacement bandleader instead of replacing the other musicians who followed the ship’s rules.  I didn’t know how it would go with the band losing their bandleader and the person who sang all of the lead vocals.  The band had been together for a few years and didn’t think about this scenario.  There were also cultural differences as the 3 remaining members were from Eastern Europe and the replacement bandleader was from Indonesia.  Well, it turned out that the replacement bandleader was the best thing ever for the band.  The replacement bandleader was very laid back and knew he had a better chance of keeping peace by involving the members as a team instead of making every decision himself.  All of the members began sharing lead vocals and all helped make the set lists each night.  The usually straight-faced band started to have smiles on their faces every night and began playing better as well.  It was just a shame that it took having their dictator-like, lead-vocal-hogging bandleader being fired for it all to happen.

Be a Team Player:

A band performing onboard a Norwegian Cruiselines ship

Another piece of advice is to work as the band that you would want to work with.  Be a team player with the rest of the department.  Everyone is there to do a good job, but sometimes it takes some effort to see how all the pieces best fit together.  One of my main responsibilities as a Musical Director was to put together the music schedule in every lounge of the ship for every night of the cruise and I can tell you that there is a lot to consider when putting together the schedule.  I have worked with some bandleaders who complain about working too many hours, not having enough days off per week, or not having their preferred port off.  While every Musical Director would love to give each band a perfect schedule, in reality nothing is going to be perfect.  It all comes down to trying to produce the best product for the guests.  I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be able to stand up to yourself and ask the Musical Director a question.  If every other band is getting 2 days off per cruise and your band only gets one and this goes on cruise after cruise, then you have the right to ask why.  But if your band’s day off is in Jamaica and you really hoped to have Grand Cayman off, just remember that you are there to work.

I would suggest working closely with the onboard ship management.  This means developing a good working relationship with the Musical Director, the Cruise Director, and even the Hotel Director.  Most of the times the onboard ship management stays on the same ship for a number of years so they are experts on that particular ship.  They know the typical guest needs, their complains, and the little things specific to that ship.  Don’t be afraid to ask them questions and seek their advice.  It doesn’t mean that you are weak; it means you are committed to providing outstanding entertainment.  If you feel like you your band is not connecting with the guests, then ask the Musical Director for advice.  Be open to change if necessary.

Change in Times:

Something I will cover in a later post is to understand the typical cruise ship guest in today’s cruising industry.  The cruising industry has a long history and many stereotypes exist about cruise ships.  Gourmet food, live music, dancing, elaborate entertainment, and pampering are all a part of the cruising stereotype.  Now when it comes to music, you have to realize that over time things will change.  Traditionally there was a lot of big band and jazz music onboard cruise ships.  Some still have it, but others are starting to change.  If you think about the Big Band era, the last period of time when jazz was “popular music.”  To all the jazzers out there, please know I am not trying to say anything negative about jazz music, I graduated from a very jazz-heavy school.  I’m not saying it doesn’t have its place in the music world.  But this is about the general population and pop culture.  To give you an idea just look at social media.  One of the most famous current ambassadors of jazz music, Wynton Marsalis, has just over 57,000 followers on Twitter.  As a comparison, Katy Perry has just over 48,000,000.  Again, I’m not saying one is better than another, but obviously one is more recognizable by the general public.

A band performing onboard a Carnival ship

Now what does this mean to a band coming onboard?  Use this information to your advantage.  Being able to adapt will allow you to be successful in connecting to the guests and drawing higher ratings.  According to industry research the average age of guests is 50 years old, meaning they were born long after the end of the Big Band era.  Those average guests were born in the 1960s so it pays to learn songs from the 70s and 80s.  Continue to include jazz, but take a look around and see how it is received.  Also don’t forget the ballroom styles and people will always want to dance.  But if you want to connect to your audience, play music that they can relate to.  Going back to my last post, ask your agent or cruise line about your assigned ship and itinerary.  If you get assigned to a ship that does 3 or 4-day cruises to the Bahamas, then the typical crowd with be younger and want to party.  If you are assigned to a ship that does 14-day cruises in Europe or 7-day cruises in Alaska, you will see a completely different kind of crowd.  Use that information and plan accordingly.

Originals vs. Covers:

People who are on vacation want to listen to something familiar, something that they can sing along to.  To put it bluntly, cruise ships are not the place to perform your original music.  Bands are hired as cover bands onboard ships and this should be understood before accepting the contract.  If playing covers is not for you, then playing onboard a cruise ship is also not for you.

This doesn’t mean that you have to leave songwriting behind when joining a ship.  If you are a songwriter then use your free time onboard to write new songs.  Even if your band works every day there is still a lot of downtime.  One of the major reasons that some musicians don’t enjoy their contract is because they are bored. Having a hobby or project to complete helps keep downtime productive, so write as much as you can.  The environment is incredibly diverse and within a music department of 20-25 musicians you might have as many as 10 or so nationalities.  This can make for some interesting and rare collaborative opportunities.

Supplement Your Income:

A band performing in a lounge onboard a Carnival ship

Every ship has a gift shop where they sell various items from sunscreen to clothes to alcohol.  Some cruise lines will allow the bands and entertainers onboard to sell their CDs in the gift shops.  There is protocol to follow and it will take advanced planning on your part.  The CD   But please make sure to do it the right way.  Do no hide them and try and sell them in secret from the bandstand on breaks or after your sets.  You can be fired if the management finds you are not going through the proper channels.  Typically the ship will take a cut, but you will get a lot of exposure, as guests like to stop by the gift shop on sea days and do some shopping.  The CD must be approved by the cruise line’s corporate office to make sure the quality is up to their standards- both sound quality and packaging and appearance quality (usually shrink-wrapped). This is a great opportunity to supplement your band’s income by selling your CDs during your contract.

Be sure to ask the Musical Director if the ship allows the band to take tips for playing.  The policies vary between cruise lines and ships so make sure to ask first.  If you are allowed, then just make sure that you follow all the rules.  Since there are few expenses to working on a cruise ship, just a little bit of extra income can go a long way.

One other way to make extra income is to sign up for side jobs around the ship.  I will cover side jobs in more detail later, but there are some jobs that are filled by crewmembers with extra time and are looking for some extra cash.  This can be from helping with art auctions to working various jobs at a private destination.  These jobs pay by the hour and pay in addition to your salary as a band member.  But make sure you get the approval of your Musical Director and always remember that you were hired to play music first and that any side job comes second.  Do not sign up for a side job that you know will conflict with your normal music schedule.

These are just a few tips for bands based on my own experience.  Up to this point I’ve now covered the major positions for musicians onboard an international cruise ship.  My next post will cover what happens between being hired and joining the ship.   Sometimes that gap can be a couple of months, like in my case, or it can be as little as a couple of days.  But there is quite a bit of paperwork and appointments that will be necessary for that first contract.

Know Before You Go

Now that we’ve covered the basics of performing as a member of a band, I want to cover part of the preparation process for bands.  My number one advice is to ask all the questions you can to your agent or the cruise line.  There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to preparing for a contract.  It is far easier to communicate while you are at home than on the ship, where communication such as email, phone, or text can be difficult to impossible while at sea.

A band performing onboard a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship

With all of this advice, do remember why your band was hired.  If your quartet was hired based on your demo of Latin music, don't change after you are hired to become a jazz quartet.  Ships have very specific needs and they assigned you to a specific ship for a reason.  If you decided to change what you do as a band, then you need to have 100% support from your agent and the cruise line.

Preparation is a key to success when it comes to performing onboard an international cruise ship.  This is especially true when it comes to bands.  While members of the orchestra are given the music they will perform, it is up to each band to come up with their set lists.  This will take understanding each contract and having the background information in order to be prepared.

A string quartet performing onboard a Princess ship

Be in close communication with either your agent, or if directly hired, the cruise line.  Ask important questions such as what equipment will be provided on the ship.  For keyboardists, make sure you are familiar with the model you will be using if you are not bringing your own.  Ask about the onboard playing requirements.  Will the band be used for any regular events (i.e. Captain’s reception, repeat cruisers’ parties, etc.)?  Will the band be used for specific cruise staff events (i.e. Rock and Roll Night)?  Will the band be used in any events in the theater?  Where will the band be playing (Centrum, lounge, pool deck, etc.)?  It is far better to know all of this information before you step on the ship that figuring it out as you go along.

Check out the itinerary and typical demographics of the future ship.  If you are doing cruises in Alaska it will require a different repertoire than 3 or 4-day cruises to the Bahamas.  While you are hired to perform as your band normally would, it is important that you meet the needs onboard as well.  Remember, the longer the cruise lasts, the older the typical guest will be.  A 14-day cruise will draw a much older crowd than a short, 4-day cruise.  Also think about where in the world you might be cruising.  If you are based in Europe, some songs that topped the charts in the United States might not be as popular there.  Some ships will stick to a relatively small region and being able to incorporate something from that region could be helpful to connect to your audience.  For instance, if the ship is doing cruises within Italy, then it would be nice if the band could learn some classic Italian songs to incorporate in the set lists.  I'm not suggesting to only play Italian music in that situation but a song or two here and there could be nice.

A jazz ensemble performing onboard a Cunard ship

It is much easier to do your homework beforehand and to practice together before you go to the ship.  Once you sign on the ship, the band members will undergo trainings and will be performing every night.  It can be difficult to find rehearsal time and space on the ship.  Lounges are not just used at night; oftentimes they are used for a variety of ways during the day such as trivia sessions, tour meeting points, and even private events.  Depending on the design of the ship, there are sometimes guest staterooms (cabins) above or below lounges, which means that the band cannot rehearse late at night, as the paying guests prefer to be able to sleep.

A string quartet performing onboard a Cunard ship

It is important to be prepared in the non-musical aspects of the contract as well.  Ask your agent or the cruise line about the dress code and typical cruise.  This can vary greatly between cruise lines and ships.  It is important to know because it will impact how you prepare and pack for the contract.  Some cruise lines have one or two formal nights and the onboard management will expect the band to dress in tuxedos on those nights.  Other cruise lines might not have formal nights, but expect the band to wear suits every night.  And then other cruise lines might be more relaxed and allow the band to wear more informal attire.  I have worked on ships where I was required to wear a tuxedo at least twice a week, but then others where I didn’t even pack a tux but had to wear a suit every single night.  It is best to know before you fly to the ship, that way you can prepare and buy the required clothes at the comfort of home rather than being stressed out and trying to do it the first week of a contract.  I have seen musicians from the United States get sticker shock when they had to buy clothes in Europe, where the prices were in Euros and double the price of back home.  Ships tend to dock in tourist destinations, which means good shopping options but also much higher prices.  I’ve also seen musicians have a difficult time finding clothes that fit in certain areas of the world.  But then again, there are some places where you can get a custom-tailored suit that is well made and much cheaper than home (think Thailand, India, or certain areas of Dubai).

A band performing onboard a Princess ship

Another important thing to ask about is the onboard status for the band members when on the ship.  This is very important because it will have a dramatic impact on the contract.  Just as I have covered with solo, or contract, entertainers there is a wide range in onboard statuses and benefits for band musicians.  Some bands will have a 4-month contract while others will stay onboard for 6-8 months.  The pay can vary depending on the status as well.  There are other privileges that depend on the onboard status as well; this can be from the berthing (living arrangements) to the uniform requirements to whether or not band members can eat in public restaurants.  It is important to know the status before signing on the ship.  It's better to know before going into the contract than to have create your own expectations and be disappointed and miserable for 6 to 8 months. 

Bands should be prepared for every gig and a cruise ship is no different.  All cruise ships and cruise lines are not alike so it pays to do your homework in order to be prepared.  You may feel like you are bothering people by asking questions and communicating, but they will appreciate it when you receive positive comments from guests throughout your contract.

Band Basics

Alright, back from a little hiatus.  While I wanted to continue to write here, my priorities were definitely elsewhere while the super typhoon came through our region.  The relief efforts are still ongoing and rebuilding is just beginning and the process will take months, if not years, especially in the harder hit areas.  When I went to the island of Leyte just days after the storm, I have never seen such destruction in my life.  I am so proud to watch the news and see so many cruise lines step up and donate to help those in need.

Now, back to where I left off a few weeks ago...

The Bands

One more area of musicians that I have not covered yet is the area of band musicians.  Bands have different responsibilities than both the orchestra musicians and the solo entertainers.  I will use the term band, but can be referring to duos, trios, and quartets.

Unlike orchestra musicians, the bands are hired as a complete unit and not as individual musicians.  This means that usually the musicians in the band are familiar with each other and have performed together before.  The bands will sign on and off from the ship on the same dates and will perform together for the whole contract.  Sometimes a band will change out members in between contracts, but for the most part the bands have experience performing together.  Another exception is that sometimes musicians are put together by an agency to form a new band. 

A band entertaining at the pool deck on a Royal Caribbean ship

Speaking of agents, bands will typically go through an agent to be hired by the cruise line.  While a band is hired as a unit, each musician has a separate contract.  While there is always a bandleader for each band, the paperwork and business side is usually handled through an agent.  As almost every band I’ve worked with is from outside of the United States, the agency usually helps with paperwork and visas needed for each contract.  The agent will also help the band in securing another contract after the current one.

The role of bands on ships is to provide entertainment for a particular setting.  They provide the ambiance and entertainment in each venue.  In addition to providing the entertainment, they function to keep people inside the venue and order drinks.  Drink orders account for a large portion of cruise line profits.  The longer a guest stays in the lounge, the more drinks they order, the more drinks they order means the more they spend, the more they spend means the more profit for the ship, which all means the happier the cruise line will be.  Each band is hired for their particular strength.  Each ship has different needs and bands are usually hired because they are a match for that ship’s specific needs.  For instance, on a ship based out of Miami, Florida it can be nice to have a Latin band onboard to entertain the guests.  But it wouldn’t make as much sense to send that same Latin band if the ship was based in Alaska or Scandinavia.  When a band is hired and placed on a ship, the cruise line is thinking about a lot of things such as the itinerary and the typical passenger demographics.

The status of band musicians is different from ship to ship, cruise line to cruise line, and even within the same ship.  Make sure you ask the cruise line or your agent about your onboard status before you accept the contract because it will make a big difference once onboard.  Some band musicians are considered as contract musicians (see previous post on Contract/Solo Musicians for definition) and will have shorter contracts, higher pay, and some guest privileges.   Other band musicians might be employee musicians with the normal 6-8 month contract and will have regular employee benefits onboard.

Classical Ensembles:

Classical ensembles, either duos or trios or sometimes quartets, are hired by nearly every cruise line.  The classical groups are to provide entertainment in more “classy” settings and provide ambiance to certain venues on the ship.  Classical ensembles provide a nice contract to dance bands or DJs.  Classical duos and trios are also easier with logistics around the ship, in terms of setup and space required in a venue.  It is much easier to move a keyboard, amp, and a couple of violin pickups than a full band setup.

It is good for the classical ensembles to have a repertoire of different styles. It is important to think about the average guests.  I’m not suggesting that you have to sellout and play only pop music, but variety can be a good thing.  While classical musicians are good at educating their audience, also remember that the guests are on their vacation.  You don’t have to play Lady Gaga, but then again the audience may not understand a Bartok string quartet.  Knowing a little bit of musical theater, soft pop, ballads, and even jazz can go a long way in keeping the guests entertained.

Dance Bands:

The purpose of dance bands is just as the name suggests: to provide dance music for guests on the ship.  The dance bands are usually in the form of trios and quartets.  While bands will typically have an assigned lounge, they will oftentimes perform in other venues around the ship as well.

A dance band onboard a Carnival ship

Dance bands can be used in many different situations around the ship.  On larger ships, they will perform in the important parties and events (i.e. receptions, special events, etc.).   They can also be used in cruise staff events in the lounges when music is needed as a support.  That can be in the form of a rock and roll night, live karaoke sessions, or other events.  They are also used to provide dance sets before and after dinner.  On most ships there is a dress code for the dining room.  Since the guests will dress up for dinner, many times they will like to go to a lounge beforehand to get a drink and many also like to use that time to dance to live music.  Then after dinner there is usually some downtime before the show starts in the main theater,; this is also time when guests might stop in to dance.  These before dinner sets are more traditional ballroom and lighter dance styles, saving the Top 40/Rock/R&B sets for later in the evening. 

While a band might have preferred genre of music to perform, they will be asked to cover a wide range of styles during a contract.  Rock and R&B styles are obvious when it comes to dancing, but it’s also important to include ballroom dance styles as many guests like to show off the result of ballroom lessons they might have taken.  Many ships will offer ballroom lessons while onboard and then the guests enjoy the opportunity to show off their new skills by dancing along to a live band.  When it comes to ballroom styles, be sure to know the basics of the most common styles (English waltz, Viennese waltz, cha-cha, rhumba, swing, etc.) and also some variations.  A word of caution, legit ballroom dancers are very picky with how the band plays, so they will be listening to everything the band is playing.  For each ballroom style, there is an accepted tempo, so make sure you do your research.  It is also important for the dance bands to also cover other styles such as jazz and Latin as there will be times when they are needed.

A band from Trinidad that I worked with
while onboard a ship.

It is vital for the bands to have an extensive repertoire, but it’s also important to be able to learn songs quickly as a band.  As discussed in previous posts, for orchestra musicians it is most important that they read sheet music as that is a daily requirement for their position.  For the bands that is not necessarily the case.  It is good to be able to learn by ear as sometimes they will be asked to cover songs that may not have sheet music.  Since some bands’ contracts are 6-8 months long, demographics and popular music will change over that time.  Some ships will change itineraries depending on the season (i.e. Europe in late spring, summer, and early fall and then the Caribbean during colder months).  With the change in itinerary usually comes a change in guest demographics and the band must be able to adjust.  Also, what might be Top 40 in January can easily drop off the charts by August.  A way around that is to make sure there are a lot of classics (Standards, Motown, classic rock) mixed in that will entertain a wide range of guests and won't go out of style.  Bands should be able to cover simple song requests.  Learning to play by ear is also important because even if sheet music is available, it can be difficult to get while at sea.  Sometimes the band can get specific requests from management for songs for an upcoming event.  It is very common for the Captain of the ship to want a certain song to be played when introduced at their events and it is important for the band to learn the songs and quickly.   The Captain doesn’t really care that there is no sheet music!

Specialty Bands:

There are some bands that are hired because of their expertise in one particular genre.  This will be based on the needs of the specific ship and decided in the corporate office of the cruise line.  It can be good for the band because they can focus on their specific style and the management onboard will usually ask that band to remain in their specific genre.  But just remember, the more specialized you may get with your band, the less versatile you may tend to be.  While it may be fun to play only your favorite genre every night, remember that it may not make you a good fit on all ships and your potential for work may be affected.

The Latin band I worked with on my first contract.
The dance floor was packed every night.

On my first contract, I worked on a large ship based in Miami, Florida.  Consistently there were a large number of guests from Spanish-speaking countries and the ship had a dedicated lounge for Latin music.  Nearly every night, the Latin band was the last band to finish for the night because the guests would always be dancing and asking for one more song.  On New Years Eve, we even had a separate Spanish countdown lounge with the Latin band performing.  Because our itinerary was Eastern and Western Caribbean, the ship also had a band with a steel drummer that played during the daytime while guests relaxed around the pool.  While both bands were popular for the demographics and itinerary, they might not have been good choices if the ship had been doing an Alaskan itinerary with cold weather and older guests.

Other Lounge Groups:

In addition to the dance bands, there are also small ensembles to entertain the guests.  Many ships have duos and trios that will also perform.  On smaller ships, duos and trios may be in place of a larger dance band.  Smaller ships also have a smaller number of crew onboard, so the shipboard management may not want to allocate as many positions for musicians.  Remember that ships only have so many beds available onboard, so each department is allocated a set number of positions and berths (beds).

The difficulty of smaller groups, especially duos, is to be able to perform and do the music justice with only a small number of musicians.  Unfortunately, many resort to using a lot of backing tracks and having very little of the performance done by the live musicians.  Backing tracks can be a dangerous route to take.  Done well, they will fill out the band and make the song sound closer to the original.  Done poorly and it comes off as overly processed and similar to a bad karaoke track.  Backing tracks are kind of a slippery slope where once they get used, they have a tendency of taking over.

A quartet onboard a Carnival ship

I worked with one particular Musical Director that told me about a trio that used lots of backing tracks and he also noticed that their instruments sounded exactly the same every single night.  Consistency is good, but it was a little too much.  After a couple of nights he went to inspect a little closer and it turned out that EVERYTHING was being tracked, including the instruments that they pretended to play.  The trio of keyboard, bass, and drums all used electronic instruments and faked their way through every set.  The only thing live was the keyboardist was singing the melody.  Needless to say they were sent home at the end of their first cruise and a replacement band was sent.  My recommendation is to only use backing tracks to fill out the band if there is something that needs to be covered.  And also, make sure your tracks are high quality; nobody wants to listen to MIDI sounds all night long.

While this doesn't cover every type of band currently out on a ship, this is the main core of them.  My next post will get into more specifics for bands and will also have some advice and recommendations.  Even if a band has experience performing on land, a cruise ship can be a unique setting.

Super Typhoon Haiyan

I still haven't been able to continue with the regular format of this blog for cruise ship musicians.  Right now as a family we need to be focused on the aftermath of Super-typhoon Haiyan, locally named Yolanda here in the Philippines.  A blog can seem awfully unimportant during situations such as this.

We have been in the fortunate position to be able to lend a helping hand along with thousands of other people.  We have received donations to help residents in town where my wife's parents, sister, and extended family live.  My wife and I visited just a couple of days after the storm hit to check on them and deliver supplies.  Then with the support of some very amazing and generous people around the world, my wife was able to return and bring supplies to other families in the town and also help purchase building supplies as residents begin the difficult path of rebuilding their severely damaged homes.  There is no electricity and it is expected to take a minimum of 2 to 6 months to get it back up and running.

I hope to be able to get back to my usual writings next week.  In the meantime, here are some photos from Palompon, Leyte...

The package of basic supplies we were able to give to 35 families

Tito Domi standing in a completely destroyed lot

Some of the complete destruction of homes

Some of the damages from the super typhoon

Kids cooking noodles.  They are living at a school that had
its roof ripped off because their home is gone

A mother receiving a package of supplies

Children getting water from a well

A little boy excited about the candy my wife was about to give him

Children who are usually playing happily.
Their home had heavy damage.

A mother receiving a package of supplies.

A mother receiving a package of supplies.  They are living
inside a van because their house is destroyed.

Manoy Junjun standing in front of what is left of his house.

My wife using an invaluable mosquito net.
Mosquitos are becoming the #1 problem in the aftermath.

Interruption

Sorry for the delay in getting to my next posts as promised.  My wife and I are living in Cebu, Philippines and the super typhoon just came through yesterday.  Luckily we are OK and no damage in our neighborhood.  We did experience very strong winds and lots of rain.  Other areas got hit a lot harder and damage is pretty severe.

I have begun working on the next post about bands on cruise ships.  I hope to post it in the next couple of days.

Advice to Solo Entertainers

My friend Max DiFaz, performing during a formal night

Since I have never worked as a contract/solo entertainer, I asked my friend Max DiFaz for some advice that I could share here on the blog.  I’ve worked with Max on two different ships and he does a great job of entertaining guests under any circumstance.  He is a trained drummer, pianist, and vocalist and is a very talented producer/arranger as well as an accomplished visual artist.  My first contract working with Max was on a 7-day Caribbean itinerary on a very large ship (actually was the largest in the world at the time) out of Miami, Florida.  The next contract with Max was a few years later and the ship was much smaller, more upscale, and doing semi-world cruises with a different itinerary every cruise throughout Asia and Europe at the time.

The Piano Bar onboard a Carnival ship

Before I get to  Max's advice I would like to take the chance to respond to a few specific questions I've received.  The first question is whether or not it is OK to use lyrics at the piano, in the form of paper or on an iPad or other electronic device.  My advice is to try and stay away from it as much as possible.  The reason is that the entertainer is there to entertain and build a connection with the audience.   If you have something in between the entertainer and the audience, it puts up a barrier and there is a good chance that the connection to the audience won’t be made easily.  I would suggest only using it if absolutely necessary, especially if there is a request from a guest that you kind of know the song but are not 100% confident without the lyrics.  In that case, better to use the lyrics and fulfill the request than not.  Whether it’s intended that way or not, watching an entertainer sit at the piano and read the lyrics makes me feel like I’m not important and the entertainer is just playing for themselves.

The Piano Bar on a Holland America ship

The second question relates to the use of sequencers/drum machines and whether it is OK to use multiple keyboards or to just go acoustic.  Any option is OK as long as it fits the venue.  If you have sequencers and multiple keyboards and you are playing to a small venue where everyone is seated right at the piano then it might be overkill.  Whatever an entertainer in a piano bar uses in addition to the piano should be used as an enhancement and not a crutch.  In simple terms, the entertainer should be able to step in the venue and perform with just an acoustic piano, but if they understand how to properly enhance with sequencers, multiple keyboards, etc. in a tasteful manner then it’s OK.  But my recommendation is to contact the office and see the cruise line’s take on it, or even contact the Musical Director of the specific ship to see what might work best onboard there.

Some Norwegian Cruise Line ships have a
Howl at the Moon, incorporating a dueling pianos format.

The last question I received was whether to have audience participation or not in a Piano Bar.  Absolutely include audience participation!  It is a great way to get the audience involved and keep them coming back to your venue night after night.  But don’t make the mistake of turning yourself into a human karaoke machine.  I would not recommend having individuals come up to your piano and sing by themselves with your accompaniment.  It may seem like an easy opportunity to give your own voice a break.  But if you let one guest do it, they will all want their turn and then you’ve found yourself turning into an accompanist for the next 4 hours.  Better to do group singalongs to keep everyone involved.  If someone continues to ask you to sit in with you, invite them to the ship’s next karaoke session if there is one onboard (most ships do have them).  But don’t cheapen the quality of your show, you were chosen by the cruise line for the quality of your own entertainment, not to hold karaoke sessions.

Now onto the advice from my friend Max.  His first piece of advice goes to Piano Lounge entertainers (see my previous post for the different of a Piano Bar and a Piano Lounge) in that, “the entertainer needs to be positive, but not ‘over the top’ as with a piano bar situation.”  Basically be able to tell why your audience is there.  Are you there as the main event?  Or are you there to create a great atmosphere as they relax from their long day on a tour? 

The Schooner Bar onboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas.

His advice for Schooner Bar/Piano Bar entertainers is “to have a very extensive songlist that includes many styles of music and audience participation songs such as Margaritaville, American Pie, etc.”  Good advice because the crowd can vary from ship to ship and even cruise to cruise.  Audience participation draws in the crowd and can make them feel a part of the entertainment.

Max also adds, “Each performance requires high energy and a tolerance for guests who at times rapid fire their requests.  Most piano bars have guests sitting right at the piano as well as around the room, and the job of the entertainer is to create a high energy atmosphere to promote drinking which translates to revenue for the room.”  This is an excellent point and something that every entertainer should understand.  The bottom line of any bar, lounge, etc. whether it be on land or at sea is revenue.  The best way an entertainer can boost the revenue of their venue is to entertain the audience and keep them there.  If you are not connecting to the audience, they will leave.  On a cruise ship there are always other forms of entertainment going on and the guests have options.   Cruising is a billion dollar industry and everything is broken down and analyzed.  Part of entertainers re-hiring will be based on the revenue from their venue.

Matt Yee, always has an entertaining show onboard.
Matt performs more risqué shows, but with the
approval of onboard management.

How to entertain the guests?  There are many different methods from audience participation to theme nights to comedy.  But when it comes to comedy, Max offers some simple advice that goes a long way, stating, “I suggest that comedy is a dangerous thing on a cruise ship, but that being said, the entertainer should always direct the comedy at himself and not at the audience.”  Guests come from all walks of life and what might be funny to one guest might be offensive to another.  You never know the background of each member of the audience.  Best to be careful and err on the side of caution.  That being said, I have worked with some piano bar entertainers who push the line on purpose, but they work closely with the Cruise Director and Musical Director and the guests are informed of the nature of the show before they step foot in the venue.  If you have anything in your show that might be considered controversial, best to let the Musical Director and Cruise Director know beforehand and they can help determine if it is right for the venue.  Trust me, they have a lot to think about on a daily basis and don’t appreciate surprises in the form of guest complaints about one of the entertainers onboard.

That brings me to another important piece of advice from Max about working closely with the ship’s management team.  He says, “The best advice for a performer is to always have a discussion with the Musical Director, Cruise Director, and sometimes the Hotel Director to understand the entertainment philosophy of a particular ship.  What works for some may not work for others!”  No musician can do the job on their own, it takes teamwork.  The ship’s management has usually been on the ship for a long period of time and they know what works and what doesn’t and they might also have their own preferences.  As long as you are not sacrificing your beliefs and integrity, it usually pays to take their advice.  There is also a report to the specific demographics every single cruise, so it is a good idea to consult with them at the beginning of the cruise to see the ages of the guests and where they are from.  A good entertainer can kind of customize their repertoire to fit the needs of a cruise.

So far I've written about musicians in the orchestra and now solo entertainers.  The next posts will be dedicated to another set of musicians onboard: Bands.

Contract (Solo) Musicians Overview

So far I have covered some of the basics as it relates to orchestra musicians on the cruise ship.  Now I will shift to cover contract entertainers, or solo entertainers.  I'll start with some basic definitions to help clarify the rest of this post.  These musicians are usually pianists or guitarists who perform as a solo act onboard.  They perform in lounges and pubs and will create the atmosphere for that venue.  Most sing as a part of their performance, but some are purely instrumentalists.

The formal dining room,
a venue for some intermissionists

I'll start with some basic definitions to help you understand the rest of the blog post.  When I refer to an employee musician, those are members of the orchestra, most bands onboard, as well as solo intermissionists.  All are actual employees of the cruise line and the contract length is typically 6-7 months long.  When I refer to contract musicians or entertainers, I am referring to solo performers who are hired by the cruise line but more like independent contractors working onboard.  Their status is somewhere in between an employee and a guest.  The contract length for a contract musician is typically much shorter, usually somewhere around 4 months in length.

As with orchestra musicians, the contract entertainers also have a choice of whether to go through an agent or go through the cruise line directly.  In this case, I have found far more contract entertainers use an agent.  Since the contracts tend to be more involved and many of the entertainers work with multiple cruise lines, I can see more of the value of hiring an agent.

Another difference is the onboard accommodation.  Employee musicians will almost always have a roommate.  In the orchestra, it is usually only the Musical Director who will enjoy a single cabin.  Contract entertainers almost always have a single cabin.  This is a make or break aspect for many performing musicians.  I admit that it can be very difficult to share a small space with another person (until I was working with my wife, of course!).  Space and privacy are at a premium onboard a ship.  When I was promoted to Musical Director one of the greatest benefits was my single cabin!

Contract entertainers also have limited guest status.  Basically it means that their status is somewhere between that of a guest and that of an employee.  While they are still responsible for carrying out safety duties and are still crewmembers, they do enjoy some extra benefits.  It means that they can visit more of the guest areas, which gives more variety of places to visit during non-working hours.  In some cruise lines, the employee musicians (orchestra musicians, band musicians) cannot always eat in guest dining facilities, but contract entertainers do have that privilege.  Also, depending on the cruise line, contract entertainers are not required to wear a uniform everywhere around the ship like the employee musicians.

A production cast singer stopping in at the Schooner Bar
to sing a few songs

The status, contract, and accommodations are not the only differences between an employee and contract musicians.  There are also major differences in the work environment as well.  One of the major differences in the performance requirement between band and orchestra musicians and contract entertainers is that band and orchestra musicians perform together as a group and contract entertainers/solo musicians perform on their own.  This means that the entertainment falls entirely on the shoulders of one person in the solo/contract entertainer venue.  If the entertainer is not feeling well, there is nobody there to help pick up the slack.  As I said earlier, most of the contract entertainers sing as a part of their performances and there is nobody to help share the singing responsibilities.  If they are well versed on their instrument they might be able to get away with instrumentals for a night, but not for a long period of time.

One word of caution is that some venues on cruise ships still allow smoking and those are usually the venues where contract musicians are scheduled.  Smoking on cruise ships has been a hot topic recently as more places around the world are implementing smoking bans on land.  Smoking on ships has long been a concern of contract entertainers as lounges used to be environments full of smoke and people also tend to sit close to the entertainer.  Luckily, more ships are going smoke free which helps save the voice of many performers.

In order to be successful, the contract musicians must take extra care with their voices.  Depending on the itinerary, cruise ships sometimes go through different climates within one cruise which can also create sinus and allergy problems.  I was once working on a ship that started in Singapore where it was hot and sunny year round.  During the cruise, the ship visited Japan and Taiwan and ended in Shanghai with cold environments since it in March.  Then turned around and ended the next cruise back in Singapore.   Besides requiring an extra suitcase of clothes to keep up, it was difficult on the singers on the ship.

The contract entertainers work about 4 hours per night in their venue.  Most Musical Directors and Cruise Directors try their best to give the entertainers one night off per week, but it is not guaranteed in the contract.  Imagine the beating the voice takes performing 4 hours a night, 7 days a week for 4 months at a time!  One day off a week can mean a world of difference.

Different cruise lines have different needs and expectations depending on the venue.  Most ships have a Schooner Bar or piano bar, where the musician sings and plays piano.  The guests typically are there to be entertained and there are many nights of sing-alongs.  The guests tend to sit close to the entertainer and make requests throughout the night.  The entertainers in the Piano Bar must be outgoing and be able to interact with the audience.  Their job is to entertain the crowd each night of the cruise.

Jimmy, the pub guitarist, entertaining guests

Some ships have a pub, which is similar to a traditional Irish pub.  This usually involved a guitarist/vocalist.  The pub environment is similar to the Piano Bar in that the guests go there to enjoy a drink and be entertained.  The pub entertainer must also be outgoing and interact well with the guests.

Another venue is a piano lounge.  This is a more laid back atmosphere and the entertainer is there to create an ambiance or a mood for the guests.  It is a place to relax, have some drinks with family and friends, and maybe hold a conversation.

There are intermissionist positions on some ships, which either be solo guitar or solo piano.  It is important to note that these musicians are employee musicians, typically with a 6-7 month contract and without the guest benefits.  These musicians tend to be well-versed instrumentalists who perform in a variety of venues and like in the piano lounge; they set the ambiance for the venue.   Sometimes they will work off a set list they put together, but oftentimes will also include requests from guests onboard.  Their job includes a lot of variety; one afternoon they might perform in a large open area as guests are coming onboard, while the next evening they might perform in the dining room, and the next evening play in a lounge as guests have drinks and relax at the end of their day.

In all cases, it is important to have a large repertoire to be successful as a contract entertainer.   When you get hired, you may not have a say in which ship you will be working.  You can imagine that what might work on a 7-day Alaskan cruise may not work on a 3-day Bahamas cruise.  What might entertain guests on a 14-day Panama Canal cruise may not entertain the guests on a 10-day Asian cruise.  While you might not need to learn specific songs from a country you are visiting, it does help to learn a few local songs.  And a tip for all musicians, the general rule is the longer the cruise, the older the guests.  Think about it, how many 30 year olds can take enough time off from work for a 14-day cruise?  Repositioning cruises (more specifics on that type in later posts), where the ship transfers from one area of the world to another, also draw a much older crowd.  This is important to remember as you prepare for a specific contract.  For instance, Frank Sinatra may not go over very well on a 3-day Bahamas cruises where the crowd is younger and there to party every night.  But at the same time, performing Lady Gaga might not be well received on an Alaskan cruise where the average age of the guests is above 70.

A fully packed Piano Bar

If you are hired to work for a cruise line as a contract employee, I would highly suggest contacting the main office, either directly or through your agent if you have one, to get specifics for your assigned ship.  Uniforms/dress code, average demographics, and any relevant information about your Musical Director and Cruise Director would help you prepare for a successful contract.  It's better to be proactive and be prepared than go in not knowing and having to play catch up once you arrive to the ship.  Some cruise line's have formal night that will require a tuxedo while some cruise lines don't.  Since airline baggage keeps getting more and more expensive, it's better to pack smart.

As for any more suggestions or advice, I have never performed onboard as a contract/solo musician.  In order to go further in depth, I asked my friend, Max DiFaz, who is a very successful contract entertainer, for his advice on the topic.  He was kind enough to offer to great advice that will be the subject of my next post.