Just curious, for a contracted six month show band musician, is there any vacation time in that six months? Maybe two or three days here and there to fly and visit someone. And what about bringing a loved one on a cruise for a visit in that six month period. Any discounts?
Any info would help.
Thanks
You seem to have a lot of cruise ship related questions, and I'm pretty sure if you read David's blog about cruise ship work you will find most of the answers you are looking for...That or call the company that hired you and ask them the specific details.
The general answer to your question is: No. Typically, when you sign up for a six month contract, you are expected to work every day for 6 months. With the exception of the a Cappella group on a ship, contractually show band musicians don’t get a day off, and no one is obligated to make sure you get one AT ALL. It is basically at the bandmaster’s, and more importantly, the cruise director’s discretion, and that day off is usually one day per 14 day cruise. It’s a stipulation in the contracts that we sign that I hope to change in the future. While we can’t physically have a day off, we’re on the ship everyday and because we’re on the ship everyday were expected to do our emergency duties at any time (which is why the alcohol policy on ships is so stringent), the day off psychologically for cruise ship musicians is a VERY important thing, and has everything to do not only with morale of the musicians, but their quality of performance as well.
If you look at the numbers solely, it looks like a cruise ship musician doesn’t work much (about 25 hours a week on average). So, when you look at numbers like that, and not what actually physically and mentally takes to produce those numbers, the first thing a numbers guy would ask is “Why do you need a day off? You only work 25 hours a week!” Like I said, the amount of focus and concentration required to make those 25 hours a week ends up being more than 50-60. That’s why the day off is so important. But, try explaining that to the numbers guys...
But, I digressed a little bit. To answer your question further, it simply does not work for us to take three days off when we feel like it or try to plan it, like a job on land. All cruise ships schedule is based on from the embark day of one cruise to embark day of the next cruise, be it 5, 7, 10, 11, or 14 days (7 and 14 day cruises are most typical). In order for you to take the three days off, you need to SIGN OFF for that ENTIRE cruise. So you’d have to take, for example, if you’re working on a ship that does 7-day cruises, you have to sign off for one cruise. With all of your luggage and everything. Then, even before you can sign off, head office has to make sure a replacement is there for the week you are signed off. Add to it not many people want to work on a ship for ONE WEEK, most of the time it takes about a month before a musician starts to settle in their contract. Add to it, all of the sign-off paperwork for you, all of the sign-on paperwork for your replacement...for ONE WEEK of work. Add to that, you pay for ALL expenses for that week, including getting back to the ship to make it so you go back to work. If you have to fly anywhere, if you’re signed off, it’s out of YOUR pocket.
Now, multiply that times 900 crew members average working on a cruise ship. That’s why the answer is No. It simply does not benefit the company, and actually puts them in the red. They’re not in the business of making sure you have off for three days, they’re in the business of people buying and taking cruises. So it’s six month contracts, and you work every day. There was a time, and it’s still possible depending on your agent, that you can get a two or three month contract. But even then, that’s still a short amount of time, cruise ship wise. You get used to counting everything as “cruises” meaning for ex. if you’re working on a ship that does 14 day cruises, a six month contract adds up to around 14-15 cruises. Six months is a long time, but 14 cruises?? It’s a weird mind trick of sorts that happens when working on cruise ships. This is a long answer, but not explaining it leaves out so many things that help understand why contracts are set up the way they are.
As for bringing family on board, there is a discount (typically 15% off normal prices), or there is what is called the “family rate”. There are catches to it, however, depending on cruise line. Most lines require that you’ve worked one full 6 month contract before you can take advantage of the 15% discount for family. And they can’t be on for half a cruise, they must attend a full cruise, usually as a guest (not allowed in crew areas). There may be other ways to have family on board, but I don’t know them or if they are even allowed anymore. And you still have to perform all normal duties when family is on board, there’s no time off to see them more. You CAN, however, discuss scheduling with the bandmaster about being able to be with family and still doing the work you were hired to do. The bottom line is: when you’re contracted to work on a ship, you WORK on a ship. Work comes first!
This sounds all negative and I may have painted a not-so-great picture about working on cruise ships. Simply put, however, this is NOT like a land job with paid vacations you can take anytime. Each cruise line has rules for crew, each SHIP has rules based on the rules. It can make your head spin. But, this is how things operate on cruise ships. It takes a little while, but you soon realize why it is the way it is. And, it is still fun. Not by reading this post, but working as a cruise ship musician is still fun, when all is said and done.
Hope this helps. Thanks for reading!
If you want days off, join the Enchantment Of The Seas. I was getting bored from not working!
Days off on a cruise ship. When you are working only three hours a day (a heavy day may be five hours), a little thing called boredom sets in. Sleeping for ten or more hours a day is not uncommon, especially on day-at-sea days. When a new act comes on board there will be a rehearsal to learn the new material, but other than that expect a lot of wandering the ship, a lot of reading, eating, and socializing. And on port days, in order to get around you either hoof it, get a taxi, or get a discount on some of the shore excursions with the passengers, then you stuck answering stupid questions like "Do you live on the ship?"
When I worked for American Hawaii Cruises we were under union contract for one day a week off. Ours just happened to be in Hilo every Wednesday. There was a little bar at the end of the dock before you hit the main road which was way out in the country; the nearest anything was at least a mile away, and the town was more like five miles away. So guess where everyone would be at around 2:00pm? At the little bar at the end of the dock. Ships departure was 5:00, so now you have a buzz on and nothing to do the rest of the night. Long story short, it's almost better not to have the time off, at least you are busy doing a show and are working. I know sometimes you end up in a port that may be close to a friend of yours and you want to hang with them a day or two. Oh well, just plan on having them meet you at the ship early, and then you can get out and do something. Just don't miss the departure time!
When I worked for Sitmar Lines, our MD got to bring his wife on board for one cruise. Of course he had his own cabin (can you imagine bringing wife and family on board as a sideman, and having everyone in that dinky little cabin along with your roommate?) and he had a good "in" with the captain. It worked out for him, but that is the only time I have ever heard of a musician bringing family on board.
Good luck, and happy sailing!
I may have mentioned it before, but the "day off" is just that. It's a day away from playing the instrument. From thinking about the show that night, what sections need to be remember in order to be played correctly, tempos, dynamics. Yes, our work is specialized. We only have to work from 3-4 hours a day for a salary that people have to work twice as much. But the amount of focus and intensity to play a good show for those three hours is what makes the job what it is. And you can't begrudge ANYONE a day off from that. To be "on" every day, without a break from it? It's why we don't work year 'round on ships in one contract (8 months MAX).
In terms of numbers, again I reiterate, it looks like we don't do much. But think about what we have to do when we're "on", then come crying to me that your chops are blown out cause you havent gotten a day off in 4 cruises.
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