We hire musicians and entertainers for many different situations. Here’s a short list of the most common jobs we are looking to fill:

 

• Orchestra Musicians
• Lounge Bands
• String Ensembles
• Solo Piano Entertainers
• Solo Guitar Entertainers
• Caribbean Bands
• Variety Entertainers

 

An orchestra musician usually performs twice daily in the main theater of the ship, in such diverse shows such as production shows with a cast of singers and dancers, and variety shows where you’ll be backing up celebrity vocalists, instrumentalists, jugglers, and even magic acts.

 

An orchestra can consist of a 5-, 7-, or 9-piece band that is usually made up of a rhythm section (Piano, Bass, Drums, and Guitar) and a horn section that varies in size from ship to ship. All saxophone players must double on flute and clarinet. All players must be excellent sight-readers in order to apply for this job. By sight-reading we mean detailed note-by-note music notation as opposed to simple chord chart notation.

For specific skills requirements, check out our auditions procedure and requirements page.

 

A lounge band can consist of two, three, or four people that usually include a singer, and perform light top 40, jazz, ballroom and other musical styles. They perform in the lounges around the ship and get to play for theme nights, which include Country, Disco, Rock and Roll, 50’s and 60’s, and Caribbean nights to name just a few. Lounge bands apply by submitting a demo DVD.

 

Note that we're currently looking for quality bands with high energy and character. The lead vocalist should have charisma and the ability to engage a crowd.   We need the entire band to display energy, not just the lead vocalist. In other words, we need bands that don't only play quality music with a fresh new sound but also a band that's visually appealing, and creates a fun atmosphere.   Call us for details: 1-888-714-0964

 

 

String duos, trios, and quartets perform mainly in the Centrum area, or in various restaurants around the ship. They perform easy listening arrangements from the classical and popular music repertoire. Note that, ideally, most of your music should be memorized. String ensembles apply by submitting a demo DVD.

 

Solo pianists entertain in bars and lounges. They need to draw from a large repertoire of cover songs since they get many requests throughout the night. Cocktail piano and Piano/Vocalist are two separate position but you apply the same way, by submitting a demo DVD.

 

Solo guitarists perform in various lounges and restaurants around the ship and use many different styles of music to make up their repertoire. Some solo guitar entertainers may be asked to be a part of the ship's orchestra as well. As with piano entertainers, solo guitar entertainers may be hired as guitarists or as guitar/vocalists. Some of the guitar/vocalist positions are more of a bar-type entertainment where audience participation is important. Guitarists apply by submitting a demo DVD, unless they will also be a part of the orchestra, in which case they have to audition live as well.

 

Caribbean Bands can consist of 1-4 musicians that perform Caribbean style music near the pool and in some of the lounges. Caribbean bands apply by submitting a demo DVD.

 

Variety Acts can consist of magicians, comedians, singers, instrumentalists, jugglers. These entertainers perform the main shows in the state-of-the-art theatres on ships and use the ship's orchestra in most cases. Their shows are 45-55 minutes long and are presented twice per night. Variety acts apply by submitting a demo DVD of the exact show they're looking to present on a cruise ship.

 

 

 

 

As a general guideline, all entertainers that are performing in various cafes, bars, and lounges are asked to perform easy listening music that entertains and that does not disturb guests. It is important to choose a repertoire that caters to the guests.   Groups and soloists that get passengers’ attention and that can entertain them for hours on end with tunes that are familiar to them and that are performed at a high standard, put themselves in the best possible situation to get hired.   Being flexible with repertoire so that bands can fulfill passenger song requests is extremely important and can constitute an important advantage over ensembles with less flexibility. Contact us for more information on cruise ship musician jobs.