It's so nice to hear someone mention the space after a music experience and how it's needed. my husband doesn't understand why when I get home at 3AM from a gig I just sit in the driveway with the car off in silence. that 30 mins is my downtime of silence to reflect on the gig and I need it and don't need him barking at me to come inside. sometimes that silence is just nice to have after having a drum beat behind you and it's still beating in your head the whole ride home.

Why can't people just treat you like a person, with some decency and respect no matter where you are on the so called "hierarchy". Thanks for sharing your thoughts, very honest.

hi Josh, ive been doing cruise ships all my life as a soloist and show band, as a sideman and band leader....and you are absolutely right about your observations. Your video is great for new players and some more experienced ones that haven't done ships yet. you did forget the endless boat drills and the after hours noises from other cabins...but, spot on...well done.

Thanks for your inside view on what it's like to be a performer on cruise ship. Keep in mind that you bring a lot of joy into the life of the passengers who attend your performances. They wouldn't have the same experience if they never met you on the cruise. Keep sailing ... !!!

Thanks for taking the time, energy and effort to do your videos. After having thought about this possible direction in my life intensely for almost a year and watched many video's and combed through dozens of cruise ship gig info web pages, your's has helped me finally make a decision not to do it. Your top 3 reasons "why not to do a cruise ship gig", in addition to what else I have read are simply to important on a daily basis and outweigh (at least for me) the reasons why I would want to do a contract on a cruise ship. Heart-felt thanks again Josh!

dude, you are cool. I'm a jazz musician playing a hotel gig. enjoyed listening to your wise offerings............

I did have to smile - if you want respect, then get a job saving lives, or having mega responsibility. We're musicians, we get paid to play. Many oil the audience will hate the music, but you just play what you are told. I'm ancient now, but since my teens, if I'd expected respect I'd still be waiting. Some jobs are like this. If you are a teacher, then the public think you work 9-3, have all summer off and loads of holidays. Teachers know this is rubbish. On a music gig people see you play for an hour or two and think how lucky you are. You have to live with it. Respect comes from your co-workers. Only they know what you really do and how you are. If you work to get their respect, that's the best it will ever get. Take the money, play the dots, call it a draw. If you need the extra admiration and respect, change your job. It will not change for you. Never, ever has. You are seen as somebody with a wonderful job - that's what it appears as to the outside world. Musos know this is rubbish. Do the contracts till you can't be bothered to get off the ship in exotic locales - that's when it's time to leave. As for the food - you can eat healthily, but its repetitive food, limited in choice. It is, however, free. You can't always have everything - tough world for people who's very job is to be unnoticed for as much time as possible.

Great and informative gig for a drummer deciding whether to take a gig or not on a cruise line. Having the ability to eat healthy is huge to me. Appreciate your time and post. Also, the "for every year I grow older my goal is to tolerate less BS in my life" line is officially a quote i will use. Good stuff.

There are some similarities here to being a military musician. Especially the company "hierarchal" point. Thanks for sharing!

I have always respected “down-to-earth” Musicians. Enjoyed checking out all your videos.

Saxman Jones For navy band if you're primary instrument is flute, they require u to double on, if you're primary is sax, u double on flute or clarinet, if you're primary is clarinet, u double on sax For cruise ship gigs it depends on the agency. They're looking for sax players. Some will require u to double on flute and others will require flute and clarinet I played keyboard a couple years ago in the orchestra for a west side story production. For the wind players, there was trumpet trombone, reed 1 and reed 2. Reed 1 played sax flute and clarinet and reed 2 played sax and clarinet

The way you describe it...I wish I had been a good enough bassist to start working on cruise ships instead of joining the navy. With as much space as you guys get to live in and all...I would die of happiness *****

Interesting video, accurately summarising the drawbacks. One additional thing I would mention, is the fact that you are totally out of circulation for the duration,meaning that once back on shore at the end of the engagement, you almost have to start from scratch with your career. You have to remind people you're back & available. Obviously all other projects are put on hold.

I'll be playing on the breeze in october. your vids help me on what to expect.

The Seekers started on a cruise from Australia to London and that launched their career.

Good points. Certainly you learned that you're there to perform rather than create. Thus the validity of the three points! LOL

Good info I play piano and sax/woodwinds and trying to get a cruise ship gig I was in the navy from 2006-2008. I was a sonar technician on a submarine. It was very cramped living in the sub and you don't see sunlight for several weeks. I auditioned as a pianist for the navy band but wasn't accepted. I was considering doing flute but They require you to double on sax and playing sax was new to me at the time.

You work 3 hours a day according to another video regarding onboard musicians. You’re paid full time wages (I think that’s what the other person said) for a part time job, meals and bed included plus you can leave the ship to explore. That’s not bad if true. I understand the respect issue (I’m 60 and have played in bands since I was 15). Way to many times of disrespect from club owners, patrons and any other asshole who think of us as musical whores. I got derailed by electrocution over 7 years ago and have had to relearn many parts of my playing but I’m done with live gigging. Not worth fighting over $.

Thank you Josh for replying! I need all the help I can get because this is new to me (as a solo artist) performing on a ship. I will do as you suggested: 'Negotiate for a single cabin." But if that fails, I will have my medication to deal with the cramped quarters. Thanks again and happy for you and all of the cruise ship entertainers working your spiritual (natural) God given talents. I can't wait to get my press kit together. Have the song list (which I will add to) and biography. Have to shoot the 10 minute video and get a picture of me...

Josh I was watching some of your cruise ship videos and with each video you look a bit more ragged. You spoke of small spaces , cigarettes and people drinking at sea , I would go nuts doing that job . As I take a break from practicing my bass I'm eating a bowl of tasty NON-GMO alerted Kashi Go-Lean Crunch cereal I feel bad you had to eat mushy apples. I also feel bad that you had to do that type job but hey I've had worse jobs , one was loading beer trucks with a fork lift at 4 am in the morning for a Coors beer distributor that Allan Shepard owned here in Houston. I worked there for 3 years and only talked to Mr. Shepard once back in 1985. After loading the beer trucks I had to repack the beer I dropped that day and do aluminum can recycle that I couldn't stand. Older guys would bring bags of cans in and I had to weigh them give them a receipt and they got paid inside the distributor. While separating the cans from snakes , garbage , this blower machine blew the cans in to a container. After getting hit in the face with tobacco spit and other bodily fluid in 100 degrees heat I quit that job , so I get it I've been there and wasn't even playing bass. I hope the job you have now is a lot better , it is for me somehow I made it by working crappy jobs my entire life , now I'm retired at 60 . Stay safe and good luck with your bass playing , I like the lessons you do.

I worked on cruise too....... As a Shorex but I do play Bass . :-) What you say as cabin food and CD and Hotel Mgr That is sooo exact :-) I still miss it sometimes... and obviously......the boatdrill ;-) Good video Thanks

Oh Josh, you cannot imagine how this has made me grin from ear to ear. OMG, that looks like a cabin... he's got his blacks on... been there, done that. It's weird the things that suck to different people. See, by the time I got the gig, I'd worked my way up from being an amateur and gave up a decent gig in IT to... er, starve, until I got the gig on cruise ships. I never considered myself an artist for a multitude of reasons: I considered I was honing a craft, and DAMN did I use that opportunity. Don't know what you play, but I'm a guitar player and I'd sit in with EVERYONE: solo gutarist/singers, just providing extra backing and the occasional solo, the function band (I was in the "orchestra"), the piano trio, whoever. Sometimes the function band had a speciality, like funk or country. I've got a good enough ear that I can just slide in and contribute usefully without stepping in too many holes, and what with the demands of the regular gig, which forced improvements in sightreading and following the MD, I learned so much. Let alone hanging with some amazing musos with stories to tell and tips to pass on. As for the corporate environment, THIS IS WHAT CAPITALISM LOOKS LIKE. And, actually, fascism. Mussolini said, "fascism should really be called corporatism, because it marks the merger of state and corporate power." Looks to me that by that definition, fascism won. I eventually snapped,* but we used to have to do this thing called the "Friendship Parade" that was really fucking creepy. Being American yourself, you probably wouldn't understand. But I had a brilliant time, in the main. Of course there were shitty points, and I did walk out in the end, but I absolutely recommend it to anyone who's interested in developing their craft. OTOH, it's definitely harder to work on your own shit if your head is constantly being filled up with the demands of the night's gig, but that's true if you're doing a lot of gigs on land too, unless it's all your original stuff you're playing. Seriously, Josh, you should drop the artist shit. If you want to know why, perhaps the best answer is in George Orwell's essay "Benefit of Clergy", which is about why Salvador Dali doesn't get away with being an appalling shit because he's an "artist". That clear-eyed look at the notions of artistic exceptionalism might give you pause. *And for the life of me, I can't remember why. I just thought, fuck THAT (whatever "THAT" was), and walked off the gig.

Sad this situation for real musicians at sea. We really need a good single cabins, no drills and less "military " orders. Well done!!

9:38 "Every year of my life I want to tolerate less BS."😭😂🤣 Meeeee!!!

These might not be reasons NOT to do a cruise ship gig but just great advice for if you are going to do one. Like BYOB + a year supply of vegetables. Personally the only thing that sucks is the small cabin (trying to push for a bigger one)

_"...Musicians are highly-skilled sensitive artists, and we should be respected..."_ True or not, the main reason why most musicians are not appreciated is because of the flood of mediocre musicians that have satisfied this "good enough" society. It's a shame, but to get respect in music one must go *well* above and beyond the call of duty.

If the cabins are small where do you practise the free hours (the once you have excluding the gig and the safety drills etc,) especially for a pianist/keyboadist???

"Hello ladies and mostly gentlemen." Love that. Probably true lol Also "he loves to bark at you and doodly doodly doo" hahaha

Wow those of you with negative comments, what's your problem? No job is perfect and I think most of us would have one or two things we don't like in our lives. This guy here is no exception. I think his videos are excellent. THANKS for inspiring me to take up an instrument, I play guitar now :))

You're right about getting good at playing a musical instrument. It takes at least 10 years to get highly skilled at playing one. Some people don't get good at it after 10 years. A lot of hard word and dedication required.

Hi Josh, just caught your video on Cruise Gig Gear for bass Players. I have a 4 string Cirrus with hipshot, mine was made around 2003, when I was lucky enough to be a sponsored player in Canada. I agree with your comments. With the pandemic crap going on, who knows when cruising will go again. I like your thought process, I'm in my '60's now, but am a long time player with good reading chops, & have done a ton of stage work as well as musical theatre & pits. Curious if you can point me to anyone who may be interested in a guy who can do the same job as yours. Thanks!

Consider becoming a community college professor. You can teach some music class.

thanks loads for your video !

Thanks for the information.

thank you man, from Buenos Aires.

Josh, I've been a guitar player for 10 years now, and when I picked up the bass for band work, you're videos were extremely helpful and supportive. I do have a day job working for corporate, albeit not in the music profession. So, I can tell you, you have to deal with bosses who have no idea or passion for whatever job you come across. As for the smoking and drinking, well at least there is sanity, ie ship security, in the madness of smoking and drinking on cruise ships. Less so in dive-bars. Maybe the e-cig trend will pick up faster. I look forward to all your videos. Don't stop believin' ;-)

I totally feel you bro. Thanks for the video ! Great and sincere info. Not often !

Haha people think they're so cool bc they have windows in their cabins. So true. I danced on 2 ships and for the most part enjoyed it. Interesting to hear your thoughts.

Your honesty is well appreciated

Thanks a lot for sharing 🍸

I play in a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band called "Almost Skynard" do they treat guest bands the same way ? Thanks for your informative video too.

Hi Josh Quick question..whats the age range of musicians on board ship? Just for the experience and travel i wouldnt mind doing this later on down the road..thanks ☺

Love the video. Really enjoyed it. . I have a question. Can you play blues, rock as a Solo Musician on a Cruise Ship? I’m a solo musician who plays with tracks and mostly the Tourists circuit (all the hits, classics etc) but I do one gig a week where I get to play blues & rock etc and it’s my favourite gig of the week (as they are my favourite genres) and I was wondering if that’s possible to do on a cruise ship? I haven’t been on a cruise ship so I don’t know if there would be a demand for that type of gig?

Are their any other obligations other than for a musician other than performance, rehearsals, and safety drill training?

I wish you could just be a guest when you’re not on the clock and actually playing/working.

Excellent!!! Thank you!!!!

What do you do as far a having a relationship? Is that something that is non-extent in your life as long as your on these cruise ships? You mention not wanting to be on a cruise ship after the age of 30. What kind of plans do you feel would best suit you at that time? Lots of ?'s, but again, you know this is type vid is not widely done on YT. Well, not to my knowledge anyway. : )~

Did you adopt to the waves and feel cheerful and efficient? Cause I've had short cruise gigs for several days and felt a bit sleepy and sluggish, so I couldn't really 100% concentrate on my practice and lost a lot of useful free time.

I think i gonna try it in a few years :)

How many days a year are you away from home?

hello. recently i saw your video, ...what is the name of the company or cruise ship? thanks

is it possible to get off the ship at the land HOOO

Love it

Who did you go through to get the gig? I'm 22 and wanting to do my first contract as a solo guitarist-singer. Any advice would be well appreciated. Thanks. Made a audition vid for lime ent today but wanted to know if there were any others. you can watch it at my page. Any pointers and info to get me out there will be helpful. Thanks.

Could one be employed, but pay for your own accommodations?

How did you get away with the tattoo thing? I`ve heard they had strict grooming policies. I had a Skype interview with a Princess recruiter in Argentina and they asked me several times if I had any visible tattoos. Was applying for Stage crew.

The thing I found is it okay to work for someone. Like it sucks but the reason for it is this. You don't go home at 5. You are constantly 'at work' and 'making sure you're giving a good impression'. It is exhausting and like being at boarding school

I like this guy. He makes sense.

I look at it this way. It is a privilege to be doing one's hobby as a job. But you have to take the bad with the good. Cruises are not for me - I would not say that musicians get a bad deal on them (you can really save on them), but the cramped quarters and being on a boat for so long is just not for me. I just pay the bills with commissions, the odd gig and teaching.

Couldn't not be a solo musician, playing crap you hate is torture. Do they move you around or do you play to the same audience every night?

In other words, you want to be a ⭐️

Is smoking allowed everywhere on the ship? If so, that would suck. And you can't eat Keto (the best regimen) on a ship?

Do you have internet, at all times or only part of the time? And how good is the internet? Thanks.

Based on my personal experience u r right on many ways...look at u?..U looked depress while doing this vid...I hope after doing this vid which was 6,7 years ago,you have gotten a much better job...typical ppl usually dont respects musicians...its a tough world.

Good info, but you could have said it in half the time. The employee aspect is not as big a deal for many people. Most jobs you have are as employees. The other issues are quit important. I have never considered a cruise ship gig, but have been offered many. Thanks.

Do they send you your charts before you go on the ship ? Or you get charts first day you come there ? Your videos are so good. Thank you

Very helpful video. Thanks :)

I worked with a bloke who is an on-off professional musician. He was once in a covers band that got a cruise ship contract. It broke his band up. There was the alcohol thing, which Josh mentions, which got a couple of them, but the best was their drummer: he was shagging every bird he could get his hands on and ended up with a bitch-fight breaking out over him, several heart broken women crying to their reps, or the younger ones to their daddies, and a couple of pissed off husbands, too. The entertainment manager ended up putting him ashore at Tallinn with literally just enough money to get to the airport and get a flight back to Madrid. Dunno what happened to his kit. The band had to finish their contract drummerless. I said to Mario, couldn't your keyboard player have programmed the drums. They tried to talk him into it but he said it would take ages to do it properly and ehat is more, he was being payed to play keyboards, so that was all for him.

great vids man..how long were you on the cruise ship?

Thanks for this, Josh. Really liked it, and I hope that you are no longer on the cruise ships. *QUESTION* How do you cope with musicians' injuries on a cruise ship (tendinitis, tinnitus), when there is no one else to replace you?

Well, here are my thoughts regarding cruise ship gigs. This is not intended as a dogmatic thing: I myself have NEVER played on a ship, but was very near of it, and turned it down because of all the following in this letter. I just wanted to share what I think. Get perhaps some experienced feedback would be fantastic as well. The subject: It is unbelievable how companies (ALL kinds of companies, be it cruise ships, management...) treat musicians and artists. As I mentioned earlier, I myself have not ever worked as a musician for a cruise line, but reading a vast amount of information on the internet (the talkbass.com and many other web bass player forums, the youtube vlogs from lots of bass players, and the like), makes you a certain idea of what is it all about. I'm not sure I could cope with such a tiny room...shared!!!...and with no natural light in many cases. Two guys sharing room with only one desk...Do we use the desktop one day each for the room mates? How does it work? The shower? The bathroom?...when both are using the room at the same time? In the case of we bass players...We have to take OUR bass, OUR string set.... We even have to take OUR tuxedo suit... I think cruise work for musicians is, almost generally, not worth. And the gossip going on about $4000 per month is, simply put, false. About 2000 as a maximum is the norm when you are first starting. Later on, you can be going (slowly) up to 2100, 2300 or 2500 when you are cruising for two or three years...Horrible!! I am a bass player, but I am currently working as phone agent in a call center. Honestly, that saved my life during covid lockdown. Many of my musicians friends had to, simply, stop to work, with a minimum social income slightly LESS THE HALF of what I monthly get just working at home. My earnings have keep being just the same during lockdown. Even more, because of that lockdown, no fuel expenses to go to work, no cafe in the company's cafeteria, no nothing. Just clean income. Regarding equipment: my callcenter company suplies headphones, full computer set, ergonomic professional chair, desk, phone terminal, even foams for the headphones and the mic!!!...The company provides E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Working as a musician in a cruise ship would be quite another thing if ship companies (on one hand) and staff in the boat (on the other), would care about the musicians properly (lots of stories about how even the bartenders mistreat the musicians in the boat buffet; DOCUMENTED). Also, if the company would pay to the musicians what their work IS REALLY WORTH. On all this, it is possible the opposite could happen: wonderfully payed gigs, nice room on your own with no sharing, great friendship, feelings and musicianship with fellow players; love and support from all the staff on board....but what the REAL chances are for you to find it? On the nice side, it is true that cruise ships are the easiest way to become a professional musician, since no word of mouth is needed. I myself got placed to an audition by simply emailing a company I found in the internet. Not only they emailed me: they directly phoned me asking for a date and time for a skype session: they send you the charts, you print them out and put them in front of you. Set the webcam on, and off you go. But: I did not do the audition because of what I have already told. I insist: this is not to be taken as dogmatic. Many other musicians may have had cool experiencies playing ships. But in my opinion, should things be different I had say yes to the audition. I think cruise ships would be a REALLY nice gig!!!

Pay?

What cruise ship agencies would I apply for the gig? I'm a non-reader guitarist/vocalist, playing all styles. If I apply as a guitarist/ vocalist, how many songs should I have in my repertoire? What styles? Are there Party Bands or Top 40 bands I could apply for? This is new to me, as a solo entertainer looking to join a band or being a solo entertainer. I've performed on 3 cruise ships with a band, but all business had been handled by mgt. This is so informative and I look fwd to being on a cruise ship. Thank you and I'm on Facebook: Sylvester Donald Jr.

It's called paying your dues kid. Just be thankful you are getting work.

Hi Josh, for the 5-6 month contract, do you live on the same ship throughout your contract or do change ships often ?

How short can a contract be? Are they all LONG? (6 months)

I had to watch this twice 'coz I can not take my eyes of you and listen what you talk about at the same time. I just lied. I watched this four times :-/

After the last cruise ship I said "Never Again" and here we are. Money Money Money. Who is this guy anyway, I never heard of him. Not putting him down. I try to find as many obscure artist as possible. I have no problem with him or his comments. He's probably right except for the fact that artist go where the fans are.

You mentioned wanting to get out of the cruise ship gigs by a certain age. In your opinion, is there an age that's too old to get in?

For the most part people who work on cruise ships for years and years are a different breed.I am of coarse talking about the,wait staff,cooks,housekeeping,engineering,electricians etc.For these people ,this is their life.Mainly on water ,away from families if they have any and in closed cramped conditions. For musicians who are called artists only in the last thirty years ago,it appears to be a temporary gig.Incidently in the seventies musicians were for the most part not called artists. They were called musicians.For many life is not fair for many people who have worked long and hard at school in this case to be put in a small room and perform for a general audience of people that do not care.This sentiment is across the board in many fields.Most true musicians such as yourself go unnoticed by the general public ,because the general public has bought into the M(ASS) MEDIA hype of what they are told and as a consequence are great musicians.An analogy to make this clearer.Save money ,shop MALWART.MALWART did not become so big by saving you money.But this is what people believe.

😭 I'm sorry you have it so bad, maybe you should get a real job for awhile and you would realize how good you really have it.

..I thought the buffet bars were extravagantly lavish on cruise ships...they don't let the musicians partake of those??......and the girls......

spot on

Keep going up up and up and you'll find the truth.

Where the H is the musicians unions? This looks like a glorified prison cell! More power to you for dealing with their BS and winning!

Self awareness completely escapes this guy.

I left a sweet weekend gig at Marineland,Fl. making $200 to be a slave on carnival cruise line for $225 a week. Wearing a tux and playing 6 days and nights. Sharing a cabin with a total asshole. This was their flagship the " Ecstasy ". The players all kids suckered but one. Dig this... they refused to pay me until we drydocked. If you can play solo piano, book yourself for a grand a week w your own cabin then do it for a while. Just make sure you've got plenty of good drugs!

Welcome to the real world!

You make me questions my heterosexuality. Not really. But....really. o__O

maaaan few things, first of all, didnt finnish the video yet, but i saw your vegan tattoo! rad! second, im sooo thinking about trying it on the cruise ship..what do you think they pay attention the most ? i mean... im ace guitarist and bass player, i dont have musical education althought i could false it somehow lol or i dunno... do you think i got to backed with some diploma or is it enough to be good ? :D how does the casting comes off ? thanks and good luck

so ..non self employed, lack of good food and small cabin space.

What he could have said to condense the first part is, you are an employee, not a celebrity, and are treated so. What no one has mentioned yet, is the rule book is thick as the bible.

Haha it's a cage for the singing bird 🐦 but don't fly away 😉

Man, I couldnt care less about being an EMPLOYEE! How many other places can you make a good salary just playing music? Plus, you get free room and board, so if youre smart, and dont blow your money at the crew bar, or at casinos, you can come off a contract with a nice load of cash saved. Now I agree that sharing a tiny windowless cabin sucks. But as for the other two, nah. Especially when you consider how few hours musicians work, versus ALL the other crew, that are essentially on duty 12-14 hours a day, SEVEN days a week. Musicians had the easiest jobs on the ship!

Yea cruise ships and casinos just have to many rules !!!

Life at 45 is a lot of B S ... ;) Thinking about trying to be a solo singer /guitarist on a cruise ship... Maybe I like bs :)

That life ain't for me for sure.

It wasn't that bad. When I do an impression I sound like a disgruntled rhino wearing flaming crocks while going down a slip and slid blindfolded.

The unfortunate reality of life is that you have to deal with a lot of douchebags in life...and the quote to remember is this..."life is not fair",,,, It is really too bad ...but that is the reality ,,,no matter what you pick for a career .

its inhuman unartist unmusician very simple protest contact to musician union make them finally do something for musician not only harvest annual membership fees hire a lawer this is not ok leaving like slave