GETTING STARTED IN THE
CRUISE ENTERTAIMNT INDUSTRY

It is estimated that in the year 2000, 8 million passengers sailed annually. Along with the food and the itineraries, entertainment is one of the chief draws for passengers.

The cruise entertainment Industry has grown tremendously during the past twenty years. There was a time when ships were considered the "Elephants Graveyard" of entertainment. The only people who ships did it because they couldn't find other work, or they traded their performance for a paid for cruise for themselves and their families.

That has changed. Now, top name entertainers regularly work on ships as well as countless journeyman performers. Not only has the status of ship board entertaining improved - so has the pay and working conditions.

It is not uncommon for a Variety Cabaret act to make $1500 to $3000 for two shows a week. Musicians salary can range from $500 to $1000 a week and Dancers in Review Shows range from $500 - $900 a week.

In addition to onstage work, many ships now have full time sound & light techs as well as DJ's.

Breaking into the cruise industry is not really that difficult - due to the rapid expansion of the industry in recent years, cruise lines are constantly in need of more talent. There are, however, many things you should be aware of. I will attempt to cover as many of them as possible here.

1.) Have a valid Passport. It is always your best form of identification. Although many cruises into the Caribbean may not require one , this is a global market and Cruise Lines reserve the right to move entertainers to any ship within their fleet. As a result, you may start off on a ship to Nassau and end up on a ship to Bombay. It is also the responsibility of the artist to have all necessary travel Visas and inoculations.

2.) You should have health insurance that covers you worldwide. Although all major ships have a doctor on board you might find yourself ill enough to be disembarked in a foreign port. Also be aware that some cruise lines require a health certificate before they will allow you to work on ships.

3.) READ THE FINE PRINT!!! If you are offered a contract with a Cruise Line MAKE SURE you understand the details.

a.) How you will be paid (Cash/Check on board ship or end of contract? etc.) Do they deduct taxes? Are you paid in US funds - some ships might not!

b.) Do they pay for airline tickets, transfers and hotels to and from ship?

c.) Accommodations. Will you have a passenger or staff cabin? (Passenger is better) private or shared. You will probably be required to pay tips to your room steward and dining room waiter.

d.) Will you eat off the passenger menu or " crew food " in the Mess?

e.) How many different performances a week and what length.

f.) Are you considered to have passenger status or crew ? If you are crew, expect to do crew boat & safety drills.

g.) Extra duties. Are you an Entertainer only, or are you expected to do Cruise Staff duties such as selling BINGO cards, greeting passengers during embarkation, escort tours etc?

Almost every cruise ship contract is written to allow the employer to cancel out if they feel an entertainer's work is inferior or inappropriate. Remember that cruise ships cater to largely older clientele and families.

Your performance should reflect the demographics of the ship. Shorter cruises (3 - 4 days) tend to be a younger crowd while cruises longer than seven days attract older passengers. Additionally, cruises to the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera generally attract a younger passengers, cruises to Alaska, Europe, Asia and the Panama Canal average 20-30 years older.

Most cruise ships offer the same show twice an evening. Once after first seating dinner (approx. 8:30) and again following second seating (approx. 10:30). Additionally, many ships may offer a midnight cabaret show or a pre-dinner cocktail hour show. Shows on board ship rarely are longer than one hour.

The amount of material a performer needs will depend upon the length of cruise and the ships' entertainment format. Most variety acts need to have between 60-90 minutes worth of quality stage material (longer Itineraries may require even more).  

Cruise ships vary from small 120 passenger yachts to 3500 passenger super liners ( with even bigger ones on the drawing board!). As a result, stage and backstage areas vary drastically. Many of the new mega-ships have theatres and show lounges that rival those found in Las Vegas or Atlantic City while older, smaller ships may only have a spotlight and a dance floor for a stage.

Be aware that a juggler or adagio dance team working a show room with a six foot ceiling or a magician working with spectators on the sides may need to re-block their shows to accommodate the physical limitations of the room.

Most cruise ships try to offer a variety of entertainment. Usually, there is a production company that does two or three shows a week (A Salute to Broadway, Country Hoedown, Rock & Roll Review, etc.). depending upon the size of the ship, that group may be from 3 to 20 cast members.

Variety acts such as Magicians, Comics, Instrumentalists as well as Vocalists round out the Show Room entertainment. If your show requires music accompaniment - remember that most ships use a six piece (or larger) orchestra usually consisting of Piano, Bass, Drums, Trumpet, Sax / Clarinet and Trombone. Make sure your charts are clean and accurate . Rehearsal time is usually limited so don't show up with a lead sheet from a fake book and expect the band to turn it into an orchestration.

Musicians are usually hired as part of the show band which backs the variety artists, production shows and plays dance sets. Additionally most ships have one or more musical groups which entertain in other lounges about the ship.

On board entertainment is coordinated by the Cruise Director (C.D.) . He or she is in charge of the entertainment and cruise staff including writing evaluations of performers every cruise.  The C.D. will usually host the evening entertainment and, quite often is also a performer.

As an entertainer on board ship, you are constantly in the public eye. From the moment you leave your cabin you are on display. As a result, cruise lines have very specific rules of dress and conduct. Most of these are common sense, while others may not be as obvious. You will receive a copy of the ships rules upon joining the vessel - read them, understand them and follow them.

Almost all ships require proper attire at night. Formal , informal and casual nights are scheduled throughout a cruise. It is also advisable to determine if there are "theme nights" such as "Country Night" or "50's Night".

Although all cruise ships have stabilizers to limit the motion - SHIPS DO MOVE, especially during rough weather. Nothing is quite as miserable as seasickness. If you THINK you are susceptible - find out BEFORE you sign a six month contract!

FINDING THE WORK

There are several ways to find work on cruise ships. Some cruise lines hire directly. A promo pack consisting of photo/resume, cover letter and demo tape addressed to the Entertainment Director may be all you will need. Cruise lines that contract out for entertainment will usually forward your material to their agent.

Many cruise lines contract their entertainment through an outside agent. There are several agencies that specialize in this market. Again, send a promo pack to the agents listed at the bottom of this article. Be aware that most agents will take 10% -15% commission.

If you are interested in singing and dancing in a production show, there are several companies that produce ship board reviews. You should contact them directly and find out when and where they will be auditioning- many hold regional tryouts. Additionally, some cruise lines have an "In house" show producer/choreographer and hire/audition directly.

Production shows usually rehearse for several weeks on land at a dance studio before joining the cruise ship. This is a very intense learning environment because you will be taught three or four different shows at once!

After this rehearsal period, you will join the ship where you will run a few dress rehearsals in order to familiarize yourself with the actual stage you will be performing on and learning your costume changes (which can be quick and numerous) before the show opens.

Contracts vary in length from cruise ship to cruise ship. If you are a self contained cabaret act you might be flown in for only one night or be offered as much as a six month contract. Musicians and members of review groups usually are required to sign for a minimum of three to six months.

When submitting a promo pack remember to keep your demo tape short (no one looks at more than ten minutes). An edited live performance is usually preferred over a studio tape. Keep cover letters and resume's to one page each and include a recent 8x10 photo.

If you are new to the entertainment field, you might consider a position as Cruise Staff. This is a social staff position on ship that will allows you the opportunity to learn the basics of stage presence and working in front of an audience by participating in daily activities like calling BINGO, hosting the passenger talent show, pool games, etc. Many cruise ship performers who began their career this way have gone on to have substantial careers on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Cruising is an exciting way to perform, travel the world and get paid for it, but it is not for everyone. It requires a certain mindset that accepts the limitations of being away from friends and family for extended periods of time, living and working in a confined space and being away from many of your day to day creature comforts (car, telephone, your favorite soap opera etc.) for extended periods of time. For those willing to deal with these issues, a cruise ship can be a wonderful place to live, work and perform!